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Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 2nd, 2020, 7:13 pm
by VideoGameCritic
I'm a little disappointed because it sounds like the "physical" media is just going to be an electronic code to let you download the game. So for the physical media option you still need to go online? That kind of defeats the purpose. If that was the case I think I'd rather just download the thing.

I do like the fact that the system won't be "checking in" via the internet and the fact that the games are small. This might be the first system where my preference is digital media.

I guess I was being unrealistic to expect think a modern console could survive separate from the internet. It will need some quality games however to avoid being lumped into the Ouya category.

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 4:13 am
by Stalvern
VideoGameCritic wrote:I guess I was being unrealistic to expect think a modern console could survive separate from the internet. It will need some quality games however to avoid being lumped into the Ouya category.

I've been holding my peace, but I really can't see how this isn't just another Ouya. If the idea is to sell family-friendly games, people already sell better ones on established platforms (although I have a soft spot for that Night Stalker remake and am – cautiously – optimistic about the Genesis properties). If the idea is to sell consoles to people who ordinarily wouldn't invest in a mainstream system, the Amico will cost half the price but offer (generously) a tenth of the value; I don't see it having much appeal there either. If the idea is to bring back Astrosmash, anyone who cares that much already bought an Intellivision and Astrosmash on eBay a decade ago. Everything about this seems almost willfully pointless.

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 9:39 am
by LuckyWDFN
VideoGameCritic wrote:I'm a little disappointed because it sounds like the "physical" media is just going to be an electronic code to let you download the game. So for the physical media option you still need to go online? That kind of defeats the purpose. If that was the case I think I'd rather just download the thing.

I do like the fact that the system won't be "checking in" via the internet and the fact that the games are small. This might be the first system where my preference is digital media.

I guess I was being unrealistic to expect think a modern console could survive separate from the internet. It will need some quality games however to avoid being lumped into the Ouya category.


Any chance you could get an interview with Tommy Tallarico for Video Game Critic?

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 12:09 pm
by noah98
Stalvern wrote:
VideoGameCritic wrote:I guess I was being unrealistic to expect think a modern console could survive separate from the internet. It will need some quality games however to avoid being lumped into the Ouya category.

I've been holding my peace, but I really can't see how this isn't just another Ouya. If the idea is to sell family-friendly games, people already sell better ones on established platforms (although I have a soft spot for that Night Stalker remake and am – cautiously – optimistic about the Genesis properties). If the idea is to sell consoles to people who ordinarily wouldn't invest in a mainstream system, the Amico will cost half the price but offer (generously) a tenth of the value; I don't see it having much appeal there either. If the idea is to bring back Astrosmash, anyone who cares that much already bought an Intellivision and Astrosmash on eBay a decade ago. Everything about this seems almost willfully pointless.


I think a big difference between this and the Ouya is the idea that games are not locked to online "check ins." I own an Ouya, and it is mostly a brick now that the servers are gone. The Amico will let you back up your games and will not need an internet connection to run. Here are some other difference between the Amico and other modern systems like PS4/XBOX One:

1. All games range from $2.99 - $9.99

2. No bad language, graphic violence/blood or sexual content - every game on Amico is rated E for Everyone or E10+

3. Gameplay adapts to your skill level

4. No ads, downloadable content, loot boxes, or in-game purchases

I think a lot of older franchises from companies like Imagic are getting new releases because of this system. Games like Demon Attack, Beauty and the Beast, Cosmic Ark, Dracula, and Ice Trek. It's also going to be nice to see older Intellivision games like Astrosmash, Night Stalker, Shark! Shark!, Cloudy Mountain (D&D), and Tron Deadly Discs being released. Even the prospect of Earthworm Jim 4 is exciting. I know you can get an old console from ebay to play some of the classics, but dealing with aging hardware and RF video is not a great solution for most people. Modding is also not so easy on classic hardware. I still have three Intellivision consoles and have to keep a CRT around to play some of my old favorites. And even then, the RF video quality kinda sucks.

I'm not sure how many of these games would have been made for the newer systems. They appeal to a certain audience for sure, but there is quite a lot of competition on modern platforms from the flood of indie games. That's not a bad thing, but it's hard to stand out in the crowd, and it's even harder to navigate some of those shops.

It seems like the Amico will have some advantages with a curated shop, streamlined menus, and simple controls for both the system and the controller.

Of course, buying any new system is a gamble, including from big companies. The Wii U had a short lifespan and a lack of support, especially once the Switch was announced. The XBOX One offers very few exclusives and poor performance unless you buy the X version as well.

The PS4 and Nintendo Switch are both excellent consoles though. Since I have a nice gaming PC, I play my Switch the most out of my consoles. It has games I can't play anywhere else and it is relatively painless to get into a game. My XBOX one is great...for playing 4K Blu Rays, that's it! My Wii U is collecting dust. My PS4 Pro gets played for the occasional Sony exclusive game, but anything multi-platform is just better on PC. Playing games at 30 frames per second on PS4 vs. over 100 on PC is very noticeable!

I've also just about had it with some of the modern gaming annoyances: constant updates, expensive DLC, microtransactions and loot boxes, ads, and running out of hard drive space. Isn't it fun buying a physical copy of a game and then waiting for an hour or more for it to update and install? Sometimes deleting other games because the hard drive is full again? Finding out that some of the coolest features cost extra as DLC? Finding out that the game is broken unless you update it--defeats the purpose of buying physical? The Switch still has some of these issues, but it is not as bad as the competition.

I'm looking forward to the Amico because I want some simple, couch co-op family gaming. Buy it once and not have to keep track of microtransactions and DLC. It's a gamble, and it may not turn out as well as anticipated, but I've been asking for something like this to happen to modern gaming for a long time, so if I don't show my support by investing in it, how can I in good conscience lament what frustrates me about modern gaming?

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 12:31 pm
by LoganRuckman
Some DLC is awesome though. Shovel Knight is a great example of this.

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 1:52 pm
by noah98
LoganRuckman wrote:Some DLC is awesome though. Shovel Knight is a great example of this.


Very true! The new Shovel Knight multiplayer DLC is really fun.

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 3:02 pm
by VideoGameCritic
Without physical media I feel the whole collectable element would be lost. It's fun to buy physical games but when it comes to digital I'm just going to pick and choose a few. Even if I have total control of the game in my console, it's not the same degree of ownership. I think the Amico people really missed a potential selling point. They should do what Evercade is trying to do.

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 3:12 pm
by ASalvaro
VideoGameCritic wrote:Without physical media I feel the whole collectable element would be lost. It's fun to buy physical games but when it comes to digital I'm just going to pick and choose a few. Even if I have total control of the game in my console, it's not the same degree of ownership. I think the Amico people really missed a potential selling point. They should do what Evercade is trying to do.


The Amico will have physical media
all of the physical media is a little different and very collectible

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 3rd, 2020, 3:16 pm
by VideoGameCritic
Physical media that doesn't actually contain the game? You lost me.

Re: Intellivision Amico Info

Posted: April 4th, 2020, 8:12 am
by noah98
VideoGameCritic wrote:Physical media that doesn't actually contain the game? You lost me.


I agree, it's really just collectibles with an unlock code. Some of these might be cool to own, but it's not the same as having a cartridge. An optional cartridge slot would have made this perfect though.