Lady Bug

The ColecoVision won players' hearts as a machine for faithful arcade ports, and Lady Bug is one of the titles that reputation rests on. It's a maze chase in the spirit of Pac-Man, but with its own idea that sets it apart from the crowd of imitations.

You know the basic principle: you move through a maze, collect points and avoid enemies. But Lady Bug adds rotating gates through which you can redirect both yourself and your pursuers, creating an extra layer of tactics — it's not just about escaping, but also about cleverly rearranging the paths to cut enemies off. This small innovation gives the game a fresh charge.

For 1982–1983, this was exactly the kind of arcade classic the ColecoVision excelled at. The console handled faithful ports of maze and arcade games better than the competition, and Lady Bug, together with titles like Mr. Do! or Pepper II, formed a category that gave the platform its reputation as a home for quality cabinet conversions.

The magic of this generation of games lies in their simplicity and instant comprehensibility. You learn the controls within seconds, but mastering a higher score takes practice, sharp reflexes and an understanding of enemy behavior. It's a pure arcade experience that never ages, because it rests on the timeless contest between the player and their own high score.

If you like maze classics and want to see how the Pac-Man genre could be pushed a step further, Lady Bug on the ColecoVision is an excellent and still enjoyable choice.

Why play: For a clever maze chase with rotating gates that shows why the ColecoVision was the king of faithful arcade ports.