The Intellivision Arcade Network

[mr_me]

I liked the idea of Intellivision "networks" but Mattel killed it just as they started the Arcade Network. The Arcade network only has one game in it but I'm thinking it could have been one of the largest networks. What makes a game an arcade game? I'm not sure but here's what I think should go in the Intellivision Arcade Network.

 

I'll start with the obvious arcade conversions from Mattel Electronics (5).
Lock'N'Chase, Burgertime, Bump'N'Jump, Mission X, Loco-Motion

 

Space Network Games (3)
Space Armada, Astrosmash, Space Hawk
Space Battle goes back to the Action Network along with Star Strike and no more Space Network. I wasn't sure about Star Strike but I think its usually played with the version with an ending.

 

More Action Network games (3)
Night Stalker, Shark Shark, Tron Deadly Discs
Although Frog Bog, SNAFU, Sub Hunt, and Triple Action Biplanes are similar to old arcade games they just don't feel like arcade games.

 

More 1983 games (2)
Buzz Bombers, Pinball

 

Include INTV games (7)
Commando, Dig Dug, Diner, Pac-Man, Pole Position, Thin Ice, Thunder Castle

 

So I put games in the Arcade Network if they were one player games, unlimited scoring, and didn't need too many keypad buttons. Treasure of Tarmin and Tower of Doom would go to the Strategy Network. MOTU goes to the Action network because to me the game is targeted for children like Sharp Shot. The Sports Network would get bigger as well. That would make Mattel Electronics Arcade Network a healthy 14 games. Include INTV games it becomes 21 games. Include the third party games and the Arcade network becomes the largest by far.

 

Arcade network 14(21)
Action network 13(16)
Sports network 12(22)
Strategy network 6 <8>
Gaming network 4(4)
Children's Learning 2(4)
ECS 6(6)
Voice 4(4)

Edited December 16, 2015 by mr_me

[JasonlikesINTV]

I'm fuzzy on the details, but I believe the Arcade Network actually had 2 planned games (Burgertime and Vectron) and that it had something to do with the matching gatefold boxes. Burgertime found its way to the non-Network 1983 set along with other would be Arcade games (Data East, etc). I remember this covered in another thread somewhere.

[mr_me]

I'm fuzzy on the details, but I believe the Arcade Network actually had 2 planned games (Burgertime and Vectron) and that it had something to do with the matching gatefold boxes. Burgertime found its way to the non-Network 1983 set along with other would be Arcade games (Data East, etc). I remember this covered in another thread somewhere.

 

That's correct. The Arcade Network (Vectron) box colour was maroon. Burgertime came in the same maroon colour box, and was the first Mattel game not to be part of a network. I'm thinking that marketing might have decided it better to have a bunch of different coloured boxes on the store shelves.

[+intvsteve]

IIRC the BSR site mentions that there were even ideas floating around that Mattel's games would go TO the arcade.

 

But yeah, would have been cool to actually fill out the Arcade Network. Always kinda linked the notion of the networks.