Coleco revives 1980s original Coleco mini arcades with upgraded tech and new games on Kickstarter

CHICAGO – May 8, 2018 – Coleco today announced Coleco Evolved Mini Arcades, recreations of the 1981 classic tabletop arcade machines updated with two new games: Rainbow Brite: Journey to Rainbow Land and Robotech The Macross Saga. The Coleco Evolved Mini Arcades are available for pre-order on Kickstarter now through June 7, 2018, and are expected to ship in September 2018 as long as the campaign reaches its $30,000 goal.

Coleco Evolved Mini Arcades on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/903316019/coleco-evolved-mini-arcades?ref=d9kl1n

The Coleco Evolved Mini Arcades feature the classic shape and heavy-duty plastic shell construction as the original Coleco minis from the 80s, this time with upgraded modern technology inside. Each mini arcade features:

• Full-color LCD Display

• Powerful new gaming chip set

• Revamped joystick and accurate action buttons

• Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery pack

• Highly-detailed, colorful Rainbow Brite or Robotech art wrap

The Rainbow Brite and Robotech Coleco Evolved Mini Arcades are available for pre-order for $55 each, or $105 for both. Early bird backers can pre-order each game for $45 individually, or $85 as a set. The MSRP for each mini arcade is $69.

Rainbow Brite: Journey to Rainbow Land

Hallmark’s Rainbow Brite TV series launched in 1983 and quickly became a favorite of little girls around the world. The next year, Mattel released a line of cuddly plush dolls, forever cementing into pop culture history the cheerful girl and her Rainbow Land pals.

Now players can join Rainbow Brite and her pal Starlite as they spread color and happiness in this classic RPG-style game, Journey to Rainbow Land. In the game, players take on Murky and Lurky, the enemies of Rainbow Land, who just want to make the world as murky and dismal as they are. Rainbow Brite is a retro classic RPG for gamers of all ages.

Robotech: The Macross Saga

Robotech made its pop culture splash down in 1985 when Harmony Gold released their epic 85-episode Robotech cartoon series. The series’ success paved the way for toys, figures, books, movies, and of course, video games. Robotech: The Macross Saga puts players in the driver’s seat as Earth’s last defense in an epic intergalactic battle against alien forces. Players transform their Veritechs into three modes: Fighter, Guardian, and Battloid to battle on the ground, in the air, and on enemy ships. Each level challenges players to pick the right mode at the right time to successfully take down all sorts of different enemies. Fans of Robotech and 2D side-scrolling action games will love playing The Macross Saga on the Coleco Evolved retro platform.

“This has been by far the most exciting product we’ve been working on,” said Tina Cassano, Product Developer at Coleco. “There is an indescribable glow when old fans recount their childhood memories with Coleco Minis and we fully anticipate that this project is only the beginning.”

For more information, please visit http://coleco.com

ABOUT COLECO

Coleco’s roots trace back to Hartford, Connecticut when the Connecticut Leather Company was founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg, hence the abbreviated name Coleco. By the 1950s, Coleco began producing products like above ground pools and in 1954, after attending the New York Toy Fair, Coleco decided to redirect sales exclusively to toys. The company has since been known for manufacturing games and toys like Cabbage Patch Kids and Alf plush dolls in the early 80s, and video game consoles like the Telstar (1976) and ColecoVision (1982).

Coleco’s possibly most well-known products were the iconic tabletop arcade games marketed as “the arcade games you can take home with you” featuring titles like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Zaxxon, Galaxion, and Frogger. Many have tried to recreate their own versions of Coleco’s mini arcades but have failed to replicate the quality, durability, and appearance of the originals. Today, the brands Coleco and Colecovision are thriving once again under the new ownership of Coleco Holdings LLC. In August 2017, Coleco held its first retro gaming and collectibles exposition in Edison, NJ featuring arcade play, vendors, and special guests like authors Tim Lapetino of Art of Atari, Antoine Clerc-Renaud of Coleco: The Official Book, and Leonard Herman of Phoenix: The Fall & Rise of Videogames. With the resurgence of Coleco products, the brand intends to evoke the nostalgia of childhood memories, foster new experiences with younger generations, and invite the retro community to get involved.