Getting To Grips With Gaming History
With new consoles released all the time, we’re always looking to the future. As soon as we get used to one console, there’s another in the works. Today, we’re going to get our heads out of the future, and take a look back at some of the consoles of the past. You can’t appreciate the consoles of today without knowledge of what has come before.
Retro gaming is still incredibly appealing. With characters like Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario, it’s no wonder we return to those games!
If you want to delve into the retro world, check out sites like http://www.gamesniped.com/best-bargains-classic-video-games/, which can show you the best bargains out there. These games are still in high demand and can be pricey. Shop around for the best deals. Of course, the games are no good without the consoles to play them on. We’re hopping in the time machine and taking you on a tour through consoling history with this list. If you want a more complete list, there are plenty available, like this one at tiki-toki.com.
1967, THE BROWN BOX
The Brown Box was the first console that worked on television. German engineer Ralph Baer developed this gem. This console could play twelve games, the most famous involving two squares chasing each other. It may not sound thrilling now, but this was big business in gaming history!
1972, ODYSSEY
Odyssey was the first commercial console, created by Magnavox after they saw The Brown Box. Ralph Baer was behind this one too. Again, the console could play twelve different games. It could display three dots on the screen, which changed behavior depending on the game, but it had no sound making ability.
1985, NES
Jumping forward a few years saw the release of the first Nintendo – the NES, or Nintendo Entertainment System. There had been huge improvements in the way consoles worked by this point. Here, we saw the introduction of characters such as Super Mario and Link from Legend of Zelda. Gaming had been suffering, but the NES fast become the best selling console in gaming history.
1989, SEGA MEGA DRIVE
Originally released in Japan, the Sega Mega drive was developed by Sega Enterprises LTD. The console didn’t go down well in Japan, but did well with the rest of the world. With the invention of the Megadrive came characters like Sonic the Hedgehog, which cemented the console in memory.
1995, PLAYSTATION
1995 saw the release of the first Playstation, and the start of modern gaming. For the first time, we saw three dimensional game play and discs instead of cartridges. Playstations were extremely popular and went into direct competition with upcoming Nintendo consoles.
1996, NINTENDO 64
We’re ending this list with the release of the Nintendo 64. Released just a year after the Playstation, the ‘64 was the last console to use cartridge games. These consoles couldn’t offer the variety of games that Playstation could. They relied more on classic big sellers like Donkey Kong and Super Mario.