When Was the Atari Invented?

Classic home-gaming systems will always be associated with the moving paddles of the distinctive game "Pong." Today, games have advanced and with each new generation of home video game system, the graphics, game play and interactivity get better. All of these factors can be traced back the original system, known as Atari. The Atari paved the way for the PS3, Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox, and even though the system may be outdated, it will always be a staple of video game history.

Time Frame

The original Atari system was released in October 1977 to the United States and later the next year to Europe. Production began about a year before, and through the work of several programmers the system was able to operate on cartridge video games instead of just built-in games. Nintendo is known to be a video-game leader, but their first system would not be released until 1983, six years after the Atari's initial release. There was no Japanese release of the Atari 2600, but there was an Atari 2800 system that provided a few upgrades on the Atari 2600 system. This was released in October of 1983.

Identification

The original Atari video game system was released as the Atari VCS (Video Computer System), but later was referred to as the Atari 2600. The system featured six buttons in the front, and was bulky compared to systems available today. The system was mostly black, with panels of brown to add design. Two joysticks plugged into the side.

Features

When players purchased the system, it came pre-packaged with either the game Combat or Pac-Man. Combat featured multiple games that players could enjoy, including games where they battled in tanks, in planes and variations on the popular Pong video game. The Pac-Man game was a variation off of the arcade hit, but featured fewer graphics and some glitches that disappointed gamers.

Significance

The invention and release of the Atari 2600 became so popular that it is still one of the best selling video game systems of all time. The home video-game console was new for many people and while younger generations may balk at the graphics and game play featured on the system, it was revolutionary when it was released.

Effects

The release of the Atari 2600 paved the way for a better-performing system known as the Atari 5200. These systems also sparked competitors, and Nintendo and Sega came into the console wars with the Sega Master System and the Nintendo Entertainment System respectively, which also helped put home video gaming on the map.