Coleco strong-arming homebrew publishers and fan sites

[Keatah]

Coleco, VCS, 5200, Vic20, C64, Inty, Vectrex, Astrocade, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, TRS-80.. and likely more.. all had a respectable presence here in the 80's chicago suburbia landscape. The sheer number of stores. I can count at least 30-40 off hand that carried videogames, and that doesn't include Woodfield mall either. So by default everything was covered!

 

And Donkey Kong on ColecoVision was the most memorable port at the time, if not the first port. But I think it was the first home port for me. CVDK was the talk of the neighborhood and all. So yeh.. it was big.

[Keatah]

I could be wrong, but I do get the impression here that some people in the retro gaming scene really don't remember what Coleco was like BITD. Even that Hackaday article pretty much recalls Coleco as an "also ran". No...Not by a long fucking shot! I know that some people were too young to remember the Pre-Crash Console Wars...But in no way shape or form was Coleco (Old Coleco, real Coleco) an "also ran"...There was even a point in time, I'd call them The Winner of said wars... People who don't remember, and I'm not ripping on the young here, would do well to read a magazine from the time period. It's all too easy to get lost in modern tech, with its myriad of ways to play almost any game, and assume we always had such choices...

 

The best sources of (cultural) information about the early 8-bit systems would be EGM and other publications of the time. And the people that actually owned them and fondly remember them. Anything else is likely inaccurate or biased somehow.

[UKMike]

FYI, someone said Coleco had taken down the Donkey Kong from the Expo site, but if you scroll down to the bottom, he's still there along with the the frogger and cabbage patch kid.

 

Still showing here too.

https://www.universe.com/events/coleco-retro-gaming-and-collectibles-expo-tickets-87V9BT

[mr_me]

Coleco, VCS, 5200, Vic20, C64, Inty, Vectrex, Astrocade, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, TRS-80.. and likely more.. all had a respectable presence here in the 80's chicago suburbia landscape. The sheer number of stores. I can count at least 30-40 off hand that carried videogames, and that doesn't include Woodfield mall either. So by default everything was covered!

 

And Donkey Kong on ColecoVision was the most memorable port at the time, if not the first port. But I think it was the first home port for me. CVDK was the talk of the neighborhood and all. So yeh.. it was big.

The 5200 came and went so quickly. Unfortunately it had a poor library and technical problems. The Colecovision was really the only choice for the next gereration console in 1983 and was successfull. But it died quickly too, leaving the Atari 2600 and Intellivision to linger on well past their time.

 

Atari 2600 versions of Missile Command, Asteroids, Space Invaders made huge imacts, all before Coleco's various versions of Donkey Kong. And many years before that there was the Pong phenomenon. Coleco's various Donkey Kongs were memorable for being poor implementations, some versions moreso than others. Everyone wanted Arcade games at home but ultimately that style of game was overated. Fun at first, 1980s arcade games are designed to fustrate players unless you were one of the few that could master them. It's one of the reasons games had a quick turnaround in the arcades. For me, I was excited to buy cartridges of arcade games for home, but in the end cartridges that got the most play were those designed for home.

Edited May 26, 2017 by mr_me

[Ikrananka]

Guys - can we please keep this thread on topic!!! And on that subject:

 

The plot thickens....... https://www.trademark247.com/company-profile-coleco+holdings+llc-4299739.html

 

The trademarks supposedly "owned" by Coleco Holding LLC listed at the above link are:

 

• ColecoVision Flashback
• Pepper II
• Jungle Hunt
• Frenzy
• Choplifter! (Abandoned)
• Jumpman Junior
• Space Fury
• Bump 'N' Jump
• Burgertime (Abandoned)
• Coleco (hand-helds)
• Coleco (video games)
• Head to Head
• ColecoVision
• Electronic Quarterback (Abandoned)
• Coleco Vision (Abandoned)
• Plus some older abandoned ones.

[mr_me]

They had also registered Zaxxon at one time. But Sega reregistered the trademark soon after that. Someone might think that they didn't try to license the copyright properties of the Colecovision games for their Flashback, focusing only on trademarks. I haven't seen any indication that they secured any rights to the copyrightable properties on the Flashback [other than the homebrews]. Anyone else?

 

Edit: G-mode who has the copyright on Burgertime also has it on BumpnJump. However, I think they use the Burnin Rubber trademark for the BumpnJump game instead.

Edited May 26, 2017 by mr_me

[Pipercub]

 

Definitely! And in my neck of the woods there were way more Colecos sold than Ataris.

 

I asked for an Atari the Christmas that the Coleco first became available, I wanted an Atari because it was what all my friends had. They traded carts on the back of the bus and playground and I wanted to be part of that scene. I was somewhat let down when I opened it, I thought what the heck is this off brand thing? But after spending the morning playing DK, SubRoc and Time Pilot I was blown away at how far ahead the CV was. I ended up getting a 2600 as well, but until the NES came along the CV was definitely the high end condole in my opinion.

[wildo2ne]

 

Guys - can we please keep this thread on topic!!! And on that subject:

 

 

The trademarks supposedly "owned" by Coleco Holding LLC listed at the above link are:

 

• ColecoVision Flashback
• Pepper II
• Jungle Hunt
• Frenzy
• Choplifter! (Abandoned)
• Jumpman Junior
• Space Fury
• Bump 'N' Jump
• Burgertime (Abandoned)
• Coleco (hand-helds)
• Coleco (video games)
• Head to Head
• ColecoVision
• Electronic Quarterback (Abandoned)
• Coleco Vision (Abandoned)
• Plus some older abandoned ones.

 

That is really interesting since Jungle Hunt was an Atarisoft product, Burgertime is Data East, Choplifter is Sega, and Bump and Jump was also Data East

 

also since coleco holding are interested in new and retro projects like the flashback couldn't this be solved by all of us in the community ponying up the cash for a copyright on something like the original colecovision or something similar since the homebrew community is only focusing on software for the original hardware? This would also solve any future issues of ownership since it would belong to all of us no one person could exert control like coleco holdings is trying to do.

Edited May 26, 2017 by wildo2ne

[mr_me]

The Colecovision Burgertime and BumpnJump code copyrights belonged to the old Coleco which might now belong to Hasbro. Those games also have some Data East copyrights that now belong to G-mode. Not sure if Sega was involved with CV Choplifter but some copyrights likely belong to the creator Dan Gorlin. Taito would also have some copyrights with Atari for CV Jungle Hunt.

 

If someone wanted to aquire rights to the old Coleco copyright properties, they would have to contact the owner. Hasbro? But all those properties are complicated with multiple copyright interests per property. No need to do that if you are making new CV games. You can try to establish ownership of the ColecoVision trademark.

Edited May 26, 2017 by mr_me

[Omega-TI]

So the 5200 did not have a Donkey Kong.

 

I just looked and noticed that I do not have Donkey Kong for my 5200. It was never a favorite of mine, so I never paid attention. With all that in mind, can someone explain this to me? I'd love some background on this story and how this, game which I found at << this auction >> came to be.

 

[wildo2ne]

 

I just looked and noticed that I do not have Donkey Kong for my 5200. It was never a favorite of mine, so I never paid attention. With all that in mind, can someone explain << THIS >> to me? I'd love some background on this story and how this, which I found at

<< this auction >>..

 

Donkey Kong was never originally released for the 5200 if memory serves me, however it was later ported from the atari 8 bit computer

[Omega-TI]

Ahhh, thanks for the info!

[mr_me]

Edit: well that auction is just an empty homebrew box

You should ask in the Atari 5200 forum.

------

Could be this hack of Atari's version.

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/249885-atari-a8-donkey-kong-hack/page-11?do=findComment&comment=3497095

Edited May 26, 2017 by mr_me

[wildo2ne]

I know the graphics were not great on the 5200 but I have to say I loved the sound chip, came as close as possible at that time to what we were hearing in the arcade

[Omega-TI]

I know the graphics were not great on the 5200 but I have to say I loved the sound chip, came as close as possible at that time to what we were hearing in the arcade

 

I found a .BIN of Donkey Kong for the 5200 << HERE >>. Does anyone know if this image works with the AtariMax cartridge? The AtariMax is on my list of future purchases, and even though DK is not my favorite game, if this worked the AtariMax would get a little closer to the top of my "buy list".

[enoofu]

The Colecovision Burgertime and BumpnJump code copyrights belonged to the old Coleco which might now belong to Hasbro. Those games also have some Data East copyrights that now belong to G-mode. Not sure if Sega was involved with CV Choplifter but some copyrights likely belong to the creator Dan Gorlin. Taito would also have some copyrights with Atari for CV Jungle Hunt.

 

If someone wanted to aquire rights to the old Coleco copyright properties, they would have to contact the owner. Hasbro? But all those properties are complicated with multiple copyright interests per property. No need to do that if you are making new CV games. You can try to establish ownership of the ColecoVision trademark.

Hasbro was broken up and those properties would probably be in today's Atari

ColecoVision trademark. is worthless and has nothing to do with copyrights, Trademarks aren't usually worth much unless they have secondary meaning(s) as it can become a game to keep it at USTPO

I.E. general Public doesn't know who is Coleco or what products it produces

 

 

[TPR]

OMG! The website is AWFUL. Broken links, pathetic merchandise, and this amazing nugget of awesome: a link to a video labeled "Embrace History - Our Story in a nutshell" and it links to a video that has so many incorrect facts. Wrong system overlays, incorrect names of games, gameplay footage where it looks like the guy is playing the game for his first time and then when he says "ColecoVision is known for it's great arcade ports...let's look at some of their best titles. Here's Brain Strainers...." WHAT??? It's just such an awful video. His description of "Looper" is amazing. lol It's pretty clear that Coleco doesn't even know their own history, otherwise there is NO WAY they would have chosen this video to feature as their "history."

 

OH! And the BEST part of this video! Towards the end of the video, remember the same video that Coleco suggests you should go watch, the guy talks about Gamester 81's homebrew game that includes this little gem right here:

 

While I know that the game doesn't include direct versions of those games or even this screen, but I still think it's hilarious and obviously hypocritical that Coleco would choose a video to showcase as their "history" right on their official website that includes a section dedicated to a homebrew game that features unlicensed references of existing video game intellectual property.

 

Every time I uncover something new about this whole scenario it keeps getting dumber.

 

 

Did you click on the Technical link on the page. It takes you to a colecovision.dk website where there is a starburst with the message "Please Support Homebrewers to Keep ColecoVision Alive"

 

Yep! I saw that, too! Not as obviously hypocritical as what I posted about above, but equally as dumb! lol

[VectorGamer]

 

I found a .BIN of Donkey Kong for the 5200 << HERE >>. Does anyone know if this image works with the AtariMax cartridge? The AtariMax is on my list of future purchases, and even though DK is not my favorite game, if this worked the AtariMax would get a little closer to the top of my "buy list".

 

Yes. I have the AtariMax and have DK and DK Jr. for the 5200

[Bill Loguidice]

Hasbro was broken up and those properties would probably be in today's Atari

 

Present Atari does not own any of those properties. It's mostly pure Atari stuff now, and even that is not as extensive as you might expect.

[Keatah]

Everyone wanted Arcade games at home but ultimately that style of game was overated. Fun at first, 1980s arcade games are designed to fustrate players unless you were one of the few that could master them. It's one of the reasons games had a quick turnaround in the arcades. For me, I was excited to buy cartridges of arcade games for home, but in the end cartridges that got the most play were those designed for home.

 

There were many arcade games I simply stopped playing because I sucked at them. Donkey Kong was one of them. Pac-Man the other. So most of my visits to arcades were to see new games, new display technology. If I couldn't play a game for more than 5 or 10 minutes straight I didn't bother anymore. Sometimes the games made me feel like a slow retard because I sucked so hard.

 

At home it was different. I could jam the reset button a million times and not spend a dime. And there were usually varying difficulty settings. Remember the "Children's" option on VCS games? The home environment also offered non-standard genres like mixes between action and RPG, text adventures, and flight simulators. These required more than a 3-minute session.

 

I never chased arcade-perfect ports for the home consoles. I sometimes wondered why they weren't so. But it didn't get my goat that often. It would be only 10-years till MAME came out, but we didn't know that at the time. We dreamed and fantasized about such a computer though - powerful enough to run every arcade game ever.

[Omega-TI]

 

Yes. I have the AtariMax and have DK and DK Jr. for the 5200

 

Thanks for the info! I just moved up the list a little.

[DuggerVideoGames]

Anybody who refers to the Colecovision as an "also-ran" is 100% clueless. The Colecovision was big for its time, and if not for the crash, it probably would have gone on to be THE king of the video game industry, not Nintendo.

[Bill Loguidice]

Anybody who refers to the Colecovision as an "also-ran" is 100% clueless. The Colecovision was big for its time, and if not for the crash, it probably would have gone on to be THE king of the video game industry, not Nintendo.

 

That's a big "if" in a whole series of "ifs". If the bottom didn't fall out of the industry and if Coleco didn't make poor business decisions, including the Adam diversion, it may very well have continued success beyond its roughly 3 years on the market with the ColecoVision. At the same time, there's nothing to say that with the NES's Japanese-sourced games, including the breakthrough Super Mario Bros., the momentum still wouldn't have shifted firmly in their favor, even if Coleco had a ColecoVision 2 ready by 1986.

[enoofu]

I had a Colecovision at the time it came out, and i wouldn't say it would be king of the Video industry if it haven't crashed

 

 

 

Present Atari does not own any of those properties. It's mostly pure Atari stuff now, and even that is not as extensive as you might expect.

Yeah i forgot Atati really slim down on the IP's over the years, and most of Coleco coding was derivative works which probably was destroyed years ago

[DuggerVideoGames]

 

That's a big "if" in a whole series of "ifs". If the bottom didn't fall out of the industry and if Coleco didn't make poor business decisions, including the Adam diversion, it may very well have continued success beyond its roughly 3 years on the market with the ColecoVision. At the same time, there's nothing to say that with the NES's Japanese-sourced games, including the breakthrough Super Mario Bros., the momentum still wouldn't have shifted firmly in their favor, even if Coleco had a ColecoVision 2 ready by 1986.

But wouldn't Nintendo have probably made the games for Coleco, much like they did during the Colecovision run? I'm not so sure the NES would have ever existed if the crash never happened. I think Nintendo would have stuck to making games instead of coming up with their own hardware.