Intellivision Amico

upcoming video game console developed by Intellivision Entertainment

The Intellivision Amico is a video game console made by Intellivision Entertainment. The console was revealed in October 2018 and pre-orders started in April 2019. The console will come out on April 15, 2021, delayed from October 10, 2020, along with 40 games being made for then.[4][5][6][7]

Intellivision Amico
DeveloperIntellivision Entertainment
ManufacturerArk Electronics
TypeHome video game console
Release date
  • April 3, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-04-03)
(Founders Edition)
  • April 15, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-04-15)
Introductory priceUS$249 (Graphite Black & Glacier White)
US$279 (Woodgrain)
US$299 (Galaxy Purple)
MediaDigital downloads
Operating systemCustom Android/Linux operating system
System-on-chip usedUnknown 8-core 1.8 GHz[1] Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC[2]
Memory2 GB RAM[1]
Storage32 GB flash memory, 1x microSD[1][2]
DisplayHDMI (1080p)[1]
Controller inputIntellivision Amico controller,[1] Android/iOS device, Bluetooth controller[3]
ConnectivityBluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, wireless contact charging, 1x USB-C[1][2]
Power12V DC barrel plug[2]
Online servicesAmico Game Shop
Dimensions11 × 9.5 × 2.5 in (279.40 × 241.30 × 63.50 mm)[1]
Websitewww.intellivisionamico.com

Concept

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Most games will be 2D or 2.5D. Other games will be 3D games the company thinks are easy to play and learn. The company helps studios make games for the console with whatever the studios need. All games will have features they will only have on the console. All games will be rated E (Everyone) or E10+ (Everyone 10+) by the ESRB, or PEGI 3 or PEGI 7 by PEGI. Intellivision Entertainment plan to release new games, motion control games, card games and other tabletop games, educational games, and updated classic video games, such as some Intellivision games, some from Imagic, and Atari and arcade games, of which Moon Patrol and BurgerTime will come out at about the same time as the console. Some Intellivision compilations will have licenses from third-parties, such as Tron: Deadly Discs. Games can be downloaded for $9.99 or less when the console comes out, later a higher amount less than $40,[8] or from an RFID card for US$20 to US$30.[9][10][11][12] All games can be played by one player or, because the goal of the system is to go back to family gaming and co-op with people in the same place because the company thinks modern gaming and web-based multiplayer has gone away from that, up to eight players locally. Online multiplayer is planned for a later date.[13]

History

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Development

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In May 2018, Tommy Tallarico said he planned to make a new Intellivision console, and made a new company, Intellivision Entertainment, becoming the president of it.[14][15] Intellivision Productions started to name itself Blue Sky Rangers Inc. instead, and Intellivision Entertainment got the video game things they owned instead.[16][17]

At the Portland Retro Gaming Expo in October 2018, the Intellivision Amico was officially revealed, such as its name, and the fact it would come out on October 10, 2020. Developer kits were expected to go out in Summer 2019.[13]

In May 2019, Intellivision Entertainment announced its first major game exclusive to the console, a third official Earthworm Jim game, and that it got ten people who helped to work on the original Earthworm Jim team to work on it, all for Earthworm Jim's 25th anniversary.[18][19] In June 2019, the Intellivision Amico could first be used in secret at E3 2019, allowing people with influence in the video game industry to play games in development on consoles, and try using the official mobile app that allowed mobile phones to be controllers for the console.[20]

At Gamescom in Cologne, Germany in August 2019, Tommy Tallarico showed a trailer with footage of video games running on the Intellivision Amico to the public for the first time.[21] In October 2019, Tommy Tallarico came to Insomnia Dubai, a gaming convention held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to say they set up an office in Dubai to make the Intellivision Amico come out in the MENA region on October 10, 2020, the same day as in North America and Europe.[22]

Hardware

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Console

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The console has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, HDMI out, an SD card slot, and three USB ports.[23] Two of those USB ports can be used for charging, and the remaining USB port allows the console to store more data.[1] There is a LED ambient lighting system built into the body that can change pattern and color in response to gameplay. This system is known as Interactive Guidance Lighting.[1][24] This feature is intended to make playing games on the console "fun and memorable" while also helping guide players in an interactive way.[6]

Controller

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Intellivision Amico controller
DeveloperIntellivision Entertainment
TypeVideo game controller
GenerationNinth generation
Release date
  • October 10, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-10-10)
CPUUnknown CPU[1]
MemoryUnknown memory[1]
Display3.2 in (81.28 mm) 4:3 TFT LCD single-touch resistive touchscreen, full-color, 320 × 240 QVGA[1][25] @ 125 ppi
SoundSpeaker, microphone[1]
Input
ConnectivityBluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, USB-C, wireless charging[1]
PowerUSB-C host powered[1]
Dimensions6 × 2.75 × 1 in (152.40 × 69.85 × 25.40 mm)[1]
PredecessorIntellivision controller

The Intellivision Amico comes with two controllers. They can charge wirelessly when they are placed into their cradle, which is on top of the console, charge using a wired USB-C connection, or charge in both ways at the same time. They have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, speakers, a microphone, an accelerometer, force feedback and a gyroscope. They also have a 3.2 in (81.28 mm) full-color touch screen, four big shoulder buttons, a home button and a 64-way pressure-sensitive directional disc[1][26][27] with a ring of LEDs all around it.[28] The controllers come with wrist straps[1] so they do not fly away during game action if they are not held in a secure way. Up to six more controllers can connect to the Intellivision Amico. A smartphone running a free controller smartphone app can be used instead of an Amico controller.[29]

Tommy Tallarico, who is the president of Intellivision Entertainment, has said the games that will be available for the Intellivision Amico will be about 20% updated and re-imagined versions of classic video games, 20% original new games, 20% sports and recreation, 20% board games, dice games, card games, word games and puzzle games, and 20% educational games. All games will be both single player and multiplayer, with some games allowing up to eight players to play the game at the same time using controllers and/or mobile phones. Some games will have motion controls, using the accelerometer and gyroscope of the controller. Some games will have the Karma Gaming Engine, a feature that is intended to give players of all skill levels a fair level of competition against each other by always changing the difficulty for players based on how well they are doing in the game. Five games will come with the Intellivision Amico, and it will have about forty more games available when it comes out. Five of the six included games have been announced to be Skiing, Astrosmash, Shark! Shark!, Cornhole, and Farkle.[11][20][30][31][32][33]

These games have been announced to come out for the Intellivision Amico:

  • The name is not official, and might change.
Title (66) Genre Developer Release date
10 Yard Fight Sports 2020/2021
Archon Strategy
Armor Battle Action 2020
Asteroids Shooter, arcade 2020
Astrosmash Shooter Rogue Rocket Games 2020
Auto Racing Racing 2020
B-17 Bomber Action 2020/2021
Back Talk Party* Party 2020
Bad Dudes Beat 'em up
Baseball* Sports 2020/2021
Beauty and the Beast Action
Biplanes* Action WastedStudios 2020
Bocce Sports
Bomberman* Arcade 2020
Bowling* Sports 2020
Boxing Sports
Breakout Arcade 2020
Burgertime Arcade 2020
Caveman Ninja Platformer
Circus* Action 2020/2021
Cloudy Mountain Crown of Kings* Action Other Ocean 2020
Cornhole Sports 2020
Cosmic Ark Shooter
Darts Sports
Demon Attack Shooter
Dracula Action
Dragon Fire Action
Earthworm Jim 4* Intellivision Entertainment 2021
Ecco the Dolphin* Action-adventure Playchemy 2021
Evel Knievel* Arcade Barnstorm Games 2020
Farkle Dice 2020
Football* Sports 2020/2021
Frog Bog Action 2020
Frogger Arcade
Hockey* Sports 2020
Horse Racing Racing
Ice Trek Action
Kung-Fu Master Beat 'em up
Liar's Dice Dice 2020
Lock 'N' Chase Arcade
Lode Runner Platformer, puzzle 2020
Math Fun Educational
Microsurgeon Shooter 2020/2021
Miner 2049er Platformer 2020/2021
Missile Command Arcade 2020
Moon Patrol: The Milky Way Chronicles Arcade WastedStudios 2020
MotoRace USA Racing
Night Stalker Shooter Other Ocean 2020
Picture Charades* Party GameCake 2020
Pong Action Way Digital Studios 2020
Pool & Billiards* Sports 2020
R-Type Arcade 2020/2021
Running Man* Endless runner 2020/2021
Safecracker Action 2020
Shark! Shark! Action Neobird, Bonus Level Entertainment 2020
Shuffleboard Sports
SideSwipers Action 2020
Skiing Sports Aesir Interactive 2020
Snafoo Action Thera Bytes
Spelunker Platformer 2020/2021
Soccer* Sports 2020
Texas Hold'em* Card
Toejam & Earl Action 2020/2021
Tron Deadly Discs* Action Other Ocean
Tropical Angel Action
Utopia Real-time strategy

[26][30][34][35][36][37][38][39][source?][This table is lacking citations for many of its entries]

Operating system

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The Intellivision Amico runs an operating system that is based on Android and Linux only made by the company. In an interview with GamesBeat, Tommy Tallarico said the operating system is "very solid", but "very flexible", saying Linux is the "flexible" part and Android is the "solid" part.[31]

References

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  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 "Amico Tech Specs — Intellivision Entertainment". Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Meet Amico - Hardware Design". Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  3. "Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A". Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. "October 2018 Press Release" (PDF). Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  5. "Intellivision Reveals 5 Colors for the New Amico Console". Geek Tyrant. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Intellivision Entertainment". Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  7. Takahashi, Dean (June 21, 2019). "Intellivision Entertainment prepares for its rebirth on 10-10-20". Venture Beat. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  8. "An Interview with Tommy Tallarico of Intellivision - Part 5". Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  9. Williams, Carl (3 November 2018). "Intellivision Entertainment Announce Amico Console". steemit.com. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  10. Pelone, Anthony (20 October 2018). "First Look at Intellivision Amico". heypoorplayer.com. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  11. 11.0 11.1 "FAQ — Intellivision Entertainment". Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  12. Borge, Michael. "Intellivision revealed their new Amico console - Daily Gaming Report". Daily Gaming Report. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Fischer, Tyler (October 20, 2018). "Intellivision Amico Console Officially Announced, Release Date Revealed". Comicbook.com. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  14. "May 2018 Press Release" (PDF). Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  15. Takahashi, Dean (May 29, 2018). "Intellivision lives: Tommy Tallarico will relaunch 1980s console". VentureBeat. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  16. "September 2019 Press Release" (PDF). Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  17. Roney, Steve. "Intellivision Productions, Blue Sky Rangers and Intellivision Entertainment". atariage. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  18. "May 2019 Press Release" (PDF). Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  19. Hall, Charlie (May 2019). "Earthworm Jim game in development for the new Intellivision console". Polygon. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Franzese, Tomas (2 July 2019). "The Intellivision Amico is Real and its Goals Are Commendable". Dual Shockers. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  21. "Intellivision Entertainment Launches New Trailer for Their Upcoming Amico Video Game Console". Retro Game Network. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  22. Hamad, Marwa (October 17, 2019). "Insomnia Dubai: Supercars and gaming announcements on day one". Gulf News. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  23. Hall, Charlie (22 October 2018). "Intellivision plans comeback with a new console called Amico in 2020". Polygon. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  24. Santa Maria, Alex (26 October 2018). "It's Game On For Intellivision's Forthcoming Amico Console". mandatory.com. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  25. Takahashi, Dean (January 12, 2020). "Tommy Tallarico is making a lot of noise about Intellivision | VentureBeat". VentureBeat. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  26. 26.0 26.1 Battikh, Rany (23 August 2019). "Intellivision Amico Gamescom 2019 Trailer". retrorgb.com. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  27. Diaz, Jesus (23 October 2018). "What the Hell Is the New Intellivision Console?". tomsguide.com. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  28. "Meet Amico™ - LED Disc Ring (test 2.18) - YouTube". Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  29. 30.0 30.1 Adams, Robert. "Intellivision Amico Controller Detailed, First Pack-In Game Revealed | TechRaptor". TechRaptor. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  30. 31.0 31.1 Takahashi, Dean (21 June 2019). "Intellivision Entertainment prepares for its rebirth on 10-10-20". VentureBeat. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  31. "Intellivision Amico Pack-in announcement". Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  32. "Intellivision bringing 22 games to E3". Brutal Gamer. 2019-06-04. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  33. "VIP Pre-Order Announcement Gameplay Trailer". Intellivision Entertainment.
  34. McIlrath, Mary. "Tech Takes Its Foot Off the Kid Gas Pedal: Consumer Electronics Show 2020 Recap". C+R Research. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  35. "Press Release - October 22nd, 2018 — Intellivision Entertainment". Archived from the original on 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  36. "Meet Amico™ - Dice Rolling! - YouTube". Intellivision Entertainment. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  37. "The NLG Show Ep. 184: An Evening with Tommy Tallarico and the Intellivision Amico!". YouTube.
  38. Tallarico, Tommy. "Atariage Forum website post, Retrieved 24 March 2020". Atariage Forum.

Other websites

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