It is no secret by now that the RETRO Video Game System is now called the Coleco Chameleon.  As far as if the internal hardware is the same or not, I don’t know.  No one, outside of the main RVGS team was made privy to hard internal hardware evidence (depending on their comments in my interview).  It is apparently a done deal though, the RVGS is “dead” and now morphed into the Coleco Chameleon console (as chronicled here on RGM).  What about the game publishers that were working on launch, and coming soon, titles for the RETRO VGS though?  Where are they now?  Where are the game announcements for the Coleco Chameleon?  We find out right now.

According to the, failed IndieGoGo page for the RVGS there were six “launch” titles not counting Adventures of Tiny Knight.  There were also five “coming soon” titles listed.  Mike Kennedy, founder of the RETRO VGS, released a few comments here and there on the web stating additional titles were planned to be launch titles too.  For various reasons they were not announced with the rest of the titles.

So far, there has been no talk of games for the Coleco Chameleon console.  There have been no games announced and no games running on any kind of prototype shown either.  Historically, consoles have built hype via games.  As fans, we knew quite a bit about Super Mario World, thanks to magazines such as Electronic Gaming Monthly, before we ever saw a single picture of the console, or controller.  Same for Playstation, Sega Saturn and many other consoles.  Games have always been put first and foremost.  There are only two times in history I can think of where the hardware was put in front of the games.  The Konix Multisystem and the Nintendo Virtual Boy.  One was because they didn’t have games to show and the other was because no one could get screen shots.

Now that we have the history lesson out of the way, let’s discuss the games situation of the Coleco Chameleon.  Basing interest in developing for this new console on the shoulders of those that, at one time, expressed enough interest in the previous revision to be publicly tied to it.

Let’s open this discussion with the developer of the planned pack-in title.  Collectorvision.

Collectorvision are working on Adventures of Tiny Knight.  This is a 2D side scrolling action platform title that resembled early Super Nintendo works.  This was to be the pack-in title for the RETRO Video Game System, as detailed on their IGG campaign page.

Image of IGG campaign – https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/retro-vgs#/story

According to Jean-Francois Dupuis, founder of Collectorvision, that is the only title they are working on for the Coleco Chameleon. After discussing this further with Jean-Francois and John Lester (PR agent for Collectorvision) it has come to my attention that I was mistaken on which title is in development for the Coleco Chameleon.  Collectorvision are working on Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death.  Adventures of Tiny Knight is currently listed as a “maybe” release for the Chameleon console.  That is the only title they are contractually obligated to release and they have no current plans to continue development beyond that.

Adventures of Tiny Knight also is no longer an exclusive to the system, as covered here on RGM.  This is sad news for fans of the system that are hoping more will follow suit.  Exclusive titles sell systems.  Nintendo sold Nintendo 64’s because that was the only way to play Super Mario 64, for instance.

Over on AtariAge, Jean-Francois makes his personal opinion known about his desired platform for developing games.  Please keep in mind, these comments are those of Jean-Francois, not those of Collectorvision or of Retro Gaming Magazine.

This means that we can officially mark off one title from potentially coming to the Coleco Chameleon, which was formerly connected to the RVGS.  Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death apparently will no longer be made available for the Coleco Chameleon.  This is interesting because Collectorvision are adamant about getting Sydney Hunter on many platforms.  Apparently the CC is not one of them anymore. Sydney Hunter is a definite title coming to the Coleco Chameleon.  The misunderstanding was due to a slight language barrier between myself and Jean-Francois.

It is still too early to tell if losing Adventures of Tiny Knight as an exclusive will affect the popularity of the system.

Next up, Jeffrey Wittenhagen who had a successful Kickstater with a Retro VGS port of the upcoming Sly Dog Studios NES game: “Jeffrey Wittenhagen’s Black Box Challenge”.

Source – https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/retro-vgs#/story

According to Mr. Wittenhagen, there was only a, cursory, verbal agreement between him and RVGS administration.  This is puzzling as they had Collectorvision sign a contract to at least produce one game.  Mr. Wittenhagen has mentioned that he had to personally reimburse backers of the RVGS port of the game once the RVGS IGG campaign tanked.  Mr. Wittenhagen stated that he has not been contacted by the Coleco Chameleon team, at the time of this writing, and currently has no plans to support the console.

NG:DEV Team are no longer working on games for the RVGS/Coleco Chameleon.  This means we can now mark off, at this time, seeing Gunlord and Last Hope on this platform.  This is a shame as both of these titles, while muiltiplaform, were still visually stunning.  They also have quite a bit of positive press coverage, fans, etc behind them.  With this announcement we can also count out Krout Buster, similar to Gunlord, which is a run and gun shooter like the classic Contra series.

Source: Twitter

I have contacted the others listed on the IGG campaign page and so far have yet to receive a response regarding the Coleco Chameleon.  When I do, I will update everyone with the information received.

Piko Interactive, a developer that was notable by their cancellation of working on the RVGS prior to the IGG campaign launch, is in talks with RETRO Video Game Systems.  Piko have been featured here on RGM for a long time now.  No information on what games they might be making available at this time.  There are fans asking for Super Noah’s Ark 3D on social media though so that may be one of the titles that makes the jump.

I have also contacted Retro Video Game Systems requesting information on development requirements for their console (with a disclaimer that any information received would be sourced in articles here on Retro Gaming Magazine).

If you are a game developer/publisher and are connected with the Coleco Chameleon, or the RVGS before it, and wish to talk anonymously, please contact me.  This also applies to the Coleco management, I am only interested in providing the truth to the fans, if you wish to talk, I am nothing but open ears.

12/21/2015 Edits:
I corrected the title coming from Collectorvision for the Coleco Chameleon console after discussing it with Jean-Francois and John Lester.  This is part of my effort to provide the facts related to this console and the titles coming for it.

Carl Williams

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