INTV Releases

INTV CORP. RELEASES

When Mattel Electronics started posting massive losses in the first half of 1983, the parent company, Mattel Inc., responded by replacing the management team. Terrence E. Valeski was part of the new team, brought in as the Senior Vice President of Marketing.

The momentum of losses was such, though, that Mattel closed the electronics division before the new team really had a chance to make an impact. (The product line had already been locked in for Christmas 1983; Mattel Electronics closed January 1984.)

But Valeski had seen enough of the market to believe that the Intellivision was still a viable product. After all, even though 1983 was a disastrous year for the industry, with Mattel alone losing $394.1 million, sales of video games was up 10% over 1982. It was the glut of product that caused the losses.

Believing that a small, low-overhead company that could continue to supply the 3 million plus Intellivision owners with new product would be successful, Valeski found investors to purchase the Intellivision name, game rights and inventory from Mattel for $20 million. Of key importance, he also got the mailing list of registered Intellivision owners.

The new company, Intellivision Inc., was mainly concerned with liquidating the existing inventory of Mattel game cartridges, keeping the larger toy stores supplied and selling through mail order. They also bought up remaining Intellivision-cartridge inventory from Imagic, Activision, Parker Bros., Atari and Interphase.

But in 1985, Valeski tested his theory that there was still a market for new games, releasing World Championship Baseball, Thunder Castle, World Cup Soccer, and Championship Tennis. The first two of these had been completed but not released by Mattel Electronics. The last two had been completed at Nice Dreams, the former Mattel Electronics office in France. These were already in release in Europe from Dextell Ltd.

The response to the new games was enthusiastic enough that Valeski bought out the other investors, changed the name of the company to INTV Corp., and started scheduling new Intellivision releases.

Following the early successful marketing strategy of Intellivision, Valeski focused on sports, planning to release at least one enhanced version of an original Sports Network title per year. Additionally, he had several of the games left unfinished by Mattel Electronics (and, in the case of Dig Dug, by Atari) completed. By building on existing code, Valeski saved development money; of the 21 games receiving their first US release by INTV, only 6 (Chip Shot, Commando, Pole Position, Super Pro Decathlon, Body Slam and Spiker!) were coded from scratch.

Costs were also saved in packaging. Hand controller overlays were eliminated for the new games. Cartridges still came in color boxes, but cartridge labels and instructions were black-and- white, with the instructions edited down to a minimum and printed on folded sheets instead of in booklets. (For a brief period, Valeski eliminated the color boxes for cartridges ordered by mail, packing them in clear plastic bags, instead. Consumer complaints forced going back to the boxes.)

The lower production costs allowed INTV to provide more aggressive pricing than Mattel Electronics had. New titles were introduced at $19.95 through the mail order catalogs, then quickly dropped in price in subsequent mailings. Old Mattel and third-party titles usually sold for $12.95 or $9.95, with a few hitting the bargain price of $6.95. Most catalogs also had special offers for discounted or free cartridges with a minimum purchase.

As popular original Intellivision games sold out from inventory, new copies were made. The packaging for these reprints was brought into line with the austerity of the new games: overlays were eliminated if possible (or printed in fewer colors, if not), instructions were printed in black-and-white on folded sheets, cartridge labels became black-and-white. The boxes themselves were printed on a lower-grade, thinner cardboard. (Because items ran out at different rates, a package might contain a cartridge with a color label and black-and-white instructions, or vice versa.)

Contractually, on the reprinted boxes and instructions, the Mattel Electronics name was deleted. Similarly, on the only third-party game that INTV manufactured new cartridges of, Pac-Man, the Atarisoft name was eliminated from the reprint of the box and instructions (the box was also redesigned to make the Pac-Man character itself larger). Major League Baseball became Big League Baseball to avoid re-licensing the Major League trademark.

In addition to the games, INTV Corp. also started manufacturing new master components as the remaining inventory of Mattel Electronics Intellivision IIs ran out. In Spring 1986 they introduced the INTV System III master component. Essentially it was identical to the original Intellivision, molded in black instead of brown plastic, and with the addition of an on/off light. (The reason for going back to the old design is that it used off-the-shelf chips from General Instruments, while the Intellivision II required a number of custom integrated circuits which were impractical to have manufactured in the lower production runs INTV would be doing.) The INTV System III was also sold as the INTV Super Pro System and simply as the INTV Master System. (The INTV System III should not be confused with the Mattel Electronics Intellivision III, which was never released.)

Through the catalogs, INTV also sold off the remaining Mattel inventory of Intellivoice modules, ECS Computer Adaptors, and System Changers, plus new items like clip-on hand controller joysticks and INTV t-shirts. They also sold non-Intellivision close-out merchandise, ranging from typewriters to work-out tapes. In a separate catalog sent to the Intellivision mailing list, INTV even introduced their own IBM compatible: the INTV PC/XT. An INTV project with World Book to release a custom-color Intellivision master component (dubbed the Tutorvision) with special educational cartridges ended with both companies suing each other.

By keeping costs down and carefully targeting his market, Valeski was able to keep producing new Intellivision product throughout the 1980s. But with the resurgence of video games led by Nintendo, long-time Intellivision owners finally started to abandon their old system for the newer ones. Valeski tried to get into production for these newer systems (one Nintendo cartridge, Monster Truck Rally was produced), but it was too late. INTV Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection in 1990, and closed in 1991.

EASTER EGG: Most of the original packaging for INTV games was designed by former Mattel Electronics manager Keith Robinson (TRON Solar Sailer). As a favor to Dave Warhol, who produced the games, Keith slipped the number 47 onto the boxes wherever possible. (47 is the lucky number of Dave's alma mater, Pomona College. Another Pomona alum is on staff at the Star Trek production offices, accounting for the number 47 showing up in nearly every Star Trek: The Next Generation television program and movie.)

Thunder Castle

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #4469]
AKA: Magic Castle, Mystic Castle
Produced at Mattel Electronics (#4469)
Release version prepared by Quicksilver Software for INTV Corporation
Design: Connie Goldman, David Warhol
Program/Music/Sound Effects: David Warhol
Graphics: Connie Goldman
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPRING 1986)
A whimsical new medieval fantasy game. You're the knight in shining armor on your quest for survival. Your journey takes you through the enchanted forest where three dragons wait with heated breath. Then, through a castle maze with three wicked wizards. Finally to a dark and dreary dungeon where the three demons present your final challenge.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
On January 22, 1982, Vice President of Application Software Gabriel Baum announced a competition for the best game idea with a magic theme. The reason was never announced -- probably Marketing had an idea for a promotional tie-in somewhere -- but whatever it was must have fallen through, since Gabriel didn't bother picking a winner until April.

The winner was Connie Goldman. Connie had been hired as a programmer, but it quickly became apparent that her strength was character animation. She started work on the game, originally titled Magic Castle, but she was continuously pulled away from it to do graphics for other, higher priority games and to put together demos for Marketing. (She did excellent animations of Peanuts, Garfield and McDonalds characters, among others, when Marketing was trying [unsuccessfully] to obtain those licenses.)

Whenever she had time she would return to her game, which had begun appearing in Mattel Electronic catalogs as Mystic Castle, but it was further delayed when Bill Goodrich got permission to use half of the animated characters from it in his own, higher priority, Intellivoice game Quest.

After completing his own game, Mind Strike, and overseeing the programming of Bump 'N' Jump, David Warhol was given the task of helping Connie finish Mystic Castle. They strengthened the game play and, after the cancellation of the voice games, reinstated the animations stolen for Quest. Under the new name Thunder Castle, the game was completed, well over a year after Connie had first started working on it.

Mattel Electronics was closed shortly thereafter, before the game went into production; Thunder Castle was finally released by INTV Corporation in 1986. (Strangely, in the Spring 1986 INTV catalog it is listed under its old name of Mystic Castle; in the Fall '86 catalog it was, and remained, Thunder Castle.)

FUN FACT: If the painting on the Thunder Castle box cover seems scarier than the game, it's because it was painted for the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TREASURE OF TARMIN Cartridge magazine ads. When Mattel Electronics closed down, no artwork for Thunder Castle had been completed, so when INTV Corporation released the game, they simply used the Treasure of Tarmin painting.

EASTER EGG: Press 0 (zero) on either hand controller while the title screen is displayed to see game credits.

World Championship Baseball

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #5789]
AKA Baseball II, All-Star Major League Baseball
Produced by APh Technological Consulting for Mattel Electronics (#5789)
Includes code from the previously released Major League Baseball
Release version prepared by Quicksilver Software for INTV Corporation
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPRING 1986)
You're the home team in blue, engaged in the most realistic home video baseball game around. You've got to hit the fast-breaking curve balls or smoking fastballs. But don't pop up, this game features fly balls as well a grounders. You can also steal bases and kick up a cloud of dust as you slide into the bag. Nine innings of action-packed fun, for one or two players. Play ball!

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
During 1981, APh started work on Baseball II and Basketball II -- one-player versions of the original games. These were not high priorities since the original versions continued to sell well. In 1982, when the Keyboard Component was killed, Marketing wanted to produce a series of Super Sports cartridges for the Entertainment Computer System (ECS) to help push that system, so work was ordered halted on the non-ECS sports games.

Baseball II, however, was a favorite of baseball-fanatic Mike Minkoff (Snafu). The game had been essentially completed, but regularly crashed, despite weeks of debugging at APh. Mattel didn't want to put any more resources into the game, but Mike, although now a Director in charge of Intellivision, Aquarius and M Network development, volunteered to debug the game himself after hours. Since the game had already been announced in several catalogs and press releases (as All-Star Major League Baseball), Mattel kept the title on the schedule and let Mike work on it, on and off as he had time, throughout 1983.

Mike managed to clean most of the bugs out of the game, but the cause of one occasional crash eluded him. He linked in a debugging module written by Rick Koenig (Motocross) that displayed the contents of registers and status words on screen when a game halted. Mike was still trying to trace the problem when, in January 1984, Mattel Electronics was closed.

INTV Corporation ultimately released the game; it first appears in their Spring 1986 catalog. They were able to use packaging and instructions already completed for the game at Mattel, with the change of the name to World Championship Baseball so that they wouldn't have to pay for the Major League trademark. The title screen, however, still says "Mattel Electronics presents All-Star Major League Baseball."

FUN FACT: INTV Corporation released the game as is, including the fatal bug and the debugging module. The game occasionally crashes, displaying the debugging screen. To explain this, INTV added the following notice to the instruction book:

"Due to the sophisticated and complex nature of this game,
at times interference may appear on your T.V. screen.
If this happens simply return to start."

World Cup Soccer

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #8100]
AKA Super NASL Soccer
Produced by Nice Ideas (Mattel Electronics, France)
Includes code from the previously released NASL Soccer
Originally released in Europe by Dextell Ltd.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPRING 1986)
The ball is yours...now move it down field. Teamwork and footwork are the name of this game. The defense is pressing...pass to a teammate! Get the ball in close to your opponent's goal. Move quickly...evade the defense...keep the ball in bounds. You're in the goal area. Fake out the goalie and shoot. It's a score!

World Cup Soccer is an advanced version of the original, successful Soccer. It enables you to play with an opponent or against your Intellivision unit. It offers more real life-like gameplay with such added gameplay features as heading the ball, tackling, the option of changing players during game play, and direct or indirect kicking after penalties are called. It's so life-like that you have a full team of players.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Technically this was a Dextell Ltd. release, the company which distributed it in Europe. But since it was introduced to the United States through the INTV Corporation catalog, we've included it as an INTV release.

It still qualifies, though, as a Blue Sky Ranger game since it began life at Mattel Electronics as a one- to four-player game for the Entertainment Computer System (ECS). Development was assigned to the French office.

The nearly-complete cartridge, called Super NASL Soccer, was shown at the January 1984 Consumer Electronics Show, but Mattel Electronics closed two weeks later. An agreement with the French office, which stayed together under the name Nice Ideas, gave them the rights to the game.

Nice Ideas completed the game as a one- or two-player, non-ECS cartridge, which was released in Europe by Dextell Ltd. INTV Corp. negotiated the rights to distribute the cartridge in the United States, introducing it in Spring 1986.

FUN FACT: Mattel Marketing tried to interest several companies into advertising in the cartridge. A version was produced with brand names, such as Coca-Cola, appearing on banners around the stadium. No deals were made before Mattel Electronics closed, but a photo of the game showing the advertising banners was inadvertently used in one of the INTV Corp. catalogs.

Championship Tennis

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #8200]
AKA 4-Player Tennis, Doubles Tennis
Produced by Nice Ideas (Mattel Electronics, France)
Includes code from the previously released Tennis
Originally released in Europe by Dextell Ltd.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPRING 1986)
You can play alone, against your Intellivision unit or with another player either in singles or in doubles. You can even let your Intellivision take both sides and just watch. Maybe you'll see some weakness.

Go ahead conquer Paris, New York, and Wimbledon if you can. You will need both great concentration and strong legs to win at Championship Tennis. Play locations such as Flushing Meadows, Roland Garros, Wimbledon. In Championship Tennis you are in charge. See if you have what it takes to win the "grand slam"!

Championship Tennis is an advanced version of the original, successful Intellivision Tennis. You will feel the tension and excitement of some of the great courts in the world, as you serve deep to your opponent's backhand and return a lob with a smashing overhead, just out of reach of your opponent's outstretched racquet. It will require skill, dexterity, cunning and wits along with plenty of practice to master Championship Tennis.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
As with World Championship Soccer, this is a Dextell release we are including here since it received its US debut in the INTV Corp. catalog. And also like World Championship Soccer, it is a Blue Sky Rangers game.

Championship Tennis was started at Mattel Electronics to be a one- to four-player game for the Entertainment Computer System (ECS). Ray Kaestner (BurgerTime) started working on the game briefly at Mattel Electronics headquarters in California, but when he was put on Masters of the Universe II, Doubles Tennis was sent to the French office.

A very preliminary version of the cartridge was shown at the January 1984 Consumer Electronics Show. As with World Cup Soccer, when Mattel Electronics closed, the rights to the unfinished game were given to Nice Ideas, the company formed from the French office.

Nice Ideas completed the cartridge as a one- or two- (or zero-) player non-ECS game and it was released in Europe by Dextell Ltd. INTV Corp. negotiated the rights to distribute the cartridge in the United States, introducing it in Spring 1986.

Thin Ice

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #4433]
AKA: Arctic Squares, Iceman, Duncan's Thin Ice, Voochko on Ice
Produced at Mattel Electronics (#4433)
Release version prepared by Quicksilver Software for INTV Corporation
Based on the Data East arcade game Disco No. 1
Design: Keith Robinson, Julie Hoshizaki, Monique Lujan-Bakerink
Program: Julie Hoshizaki
Graphics: Monique Lujan-Bakerink
Music theme "Carnival of the Penguins": George "The Fat Man" Sanger
Sound effects/additional music: David Warhol
Package illustration: Keith Robinson
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV FALL 1986)
More Challenging! More Fun!
OH NO! DUNCAN IS ON THE LOOSE!

Duncan is a Penguin who loves to skate on thin ice, much to the dismay of the other Penguins. As Duncan skates, he weakens the ice; if he skates completely around another Penguin -- KER-PLASH! -- the ice collapses and the penguin falls into the pond.

You have got to try this game to truly appreciate the indescribable fun and challenge!

For one or two players.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
As described on the Arcade Network page, Mattel Electronics had a first-look deal with Data East for their arcade games. One day, Data East brought in a new game called Disco No.1 in which a roller-skating Disco Boy moved around a dance floor, trapping Disco Girls by skating squares around them.

Everyone agreed that the game was original and fun, but they also agreed that the theme was dated and sexist and that, technically, it probably couldn't be done for Intellivision.

Keith Robinson (TRON Solar Sailer), a fan of the game, wrote a proposal, dated May 28, 1982, for a new premise: Thin Ice. A mischievous penguin would skate around other penguins on a frozen lake. By completing squares around them, those sections of the ice would fall into the lake, dunking the victims. Between levels, a Zamboni would drive out to repair the ice.

In addition to writing the proposal, Keith programmed a demo showing that the game was feasible by limiting the skating penguin's movements to the borders of the screen's background cards.

Based on the proposal and demo, Thin Ice was given the go-ahead. After programmer Julie Hoshizaki completed the revised Lock 'n' Chase in August, she and graphic designer Monique Lujan-Bakerink began work on the game. Everything went smoothly, except for a brief fight with someone in Marketing who wanted to change the name to Arctic Squares, a play on Arctic Circle. (He lost, but not before some literature was released to the public using that name.) The game was completed on schedule in mid-May, 1983.

While Thin Ice was in the game testing process, the Marketing department suddenly got excited about heading in a new direction. Instead of going outside the company for cartoon licenses, they wanted to start developing original characters for the games, then spinning off those characters to other products. And they wanted to start with the penguin from Thin Ice.

From June 17 to June 30, a penguin-naming contest was held, with the winning name, Duncan, submitted by David Warhol (Mind Strike). The game officially became Duncan's Thin Ice and the cartridge size was increased from 8K to 12K so that Monique could add special animated title screens introducing Duncan and his penguin pals, Bobo, P.J., Minky and Norman.

Just as this new version was nearing completion, though, there was major upheaval in the management structure of Mattel Electronics. President Josh Denham was out, replaced by Mack Morris, who came to Mattel from Teledyne- Waterpik (and, earlier, from Breath Savers mints). Unfamiliar with video games, Morris brought in Jeff Rochlis, a former Mattel executive who had been instrumental in launching Intellivision, as a consultant. On July 15, 1983, sweeping through the Applications Software department like the Black Death through Europe, Rochlis briefly reviewed each game in development and gave it a thumbs up or down on the spot.

Luckily, he liked Thin Ice, but he thought the penguin was too cute. He ordered it replaced with a fisherman (Fishin' Sam) chopping at the ice with an ax. He also recommended changing the name to Iceman. Julie and Monique, less than thrilled, set about changing the animations.

But Rochlis's morale-crushing performance hadn't gone over well. The VP of Application Software, Gabriel Baum, told Mack Morris that Rochlis was no longer welcome in his department, and forbade Rochlis having any further direct contact with the programmers. Not long afterward, Rochlis was gone. Word was that Morris felt Rochlis was trying to grab too much power.

Once Rochlis was out, so was Fishin' Sam. Julie and Monique returned to completing Duncan's Thin Ice.

And, of course, as soon as it was done, Marketing came up with yet another brilliant idea. They had spent millions for the rights to the 1984 Winter Olympics license, yet, through bad communication, an original game using the license hadn't been developed. (An album of old sports titles was rushed into production as Go For the Gold.)

But why not change Duncan into Voochko the Wolf, the mascot for the Winter Olympics, and release Thin Ice as an official Olympics cartridge? Suddenly, with Go For the Gold, Mattel would have two official Olympics titles. The change was ordered on October 17; Duncan's Thin Ice would become Voochko on Ice. [Julie and Monique changed the "penguin pals" to Cossack dancers Ivan, Oskar, Misha and Bobo.]

Everyone connected with Thin Ice was disappointed; they had grown to love Duncan. So an unprecedented move was made: although Easter eggs in cartridges were forbidden -- you could be fired if found out -- VP Gabriel Baum gave permission for Duncan's Thin Ice to be hidden within the Voochko On Ice cartridge without Marketing's knowledge, even though it meant increasing the size from 12K to 16K. He said that if Marketing complained about the size increase, he would tell them it was necessary because of the last-minute nature of the change they had ordered. "They'll believe it," he explained, "none of them understand the technology."

[Gabriel had a low opinion of most Marketing personnel, and was particularly derisive of the deals they had made to obtain character and movie licenses. "When these people go to a meeting," he said, "they pull down their pants and walk into the room backwards."]

Julie, along with Group Leader Steve Ettinger (Hover Force), put together two versions: Voodun, in which Duncan was hidden within Voochko; and Dunvoo, in which Voochko was hidden within Duncan. Voodun was the one scheduled to go into production; Dunvoo was the version the programmers took home for themselves. To switch between Duncan and Voochko in either version, you pressed ENTER on the left hand controller, CLEAR on the right one, and pressed RESET.

But in January 1984, six months after the original Thin Ice had been completed, just as Voochko on Ice was about to manufactured, Mattel Electronics was closed down.

Finally, in 1986, INTV Corporation released Thin Ice. They went with the original 8K version -- no introduction screens, no hidden Voochko -- to save production costs. (The title screen still says "Mattel Electronics presents...") The game was introduced in the Fall 1986 INTV catalog.

FUN FACT: Early in production, David Warhol came to Keith Robinson, who was manager on the game, and said he had a friend who wanted to break into the video game field as a composer and was willing to write a theme for Thin Ice for free. Keith told him no; it was against Mattel policy to use freelancers, even if they were literally free. Following Keith's authority about as much as anyone at Mattel did, Dave had his friend write the music anyway. Dave coded it for Intellivision and Julie linked it into the game.

The theme, "Carnival of the Penguins," was so addictive and perfect for the game that Keith agreed it had to be used. He contacted Mattel's crack legal department and suggested they buy the rights for $100. They probably could have, but they procrastinated for months. By the time they got around to contacting the composer, the game had been demonstrated at a number of trade shows using the music; the composer was able to negotiate a payment of $1200 for the 15 second theme.

Thus George Alistair Sanger sold his first video game melody. He has gone on, under the nickname The Fat Man, to become the most famous composer of music for interactive media. He and his Team Fat have provided the music for Loom, Wing Commander, The 7th Guest and many other computer games.

FUN FACT: In 2000, George "The Fat Man" Sanger recorded the Thin Ice theme in a rock surf arrangement. "Surfing on Thin Ice" is available as a free MP3 download at mp3.com/intellivision.

FUN FACT: Richard Zamboni, president of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., gave permission for his company's trademark to be used in the Thin Ice instruction book. He sent over a series of photos - the history of the ice-repairing machines invented by his father - so that Monique could accurately depict a Zamboni in the game.

FUN FACT: The penguins Norman and Minky were named after Julie and Monique's boss Keith Robinson (who only reluctantly admits that his rarely-used first name is Norman) and his boss Mike Minkoff (Snafu).

FUN FACT: By 1986, when INTV Corporation was ready to release the game, Keith had started his own graphic design business, Strand Cruisers. Because of his connection to Thin Ice, INTV hired Keith to write the instructions and illustrate the package. This led to Keith designing the packaging and writing all of the copy for most of the subsequent INTV releases.

Collector's note: There are two versions of the box. On the original, the game title was yellow-orange. This was changed to white in the second run to make the title stand out more.

Super Pro Football

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #8400]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Includes code from the previously released NFL Football
Design: Ray Kaestner, John Tomlinson, David Warhol
Program: John Tomlinson, David Warhol
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
Package illustration: Steve Huston
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV FALL 1986)
Realistic Action & Sound Effects
REAL LIVE ACTION -- Just Like Sunday Football!

Never Before So Real!

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
David Warhol, who had programmed Thunder Castle at Mattel, had helped prepare the Thunder Castle cartridge for its INTV Corporation release. Terry Valeski, President of INTV, approached Dave a short time later. Would he be interested in programming an enhanced one- or two-player version of the original NFL Football cartridge?

This was quite a challenge. So far, the "new" INTV titles -- Thunder Castle, World Championship Baseball, Thin Ice -- had simply been unreleased Mattel Electronics product and had already existed as EPROM prototypes. Preparing those games for release had essentially involved getting the files into the proper format for General Instruments to manufacturer ROMs. An enhanced football cartridge, though, would require new programming.

It was now 1986, over two years since Mattel Electronics had closed. All of the development equipment had long since been sold off. Valeski could supply the NFL Football source code on 8-inch floppy disk, but nothing else -- including any startup money.

Taking a big risk, Dave put his own money into having a custom card designed and built (by his friend, hardware expert Scott Robitelle) that would interface an IBM PC and Intellivision Master Component. He put his own time into writing a cross assembler and linker to develop 1610 games on the PC.

He then hired former Mattel programmers Ray Kaestner (BurgerTime) and John Tomlinson (Mission X), plus former Mattel graphic artist Connie Goldman (Thunder Castle) to help put together the enhanced football game.

The risk paid off. INTV Corp. bought the completed game, Super Pro Football, introducing it for Christmas 1986. The cartridge was so successful that INTV used the "Super Pro" designation on all of their later sports titles, and Dave Warhol's company -- Realtime Associates -- was hired to do all of INTV's subsequent games.

FUN FACT: Dave hedged his bet by having Connie put a couple of sports announcers on the statistics screen -- and having them look like Terry Valeski and INTV Vice President Dan Stout. Dave was counting on Valeski's ego -- figuring he wouldn't pass on a game he appeared in. He was right; Valeski went nuts upon seeing the screen. Dave feels it clinched the deal.

FUN FACT: The announcers are programmed so that Terry (the balding one) and Dan (the bespectacled one) keep interrupting each other, just like they did in real life.

EASTER EGG: To display credits, press 0 (zero) while the title screen is displayed.

Hover Force

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #8500]
Developed at Mattel Electronics as Hover Force 3-D [#7742]
Completed by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design: Steve Ettinger, Joe [Ferreira] King
Program: Steve Ettinger
Graphics/Package illustration: Joe King
Sound Effects: David Warhol
 

PACKAGE DESCRIPTIONTOP SECRET
TO: HOVER FORCE PILOTS
FROM: COL. N.K. NEWCOMBE
RE: MISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Terrorist helicopter forces have taken over the island city of New Seeburg. Luckily, civilians have been evacuated from the city, but the enemy is causing millions of dollars in damage. Fires are burning out of control throughout the island.

We're sending you in with a heavily armed combat helicopter. Your assignment:

One last warning: these guys will be gunning for YOU. And this isn't some game, this is combat. None of this "three lives" foolishness. Crash your copter and it's all over -- you're finished.

So watch your tail out there. Now, let's scramble!

DEVELOPMENT HISTORYHover Force 3-D was developed under greater secrecy than any other Mattel game. Researcher Richard Steenblik working at the University of Georgia had developed pseudo-3-D glasses. Small prisms in the glasses bent different colors of light entering the eye at different angles, fooling the eye into thinking that, for example, blue objects on a flat surface were actually farther away than red objects on the same surface. The University approached several game manufacturers to see if they were interested in the technology. After a middle-of-the-night test session in which Keith Robinson (Solar Sailer) quickly threw together an Intellivision screen full of flying bugs of different colors, Mattel management decided to aggressively pursue an exclusive license for the glasses.

Game development was ordered to start immediately, before the license was secured. For fear that a competitor would find out and try to outbid Mattel, the project was kept top secret, even from the other programmers. It was code named "Peach" since the glasses originated in Georgia, the Peach State. Steve Ettinger and Joe King, who had worked well together on Magic Carousel, were given a locked, windowless office in which to work (the rest of the software staff worked in open cubicles); it was quickly dubbed "The Bat Cave."

Midway through the project, Mattel won the license and Peach emerged from the cave. The 3-D effect, while not eye-poppingly dramatic, was effective, especially given the visual cues Steve and Joe had designed. And Dave "Papa Intellivision" Chandler's group had developed an inexpensive method to manufacture the glasses, making it practical for the game and glasses to be sold together at the price of a normal cartridge. Marketing felt they could strongly promote the 3-D feature in ads and the press.

Hover Force 3-D debuted at the January 1984 Consumer Electronic Show to good response. While the 3-D effect got mixed reviews, everyone was talking about it. Management immediately started talking about putting two more 3-D games into development, including a flight simulator cartridge, but before anything could be started, Mattel Electronics closed.

For the INTV Corp. release of the game in 1986, Steve and producer Dave Warhol beefed up the "intelligence" of the enemy helicopters, adding more strategy to the play. Since the glasses were not included with the game, "3-D" was dropped from the title.

FUN FACT: The game has three difficulty levels, the middle of which, "RANGER" level, is named in honor of the Blue Sky Rangers.

FUN FACT: The island of New Seeburg derives its name from Steve Ettinger's initials: SEE.

FUN FACT: Joe King was commissioned to do the artwork for the INTV packaging; if the JAF-3000 helicopter (JAF for Joseph Arthur Ferreira; he has since changed his last name to King) looks vaguely familiar, it's because he based it on the submarine Nautilus from Disney's film version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Why? Joe explained, "I make every vehicle I draw look like the Nautilus."

FUN FACT: A recent magazine article reported that the University of Georgia is still trying to find a customer for their 3-D glasses.

EASTER EGG: Press 0 (zero) on either hand controller while the title screen is displayed to view game credits.

EASTER EGG: Press 23 (two and three simultaneously) on the left hand controller, 26 on the right and press reset to see Steve's message to his wife and kids.

Tower of Doom

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #8600]
Started at Mattel Electronics as ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TOWER OF MYSTERY Cartridge [#4692]
AKA: D&D III, Arcade D&D, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REVENGE OF THE MASTER Cartridge
Finished by Realtime Associates for INTV Corp.
Design/Program: Dan Bass, John Tomlinson
Graphics: Monique Lujan-Bakerink, Connie Goldman, Karl Morris
Music/sound effects: David Warhol, Joshua Jeffe
Package composite photograph: Ultimatte Corporation
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV 1987 SPECIAL EDITION)
Monsters. Magic. Good. Evil. Strength. Cunning. Traps. Mazes. You are about to face the greatest challenge any mortal has ever known -- the Tower of Doom.

The Tower of Doom. Treasure and glory are yours...if you can escape...ALIVE!

For one player

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
With the success of the first Dungeons & Dragons cartridge, Marketing wanted a continuing series of D&D games. They were a bit concerned that the second release, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TREASURE OF TARMIN Cartridge, was a bit too complex, so when adding a third D&D game to the schedule, they took to calling it Arcade D&D. "Arcade" was their code word for more action, less brains.

After completing Loco-Motion, Dan Bass took up the challenge of defining what Arcade D&D would be. He designed a screen layout with scrolling text instructions that made the game easy to follow, but would still allow the complex, strategic play that D&D fans expected. Battle scene close-ups provided the action Marketing wanted.

A limited demo of the game appeared at one trade show with the name ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REVENGE OF THE MASTER Cartridge (once again, the bizarre capitalization and inclusion of the word "cartridge" in the title was demanded by contract), but by the time it appeared in Mattel Electronics catalogs it had been renamed ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TOWER OF MYSTERY Cartridge.

The game was only half-completed when Mattel Electronics closed its doors in January 1984. Over two years later, INTV Corp. expressed an interest in releasing it. Dan, working full-time in Massachusetts by this time, was not available to finish it, so John Tomlinson (Mission X) was hired for the job. Connie Goldman (Thunder Castle) completed the graphics started at Mattel by Monique Lujan-Bakerink and Karl Morris.

Not wanting to pay for the Dungeons & Dragons license, INTV released the cartridge in early 1987 under the new name, Tower of Doom.

Mattel Electronics had planned M Network Atari 2600 and Apple versions of the game, but little or no work was done on either.

EASTER EGG: Press 0 (zero) on either hand controller while the title screen is displayed to view game credits.

Triple Challenge

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #8700]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Includes code from the previously released USCF Chess, Checkers and ABPA Backgammon
Program: David Warhol
Package illustration: Keith Robinson
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV 1987 SPECIAL EDITION)
Announcing a major software breakthrough! Three complete games -- Chess, Checkers, and Backgammon -- now together on ONE game cartridge! YOU get the savings!

CHESS

CHECKERS

BACKGAMMON


DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Triple Challenge began as a quadruple challenge: the original concept was to put the four board games from the Mattel Electronics Strategy Network onto one cartridge. At the last minute, Reversi was cut to save money.

FUN FACT: This idea almost died due to cost -- Chess requires 2K of RAM onboard the cartridge, which was found to be too expensive for INTV. Then INTV's executive in charge of procurement, Roger Rambeau, found a company that was stuck with thousands of defective 4K RAM chips. The chips did each have 2K of usable contiguous RAM. Roger bought them for a song, making the cartridge possible.

Diner

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #8800]
BurgerTime trademark used under license from Data East USA, Inc.
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Includes code from the unreleased Masters of the Universe II produced at Mattel Electronics
Design/Program: Ray Kaestner
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
Package illustration: Keith Robinson
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPRING/SUMMER 1987)
Peter Pepper, the brave chef from BURGERTIME is back! But so are the evil Hot Dogs and some NEW villains -- a cheap Cherry, a bad Banana and Mugsy, the Mug o' Root Beer. Peter needs your help to escape these Rotten Foods and get lunch onto the plate!

For one or two players.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
In reviewing the released and unfinished Mattel Electronics games, INTV Corp. decided that (1) they wanted a sequel to the very successful BurgerTime cartridge and (2) they did not want another Masters of the Universe cartridge.

While a BurgerTime sequel, PizzaTime, had been started at Mattel, development had been done at the French office and INTV had no prototype of the game. On the other hand, INTV did have the prototype of Masters of the Universe II, done at Mattel Electronics in California.

Coincidentally, BurgerTime and Masters of the Universe II had both been programmed by Ray Kaestner. Producer Dave Warhol hired Ray to convert the Masters sequel into a BurgerTime sequel. The two of them came up with the rather bizarre concept of Chef Peter Pepper kicking "food balls" past the bad guys from BurgerTime. The resulting game, however, introduced in mid-1987, was a winner.

EASTER EGG: Credits will roll automatically if you leave the title screen up long enough.

Chip Shot: Super Pro Golf

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #8900]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program: Steve Ettinger
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPRING/SUMMER 1987)
Puts You On the Most Challenging Courses in the World!

For one or two players

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
With the success of the other enhanced versions of the early Intellivision sports titles, INTV Corp. contracted Realtime Associates to produce an enhanced version of the original PGA Golf cartridge. Realtime President Dave Warhol approached Steve Ettinger (Hover Force) about doing the programming, knowing that Steve is an avid golfer. Steve was interested, but he wanted to ignore the original version and design a new golf game for scratch. Dave agreed, and the result was a real labor of love by Steve.

FUN FACT: Steve and Dave were pretty much the "team of golfers and programmers" referred to in the catalog. The "two years in development" was also an exaggeration, by a year-and-a-half or so.

FUN FACT: If a golfer successfully makes a particularly long putt, there is an animation of him fainting onto the green.

EASTER EGG: Press 0 (zero) while title screen is displayed to display the credits.

EASTER EGG: Press 23 (two and three simultaneously) on the left hand controller, 26 on the right and press reset to see Steve's hidden message to his family.

Commando

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9000]
Used under license from Data East USA, Inc., and Capcom USA, Inc.
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Program: John Tomlinson
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV CHRISTMAS 1987)
More Action Than We've Ever Before Packed Into a Single Game!

You're on foot, alone, armed with a machine gun and hand-grenades. Your goal: advance across deserts and jungles through swarm after swarm of well-armed enemy soldiers! The odds are impossible!

All the Fun and Excitement of the Hit Arcade Game!

For one or two players

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Producer Dave Warhol hired former Mattel Electronics programmer John Tomlinson (Mission X) to do the conversion of Commando to the Intellivision. John did some brilliant programming (the bullets are not moving objects, they are animated on the fly in the background), but he wasn't big on discipline. As the deadline loomed with the game far behind schedule, Dave had to take drastic measures.

We'd like to avoid the word "kidnapping" since it implies a capital crime, but Dave did drive to John's apartment, grab him, and drive him back to Dave's home office where John remained, living and working, until Commando was finished.

EASTER EGG: Press 0 (zero) while title screen is displayed to view credits.

Secret screen: Press 23 (two and three simultaneously) on the left hand controller, 26 on the right and press reset?

Slam Dunk: Super Pro Basketball

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9001]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program: David Warhol & Steve Ettinger?
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
Package photograph: Adam Yurman
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV CHRISTMAS 1987)
The Only Sport Game Cartridge That Lets You Own and Manage a Pro Team, and Play Every Position!

As owner:

As Manager:

As Player:

For one or two players

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
The speed of the on-screen players and their shot percentages are influenced by the players' statistics. Steve Ettinger compiled the stats from real pro players, using fake names (many borrowed from INTV and Mattel employees) to avoid licensing issues.

FUN FACT: One group of Intellivision fans in Chicago became so addicted to Slam Dunk that they started searching in phone books from across the country for the names listed in the game credits, finally tracking down Steve Ettinger over a year after the game was released. They wanted to commission a custom version of Slam Dunk, using their names and playing statistics. Taken by the group's enthusiasm, Steve and Dave Warhol complied, providing them with a special prototype cartridge. Last Steve heard from them, they were still holding regular tournaments on their Intellivision.

Learning Fun I

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9002]
Includes code from the previously released Electric Company MathFun
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program: David Warhol
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPRING/SUMMER 1987)
Two exciting games in one cartridge that strengthen your math skills while you have fun! Battle math problems to arrive at answers in MATH MASTER! Or use given answers to create math problems in FACTOR FUN! Race the clock or an opponent! Skill levels can be set for players of any age -- first graders to adult!

MATH MASTER is an improved version of the previously released MATH FUN. FACTOR FUN is an entirely new game!

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

Slap Shot: Super Pro Hockey

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9003]
Includes code from the previously released NHL Hockey
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Program: Ray Kaestner
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV HOLIDAY CATALOG 1987)
INCREDIBLE ACTION, SPEED, AND SOUNDS PUT YOU RIGHT ON THE ICE!

For One or Two Players

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Unlike some of the other Super Pro titles, which included enhanced features such as choosing individual computer players of different abilities to make up the teams, Slap Shot: Super Pro Hockey is essentailly just the original Intellivision NHL Hockey cartridge with a one-player mode.

Ray Kaestner made the additions to the original APh Technological Consulting code.

FUN FACT: Programmer Ray Kaestner points out that, probably because there are so few differences from the original over 5-years-old NHL Hockey cartridge, one magazine reviewer called Slap Shot: Super Pro Hockey the worst Intellivision game ever. The same reviewer had, in an earlier magazine, called BurgerTime the BEST Intellivision game ever. Ray is amused at being the programmer (according to at least one person) of both the BEST and WORST Intellivision games.

EASTER EGG: Credits automatically display if no action is taken on the title screen.

Pole Position

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9004]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Based on the arcade game by Namco
Programmer: Mark Urbaniec
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
Package illustration: Danny Brauer
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPECIAL 1988 SPORTS ISSUE)
Take the controls and wait for the green light. 3...2...1...YOU'RE OFF! Your engine roars! Shift into high, weave through the pack, and pull out into the open! A tight curve! Tires scream! You start to skid -- and another car is right in front of you! Swerve onto the grass, race ahead, then back onto the track just before smashing into a road sign! Gun it -- seconds count -- and you're across the finish line in record time! But that was just the qualifying lap...

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
INTV Corporation had the chance to license the popular arcade game Pole Position and asked Dave Warhol if it could be converted to the Intellivision. While the Intellivision is technologically not well suited to a point-of-view driving game, Dave did some experiments and determined that it could be done.

Former Mattel Electronics manager Mark Urbaniec (Vectron) was approached to do the programming. His first reaction was "Pole Position? On the Intellivision? You're crazy." But, seeing the tests Dave had done, agreed to try it. The result was an acceptable translation of the arcade game, but in hindsight everyone agreed that it was a game that probably shouldn't have been attempted for Intellivision.

(An earlier unfinished attempt at Pole Position had been made at Atarisoft; none of that code was used in this version.)

Dig Dug

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [#9005]
Produced by Atari
Release version prepared by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Based on the Namco arcade game
Program: Mark Kennedy
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPRING/SUMMER 1987)
Burrow your way through a maze of subterranean passages, hunting the deadly Pooka and the fire-breathing Fygar! Break into their tunnels, shoot 'em with your air hose, pump 'em up and...POP! Simple? Not exactly, because now they're after you! Run away! Dig under that rock just ahead...time it just right...BAM! The rock falls on Fygar! All the thrills and fun of the original arcade hit!

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
The Intellivision version of Dig Dug had been programmed at Atari by former Mattel Electronics programmer Mark Kennedy (Kool-Aid Man). The game had not been fully debugged, though, when Atari closed up their Intellivision division in 1984. INTV Corp. negotiated the rights three years later to release the cartridge for the first time.

The source code no longer existed, but Producer Dave Warhol uploaded the code from a prototype of the game still in Mark's possession. Working with the disassembled code, Mark fixed the game's remaining bugs and removed the Atari title screen.

EASTER EGG: While debugging the cross assembler and disassembler he had written to develop the new INTV games, Dave Warhol tested the software on one of his favorite Mattel Electronics game, TRON Deadly Discs. He substituted the men in the game with the hot dogs from the BurgerTime cartridge, creating a new game: Deadly Dogs! Later, while preparing Dig Dug for release, Dave found there was enough space on the cartridge to slip in his new game. To play it: Press 47 (four and seven simultaneously) on both hand controllers and press reset.

Learning Fun II

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9006]
Includes code from the previously released Electric Company MathFun
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program: David Warhol
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV CHRISTMAS 1987)
Four exciting games in one game cartridge that strengthen your spelling and memory skills while you have fun!

For one or two players

CROSSWORDS, WORD ROCKETS, and WORD HUNT are enhanced versions of games previously released as WORD FUN. MEMORY FUN is an entirely new game!

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
As with Learning Fun I, this was mostly recycled material that Dave Warhol could put together himself quickly and profitably.

BUG: While enhancing the game Crosswords, Dave accidentally left off a prefix that indicated a number was supposed to be base 10 instead of base 16. As a result, the computer only selects words beginning with letters A through T instead of A through Z.

Mountain Madness: Super Pro Skiing

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9007]
Includes code from the previously released US Ski Team Skiing
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program: Ray Kaestner
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
Package illustration: Steve Huston
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPECIAL 1988 SPORTS ISSUE)
The thrills and excitement of a day on the slopes! Explore the turns and obstacles of unknown courses or slalom through flags at breakneck speeds to beat the clock! All the fun without the lift lines!

EASTER EGG: Credits roll automatically if you leave the title screen up long enough.

Super Pro Decathlon

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9008]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program/Background Graphics: Scott Robitelle
Animations: Connie Goldman
Music/Sound: David Warhol
Package illustration: Steve Huston
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV SPECIAL 1988 SPORTS ISSUE)
The winner of the Decathlon is often called the Greatest Athlete in the World -- competitors must show world-class skill in 10 different events! Speed and endurance on the track. Form and timing on the jumps. Strength and determination on the throws. Now put yourself to the test with 10 tough contests that will challenge you like never before! Don't be surprised if you find yourself out of breath and your heart racing!

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Super Pro Decathlon was the only new title released by INTV Corp. not done by one of the original Mattel Electronics programmers. Scott Robitelle was a friend of Dave Warhol's who had done the hardware design of the development systems used by Realtime Associates. Dave gave him a shot at designing a game. (A later game programmed by Scott, Choplifter!, was never finished.)

Super Pro Decathlon was timed for release with the 1988 Summer Olympics.

FUN FACT: For the title screen music, Dave Warhol recycled the fanfare he wrote for the unreleased Mattel Electronics cartridge Go For The Gold.

FUN FACT: INTV used the successful "Super Pro" designation, despite the fact there are no professional decathlon competitions.

Body Slam: Super Pro Wrestling

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9009]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program: Steve Ettinger
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
Package illustration: Steve Huston
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV FALL 1988)
ALL RIGHT YOU CREEPS -- this is the one you've been waitin' for -- BODY SLAM!!! -- the roughest, fastest, wiiiiiildest game ever! Climb in the ring with one of the toughest, craziest ANIMALS in the WHOLE WORLD -- like JACK HAMMER, BARON VON THUD, and DR. PAIN!!! They look pretty funny, huh? Well, ha ha ha -- they want to TEAR YOUR LAUGHIN' HEAD OFF! Whatsa matter -- AM I SCARING YOU???!!! C'mon -- you can learn the moves: THE HEAD BUTT (OOOOO!!!) -- THE BAZOOKA PUNCH (BOOM!!!) -- THE SPIN HEAVE (HEEEEEE'S OUTTA HERE!!!!) -- Anything Goes!!!!!

See youse in the ring, IF YOU GOT THE GUTS!

For one or two players

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
This was a game where Steve Ettinger and Dave Warhol were able to go crazy -- no idea was too wild. They were helped in that the deadline was extremely tight, necessitating many all-night design and programming marathons. They later admitted that many of the wackier names and moves were the result of sleep deprivation.

FUN FACT: INTV President Terry Valeski insisted on lots of hype and excitement in the catalog descriptions; copywriter Keith Robinson (TRON Solar Sailer) worked to deliver it. Ray Kaestner made fun of this at one point, telling Keith there was a typo in the Diner description: "There's a sentence here that doesn't end with an exclamation point." Keith was able to make fun of it himself with his catalog description for Body Slam -- it contains 58 exclamation points.

EASTER EGG: To display the credits, press 0 (zero) on either hand controller while the title screen is displayed.

EASTER EGG: Press 23 (two and three simultaneously) on the left hand controller, 26 on the right and press reset to see programmer Steve Ettinger's message to his family.

Stadium Mud Buggies

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9100]
AKA Monster Truck Rally
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program: Rick Koenig
Graphics: Connie Goldman
Sound: David Warhol
Package illustration: Keith Robinson
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV CHRISTMAS 1989)
Gear-grinding, teeth-jarring excitement -- it's STADIUM MUD BUGGIES! Get behind the wheel and floor it! Take that first hill -- you're airborne! SMACK! Bad landing -- you stall -- your opponent passes you! Jam it into gear -- your wheels spin, throwing mud everywhere -- finally some traction! You're back in the race! A car in your way? Crash over it! You're catching up! Drawbridge ahead...and it's rising! Use it as a ramp -- gun it! -- take off and YES! A perfect landing as you zoom first across the finish line!

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Essentially, this is a super-enhanced version by Rick Koenig of his own Motocross game for Mattel Electronics. Developed as Monster Truck Rally (and announced with that name in the Fall 1988 INTV catalog), the decision to change it to Stadium Mud Buggies was made after the game was complete.

Christmas 1988 was bad for INTV Corp. The video game resurgence was in full swing, led by Nintendo. Mail orders were down, and the stores that had still been carrying Intellivision cartridges cut way back or stopped stocking them altogether, freeing up more shelf space for Nintendo games. As cash flow slowed, cartridge production of the completed Monster Truck Rally and Spiker! Super Pro Volleyball was put on hold and over a year went by without a new INTV game or catalog released.

In 1989 INTV moved into Nintendo cartridge production, with the first release to be a conversion of Monster Truck Rally, also produced by Realtime Associates and again programmed by Rick. Apparently by using the completed Nintendo version of Monster Truck Rally as proof of INTV Corporation's promising new direction, INTV President Terry Valeski was able to raise enough cash or credit to put the two finished Intellivision games into production, and to mail out a Christmas 1989 catalog (which would turn out to be the last).

Thinking that it might hurt the Nintendo Monster Truck Rally's chances if it was seen as based on an Intellivision game, Valeski had the name of the Intellivision version changed to Stadium Mud Buggies. The title screen name was changed, but the graphics remained the same -- the vehicles still look like trucks, not buggies.

Ultimately, instead of releasing it themselves, the failing INTV Corporation sold the Nintendo Monster Truck Rally to another distributor to raise cash.

Spiker! Super Pro Volleyball

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [INTV #9102]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Designer/Programmer: Steve Ettinger
Graphics: Connie Goldman, Steve Ettinger
Sound: David Warhol
Package illustration: Keith Robinson
 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION (INTV CHRISTMAS 1989)
Fast action, intense competition -- it's SPIKER! -- SUPER PRO VOLLEYBALL. Here comes the serve...just beyond reach! Dive! BAM -- got it! The ball's in play...set it -- it seems to hang above the net -- run and SMASH! Spike it over! All the fun and excitement of a real volleyball match!

For one or two players

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
As with Chip Shot: Super Pro Golf, this game was a labor of love for designer/programmer Steve Ettinger. Steve had played intercollegiate volleyball in school and suggested the sport to producer Dave Warhol as an Intellivision cartridge. Dave, whose office at the time was in his living room overlooking a volleyball court on the sand at Hermosa Beach, California, readily agreed and sold the idea to INTV Corp.

Steve worked hard to replicate the speed and power of a real game, with particular attention to "pass-set-spike" play. By this time, 1988, Steve had been programming Intellivision code for over five years and knew how to get the most out of the system. He quickly completed an excellent adaptation of the sport.

But along with Stadium Mud Buggies, Spiker: Super Pro Volleyball sat on the shelf for a year while INTV Corp. raised the money to release them. Finally introduced in late 1989, they were the last games released for the Intellivision system.

EASTER EGG: To display the credits, press 0 (zero) on either hand controller while the title screen is displayed.

Super Pro European Bike Rally

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [UNFINISHED]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Graphics: Connie Goldman

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Although announced by INTV in their Fall 1988 catalog as an upcoming game, no work was done on Super Pro European Bike Rally beyond some test screens by Connie Goldman.

Deep Pockets: Super Pro Pool and Billiards

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [UNRELEASED]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Design/Program: Steve Ettinger
Ball Physics Program: Rick Koenig
Graphics: Connie Goldman, Steve Ettinger
Sound: David Warhol
Music uncredited
 

GAME DESCRIPTION
Deep Pockets is a unique pool and billiards game - it is actually NINE games in one. You can learn many pocket billiard (pool) and carom billiard games in the privacy and comfort of your own home - and brush up on rules and strategy before venturing out to a billiard parlor.

Play against a friend, or practice "against yourself" -- in 1 player games, you control both players 1 and 2.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Programming pool was a challenge: with 16 balls on the table, the game requires more than the Intellivision's 8 moving objects. At Mattel Electronics, Marketing had rarely allowed programmers to multiplex objects because they objected to the resulting screen flicker (the one exception had been the fireballs in Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man, since it made sense for them to flicker). But for pool, it was the only practical solution.

Producer Dave Warhol tapped math-whiz Rick Koenig (Motocross) to work out the multiplexing and movement of the balls. Steve Ettinger (Hover Force) did the overall game design and program, becoming an expert in all the variations of pool and billiards in the process.

By the time the game was completed, however, INTV Corporation had fallen into financial difficulties and was unable to pay for it. Realtime Associates retained ownership of the game and it was never released. The last game for the Intellivision system completed, it carries a 1990 copyright date, making Intellivision the only cartridge-based game system to have software produced for it in three separate decades (the earliest games carry a 1978 copyright date).

FUN FACT: The process of programming music for the Intellivision was a tedious, time-consuming job that Dave Warhol and Steve Ettinger, both musicians, had plenty of experience with. But for Deep Pockets, they tried an experiment: they programmed an interface that would convert a MIDI file into Intellivision sound chip code.

They then hired a professional Blues pianist to improvise a theme on the piano. They recorded him, then processed the tape through a MIDI synthesizer, through their interface, and wound up with Intellivision code that accurately duplicated the music. The result: the first "live" Intellivision music playing on the title screen. Unfortunately, neither Dave nor Steve can remember the name of the pianist.

EASTER EGG: To display the credits, press 0 (zero) on either hand controller while the title screen is displayed.

Super Pro Auto Racing

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [UNFINISHED]

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Although announced by INTV in their Fall 1988 catalog as an upcoming game, no work was ever done on Super Pro Auto Racing.

Super Pro Horse Racing

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [UNFINISHED]

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Although announced by INTV in their Fall 1988 catalog as an upcoming game, no work was ever done on Super Pro Horse Racing.

Karateka

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [UNFINISHED]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Based on the ? arcade game
Graphics: Connie Goldman

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Although announced by INTV in their Fall 1988 catalog as an upcoming game, no work was done on Karateka beyond some test screens by Connie Goldman.

Flight Simulator

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [UNFINISHED]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Program: John Sohl

GAME DESCRIPTION
You're the pilot in this point-of-view airplane simulator.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Flight Simulator from Microsoft was one of the first hit games for the home computer market, so it was natural the idea would come up of creating a game like it for the Intellivision. It had been discussed at Mattel Electronics in 1981 and again in late 1983 (as a 3-D cartridge to follow-up Hover Force 3-D), but no programming had ever been done on the project.

The idea resurfaced several years later. The Fall 1988 INTV catalog promised Flight Simulator soon, before work had started. Producer Dave Warhol chose John Sohl to program the game, based on John's work on B-17 Bomber. Despite John's best efforts, he and Dave agreed the results were "disastrous." It simply was not feasible on the Intellivision. The project was abandoned.

While the game at both Mattel and INTV was always referred to as "Flight Simulator," it's not known if either company actually attempted or intended to license the title from Microsoft.

Choplifter!

INTELLIVISION CARTRIDGE [UNFINISHED]
Produced by Realtime Associates for INTV Corporation
Based on the Brøderbund computer game
Program/Game Graphics: Scott Robitelle
Title Screen Graphics: Connie Goldman

GAME DESCRIPTION
Pilot a series of helicopter missions to rescue soldiers trapped behind enemy lines.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
After commissioned by INTV Corp. to translate the Brøderbund computer game Choplifter! to the Intellivision, Dave Warhol assigned it to Scott Robitelle (Super Pro Decathlon) for programming.

Choplifter! was in the debugging stage after INTV Corp. fell into financial difficulties. The game, still with fatal bugs and sound effects yet to be added, was abandoned.