Enabled by Advancement in Microchips
Created by wynnya on Mar 27, 2011
Last updated: 04/04/11 at 03:28 AM
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Game Boy by Nintendo was a hand-held unit with 8-bit graphics and utilized the Zilog Z80 microprocessor.
This system, and the Game Boy Color released in 1998, used the Zilog Z80 CPU.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy
Released in Japan in 1985 and the US in 1986 Sega Master System was released months after NES. It’s success was stunted by the NES US dominance along with its lack of hit games.
This system used the Zilog Z80 CPU, boasted 32 colors and 3-D Glasses to create a natural stereoscopic 3D effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Master_System
Nintendo (NES) game system revolutionized gaming industry.
NES uses an 8-bit processor based off the MOS 6502 chip.
The same chip is used in Apple I (1976) and Apple II (1977) computers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Entertainment_System
Atari’s 5200 system hardware was almost identical to Atari Inc.’s 400/800 computers.
While the system was poor in sales, especially in comparison to Atari’s other systems, it was very close in resemblance to other computer machines of the time – it also included a MOS 6502 8-bit processor.
The Atari 5200 has a general stigma of being one of the worst video game consoles of all time. While Atari 2600 sales were still high the company felt pressure to compete against ColecoVision, evident in many of their commercials.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_5200
Offering arcade quality graphics and style if was the main competitor of the Atari 5200 – and crushed it. Is it often considered one of the best console systems every created, with 145 game titles in 2 years.
Very similar in design to predecessor Intelivision and used the Zilog Z80 8-bit microprocessor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ColecoVision
A hybrid between a computer and a video game system the Vtech CreatiVision was similar in concept to the APF Imagination Machine and Intellivision.
Utilizing Rothwell 6502 8-bit processor (in the family of MOS 6500s!) is boasted 16 colors and 32 game sprites. It had many interfaces as well; floppy drive, cassette drive, keyboard, modem, memory expansion slot, and a printer hookup port.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTech_CreatiVision
Game console with slightly better graphics than the Odyssey.
Uses a CP1600, 16-bit processor, chip.
CP1600 chip is also used in the PDP-11
http://www.time.com/time/interactive/0,31813,2029221,00.html
Originally retailing for $700, the APF machine allowed consumers to program their own games and record their own voice and sound effects for them.
It used Motorola’s 6800 8-bit chip which was made popular by the PDP-11 “mini” computer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APF_Imagination_Machine
Credited with popularizing game cartridges, while not the first to do so. The Atari 2600 used MOS 6532 chip, a chip in the MOS 6500 family.
Hugely popular, and widely known, game were on the Atari 2600, including; Pac-Man (and the Mrs and Jr Flavors), Asteroids, Breakout, and Space Invaders.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Atari-2600-Wood-4Sw-Set.jpg/800px-Atari-2600-Wood-4Sw-Set.jpg
The Fairchild Channel F system was the first programmable ROM cartridge console. It utilized the F8 processor which was very complex compared to other chips of the era – allowing for the production of the FIRST AI opponents.
All systems previous to the F8 chip required all human players.
A key player in the F8 chip's development, Robert Noyce, left shortly after it's development to start his own company: Intel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Channel_F
The Telstar game console series consisted of 14 separate systems which had multiple games on them; Telstar (original) had 3 Pong game variants, Telstar Ranger model had 4 Pong variants and to gun games.
Telstar used the AY-3-8500 chipset developed by General Instrument. Several Pong game copy-cats used this chip, unique features included 4 pins that are never used in any system (the chip was 28-pin) and multiple video inputs.
While most chips had one video input, the 8500 “Pong” chip had four; one for each player, one for the playing field, and one for the ball! So some aspects of the game could be black & white, while others in color – which the Telstar system utilized in many of it consoles.
http://www.pong-story.com/gi8500.htm
This 8-bit microprocessor was widely used in both video game consoles and computer systems. It is onr of the most commonly used CPUs throughout the 70s-80s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog_Z80
The MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) 6500 chip family is used in Atari 2600, NES, and the Commodore 64 among a slew of other console systems.
The 6500 family are 8-bit processors with a 16-bit address bus that, when released, were the cheapest microprocessors on the market - costing 1/6 the price of others during time period.
Credited with aiding in the home computer revolution of the 1980's, this chip made it way into many computers and video game consoles for over 10 years.
It is developed by MOS Technology, Inc – also known as CSG (Commodore Semiconductor Group) and second sourced to other companies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Technology_6502
Atari founds the world-wide phenomeon ‘Pong’ in 1972 but releases a console for the stand-alone game in 1975 through Sears. Nearly every video game system in existence has a Pong clone game.
Several years later, the original ‘Pong’ is released on first mass marketed console – Odyssey in 1978.
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/gamestimeline1.html
First mass marketed video game console in the US.
It uses Intel’s 8048 microchip.
The I-8048 chip is the original IBM keyboard chip.
A sister chip of the I-8048 is used in IBM’s First PC.
http://www.time.com/time/interactive/0,31813,2029221,00.html
“The CP1600 was a 16-bit microprocessor created in a partnership between General Instrument and Honeywell in the 1970s. The CP1600's design was based on the PDP-11, whose design also formed the basis of the Western Digital MCP-1600 and influenced others. Honeywell used the CP1600 in a number of process control computers and related systems, but its most widespread use was the CP1610 version in the Intellivision video game console.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_CP1600
Popular computer “package” (most people bought compatible computer parts and built their machines). This machines uses the CP1600 processor.
PDP Series emerged in the 70s and survived through the 90s.
Beat out by IBM’s PC in 1981 in popularity.
http://books.google.com/books?id=X9eTXqh-p-gC&dq=A+notiona+transformed+by+information+Cortada&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Future founders of Atari, Nolan Bushnell & Ted Dabney, adapt an earlier game, called Spacewars, for a stand-alone game machine – an arcade.
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/gamestimeline1.html
12-bit machine used primarily in research labs and universities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmed_Data_Processor
Sold from 1964-1978 this family of machines was the first line designed for a wide range of applications that was upgradable; allowing customers to purchase a low-end cheap model and update/expand as necessary.
Chess games were common on this system and it was the birth of the world computer chess championships!
This system introduced many standards if the computer industry, including; the 8-bit byte, byte addressable memory, 32-bit words, commercial user of micro coded CPUs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_360#Basic_hardware_components
Created by Steve Russell, Spacewar was the first interactive computer game.
It runs on a Digital PDP-1 computer, it’s graphics made up entirely of ASCII text characters.
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/gamestimeline1.html
Digital’s PDP-1 computer was an early medium-scale machine which allowed for multiuser systems for up to several hundred users.
http://books.google.com/books?id=X9eTXqh-p-gC&dq=A+notiona+transformed+by+information+Cortada&source=gbs_navlinks_s
In 1956 the first chess-like program is developed for the MANIAC I Computer. The MANIAC (Mathematical Analyzer, Numerical Integrator, and Computer or Mathematical Analyzer, Numerator, Integrator, and Computer) is the only computer during its era which could NOT exchange any programs with other computers – it was a one of a kind.
http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?year=1952
ENIAC I (Electrical Numerical Integrator And Calculator) was invented in 1946 by John Mauchly and John Eckert. An American military sponsored project for creating a machine which could calculate appropriate weapon settings for artillery fire. It was also used for simulation scenarios - which is why it can be considered an early video game. While not exactly a recreational activity (as games are in today's world view) it is an early computer/human interactive experience in which the goal is defeating the player's opponent.
Some specs about ENAIC:
Computer contained 17,468 vacuum tubes, 70K transistors, 5M soldered joints, 10K capacitors, 6K manual switches, weighed 30 tons, and covered 1800 square feet!
ENIAC could perform 5,000 additions or 1000 multiplications per second.
ENIAC was, basically, a high powered calculator.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENIAC
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