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The Brown Box
The first video game system designed for a TV. The first game is two squares chasing each other, and a total of 12 games are developed. It even uses a light gun similar to the Wii Zapper. -
Odyssey
The Oddyssey is the first commercial video game system. It plays 12 games as well, but false rumors hurt it's popularity. (Haven't heard THAT story before) -
Atari Founded
The video game corporation Atari is founded. -
Pong
Pong, the first successfull home game, is introduced. It is unique because it has a single chip that generates the score, and the sound effects. -
Atari 2600 VCS
The first successful cartridge based system. Classic games such as Space Invaders, Breakout, Missile Command and Combat are released for this system. -
Intellivision
This console is the first to challenge Atari. It included slightly better graphics, and the first synth. voices in video games. -
Video Games Crash
Many video game companies go bankrupt. -
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)/ Famicom
Known by many names, the NES is the first console made by Nintendo, and remains the best selling video game system in history. With the recent video game crash, retailers were a little sceptical, but with such classics as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, the system was a classic no matter what you called it. -
Gameboy
Nintendo releases it's second system, and the first major handheld. Throughout the years, it goes through many makeovers, including the Gameboy Pocket and the Gameboy Color. -
Super NES
This is the best selling 16-bit system in the US. -
Playstation
Sony launches the Playstation, the most popular 32 bit console. This is the first console to stress 3D gaming over 2D, and being the first to use disks, was considerably cheeper than cartridge systems. -
Nintendo 64
The last major system to use cartriges. Cartriges load faster than disks, and eliminate memory cards. -
Playstation 2
The worlds first 128-bit system. Features backward compatibility for Playstation games and can be a DVD player. The PS2 is the most popular console from the 128 bit era, and the first console to play games over the internet. -
Xbox
Microsofts first console. Game library includes Halo: Combat Evolved, one of the best selling games of all time. -
Gamecube
Nintendo's first system to use optical disks as the primary storage device. -
Gameboy Advance
The next version of the Gameboy has a LCD screen that can display up to 32,000 colors. It is backwards compatible with all previous Gameboy games, and like the DS, comes in multiple colors. -
Gameboy Advance SP
An improved GBA, this version includes a rechargeable battery and folding case. -
Nintendo DS
Nintendo released this to integrate more functions to a handheld gaming device. It has two screens, the bottom one being a touch screen. -
Playstation Portable
The PSP, like the DS, has wireless connectivity and High Quality graphics. -
3DS
The latest reincarnation of the DS has many more functions than the previous DSi. The 3DS boasts a larger top screen that displays glasses free 3D, as well as a new circle control pad and an updated software library. The included AR cards let you bring your game into the real world. -
Virtual Reality Helmets
In the future, instead of viewing your games on a screen, tiny sceens will be placed in front of your eyes by your helmet. This will allow for 3D viewing, and gyroscopes will make sure that the view changes with how you tilt your head. -
Holo-Scan TM gaming
In the future, your console will become aware of the area around it, and project gaming elements into the real world. Used with motion control this can be a truly immersive gaming experiance. Used with a normal controller, it shows your games in true 3D. If you need another view of something, you can just move around it. -
Digitization
In the future, instead of bringing the game into the real world, you can just bring yourself into the game world. Special scanning chambers will digitize you and let you play a game in the game world.
