Intellivision Christmas memories

[tacrec]

My memory is pretty fuzzy about back then, but I think I got a lot of games during various holidays, I think Bowling was one of my Xmas gifts and my brothers and dad would all play.

[pimpmaul69]

Sadly i had no intellivision memories. Never saw, owned or played it until 2012. But man am i obsessed with it now. I rarely play anything that is not intellivision these days. And i am glad i didnt have it back then cause if i did i might not have the obsession i do now.

[townparkradio]

Here's to hoping my wife understood my hints and there's an Inty flashback Xmas awaiting me this year. I want to be a small child once more in my life at least... I doubt she'll understand how much it means though. She kinda sucks at Christmas.

 

Meanwhie.. I got her a Hobbes plushie and all the comics! It won;t be wrapped... it will be caught in a cardboard box with a tuna sandwich used as bait. Tell me that's not a cute way to do it? lol.

[First Spear]

On Christmas day in 81/82/83 I remember calling one of my closest buddies and we'd compare what we got for our Intellivisions for Christmas. My brother and I would get a game or 2, and so would my friend, so we'd read part of the booklets over the phone and compare notes and gameplay. After a week or 2 we'd end up walking to each other's house (about 3 NYC city blocks to give distance reference) to play stuff, sometimes borrow-trade. For some reason our parents were basically cool with the idea of loaning out $40 things to other little kids. The games that stuck out as Christmas winners were Astrosmash, Star Strike, and Tropical Trouble. I think TT holds up the least well for me now because it has the most repetitive gameplay, but *man* the graphics were jealousy-makers in Christmas of 1983...

[Byte Knight]

I remember when I was 12 or 13 peeking at my Christmas presents in my parents' closet a few weeks before Christmas. I lifted up a blanket and was excitedly staring at a box of a Sears Super Video Arcade when my mom walked in and busted me. I tried to tell her that I was looking for my winter boots but she didn't buy it and threatened to return all my presents. I begged and pleaded for her not to return them and told that I hadn't seen a thing. Anxiety ran high those next couple of weeks, not being sure if I was going to get it or not. I was extremely relieved to see a big box under the tree on Christmas morning. My mom watched me suspiciously as I unwrapped it, but I didn't have to fake the excitement of getting my first video game system!

[+DZ-Jay]

I remember when I was 12 or 13 peeking at my Christmas presents in my parents' closet a few weeks before Christmas. I lifted up a blanket and was excitedly staring at a box of a Sears Super Video Arcade when my mom walked in and busted me. I tried to tell her that I was looking for my winter boots but she didn't buy it and threatened to return all my presents. I begged and pleaded for her not to return them and told that I hadn't seen a thing. Anxiety ran high those next couple of weeks, not being sure if I was going to get it or not. I was extremely relieved to see a big box under the tree on Christmas morning. My mom watched me suspiciously as I unwrapped it, but I didn't have to fake the excitement of getting my first video game system!

 

That's a cool story! Thanks for sharing it.

[maibock]

It was 1981, a full year after Santa had left a 2600 under our tree, when I got a call from one of my best friends Steve, that they had indeed got an Intellivision for Christmas. Sure I was playing my newly acquired Asteroids, and playing very fondly, but I was itching to see what the Intellivision could do. Sure sure, I too, was bombarded with Plimpton espousing virtues, but I really wanted to see the system for myself. It was one of those magical white Christmas' that year, so there I was lacing up the snow boots, wrapping up tightly and heading out the door, against the wishes from a mother who just didn't understand that waiting a few days would be best.

 

About 45 minutes later I was greeted with hot chocolate by Steve's mom, and went through the slow agony of peeling off the boots and snow gear, as I heard the sounds of Inty baseball being played and the occasional cheering. It was certainly torture watching Steve and his brother finish playing so I could get my turn. Looking around and carefully scrutinizing each box, he had Baseball, Football, Sea Battle and Golf.

 

F I N A L L Y.. I got to play and have been hooked ever since

Edited December 5, 2014 by maibock

[tacrec]

My friend had a 2600 and I'd play it at his house sometimes, but I recognized greatness when I saw it! Games like Astrosmash, Bomb Squad and baseball reinforced my choice.

[hero2billions]

To this day Tower of doom is the best christmas gift i've ever had, allthough my sisters might disagree because i wouldn't play utopia with them as often

[mr_intv]

It's been 2 yrs since I bumped this thread? Any new memories or new members please share your fav intellivision Christmas memories.

[townparkradio]

When Rev sent me some pencils. That was my Xmas Intellivison memory.

 

I'm not being facetious, that was pretty damn cool. Montana sucked, a lot, and it brought me a smile.

[1980gamer]

The Tron postcard was cool too Rev!

 

Christmas Carol.

The Flashback

The Ultimate Flashback

All the new releases

 

Christmas continues to be great in the world of Intellivision!

[SiLic0ne t0aD]

Not quite an Intv Christmas time story, but I got my first model 2609 Inty in '98-99. I was just starting to get into collecting retro systems and already had a couple pre-NES consoles such as the 2600 and ColecoVision. My buddy and I were always playing NES and N64 usually, always talking games, graphics, systems, etc.. He knew I was getting into older stuff. One day the Intellivision came up in conversation after showing him the Digital Press Collectors Guide and I remember him mentioning that his uncle still had one. His uncle wasn't in good health and he said that I could just have the thing. Sure enough, he ended up getting it for me and it's been history ever since!

 

The only two games from back then that I remember owning and getting into are Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack and Astrosmash. Somewhere, I still have a homemade overlay that I created for LV-P&B (I'll dig it out and take a pic sometime) but my favorite Inty game will always be Astrosmash, it never gets old.

 

I created a great, new Intellivision memory last December/Christmas with the Christmas Carol competition. I had a great time playing, and the replay value was more and more rewarding each time I played since my scores were continuously improving. I made it to the top of the Ranger bracket and earned myself a Mug and patch, which I'll always treasure.. I played my ass off to earn it, that's for sure. I'm really bummed there wasn't a Carol competition this year though.. Oh well. This community is awesome and AA is kind of special place this time of year. I've made lots of friends here and I always enjoy talking about all these classic systems not only at Christmas time, but all year around.

Happy Holidays!

[m-crew]

Not quite an Intv Christmas time story, but I got my first model 2609 Inty in '98-99. I was just starting to get into collecting retro systems and already had a couple pre-NES consoles such as the 2600 and ColecoVision. My buddy and I were always playing NES and N64 usually, always talking games, graphics, systems, etc.. He knew I was getting into older stuff. One day the Intellivision came up in conversation after showing him the Digital Press Collectors Guide and I remember him mentioning that his uncle still had one. His uncle wasn't in good health and he said that I could just have the thing. Sure enough, he ended up getting it for me and it's been history ever since!

 

The only two games from back then that I remember owning and getting into are Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack and Astrosmash. Somewhere, I still have a homemade overlay that I created for LV-P&B (I'll dig it out and take a pic sometime) but my favorite Inty game will always be Astrosmash, it never gets old.

 

 

 

I created a great, new Intellivision memory last December/Christmas with the Christmas Carol competition. I had a great time playing, and the replay value was more and more rewarding each time I played since my scores were continuously improving. I made it to the top of the Ranger bracket and earned myself a Mug and patch, which I'll always treasure.. I played my ass off to earn it, that's for sure. I'm really bummed there wasn't a Carol competition this year though.. Oh well. This community is awesome and AA is kind of special place this time of year. I've made lots of friends here and I always enjoy talking about all these classic systems not only at Christmas time, but all year around.

Happy Holidays!

 

Thanks for sharing that !!!

Cheers and come join us on the IHSC we are playing Christmas Carol , right now...

[Denicio]

Oh Oh, my turn!

 

We had the Intelly 1 system for about a year (81?) but i distinctly recall asking for a boat load of new games the following Xmas. Must have been in 7/8th grade at the time.

 

On Xmas break i begged mom for an early gift to open. After what seemed like hours of begging she capitulated. I grabbed a box that was clearly a game. Opened it to reveal the shiny foiled box of Beauty and The Beast. In an instant i called my nerd gaming pal and his mom brought him over. We played B&TB for easily 8 hours. My mom made us dinner and we played till she ended up telling me he had to go home.

 

To this day B&TB is still one of my fav's because of this memory.

[mr_intv]

The time is upon us. Any new members have any memories they'd like to share?

[+DZ-Jay]

I find it extremely disconcerting that of the few (!!!) Christmas memories I have when I was a child, I do not have any related to Intellivision.

 

I know I have the memory of a goldfish, and tend to forget even big splashy events like childhood Christmases, but I would have imagined the Intellivision making at least one appearance in my mental archives. Alas, not a one.

 

I do recall playing Intellivision, and I do have many Intellivision-specific memories, just none on Christmas.

 

-dZ.

[wolfy62]

I got my first Intellivision on Christmas day 1979. I paid for half which was $100. at the time and my Dad paid the other portion.

 

That morning he told me he couldn't come up with the money and did not get the system. Around noon that day he asked me to get something for him from the trunk of his car and there it was,from sadness to pure joy my Intellivision!

 

My friends came over and we played Baseball for close to 24 hours straight,right into the middle of Dec. 26th.

 

I then bought a game a week as my paychecks came in. Football then Hockey,Skiing,Basketball,Golf etc. We loved the two player sports games. Great memories for me,and I am still playing the system almost 40 years later.

[m-crew]

I am still playing the system almost 40 years later.

Man your OLD wolfy62 !!!! ;p

[mr_intv]

Great story Wolfy. Reninds me of the movie A Christmas Story,

[wolfy62]

Man your OLD wolfy62 !!!! ;p

56! I was 17 when I got it.

 

Yes Mr. Intv, I was in a family of four kids and the youngest,not a lot to go around money wise.

 

Toys and video games were not a priority for us,just food and shelter so we usually got practical stuff such as clothes and books for Christmas.

So, getting that Intellivision to play was amazing,still my best Christmas ever!

[GenetixJ]

LoL, thanks for sharing the memories all. For me, we kept playing intellivision regularly until the mid 90s when I could finally afford a Sega Genesis. So, when off on Christmas Break from school we got to load up on games. My dad got me into the system. His way of teaching me to 'figure it out' was that he would never teach me how to play a game. With no internet, if we were missing the overlays I had to play solo to figure the game out.

 

But before we could play that afternoon during break he would make us watch 'Power Lunch' on TV with him- lunchtime rundown on stock market movements. I got pretty good at math. Back then stocks were still in fractions of a dollar, based on the old 8 Reales coin = 1 USD at the founding of the USA. Stocks were sold in 1/8 of a dollar, down to 1/64th if I recall correctly.

[Clownschool]

I got my Intellivision Christmas morning 1981. Had been asking for an Atari but my older brother talked my parents into spending the extra money for the Intv. We got Football, Armor Battle and Blackjack and Poker was the pack in game then. Later that day my dad was working and my brother and sister (both older) went to their girlfriend and boyfriend's houses and my mom did not want to play. Since Blackjack and Poker was the only game I could actually play by myself, Christmas 1981 was the day I learned to gamble at 12 years old.

 

 

 

[+JasonlikesINTV]

 

I got my Intellivision Christmas morning 1981. Had been asking for an Atari but my older brother talked my parents into spending the extra money for the Intv. We got Football, Armor Battle and Blackjack and Poker was the pack in game then. Later that day my dad was working and my brother and sister (both older) went to their girlfriend and boyfriend's houses and my mom did not want to play. Since Blackjack and Poker was the only game I could actually play by myself, Christmas 1981 was the day I learned to gamble at 12 years old.

 

 

 

 

 

Awesome and thanks for sharing! I wish I had old pics of my Intellivision/NES days.

[arcade124]

To this day I can't believe I gave that collection away.....everything CIB.....including Super Cobra......that game eludes me to this day....and I HAD it.

I don't have any stories of my own to tell, however this line here interests me: Super Cobra was indeed released in Canada? Since you bought it new, do you remember how uncommon it was or if you also saw Tutankham?