Shark! Shark! and Astrosmash Make Their Way to Nintendo Switch Amidst Intellivision Amico Delays

Intellivision’s Shark! Shark! and Astrosmash are set to swim onto the Nintendo Switch, marking a significant milestone for two iconic titles originally developed for the Intellivision Amico.

These modern revivals of the classic 1980s games will soon be available to a broader audience, thanks to a newly brokered agreement between Intellivision and BBG Entertainment.

The Intellivision Amico’s turbulent development journey stretches back to its public announcement in 2018, followed by a high-profile crowdfunding campaign in 2020.

Despite initial enthusiasm, the console has faced repeated delays, leaving pre-order fans waiting for their promised hardware.

In light of these setbacks, Intellivision has shifted focus to licensing its game catalog in an effort to generate revenue and sustain its operations.

BBG Entertainment announced on May 24, 2023, that it had acquired the rights to both Astrosmash and Shark! Shark!, including all relevant intellectual property from Intellivision Entertainment, LLC.

According to BBG’s official statement, Intellivision will retain rights for any preexisting or future versions produced for its own platforms, but BBG is now responsible for bringing these titles to Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Mac, and PC.

This landmark deal effectively ends the Amico exclusivity for these games, opening them up to competitive hardware environments like the Nintendo eShop for Switch users. In addition to Shark! Shark! and Astrosmash, BBG has also confirmed that Dynablaster—a title BBG was originally developing for the Amico—will now launch on other gaming systems as well.

These moves represent a broader trend for the Intellivision portfolio, focusing on extending their classic IPs beyond the delayed Amico platform. Journalists and industry insiders who have tried early builds, such as Daniel Ibbertson of Slope’s Game Room, have shared favorable impressions, particularly noting that Shark! Shark! offers more engaging gameplay than its humble pack-in game origins might suggest. Meanwhile, hopes for the Amico hardware continue to dim.

CEO Phil Adam, who took over the leadership from Tommy Tallarico in early 2022, has stated previously that work is ongoing for a release update.

Despite these reassurances, other Amico developers have expressed doubts about the platform’s future, and it has been confirmed that anticipated exclusives like Earthworm Jim 4 are no longer in active development. For gamers who have followed the Amico saga or those who fondly remember these 1980s classics, the upcoming releases of Shark! Shark! and Astrosmash on Nintendo Switch and other platforms symbolize both the enduring appeal of retro games and the evolving strategy of legacy developers.

As these titles prepare to launch on digital storefronts such as the Nintendo eShop, they stand as a testament to the adaptability of gaming’s heritage brands.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo PC Xbox Switch Mac BBG Entertainment BBG Intellivision Astrosmash Intellivision Amico Shark! Shark! Amico