The history of video games : the origin era

Everything has a beginning that includes video games. The dawning of the computer age had brought a new form of entertainment into many family's homes that will create a culture that will live on for decades after. This is the origin era of video games, featuring the Atari 2600, Colecovision and we start with the system that birth the home video game market: The Magnavox Odyssey

In 1966, Ralph Baer would begin work on a prototype that would create a new form of home entertainment.  In 1972, The Magnavox Odyssey would be released to the public, beating Atari’s pong by 3 years.  The system was in black and white, color overlays had to be put over the TV screen to add color to the games. It also had a light gun add on. Due to bad marketing, sales were poor. Baer would go on to create the electronic game Simon for Mattel

The Atari 2600 is one of the greatest video game systems of all time. At some point in one’s gaming life, they must have played at least one 2600 game. Initially called Atari VCS (Video Computer  System) along with a variety of names depending on where it was sold, it would eventually be change to Atari 2600. The Atari 2600 rode high until the crash in 1983, which after had to compete with the NES and suffer from failed attempts to compete with it (2600 jr and the 8bit 7800). In 1992, the Atari 2600 was discontinued.

 In 1982, Coleco, well known for cabbage patch dolls, released Colecovision . It had success from licensing games from Nintendo, which was touted to have near arcade graphics.  Colecovision had 3 expansion modules, one let you played 2600 games, another was a steering wheel, and the last turned into a home PC.  Much like many consoles of this era, it suffered from the 1983 crash and was discontinued in 1985.

There were many great console during this era, Intellivision and Vectrex being two of them. However due to over saturation of the market, and the rise of the home PC (which a few of these companies, Atari being one would go into) the video game market crashed kin 1983, thus ending the origin era, but because of this, the golden age  era of video games would come from  its ashes.  The poll to vote for what systems you want to be featured in this era will be up here and on the Facebook page.

Coming soon: The history of video games

I’ve wanted to do this for a while, a post talking about the consoles that laid the ground work for today’s gaming systems. Instead of using generations, I have broken them down into eras (see timeline above), naming the eras for what that gen or gens contributed, and yes; some consoles do overlap some eras, PS2 and Xbox for example. Here’s the breakdown of the consoles per era:

The origin era (or pre-crash era)

Magnavox Odyssey

Pong (arcade and home system)

Fairchild Channel F

Atari 2600

Bally Astrocade

Intellivision

Bandai Super Vision 8000

Atari 5200

ColecoVision

Vectrex

The golden age era (or the rebirth era)

Nintendo Entertainment system

Atari 7800

Sega master system

Sega Genesis

Sega cd

CD-i

SNES

Neo Geo

TurboGrafx-16

THE 3D era (or Disc media era)

PlayStation

Sega Saturn

Atari jaguar

3DO

Nintendo 64

PlayStation 2

Dreamcast

Nintendo GameCube

Xbox

The modern era (or the online era)

PS3

Xbox 360

Wii

I will be doing each era in its own blog post. Now I’m not going to be talking about every console show in the list, that’s where you come in. I’m going to be putting up a pole both on here and on the Facebook page beginning with the origin era, and the top 3 or 4 consoles will be featured. Why am I doing this? This will lead to a "what is the best video game console of history" post in the future.If there is a console I left out that deserves to be listed, just let me know on twitter, the FB page, the G+ page, or by commenting below.

Sonic CD (PS3) review

A Sonic the Hedgehog fan favorite has come to PSN (and XBLA), the 1993 classic has been called one of the best sonic games made and of of the hardest. Does this version with some add-on still hold up?

Sonic CD begins with a animated sequence from the old DIC cartoon, having an animated sequence was big for a game  back in '93. You don't how the story really starts out, you're out to stop Dr.Robotnik in one of his plans to turn the world into robots. For some reason, he's put up time gates for to to go forward and back in time, oh and a metal sonic steals amy, sonic's lady friend. Over all this is just a regular classic sonic games, run, doge or kill enemies, get at least 50 rings, and get the gem in the special stage. I didn't really find this hard at all till the end, though I did not try to get the gems or find the metal sonic statues. Time attack is great if like to go as fast as you can in a level. A bonus in this version is if you beat the game, you can replay it as tails, which is great but I wish they included knuckles as well. Also include is the English and Japaneses soundtracks, which is far superior ton the English one, only could stand it for 5 minutes. I wish it would let you make multiple save files for the same game you're playing, miss getting a gem, you have to restart the whole game. For $4.99 Sonic CD is a great download, special if like me, you never had a Sega CD. Sonic CD is a great classic that any hardcore sonic fan must play. 

The 5 games I would like to see be released for download

With so many classic games being released through online stores like Xbox live games market place, Playstaion store, steam, even good old games, an web site that sells old PC games, there are some that I would love to see be released for download. Recently one game that wanted to play for the longest time, Sonic CD, was released over Xbox live and PSN, hence the reason why I began to think of what other games I would love to be released.. I came up with these 5 games. (note: these games have may already been released for download, I may just not have notice yet)

Panzer Dragon (any of the games from the series)

I have always wanted to play a Panzer Dragon games, but I did not own a Sega Saturn or in the case of Panzer Dragon Orta, a Xbox. This game would make a great candidate for release for download, a HD remake or even a new title!

Metal Gear/Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

I have played both these games, and did not get very far in them. They are a part of Metal Gear history and have been inserted in to the Metal Gear canter. They even made a appearance in metal gear solid 2. I think metal gear fan would gobble these games up if made available for download.

Nights Into Dreams 

Yet again another Saturn game appears on the list. I have always wanted to play nights into dreams, and I've seem to have missed the Gamecube remake. I'm sure this will game will get many downloads

Mega Man Legends

As like most of the games on this list, I have always wanted to play this. Unlike most of the games on the list, I believe Mega Man Legends has the highest chance of being released for download vis PSN's PSone Classics. It would make up for Capcom's canceling that Mega Man legends game

Night Trap

Honestly.....i just want to play this just to send Dana Plato into a trap....

Classic The Simpsons Arcade Game coming to consoles

It was revealed on Friday that Konami and BackBone entertainment (who has released may classic arcade beat 'em ups) may be sending The Simpsons Arcade game to consoles next month. Along side the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game (which still mat be on XBLA, go get if you do not have it) the Simpsons arcade game are my favorite arcade games of my childhood. I only got to play it once a year at the county fair's arcade.....till they stop having a arcade there. which I stop going to the fair. This arcade game has the honor of being the closest I ever got to beating a game on a arcade machine. I will be getting this game, and I will beat it to fix a childhood disappointment.

The 100th Post: 5 games Every Gamer Should Play

After gathering a list of games for fellow gamers, reducing that list down, and letting you vote on them, The 5 games every gamer should play has been determined. I'm not surprised that some of the games that made it on the list, but one did make a last hour surge. now to game number 5

5. Half-Life (PC)

Ahh Half-Life, still considered the best PC game of all time. I have fond memories of this and it's expansions. This game put Valve on the map, if it was not for Half-Life, there will be no team fortress, counter-strike, portal, or Left 4 Dead. You are Gordon Freeman, a scientist unknowenly about to enter the battle of his life. Beginning with the tram ride (best introduction in video game history), a quick chat with you pal barney, and getting your hav-vac suit on, you start your experiment....where something goes wrong and all hell breaks loose. Now you're fighting head crabs, zombies made by the head crabs, monsters, giant tigerfish, the military,

and the vortigons, who unlike in half-life 2, are your foes and shoot green lightning at you, god i hate those fuckers, I so want to kill them in 2, but NOOOOOOO there good now. The expansions Opposing Force and Blue Shift were also great And both are on steam for 5 bucks each. If you have only played Half-life 2 then you must play Half-Life, it is a requirement.

4, Donkey Kong

For 30 years (see here) this monkey has been raising hell for mario and others. This game put Nintendo on the map. Still played to this day, It is a timeless classic. Climbing ladders, jumping barrels, and saving the girl is what Donkey Kong is all about. Go find a way to play this classic today

3. The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time

Considered the best in the series, this is one of the best games on the N64. I must have played the hell out of this. Loved it so much, from horse riding, to sword fighting, great game all around. You start out as a young link, adventuring you way across the land rescuing the princess. Then you get trapped and get released in the future  ages and for some reason your clothes change as well. Along with a mysterious stranger, you're on your way to beating Gannon once and for all.

2. Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy VII, in my opinion the best Final Fantasy game ever. Great Story, great battle mechanics, and how can forget the chocobo raising and racing. I got this game before I got  a PS1, traded a Sugar Ray CD because he needed to get a gift for his girlfriend and she loved them, I won in the end.  Who can forget this shocker from the game.

1. Super Mario Bros.

The One the only, Super Mario Bros, the game that not only helped launched a system, but a whole new generation of games and gamers. The modern platfromer can trace it's roots to this game. Until All-stars on SNES, I only played this a few times at friends houses. It also inadvertently started cheat codes with the negative zone, a programming error. If you never played Super Mario Bros, then what's the hell is wrong with you, go PLAY NOW!

Thanks to all that votes, and to the readers of the blog, here;s to 100 more!

Honorable mentions:Super Mario 64, DOOM, Pac-Man, Hale-Life 2, Halo

        

Pick the 5 games every gamer should play.

the 100th post is coming soon and I decided to do something special for it. After gathering nominations from various sites, I have compiled a list of games that fellow gamers think everyone should play, and I have narrowed it down to 15. You can vote for more than one so get voting for the five games every gamer should play!