Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

2 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

p.s.  The Arduino in the pic is just something we quickly hook up for the LED light sequences/programming on the prototype machines.  Doesn't have anything to do with the actual console.

And Tommy immediately proves me wrong! 😂 A kind of background LED controller makes total sense.

3 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

Damn... you beat me to the explanation.  Gotta be quick around you! 

 

 

Quick but inaccurate. At least I think I got the Arduino board right - batting a good 50% - that is great in baseball.

Maybe this is beating a dead horse, but I couldn't help but notice something.  With the Amico, a board to create some LED light sequences is a simple add-on to an already-functional prototype.  With "that Ataribox?", blinking LEDs—either in the console shell or in the joysticks—are the only thing they've been able to demonstrate so far.

16 minutes ago, jaybird3rd said:

Maybe this is beating a dead horse, but I couldn't help but notice something.  With the Amico, a board to create some LED light sequences is a simple add-on to a functional prototype.  With "that Ataribox?", blinking LEDs—either in the console shell or in the joysticks—are the only thing they've been able to demonstrate so far.

You have seen my amazing guessing abilities so far, but now that we know what the board is I would assume it provides the rainbow color effect you see going on in the background of a lot of Tommy interviews without having to hook up the actual console to a TV, boot it up, select some sort of demo mode and so on. Way too messy when you need to give a conference talk like Insomnia Dubai and want to show the box but not necessarily game play from the box (I have done lot of talks and I setup EVERYTHING to be as fool proof as possible). Also if you read a couple of pages back Tommy is going on investor visits on this trip too and I guarantee they want to see a working console like was shown at E3.

Hey, just bought an Arduino Atmega2560 an hour ago with the same form-factor... interesting coincidence.

I just want to mention something about the value of Amico vs. the original Mattel console. 

As a teenager who had to spend my own lawn mowing and snow shoveling money to afford one (Parents said "NO!" to any video game system), not to mention 9 out of my 12 games with my own money, it's important to know that back in 1981, Intellivision was considered the "premium system" above Atari. It was $100 more than the 2600 and had FAR less games (and Math Fun... Blech! 🤮 -My Mom bought that & not Hockey like I wanted), but I thought the quality of the games were worth it. 

It's like a 180 now! Amico will be at least half the price of the contemporary new XStations, and the games will be priced great, but if the crew Tommy talks about can pull it off, it'll offer plenty of new, innovative ideas to video gaming. 

I wish you guys were in charge of Mattel when I needed to shovel 5 driveways for a copy of Lock N Chase. 😊

47 minutes ago, Blarneo said:

I just want to mention something about the value of Amico vs. the original Mattel console.  

 

As a teenager who had to spend my own lawn mowing and snow shoveling money to afford one (Parents said "NO!" to any video game system), not to mention 9 out of my 12 games with my own money, it's important to know that back in 1981, Intellivision was considered the "premium system" above Atari. It was $100 more than the 2600 and had FAR less games (and Math Fun... Blech! 🤮 -My Mom bought that & not Hockey like I wanted), but I thought the quality of the games were worth it.  

 

It's like a 180 now! Amico will be at least half the price of the contemporary new XStations, and the games will be priced great, but if the crew Tommy talks about can pull it off, it'll offer plenty of new, innovative ideas to video gaming.  

 

I wish you guys were in charge of Mattel when I needed to shovel 5 driveways for a copy of Lock N Chase. 😊 

First, loved your history of the Intellivision - I could just imagine your face when Math Fun showed up 😂. Your totally right, Intellivision has flipped the script this generation and is now (by far) the cheapest gaming console you can get. It isn't much cheaper than a Switch Lite on the face of it but as soon as you start buying games everything just multiplies because they are literally 1/4th to 1/10th the cost. I come from a pretty modest background and the ability to buy a console for a couple of kids (lets say) for $200ish at Christmas and get 5 games to play immediately - but also knowing that you can get more games anytime for the cost of a McDriveThrough meal is pretty darn attractive. Everybody stuck at home for a snow day? Lets get a game for the Amico and keep the crew busy for a while. Also the family friendly guarantee - a lot of parents don't know technology, they don't know games - just having something you basically can't screw up as a parent is pretty comforting. If Intellivision can get it's message out (and I really think this is the only major challenge they face at this point) this thing will sell probably in the low millions at least.

1 hour ago, GrudgeQ said:

I could just imagine your face when Math Fun showed up 😂.

"It's for both you and your sister! It's educational!" My sister hated it too. We frog bogged all the time.

On 10/13/2019 at 12:48 PM, Tommy Tallarico said:

Yeah... we'll be adding new merchandise to the store every few weeks.

I'm pretentious. Can I hope for a polo shirt?

On 10/13/2019 at 9:59 AM, Tommy Tallarico said:

There is a $10 off code per shirt.  Please make sure to sign up to our mailing list or follow us on social media.  Every post and e-mail we made this week announcing the new website and the t-shirts has had the $10 off code.  The code is:  AMICO1010

The
Thanks!


 

I didn't read the RFID in the shirt part I will admit. When I saw the shirt and $35 I was turned right off and didn't read into it. I had no clue about the $10 off rebait either. $25 for a shirt like that is worth it I agree.

10 hours ago, Blarneo said:

I just want to mention something about the value of Amico vs. the original Mattel console. 

 

As a teenager who had to spend my own lawn mowing and snow shoveling money to afford one (Parents said "NO!" to any video game system), not to mention 9 out of my 12 games with my own money, it's important to know that back in 1981, Intellivision was considered the "premium system" above Atari. It was $100 more than the 2600 and had FAR less games (and Math Fun... Blech! 🤮 -My Mom bought that & not Hockey like I wanted), but I thought the quality of the games were worth it. 

 

It's like a 180 now! Amico will be at least half the price of the contemporary new XStations, and the games will be priced great, but if the crew Tommy talks about can pull it off, it'll offer plenty of new, innovative ideas to video gaming. 

 

I wish you guys were in charge of Mattel when I needed to shovel 5 driveways for a copy of Lock N Chase. 😊

Well, at least NOW I understand why you hate Math Fun so much!!  

Here is my promise to you!  (and I'm being serious)...   When the new HOCKEY comes out... I'm totally sending you a code to download Hockey for free!!  It will make up for 40 years of childhood disappointment. 

I'm like Santa Claus up in this bitch. 

 

9 hours ago, GrudgeQ said:

First, loved your history of the Intellivision - I could just imagine your face when Math Fun showed up 😂. Your totally right, Intellivision has flipped the script this generation and is now (by far) the cheapest gaming console you can get. It isn't much cheaper than a Switch Lite on the face of it but as soon as you start buying games everything just multiplies because they are literally 1/4th to 1/10th the cost. I come from a pretty modest background and the ability to buy a console for a couple of kids (lets say) for $200ish at Christmas and get 5 games to play immediately - but also knowing that you can get more games anytime for the cost of a McDriveThrough meal is pretty darn attractive. Everybody stuck at home for a snow day? Lets get a game for the Amico and keep the crew busy for a while. Also the family friendly guarantee - a lot of parents don't know technology, they don't know games - just having something you basically can't screw up as a parent is pretty comforting. If Intellivision can get it's message out (and I really think this is the only major challenge they face at this point) this thing will sell probably in the low millions at least.

Yeah... it is kinda funny that we've flipped on pricing.  Back in the day we were kinda like the XBOX.   

Oh how times have changed.

But the DNA of bringing people together is still there.   The fact that you HAD TO have at least 2 people to play games like Baseball, Utopia, Hockey, Frog Bog, etc. is pretty amazing when you think about it.   Back then it was a norm with a lot of home games... but you would never see it now.


 

7 hours ago, Blarneo said:

"It's for both you and your sister! It's educational!" My sister hated it too. We frog bogged all the time.

Is your sister still alive?  If so... you will once be Frog Bogging with her!  Imagine that!!!  How cool would that be?  And maybe if you both have kids... they'll be joining in a playing with you as well!  (yes... I'm making it 4 players!... co-op or versus!).

I'm feeling a little generous with info today (especially after hearing your Math Fun story!)...

Wait til you see what I did with the screens on the controllers!!   Imagine if you could see your frogs stomache and had to eat/match 3 of the same insect to get a bonus.  Yet another small but cool thing that isn't able to be replicated on any other home console.  And wait til you see the art and lighting.  It's so beautiful.  Being done by one of the lead Earthworm Jim artists and overseen by another one of the original lead Earthworm Jim artists.  Basically... the 2 best artists we had... working on Astrosmash & Frog Bog. 

One of them is one of the free pack-in's... the other will be sold for around $5 - $6. 

 

1 hour ago, Papy said:

I'm pretentious. Can I hope for a polo shirt?

Absolutely my Yuppy Nerd friend!!



Will be available next month.  Just in time for Christmas delivery.  I think we'll be doing white, black & maybe even Amico baby blue. 

50 minutes ago, Shawn said:

 

 

I didn't read the RFID in the shirt part I will admit. When I saw the shirt and $35 I was turned right off and didn't read into it. I had no clue about the $10 off rebait either. $25 for a shirt like that is worth it I agree.

Cool.  Thanks for keeping an open mind and allowing me to explain it a little more in detail.

 

30 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Is your sister still alive?  If so... you will once be Frog Bogging with her!  Imagine that!!!  How cool would that be?  And maybe if you both have kids... they'll be joining in a playing with you as well!  (yes... I'm making it 4 players!... co-op or versus!).

I'm feeling a little generous with info today (especially after hearing your Math Fun story!)...

 

Wait til you see what I did with the screens on the controllers!!   Imagine if you could see your frogs stomache and had to eat/match 3 of the same insect to get a bonus.  Yet another small but cool thing that isn't able to be replicated on any other home console.  And wait til you see the art and lighting.  It's so beautiful.  Being done by one of the lead Earthworm Jim artists and overseen by another one of the original lead Earthworm Jim artists.  Basically... the 2 best artists we had... working on Astrosmash & Frog Bog. 

One of them is one of the free pack-in's... the other will be sold for around $5 - $6. 

 

This sounds AWESOME!   Still to this day my now 19 yr old daughter and I have an annual best of 3, "Frog Bog Championship of the World" on my old Sears set since she was about 7.  I've only beaten her once... this past Summer.

She'll be excited to hear about this for sure... as I am now.  2020 can't come soon enough!!

31 minutes ago, IMBerzerk said:

This sounds AWESOME!   Still to this day my now 19 yr old daughter and I have an annual best of 3, "Frog Bog Championship of the World" on my old Sears set since she was about 7.  I've only beaten her once... this past Summer.

 

She'll be excited to hear about this for sure... as I am now.  2020 can't come soon enough!!

This sounds so similar to what my dad and I used to do he would take off a week in the summer one day that week we would go to an arcade and play or go play a round of mini golf but the rest of the time we would play Intellivision together either in two player matches or trying to top each other’s score.  These are the types of things I’m looking forward to creating with a new generation of family and friends 

7 minutes ago, Alpha82 said:

This sounds so similar to what my dad and I used to do he would take off a week in the summer one day that week we would go to an arcade and play or go play a round of mini golf but the rest of the time we would play Intellivision together either in two player matches or trying to top each other’s score.  These are the types of things I’m looking forward to creating with a new generation of family and friends 

LOL... I remember playing my Dad at Armor Battle and NFL Football the Christmas night I got my Sears unit.  It was a lot of fun... unfortunately my Dad was about as technical as a Pineapple... so we never played together again... but it was fun for that moment and I never forgot it.

16 minutes ago, IMBerzerk said:

LOL... I remember playing my Dad at Armor Battle and NFL Football the Christmas night I got my Sears unit.  It was a lot of fun... unfortunately my Dad was about as technical as a Pineapple... so we never played together again... but it was fun for that moment and I never forgot it.

 

Dad loved to play me in Boxing because I would always hit the faint button cause I liked the way it looked so he always won lol.

we also played a lot of horse racing those are the two I remember playing most with him then we would try and beat each other’s scores on Astrosmash and Space Armada we would also do Triple Shot contests  

my dad NEVER played video games until one day i let him try Burger Time and he got so addicted to it that he was using my Intellivision for hours every night so he ended up buying his own Intellivision II because Burger Time was the pack in at the time and it was the only game he ever had for his system lol 

16 minutes ago, ASalvaro said:

my dad NEVER played video games until one day i let him try Burger Time and he got so addicted to it that he was using my Intellivision for hours every night so he ended up buying his own Intellivision II because Burger Time was the pack in at the time and it was the only game he ever had for his system lol 

That’s great when you enjoy a single game enough to buy a second console so you can play the games as much as you want 

Hey Tommy, can you give us more details on the ray tracing capabilities of the Amico?

Just kidding! I just wanted to say that the following 12 months are going to be very important for the history of video games:

- Ringfit Adventure will be released this week

- Google Stadia, Death Stranding and Shenmue III will be released in the following days

- The Panic Playdate will be released in early 2020

- The Atari VCS will be released in March, in theory

- Sony and Microsoft will probably reveal the look and final specs of their new consoles before the summer

- The E3 will feature all the new consoles, including a playable version of the Amico, and will be a huge event

- The Amico will finally be released in october

I don't know about you, but I have already prepared the popcorn. The competition and the sales figures will be quite interesting to follow.

7 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

... the 2 best artists we had... working on Astrosmash & Frog Bog. 

One of them is one of the free pack-in's... the other will be sold for around $5 - $6.  

So that means the new Frog Bog will not be one of the pack-ins.

7 hours ago, ASalvaro said:

my dad NEVER played video games until one day i let him try Burger Time and he got so addicted to it that he was using my Intellivision for hours every night so he ended up buying his own Intellivision II because Burger Time was the pack in at the time and it was the only game he ever had for his system lol 

Classic story!!  That's awesome!

2 hours ago, mr_me said:

So that means the new Frog Bog will not be one of the pack-ins.

I think he is saying it could be Astrosmash or Frog Bog as the pack in game.  He's just not telling you which one. 😉