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 The
History of the Video Game Console-- The 1980s -- Prologue by Dark Watcher System Content By Marriott_Guy, Dark Watcher and 98PaceCar |
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It was a billion dollar market built upon a foundation of weak and splintered sticks. There was instability everywhere. There was corporate espionage and run away game developers. There was a lack of quality and control. Anyone could publish a game and many non gaming companies such as Quaker Oats and Purina Dog Chow did. The market was flooded with too many consoles and far too many poor quality games. These reasons and more contributed to the North American "Video Game Crash of 1983" (Read more about the crash here). The North American home console market perished. European markets took advantage of low cost computer-based games and could care less about consoles. The second generation of home console gaming was dead. Home console gaming continued to thrive in Japan. Nintendo began its entry in home gaming as the Japanese distributor of the Magnavox Odyssey in the 1970s and developed their own Color TV PONG consoles. They were highly successful in the arcade game industry and licensed several ports to North American consoles before the crash. Their release of the Nintendo Famicom was a huge success that they hoped to bring to North America. The "Video Game Crash" would make that a near impossibility. Nintendo took the ashes of a dead industry, rebuilt it with a strong controlled foundation, and single handedly restored home video gaming to greatness with the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was the birth of the 3rd generation of home gaming consoles. Console development had shifted to Japan and the now global market saw fierce competition from new companies such as Sega. Atari would attempt to re-establish itself. However, it was Nintendo that now stood as kings of the industry and they ruled with an iron fist. Nintendo's strict regulations made third-party software developers struggle and it made competition difficult to other console developers. However, the consumer was no longer the victims of an embattled market. Console wars were all the rage. These console wars were now fought in a more controlled and stable industry. The wars encouraged advancements in technology. More powerful consoles, more cartridge capacity, innovative controllers and more. Franchise game characters became icons and console owner loyalties (fanboyism) took center stage.
The following takes a quick snapshot of each main console (or technology) that was released during this decade. |
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EPOCH, better know for their game software and toy products, was actually very involved with hardware development in Japan dating back to their first console release in June 1981 - the EPOCH Cassette Vision. This very obscure system was actually a hybrid pong/cartridge-based unit - the first of its kind in Japan. Though financial windfalls were never achieved, the moderate success that the Cassette Vision did enjoy was due to one reason - correct price positioning. (Read more...) |
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Fun Fact: In 1984, EPOCH released one of the very first true handheld systems, the EPOCH Game Pocket Computer. Though it failed miserably, this is a very rare bird. |
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The CreatiVision was introduced in 1981 by VTech (Video Technology Limited), a Hong Kong
based company. The unit was actually a computer hybrid (a small trend in those days. See also APF Imagination
Machine). Appearance wise it was a typical console at heart, but by rotating the console's joysticks 90 degrees and then inserting
them into two compartments on top of the console you were given a makeshift keyboard. Throw in a BASIC program cart, and your console becomes
a microcomputer. |
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Fun Fact: VTech is still a successful electronics giant, with their highly successful line of V.Smile Learning System, V.Flash and the Whizkid Learning System. |
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After nearly bankrupting itself in 1978 with overstocked Telstar units, Coleco once again entered
the console market looking to de-throne Atari 2600 and
Intellivision, the current kings of the hill. ColecoVision
was released in 1982 and boasted amazing specs for its time which showed in its arcade conversions. To secure their success Coleco
reached out to a Japanese based company called "Nintendo", and paid $250,000 for the rights to a super popular arcade game called
Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong became a pack in game with the console. |
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Fun Fact: Coleco actually was founded as the Connecticut Leather Company. They were also the manufacturing force behind that creepy line of dolls: Cabbage Patch Kids. |
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The Atari 5200 was established in 1982 to compete with Intellivision and to become the successor
of the Atari 2600. The Atari 5200 was a modified version of the Atari 400/800 which was the most powerful 8-bit home
computer system of its era. The graphics were a step above the older competition and went toe to toe with their newest competitor the
ColecoVision. |
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Fun Fact: The Atari 5200 cartridges were nearly twice the size of those for the 2600 and were basically designed in this fashion to make the consumer think they were getting a "bigger and better" game. |
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In 1982, Emerson Radio Corporation decided to enter the video game hardware arena with their release of the Arcadia 2001. Better
known for their development of affordable electronic products, this move was not entirely a big surprise. Emerson was always looking
for market niches to penetrate to utilize their existing electronics manufacturing team. As with their previous releases of low-end, price
friendly electrical component ventures, the Arcadia 2001 would eventually suffer the same fate. |
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Fun Fact: The Emerson Arcadia, released in 1982, was first believed to be a 1292 clone since it uses the same Signetics CPU. In fact, the Arcadia's coprocessor was an upgrade. |
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The Vectrex was released in November 1982 by General Consumer Electronics (GCE). It wasn't
just your average game console. The legendary GCE \
Milton Bradley Vectrex is the world's only standalone vector graphic home video game system. The console was cartridge based like all
other consoles, but the unit came with a 9-inch monochrome monitor, an attached joystick and even a built in game called Mine Storm. |
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Fun Fact: The old silly sitcom Charles in Charge actually features some kid playing the Vectrex in the living room (video is on the Vectrex page). |
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Not quite a console and not quite a hand held, the Entex Adventure Vision is one of the holy grails
of video game collectors. Released in 1982 to a lukewarm reception, the
Adventure Vision had only about a year lifespan on the market before it was pulled. The consoles that were sold were fragile and
troublesome, so few have survived to today. This makes it difficult to find a working example and nearly impossible to find one for a low
price. It's estimated that only 10,000 of the consoles were made with 1,000 each of the three extra games. |
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Fun Fact: The LED technology that was utilized in the Adventure Vision was brought back from the grave (console wise) in the 1990's by Nintendo's release of the Virtual Boy. |
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Casio of Japan, a successful electronics manufacturer, released first video game console, the Casio PV-1000 in October of 1983 for
14,8000 yen ($139 USD). Debuting against the likes of the Sega SG-1000 and the
Nintendo Famicom, this extremely rare and obscure system rapidly was an afterthought and not to be seen on video game store shelves shortly after
its release. |
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Fun Fact: Rumor has it that this system was such a failure that it was actually pulled from the shelves mere weeks after its initial release. |
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Gakken was a popular manufacturer of arcade and handheld games throughout the 1980's. In 1983, Gakken
decided to try their hand at the home console market with the Gakken Compact Vision. This cartridge based color game system that
retailed for a nice low price of 8800 Yen. The console design is by far one of the most unique and innovative for its time. |
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Fun Fact: Gakken has made a ton of dedicated handheld systems, a great many of which were quite successful. Thank goodness this was their only venture into the home console market! |
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Another console released only in Japan. Arcade game maker Nichibutsu wanted to take a chance on the
console market. In 1983 they released the KH-1000 better known as "My Vision" (manufactured by Kanto Electronics?). There
were no controllers, but instead used 14 numbered buttons, 4 lettered directional buttons (A thru D) and 1 select button (E) located on the
top face of the console. Plastic overlays could be placed on the console to identify what the buttons were used for. |
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Fun Fact: To be honest, I truly can't come up with an interesting tidbit on this console. Nichibutsu has released a great number of successful video games for all systems though. |
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Sega's SG-1000 (Sega Game 1000) (a.k.a Mark I) was the company's first attempt at
home consoles. It was initially test marketed in 1981 and finally released to Japanese consumers in June of 1983. It was a pretty advanced
system for its time and featured impressive technical specifications. The system would be sold in Japan until 1985 and did make it in two
overseas markets, Australia & New Zealand. |
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Fun Fact: This was not Sega's first foray into the gaming industry. They began with coin-operated amusement games for service man in Hawaii (1940). |
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In 1983, Korean based Daewoo
produced the Zemmix CPC-50 console (Zemmix
in Korean means "It's Fun"). This console was basically a MSX
computer in a console casing. It was an NTSC based machine capable of playing MSX cartridge games. Some Zemmix units also came
with an available port at the bottom for keyboard use. Zemmix
consoles are extremely rare. It is definitely an impressive machine, and a MSX collectors dream. |
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Fun Fact: Zemina apparently also created a cart adaptor that allowed Zemmix to run Nintendo Famicom games. |
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Talk about a success story. Nintendo's jump into the console market was a gamble which turned a simple toy company into one of the biggest
videogame console manufacturers in the biz. Nintendo began its gaming history producing arcade hits like Donkey Kong and Mario Bros,
and selling the licensing rights to those games for home console use (See
Colecovision). Eventually Nintendo
decided to take a crack at the home console industry. |
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Fun Fact: With the Video Game Crash of 1983 occurring, Nintendo agreed to buy back all unsold inventory in order to get retailers to take a chance on their new console. |
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The Super Cassette Vision was released in 1984 as the successor to EPOCH's Cassette Vision
in Japan. It retailed in Japan for around 15,000 Yen. The system was also manufactured and distributed for Europe (particularly France) by a
company called ITMC. In Europe it was called the Yeno Super Cassette Vision. The system sold fairly well initially with
about 30 games made for the system in Japan. |
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Fun Fact: 1985, EPOCH decided to release a limited edition version called Lady Cassette Vision. The pink colored console came bundled with its own carrying case. |
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In 1982, Tomy of Japan decided to try their hand in the computer market. They introduced the Tomy Pyuuta
(pronounced PYOOO-ta and means 'computer dude'). It garnered moderate success, and appeared on both European (GrandStand Tutor) and US
shores (Tomy Tutor) in 1983. However due to fierce competition with competitors (MSX, Commodore, Atari computers),
the console did better in its native home of Japan. In 1984, the console version was released. |
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Fun Fact: Tomy was the original creator of the Transformers line of products. |
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The
RDI Halcyon was truly a console ahead of its time. Created by
Rick Dyer, one of the people behind the hit game Dragon's Lair, it was poised to push gaming technology into uncharted territory. In
terms of 1985 technology, it would have been more advanced than even the home computers of the time. Named in part after the computer featured
in the movie
2001: A Space Odyssey, the
Halcyon was intended to seem like a living, thinking member of your family. |
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Fun Fact: This is the single most expensive system to acquire and is truly the Holy Grail among console collectors. |
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1985 - Sega Mark III (Master System) |
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To compete with the Nintendo Famicom in Japan, Sega released the successor to the Mark I/II and called it Sega Mark III in
1984. The Mark III could produce great 8 bit graphics with specs superior to the Famicom. The console had two game formats which were
cartridges and a
Sega Game Card format. The cards held only 256K of data (cartridges held over 4 times that amount), but the advantage to both Sega and the
consumer was the fact that the cards were cheaper to manufacture, and sold for less then the carts did. |
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Fun Fact: The Sega Master System featured a built in secret game. Turn the system on without a cartridge inserted, when the instructions pop up hold the D-pad up and push buttons 1 and 2. |
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To understand the reason for the Famicom Disk System's existence, you need to look back to 1985. While
video game consoles were dead in the US, the Famicom boom was taking hold of Japan's populous. However, the game's time honored ROM
cart manufacturing was expensive. Even the simplest games retailed for over 5000 yen, bringing them beyond the reach of most children's
allowances.
Nintendo's answer? Release games on disks, which are much cheaper than cartridges to make. |
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Fun Fact: The Disk System was suddenly killed in 1988 when Nintendo literally took them off the shelves due to rampant illegal copying of the disks. |
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The Atari 7800 Pro System was originally designed around 1983 and 1984, but was never released during
that time frame because of the "Great Videogame Crash of 1984". Around 1985 Nintendo had revitalized the
videogame industry with its release of the NES. This prompted then Atari CEO Jack Tramiel to try at the console market once
again in 1986. |
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Fun Fact: The Atari 7800 was originally developed in 1984 as the Atari 3600. It was actually designed by a company called General Computer Corporation (GCC). |
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Bit Corporation had their stake in the videogame industry for years creating games for the Atari 2600.
Being a Korea based company allowed them the ability to overlook copyright and patents. In the mid 1980's Bit Corporation created a
line of computers (The Bit 60 and Bit 90) that were compatible with both Atari 2600 and ColecoVision
cartridges. Around 1986 they went a step further and created a console called DINA 2-in-1. |
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Fun Fact: Telegames Personal Arcade was only advertised as a ColecoVision alternative. Western gamers were never aware of its Sega SG-1000 capabilities. |
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The year was 1987 and the video gaming world was ruled by the Nintendo Famicom\NES, followed by a somewhat strong competitor in
the
Sega Master System. Atari was still a big player at the time, though their release of their 5200 and 7800 systems could
not effectively compete with these newer breeds. A company called
Worlds of Wonder decided to enter into the fray with the release of the Action Max. |
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Fun Fact: In 1989 another "VHS Console" was attempted. View-Master released the Interactive Vision in the United States. Unlike similar systems, it could generate its own limited graphics. |
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Atari introduced the XE Game System in 1987. The XEGS was merely a console remake of their
8-bit Atari 65XE computer. For $199 you got the console, a standard joystick, a light gun, and a pack in game called Bug Hunt
(light gun game). The marketing strategy was to take advantage of the back stock of Atari computer cartridges (10 years worth).
Even though it looks like a console, the
XEGS is a true 8-bit Atari computer system. |
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Fun Fact: The XEGS was basically an Atari 5200 with computer capabilities. The internal architecture is nearly identical. However the XEGS had a lot more RAM. |
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On October 30, 1987 the first 16-Bit home videogame console was released in Japan by NEC. The PC Engine was clearly a "next generation"
system with its amazing specs and wallet sized card games called HuCards. The
PC Engine was immensely popular in Japan, outselling the Famicom by a significant margin. Two years after its Japanese introduction, NEC
announced plans to bring the PC Engine overseas. NEC dubbed the US release TurboGrafx-16 and prepared to dominate both
Nintendo and
Sega as they did in Japan. |
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Fun Fact: NEC was the first to use the immense storage capability of Compact Disk. NEC's CD-ROM add-on device was called TurboGrafx CD or TG-CD (PC Engine CD in Japan). |
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1988 - Sega Mega Drive \ Genesis |
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Sega made a good attempt with their Master System against
Nintendo's virtual monopoly of the console industry, but they were about to introduce next generation gaming to the masses. After two years of
development the Sega Megadrive was released in Japan in October of 1988. Sega had a lot of hits in the arcade such as After Burner
and Golden Axe, and part of the appeal of the Megadrive was that now these games were not only playable at home, but were fairly close
to the arcade versions. |
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Fun Fact: After possibly copying their controller design of the Super Vision 8000, Mattel approached Bandai to be the exclusive distributor of the Intellivision in Japan. |
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In 1988, NEC took gaming to the next level. They were the first to use the immense storage capability of
Compact Disc. NEC's CD-ROM add-on device was called TurboGrafx CD or TG-CD (PC Engine CD-ROM2 in
Japan). The add-on would be immensely popular in its native country of Japan, releasing over 400 games. The console did not fare as well in the
North American market. |
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Fun Fact: NEC was the first to use the immense storage capability of Compact Disk. NEC's CD-ROM add-on device was called TurboGrafx CD or TG-CD (PC Engine CD in Japan). |
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In 1989, NEC decided to yet again redesign the highly successful PC Engine console, and upgrade it with
more RAM. This new design, called SuperGrafx, was sold in Japan only and was created to compete against the threat of the Nintendo
Super Famicom system. NEC stopped distributing SuperGrafx when they saw their PC Engine was still selling well. Only
5 games were made to take advantage of the upgraded SuperGrafx, and it played all PC Engine games as well as use the CD add-on. |
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Fun Fact: Though only 5 unique games were released for the SuperGrafx, this system is actually compatible with over 700 total titles spanning the entire NEC library. |
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Copyright 2008-2011 The Video Game Console Library. This website and the information contained within it is protected by
copyright. Reproduction of part or all of the |
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Video
gaming, especially arcade titles, became a commercial success. You could see game characters such as Pitfall Harry,
Frogger, and Q-bert become televised cartoons. There were even
Pac-Man and Donkey Kong breakfast cereals. Many home consoles would rise to challenge Atari's dominance and earn their market share.
Atari
would keep the competition in check by buying licensing rights to most arcade titles and movie tie-ins. Mattel's Intellivision brought
the first real commercialized console war, and arcade clones would be used to get past licensing issues. Some clones such as Lady Bug and
Mouse Trap
(both Pac-Man clones) became successful in their own right.
ColecoVision would pack in an amazing port of Nintendo's arcade hit
Donkey Kong. The gaming market continued to grow at a phenomenal rate and everybody wanted a piece of the action!
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