Intellivision's Imagic Games

[IntvGene]

Imagic really supported the Intellivision well. When I was a kid, I never really liked their games, I always went for Activisions titles. But, looking back, Imagic made some damn sweet games for the Intelly.

My favorites:
Truckin - absolutely weird. I can't explain my fascination with this game, but I love it. Pretty unique game.

Microsurgeon - two-player greatness and another neat concept.

I like the idea behind Dracula.. and it could have been fun. I think if it was 2-d, it might be better. I never really got into Safecracker either.

What's missing? Moonsweeper. I love that game, and it's a shame that it never came out for the Intellivision. I also liked Cosmic Ark for some reason, and wouldn't have minded a port for it too.

The failures? I think that both Fathom and Dragonfire could have been improved on the Intellivision, but I never cared for them much anyway.

It's funny because Imagic had quite a few games that were unique to a single system, rather than Mattel's approach to make games that could only work on all systems.

[digitalpress]

I AGREE with ya 100% on Microsurgeon and Truckin', they're among my favorite Intellivision games. We interviewed the creator of both, Rick Levine, some time ago: http://www.digitpress.com/archives/arc00058.htm

I DISAGREE with you on Dracula, also one of my favorites on the system. The game IS 2D, isn't it? Or is it the 3D artwork that puts you off? Also the game is a SCREAM with two players, either with one running away or when playing as the mindless killer zombie! True innovation, that one.

http://www.digitpress.com/dpsightz/intellivision/dracula.gif

A few more. I LOVE White Water and its mix of cerebral action (the you-go-I-go jug-grabbing contest that you can CHEAT on) and tense river navigation. Damn, it still makes me go GULP when one of my guys falls out of the raft and I chase him down the river only to watch him get sucked into one of those whirlpools!... GULP.

http://www.digitpress.com/dpsightz/intellivision/whitewater.gif

Another underrated title is Tropical Trouble, where you basically just try to get to the right side of the screen for the duration of the game. It always seems so FRANTIC, I can't resist it. I like this one much more than the much more talked-about Beauty & the Beast, which is itself a really good game. Tropical Trouble just has so much more... character.

http://www.digitpress.com/dpsightz/intellivision/tropicaltrouble.gif

Finally, the sometimes-frustrating Ice Trek is always fun for me, at least through the first stage. Having to take out a helpless caribou with your axe is still pretty funny, especially if you're able to avoid the vengeance of the Gods when you do it. Really "cool" game.

http://www.digitpress.com/dpsightz/intellivision/icetrek.gif

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I seldom set out to collect "companies," but the Imagic INTV games are an exception. And I've got a darn near complete collection of them. Truckin', Microsurgeon, Dracula and Beauty & The Beast are among my favorites. Imagic really knew their stuff for that system. I'm just sorry they never got a chance to build a library like that for the Odyssey2 - I would've enjoyed seeing Imagic's level of innovation lead to some unique titles for that system.

[ManekiNeko]

I always thought that Imagic later evolved into Acclaim, because both companies released a game called Star Voyager. I guess the similar name was only a coincidence though, huh?

JR

[digitalpress]

I always thought that Imagic later evolved into Acclaim, because both companies released a game called Star Voyager. I guess the similar name was only a coincidence though, huh?

JR

Coincidental "generic space game name", like Star Fox (Mythicon didn't become Nintendo either). Imagic, or at least their 2600 property, was consumed by Activision as early as 1989 which is why you'll often see Imagic titles in the Activision "greatest hits" series.