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View Full Version : Coleco Telstar Arcade, what is this?



Penguin
01-26-2010, 03:01 PM
I just picked this thing up at the thrift store, looks like it is a Telstar Arcade. Says Coleco on it so that's what im guessing. Anyone know if this is worth anything? I remember seeing it in a video somewhere I just can't remember where. It does indeed have the coolest light gun I have ever seen, I feel like Dirty Harry!
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2466/1003277t.jpg
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7241/1003278h.jpg
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/3836/1003279a.jpg

portnoyd
01-26-2010, 03:09 PM
What you have is the most advanced Pong unit made. It could be seen as the bridge between dedicated Pong units and the cartridge based systems. The Coleco Telstar Arcade was released late in the era of pong units and was only briefly sold thanks to the 2600 and other cart systems coming into play.

There were 4 carts made for the system. However, they are not carts in the sense that we know them today. No ROMs or anything like that. They were a method to rewire how the system ran to give different games. #1 was packed in with the system and #3 was sold seperately.

The value of the system today is hard to gauge due to how infrequently it appears for sale. I know someone made a thread recently asking how much one of the carts was worth and no one really had an answer for them. Regardless, you made a rare find.

The DP classic guide has an excellent writeup on the system.

Penguin
01-26-2010, 03:10 PM
Cool thanks, i've been waiting like 2 years for the new classic guide so I can buy one, still not out yet. :(

MachineGex
01-27-2010, 11:56 PM
My neighbor in grade-school had that thing. I wanted one so bad. He was extremely spoiled and had all the cool toys. If you ever want to sell/trade....drop me a PM.