The exceptions in this
area comes about with portability or originality. Dedicated game devices
like the Game Boy and Nintendo DS cannot be matched by even a portable
computer. And, at time of writing, there are no movement-sensing game
control devices for computers such as are available in the Wii.
How things will go in the future is anyone’s guess.
Video game consoles: First generation
In 1972 Magnavox launched the first Odyssey machine but it was not
very successful, however the rival Atari game machine – on
which you could play the two-player Pong – made an impact.
In 1975 Magnavox released the cut-down Odyssey 100 which did better
with two-player Pong and Hockey then added the Odyssey 200 with
on-screen scoring, four-player options and the game Smash. Atari
launched the home console that played just Pong.
Video game consoles: Second generation
In 1976 Fairchild Systems launched their Video Entertainment System
(VES) which was programmable and meant that changing and upgrading
the game was simply a matter of changing a memory cartridge in the
machine. Which is why game cartridges are called that. Atari soon
followed suit.
In 1980 Atari launched the Space Invaders game onto their home
console market which boosted sales dramatically. Despite many rivals
(often technically superior) Atari continued to dominate the home
console market.
By 1984 after various factors such as too many players in the market,
the huge growth of home computers and the much-hyped (by Atari)
ET: The Extra-Terrestrial game being a complete dud – the home
console market crashed.
Video game consoles: Third generation
Nintendo launched its first machine, the Famicon, in 1983 in Japan.
It had display facilities that allowed the games to be better graphically
and have extended gameplay. They were able to control third-parties
and prevent a glut of poor-quality games from damaging the machine’s
reputation.
It was launched into the US market as the NES in 1985, once again
clever marketing allowed them to get around the general feeling
that consoles had had their day. The game Super Mario Brothers,
about a pair of Italian plumbers, did for them what Space Invaders
had done for Atari five years earlier and made them a household
name.
Video game consoles: Fourth generation
Sega’s Master system was intended as major rivals to the NES
and was successful only outside the USA. They followed this with
the Sega Mega-Drive which was more successful (called the Sega Genesis
in the USA) in 1989, it was released in Europe in 1990. Despite
the long roll-out it was still two years before Nintendo brought
out the SNES (Super NES).
Video game consoles: Fifth generation
While Sega and Nintendo were battling it out other manufacturers
were not idle, seeking to make a jump ahead of the two giants and
so take their market away from them.
The Atari Jaguar and the 3DO were the first of the new wave, unfortunately
both crashed against the Sega and Nintendo juggernauts and disappeared.
The 3DO was just too different, expensive and had insufficient marketing
power, while the Jaguar was apparently very difficult to program
making games manufacturers unwilling to put in the effort. This
failure put the final nail into Atari’s coffin.
Sega and Nintendo added slight enhancements to their standard machines
to improve graphics quality and on-screen colours.
In December 1994 Sony released its PlayStation which was the first
console to sell over 100 million units during its lifetime.
Sega tried to regain its position with the Saturn but it was too
hard to program and was discontinued in 1998 when Sega’s last
console, the Dreamcast was launched.
To combat the rising power of the Sony Playstation Nintendo launched
the Nintendo 64. Many felt it was held back by its continued use
of cartridges instead of using CD-ROMs which held more data.
Video game consoles: Sixth generation
During the 1990s the PC stopped being just a business machine and
had been growing in power and selling into the home market.
The desire of games manufacturers to have less platforms (or at
least similar platforms) to design for meant the movement to PC-like
architectures for consoles. The launch of the DVD meant even more
data could be stored on the disc including major video sequences.
Plus experimentation began with online gaming.
Sega’s Dreamcast was discontinued in 2001 and they never produced
another console, turning to games only. The Sony PlayStation 2 has
been as successful as the original.
Nintendo launched the GameCube and Microsoft produced the XBox
which seriously blurred the line between consoles and home computers.
Video game consoles: Seventh generation
The XBox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the Wii are the main contenders
in this arena. These machines are able to handle the latest DVD
formats (Blu-ray and HD) while the Wii has the unique motion sensors
that allow the games to be controlled by gross physical movement
of the players, making the whole gaming process a more satisfying,
and potentially healthier, experience.
Web-based games
Delivery of web-based games using the Flash software platform across
limited bandwidth has meant that suddenly the power of the computer
or console has effectively been reduced.
This has resulted in a return to simple games and gameplay styles.
Java potentially provides a more effective gameplay system but uses
more resources and requires better programmers.
|
