THE
EVOLUTION OF
GAMING
CONSOLES:
A TIMELINE
BY : GROUP 4 BSBA HRM 2D
M E M B E R S :
ALFONSO, TRICIA
ARLOS, JASPER
CALLANTA, RAIN
GIGANTE, ALIONA
HABULAN, KAICHI
MAGDADARO, ALTHEA
MENDOZA, CLARENCE
PANOPIO, SHIELLA
PONTANOS, JAMES
Ralph Baer, the "father of video
"We knew we had
games," revolutionized the
something that would break entertainment industry with his
records and make history. invention of the "brown box" (later
rebranded as the Magnavox Odyssey).
What we didn't know was
Today, the Magnavox Odyssey marks
that we were creating an the inception of modern gaming and
industry that would take serves as a precursor to future
innovations. This timeline explores the
over the world of
dynamic evolution of video game
entertainment." consoles.
-RALPH BAER
MAGNAVOX ODYSSEY
(1972)
The Magnavox Odyssey, released
in 1972, was the first home video
game console, created by Ralph
Baer, known as the "Father of
Video Games." It allowed people
to play games on their television
sets, essentially PONG. The
Odyssey played a crucial role in
the evolution of gaming consoles,
introducing home gaming and
paving the way for future
consoles.
ATARI PONG
(1975)
Atari Pong, the first
commercially successful
video game console, ignited
the arcade gaming craze
with its popular game, Pong.
With over 35,000 sold, it
paved the way for gaming
console evolution and laid
the foundation for the
future of the gaming
industry.
1976 - FAIRCHILD
CHANNEL F
The Fairchild Channel F, the first
system to use swappable
cartridges, was a groundbreaking
platform that extended console
lifespans. Powered by an Intel
8080 microprocessor and
interchangeable circuit boards, it
was licensed by Fairchild.
Homebrew development continues
with The Arlasoft Collection in
2022, highlighting its significant
contribution to gaming history.
1976 - COLECO
TELSTAR
The Coleco Telstar was
the first series of game
consoles to solidify game
consoles' place in the
living room. Produced
from 1976 to 1978, the
Coleco Telstar initially
launched with built-in
games of hockey,
handball, and tennis.
1977 - ATARI
2600
The Atari 2600, the first
leading game platform,
revolutionized the gaming
experience by making
swappable cartridges the
norm and allowing players
to play Pac-Man, Space
Invaders, and Asteroids
at home.
1979 -
INTELLIVISION
Mattel's Intellivision, a
groundbreaking console,
challenged Atari's
dominance with its rich
graphics and complex
gameplay. It hosted ports
of popular arcade games
like BurgerTime, Dig Dug,
Pac Man, Donkey Kong, and
NFL, marking the first
licensed sports game.
1982 -
COLECOVISION
The ColecoVision, powered
by a Zilog Z80 CPU, was a
recognizable early 80s
console.
It offered exceptional arcade
ports of classics like Donkey
Kong and Zaxxon, as well as
lesser-known titles like Lady
Bug, Cosmic Avenger, and
Venture, which were less
accessible on other
platforms.
1985 - NINTENDO
ENTERTAINMENT
SYSTEM
The Nintendo Entertainment
System (NES) played a crucial role
in saving the gaming industry and
making video games a pop-cultural
zeitgeist. It introduced modern
gaming concepts like 2-D
platformers, RPGs, and adventure
games, but its success in
promoting mainstream video
games like Super Mario Bros., Mike
Tyson's Punch Out, Kirby's
Adventure, and Ninja Gaiden
changed gaming history.
1985 - TIGER
ELECTRONICS LCD
HANDHELD
Tiger Electronics, introduced in 1985
with "Bowling," is a cheap, alternative
gaming solution for the go. Known
for its simplified gameplay
mechanics, they brought some of
gaming's biggest franchises like
Sonic 3, Street Fighter 2, Mortal
Kombat, Castlevania, Mario Bros, and
licensed cartoons like Thundercats,
Transformers, G.I. Joe, and the
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the
platform.
1986 - SEGA MASTER
SYSTEM
The Master System was a Japanese
8-bit third-generation home video
game console with a Zilog Z80A
processor. It had more horsepower
than the NES but lacked third-party
support. Despite its limited
popularity outside of America, it
hosted ports to Street Fighter 2 and
Mortal Kombat 3, and was home to
iconic Sega franchises like Phantasy
Star, Hang-On, Sonic, Alex Kidd,
Shinobi, Penguin Land, Alf, and R-
Type.
1986 - ATARI 7800
The 7800 Pro Model, designed
to improve the Atari 5200,
featured a custom 6502
processor and backward
compatibility with the Atari
2600. Despite being behind in
graphical capability, it produced
high-quality arcade ports of
golden-era titles like Centipede,
Pole Position II, Dig Dug, and
Galaga.
1989 - TURBOGRAFX-
16
The TurboGrafx-16, a Japanese-
designed platform with an 8-bit CPU
and dual 16-bit graphics processors,
competed with the NES but failed to
gain significant market share.
Despite not making a significant
impact in the American market, it
gained a cult following with its vast
library of shoot-em ups and the
introduction of the Bonk series of
games.
1989 - SEGA
GENESIS
Sega's System 16 arcade board,
featuring a Motorola 68000
processor and a Zilog Z80 chip
for a unique sound controller,
became a household name in
America. The Sega Genesis,
known for its fast sprite
scaling, was a force in the 16-
bit wars, featuring titles like
Sonic The Hedgehog, Streets of
Rage 2, Castlevania Bloodlines,
and Aladdin.
1989 - NINTENDO
GAMEBOY
The Nintendo Game Boy, despite
its monochrome graphics, gained
popularity due to its intuitive
design, iconic software, and
portability. Powered by a 4.19 MHz
processor, it introduced classic
games like Tetris, Super Mario
Land, Kirby, and Pokemon. It also
featured innovative accessories
like a sewing machine and a first-
digit selfie camera.
1989 - ATARI LYNX
The Atari Lynx was a
groundbreaking gaming console with
a 16 MHz 65C02 8-bit CPU, custom
16-bit blitter, and superior color
display. It could be daisy-chained for
up to 8 players for unique
multiplayer experiences. Despite not
capturing Nintendo's market share,
it left an indelible mark with 73
official titles, including a port of
Xybots.
1991 - NINTENDO
SUPER NINTENDO
The Super Nintendo solidified Nintendo's videogame
dominance with "Mode 7" graphics and pseudo 3-D
effects. It produced iconic retro games like Super Mario
World, F-Zero, Megaman X, Donkey Kong Country, Killer
Instinct, and Earthbound. Its cartridge-based chipsets
maximized horsepower, producing games like Star Fox,
Doom, and Street Fighter Alpha 2.
1991 - NEO GEO
AES
The Neo GEO AES was the world's most powerful
home console at the time, featuring a 16-bit
68000 chip, an 8-bit Z80 co-processor, and a 24-
bit graphics data bus. It carried the same
hardware as its arcade equivalent, the Neo Geo
MVS, and featured arcade-perfect ports of
popular SNK games like Fatal Fury and King Of
Fighters.
1991 - PHILIPS CD-I
CD-i players were home media-
players capable of handling
education software and games,
built on a Motorola 68000-
based microprocessor and CD-
RTOS operating system. Notable
titles included Mario and Zelda,
Burn Cyle, Voyeur, and Mutant
Rampage, with Nintendo-
licensed games also available.
1992 - SEGA CD
The Sega CD introduced CD-based
gaming to the mainstream, providing
an additional processor to the
Genesis with a 12.5MHz 16-bit
Motorola 68000. It allowed for more
storage for game data, allowing for
full-motion video and higher-quality
CD-based audio. FMV games
became the Sega CD's specialty,
featuring iconic titles like Night Trap
and Sewer Shark.
1993 - THE REAL
3DO
The Real 3DO introduced the "Next Generation" of
gaming in North America, featuring advanced 3-D
graphics, CD-ROM technology, and advanced
gameplay. With a 32-bit custom ARM CPU, it offered
respectable frame rates and introduced the Need for
Speed series, solid SNK ports, Gex's pseudo-mascot,
and mature storyline titles.
1993 - ATARI JAGUAR
The Atari Jaguar, with custom 32-bit
processors and a Motorola 68000 processor,
was capable of hosting stellar graphics with
polygons and 2-D sprite scaling. Its graphical
potential was showcased in games like
Tempest 2000 and Alien vs Predator, Rayman,
and Burnout.
1994 - SEGA 32X
The 32X was an affordable
upgrade for Sega Genesis
gamers in the mid-90s, offering
advanced 3-D capabilities and
running data 40 times faster
than a Genesis. Despite
criticism, it provided exceptional
ports of arcade titles like T-Mek,
Mortal Kombat 2, NBA JAM
Tournament Edition, and Star
Wars Arcade.
1995 - SEGA SATURN
The Sega Saturn, a complex and
over-designed gaming console,
was a 2-D powerhouse with eight
processors and a dual-CPU
architecture. It produced some of
the best titles of its generation,
including Virtua Fighter 2, Virtua
Cop, and Virtual On. It also had
stellar arcade ports, including
Burning Rangers and Panzer
Dragoon Saga.
1995 - NINTENDO
VIRTUAL BOY
The Virtual Boy, a portable
tabletop platform, was a
pioneer in 3D gaming,
featuring an NEC V810 20
MHz chipset for unparalleled
depth. Its ability to separate
2-D plane levels was used in
titles like Wario Land, Mario
Tennis, and Golf.
1995 - SONY
PLAYSTATION
The Sony Playstation, with its
R3000 chip, revolutionized
gaming with its impressive
library of arcade ports and
original titles, including Crash
Bandacoot, Gran Turismo,
Metal Gear Solid, Finak Fantasy
7, Tekken, and Resident Evil,
solidifying gaming as a pop
culture zeitgeist.
1996 - NINTENDO 64
(N64)
The Nintendo 64, a console
popular among Gen-X and
Millennials, was known for its
groundbreaking games like
Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64,
and The Legend of Zelda:
Ocarina of Time, popularizing
split-screen multiplayer and
analog controls, and remaining
highly celebrated 25 years
later.
1998 - GAMEBOY
COLOR
The Game Boy Color
introduced color graphics,
doubled the clock speed and
memory, and introduced
visually enhanced games like
The Legend of Zelda: Link's
Awakening DX and Metal
Gear Solid. Its IR port
enabled unique gameplay
features.
1999 - SEGA
DREAMCAST
Sega's final home console, the
Sega Dreamcast, revolutionized
gaming with its 200 MHz Hitachi
SH-4 CPU and 1.4 GFLOPS
graphics unit. It introduced
features like online capabilities,
voice-operated gameplay, cell-
shaded graphics, and the 2K
sports franchise, making it a
beloved console in gaming
history.
2000 - SONY
PLAYSTATION 2 (PS2)
The PlayStation 2 (PS2),
known for its "Emotion
Engine" CPU, lifelike
graphics, DVD-rom
capabilities, and hit
franchises like Gran
Turismo and Tekken,
became the console of
choice for gamers.
2001 - GAMEBOY
ADVANCE
The Game Boy Advance,
Nintendo's 32-bit successor to
the original Game Boy,
revolutionized handheld gaming
with Mode-7 graphics, sprite
scaling, and pseudo-3D effects. It
featured popular franchises like
Pokemon Leaf Green, Mario Kart,
and Metroid Fusion, and
underwent multiple redesigns.
2001 - MICROSOFT
XBOX
Microsoft's XBOX, a powerful
console with a 32-bit 733 MHz
Intel Pentium III processor and
64 MB DDR SDRAM, was a
precursor to PC gaming
experiences. It featured a built-in
hard drive and broadband, and
was known for the launch of the
Halo series and other notable
releases.
2001 - NINTENDO
GAMECUBE
The Nintendo GameCube,
initially considered a "kiddie"
console, is now celebrated
for hosting some of the best
games of its generation,
featuring iconic titles like
Mario Kart: Double Dash, The
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker,
and Super Smash Bros.
Melee.
2003 - NOKIA N-GAGE
The Nokia N-Gage, launched in
2003, was a groundbreaking
mobile gaming device with a 104
MHz ARM920T CPU, 3D
polygonal graphics, and popular
franchises like Sonic, Tomb
Raider, and Crash Bandicoot.
Despite criticism, it pioneered
online features and sold 3 million
units.
2004 - NINTENDO DS
Nintendo's Nintendo DS introduced a
new handheld gaming concept with
two screens, touch-screen
capabilities, built-in microphone, and
wifi. Developers created innovative
ways to play games, such as blowing
on the screen in Sega's Feel The
Magic, writing answers on screen in
Nintendo's Brain Age, and drawing
Pac-Man to eat ghosts in Pac-Pix.
These quirky interactions allowed
players to engage with games in new
ways.
2005 - MICROSOFT XBOX
360
The Xbox 360 revolutionized
gaming with high-definition
visuals, a 3.2 GHz PowerPC Tri-
Core Xenon processor,
multimedia dashboard, wireless
controllers, and Xbox Live. Its
early library included titles like
Perfect Dark Zero and Dead or
Alive 4, but gained acclaimed
game libraries.
2006 - SONY
PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3)
The Playstation 3, powered by a
3.2 GHz IBM Cell Broadband
Engine processor, produced
Hollywood-ready gaming
franchises like The Last of Us and
Uncharted, as well as exclusives
like Little Big Planet and Metal
Gear Solid 4, and introduced
online cloud computing and
Playstation Home.
2006 - NINTENDO
WII
The Nintendo Wii, despite being
underpowered, revolutionized
gaming with its motion-based
controls and innovative features
like the Wiimote. It introduced
backwards compatibility with
the GameCube, Mii avatar
creation, lifestyle content, and
the Virtual Console, making it a
standout success in gaming
history.
2013: SONY
PLAYSTATION 4
The PS4 (2013) marked Sony's return to
dominance in the gaming industry, offering
powerful hardware, a vast game library, and a
strong online platform. With games like The Last
of Us Part II and Bloodborne, the PS4 became
one of the best-selling consoles of all time.
2013: MICROSOFT
XBOX ONE
The Xbox One (2013) introduced
new features like integration with
entertainment media, voice
commands, and backward
compatibility with Xbox 360
games. Despite a rocky start due
to policies around DRM and always
online connectivity, the Xbox One
evolved with continuous updates
and improvements.
2017: NINTENDO
SWITCH
Brought innovation back into
the market by combining
handheld and home console
gaming into a single hybrid
device. With popular games
like The Legend of Zelda:
Breath of the Wild and Super
Mario Odyssey, the Switch
became a major success for
Nintendo.
2020: SONY PLAYSTATION 5
AND MICROSOFT XBOX SERIES
X/S
Sony and Microsoft's PS5 and
Xbox Series X/S, released in
2020, are next-generation
consoles that offer faster load
times, 4K graphics, and support
for ray tracing, enhancing gaming
realism and immersion. These
systems continue to receive
critical acclaim for their game
libraries and performance.
THANK
YOU
