Guess who's back: It's been well over four decades since the ColecoVision sold over two million units in an attempt to reinvent the home console market. Now, it's back with a brand new offering aiming to appeal to retro enthusiasts and modern gamers alike.
The new variant is a full-size, stand-up arcade cabinet developed in collaboration with the American Gear Company, a Utah-based firm specializing in arcade equipment and outdoor sporting goods. It comes pre-loaded with 40 classic ColecoVision games, and an open-source design (MAME) that allows users to add additional games from other platforms including the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, and PlayStation, among many more.
The cabinet is constructed of white birch with measurements of 26.5" (D) x 34 .5" (W) x 67" (H), and sports a 32-inch HD display for "vibrant visuals." The system features switchable joysticks, Suzo-Happ buttons, and a trackball, complete with a powder-coated steel controller deck for an authentic arcade experience.
The company says the machine is also scalable, allowing users to add accessories like spinners, driving wheels, and light guns. Bluetooth connectivity enables the use of wireless controllers, and can effectively turn the system into a four-player machine on game night.
The cabinet is also Wi-Fi connected, enabling downloads, updates, online play, leaderboards and more. Other extras include native aspect ratio support, shaders to customize the look of the screen, save states, and even a built-in subwoofer.
The ColecoVision arcade cabinet is available to order now, but it doesn't come cheap. Pricing is set at $2,300 for the 32-inch model; a cabinet with a smaller 24-inch display commands $1,950. A 10 percent off coupon code will ease sticker shock, but just barely. All models come backed by a three-year warranty.
For comparison, a standard 32-inch retro arcade cabinet from The Arcade Guys will set you back $1,494 while a four-player model with a 55-inch screen goes for $2,995. If I was spending that kind of money on a cabinet, I would probably rather have something original, but to each their own.