Topic summary
Game cartridge
Extracted from the Wikipedia article ROM cartridge.
History
A precursor to modern game cartridges of second generation video consoles was introduced with the first generation video game consoleMagnavox Odyssey in 1972, using jumper cards to turn on and off certain electronics inside the console. A modern take on game cartridges was invented by Wallace Kirschner, Lawrence Haskel of Alpex Computer Corporation as well as Jerry Lawson at Fairchild Semiconductor, for use with the Fairchild Channel F home console in 1976. This cartridge approach became popular with the release of the Atari 2600 the following year. From the late 1970s to mid-1990s, the majority of home video game systems were cartridge-based.