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Watch the Retroist Video Podcast and learn all about the Coleco Adam


MaximumRD

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Cool video podcast. Before I eventually got an Atari 130XE in '85, I wasn't a true fan of Atari, and I always wanted a Colecovision (my first game system was a Telstar until I got a VCS), which I never got, because as said in the podcast, by then, for me and my friends, computers were the next logical step, especially with the video game crash. So the computer I wanted most, of course, was an Apple IIc, since I learned computers and Basic in school on a II+/IIe. But, Apples were way out of my price range, so being a wanna-be fan of Colecovision, the Adam was another option for me and getting everything in one package for a reasonable price seemed great. Especially since I just couldn't seem to convince my parents to get me a computer, and I finally realized if I was to get one (a real one, my parents did get me a Timex/Sinclair 1000 on clearance), I'd have to pay for it. But since my money was burning a hole in my pocket and I just couldn't wait to save up for an entire system, I started looking into Commodore and Atari modular systems where I could start out with a computer and cassette recorder and upgrade as I could. I finally got a 130XE as stated, and in the end I'm glad I did. Still think I chose the Best 8-bit line of computers ever made. But it is interesting looking back at the ADAM and I almost bought one a decade ago as a retrospective nostalgia thing for what I had wanted and never got; I wondered what I might have missed. Then I heard of all the problems with early ADAM's and once again steered clear as I didn't want to end up with an old brick collecting dust...but I think I may yet get one, hopefully a later model with the kinks worked out. I did finally get an Apple IIc a year ago, played with it for a couple hours then sold it on e-bay, as it just didn't do it for me after being spoiled by Atari, and I also have a Laser128 Apple clone already, that I intend to fix one day (power issues). But Atari 8-bit computers are the ones that really won a place in my heart, which is why I am here.

"Slugs, he created slugs?...Is this not the work of a complete incompetent? I would have started with Lasers, 8 o'clock, day one."-Evil (Time Bandits)

"...burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me..."-theme song (Firefly)

"I try to respect him, I really, really do, but he's just such a Smeg-head."-Lister (about Rimmer, Red Dwarf)

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The Irony in my "wonder what I missed" Colecovision nostalgia is that I've been collecting carts for it for about 15 years, ones I find in the wild for 50 cents or a dollar, with the intention of eventually getting the system, then last Christmas eve I picked up the Colecovision flashback on blowout clearance for $15 at my local Dollar Store, got it home, and started playing the games. Starting with Zaxxon...I wasn't impressed, the graphics were ok, but the scrolling was terrible compared to the version on the Atari 8-bit...I started playing other games...not impressed, I have most on my Atari 8-bit and they are much better versions overall. The ONLY game I actually was impressed with was the recent home-brew game that was included called Mecha-8. that game rocked and me and my nephew took turns on each level and played it through twice! So I may still get a real Colecovision eventually, if only to play the new home-brews for it, but I still need to research and see what there is in store for me.

 

I'm sure I would have love the Colecovision had I gotten it pre-Atari computers, but now it just looks pale in comparison.

"Slugs, he created slugs?...Is this not the work of a complete incompetent? I would have started with Lasers, 8 o'clock, day one."-Evil (Time Bandits)

"...burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me..."-theme song (Firefly)

"I try to respect him, I really, really do, but he's just such a Smeg-head."-Lister (about Rimmer, Red Dwarf)

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