Intellivision Amico Fiasco: Console Now Features Nintendo Characters in Promotions

The Intellivision Amico, a console that was announced in 2018 and is now under the ownership of Atari, has been shrouded in controversy. Initially promising much, these promises have largely remained unfulfilled, and its eventual release to the market is still uncertain. The funds raised from pre-orders were reportedly depleted long ago, its creator Tommy Tallarico has seemingly disappeared, and the promised exclusive games have amounted to very little. Notably, the console can no longer use the "Intellivision" brand, yet it's listed for £240 with a supposed launch date of 2026.

A significant point of confusion has arisen from a listing on The Game Collection, a UK-based retailer. This listing features the Intellivision Amico console with box art adorned with Nintendo characters. This practice resembles that of classic Chinese consoles or "PolyStations," which often include a plethora of video game and series characters to attract unsuspecting consumers, young and old.

The Game Collection has clarified that they did not design the promotional image, which showcases characters such as Rosalina, Wario, Diddy Kong, and Luigi. They tweeted, "Haha we didn't design it I swear 😅".

Although the image was distributed as official material, it remains unclear if pre-ordering the console at its substantial price guarantees its eventual delivery, given the console's problematic history. A Reddit post suggests that the image might have originated from the portfolio of an Intellivision executive, utilizing temporary renders such as Nintendo characters. It seems that the focus was on anything but Intellivision's own classic games, which should have been the primary promotional content for a console more uncertain than the future of its catalog under Atari's stewardship. Currently, Evercade has made more significant efforts to preserve Intellivision's legacy than the Amico project.

In conclusion, Nintendo has no affiliation with the Intellivision Amico, and its games will not be playable on the system. Furthermore, there is no certainty that the console will ever be released, and it is highly probable that it will not.