Coleco

Coleco at a Glance

Coleco started as The Connecticut Leather Company in 1932 before shifting focus to toys and video game consoles. Their main period of activity for games lasted from 1979 to 1985, during which they released 34 titles on PlayPile. The vast majority of their work appeared in the 1980s, with only one game listed from the 1970s. While the brand name was revived in 2005 for merchandise like handheld consoles, the company ceased video game operations after a bankruptcy in 1988. The publisher is defined by its strong tie to the ColecoVision platform, which accounts for 33 of their releases. They also made games for the Atari 2600 and Arcade cabinets, but their footprint on other systems like the Commodore C64 or Apple II is much smaller. Their catalog leans heavily toward arcade-style action, with 18 games classified as Arcade titles. They also produced 7 Shooters and 5 Racing games, showing a clear preference for fast-paced genres over complex Strategy or Card & Board Game experiences. Quality across their library is generally decent but not exceptional. Out of the 10 rated titles available, none reached the great tier of 80 or higher. Eight games fell into the good range between 60 and 79, while one title scored in the mixed category and another was rated as poor. The highest-rated entries include Mouse Trap from 1981 and Spy Hunter from 1983, both scoring above 78. Space Fury and Bump 'n' Jump also performed well with scores near 67. The company's output remained steady throughout its active years before ending abruptly. By late 1984, they released several licensed titles like Tarzan and The Dukes of Hazzard alongside WarGames. These later releases came just before the company stopped making new games in 1985. Although the Coleco brand exists today under different ownership, this specific profile reflects only the original era when they were a major player in the home console market.

Release Timeline

Rating Distribution