Video Game History Timeline - The Strong National Museum of Play
Overview
- Focus: Explore the history of video games, with many artifacts featured residing in The Strong's collections.
- Decades Covered: 1940s to 2020s.
Key Highlights of the 1980s
1980
- Pac-Man
- Inspired by a missing slice of pizza.
- Created by Namco's Toru Iwatani.
- Released in July 1980.
- Atari 2600 version becomes first arcade hit on a home console.
- Ms. Pac-Man becomes best-selling arcade game of all time, two years later.
1981
- Donkey Kong
- Released by Nintendo.
- Introduced the character Jumpman, later known as Mario.
- Created by Shigeru Miyamoto.
1982
- Tron
- Disney releases the movie, tapping into video game craze.
- An arcade game based on the movie becomes a hit.
1983
- M.U.L.E.
- Created by Dan Bunten.
- Multiplayer game focusing on resource gathering and colony survival on the planet Irata.
1984
- Tetris
- Created by Russian mathematician Alexey Pajitnov.
- Puzzle game known for its addictive simplicity.
- Released internationally five years later with Nintendo's Game Boy.
1985
- Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
- Revives the U.S. video game industry.
- Originally released in Japan as the Famicom.
1986
- Reader Rabbit
- Created by The Learning Company.
- Boosts the educational software market.
- Educational CD-ROMs grow in the 1990s.
1987
- Fantasy Role Playing Games
- Legend of Zelda by Shigeru Miyamoto.
- SSI secures video game license for Dungeons and Dragons.
- Leisure Suit Larry by Sierra introduces an adult RPG.
1988
- John Madden Football
- Introduces realism to gridiron computer games.
- Becomes a perennial bestseller with console sequels.
1989
- Game Boy
- Popularized handheld gaming.
- Not the first with interchangeable cartridges (preceded by Milton Bradley's Microvision).
- Known for gameplay, ease of use, and long battery life.
Museum Information
- Located at One Manhattan Square, Rochester, New York 14607.
- Contact: +1 (585) 263-2700
- Email: [email protected]
Social Media and Contacts
This timeline provides an engaging overview of how video games evolved, highlighting significant titles and innovations throughout the 1980s.