Intellivision Amico and Playdate

Both of these new systems are very different to what Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox are doing and even the Evercade which is more focussed on retro where these two are looking at new experiences  


We recently had two E3'ish updates from these two, and wondering what everyone thinks. Personally, the PlayDate would be the one of the two I would buy, yet the price is of putting to dip in at the moment. But that not Ecco the Dolphin game looks neat for Amico.

The Playdate looks pretty cool. I think Cappa summed it up in the E3 thread when he said that it's too expensive for what it is, but I'd like it to succeed.

The Intellivision Amico was designed by a used-car salesman-type bloke who's got LGBTIA+-hater Doug TenNapel working on a game for it. I hope it flops.

Yeah, I know Scullion has touched on Doug thing before and if I got an Amico which is doubtful as not aimed at me, I wouldn't be getting that game.

Despite understanding the pitch behind it – it’s an accessible, family-friendly home console that emphasises couch co-op – I have no idea what anybody’s thinking with that Amico. It’s a 1979 brand with 2004 Java graphics, 2006 motion controls, a 2012 controller and a 2077 price point (after inflation, maybe). Also, to quote Jimbob after I retro-reviewed an Intellivision GameCube collection: “the Intellivision is too crap and old for me, even”. There’s no prospect of me buying this, none.

My excitement for the Playdate has levelled off a little bit. For as much credit as I can afford it’s producers about how transparent they’re being about its development costs, it’s simply the price of it to me puts me off. I’m just thinking about spending that £150 I’d budgeted for the PlayDate on something else instead, like a SEGA Astro City and a couple of Switch games.

That Amico thing is truly bizarre. Why the hell would anyone buy it instead of a Switch? It's the Maude Flanders of gaming.

It's a shame that Playdate thing is so expensive. Smart looking bit of kit that and I think there's a real retro appeal to the way its games look too. I can definitely see it being something fun to fiddle with on the tube or over lunch, but that's a lot of money.

I like Mr. Tallarico very much, he is a great Music Guy; however, the way he's advertised the Amico for the old and stupid, it's probably best placed on the ads section of the Radio Times, where they still sell radios with tape players built in.
(Is this mean? I'm sorry if it's mean.)

The thing with the Amico is that Tallarico's gone all-in on it not being for the traditional gamer and more family-oriented, so I wonder whether any of us pro-gamerz can even see past our own experiences to the point of the thing.

Or maybe it's just as rubbish as it looks. I dunno.

I just don't see a market for it at all though. Nintendo have always been pretty good at advertising things like Brain Training or more recently that 5million games in one thing to non-traditional gamers.

And I think any parent knows they're safe with Mario. I can't imagine any kid coming home from school and getting all excited for an Amico instead of a Nintendo Switch.

About the only appeal I would see is that it's not got any microtransactions etc. So little Timmy isn't going to wreck your credit card by accident, so I guess it's safer than an iPad... or parents could just, you know, set up parental controls and not save their credit cards details in a place children can access.

I get that it is cheaper than a switch, it's accessible, and maybe the controls would be better for a small child but... nah I don't see it.

5 Million in 1 thing?

Amico not that much cheaper at £250 then a Switch either, and I don't know how many people outside of gaming actually will know about the amico.

masofdas wrote:

5 Million in 1 thing?

He meant 51 Worldwide Games

The Amico is going to flop hard. I can only assume that the people leading it, like Tallarico, don't stand to suffer any personal financial loss from it because they got all the money from somewhere or other, including nice payouts for themselves.

There’s been a dev portal leak that Ars Technica have reported on, sharing lots of seemingly-confidential information about the legitimate specs of the system and the touchscreen controller. It’s well worth reading for yourself:

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021/06/what-the-hecks-an-intellivision-amico-consoles-leaky-dev-portal-offers-hints/

In a nutshell, wooft!

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

wooft!

Indeed. The Wii U comparison in particular is uncomfortable.

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021/06/what-the-hecks-an-intellivision-amico-consoles-leaky-dev-portal-offers-hints/

Oh dear. I appreciate that every time there's a topic about a new upstart piece of hardware I go "what lol" but, and I cannot stress this enough: there is no point in developing a lower power piece of hardware, unless it is practically free, in a time where PC gaming is the most universally accessible it's ever been. There are (checks start menu) at least 7 "game delivery platforms", and kids know how to use them, and old people probably know that just as much as they will a Television Amigo.

I watch Mad Little Pixel who's view on it is, it's designed for everyone but really it's for the 40 year old bloke who had a Intellivision.

'Used-car salesman-type bloke' was too kind it seems.

We playing a game which one of those things Donald wishes Ivanka wasn't?

Too easy to be a game, that one.

Playdate pre-orders go live in under a week on it's official website.

Early reviewers seem to be saying the same things, basically all along the lines of ‘it’s neat, but let’s see if there’s going to be long-term support from developers’. I feel like I’ve made my mind up about the Playdate for the time being. I’m still paying attention to it, but they’d really captured my imagination with it when it was the topic of countless YouTube videos and even on the cover of EDGE Magazine two years ago. In a weird way, I almost feel like the Playdate’s moment has passed. Unlike two years ago when I was really, really excited about it, I don’t feel like I need it as soon as I can get it.

The main deciding factor was a reply that the Playdate Twitter admin made to someone who asked about costs to the UK. They showed a test order that came to $263.85, roughly £190. That money would pay for five Switch games, and there’s definitely more than five Switch games I’m wanting before the year’s end.

£190 is a Switch Lite or £60 more you'd get a Series S.

I sorta want them

Jimbob wrote:

I like Mr. Tallarico very much, he is a great Music Guy; however, the way he's advertised the Amico for the old and stupid, it's probably best placed on the ads section of the Radio Times, where they still sell radios with tape players built in.
(Is this mean? I'm sorry if it's mean.)

For the record: This was incorrect.

masofdas wrote:

I sorta want them

Don't do it mas, don't do it.

Also: more NFTs! Because that's exactly what videogaming needs at the moment!

As someone said in the TOH Discord least neat digital game can be transferred to others unlike all the code in box switch games.

That same person then said, 'They're still fucking awful.' That remains my take.