List Of First Generation Home Video Game Consoles on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The
Manufacturers placed emphasis on what the console was and what it could do to differentiate the console. The most common elements were usually:
* TV – Indicating the device utilized television to display its output.
* Color – Indicating the machine was capable of outputting color.
* Game – Indicating a game that could be played.
* Sport(s) – Indicating a sports genre game could be played.
* A number – Usually indicating the quantity of games available on the system.
File:Binatone TV Master Mk IV.jpg, Binatone TV Master Mk IV (1977)
File:Mentor Colour TV Game.jpg, Mentor Colour TV Game (1977)
File:Tokyo Colour TV Game-colour 4.jpg, Tokyo Colour 4
File:Atari Pong MGP9845.jpg, The original version of Home PONG
File:TeleGames-Atari-Pong.jpg, The Sears Tele-Games version
first generation of video game consoles
In the history of video games, the first generation era refers to the video games, video game consoles, and handheld video game consoles available from 1972 to 1983. Notable consoles of the first generation include the Odyssey series (excluding ...
lasted from 1972 to 1983. The first console of this generation was the 1972 Magnavox Odyssey
The Magnavox Odyssey is the first commercial home video game console. The hardware was designed by a small team led by Ralph H. Baer at Sanders Associates, while Magnavox completed development and released it in the United States in September ...
,. The last new console release of the generation was most likely the Compu-Vision 440 by radio manufacturer Bentley in 1983, though other systems were also released in that year.
Repetition and similarities
Naming
Manufacturers placed emphasis on what the console was and what it could do to differentiate the console. The most common elements were usually:
* TV – Indicating the device utilized television to display its output.
* Color – Indicating the machine was capable of outputting color.
* Game – Indicating a game that could be played.
* Sport(s) – Indicating a sports genre game could be played.
* A number – Usually indicating the quantity of games available on the system.
Identical consoles
Many consoles were copies of others, had very similar form factors with different inputs, or were distributed under different names in different regions. An example is the Binatone line that was released simultaneously under the names "Mentor" and "Tokyo". Name changes are most commonly exemplified by the Sears Tele-Games line, which consisted of existing Coleco, APF and Atari Consoles. The only difference was the Sears branding.Market saturation
:List
The following is a list in alphabetical order of the manufacturers, followed by the name of the console, release year, integrated chip if it had one, and whether it came with a light gun or the option to buy one separately. This list is in no way complete, as there are hundreds of consoles, some with color, name, or hardware variations. This list contains 903 consoles. For comparison, there are home platforms starting with the second generation, and handheld consoles, totaling .Released systems
Canceled Systems
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:First generation home video game consoles Lists of video game consoles Home video game consolesHome video game consoles
A home video game console is a video game console that is designed to be connected to a display device, such as a television, and an external power source as to play video games. Home consoles are generally less powerful and customizable than ...