View Full Version : Got a Mattel Aquarius today
Kuros
10-08-2006, 11:14 PM
$7 for a system with a 4k expansion and Night Stalker. Too bad I can't even play the game because I don't have the mini expansion.
It's very neat at least, but it doesn't seem that it's all that wanted. No matter, I think it's neat.
Gapporin
10-09-2006, 05:36 PM
As an Intellivision mark, I'd like to get an Aquarius someday, just to play all the Intellivision games that Mattel ported over. I know that there's Night Stalker and Burgertime, but what else was there (I assume Astrosmash and other popular INTV games would've had an Aquarius port)?
idrougge
10-09-2006, 05:47 PM
I used to think that the Aquarius was just a poor 8-bit computer. Now that I have read up on it, I know it is a really bad 8-bit computer. What were Matell thinking?
Kuros
10-09-2006, 06:02 PM
I used to think that the Aquarius was just a poor 8-bit computer. Now that I have read up on it, I know it is a really bad 8-bit computer. What were Matell thinking?
No idea what they were thinking. But Gapporin, you can see which games were made for it here:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/aquarius/
Gapporin
10-09-2006, 08:33 PM
There's a Snafu port? And Utopia?
Ohmanohman. I think this just jumped up a few notches on my "to purchase" list.
icbrkr
10-23-2006, 07:50 AM
There's a Snafu port? And Utopia?
Ohmanohman. I think this just jumped up a few notches on my "to purchase" list.
Don't do it man, it's a trap.
I did the same thing. Utopia is great, the computer version has to be awesome, right?
It's a steaming unplayable pile of cow poo-poo. Nightstalker = worse. By all means by an Aquarius for the collector value but don't expect much out of it.
Griking
10-26-2006, 09:04 AM
I always thought that the Aquarius would play Intellivision games. Doesn't it or are there just ports of INTG games?
icbrkr
10-29-2006, 08:08 AM
I always thought that the Aquarius would play Intellivision games. Doesn't it or are there just ports of INTG games?
They're 'ports' if you want to call them that.
josekortez
04-21-2007, 10:10 AM
I found one of these on Thursday boxed for $9, and I'm still trying to find out if it's rare. Could someone please reply?
BydoEmpire
04-21-2007, 10:58 AM
I had one back in the day, including the tape drive. We got the system for $50 at a Kay Bee clearance, and I orderd the tape drive from the catalog. That took forever and a day to arrive, though, and didn't work all that well. =) Wish I still had it... Night Stalker was pretty decent, iirc, and I don't think Utoptia was all that terrible. To be fair, my memory is a little hazy... it's been a long time.
swlovinist
04-21-2007, 11:56 AM
The Mattel Aquarius is a crappy computer to play, but a nice addition to have in a collection. Pending on condition and box condition, these things range in price but would fall in the "affordable" category of under 50 bucks shipped. Games are limited for the system, but if you are a INTV collector nut, go for it.
Steve W
04-21-2007, 12:31 PM
I'd say that $9 is a decent price for a collectible item like this, but I personally wouldn't pay more for an Aquarius, and I definitely wouldn't buy it to try and resell. You might not be able to make your money back.
I've had a copy of LOGO and the modem for years (used to be shrinkwrapped, but I couldn't help myself....) but I never had a machine to try them on. One of these days, I'll get one, but I am in no hurry.
We actually have 2 of them sitting somewhere in the house, hell I remember enjoying it as a kid. I'm sure it's aged horribly tho and probably isn't anywhere as enjoyable as I once thought it was.
vintagegamecrazy
04-21-2007, 08:18 PM
it aint all bad. burgertime and utopoia are fair. If you get a tape player there are decent european games by Radofin. Postman.s pot is excellent. At least it has some rare collectables.
Arcade Antics
04-21-2007, 10:39 PM
I found one of these on Thursday boxed for $9, and I'm still trying to find out if it's rare. Could someone please reply?
It's not rare. And it's crap. And even when it was released, stores couldn't GIVE them away. Seriously.
These days, it's a neat curiosity, but you'll play it less frequently than the Channel F. Double seriously.
Captain Wrong
04-21-2007, 11:27 PM
I had a mint, NOS Aquarius that I damn near couldn't give away.
Trebuken
04-22-2007, 04:38 PM
I bought this because the is a D&D game for it, but have not been able to get the game. Anyone tried it?
diskoboy
04-22-2007, 08:04 PM
Honestly, if it wasn't for Starcade, I'll bet no one would've had one of these.
Steve W
04-22-2007, 08:14 PM
It's more like, "If your parents didn't have to sit through a long boring sales pitch for some real estate bullcrap, I'd bet no one would have one of these." That's the only time I ever saw one on the market, when my parents got a letter back in 1985 to go out to some Arkansas real estate sales thing, and they'd get a free computer just for showing up. Around 1989 or so, my dad showed me another one of those letters he had gotten, and they talked about getting a free 'state of the art computer'..... the picture was of a Magnavox Odyssey 2. Truly sad....
Vinnysdad
04-23-2007, 03:40 AM
I have seen an Aquarias on two different trips to the thrifts in the past couple of months. Both were complete in box and like brand new condition. I am all for buying video game related stuff but these things just looked so cheap and boring I had to pass. After reading this thread I am glad I did.
lurpak
04-23-2007, 09:02 AM
They fill me with dredd, being the kid I was back then I just wanted a computer...ANY COMPUTER and one of these turned up at one of my dads haunts a second hand shop, he took me too look at it and I just sooooo wanted it...it was £50 and even thought I drooled, and my dad took me to see it (he was obvoisly seriously thinking of getting it for me) for some reason I cant remember why i chose not to, and I sulked.
thank god he didnt, some time later my parents bought me a VIC20...Thanks mum and dad xxx
fishsandwich
04-23-2007, 10:01 AM
I bought one at a Thrift Store for $4 but it didn't have any games. I wanted to try it out but somehow I knew it wasn't worth the effort. I ended up dropping it back off at the same Thrift a fewonths later and claimed it on my taxes. I might have even gotten my entire $4 for a charitable contribution.
k8track
04-23-2007, 10:26 AM
I have been playing and collecting for 25 years and I have never, ever seen a Mattel Aquarius or games either on the shelves at the time or in any thrift stores since, and I've been to many stores/flea markets in many states. Yet apparently it's not all that rare. It's been eluding me, though apparently I shouldn't feel too bad.
Maybe it's like the Star Wars Holiday Special. All my friends are always like, "Man, I have got to see that!" and I say, "OK, but you will be very sorry." And they are. So right now, I have got to get my hands on an Aquarius and play it. How sorry am I gonna be?
fishsandwich
04-23-2007, 11:04 AM
So right now, I have got to get my hands on an Aquarius and play it. How sorry am I gonna be?
It depends ENTIRELY on how much spend! I could see it being good for a laugh it you get it cheap. I understand it has less graphics and sound capabilities than the original Intellivision. It does NOT use the INTV chipset.
There seems to have been a Aquarius II released in very limited numbers...
http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=74&st=1
Arcade Antics
04-23-2007, 11:39 AM
Maybe it's like the Star Wars Holiday Special.
It's EXACTLY like that, but with less Bea Arthur.
All my friends are always like, "Man, I have got to see that!" and I say, "OK, but you will be very sorry." And they are. So right now, I have got to get my hands on an Aquarius and play it. How sorry am I gonna be?
Look at it this way: at least the SWHS had that cool cartoon in it. The Aquarius doesn't. If you're ever in the mood to for some self-punishment and the SWHS just won't cut it, fire up the Aquarius. :) On the plus side, the adapter is heavy enough to make the entire setup an effective doorstop.
Sothy
04-23-2007, 01:38 PM
The D&D game is probably the rarest Aquarius game to find.
At least I remember that being the only one that sold for anything.
There is also several different boxed versions of the Aquarius that came with different crap "think like the nes that was core and the duckhunt/mario or the ROB one" since some didnt have th gaming expansion thing or tape drive backup etc.
y-bot
04-23-2007, 03:10 PM
I used to have one that had all the paperwork from being a real estate pitch "prize". I have one now that is in a gaint box and had a bunch of accessories packaged with it.
y-bot
It's more like, "If your parents didn't have to sit through a long boring sales pitch for some real estate bullcrap, I'd bet no one would have one of these." That's the only time I ever saw one on the market, when my parents got a letter back in 1985 to go out to some Arkansas real estate sales thing, and they'd get a free computer just for showing up. Around 1989 or so, my dad showed me another one of those letters he had gotten, and they talked about getting a free 'state of the art computer'..... the picture was of a Magnavox Odyssey 2. Truly sad....
DarthKur
04-23-2007, 05:03 PM
I've got a couple of them. It's not the worst thing in the world like others are claiming. Sure it's far from the most powerful 8-bit computer but so what. It's not like you're going to program the CGI for Steven Spielberg's next blockbuster on it. It's fun to mess around with for the sheer fact that it is such an oddball of a thing. That's the entire point of collecting vintage computers/games. If they were all exactly alike it would be boring. The 16k expansion cart is a must though. Without it you can't play any of the tape programs from Add-On Electronics which can be dl'ed if you search for them a bit.
So, by all means get one and try it out. It's a fun little device.
In response to a couple comments of the rarity of certain games; Melody Chase is actually the absolute hardest cart to get since there were only a hand full made. Besides that D & D and Burgertime plus the Modem cart are the only others that don't pop up too often. In fact I need all three of those and if anyone has them that are will to part with them please send me a PM about it.