Whether it was something like hunting birds, or even board games at home, I’m sure anyone – the teenagers or elders – have come across some form of games in their lives. Nowadays, with all the technology developing at such a fast pace, we are now at the age of ‘consoles’ which refers to a mechanical device that’s designed to play games. Just like how James, the angry video game nerd always insists, game consoles have become a major part of our entertainment.


Strikingly similar to the last episode of the Star Wars Saga, the shift of power in the world of game consoles had been extreme over the past 10 years. If you were a person who is in college right now, I bet you are just startled to see these new Playstations and Xbox in kids’ hands nowadays, because you grew up with something like Atari.

Atari wasn’t bad at all, but it is just time that made it ‘old’. Consoles came out, and faded away behind time, and here is the grand history of the consoles.

<The ‘Golden Age’ of Video Games>

Atari 2600.

Introduced in the late 1970’s, Atari was an absolute ‘revolution’. This hardware was one of the first of the 8bit video game consoles. Many gaming industries devoted their money to make their games popular for this hardware, just because Atari 2600’s popularity was just rocketing through the sky.

Another reason why Atari is called the ‘legend’ is because of the harsh competition on software market. The harsh competition implanted enthusiasm to the game developers, thus giving birth to one of the finest creations. A couple of examples of the finest classics are ‘pac-man’, and ‘the space invaders’. I bet you know what I’m talking about.

You might be unaware of this hardware because of all those shiny consoles like Xbox and Playstation that are out nowadays.But you have to bear in mind that if these two generations of consoles’ popularity was compared, Atari will easily overwhelm the new generation consoles. This explains that even the most stubborn, hardworking adults will have the memory of the time when they were boys in front of the Atari. Technology can never beat memories.

Gameboy

The first impression I get from seeing this console is ‘good memories’. I’m only 15 right now, but I have a memory of this game console from Nintendo, and I have to admit that it was great. When it was released first, Gameboy was easily compared to other Atari and Sega consoles, and sadly, it was true that this particular console lacked in graphics, speed, and controls. But guess what? It was portable. It was cheap. Its software’s variety didn’t seem to end. It’s commercials grabbed children’s attention and never let go.

The first magic of Nintendo was casted here, and Gameboy is now known as one of the “most-sold” console of all time.

<32 bit console takes over>

The “Almighty” Playstation
When Sony declared its entrance to the grand competition of the growing game console market, no one seemed to believe in Sony’s intentions. Nintendo and Sega was dominating in such a dramatic way, it seemed as if Sony was trying to break a gigantic rock with an egg.

Well, Sony turned out to be the guru in time. Utilizing their full 3D technology, the graphics were enough to get the avid gamers’ attentions.

Also, the other teeming investors hopped into business with the Playstation, and Playstation managed to have the most software (or games) a console have ever had. Such variety had to be appealing to anyone who was looking for a nice game console.

Yet again, peoples’ suspicion didn’t fade, and even developed into something nasty. Simply, the attention died after such a dramatic shake of the new upcoming generation. People thought that this particular console is and will be a classic. No one expected anything from Sony anymore, without knowing (of course) that this console was only a pathway to the real bomb: the Playstation 2

The Sega Saturn

Sega’s Saturn was out before the Playstation did, so one of its motifs were ‘targeting the 3D gamers’. It had numerous games such as ‘the legend of the dragon’. However, since Playstation came out without any warning, Sega’s Saturn had received a smack in the head.

Saturn was in shock , but the creators of Sega had saved their beloved console with their brains. They quickly abandoned 3D systems, and immediately headed to the developments of the 2D processors. Because of this immediate reaction, there was no console whatsoever to compete Saturn in 2D games.

Also, the idea of “home-arcade system” was a great shift as well. People who wanted to play their favorite classics from arcades had their dream come true by this console. Because of this, despite the relatively high price of Saturn, many gamers sacrificed their money for this goody.

<64 bits. The whacky period of gaming history>

Nintendo 64
In 1994, Playstation was ruling the entire group of gamers. The 3D appeal was simply too good, and created level of fans in the population of the world. Nintendo’s “super Nintendo” and “gameboy” fell behind literally like a wet paper-boat in the sewers.

2 years later, when gamers were no longer interested in new consoles, Nintendo threw out their newest game console to compete Sony called the Nintendo 64.

It was quite an unusual creation, because none of the consoles at that time, even nowadays, don’t have a console adapted to 64 bit graphics environment. It was just “off” for the use of games.

64 bit could generate 3D graphics smoothly, but it couldn’t blend the special effects into the 3D graphics generation. Because of such handicaps, Nintendo full utilized the use of their mascot, Mario, which was a complete, flat, 2D character from birth. Super Mario 64 was a grand hit, and caught massive crowd’s attention by saying that Mario has “sprang to life”, indicating that it had 3D characteristics.

Sadly, off things couldn’t become normal. PS’s 3D engine still had more potential, and managed to keep the growth of Nintendo 64 down. Nintendo was always the “number 2” in the gaming world.

<The Halt>
All of a sudden, the console wars came to a halt, not really developing at all from the point of Nintendo 64’s failure. Sega had tried to create a 128 bit console, which later one turned out to be a complete pile of junk.

While the game industries were thinking their brains off, the people were waiting their behinds off, searching for something new.

Such thirst had burst and brought a whole new generation of game consoles (and of course, and the war of consoles continued) later on, creating marvelous gadgets just like PS2, and the Xbox.

Compared to the multi-billion polygon generating consoles like Xbox, the “bit” consoles look like mere lump of plastics.

But don’t you think that the old ones are more friendly to you than the ones you have now?

I won’t emphasize, or deceive anyone with my opinions on this topic. Just bear in mind that those old history existed in the gaming world, and that the history made it possible for us to look forward, and see how the gaming industries revolutionize themselves.

Photo Credits to Ian D, acbo, afrokid, farnea, sameli, Almighty_fotografie, muttoo, stefan, Trojan-Dan, corbomight, and Rakka, all from Flickr.