2. Brown Box.
The Brown Box was the first video gaming platform
invented. It is a bulky, heavy rectangular wooden
1967
brown box with two controllers attached either side.
It was invented by by Ralph H. Baer, he created the . the 60’S.
console so it could be connected to any TV set. It
was programmed with six simple games such as;
Tennis, Ping-Pong, Handball, Volley Ball, Chase
games and a Light Gun game.
3. 1972.
The 70’s.
Magnavox Odyssey is classed as the worlds ‘first video gaming
platform’ also created by Ralph H. Baer team. Released in August
of 1972. Odyssey was poorly marketed and consumers were lead
to believe that Odyssey would only work on a Magnavox TV set.
Baer created the first ever putting game on Odyssey using the
joystick as a putter. Odyssey was the first platform that required
the user to insert cartridges enabling them to play different
games. Research suggests that the console selling cost was
between £70 to £100.
4. The 80’s.
1985.
The Nintendo System, shortened to NES was
released in 1985 by Nintendo. It very popular in
most of Asia including Japan where it was initially
released, China and Vietnam Singapore the Middle
East and Hong Kong. NES was an 8-bit platform and
the best selling platform of its time. NES also had
two controller ports allowing two players. It had a
retail price of £180. Masayuki Uemura designed the
system, users would purchase cartridges with games
such as; Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Yard
Fight, Pinball, Tennis and many others.
5. SegA MASTER
SYSTEM. 1990.
The SEGA Master System known as SMS
was released in 1990. SEGA were trying to
compete with Nintendo’s Entertainment
System, the Master System was superior to
NES. SEGA released SMS to a wider range
of countries and continents allowing SMS
to outsell NES. SEGA also made SMS with
cartridge games, it also had attachments
such a Light Gun, 3D glasses and a control
stick. Which was not attached to the
controller provided with the game.
7. PlaySTATION 2.
2000.
Sony released the Play Station 2 on the 4th of March
2000. Play Station 2 is the best selling console of all
time having reaching 150 million plus users. Sony
claims that there over 10,828 games produced for
Play Station. Sony was facing new rivals such as
Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo’s GameCube. The
software for PS2 is stored on disks, as well as playing
games Play Station 2 also allows the user to insert DVD
disks and watch them via the console. PS2 also allows
2 controllers and includes add-ons such as, Singstar
microphones. An EyeToy (a motion detecting camera).
Play Station 2 was revolutionising gaming as we know
it, Play Stations initial launch price for PS2 was
between £200-£299.
8. XBOX.
2001.
Microsoft produced Xbox in 2001, a year later in 2002 Xbox
produced an online service called Xbox live, this allowed the users
of the Xbox to play their friends and people all around the globe
this made Xbox extremely popular. Xbox live had been described to
be a better online service than Play Station 2’s online service. Even
though Play Station’s was free and Xbox required a subscription.
The Xbox was the first video game platform to feature a built-in
hard disk drive, used for storing saved games and content
downloaded from Xbox Live. This disregarded the need for memory
cards. Xbox also allowed its user to download music from their Cd
disks and apply and listen to the music in the game they are
playing. Microsoft sold Xbox for £299. Furthermore, Xbox was
discontinued in late 2006.
9. The 2000’s .
2001.
The GameBoy Advance was Nintendo’s second handheld
gaming platform after the Nintendo GameBoy Colour.
Nintendo GameBoy Advance known as GBA is a small
handheld and operated platform allowing the user to play
games whenever and wherever they wanted. The GBA would
last approximately 15 hours battery life. The GameBoy
Advance is also compatible with GameCube. Allowing the user
to take their gaming experience to a new level. Gameboy
Advance also came in a wide range of colours.
10. Nintendo GameCube.
The 2000’s .
2001.
Nintendo GameCube was released in 2001, Nintendo
was the first platform to use mini disks instead of full
sized DVD disks. Nintendo was the first console to allow
four players to play the same game as it was built with
four controller ports. Nintendo like the Nintendo 64
released multiple colours of the GameCube. Colours
included, Indigo, Black, Orange and Silver which was
brought out as ‘limited edition’. Other colours were also
released in Japan but thanks to internet sites such as
EBay, users were able to purchase their desired colour
online. Nintendo intended to sell the GameCube for a
retail cost of £169.99, however a day before GameCube
was released Microsoft reduced the price of it’s Xbox to
£200. Which forced Nintendo to reduce the price of it’s
GameCube before it was even released to
£129.99, making it the cheapest platform of its era.
11. The 2000’s .
2003.
Nintendo released the GameBoy SP in February
2003. The launch price was £99.99. The Gameboy SP
has a less pixelated clearer LCD screen compared to
the GameBoy Advance. It is also lighter and half the
size of GBA making it not nearly as bulky.
The SP also had a wider range of colours such as;
Onyx, Flame, Platinum, Cobalt Blue, Pearl Pink, Pearl
Blue, Graphite, Midnight Blue, Charizard Fire
Red, Torchic Orange, Venusaur Leaf Green, Classic
Design and Pikachu Yellow. There was also a limited
edition Gold SP released as well.
12. The 2000’s .
2004.
XvaviX Port was created by a company called SSD
Company Limited. The platform uses cartridges
and special wireless controllers. The console uses
infrared sensors that can detect the players
movement. The games ‘controllers’ are used in
the form of sports equipment such as Golf
Clubs, Tennis Rackets, Baseball
Bats, Bowling, Weights and board to stand on to
practise exercises such as Yoga.
13. PlayStation
PORTABLE.
The 2000’s.
2004.
Play Station released Play Station Portable in 2004.
The PSP allows the user to watch DVDS and listen
to Cd’s as it has a disk drive. It has a large viewing
screen and like other Play Stations has the ability to
connect to the internet. The PSP is available from
£129.99. The Play Station Portable sold out in the
UK in the first three hours of its release.
14. The 2000’s.
2004.
In 2004 Nintendo releases the Nintendo Ds in an attempt to
integrate wider range of functions into its handheld gaming
consoles. The Ds has two screens, one is touch sensitive and has
similar features to a PDA or Tablet. Also, like the GameBoy
advance it features a backwards compatibility for older GameBoy
games. The DS allows users to connect to one another via WIFI, it
also comes with a chat room which allows users in the area to
talk to one another via Piczo Chat, it was sold for £99.99.
15. The 2000’s.
2005.
Microsoft returns and releases the Xbox 360 in 2005. The 360 is
a more developed version of the original platform. Records
show that over 70million Xbox 360’s have been sold worldwide.
The console sold out completely upon release in all regions
expect in Japan. Xbox still continued with its Xbox Live service
that allows players to compete online, it also added services
such as; allowing its users to download arcade games, game
demos, trailers, music, TV shows, and also has Windows
multimedia capabilities. Xbox live was adjusted slightly allowing
third party media streaming applications like Netflix, and Sky
Go. Xbox sold at £299 or £399 for the premium addition.
16. PlayStation 3.
The 2000’s.
2006.
PlayStation 3 is the third home console produced
by Sony Computer Entertainment. PS3 is the
successor to PS2, PS3 is popular due to its
multimedia capabilities and connectivity with the
PlayStation Portable. It also has a built in Blu-ray
player, 81,639 PS3 systems were sold within 24
hours of its introduction in Japan. PlayStation 3
gives a clear un-pixelated picture it also still uses
it’s original features such as a DVD and Cd input.
PS3 competed with other consoles such as Xbox
and Nintendo Wii.
17. The 2000’s.
2006.
The Nintendo Wii was released in 2006, Nintendo called the platform Wii as in ‘we’
meaning we play or we are connected. The Nintendo Wii is similar to that of the
XvaviX port. Featuring the idea of multiplayers and wireless controllers allowing the
user to move freely when playing games such as;
Bowling, Tennis, Baseball, Bowling. Other Add-ons include the Wii Fit providing a
board for the user to stand on whilst the platform measure the users weight and
body mass. Wii was designed to ‘get people off the sofa’ and a fun way to keep fit.
There has been many cases of people loosing weight due to playing simple Wii
games. The Wii also allows the user to play other classic games such as Mario Bros.
And it’s disk drive will also accept disks sold for Nintendo GameCube back in 2001.
the Nintendo Wii sold more copies than Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s
PlayStation 3. It sold at a price of £179, Nintendo sold 1.8 million Wii consoles each
month prior to it’s release through 2006 through to 2007.
18. The 2000’s.
2006.
The Mattel HyperScan uses Radio Frequency
Identification along with traditional video
game technology. It was marketed toward
boys between the ages of five and nine, who
are not ready for high end video games. Or
the mature themes that some of them
posses and their expenses. The platform
comes with two controller ports and the
consoles launch price was £69.99.
19. Nintendo
3DS. 2011.
Nintendo 3Ds was released in 2011, Nintendo have
stuck with the same style as the Ds. But they have
made the screens 3D without the use of glasses or
additional accessories. The 3Ds also comes with a
built in camera. It also runs off the original Nintendo
Dsi software. The 3Ds was the most successful of the
series of Ds’. The 3DS was in competition with
PlayStations Sony Vita. The original launch price was
£169.99.
20. The 2000’s.
2012.
Sony recently brought out the PlayStation
Vita in early 2012. The PlayStation Vita has a
multi-touch capacitive touchscreen it also
supports Bluetooth, WIFI and 3G. It also
includes two analogue sticks. It allows solo
and online gaming, access to Twitter and
Facebook. It also has front and rear facing
cameras. Sold from £229.99.
