Atari’s resurrecting the Intellivision, one of its biggest competitors in the ‘80s

Atari’s resurrecting the Intellivision, one of its biggest competitors in the ‘80s

The Atari Intellivision Sprint console against an illustrated background.

The Intellivision Sprint features the same unique controllers as the original, but they’re now wireless and rechargeable. | Image: Atari

Atari has announced yet another retro console revival, but this time it’s launching hardware from an old competitor.

Atari and Plaion, a company that develops, publishes, and distributes games, have collaborated on the new Intellivision Sprint that blends ‘80s console aesthetics with modern gaming conveniences. It’s a new take on Mattel’s Intellivision, which initially went head-to-head with the Atari 2600 when it was released in 1979.

The Sprint looks a lot like the original Intellivision with a gold and black case and a wood-grain panel on the front, but there are a lot fewer cables. It connects to a TV using a single HDMI cable, and while it still includes two controllers featuring dials and number pads instead of joysticks, they’re both wireless and charge when docked to the console.

A close-up of the Atari Intellivision Sprint controller with several overlays next to it.

The Sprint has the original Intellivision’s number pad overlays, but with new designs and updated artwork to make it easier to know what buttons you need to press to play different games. It comes with 45 built-in titles, including classics like Boulder Dash and Astrosmash, plus a collection of sports games that helped popularize the original version of the console. It lacks support for cartridges, but there’s USB-A ports that can be used to play additional titles or to connect original Intellivision controllers with an adapter.

It’s available for preorder starting today for $149.99 and is expected to ship on December 5th, 2025.

2 Comments

  1. brigitte63

    It’s exciting to see Atari bringing back the Intellivision! The unique controllers definitely add a nostalgic touch, and going wireless is a great modern upgrade. Looking forward to seeing how this classic gaming experience evolves!

  2. simeon93

    great retro touch to the gaming experience. It’s interesting how they’re blending nostalgia with modern technology by making the controllers wireless. It could really enhance gameplay while keeping that classic feel!

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