Origin: UK
Type: Kit computer
An early British computer.
NEC PC-6001
Manufacturer: NEC
Year released: 1981
Origin: Japan
Type: Personal computer
Released in North America as the NEC TREK.
NEC PC-8001
Manufacturer: NEC
Year released: 1979
Origin: Japan
Type: Personal computer
One of the earliest home computers made in Japan.
NEC PC-8801
Manufacturer: NEC
Year released: 1981
Origin: Japan
Type: Personal computer
Popular Japanese computer throughout the 1980s, also known as the PC88.
NEC PC-9801 / NEC PC-9821
Manufacturer: NEC
Year released: 1982
Origin: Japan
Type: Personal computer
Japanese rival to the PC that was popular well into the late 1990s before losing out to the PC. The PC-9821Ra43 model, the last in the line, was released in 2000.
NEMO
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Year released: Never released
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Used VHS video cassettes rather than cartridges for its games. NEMO (Never Ever Mention Outside) was the console’s working name. Hasbro abandoned the January 1989 launch of the console as the Control-Vision in late 1988.
Neo Geo
Manufacturer: SNK
Year released: 1990
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Very expensive home version of SNK’s coin-op video game technology. Game cartridges cost upwards of $200 at the time. The rarest now sell to collectors for more than $1,000. In 1994 SNK released a CD-ROM version of the console.
NES
Manufacturer: Nintendo, Sharp
Year released: 1983
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Called the Famicom in Japan. The Famicom Disk System, released in Japan in 1986, allowed owners to play and save games on floppy disks. Sharp released the Twin Famicom, a combined Famicom and Famicom Disk System, in the same year.
Nintendo 64
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Year released: 1996
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Introduced analogue joysticks and vibration features to console joypad controllers.
Nintendo DS
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Year released: 2004
Origin: Japan
Type: Handheld console
Dual-screen reinvention of the handheld console with an in-built microphone, wireless multiplayer gaming and a stylus for interacting with its touch screen.
Nokia 6610
Manufacturer: Nokia
Year released: 2002
Origin: Finland
Type: Mobile phone
One of the first mobile phones that could connect to the internet. Nokia went on to launch the N-Gage mobile phone game console in 2003. In 2005 Nokia turned the N-Gage brand into a game download service for its smartphones.
O
Oil Panic
See Game & Watch
Oric-1
Manufacturer: Tangerine Computer Systems
Year release: 1983
Origin: UK
Type: Personal computer
Successful in France but not in the UK. Quickly succeeded by the Oric Atmos in 1984.
P
Panasonic FZ-1
See 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
PC
Manufacturer: Various
Year released: 1981
Origin: USA
Type: Personal computer
Created by IBM using off-the-shelf technology, which allowed other companies to produce copies without the fear of legal action. By the end of the 1980s IBM PC compatibles made by rival firms were outselling IBM’s own PCs. Microsoft’s MS-DOS and Windows operating systems became the common software standard for PCs and, after initial success in the business market, the PC spread into homes as people adopted multimedia and, later, internet technology.
PC Engine
Manufacturer: NEC
Year released: 1987
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Created in collaboration with Japanese games publisher Hudson Soft. Called the TurboGrafx-16 in North America. The TurboGrafx-CD briefly became the most widespread CD drive format in Japan.
PCjr
Manufacturer: IBM
Year released: 1984
Origin: USA
Type: Personal computer
A slimmed-down version of the IBM PC targeted at the educational and home computer markets.
PDP-1
Manufacturer: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year released: 1960
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
The first of DEC’s long-running PDP series of minicomputers. The birthplace of Spacewar!.
PDP-6
Manufacturer: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year released: 1963
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
Just 26 were sold worldwide.
PDP-7
Manufacturer: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year released: 1965
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
The first version of the Unix operating system was made on this computer.
PDP-8
Manufacturer: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year released: 1965
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
With its $18,000 price tag it was the cheapest of the PDP minicomputers.
PDP-10
Manufacturer: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year released: 1967
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
Its success with universities in the 1970s made it a hotbed of early computer games.
PDP-11
Manufacturer: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year released: 1970
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
New models were still being made as late as 1990.
Ping-O-Tronic
Manufacturer: Zanussi
Year released: 1974
Origin: Italy
Type: Home console
Based on similar technology to the Magnavox Odyssey.
PLATO
Manufacturer: n/a
Year released: 1960
Origin: USA
Type: Computer network
A computer network designed to serve terminals in schools and created by the University of Illinois. PLATO stands for Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations. Most of the groundbreaking games designed for it ran on PLATO IV terminals, which were introduced in 1972.
PlayStation
Manufacturer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year released: 1994
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Born out of Sony and Nintendo’s falling out over the creation of a CD version of the Super NES. In 1997 Sony launched Net Yaroze, a development kit aimed at hobby programmers who wanted to write PlayStation games.
PlayStation 2
Manufacturer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year released: 2000
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Its built-in DVD player helped encouraged the shift from VHS cassettes to DVDs. Also plays PlayStation games.
PlayStation 3
Manufacturer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year released: 2006
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Includes an in-built Blu-Ray player. Early models could play PlayStation 2 and PlayStation games. Later ones only played PlayStation games.
PSP
Manufacturer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year released: 2004
Origin: Japan
Type: Handheld console
Short for the PlayStation Portable. Used Sony’s Universal Media Disc (UMD) storage format.
R
RCA Studio II
Manufacturer: RCA
Year released: 1977
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Black and white competitor to the Fairchild Channel F.
S
Saturn
Manufacturer: Sega
Year released: 1994
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Sega’s most successful console in Japan.
Sears Tele-Games Pong
Manufacturer: Atari
Year released: 1975
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Atari’s first home version of Pong. Atari released their own version, Atari Pong, in early 1976.
Sega CD
See Megadrive
Sharp MZ-80K
Manufacturer: Sharp
Year released: 1978
Origin: Japan
Type: Personal computer
Early home computer with monochrome visuals.
Simon
Manufacturer: Milton Bradley
Year released: 1978
Origin: USA
Type: Handheld game
With its flying saucer design and its Close Encounters of the Third Kind musical motif, Simon became a pop culture icon. Given the status it went on to achieve, it was appropriately launched at New York City’s legendary Studio 54 nightclub.
Sinclair QL
Manufacturer: Sinclair Research
Year released: 1984
Origin: UK
Type: Personal computer
Sinclair Research’s successor to the ZX Spectrum, marketed as a computer for small businesses rather than home users. Discontinued in 1986 after Amstrad took over Sinclair Research.
Slipstream
See Konix Multisystem
Speak & Math
Manufacturer: Texas Instruments
Year released: 1980
Origin: USA
Type: Educational toy
Used in the Pet Shop Boys’ song Two Divided by Zero.
Speak & Read
Manufacturer: Texas Instruments
Year released: 1980
Origin: USA
Type: Educational toy
One of Texas Instruments’ three speech synthesis-enhanced portable educational aids.
Speak & Spell
Manufacturer: Texas Instruments
Year released: 1978
Origin: USA
Type: Educational toy
Its speech synthesis was the height of technology at the time and its educational benefits helped it sell by the truckload.
Super Cassette Vision
Manufacturer: Epoch
Year released: 1984
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Epoch’s last home console. Released in response to the Famicom.
Super NES
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Year released: 1990
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
In 1995, Nintendo launched a Japan-only satellite modem add-on for the Super NES called Satellaview. Users could download games and online magazines through the service at a set hour of the day when the satellite service, run by St.GIGA, broadcast the data.
SuperVision 8000
Manufacturer: Bandai
Year released: 1979
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
The first Japanese-designed home console to use game cartridges.
T
Tamagotchi
Manufacturer: Bandai
Year released: 1996
Origin: Japan
Type: Handheld game
Portable virtual pet. More than 40 versions have been released and tens of millions sold across the world.
Telstar
Manufacturer: Coleco
Year released: 1976
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
The first console to use General Instruments’ AY-3-8500 chip.
Thomson MO5
Manufacturer: Thomson
Year released: 1984
Origin: France
Type: Personal computer
Designed to compete with the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore 64. Widely used in French schools.
Thomson TO7
Manufacturer: Thomson
Year released: 1982
Origin: France
Type: Personal computer
Came with a built-in light pen.
TI-99/4
Manufacturer: Texas Instruments
Year released: 1979
Origin: USA
Type: Personal computer
Sold with a 13-inch colour Zenith monitor as TI lacked an approved modulator for connecting to televisions.
TI-99/4A
Manufacturer: Texas Instruments
Year released: 1981
Origin: USA
Type: Personal computer
TI’s mass market computer that helped spark the home computer price war of the early 1980s, which in turn helped cause the video game console crash.
TK-80
Manufacturer: NEC
Year released: 1976
Origin: Japan
Type: Kit computer
NEC’s first venture into home computing.
TR-DOS
See ZX Spectrum
TRS-80
Manufacturer: Tandy / Radio Shack
Year released: 1977
Origin: USA
Type: Personal computer
One of the first mass-produced home computers.
TX-0
Manufacturer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Year released: 1955
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
Experimental computer built at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory.
TurboGrafx-16
See PC Engine
TurboGrafx-CD
See PC Engine
U
UFO A500 II
Manufacturer: Selection
Year released: Unknown (late 1980s or early 1990s)
Origin: China
Type: Home console
Clone of Nintendo’s Famicom. This and other clones were widespread in mainland Asia and Russia at the time as official home consoles were either unavailable or too expensive for most people to buy.
Unix
Manufacturer: n/a
Year released: 1969
Origin: USA
Type: Operating system
A widely used operating system. Forms the basis of the Macintosh’s MacOS and Linux.
V
VAX-11/780
Manufacturer: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year released: 1977
Origin: USA
Type: Minicomputer
Could emulate the PDP-11.
Vectrex
Manufacturers: General Consumer Electric, Milton Bradley and Bandai
Year released: 1982
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Vector graphics console. Created by Smith Engineering but manufactured by General Consumer Electric and later Milton Bradley. Bandai released it in Japan.
VIC-20
Manufacturer: Commodore International
Year released: 1980
Origin: USA
Type: Personal computer
Commodore’s first attempt to create a mass-market home computer.
Video Pinball
Manufacturer: Atari
Year released: 1977
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Included a version of Atari’s coin-op hit Breakout.
Videoma
ster Home T.V.
Manufacturer: The Sales Team
Year released: 1974
Origin: UK
Type: Home console
Another of the European-made analogue circuit Pong consoles that were based on the Magnavox Odyssey and predated Atari’s home Pong game.
Videopac G7000
Magnavox Odyssey 2
Video Sport MK2
Manufacturer: Henry’s
Year released: 1974
Origin: UK
Type: Home console
Henry’s were a British hi-fi and TV retailer. The console used circuits similar to those in the Magnavox Odyssey. Wood casing look.
W
Wii
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Year released: 2006
Origin: Japan
Type: Home console
Its motion-based Wiimote controllers gave it broad appeal. Also runs Gamecube games. By the start of 2010 more than 60 million had been sold worldwide.
X
Xbox
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Year released: 2001
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
The first American-made games console to sell in large quantities since the Atari VCS 2600 and the first console to include a hard drive.
Xbox 360
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Year released: 2005
Origin: USA
Type: Home console
Microsoft’s second games console. Placed a strong emphasis on its online multiplayer games service Xbox Live.
Z
ZX80
Manufacturer: Science of Cambridge
Year released: 1980
Origin: UK
Type: Personal computer
Clive Sinclair’s super-cheap home computer. Inspired Commodore’s VIC-20.
ZX81
Manufacturer: Sinclair Research
Year released: 1981
Origin: UK
Type: Personal computer
Released in North America as the Timex Sinclair 1000.
ZX Spectrum
Manufacturer: Sinclair Research
Year released: 1982
Origin: UK
Type: Personal computer
The UK’s leading home computer during the mid-1980s. Also became a popular computer format in Eastern Europe and Russia during the 1990s thanks to low-cost versions of the computer that ran TR-DOS, an operating system for the Spectrum first developed by the British company Technology Research in 1985.
References
1. Hey! Let’s Play Games!
Allan, Roy A. (2001) History of the Personal Computer: The People and the Technology. London, Ontario, Canada: Allan Publishing
A history of early computers
Baer, Ralph H. (2005) Videogames: In the Beginning. Springfield, New Jersey: Rolenta Press
Ralph Baer’s meticulously detailed account of the creation of the Brown Box
Bennett, J.M. (1994) ‘Autobiographical snippets’. In: Bennett, J.M. et al (1994) Computing in Australia – The Development of a Profession. Sydney, Australia: Hale and Iremonger. p55 – as cited at www.goodeveca.net/nimrod/bennett.html [Last accessed: 2 March 2010]
Replay: The History of Video Games Page 59