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The Spacewar! game was the first widely available video game. Created by several students in MIT, the game involved 2 spaceship shooting missle at each other. The game is considered the first Shoot 'em up style game.
The Galaxy Game pictured here was the first coin operated game. Although this game was never mass produced, another coin operated game based on the Spacewar! called Computer Spacewas created and mass produced making it the first mass produced video game.
The Fairchild Channel F VES(Video Entertainment System), which sold for $170, was the first ROM cartridge based gaming console to be created. Other consoles before this had games built into the console which limited the amount of games available.
The Atari 2600, which sold for $200, was released during the holiday season offering simpler controls and more games this system quickly became one of the most popular 8-bit consoles.
The Intellivision, which sold for $300, was released and was the first 16-bit consoles which offered better graphics than previous 8-bit consoles.
The Colecovision, which sold for $175, was also a 16-bit console but for a lower price its sales rocketed. The lack of quality games, caused by the lack of seperation between the hardware and software industries eventually led to the crash of the gaming market in 1983.
The 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which a basic package sold for $200, was released and revitalized the gaming market. Eventually becoming the best-selling game console of its time, only to be surpassed in 2007.
The Sega Genesis console, which sold for $250, was a 16-bit system which started the decline of the arcades because similar gameplay and graphics could now be experienced at home.
The Super NES, which sold for $250, was Nintendo's challenger in the 16-bit market. Eventually became a hit worldwide and became the best-selling system of the 16-bit era.
The NeoGeo, which sold for $400, was the most expensive console of its time. It offered exceptional 2D graphics that put it years ahead of other consoles. It did this by using the same hardware that was used in many arcade games of the time.
The Playstation, which sold for $300, was Sony's debut console. It offered 32-bit processing, advanced sound, CD instead of cartridge game and many 3D games. This console is currently the second best-selling consoles of the 16/32 bit era. Also release was the Sega Saturn, which sold for $400, which also offered 32-bit processing. The Saturn was popular until the release of the Playstation, whose lower price and wider selection of games eventually led the Saturn to its retirement.
The Nintendo 64(N64), which sold for $200, was the first 64-bit console. This was the last of the cartridge based consoles. Many titles such as Super Mario 3D, GoldenEye and Zelda are considered some of the most innovative games created.
The Sega Dreamcast, which sold for $200, was hailed as ahead of its time, it offered 32-bit processing, a visual memory unit and it pioneered online console gaming.
The Playstation 2, which sold for $300, was released offering 64-bit processing, advanced sound, backwards compatability with Playstation 1 games and a built in DVD player. It did not offer online gameplay until a few years later. This console is currently the best-selling console of all time with over 140 million units sold worldwide.
The Microsoft XBOX, which sold for $300, was a 32-bit console but offered other, more advanced feature such as online gaming, video processing unit, built in hard drive, and a built in DVD player.
The XBox 360, which the basic model sold for $400, placed an emphasis on online gaming (through XBox Live), provided wireless controllers, and the capacity to play HD DVD as well as DVD movies.
The Playstation and the Nintendo Wii, which sold for $400 and $300 respectively, both consoles are capable of online play. The Playstation has robust multimedia capabilities and includes a Blu-ray DVD player which costs about the same amount as a stand alone device. The Wii is the first console to incorporate a wireless controller that can be used as a pointer device as welll as a motion detection device. Many of the games for the Wii are based on motion detection.