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The first game is created
The first video game was created in 1958. It was basically a tennis simulation game similar to Pong. This wasn't released to the public -
Spacewar! is created
One of the first computer games, Spacewar, is completed and released to the public. Based on the ongoing space race, players took control of ships and were told to destroy the other ship. -
Pong is created and released for the Atari home video arcade system
Atari was the first home video game console and Pong was released along with it. Pong was a two-player tennis like game where each player takes control of one paddle and tries to hit the ball into the other player's goal. -
Space Invaders is released
Space Invaders is created in Japan and released for the Atari. This marked the beginning of Japan's gaming industry boom. The player took control of a ship and destroyed endless waves of aliens trying to invade Earth. -
Pac-Man is created
The home video game and arcade game Pac-Man is created in Japan. Pac-Man was created by Toro Iwatani for all demographics, boys, girls, parents, couples, etc. Pac-Man was the first video-game protagonist. -
Donkey Kong is created
Donkey Kong was the first game where you were able to win. The game was created by Nintendo, specifically, Shigeru Miyamoto. He created the character "Jumpman" to fight the character "Donkey Kong" and save the princess at the top. -
The Video Game Crash of 1983
The lack of quality games for Atari consoles caused the industry to crash. Atari was not selling products well and had to pull back production. The Atari video game, E.T., is blamed for the crash for being so bad. -
Nintendo creates the Famicom (NES)
Nintendo created the home video game console, the Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System. The system came with Super Mario Brothers, a sequel of sorts to Donkey Kong. Jumpman's brother, Mario was set to save the princess. -
Tetris is created
While the video game industry had crashed, Russian game developer, Alexey Pajitnov, created the game Tetris. Tetris is widely credited to bringing back the video game industry from the crash. Tetris is a puzzle game where blocks must be put together and destroyed before reaching the top of the screen. -
The Legend of Zelda is born
The first role playing, story focused video game, The Legend of Zelda, was created and released for the NES. The game was praised for being a change from previous video games, with completely new characters, new stories, and new objectives. -
Sonic The Hedgehog is created for the Sega Genesis
As the gamers of the 80s grew up, Sega created "Sonic The Hedgehog" to appeal to older audiences. Sonic was created an anti-hero, an antithesis to the popular Mario character. This event sparked the rivalry between Sega and Nintendo -
The PlayStation 1 is created
Sony created the gaming system, the PlayStation 1. The console used discs instead of cartridges, meaning the games had more memory and could be more complex. Games like Crash Bandicoot, Grand Theft Auto III, and Tomb Raider showed off exactly what this system could do. -
The Xbox is created
Microsoft threw their hat into the video game ring by creating the "Xbox." This became the main rival to Sony's PlayStation and also used discs for games The revolutionary game "Halo" was released on this console. -
Halo: Combat Evolved is created
Along with the creation of the Xbox, Halo was created on sold on that platform. Halo recreated and redefined the first-person shooter genre of gaming. The sci-fi shooter inspired many developers to invest in FPS games.
