Read Replay: The History of Video Games Online
Authors: Tristan Donovan
TX-0
Manufacturer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Year released: 1955
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
Experimental computer built at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory.
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-CD
U
UFO A500 II
Manufacturer: Selection
Year released: Unknown (late 1980s or early 1990s)
Origin: China
Type: Home console
Clone of Nintendo’s Famicom. This and other clones were widespread in mainland Asia and Russia at the time as official home consoles were either unavailable or too expensive for most people to buy.
Unix
Manufacturer: n/a
Year released: 1969
Origin: USA
Type: Operating system
A widely used operating system. Forms the basis of the Macintosh’s MacOS and Linux.
V
VAX-11/780
Manufacturer: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year released: 1977
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
Could emulate the PDP-11.
Vectrex
Manufacturers: General Consumer Electric, Milton Bradley and Bandai
Year released: 1982
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Vector graphics console. Created by Smith Engineering but manufactured by General Consumer Electric and later Milton Bradley. Bandai released it in Japan.
VIC-20
Manufacturer: Commodore International
Year released: 1980
Origin: USA
Type: Personal computer
Commodore’s first attempt to create a mass-market home computer.
Video Pinball
Manufacturer: Atari
Year released: 1977
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Included a version of Atari’s coin-op hit Breakout.
Videomaster Home T.V.
Manufacturer: The Sales Team
Year released: 1974
Origin: UK
Type: Home console
Another of the European-made analogue circuit Pong consoles that were based on the Magnavox Odyssey and predated Atari’s home Pong game.
Videopac G7000
Video Sport MK2
Manufacturer: Henry’s
Year released: 1974
Origin: UK
Type: Home console
Henry’s were a British hi-fi and TV retailer. The console used circuits similar to those in the Magnavox Odyssey. Wood casing look.
W
Wii
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Year released: 2006
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Its motion-based Wiimote controllers gave it broad appeal. Also runs Gamecube games. By the start of 2010 more than 60 million had been sold worldwide.
X
Xbox
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Year released: 2001
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
The first American-made games console to sell in large quantities since the Atari VCS 2600 and the first console to include a hard drive.
Xbox 360
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Year released: 2005
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Microsoft’s second games console. Placed a strong emphasis on its online multiplayer games service Xbox Live.
Z
ZX80
Manufacturer: Science of Cambridge
Year released: 1980
Origin: UK
Type: Personal computer
Clive Sinclair’s super-cheap home computer. Inspired Commodore’s VIC-20.
ZX81
Manufacturer: Sinclair Research
Year released: 1981
Origin: UK
Type: Personal computer
Released in North America as the Timex Sinclair 1000.
ZX Spectrum
Manufacturer: Sinclair Research
Year released: 1982
Origin: UK
Type: Personal computer
The UK’s leading home computer during the mid-1980s. Also became a popula
r computer format in Eastern Europe and Russia during the 1990s thanks to low-cost versions of the computer that ran TR-DOS, an operating system for the Spectrum first developed by the British company Technology Research in 1985.
References
1. Hey! Let’s Play Games!
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A history of early computers
Baer, Ralph H. (2005)
Videogames: In the Beginning
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Ralph Baer’s meticulously detailed account of the creation of the Brown Box
Bennett, J.M. (1994) ‘Autobiographical snippets’. In: Bennett, J.M. et al (1994)
Computing in Australia – The Development of a Profession
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The reaction to and creation of the Nimrod
Bernstein, Alex and de V. Roberts, Michael (1958) ‘Computer v. chess-player’.
Scientific American
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Article on the value of computer chess research and figure on the time it would take a computer to calculate all possible chess moves
Computer History Museum (no date)
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The history of computer chess
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Background on Cold War, 2001: A Space Odyssey and early computers
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Japan’s surrender in the Second World War
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Spacewar’s creation
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History of the development of integrated circuits
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Background on Thomas Goldsmith’s work
Shannon, Claude E. (1950) ‘Programming a computer for playing chess’.
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Explains why computer chess is useful for research
‘The Making of Spacewar!’ (2003)
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Spacewar!’s creation and source of quotes from Steve Russell and Martin Graetz, used with the kind permission of Future Publishing
2. Avoid Missing Ball For High Score
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[Last accessed: 2 March 2010]
Information on coin-operated games
Atomic Planet Entertainment (2005)
Taito Legends
[PlayStation 2] Empire Interactive
Information on Taito’s early years
Baer, Ralph H. (2005)
Videogames: In the Beginning
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Detailed information on the launch of the Odyssey and the creation of Pong
Barth, Linda (2004) ‘Pinball: It took most of a century to evolve, and its best days may be past’.
American Heritage
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Details about New York City’s pinball ban
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Rolling Stone
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Spacewar and early computer game culture
Bushnell, Nolan K. (1972)
Computer Space Instructions
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How Computer Space was presented to arcade operators
Digital Eclipse (2004)
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[PlayStation 2] Atari Interactive
Interview with Nolan Bushnell
Kent, Steven L. (2001)
The Ultimate History of Video Games
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St. Pong
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Details of when staff joined Atari Inc.
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Timings of Galaxy Game and Computer Space releases
Range, Peter Ross (1974) ‘Space age pinball machines’.
The Ledger
, Lakeland, Florida. Sunday 15 September 1974. Section D, p7
Overview of the video game’s impact on the arcade industry and the Odyssey
Russell, Bruce (1976) ‘Penny arcade games – It’s a multi-million dollar world’.
Daily News
, Kingsport, Tennessee. Wednesday 13 October 1976. p8
How video games changed attitudes to arcades
‘The untold Atari story’ (2009)
Edge
, Issue 200, April 2009, pp94-99
Interview with Ted Dabney, co-founder of Atari
3. A Good Home Recreation Thing
Albright Jr., Ronald G. (1985)
The Orphan Chronicles
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Texas Instruments’ involvement in the microprocessor business
Amis, Martin (1982)
Invasion of the Space Invaders
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Still uses term TV Games
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Information on coin-operated games
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History of Atari Inc.
Atomic Planet Entertainment (2005)
Taito Legends
[PlayStation 2] Empire Interactive
Information on Taito’s early years
‘Computer game tycoon runs up score of profits’ (1978)
The Spokesman Review
. Spokane, Washington. Thursday 25 May 1978. p44
Interview with Nolan Bushnell
DeMaria, Rusel and Wilson, Johnny L. (2002)
High Score! The Illustrated History of Electronic Games
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Atari Inc’s manifesto
Digital Eclipse (2004)
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[PlayStation 2] Atari Interactive
Interview with Nolan Bushnell
Kent, Steven L. (2001)
The Ultimate History of Video Games
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History of Atari
‘King Pong explains home-game craze’ (1978)
Wilmington Morning Star
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Ocala Star-Banner
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The impact of video games on the arcades
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Information on 1970s consoles
Provenzo Jr, Eugene (1991)
Video Kids: Making Sense of Nintendo
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‘The untold Atari story’ (2009)
Edge
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