The Video Game History Timeline

Magnavox Odyssey 1972

• The system was sold with translucent plastic overlays that gamers could put on their TB screen to simulate color graphics
• Magnavox is the Video Game Console that started it all.

Atari Pong - 1972

• This was first a coin operated video game console. Similar to an arcade game.
• Pong was not the first video game system, the Odyssey was.
• In 1975 the home version was released, way better than magnavox, in that it had sounds, and the ability to spin the controller easily
• Pong connected to your TV through radio frequency.

Atari 2600 – 1977

• The Atari 2600 was Atari’s most popular unit sold to date
• Atari was credited with the use of game cartridges
• The original price was $199.99 with 2 controllers and Combat
• Atari did release 2 other models of this unit, with the first unit having 6 switches, know as the (heavy sixer) atari’s next unit was released in 1980 featuring a 4 switch wood grain unit, the last unit released was all black in color with 4 switches. Both of the 4 switch units looked very similar to the original 6 switch heavy sixer.

Magnavox Odyssey 2 – 1977

• Featured game like cartridges similar to Atari 2600 Games
• The Odyssey 2 featured a keyboard style unit with two controllers
• From 1978 to 1983 their were approx 1 million units sold

Atari 400 / 800 – 1979

• Designed as a home based computer system with superior graphics. These units were released for nearly 1 decade
• Surprising they were around for a decade, since this is the first I heard about them.

Intellivision Video Game System - 1979

• The intellivision was first released by mattle, almost a year after the release of the Atari 2600
• The intellivision was the first game system to rival that of the Atari 2600

ColecoVision – 1982

• This was the first video game system to market itself as a Arcade style game system
• ColecoVision was discontinued in 1984
• The colecovision by far had the best graphic in the early 80's
• Coleco had to offer different games than that of Atari, with different licenses to corner the market in their favor. Which worked for the most part with games like: Zaxxon, Ladybug, Donkey Kong, and Mousetrap to name a few.

Atari 5200 - 1982

• The 5200 was created to compete with the Intellivision, but wound up more directly competing with the Coleco Vision shortly after its release
• The Atari 5200 suffered from its software incompatibility with the Atari 2600 though an adapter was later released in 1983 allowing it to play all Atari 2600 games, using the more reliable controllers native to that system.

Commodore 64 - 1982

• 8-bit Home Computer with a original price of $595
  
• Sales of almost 30 million units, making it one of the most popular home computers sold.
  
• The high pricing of the Commodore 64 was one of the starting factors in the great video game crash of 1983.
• Main Competition of the Commodore 64 was the Apple II, and the Atari 400 & 800.  At the time Commodore won the the consumers over with better graphics, and 16 bit color.

Vectrex - 1982

• Produced by GCE, then by Mattel for original price of $199
  
• Vectrex was unique in which it had its own monitor, and a built in game Minestorm.
  
• The Vectrex used color screen overlays, to give the unit color graphics
  
• This was the first game system to have 3D peripheral Graphics.

Colecovision Adam – 1983

• This was a failed attempt from coleco vision to release a keyboard computer type game system. This was known to some as the Expansion Module 3
• The main down fail of this system was when you started the system it took so much power to start up that it would erase any removable media you had.
• Another problem was the fact the coleco adam had a printer, which was the housed the units power supply, so if the printer failed to work the unit did not work.

Intellivison II – 1983

• This was intelliviosions attempt to release a game system with a smaller design and detachable controllers.
• The Intelliviosn II main flaw is that it would not always play many of the original games released on the first intellivison game system

Nintendo Entertainment System – 1985

• Was an 8-bit video game system, that changed the way we played video games for ever.
• The NES was first released in Japan in 1983 know as the Famicom
• The Original Nintendo was the best selling game system of its time.
• The Nes fell out of favor when the 16 bit systems were released.

Coleco Vision Dina – 1986

• This was actually released by Telegames, this unit suffered due to its lack of compatibility with any coleco vision games or modules

Atari 7800 – 1986

• Released to be a superior model with less of the problems from the original Atari 5200.
• The Atari 7800 could play almost any Atari 2600 game with out any sort of modulator or expansion module
• The 7800 was always viewed as a Atari 2600, but with supposedly better graphics and what not.
• The Atari 7800 had the ability to play tons of games, but the development for new games for the system wasn’t their. It has been stated that Atari released on 60 or so titles just for the Atari 7800.

Sega Genesis – 1989

• Sega was the first to release a 16 bit Video Game Console
• The Genesis was sega’s best selling game system
• Sega’s main competition at the time was the Original NES, and Sega was winning the battle with better graphics and sound.

Nintendo Gameboy – 1989

• This was the first hand held video game to play cartridges
• The gameboy was so popular at first, it sold over million units in less than a month.
• The main attractive feature of the game boy was that 4 AA batteries would last about 30 plus hours where the competitions Atari Lynx had 6 AA batteries and lasted about 4 to 5 hours.

Super Nintendo SNES – 1990

• This was Nintendo’s 16 bit system to stay current in the video game market
• The SNES was the best selling 16 – Bit Video Game System
• The original price of a SNES was $199.99

Sega Saturn – 1992

• The Saturn really was an expansion module for the genesis.
• The idea of the Saturn didn’t really go over very well due in part, that for the price it didn’t bring the results. The graphics weren’t any better etc.

Atari Jaguar – 1993

• This was the last system ever produced by Atari
• They say the reason for this system failed, market and overall failure was due in large part to poor commercials
• Sales price of this unit in 1993 was $250.00

Panasonic 3DO - 1993

• This System was built as a multi-media player.  With the Ability to play 3DO Game, CD's, Photo's and Video's using an add on adapter.
  
• The Original 3DO had a original price of $699 being on of the most expense video game ever made.
  
• The High cost was partly due to the pricey cost to design such a system.
  
• 3DO had several other systems know as the FZ-10, which had a better design and less pricey. They also had the Goldstar 3DO, which had a better loading tray.
  
• It seemed the 3DO was innovative for its generation, but lacked the gaming communities backing, probably due to the high Cost to purchase one.

Sega Saturn – 1994

• This was a 32-bit Video Game System
• This system wasn’t as popular due to poor marketing, and trying to stay current with playstation and the Nintendo 64, Not to mention the system itself was difficult to play compared to Playstation and the Nintendo 64

Playstation – 1995

• This was a 32-bit Video Game System
• Playstation was the first game system to sell over 100 million units, due in large part to a excellent marketing concept & launch
• The playstation was made for over a decade, being one of the most popular game systems.

Nintendo 64 – 1996

• This was Nintendo’s third game system launch and would be the last system with game cartridges.
• The system marketed itself as the first 64-bit game system
• The N64 was released with 2 games Super Mario World and Pilotwings, with a sale price of $199.99

Sega Dreamcast - 1998

• The Dreamcast was the first game system with a built in modem, and on-line gaming support
  
• Sega Dreamcast didn't sell any EA Sports games, due to poor sales with the Sega Saturn.
  
• This was Sega's last attempt at video game consoles, before the Dreamcast was discountiuend in 2001 price for a brand new Dreamcast was as low as $39.99.
  
• The Dreamcast was considered by many to be the pioneer of the on-line gaming community, and was developed ahead of its time.  It makes you wonder why dreamcast wasn't as popular as say the PS2?

Playstation 2 – 2000

• This system was a pioneer, in which the PS2 could play DVD’s and Games. This and the fact the playstation 1 was so popular, that it was nearly impossible to get a PS2 upon the release.
• In 2004 Sony released what know today as the Slim Model, which that and several great games made the PS2 explode in the video game market

Nintendo Gamecube – 2001

• This was Nintendo’s Fourth Game System
• The Gamecube was also Nintendo’s first game system that used CD’s
• The Best Game on the System was Super Mario Smash Brothers Melee

Xbox – 2001

• The Xbox was the first Major Console to really advertise in the on-line gaming market which set the tone for today.
• The Xbox was cheaper than the PS2 and could also play DVD’s and Game CD’s
• This was Microsoft’s first attempt in the video game market

Xbox 360 – 2005

• Markets itself as a superior on-line game system
• With High Def resolution and the ability to download music, photo’s and more
• The Xbox 360 has the ability to play high definition movies with 1080i resolution

Playstation 3 – 2006

• The PS3 main competition is that of the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360
• The PS3 features Blue Ray technology for crystal clear resolution, and 80 GB of memory
• The PS3 is the next generation of gaming, with all the fancy features like a mini home audio game system computer of sorts

Nintendo Wii – 2006

• This is Nintendo’s 5^th Game System
• The wii sold more units than Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 combined in 2007
• The Wii is a game system that markets to all walks of life from kids to grandparents.
• The Wii also has a very unique wireless Bluetooth technology.

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