The ColecoVison Flashback Megathread

[nosweargamer]

Here's a bunch of info I put together on the Colecovision Flashback when it first came out.

Sadly sales were not strong enough for a followup system.

However it is Christmastime and you can still find the original in stores, sometimes on clearance.

 

Current Amazon Price as of this posting: Under $30

 

What's in the Box?

-1 Console (Very light, cheap feeling with two buttons. Resembles a shrunken ColecoVision. There is no Cartridge Slot or SD slot)

-2 Removable Controllers (Not compatible with the original system. Controller is slightly smaller than the original, but has a larger keypad. I don't think you can use old overlays on it. The knob has limited movement.)

-1 AC Adapter (resembles a cell phone charger with a small light to indicate power. It plugs in the side near the buttons)

-4 Pairs of Overlays for Dambusters, Poker/Black Jack, War Room & Fortune Builder. (There is suppose to be a Sam's Club version that has more)

-1 B & W Manual with a short paragraph for each game.

 

You can see everything in this Unboxing video I did:

[nosweargamer]

What games are on it?

60 total (61 for the Dollar General Version)

The games are (HB stands for Home Brew) :

Alphabet Zoo

Antarctic Adventure (Only available on the Dollar General Flashback)

Aquattack

Artillery Duel

Bankruptcy Builder (HB)

BlackJack/Poker

Blockade Runner

Brain Strainers

Bump 'n' Jump

Choplifter!

Cosmic Avenger

Destructor (HB)

Dragonfire

Evolution

Fathom

Flipper Slipper

Fortune Builder

Frantic Freddy

Frenzy

Gateway to Apshai

Gust Buster

Jumpman Junior

Jungle Hunt

Mecha-8 (HB)

Miner 2049er

Module Man (HB)

Monster Masher (HB)

Montezuma's Revenge

Moonsweeper

Motocross Racer

Mountain King

Ms. Space Fury (HB)

Nova Blast

Oil's Well

Omega Race

Pepper II

Princess Quest (HB)

Quest for Quintana Roo

Rolloverture

Sammy Lightfoot

Schlange (HB)

Search for the Stolen Crown Jewels (HB)

Search for the Stolen Crown Jewels 2 (HB)

Search for the Stolen Crown Jewels 3 (HB)

Shunting Puzzle (HB)

Sir Lancelot

Slurpy

Space Fury

Space Panic

Squish `Em Featuring Sam

Super Cross Force

Telly Turtle

The Dam Buster

The Heist

Threshold

Tomarc the Barbarian

Tournament Tennis

Venture

War Room (also known as WarGames or War Games)

Wing War

Zaxxon

 

You can see all 61 games in action in this review I did:

 

 

Pros & Cons:

 

Pros:

Great value (Some games on the system go over $40 for a loose copy on ebay)

Large number and variety of styles of games

Some Home Brew titles that are pretty good, especially Mecha 8

Overall decent emulation

 

Cons:

Missing key titles due to licensing like Donkey Kong and Smurfs

Controller could've been more comfortable and had more range of movement on the knob. Also not compatible with old controllers as originally planned

I've been told of some emulation issues. Most notably, The Heist plays very slow compared to the original.

Physical parts feel cheap.

 

Recommendation: Great value if you are a retro fan and don't have a ColecoVision, but it won't replace the original system if you have one. Overall, i would recommend it.

[AlamoAtari]

I've been on the fence about these flashback systems, I was wondering if any plans for a mega flashback system, retron5 esk where you can choose the platform, but of course being able to play carts you own in the system as well. But that train has probably left the station because of how poor sales went.

[nosweargamer]

I've been on the fence about these flashback systems, I was wondering if any plans for a mega flashback system, retron5 esk where you can choose the platform, but of course being able to play carts you own in the system as well. But that train has probably left the station because of how poor sales went.

 

Cool idea, but as you said, probably unlikely.

My guess is they will continue to do the Genesis and Atari ones until sale slow down enough to discontinue them.

Perhaps they could make an Arcade Flashback with 40-80 games with some big name titles, but licensing costs might not allow it.

The only hope is Nintendo agreed to make an NES flashback, but knowing them, that is very unlikely.

 

Sad to say because I like them, but I believe Plug n Play systems will no longer be sold 5 years from now.

I hope I am wrong.

[AlamoAtari]

I like the idea of them as well, but I think that they are more interested in profits than satisfying the consumer. That is why they didn't bother to fix the controller ports, it was better to leave them where they were

[LeeJ07]

I like my CV Flashback very much, and consider it a good value for my money. Thanks to the Flashback, I've been introduced to many games I'd otherwise never get to experience.

[Arenafoot]

Still wish I could have found one on clearance like I did with the INTV Flashback!

[RickR]

It is nice to have the composite output too. 

[Arenafoot]

 

Here's a bunch of info I put together on the Colecovision Flashback when it first came out.

Sadly sales were not strong enough for a followup system.

However it is Christmastime and you can still find the original in stores, sometimes on clearance.

 

Current Amazon Price as of this posting: Under $30

 

What's in the Box?

-1 Console (Very light, cheap feeling with two buttons. Resembles a shrunken ColecoVision. There is no Cartridge Slot or SD slot)

-2 Removable Controllers (Not compatible with the original system. Controller is slightly smaller than the original, but has a larger keypad. I don't think you can use old overlays on it. The knob has limited movement.)

-1 AC Adapter (resembles a cell phone charger with a small light to indicate power. It plugs in the side near the buttons)

-4 Pairs of Overlays for Dambusters, Poker/Black Jack, War Room & Fortune Builder. (There is suppose to be a Sam's Club version that has more)

-1 B & W Manual with a short paragraph for each game.

 

You can see everything in this Unboxing video I did:

 

are you doing one for the INTV Flashback?

[nosweargamer]

are you doing one for the INTV Flashback?

 How about this 

http://forums.atari.io/index.php/topic/1166-the-intellivision-flashback-megathread/

Edited November 18, 2015 by nosweargamer

[Bakerman]

I picked this up last Christmas Eve on clearance at the Dollar Store, to see what I had missed as a kid. I always wanted one until I eventually got an Atari 8-bit computer instead. I wasn't impressed, most of the games have much better versions on the A8 computers. Zaxxon look ok, but the scrolling sucks compared to the A8 version and after going through them all, I feel the same, I have better versions of most of the games on my A8. I was very impressed with Mecha-8 though, my nephew and I took turns playing it through twice. So it did make me *think* about getting a real Colecovision, but more for any new home-brews than for the original games...except for one, Frenzy, which isn't on the A8, unless a home-brew has been released...I know the 7800 got it. I have to say that I can't recommend Colecovision flashback highly. If you have an Atari 8-bit system like the computers or 5200 or a Commodore 64, or even a 7800, there's no need to look to Colecovision, you've got better versions of most games on those systems already; especially with the strong home-brew scenes on them bringing many of the classics that they didn't have originally to them now. And the controllers are really cheap on it, my knobs keep popping off when I'm in the heat of game play...a very bad thing. If you don't have those other systems or computers then I can recommend it due to the 61 games included. otherwise, get any of those other systems and start collecting.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Bakerman

[nosweargamer]

.And the controllers are really cheap on it, my knobs keep popping off when I'm in the heat of game play...a very bad thing. 

 

Hopefully that won't happen to mine!

I have an Atari Flashback 2 with joysticks where the tops come unscrewed during gameplay. Very annoying when something like that happens. 

But that was used and so far my other Flashback controllers have held up.

[Bakerman]

Hopefully that won't happen to mine!

I have an Atari Flashback 2 with joysticks where the tops come unscrewed during gameplay. Very annoying when something like that happens. 

But that was used and so far my other Flashback controllers have held up.

yeah, i got the flashback 2 as well, and yeah I had the tops come unscrewed also. But at least you can use original Atari joysticks with it, or, like i do, my WICO stick!

[RickR]

I put a bit of Loctite on the threads to keep them from unscrewing.

[StormSurge]

So those screw on? I thought mine snapped off.

[Mcorleonep]

This is the only flashback console I own. I came across it at the Family Dollar on sale. It definitely has issues and the emulation isn't all that great especially on the Heist; one of my favorite Colecovision games from back in the day. I was also sad that there was no, Burgertime, Ladybug or Mouse Trap all great CV games. Bar none, my favorite on here is Frenzy, a superior follow-up to Berzerk which was unavailable on any other consoles back in the 80's (or the present for that matter).

[Starbuck66]

This is the only flashback console I own. I came across it at the Family Dollar on sale. It definitely has issues and the emulation isn't all that great especially on the Heist; one of my favorite Colecovision games from back in the day. I was also sad that there was no, Burgertime, Ladybug or Mouse Trap all great CV games. Bar none, my favorite on here is Frenzy, a superior follow-up to Berzerk which was unavailable on any other consoles back in the 80's (or the present for that matter).

 

Frenzy is amazing; the music alone in that game makes it marvelous, and the gameplay is superb!

 

My biggest gripe is the CV controller, but I can play it on my wife's original CV and use my 2600 joystick adapter cables I bought from The Intellivisionaries podcast. It plays like a dream with my Suncom TAC-2...