Remember the folks behind Retro VGS? They once proposed a cartridge-based console using the original Atari Jaguar hardware for its shell. Unfortunately, the crowdfunding campaign that was supposed to bring it to market failed, but now they are back with their new Chameleon, and the backing of a classic brand like Coleco.
The Quest for Original Hardware
Anyone looking to revisit the most important titles of a classic console has a wealth of resources available, starting with emulators and game images floating around the Web. We should also mention alternatives such as Console Living Room and Internet Arcade hosted on Archive.org, which let you play without downloading anything. In other words, enjoying the "retro" experience is easy, as long as we're willing to do it on a modern computer. Now, what happens when we want the original hardware? Finding old consoles is increasingly complicated and expensive for a natural reason: there are very few units in good condition, and those who own them don't let them go easily. Faced with this situation, there's the shortcut of creating a modern console inspired by old systems... and that's how we arrive at the Coleco Chameleon.
The Coleco Chameleon Pitch
Everything we can say so far about the console is that its backers are the same people who tried to bring the Retro VGS to market. The plan to create a modern cartridge-based console had to be modified after its crowdfunding campaign raised only 4 percent of the required amount ($1.95 million). The Coleco Chameleon is essentially the second round of that fight, but the changes are not limited to the name. The available images (all renders) show an increase in the number of USB ports and expanded support for 8, 16 and 32-bit games, which suggests a kind of Raspberry Pi or similar platform inside.
Price and Debut
Another critical aspect of the Coleco Chameleon is its price. When the Retro VGS launched its campaign at $300 plus shipping, it was left stranded. The new console is expected to have a more reasonable market value, and the first prototype will make its public debut at the next Toy Faire New York, which will take place in February. We'll be waiting.
