Voting Station

Coleco Telstar

Please vote to return to collections.

Gaming Console

The Resume

    (1976-1978)
    Created by Ralph Baer
    First released in America
    Telstar released (1976)
    Telstar Deluxe released (1977)
    Telstar Classic released (1976)
    Telstar Alpha released (1977)
    Telstar Colormatic released (1977)
    Telstar Regent released (1977)
    Telstar Sportsman released (1978)
    Telstar Combat released (1977)
    Telstar Colortron released (1978)
    Telstar Marksman released (1978)
    Telstar Galaxy released (1978)
    Telstar Gemeni released (1978)
    Telstar Arcade released (1978)
    First generation gaming console
    An estimated 1 million units sold

Why Coleco Telstar might be annoying:

    It looked like a car radio.
    It was the first unlimited PONG exploitation gaming system.
    All of its games, while different in name, were in effect PONG clones.
    As all the games were built into the system, every time Coleco needed to release new games, they would have to build an entirely new system.
    This meant the gamer had to buy an entire system to get more games.
    The sound was built into the console.
    It had no controllers - just two nipples built into the console.
    Its casing included grotesque wood grain panels.
    Coleco released it and all of its sequels partially assembled, requiring the owner to waste their time to construct it.
    Coleco raped the PONG craze so badly and built so many console sequels, that they nearly went bankrupt (1980).

Why Coleco Telstar might not be annoying:

    It was created by Magnavox Odyssey pioneer Ralph Baer.
    It was named after the first communications satellite.
    They were priced at an economical $50 each (about the price of modern games).
    Each system came with three or four games.
    Sequel consoles were released with color (Telstar Colortron), light guns (Telstar Marksman), joysticks (Telstar Galaxy) and steering wheels with gear shifts (Telstar Arcade).
    Most of the games had three difficulty levels.
    The Telstar Arcade finally introduced color, triangle cartridges purchased separately from the console.
    The combined series sold over 1 million units.

Credit: Captain Howdy


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 11 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 20 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 16 Votes: 43.75% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 62 Votes: 64.52% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 20 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 37 Votes: 70.27% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 52 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 117 Votes: 65.81% Annoying