Knowra History of video games History of video games The history of video games traces their development from early electronic experiments through arcades, home consoles, personal computers, and mobile platforms.
Cathode-ray tube amusement device : An early electronic game device, patented in 1948, that used a cathode-ray tube to simulate firing at targets. Its 1940s target game is among the earliest known electronic game designs.
Arcade video game : A video game designed for public play on a coin-operated cabinet. Arcades made games a shared, pay-per-play form of entertainment.
Video game crash of 1983 : A sharp contraction in the North American video game market during 1983 and 1984. The crash reshaped publishing, retail, and confidence in home consoles.
Nolan Bushnell : An entrepreneur who co-founded Atari and helped establish the commercial arcade video game industry. Atari's early growth under his leadership helped popularize arcade gaming.
Home computer : A personal computer designed for use in the home, often used for work, programming, and games. Home computers offered open-ended software use where consoles emphasized dedicated gaming.
Tennis for Two : A 1958 analog computer game that displayed a tennis match on an oscilloscope. It demonstrated interactive electronic play at a research laboratory before commercial video games.
Video game console : A dedicated electronic device that runs video games on a display. Console generations track major shifts in home gaming hardware and business.
Nintendo Entertainment System : A home console released by Nintendo in North America in 1985 as the NES. Its success helped revive the North American console market after the crash.
Shigeru Miyamoto : A Japanese video game designer known for creating Donkey Kong, Mario, and The Legend of Zelda. His games helped define Nintendo's identity and influential design traditions.
Handheld game console : A portable, self-contained device designed primarily for playing video games. Handheld systems developed a distinct path alongside television-connected consoles.
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