Coleco Telstar Ranger (1977-1978)

Coleco Telstar Ranger

The Coleco Telstar Ranger, released in 1977, represented a bold step forward in the early video game era by transforming the traditional, static Pong clone into a versatile, multi-style gaming system. Housed in a striking black-and-white plastic case, the Ranger offered four classic paddle variants—Tennis, Hockey, Handball, and Jai Alai—alongside two target-shooting games. This model marked a major hardware milestone for Coleco as their first system to feature detachable controllers, which players could either leave slotted directly into the main console body or unclip on extension wires for comfortable couch gameplay. To support its shooting gallery games, the Ranger came bundled with a heavy, black Colt .45-style light gun that required its own battery to sense light pulses from the television screen. Offering three variable skill settings and an automatic serve function, the Telstar Ranger stood out in a crowded marketplace as a premium, highly interactive family console right before the cartridge boom changed gaming forever.

Acquired From: eBay.com