Coleco Gemini


The Coleco Gemini is an Atari 2600 clone manufactured by Coleco Industries, Inc. in 1983.

Technical specifications

In 1982, Coleco released Expansion Module #1 for its ColecoVision video game system. Using off-the-shelf components, the module enabled the ColecoVision to be compatible with Atari 2600 software. Later that year, Atari, Inc. sued Coleco for patent infringement, and the companies wound up settling out of court, with Coleco becoming a licensee of Atari's patents.

Gemini vs. 2600

The main difference between the Coleco Gemini and the Atari 2600 is the controller design. The Coleco Gemini controllers featured an 8-way joystick and a 270-degree paddle on the same controller. To play paddle games on the 2600, a Y-connector could be used to connect a joystick and paddles to the controller jack at the same time, rather than physically swapping controllers.
The Gemini was more compact than the large faux-woodgrain or gloss black-trimmed consoles sold by Atari at the time. The Gemini also had a different game included with the system. Atari was including its version of "Pac-Man" along with the Combat game released in 1977. The Gemini most commonly included Donkey Kong, but at some point also included Carnival, Mouse Trap and Front Line. Sears also offered a version of the Gemini with both Donkey Kong and Mouse Trap included as separate cartridges.