Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
Grade: B
Publisher: Mattel (1982)
Reviewed: 2005/6/4
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin
Grade: C+
Publisher: Mattel (1982)
Reviewed: 2000/6/10

Treasure of Tarmin must have been awesome in 1982, with its first-person view of the dungeon and a wide variety of monsters and objects. The control scheme makes excellent use of the keypad, allowing you to easily manipulate an inventory of items. As you move forge ahead, the hallway animation conveys an effective illusion of movement, although turning 90 degress requires about a second to redraw the screen. The small, non-animated monsters include snakes, scorpions, skeletons, dragons, and a minotaur. Items you come across include normal weapons, spiritual weapons, armor, containers, treasures, keys, books, and more! So what's the problem? Well, it's tedious to make your way through a huge dungeon, especially when every freakin' hallway looks the same. Still, AD&D Treasure of Tarmin is incredibly deep for a 1982 release, and if you have enough patience, you might still enjoy this one. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Mattel (1979)
Reviewed: 2002/9/22

With Armor Battle, it's clear Mattel was taking aim at Atari's
Combat, trying to "show it up" with better graphics and deeper gameplay. While it may have succeeded on those counts, Armor Battle isn't that much fun to play. A two-player-only game, both players get two tanks situated on a randomly generated battlefield with roads, trees, water, and buildings. While these obstacles are meant to provide strategy, they rarely do. Most battles are a series of one-on-one confrontations with each tank blasting away until the other blows up. This occurs because the tanks don't relocate after being hit (as in Combat), leaving them open to continuous fire. Another problem is the control. The directional disk is only used to turn the tank - you have to hold in a side button to move forward. This would make sense if the cannon could aim independently of the tank movement, but you can only shoot forward. One cool feature is the ability to lay invisible mines (one at a time) but they are rarely a factor. The funniest part is how the game doesn't officially end until you lose 50 tanks! I thought one round was bad enough, but then the game told me I had 48 tanks left! Armor Battle is one of those games that looks great on paper, but is less than thrilling to play. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Mattel (1981)
Reviewed: 2009/12/18
Recommended variation: hard
Our high score: 47,770
1 player
Publisher: Imagic (1982)
Reviewed: 2007/8/23
Recommended variation: Medium
Our high score: BSC 2,400
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Mattel (1979)
Reviewed: 2007/2/3
Publisher: Mattel (1982)
Reviewed: 2000/3/19

This is one of several titles that use the Intellivoice voice module to good effect. In this surprisingly sophisticated combat simulator you pilot a B-17 Bomber over 1942 Europe, where you shoot down enemy planes and bomb key targets. The keypad allows you switch between several screens including: your map, the bomb bay, your gauges, and four windows around your plane. There's plenty to keep you busy, and several different voices to warn of approaching planes, targets, flak, etc. How many people are in this plane anyway? Shooting down enemy aircraft is fun. They scale in nicely from the distance, and it's quite satisfying to see them go down in flames. The bomb bay provides a cool view of the ground below; revealing land, water, factories, and aircraft carriers. A handy "target preview" button lets you know exactly what to look for. You can return to your base in England for repairs at any time, but it's hard to tell if you've sustained much damaged until you hear "Mayday! Mayday!". There are 6 skill levels in this innovative, well-designed game. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Beauty and the Beast
Grade: A-
Publisher: Imagic (1982)
Reviewed: 2011/1/12

Beauty and the Beast is an entertaining platformer with bright, arcade graphics and fast, frantic gameplay. At first glance it looks like a Donkey Kong knock-off with an oversized dude instead of an ape. The damsel in distress ("Mabel") looks more like a blue alien, but hey, some guys are into that kind of thing (have you seen Avatar?). You play the role of a complete dork named Buford who must scale the Old Mutton building four floors at a time. You can only ascend at open windows, and they open and close at random. You need to avoid deadly bats, rats, birds, and boulders that split in two. It sounds familiar but Beauty and the Beast has its own distinctive look and feel. It's one of the fastest Intellivision games I've played and you can knock out levels quickly if you keep moving. Your character only slows down to jump, but that's rarely even necessary. Hearts tossed by Mabel grant you temporary invincibility, allowing you to plow through obstacles for bonus points. Each time you reach Mabel a separate screen shows how far you've climbed and how many lives remain. Racking up seven lives may have you thinking, "Man, I'm going to be playing this thing
forever". Fear not, because by the third building you'll be pissing away lives
left and right. Whenever you reach the very top you're treated to a cool animation of the villain falling to his death (a la King Kong). Then you start over. Beauty and the Beast could use a difficulty select, but its quality graphics and exciting gameplay make this is a showcase title for the system. © Copyright 2011 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 7,550
1 player
Body Slam: Super Pro Wrestling
Grade: B
Publisher: INTV (1988)
Reviewed: 2009/12/18
Publisher: Mattel (1982)
Reviewed: 2000/3/19

In this highly original title, you must deactivate a bomb before it blows up a city - not a bad premise for a video game. Bomb Squad uses Intellivision's voice synthesis, but it really isn't essential to the gameplay. Your main goal is to solve the bomb's three digit code. You reveal "pixels" of each number by rewiring circuit boards. Each circuit board is a maze of wires containing a few colored components, and your vocal assistant "Frank" advises you how to modify the board step-by-step. You'll need to use cutters, pliers, a soldering iron, and sometimes a fire extinguisher to get the job done. Although the gameplay is fairly methodical, it takes skill to rewire the boards quickly. As the clock ticks down, you may be forced to guess some of the digits, adding to the suspense. Some may find Bomb Squad somewhat tedious, but it's not a bad game. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Mattel (1982)
Reviewed: 2000/4/13

This bowling game is amazing! I can't believe how incredibly deep and expertly designed this is. One to four people can participate by taking turns. The screen displays the pins on top, a scoreboard in the center, and your bowler (side view) on the bottom. Using a slightly over-complicated control scheme, you pick up your ball, line up your character, take aim, and apply spin. You actually have 16 degrees of precision for your spin. As the ball rolls down the lane, you get a close-up of the pins, which bounce around realistically when hit! The animation of the pins falling is slow (like slow motion) but it's great fun to watch, and the realistic pin movement makes it possible to nail some tough combinations. The game's attention to detail is remarkable; you can even select your ball weight and the slickness of the lane. In addition to regular bowling, there's also a challenging "pick-up-the-spare" game thrown in. This is by far the best classic bowling game I've come across. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Mattel (1980)
Reviewed: 2007/8/23

Here's a sports title that appears impressive but plays poorly due to sluggish controls. The game features a boxing ring that actually
looks like a boxing ring with two oversized fighters. Although heavily pixilated and rendered in single colors, the fighters pose and move in a fairly realistic manner. The action is controlled entirely with the keypad, but if you think that's going to give your hands a break, think again. Boxing is just as uncomfortable to play as any other Intellivision game. You have a wide range of punching options, but your fighter lags behind your commands, making it hard to employ strategy or initiate combos. The disc moves your boxer around, but is extremely slow and unresponsive. I have to admit that some of the animations are pretty neat. It's satisfying to see a well-thrown punch knock a fighter's head back, and I also like how the winner raises his hands over his head in victory. But the matches tend to drag on for far too long, turning each contest into an extended ordeal. There are six distinctive boxers to choose from (distinguished by colors) and the crowd noise effects are superb. Unfortunately, the game is two-player only, and finding two people with enough patience to master Boxing may be too much to ask. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Mattel/Data East (1982)
Reviewed: 2007/8/18

"Intellivision" may not be the first word that pops into your mind when you think of arcade action, but Bump N Jump makes the system shine. With its colorful cars, varying scenery, responsive controls, and tuneful background music, it's impossible to dislike this game. As you guide your wobbly-wheeled car up a vertically-scrolling screen, you can bump other cars off the road or pounce on them for points. It's like a typical commute on 695. There are plenty of hazards to keep an eye out for, including broken bridges you need to jump over. An audible beep and a flashing exclamation point warns you when you're approaching a gap, and you'll want to keep you finger on the trigger because the end of the road comes fast! You'll also want to guard against jumping too
early, leading to a condition my friend Scott coined as "premature jumpulation". Bump N Jump's bright graphics include a wide variety of vehicles and roadside scenery that actually
changes with the seasons! The audio is sensational, with pleasant background music and satisfying "bang!" sound effects. I also like how Bump N Jump encourages you to be reckless to rack up the big points; it makes the action all the more addicting. If there's a flaw, it may be those cheap "oil slicks" which cause you to explode on contact. Nevertheless, if you're collecting games for the Intellivision, this one should be near the top of your list. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Data East (1982)
Reviewed: 2014/8/17
Our high score: 20,250
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Mattel (1983)
Reviewed: 2001/11/9

Nothing makes you appreciate the real Centipede like a bad Centipede clone, and that's what Buzz Bombers is. At first glance the game seems to have potential, but ends up being a complete bore. You control a spray bottle on the bottom of the screen, shooting at bees that start at the top and gradually drop down. Shooting a bee turns it into a honeycomb. You can shoot the honeycombs, but you'll actually score more points if you wait for the hummingbird to emerge and eat them instead. I soon found myself afraid to shoot - pretty bizarre for a shooting game! The slow, unresponsive controls don't help matters. The background music features a nice rendition of "Flight of the Bumble Bee", which would sound pretty good if it weren't interrupted by each shot! On top of everything, this game is far too easy - it goes on and on. I did enjoy the short intermissions, but otherwise Buzz Bombers is a nice-looking with minimal play value. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Coleco (1983)
Reviewed: 2000/9/17

Coleco usually does a fine job of converting arcade hits to the Intellivision, but this one is almost unbearable! Carnival is an old-fashioned shooter where you move a gun across the bottom of the screen while shooting ducks, owls, and various other rows of targets. Unlike the fun arcade version, this one is slow and choppy. Aiming your gun with any kind of precision is impossible, and your bullets take forever to clear the screen. In addition to its poor gameplay, Carnival's background music is nauseating. Not only does the it sound horrible in general, but the tune
starts over with each shot. It will drive you absolutely nuts! I couldn't even tell you if the bear bonus stage is included because I didn't have the intestinal fortitude to finish the first screen! This is by far the worst version of Carnival I've ever played. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Atari (1983)
Reviewed: 2001/5/18

The Intellivision wasn't famous for fast arcade action, but Atari managed to recreate the frantic fun and excitement of Centipede pretty well in this cartridge. Graphically, there's not much to complain about except for the choppy animation of the centipede. The control is surprisingly crisp, and Atari tailored the game to the Intellivision controller, including auto-fire and a speed button. This Centipede is quite a bit easier than most others, thanks to its slow, predictable spider and large, easy-to-shoot centipede sections. But it's still great fun. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.
Championship Tennis
Grade: D+
Publisher: Nice Ideas (1986)
Reviewed: 2014/8/3
Chip Shot Super Pro Golf
Grade: A-
Publisher: INTV (1987)
Reviewed: 2003/5/29

In terms of classic golf games, Chip Shot is a tour-de-force. Its advanced play mechanics were years ahead of their time, with modern features like a swing meter, contoured greens, a scorecard, and even wind! In addition to being fun to play, it has a truckload of options. You can choose from one of
five full courses, and play the front or back nine if you don't feel like playing a full game. You even have the option of
creating your own course out of 99 pre-made holes! Holy cow! There's even a driving range and putting green to brush up on your stroke! Each hole is one screen in size, and a smaller window gives you a close-up of your golfer and provides vital statistics. Although objects like trees and bunkers look small on the screen, it's still pretty easy to tell what's going on. If there's one aspect in which Chip Shot falters, it would have to be those damn trees. Once your balls gets lodged in a thicket of trees, it takes an excessive number of hacks to get it back onto the fairway. Other than that, I really can't say enough good things about Chip Shot Golf. It makes the Intellivision look like a Genesis. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.
Christmas Carol Vs. the Ghost of Christmas Presents
Grade: A+
Publisher: Left Turn Only (2012)
Reviewed: 2012/11/20
Our high score: 980
1 player
Publisher: Sega (1983)
Reviewed: 2017/7/30
Our high score: 6070
1 player
Publisher: Elektronite (2012)
Reviewed: 2012/6/19

Donkey Kong Arcade was a tour de force for the Intellivision, and D2K takes that winning formula to a whole new level -
literally! The cartridge contains two game variations. Game 1 is basically Donkey Kong Arcade, which is a faithful adaption of the original Donkey Kong with four near-arcade-perfect screens. Game 2 contains no less than
nine screens, mixing in five brand new stages! These new screens are interesting, colorful, and fairly sophisticated, introducing new mechanisms like safety valves and retractable ladders. Best of all, they retain the familiar look and feel of the original set, resulting in a seamless blend of the old and new. For Donkey Kong fans, this game is what Donkey Kong 3
should have been! As with Donkey Kong Arcade, you have the option of playing as Toni and Bruno (in addition to Mario), adding even more replay value. D2K is not only fun and addictive, but it's extremely challenging as well. The controls are responsive, and it's a good thing because there's little margin for error with the jumps. Combining arcade graphics, tight controls, and imaginative new screens, D2K Arcade must be seen to be believed. This dream-of-a-homebrew is a must-have for all classic gaming enthusiasts. © Copyright 2012 The Video Game Critic.
Recommended variation: 2
Our high score: 11,100
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Atari (1983)
Reviewed: 2002/9/22
Publisher: Imagic (1982)
Reviewed: 2006/3/5

Similar to Phoenix, the goal of Demon Attack is to shoot down waves of alien birds, some of which divide in half. While the premise is the same as the popular Atari 2600 version of Demon Attack, this one has a far different look and feel. For one thing, there are some nice background graphics not present in the Atari version. As your cannon moves across a cratered moon surface, you can see Earth looming over the horizon. The demons themselves are less impressive, lacking the fluid motion and high-resolution detail of their Atari cousins. Only after you survive about a dozen waves does the game reveal its trump card: the mother ship. This thing is incredible - probably the most impressive single thing I've seen in an Intellivision game. Colorful, detailed, and immense, it takes up about half of the screen. As in Phoenix, you must wear down its thick hull in order to reveal a weak spot. As a defense mechanism, the mother ship releases a steady stream of small kamikaze birds. Upon blasting the core, you're treated to a very satisfying explosion. The waves then start over, but this time the demons also drop bombs that explode upon hitting the surface. Demon Attack has two skill levels and a two-player cooperative mode. A guided missile option is also available, but I found the straight missiles to be far more effective. Demon Attack is a real gem, and one of the few fast-paced shooters you'll find for the Intellivision. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.
Recommended variation: 4
1 or 2 player
Publisher: INTV (1987)
Reviewed: 2009/9/22

This is an exceptionally good port of a legitimate arcade classic. In case you've never played Dig Dug,
shame on you! The game is a perfect blend of action and strategy as you tunnel through an underground maze while clearing out monsters. It's the only game I know of where you have the ability to inflate monsters until they
pop. Please kids,
don't try this at home! It's fun, but skillful gamers will rack up the
big points by methodically dropping boulders on the creatures instead. Dig Dug's gameplay is far greater than the sum of its parts, and this Intellivision version retains all the charm of the original. The monsters seem especially unpredictable, often doubling back when you're about to drop a rock on them. In terms of graphics, the layers of dirt look properly granular and you character is rendered in two colors. A harmonized ditty plays in the background with audio quality that puts most Intellivision games to shame. If one element was compromised, I'd say it was the graphic quality of the monsters. Those goofy green dragons look like little kids in Barney outfits - not very intimidating! Also, those bonus vegetables come in some really bizarre shapes (the less said about that, the better). Still, this Dig Dug is a very competent port that compares extremely well to other home versions. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: VGC 31,395
1 player
Publisher: INTV (1987)
Reviewed: 2004/6/4

I want to thank all the readers who recommended this superb Burgertime sequel. In terms of graphics, Diner is to Burgertime what Congo Bongo is to Donkey Kong. It takes some classic 2D gameplay and incorporates fantastic 3D stages. You play a chef attempting to construct a sub sandwich by kicking large "food balls" into a roll on the bottom of the screen. Animated hot dogs, bananas, cherries, and a frothy mugs are in pursuit, but you can roll food balls over them for big points. Squashing one bad guy is worth 500 points, and the bonus doubles for each additional enemy you nail with the same food ball. Like Burgertime, a limited supply of pepper lets you temporarily immobilize adversaries. Diner's gameplay has a definite Burgertime flavor, but it's more fun and less difficult. There's an impressive number of attractive pseudo-3D screens, including some with bright neon signs. A pleasant harmonized tune plays in the background. Four difficulty levels are available, and in two-player contests each player can choose his own skill level. As much as I love Diner, I would be negligent if I didn't mention one major flaw. When an enemy is vanquished, it tends to reappear later in unexpected places - sometimes right on top of your chef. That's not cool, but otherwise this game is solid gold. And you'll only find this super fun arcade title on the Intellivision. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Coleco (1981)
Reviewed: 2016/2/4

Intellivision clearly got the short end of the stick when it came to its Donkey Kong arcade-to-home conversion. Colecovision got great graphics and the Atari 2600 got playability, but this version suffers on both counts. The stages are blocky and Mario looks like one of the
Berenstain Bears for Pete's sake! And what is the deal with Donkey Kong's
face?! Apparently the programmer just poked in two eye holes and called it a day. For a major license like this you'd expect a little more effort. The controls could be more responsive as Mario tends to move in fits and starts. My friend Scott described his jumps as "anemic". He gets no distance and actually
slows down when he jumps. The hammer is hard to pick up, even when you jump right on it. There's no music when weilding the hammer, but at least it flashes before disappearing. On the second screen the umbrella looks like a grappling hook and the solid-blue girl looks like an apparition. Grabbing the hammer on the left edge is nearly impossible, and I really dislike how the fireballs tend to respawn on top of you with no warning. As the final insult, this cartridge doesn't even work on the Intellivision II. It was literally decades before the Intellivision's Donkey Kong deficiency was properly addressed. And witnessing the near-arcade-perfect splendor of
Donkey Kong Arcade (Intellivision, 2011) will only further erode your opinion of this, if at all possible. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic.
Recommended variation: 3
Our high score: 39,800
1 or 2 players
Donkey Kong Arcade
Grade: A
Publisher: CMJR (2011)
Reviewed: 2011/9/27
Our high score: 16,700
1 or 2 players
Donkey Kong Junior
Grade: B
Publisher: Coleco (1983)
Reviewed: 2016/2/4

If I overrated this the first time around, it's only because playing Intellivision
Donkey Kong (Coleco, 1981) calibrated my expectations to an all-time low. Donkey Kong Junior is good-looking, highly playable adaptation of the coin-op hit. When you first turn on the game you hear what sounds like the refrain from Phantom of the Opera. Why, I do not know. And why is Junior decked out in a wife-beater T-shirt instead of a diaper? Mario looks like a smurf and Donkey Kong looks a little bit like a
naked man! That's disturbing. The gameplay is tougher than Donkey Kong, but that challenge makes it all the more satisfying when you complete a stage. The first screen is all about vine-climbing, with much of your movement sideways. You'll need to avoid crocodile heads and it's a great feeling when you drop fruit on them. Unfortunately I noticed the control is a little finicky when you're trying to make slight adjustments left or right. The second screen requires you to push locks up chains in order to release Donkey Kong from a cage. If you straddle two chains you can push two locks up at once, and that's pretty sweet. Avoiding the birds is a challenge, as they fly across the screen in random patterns. That music sounds awfully familiar. Is that the same song from
Popeye (Parker Bros., 1983)? I don't like how it stops and restarts whenever you move. Otherwise, Donkey Kong Junior is a solid effort that should help you get over the trauma of having played the first game. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic.
Recommended variation: 3
Our high score: 12,400
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Imagic (1983)
Reviewed: 2016/10/19
Recommended variation: med
Our high score: 5250
1 player
Publisher: Imagic (1982)
Reviewed: 2002/2/5

This fun, medieval-style action game was released for a number of consoles, and this one looks like a cross between the Atari 2600 and Colecovision editions. The first screen, featuring a prince crossing a drawbridge, is impressively detailed -- much like the Colecovision version. You can see a lot of the castle, and the water in the moat below rises and falls. An arrow-shooting archer resides in the tower, making your job a bit more tricky. The animation is fast and smooth, but control is problematic. Keeping your prince in the crouch position requires you to hold the pad DIRECTLY down, which takes its toll on your thumb. I like the idea of the prince splashing into the water below after taking a hit, but it looks strange how he falls in diagonally. Upon entering the castle, the action is identical to the Atari 2600 version. You simply dash around while grabbing treasures and avoiding the fireballs delivered by a dragon at the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately, the graphics are not as sharp as the 2600 version. Although the dragons look
exactly the same, the chunky, single-colored treasures pale against the beautiful riches of the Atari version. Also, the collision detection is poor and you'll sometimes run right through a treasure. Dragonfire for the Intellivision is a good, albeit uneven, effort. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.