The Intellivision, a name made by combining "intelligent" and "television," is a home video game console introduced by Mattel Electronics in 1979. It was different from other consoles because it offered more realistic sports and strategy games. By 1981, Mattel Electronics had nearly 20% of the domestic video game market, selling over 3.75 million consoles and 20 million cartridges by 1983. At its highest point, Mattel employed about 1,800 people in multiple countries, including 110 video game developers. In 1984, Mattel sold its video game business to a former Mattel executive and investors, which later became INTV Corporation. Game development for the Intellivision lasted from 1978 to 1990, when the console was no longer produced. In 2009, IGN ranked the Intellivision as number 14 on their list of the greatest video game consoles of all time.

History

The Intellivision was developed at Mattel in Hawthorne, California. In 1969, several research and development groups at Mattel combined to form the Preliminary Design department on the third floor of the main office. Mattel had experience with technology research and development. Jack Ryan, a design engineer who joined Mattel in 1955 from Raytheon, led a team of engineers, chemists, and sculptors. With a large budget, this group was expected to think creatively and was called the blue-sky group.

In 1975, Richard Chang, a mechanical engineer working under Ryan, contacted MOS Technology to see a demonstration of their new 6502 microprocessor in a video game. MOS arranged for Glenn Hightower, a consultant and teacher at CalTech University, to give the demonstration.

Soon after, Dave James, an industrial engineer under Chang, wrote a memo on January 26, 1976, describing two product ideas. The first was a video system with a microprocessor and "plug-in" ROM modules or cassettes, along with applications like war games, gambling games, strategy games, video Etch-a-Sketch, driving simulators, pinball, and football with 10 players on each side. The second idea was calculator-based games. Mattel executives were unsure about the ideas, so Chang’s group moved forward with handheld electronic games and worked with Hightower to create a prototype.

In 1975, Mattel hired Michael Katz as Marketing Manager for New Product Categories. Katz asked Chang to create a calculator-sized electronic game for 1976. In Fall 1976, Mattel hired Ed Krakauer as Vice President of New Business Development, who then hired Jeff Rochlis as Director of New Business Development. In an October 1977 newspaper article, Rochlis said, “These games are early versions of home computers. There is a logical path to selling them.”

In April 1977, David Chandler, who had a doctorate in Electrical Engineering, a career in Aerospace, and experience prototyping an early word processor and an arcade video game, joined Preliminary Design under Chang. Chandler shared Chang’s vision for a video game system with high-quality graphics and long-lasting gameplay. He took charge of engineering the system. Before Chandler joined, Chang’s group had already met with National Semiconductor to discuss their new video display controller, which would pair with an Intel 8080 CPU. Chandler negotiated better pricing for a simpler design. At the Consumer Electronics Show in June 1977, Chandler saw two other video driver chipsets. One from MOS Technology did not support moving objects, making it hard to program sports games. The other from General Instrument (GI), listed as the Gimini programmable set in the GI 1977 catalog, lacked programmable graphics. Mattel worked with GI to improve the chipset. GI updated the chipset in its 1978 catalog. Mattel initially chose National Semiconductor, but they wanted to delay the project, so Mattel turned to GI. Mattel’s management paused video game development for several months. On November 9, 1977, Mattel, GI, and Magnavox (the original manufacturer) met to plan contracts and production.

Around this time, Mattel’s handheld electronic games, previously slow-selling, became popular. Management moved the designs to the newly formed Mattel Electronics division, which had its own marketing, finance, and engineering teams. In September, Krakauer made Rochlis president of the division. Chang became director of its new Design and Development department, responsible for Intellivision software. Chandler became director of Product Engineering and led the team designing the hardware, including the hand controllers. In 1978, David Rolfe of APh developed the onboard executive control software called Exec, and with help from Caltech summer students, programmed the first Intellivision games. Hal Finney of APh added sound and music routines to Exec. Artists at Mattel, led by Dave James, designed the graphics. James also created detailed game proposal documents.

In June 1978, Mattel privately showed a prototype to retailers, leading to a Christmas 1978 release. Delays from GI pushed the release to 1979. Magnavox stopped manufacturing the console, and Sylvania replaced them. Chandler considered switching to Texas Instruments’ TMS9918 video processor, but it had fewer moving objects and lacked hardware scrolling. It also required more RAM, which would have forced changes to existing software.

The Intellivision was introduced at the 1979 Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES) as a modular home computer. The Master Component cost $165, and a Keyboard Component was planned for $165 (equivalent to $730 in 2025). At the Chicago CES in June 1979, prices were raised to $250 for each component. A shortage of key chips from General Instrument limited production that year. In Fall 1979, Sylvania sold its own branded Intellivision at $280 in GTE stores in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. On December 3, Mattel delivered consoles to Gottschalks department stores in Fresno, California, with a suggested price of $275. The Intellivision also appeared in the JCPenney Christmas 1979 catalog with seven cartridges. By April 1980, the console was available in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. It was sold nationwide by mid-1980 with the pack-in game Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack and a library of ten cartridges.

By September 1980, Mattel debated whether to market the Intellivision as a home computer. Krakauer and Rochlis left their roles, and Josh Denham became president of Mattel Electronics. The Keyboard Component was no longer promoted in advertising. Advertisements featuring George Plimpton compared Intellivision games to Atari 2600 games, highlighting better graphics and sound. One slogan called Intellivision “the closest thing to the real thing.” For example, a golf game on the 2600 had a simple sound and basic graphics, while Intellivision had realistic sound effects and more detailed visuals. In 1980, Mattel

Hardware specifications

The Intellivision, Super Video Arcade, Tandyvision One, Intellivision II, INTV System III, and Super Pro System are video game systems.

• The system uses a General Instrument CP1610 microprocessor, which processes information quickly. It runs at 2 million cycles per second and has a 16-bit data/address bus.
• The system has 1,456 bytes of RAM (SRAM): 240 bytes of temporary memory and 704 bytes of main memory. It also has 7,168 bytes of ROM, which includes 5,120 bytes for system commands and 2,048 bytes for graphics.
• The Standard Television Interface Chip (STIC), made by General Instrument, controls the display. It operates at 4 MHz or 3.58 MHz (NTSC) and shares a 14-bit data/address bus with the CPU. The screen is divided into 20 columns and 12 rows of tiles, each 8 pixels wide and 8 pixels tall, creating a resolution of 159×96 pixels. The system supports 16 colors, with two colors per tile for foreground and background. It can display up to 8 sprites (game characters) on the same screen line. Features include off-screen movement, size selection (8×16 or 8×8), stretching, mirroring, collision detection, and priority settings. The STIC and GRAM can be reprogrammed 60 times per second during VBLANK.
• The system has three sound channels, one noise generator, and uses the General Instrument AY-3-8914 audio chip.
• Connections include a 44-pin cartridge port, 64K addressable memory (about 50K usable), and cartridges with sizes like 4K, 6K, 8K, 12K, 16K, and 24K. It has two 9-pin controller ports, RF/RCA audio/video outputs, and RGB/SCART outputs in France. The Intellivision II uses an external power adapter (16.7Vac 1A or 16.2Vac 955mA).

The Intellivision controller includes:
• A 12-button numeric keypad (0–9, clear, and enter).
• Four side action buttons (two for left-handed players, two for right-handed players; the top two are the same, creating three unique buttons).
• A directional pad that detects 16 directions of movement.
• Plastic overlays that slide onto the keypad to show game-specific key functions.

The directional pad was called a "control disc" and was marketed as having the functionality of both a joystick and a paddle. It was ranked the fourth worst video game controller by IGN editor Craig Harris.

• Keyboard Component (limited availability): Uses a 6502 CPU, 16K × 10-bit DRAM, 40×24 text display, tape drive, microphone input, and two expansion ports.
• PlayCable (available through cable TV providers 1981–1983): A joint venture between Mattel and General Instrument, using 8K × 10-bit RAM.
• Intellivoice Voice Synthesis Module: Uses the General Instrument SP0256-012 chip.
• Computer Module (includes): A computer adapter with 2K × 8-bit SRAM, 12K ECS Exec/BASIC ROM, memory expansion port (discontinued), AY-3-8917 sound generator, two DE-9 hand controller ports, audio tape recorder interface, two 3.5mm mono jacks, one 2.5mm jack for optional tape control, an auxiliary jack for a serial printer (Mattel Aquarius compatible), a 3.5mm stereo jack compatible with RS-232C (tip = data transmit, ring = DSR/DCD, sleeve = ground), and an external power adapter (10Vac 1A). A computer keyboard is included.
• Music Synthesizer (requires Computer Adapter): A 49-key piano keyboard.
• System Changer: An Atari 2600 compatible cartridge slot and two DE-9 Atari 2600 compatible controller ports.
• Videoplexer (from Compro Electronics): A cartridge switching accessory with eight cartridge slots.

Reception

A July 1980 article in Video magazine stated, "Now, arcade players can enjoy the most advanced games this side of the complex simulations designed for high-level computers right in their own living rooms." It also said, "It may not be perfect, but it is the best unit available so far to players of electronic video games." The article added that players used to joysticks would need time to adjust, but even those who are picky would agree that the company created a well-designed controller.

In 1982, Ken Uston wrote Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games to help people choose console systems and cartridges and to provide strategies for playing games. He described the Intellivision as "the most mechanically reliable system… The controller worked perfectly during many hours of testing. The unit never overheated, and there were no loose wires or connection problems." However, Uston gave the controls and control system a "below average" rating, calling it the worst among the consoles he tested, which included the Atari 2600, Magnavox Odyssey², Astrovision, and Fairchild Channel F.

In 1982, Jeff Rovin listed Intellivision as one of the seven major suppliers of video games. He called it "the unchallenged king of graphics" but noted that the controllers could be "difficult to operate." He also mentioned that if a controller broke, the entire unit had to be sent for repairs because the controllers were not detachable at first. He added that the overlays (special plastic sheets used with games) "were sometimes very hard to remove, which could be frustrating."

A 1996 article in Next Generation said the Intellivision had better graphics than the popular Atari 2600. It was slower than the 2600 and had fewer games available, but it was known for its strong sports titles. In 1997, Electronic Gaming Monthly reviewed older consoles and noted that the Intellivision's controllers were "as comfortable as they were practical." The unique round directional pad and numeric keypad offered new control options for the time. The magazine praised the variety of games available but said there were few games that stood out as truly exceptional.

Legacy

In 1997, Keith Robinson and Stephen Roney, former programmers at Mattel Electronics, obtained exclusive rights to the Intellivision and its games. They formed a new company called Intellivision Productions and released Intellivision for PC Volume 1 as a free download. This allowed people to play Intellivision games on modern computers for the first time. The download included three games and an emulator that could run original game code. Volume 2 followed, adding three more games, including Deep Pockets Super Pro Pool & Billiards, which was completed in 1990 but not released until 1997. In 2000, Intellipack 3 was released, featuring four more games and emulators for Windows or Macintosh computers.

In 1998 and 2001, Intellivision Productions released Intellivision Lives! and Intellivision Rocks on compact disc. These CDs included over 100 Intellivision games, some of which had never been released before. The discs also included development history, box art, programmer biographies, video interviews, and original commercials. Some games could not be included due to licensing issues, while others used different names to avoid trademark conflicts.

In 1997, Intellivision Productions announced plans to sell development tools that would let customers create their own Intellivision games. These tools would include documentation, cross-assemblers, and a cartridge interface called Magus II. However, the project was canceled. Instead, they provided copies of Your Friend the EXEC, a programming guide for the Intellivision Executive control software. By 2000, hobbyists created their own tools, including memory cartridges for the Intellivision.

In 2005, Intellivision Productions announced new Intellivision cartridges, including Deep Pockets and Illusions. Illusions was completed in 1983 but never released, while Deep Pockets Super Pro Pool & Billiards was programmed in 1990 but only released as a ROM file in 1998. Previously, in 2000, Intellivision Productions released new cartridges for the Atari 2600 and Colecovision, including Sea Battle, Swordfight, and Steamroller.

In 1999, Activision released A Collection of Intellivision Classic Games for PlayStation, featuring 30 emulated games and video interviews with original programmers. In 2003, Crave Entertainment released a PlayStation 2 version of Intellivision Lives!, followed by versions for Xbox and GameCube in 2004. In 2010, Virtual Play Games released Intellivision Lives! for the Nintendo DS, including a previously unreleased game, Blow Out. In 2008, Microsoft made Intellivision Lives! available for download on Xbox Live as an Xbox Original, playable on the Xbox 360.

In 2003, Techno Source Ltd. released the Intellivision 25 and Intellivision 10 direct-to-TV systems. These systems included 25 or 10 games, respectively, rewritten for modern hardware and adapted to contemporary controllers. They were updated in 2005 as the Intellivision X2 with 15 games. These systems sold about 4 million units by 2006.

In 2005, GameTap, a subscription service, made several Intellivision games available on Windows computers, including Astrosmash, Buzz Bombers, and Skiing. The VH1 Online Arcade made nine Intellivision games playable through a web browser in 2007. In 2010, VH1 Classic and MTV Networks released six Intellivision games for iOS. In 2001, THQ Wireless released Intellivision games for mobile phones. In 2010, Microsoft launched the Game Room service for Xbox Live, which included support for Intellivision games and online leaderboards. At the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft announced a version of Game Room for Windows Phone, featuring 44 Intellivision games. AtGames and its Direct2Drive store offered downloadable Intellivision compilations for Windows.

Few Intellivision games can be played effectively with modern controllers. On October 1, 2014, AtGames released the Intellivision Flashback console, a miniature version of the original Intellivision with two original-style controllers. It included 60 emulated games and plastic overlays for 10 games. No games requiring third-party licensing were included.

In May 2018, Tommy Tallarico acquired the Intellivision brand and games, planning to launch a new console called the Intellivision Amico. Intellivision Productions was renamed Blue Sky Rangers Inc., and its intellectual property was transferred to Intellivision Entertainment.

In 2021, Blaze Entertainment released 12 emulated Intellivision games for the Evercade system. A second collection of 12 games was released in 2022.

On May 23, 2024, Atari SA acquired the Intellivision brand and library from Intellivision Entertainment. The deal did not include the Intellivision Amico console or the company itself, both of which were renamed. A licensing deal with Atari was secured to continue releasing new versions of Intellivision titles for the Amico.

In October 2025, Atari announced the Intellivision Sprint, a retro console based on the original Intellivision design. It will include 45 original games and two controllers modeled after the original design. The console is scheduled to ship on December 5, 2025, for $150.

Innovations

• The Intellivision was the first game console with a 16-bit microprocessor, meaning it used a computer chip that processed 16 bits of data at a time. It also had 16-bit registers, 16-bit RAM, and a 16-bit data bus.
• It was the first home console and one of the first video games to use a tile-based playfield, which helped create detailed graphics and colors using very little memory.
• The Intellivision was the first system to allow downloadable games through a service called PlayCable in 1981.
• It was the first game console to include real-time human voices during gameplay, made possible by a special part called the Intellivoice module.
• The Intellivision had the first game controller with a directional thumb pad for easier movement.
• It was also the first game console or home computer to include a musical synthesizer keyboard.
• The Intellivision was the first console to have a complete built-in character font. While the Odyssey² had a limited font with uppercase letters, numbers, and some symbols, the Intellivision’s font included all uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and most punctuation and symbols found on standard keyboards.
• The game Utopia (1982) is credited with starting the construction and management simulation genre.
• World Series Major League Baseball (1983) was the first sports simulation game with several innovations: multiple views of a 3D virtual field, gameplay based on real baseball player statistics, the ability to substitute players, play-by-play commentary, and the option to save games or lineups to tape storage.