The images of the Intellivision II are categorized and show the console, joystick controllers and accessories. You will also find detailed close-ups of the ports and connections available on the Intellivision II.
The front of Mattel Electronics Intellivision II console. This streamlined version of the original Intellivision console has an external power brick. That's one of the features that enabled a smaller footprint for this 1983 gaming console.
The right side of Mattel Electronics Intellivision II console showing the cartridge slot. By placing the game slot on the side, any accessories could easily be attached via this port and rest next to the console.
The left side of Mattel Electronics Intellivision II console. Mattel changed the Intellivision II's internal ROM program (called the EXEC) to lock out unlicensed 3rd party games. To make room for the lock-out code while retaining compatibility with existing titles, some portions of the EXEC code were moved in a way that changed their timing. While most games were unaffected, a couple of the more popular titles (Shark! Shark!, and Space Spartans) had some sound effects that the Intellivision II could not produce properly.
The rear of Mattel Electronics Intellivision II console showing the TV channel selector with and the coax out port and power port for the external power brick. Mattel's attempt to lock out competitors' games was only temporarily successful, since it wasn't hard for 3rd-party game manufacturers to get around it.
The botom of Mattel Electronics Intellivision II console. The EXEC contains a subroutine to display the Mattel copyright notice; the programmer must provide the year in a certain memory location. Since a competitor's game would not use this routine, that location could have anything in it. The Intellivision II EXEC checks on a particular bit in that location; if the bit isn't set, the EXEC doesn't allow the game to play. Uh oh - Coleco... ;)
Close-up of the label on the botom of Mattel Electronics Intellivision II console.
The Intellivision II console showing the 2 controllers removed from their storage tray. The Intellivision II introduced detachable controllers with this model. They each have a plug receptacle in the left-rear of each tray.
The folks who shipped me this particular console included Space Attack, which was nice but is clearly the M Network version for the Atari 2600. This baby isn't going to play on an Intellivision regardless how hard you push the cart. This is the Atari version of Intellivision's Space Battle game.
The Intellivision II console showing a better view of the second controller. One of the pre-Intellivision II Mattel games, Electric Company Word Fun, uses its own copyright routine, and thus won't work on an Intellivision II. Mattel decided it was more important to block the Coleco-released games than to make the Intellivision II 100% compatible with Mattel's own games.
This is the first picture I took of my Intellivision II the day it arrived. I sound like a proud parent - lol. I wanted to post a pic online and this was it. I happened to have Leonard Herman's book, Phoenix: The Fall and Rise of Video Games nearby and I put Double Trouble (Skylanders) on top for the hell of it.
Intellivision II Controllers
Detachable controllers were a big change from the original Intellivision. The Intellivision II was designed to be inexpensive to manufacture. In achieving this, the raised bubble keypad of the original hand controller was replaced by a flat membrane keyboard surface.
Intellivision II controllers had a membrane keypad as opposed to the former bubble buttons. Some games said this lessened game play for certain titles since you could no longer access the keypad by tactile feel - you had to look down at it, taking focus off the TV screen.
Bottom side of the Intellivision II controllers showing the hollow indentation into which the coiled-cord fits when it's placed into the storage tray.
Top & bottom comparison of the controllers. The side-mounted Action Buttons are identical on each side so left and right handed players have equal ability to use the controller.
The overlays for the Intellivision always struck me as being a little better thought out. They were thin flexible panels that slid into the slot on the top of the controller. Unlike the rigid ones for the Atari 5200, these overlays were thin enough to allow some tactile feedback when moving your thumb across the bubble-buttons of the original Intellivision. This tactile feedback was greatly lessened with the membrane-style keypad of the Intellivision II.
Intellivision II Ports & Connections
The power switch on the top right side of the console. The Intellivision II had a power LED unlike it's predecessor.
The cartridge slot on the Intellivision II is proprietary to Intellivision games, but afforded the System Changer unit that allowed play of the entire Atari 2600 game library. Mattel claimed the Intellivision had the largest game library by including the 2600 titles.
The cartridge slot on the Intellivision II is side-oriented making it easier for add-on accessories to connect and sit next to the console.
The channel selector switch is on the back pannel of the Intellivision II next to the power port.
The power port, for the external power-brick, on the back pannel of the Intellivision II next to the channel selection switch.
The controllers on the Intellivision II are detachable and have plug-in ports in the bottom of each storage tray.
The detachable controllers of the Intellivision II connect to these ports in the rear of each controller tray.
Close-up of the pins in the controller port. You can see each pin is numbered. Pin #2 was used to pass the video signal from the System Changer accessory that let you play Atari 2600 cartridges.
Intellivision II Accessories
The system Changer for the Intellivision II was an add-on that attached via the cartridge slot and provided Atari 2600 game compatibility. An external video input on the cartridge port made the System Changer possible.
The system Changer for the Intellivision II allowed the console to play the Atari 2600 game library which was pretty significant since the Atari 5200 was not backward compatible and the 7800 wouldn't be released for approximately 3 years (1986).
A power brick came with the Intellivision II in place of the former model's internal power supply. This made it a replaceable part, but they didn't use a standard voltage. At 16.2v you couldn't just go to Radio Shack and pick up an adapter.
Close-up of the power brick label detailing the specs.
Having bought this unit used, I doubt this the original TV switch-box. Archer is a discontinued Radio Shack brand that covered wiring and antenna products.
It always makes me smile to see a 300 ohm connection :)
Intellivision II Promotional Ads
1982 Ad - "Intellivision II. We made it smaller to make room for everything that'll be going with it." This ad promised the release of a computer keyboard and piano keyboard.
