Intellivision brings something entirely different to the E3 stage with their new co-op focused console, Amico.
For many gamers, our earliest memories of gaming involve time spent with friends and siblings playing games against each other or cooperatively, side by side starting at the same screen. Nowadays, couch co-op is a rarity and only seen in games usually aiming to be more retro-styled. Though the days of couch co-op being an industry standard no matter the genre are gone, CEO of Intellivision, Tommy Tallarico, understands that those early memories are still at the core of the gaming community, and is looking to inject more couch co-op into it with Amico.
Tommy Tallarico, for those who don’t know has been in the gaming industry for a long time, working on more individual titles than anyone else (just ask Guinness World Records) and working on the media side of gaming as a reviewer and critic. Amico is the return of Intellivision, remade for a modern world with games that are made to be simple, fun experiences. Tallarico admits that Amico is not the norm for E3, nor will it be striving to compete with the rest of the big platform manufactures, but rather be a compliment to the systems we already love and own. Tallarico calls the Amico a “really simple, fun, party machine”.
The Amico will come with two controllers, which can both be stored on top of the console which is also how they charge. The entire console and controllers are outfitted with LED lights, which is a key for gamers today. The controller includes a screen, which you’ll use to further interact with what is happening on your television. The other half of the controller is a positional disc. Rather than a classic D-pad with only eight positions to press, the disc has 64 different positions. What’s also intriguing is that your account and all your games can be taken on the go by just bringing your controller along. Pop your controller in your friend’s Amico at their house, and you’ll be able to play your games without missing a beat.
The Amico is arguably the most interesting announcement to come out of E3 this year, but it is a welcome one since it is the perfect device for people to easily share their love of gaming with those around them. There’s a bevy of licensed partnerships, many of them aimed at children with Sesame Street games being developed for Amico. There’s also a selection of educational games that will be available on the console.
Amico will retail at $249.99 USD, for which you’ll get the console, two controllers and six in games. You can currently pre-order the console now with a $100 deposit on their website or at your local game’s retailer. That, however, is exactly where Amico stops being expensive. Digital games will fall anywhere from $9.99 or less, while physical games will start at $19.99.
Everything about Amico is aimed at being accessible, family-friendly and for everyone, which does really make it the perfect compliment to a modern day gaming setup or a more affordable alternative for those not sure they want to spend the higher prices for current day consoles. It’s also live-service proof, since they do not allow paid downloadable content or any kind of live service structure to exist on the platform, Every game is a complete game at launch.
While Amico might not have been a normal E3 announcement, it definitely feels like it has come at the right time, as the world is slowly starting to open up again, and we can finally go visit the friends and family we’ve dearly missed. Though there is no release date for Amico currently, the anticipation of how this console could affect how we interact with others through games is tantalizing.
