Earlier this week, I contributed to a Kickstarter. Now, if I was another GeekDad—say our esteemed Mr. Liu, for example—this wouldn’t exactly be noteworthy. But I’m not. In fact, I’ve only thrown money at a combined 10 crowdfunding campaigns since 2012.
Still, when a message hit my inbox from Coleco, I was intrigued. After all, the ColecoVision was the first must-own home video game console of my generation. (Only peasants played the Atari 2600.) And, of course, their miniature tabletop arcade cabinets were the stuff of legend.
This latest project resurrects those diminutive devices with a unique twist. Not only do the Coleco Evolved Mini Arcade machines sport full-color LCD displays, revamped joysticks and buttons, and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, they also feature two new licensed game titles: Rainbow Brite: Journey to Rainbow Land and Robotech: The Macross Saga.
Yes, by law a man with a Mars Base tattoo is outright required to purchase any and all Robotech-related products, but the very idea that these new Mini Arcades cram updated guts and graphics into the classic plastic shells of my youth certainly didn’t hurt.
So whether you’re down Sprites or the Zentradi or are simply an arcade enthusiast at heart, definitely check out the video below and follow the link to help Kickstart a new generation of Coleco mini-cabinets. At present, the campaign has already blown past its initial $30K goal, but some early bird and limited edition pledge levels are still available.
Get in on the action now, and, with any luck, we’ll all be reliving our favorite childhood cartoons on crisp new LCDs come September!
