A New Cartridge-Based Console Is Coming Out Next Year

Classic gaming company Coleco is making a comeback, albeit in name only. The company that now owns the rights to the classic company's name has announced a partnership with Retro Video Game Systems for a cartridge-based console it's calling Coleco Chameleon.

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It's described as a "versatile new video game system that serves as a modern day take on the classic game console." It can play 8-, 16-, and 32-bit games, which Coleco Holdings says is a "growing and popular genre."

Retro Video Game Systems previously attempted to launch this system as the Retro VGS with a crowdfunding campaign that didn't pan out. This rebranded version of the system still plays cartridge games, making it the first console in about two decades to do that. It also uses the original manufacturing molds for the Atari Jaguar, which the company acquired the rights to earlier this year.

In a statement, Retro Video Game Systems president Mike Kennedy said the console "is a love-letter to all the classic cartridge based gaming systems that came before it."

"It will take gamers and their families back to a simpler time where games were all about great gameplay and fun factor," he added. The original ColecoVision console was released in 1982.

Pricing was not announced. But writing on Twitter, developers said "it will be significantly more affordable than the first go-around," referencing the aforementioned failed crowdfunding campaign for the Retro VGS.

The Coleco Chameleon will be available to buy in early 2016 and will be on display at the Toy Fair New York in February. You can learn more about the console on its website.