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The Best Coleco Games

During its brief lifespan in the early 1980s, the ColecoVision game console made an impression on the millions who used it to play such popular arcade games as Donkey Kong in their own homes. A quarter-century later, the games played on this now-archaic system are enjoying something of a renaissance among nostalgia-loving video-game aficionados.

History of ColecoVision
- The ColecoVision gaming system was released in 1982 in an attempt to bring popular arcade games into the living room via a console that hooked up to a television. To top its competition, the Atari 2600, Coleco paid an unprecedented $250,000 to a fledgling Japanese firm called Nintendo to license its popular arcade game Donkey Kong, which came packaged with the game. Although Coleco sold more than 6 million units in two years, the company ceased production in 1984. The failure of its personal computer called Adam resulted in Coleco subsequently declaring bankruptcy.
Digital Press: Top 20 Coleco Games
- At Digital Press, a website devoted entirely to vintage and "retro" video games, its team of gaming enthusiasts compiled a list of the top 20 Coleco games. Listed alphabetically, they are: Antarctic Adventure, Burgertime, Donkey Kong Jr., Fortune Builder, Frenzy, Jumpman Jr., Ladybug, Matt Patrol, Mouse Trap, Mr. Do!, Mr. Do!'s Castle, Ms. Space Fury, Pepper II, Space Invaders Collection, Spy Hunter, Steamroller, Tapper, Tarzan, Turbo and Venture.
Gamespot &SMF Rankings.
- GameSpot, a popular online reference site for gamers, offers its own rankings of the most popular ColecoVision games. Also listed alphabetically, the list's top 10 are: Alphabet Zoo, Blockade Runner, Cosmic Crisis, Lady Bug, Donkey Kong Junior, Mr. Do!, Pitfall, BurgerTime, Robin Hood and Venture. Users at the Super Mario Flash (SMF) discussion forum put together their list of the 10 best Colecovision games. They are, in descending order: B.C.'s Quest for Tires Carnival, WarGames, Tutankham, Pitfall, Dragonfire, Miner 2049er, Frenzy, Donkey Kong Junior and, at No. 1, BurgerTime.
Coleco Revival
- In 2006, Coleco re-entered the gaming market with the release of its Coleco Sega Handheld, which offers 20 vintage 1980s-era Sega games collected together in a single handheld gaming system. Featuring an LCD screen, the device can be plugged into a television via an include audio/video cable for those who want to relive the ColecoVision experience of yesteryear. In addition, there are numerous websites that offer vintage Coleco games that can be downloaded and played on a PC.

Classic Console Games