A journey through gaming
A journey through gaming
The Neo Geo AES (Advance Entertainment System) is a fourth-generation home video game console designed and manufactured by the SNK Corporation. The console was part of SNK’s Neo Geo family of systems which began with the release of the Neo Geo MVS (Multi Video System), a cartridge-based arcade system. The arcade platform was the first system in SNK’s Neo Geo line of systems, predating the Neo Geo AES home video game console.
The 64DD is an add-on peripheral for the Nintendo 64 video game console. The add-on accessory was designed to extend the functionality of the Nintendo 64 and address many problems that third-party developers and publishers were complaining about developing for the Nintendo 64 console.
The Sega CD, also known as the Mega-CD is an add-on hardware device for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive video game console. The add-on accessory was designed to extend the life span of the Genesis console by offering an optical based media that was capable of storing full motion video (FMV).
The ColecoVision is a second-generation home video game console that was designed and manufactured by Coleco. Coleco entered the video game market in 1976 with their Telstar line of dedicated home consoles. When the market for dedicated consoles became oversaturated with Pong clones Coleco shift focus to producing a line of miniature tabletop arcade games with license rights from various video game developers such as Sega, Midway and Nintendo.
The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer is a fifth-generation home video game console designed by “The 3DO Company” and manufactured by various companies such as Panasonic, GoldStar and Sanyo. The system was the first fifth-generation console to launch on the market and quickly became commonly referred to as just the 3DO.
The Virtual Boy is a Fifth-Generation portable video game console designed and manufactured by Nintendo. Released on July 21, 1995 in Japan the system became Nintendo’s first venture into the virtual reality video game market. Though the console did not simulate a true virtual reality environment the system was the first console capable of displaying native stereoscopic “3D” graphics. Even though the system did not provide a true virtual reality experience it did however provide a form of virtual reality by isolating a player in a border free game environment. Nintendo chose to market the unit as the Virtual Boy by combining the terms virtual reality and Game Boy in hopes to capitalize on the excitement of the concept of virtual reality and the massively successful handheld.
In 1969 representatives from Magnavox went to Sanders Associates in Nashua, New Hampshire where Ralph Baer and his team demonstrated Baer’s “Brown Box” prototype. The reactions were overwhelmingly favorable, but Magnavox did not want to take the risk involved in marketing the new concept to the general public and held off on moving forward. Two years later in 1971 Magnavox revisited the idea of television gaming and finally took a license from Sander Associates. Their 1972 Odyssey home video game system, a production engineered version of the “Brown Box” was the result. This was the first home video game console and was the beginning of the home video game market which is now a multibillion-dollar industry.
Game Gear is a Fourth-Generation handheld video game console designed and manufactured by Sega. Released on October 6, 1990 in Japan the system became Sega’s first entry into the handheld video game market. The 8-bit system released in North America and Europe on April 26, 1991 becoming the primary competition for Nintendo’s Game Boy.
The Vectrex is a second-generation home video game console developed by Smith Engineering. In contrast to other home consoles the Vectrex featured an integrated monochrome CRT monitor capable of displaying vector graphics unlike traditional home television sets.
The Sega Master System is a third-generation home video game console designed and manufactured by Sega. The 8-bit system was Sega’s first attempt to release a home video game console to western markets and was launched as a direct competitor to Nintendo’s 8-bit console which recently released in North America.