Intellivision Amico


The Intellivision Amico is an upcoming video game console produced by Intellivision Entertainment. It is set to launch in North America, the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe and the MENA region on October 10, 2020 with an expected retail price of approximately US$249. The console is slated to include six games preloaded at launch with about 40 additional titles available at that time.

Concept

The Intellivision Amico will mostly feature 2D and 2.5D games only. 3D games will be allowed, as long as they are easy to play and easy to learn. Intellivision Entertainment is providing studios with any resources they need to develop games to put in their curated library of games. All games must have features exclusive to the console, and must be rated E or E10+ by the ESRB, or PEGI 3 or PEGI 7 by PEGI. Intellivision Entertainment plan to release a mixture of completely new games, updated classic games and motion control games for the Amico. Updated versions of many of the popular classic Intellivision games will be available with improved graphics and sound and, unlike previous Intellivision compilations, will include some previous third-party licenses, such as . New versions of several classic Atari games, as well as games from Imagic and arcade classics such as Moon Patrol and BurgerTime are expected around launch. Downloadable games, available via the Amico Game Shop, will cost between US2.99 and US$9.99. Physical editions with RFID will be available at retail for approximately US$30. The Amico's goal is to return to family gaming and "couch co-op" among people in the same location which the company feels has been lost in modern gaming and web-based multiplayer.

History

Development

In May 2018, Tommy Tallarico announced his plans to launch a new Intellivision console and formed a new company, Intellivision Entertainment, serving as president. Intellivision Productions was renamed Blue Sky Rangers Inc. and their video game intellectual property was transferred to the new Intellivision Entertainment.
At the Portland Retro Gaming Expo in October 2018 the new Intellivision console was officially unveiled, including its name and launch date of October 10, 2020. Developer kits were expected to go out in Summer 2019.
In May 2019 Intellivision Entertainment revealed its first major console exclusive title, announcing that it had assembled ten members of the original Earthworm Jim team to create a third installment in the franchise in honor of its 25th anniversary. The following month, the company debuted the functioning Amico hardware behind closed doors at E3 2019, allowing industry insiders to play in-development games on one of the functional console variants, and try out the compatible phone controller mobile app.
At Gamescom in Cologne, Germany in August 2019 Tommy Tallarico debuted a trailer that contained in-game footage running on the Amico hardware to the public for the first time. In October 2019, Tommy Tallarico attended Insomnia Dubai, a gaming convention held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to announce they set up an office in Dubai to launch the Amico in the MENA region on the same day as North America and Europe.
In January 2020 Intellivision Entertainment made 2,600 special Founder's Edition vintage wood-grain bundles available for pre-order. The number 2,600 was a jab at long-time competitor Atari and its 2600 console. The allotted amount sold out in five hours. The company opened another round of VIP pre-orders in late March of that year. Within a few days, over 10,000 additional units were pre-ordered with several days remaining in the sale. At that time, Tommy Tallarico stated that Intellivision had also received purchase orders for 100,000 units from major retailers but further orders were put on hold because of manufacturing uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mixed crowdfunding/investment company for video games Fig announced its acquisition by Republic, a larger crowdfunding/investment company in April 2020, allowing Fig to open itself to larger campaigns. On that announcement, it opened a campaign for Amico pre-orders, as well as for those that wanted to invest in the console.

Hardware

Console

The console features Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, HDMI out, an SD card slot, a wireless charging cradle for Amico controllers on the top, passive cooling, and three USB ports, two of which are for charging, and the remaining of which is for expandable storage. The body also features a built-in LED ambient lighting system that can change pattern and color in response to gameplay, known as Interactive Guidance Lighting. This feature is intended to make playing games on the console "fun and memorable" while also helping guide players in an interactive way.

Controller

The Intellivision Amico comes bundled with two controllers. The controllers can charge wirelessly when they are placed into their cradle on top of the console, charge using a wired USB-C connection, or charge using both methods at the same time. They feature Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, speakers, a microphone, an accelerometer, force feedback, and a gyroscope. They also feature a full-color touch screen, four oversized shoulder buttons, a home button and a 64-way pressure-sensitive directional disc surrounded by a ring of LEDs. The controllers come with wrist straps to prevent them from flying away during game action if not held securely. Up to six additional players can connect, with players able to use a free controller smartphone app in place of an Amico controller when needed.

Games

Tommy Tallarico, president of Intellivision Entertainment, has said the games available for the Amico will be about 20% updated and re-imagined versions of classic video games, 20% original new games, 20% sports and recreation, 20% board/dice/card/word/puzzle games, and 20% educational. All games will be both single player and multiplayer, with some games allowing up to eight players, simultaneously, using controllers and/or mobile phones. Some games will have motion control, utilizing the accelerometer and gyroscope of the controller. Some games will have the option to use the Karma Gaming Engine, a feature intended to provide players of all skill levels with a fair level of competition against each other by dynamically adjusting the difficulty for players based on how well they are playing the game. Six games will come included with the Amico, and about forty games are expected to be available at launch. Five of the six included games have been announced as Skiing, Astrosmash, Shark! Shark!, Cornhole, and Farkle.
The following games have been announced to be released for the Intellivision Amico:
* unofficial name, subject to change
Title GenreDeveloperRelease date
10 Yard FightSports2020/21
ArchonStrategy
Armor BattleAction2020
AsteroidsShooter, arcade2020
AstrosmashShooterRogue Rocket Games2020
Auto RacingRacingChicken Waffle2020
B-17 BomberAction2020/21
Back Talk Party*Party2020
Bad DudesBeat 'em up
Baseball*Sports2020/21
Beauty and the BeastAction2020/21
Biplanes*ActionWastedStudios2020
BocceSports
Bomb SquadAction2020/2021
Bomberman*ArcadeBBG Entertainment2020
Bowling*Sports2020
BoxingSports
BreakoutArcade2020
BurgertimeArcade2020
Caveman NinjaPlatformer
Circus*Action2020/21
Cloudy Mountain Crown of Kings*ActionOther Ocean2020
CornholeSports2020
Cosmic ArkShooter
DartsSports
Demon AttackShooter2020/2021
DraculaAction
Dragon FireAction
Earthworm Jim 4*Intellivision Entertainment2021
Ecco the Dolphin*Action-adventurePlaychemy2021
Evel Knievel*ArcadeBarnstorm Games2020
FarkleTabletop game2020
Football*Sports2020/21
Frog BogAction2020
FroggerArcade
Hockey*Sports2020
Horse RacingRacing
Ice TrekAction
Kung-Fu MasterBeat 'em up
Liar's DiceTabletop game2020
Lock 'N' ChaseArcade
Lode RunnerPlatformer, puzzle2020
MahjongTabletop game-
Math FunEducational
MicrosurgeonShooter2020/21
Miner 2049erPlatformer2020/21
Missile CommandArcade2020
Moon Patrol: The Milky Way ChroniclesArcadeWastedStudios2020
MotoRace USARacing
Night StalkerShooterOther Ocean2020
Picture Charades*PartyGameCake2020
PinballArcade
PongActionWay Digital Studios2020
Pool & Billiards*Sports2020
R-TypeArcade2020/21
Running Man*Endless runner2020/21
SafecrackerAction2020
Shark! Shark!ActionNeobird, Bonus Level Entertainment2020
ShuffleboardSports
SideSwipersAction2020
SkiingSportsAesir Interactive2020
SnafooActionThera Bytes
SpelunkerPlatformer2020/21
Soccer*Sports2020
Texas Hold'em*Card
Toejam & EarlAction2020/21
Tron Deadly Discs*ActionOther Ocean
Tropical AngelAction
UtopiaReal-time strategy

Operating system

The Intellivision Amico utilizes a custom Android/Linux operating system developed in-house. In an interview with GamesBeat, Tommy Tallarico described the operating system as "very solid", but "very flexible", stating Linux is the "flexible" part and Android is the "solid" part.