Mattel didn't just want to sell toys; they wanted to own the living room. It was 1979, and the Atari 2600 was the undisputed king of the hill, even if its graphics looked like a box of spilled Chiclets. Then came the Intellivision video game system. It was sleek. It was brown. It looked like it belonged next to a hi-fi stereo system rather than in a toy box. Honestly, it was the first time a console tried to be "adult," and for a few glorious years, it actually gave Atari a run for its money.
People forget how revolutionary this thing was.
While Atari was busy with blocky sprites that vaguely resembled humans, the Intellivision was pushing 16-bit processing power via the General Instrument CP1600. That’s a big deal. Most people assume the 16-bit era started with the Sega Genesis or the Super Nintendo, but Mattel was tinkering with that architecture a full decade earlier. It wasn't perfect, but man, it was ambitious.
What Really Happened with the Intellivision Video Game System?
The rivalry between Mattel Electronics and Atari was the original console war. No kidding. Before Sega screamed "Sega!" in commercials, Mattel was airing "George Plimpton" ads that directly compared Intellivision games to Atari games. Plimpton, a sophisticated writer and actor, would stand there looking smug while pointing out that the Intellivision baseball players actually had legs and the outfielders didn't look like flickering pixels.
It worked.
The Intellivision video game system sold roughly 3 million units during its initial run. That's a drop in the bucket compared to modern PlayStation numbers, but back then? It was massive. The console’s library was built on the idea of "intelligent television." They wanted sports sims that felt like real sports. Major League Baseball on Intellivision was the first licensed sports game ever. It actually required two players because the AI wasn't smart enough to play against you yet—a limitation that somehow made it a neighborhood staple.
The hardware was a double-edged sword. You had those gold-and-black controllers with the circular directional pads. Instead of a joystick, you pressed on a disc. It felt high-tech. It also felt like a thumb-cramping nightmare after twenty minutes of Astrosmash. And let’s talk about the overlays. To play a game, you had to slide a plastic sheet over the 12-button keypad on the controller. Lose the overlay? You were basically flying blind. It was a tactile, clunky, wonderful mess that defined early 80s gaming.
The Tech That Was Too Far Ahead of Its Time
We talk about DLC and digital storefronts today like they’re new. They aren't. Mattel was experimenting with the PlayCable as early as 1981. If you had the right cable provider, you could literally download games through your TV line. It was the ancestor of Xbox Live. Imagine explaining that to someone in 1982 while they're trying to figure out how to program their VCR.
Then there was the General Instrument SP0256-AL2 chip. That’s the fancy name for the "Intellivoice" module.
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"B-17 Bomber!"
If you heard that synthesized voice coming out of your TV in 1982, your jaw hit the floor. Real speech in a home console was witchcraft. B-17 Bomber, Bomb Squad, and Space Spartans used this tech to tell you when your engines were on fire or when an enemy was approaching. It wasn't just a gimmick; it changed the gameplay loop. You had to listen, not just watch.
However, Mattel's ambition eventually outpaced its bank account. They promised a keyboard component that would turn the Intellivision video game system into a fully functional home computer. It was the "Keyboard Component" (or the Blue Whale, as collectors call it now). It was plagued by delays, high costs, and FCC interference issues. Eventually, the Federal Trade Commission started fining Mattel $10,000 a month until they released it. They eventually put out a scaled-down version called the Entertainment Computer System (ECS), but the damage was done.
Why the Graphics Actually Mattered
If you look at NFL Football on the Atari 2600 and then look at it on the Intellivision, the difference is staggering. Mattel used "sprites" that were taller and more detailed. The resolution was 159x192 pixels. By today’s standards, your toaster has a better screen, but in 1980, it was the difference between a stick figure and a person.
The console used a unique "Executive Control Program" (EXEC) in its internal ROM. This was basically a shared library of code that all developers had to use. It's why so many Intellivision games have the same font and similar movement logic. It made development faster, but it also gave the system a very specific "feel." If you grew up with it, you know exactly what I mean. The way the screen scrolled, the specific "bleep" of the sound chip—it was a brand identity before brands really knew what they were doing in the digital space.
The Crash and the Long Goodbye
The video game crash of 1983 didn't care about Mattel’s 16-bit processor. The market was flooded with garbage, and the "Intellivision III" and "Intellivision IV" projects were scrapped as the company bled money. Mattel Electronics was shut down in 1984.
But the story didn't end there.
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A group of former employees, led by Terry Valeski, bought the rights and inventory, forming INTV Corp. They kept the system alive well into the late 80s with the INTV III console. They even produced new games when everyone else had moved on to the NES. It was the first "zombie" console—a system that refused to die because its fanbase was so fiercely loyal. This loyalty persists today in the homebrew scene. Developers are still writing code for the Intellivision video game system, pushing that old CP1600 chip to do things Mattel engineers never dreamed of.
The recent attempt to revive the brand with the "Amico" console has been... let's say, controversial. It faced endless delays and transparency issues, which honestly felt like a repeat of the Keyboard Component debacle from forty years ago. But that shouldn't stain the legacy of the original hardware. The original machine was a pioneer. It gave us the pause button. Seriously, the Intellivision was one of the first systems to let you pause a game. That alone deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Identifying a Genuine Unit Today
If you’re hunting for one at a flea market or on eBay, you need to know what you’re looking at. The "Master Component" is the original wood-grain model. It’s the most iconic. But there are variations:
- Sears Super Video Arcade: This is just an Intellivision rebranded for Sears. It’s functionally identical but looks a bit different.
- Intellivision II: This was a cost-cutting redesign. It’s smaller, white, and uses a detachable controller. Heads up: some early Coleco-made cartridges won't work on this version because Mattel added a software check to kill the competition.
- The INTV III: Usually found in a sleek black and silver finish. These are often more reliable because the internal components are younger, but the build quality feels a bit more "plasticky."
Actionable Steps for New Collectors
If you're looking to dive into the world of the Intellivision video game system, don't just buy the first one you see on a bidding site. Here is how you actually get started without wasting money:
- Check the Controllers First: On original models, the controllers are hardwired. If the gold disc is stuck or the buttons don't "click," you’re looking at a tedious repair job involving delicate Mylar circuitry. Test them before you commit.
- Get an LSA (Lateral Support Adapter): If you find the disc controller hard to use, look for "The Stick" or third-party clip-ons that turn the disc into a joystick. Your thumbs will thank you.
- Prioritize "The Big Three" Games: You need Astrosmash, Night Stalker, and Major League Baseball. These represent the peak of the system's library and are incredibly cheap to find.
- Look for Composite Mods: These systems originally output via RF (the old screw-on antenna jack). On a modern 4K TV, it will look like static-filled mush. Look for units that have been modded with "Composite Out" or use a dedicated upscaler like the RetroTINK.
- Clean the Cartridge Ports: The Intellivision is notorious for "green screen" errors. Usually, this isn't a dead console; it's just 40 years of dust on the pins. A bit of 90% Isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip goes a long way.
The Intellivision wasn't just a competitor to Atari; it was a vision of what gaming could be. It was complex, it was difficult, and it was unapologetically "high-end." While it might not have the pop-culture saturation of a Nintendo, its DNA is all over the consoles we play today. Whether it's the 16-bit architecture or the focus on realistic sports simulation, Mattel's brown box changed the trajectory of the industry forever.
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If you find one that works, plug it in, slide in an overlay, and try to beat the high score in Astrosmash. Just be prepared for the hand cramps. They’re part of the authentic experience.