---
title: Coleco Telstar Marksman
categories:
- Pongs
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1978'
cpus:
- General Instrument AY-3-8512
params:
  name: Telstar Marksman
  company: /companies/coleco
  company_name: Coleco
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Telstar Marksman
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Coleco
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1978'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: |-
      1 - Tennis (2 players)\
      2 - Hockey (2 players)\
      3 - Handball (1 players)\
      4 - Jai-Alai (2 player)\
      5 - Skeet (1 player)\
      6 - Target (1 player)
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: 2 paddles built-in the console & the rifle
  - label: CPU
    value: General Instrument AY-3-8512 (6 games in color) or GX-10 dedicated chip ?
  - label: SPEED
    value: On/off, Game selector
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: Difficulty level switch Beginner/intermediate/Pro
  - label: RAM
    value: On screen
  - label: COLORS
    value: 'Yes'
  - label: SOUND
    value: Built-in speaker
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 21.0 lb
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: RF TV video output, Gun connector
  - label: OS
    value: 9v cells x 2
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: 9v DC
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: 'Yes'
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - links
  photos:
  - title: BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  adverts:
  - title: 1980 COLECO CATALOG
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [Digitize, Textfiles.com](http://www.textfiles.com/digitize/items/) for the picture
    image: null
  links:
  - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
    url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
    text: ''
  related:
  - /museum/sonico-406-6-color-tv-sports-video-game
  oc_id: 672
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230614010956/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=672
    date: '2023-06-14'
---

After the release of the first [Telstar](/museum/coleco-telstar/) (the first "dedicated-chip" pong system) in 1976 which was a big success, Coleco conceived a whole range of pongs.

The focus of the Marskman is made on its gun and shooting games, though the system in itself is not very different from the other pongs of that time. Basicaly it is a [Telstar Colortron](/museum/coleco-telstar-colortron/) with two shooting games.

The system is powered by the General Instrument AY-3-8512 chipset (or GX-10 dedicated shipset as described in the Coleco catalog, see Adverts section) which offers 4 pong games and two shooting games, all in color.

Promotional text:

"Telstar Marksman. The number one selling target game last year. Two pistol games - Target and Skeet, and four popular sport games - Tennis, Hockey, Handball and Jai Alai. Marksman photo electric rifle, a 3-in-1 combo can be used as a regular pistol, a machine pistol, or a marksman rifle!

\- Six video games: Target, Skeet, Tennis, Hockey, Handball and Jai Alai\
\- brilliant color (plays B&W on B&W TV sets)\
\- Electronic sound effects\
\- Marksman 3-in-1 photo electric rifle included\
\- On-screen digital display scoring\
\- Variable skill control\
\- Requires two 9 volt batteries or Coleco Battery Eliminator / AC Adapter (neither included)\
\- FCC approved\
\- Full color packaging\
\- Ages 8 to adult