Hobbies And Interests
Arcade Games
Easily the most recognizable of Coleco's handheld games were the miniature arcade machines designed for lap or tabletop play. Popular titles like "Galaxian," "Donkey Kong" and "Ms. Pacman" were placed in boxes 6.5 inches wide by 8 inches tall. The machines looked like toy versions of their arcade namesakes, but they were fully playable. The games became collector's items. The original games cost around $55. A mint game with its original box and paperwork cost upwards of $500 in 2011.
Sports Games
The company's line of handheld sports games included titles for football, bowling, baseball, hockey, boxing and soccer. The boxy units featured a narrow control base beneath a wider screen. The "Head to Head" versions made it possible for players to play against each other on the same game. They are very simple in comparison to the ornate table-top arcade replicas.
Learning Games
The "Electronic Learning Machine" had a small screen and was operated by a notched card system. The cards all had different information. When the user inserted a notched card into the toy computer, the user could tap the attached keyboard to get the screen to answer or pose questions. The "Lil Genius" was a math toy that helped children learn and correct math. The "Talking Teacher" device had spelling as well as math functions.
Novelty Games
The title "Swat the Mosquito" came with a plastic fly-swatter that players used to swat electronic mosquitoes. "Zap" was a two-player game where players "zapped" a ball from one side of the curvy device to the other.