In our book Leaps + Bounds: a Visual Guide to Nine Console Generations, we discuss nine generations of gaming, from the early roots of simple Pong machines through to the latest tech with 4K visuals and complex gameplay. To give you a taste of how console gaming has developed, we take a look at one console from each generation.
Gen 1
Magnavox Odyssey
The console that started it all, and the one that would cement the way we play video games at home. Featuring 28 different games, loaded into the system from printed circuit boards, gamers brought the simple dots to life by using an overlay placed on the television.
The Odyssey’s most recognisable game is Table Tennis. It inspired Atari to develop its Pong arcade game, and led to lawsuits from Magnavox for infringing on its patent. Interestingly, the Odyssey couldn’t keep score on its own, so players would have to note down each point to see who won the match.
Gen 2
Atari 2600
After finding huge commercial success with its Pong arcade cabs and home console, Atari moved on to developing the 2600. Using 2KB ROM cartridges, it became the dominant system in North America, but its abundance of low-quality games contributed to the 1983 North American video game crash.
Pitfall! was a popular title on the 2600 and was developed by Atari staff who had left the company and formed Activision. It’s notable for being much larger than most video games available at the time and for giving an early glimpse of what a truly open-world video game could be.
Gen 3
Amstrad GX4000
Amstrad was better known for home computers, but facing financial difficulties, chairman Alan Sugar decided to attempt a home console. Following favourable press coverage, the GX4000 failed to make an impact due to the rising popularity of 16-bit consoles released around the same time, and it was discontinued shortly after.
The GX4000’s best-selling game was Burnin’ Rubber, mostly due to it being bundled with the console. It was developed to show off the impressive colour palette of the system with races slowly merging from morning to night. It was let down by poor sound design and a lack of courses.
Gen 4
SNK NEOGEO AES
It was sometimes disappointing playing a game in the arcade then playing its downgraded home port. SNK wanted to resolve this by bringing actual arcade games into the home without compromising on quality. While it was too expensive for most gamers, the Advanced Entertainment System (AES) was truly taking the arcade home.
Art of Fighting was one of the finer examples of the AES showcasing just how powerful a home console could be at the time. Featuring large sprites with incredible detail and seemingly infinite frames of animation, fighting truly had become art for those lucky enough to play it.
Gen 5
Commodore Amiga CD32
This was Commodore’s last hardware release and essentially an Amiga 1200 with CD-ROM. Although marketed as the “world's first 32-bit CD games console”, the FM Towns Marty was launched seven months earlier. Initial sales were encouraging, but it was short-lived as Commodore went bankrupt, which we explain further in our book Leaps + Bounds: a Visual Guide to Nine Console Generations.
Many Amiga CD32 games were straight ports from the A1200, but a handful took advantage of the CD-ROM drive. Having larger data storage capacity allowed games such as Zool to have Red Book audio, extra content, and enhanced graphics.
Gen 6
SEGA Dreamcast
Bringing the arcade home was SEGA’s biggest selling point with its final console, which was technically impressive for 1998. However, changing tastes towards longer games and with PlayStation 2 on the horizon, sales were disappointing. A legacy of the Dreamcast was to make online console gaming popular with releases such as Phantasy Star Online and Quake III Arena.
The Dreamcast is also notable for its large catalogue of arcade-perfect ports, with Crazy Taxi being one of the best. Its colourful presentation and rock soundtrack, featuring bands like The Offspring, made it an instant hit that is fondly remembered by gamers.
Gen 7
Microsoft Xbox 360
The seventh generation saw Microsoft take a large share of the console market. Its Xbox 360 sold much better than its first console and is widely considered to have the best version of third-party games compared to PlayStation 3 and Wii. Xbox 360 also introduced gamer achievements and access to other media beyond video games.
COD 4: Modern Warfare was one of the games that helped Xbox 360 stand out from other platforms due to its stability during online play. More copies were sold on Xbox 360 than any other platform, making it a big contributor to the console's success.
Gen 8
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo always finds a way to innovate, and its Switch, with its ability to seamlessly switch between handheld and television mode, was a game changer. Similar to the Wii, Switch has found an audience beyond traditional gamers and made us think about the way we consume video games.
No Nintendo console would be complete without a Legend of Zelda game, and Breath of the Wild is often high on the lists of best games of all time. Its sprawling open world, beautiful presentation, intriguing story and interesting gameplay mechanics still make it a fan favourite and great to experience today.
Gen 9
Sony PlayStation 5
The leap in technology between the eighth and ninth generation isn’t as profound as in the past. While the graphics are only marginally better, PlayStation 5 has refined the user experience by making games more interactive through a controller redesigned with more features. It also has much better processing power, allowing games to load quicker and performance to stay at a high level.
One of the games taking advantage of this hardware stabilisation is Helldivers 2. At its peak, 700,000 players were online at once, with many impressed by the cinematic quality, which is often lacking in online-only games.
After more than 50 years, game consoles and handhelds continue to evolve and capture our imaginations. If this glimpse into console generations has sparked your interest, find out more about the history of gaming in Leaps + Bounds: a Visual Guide to Nine Console Generations, which explores over 100 different systems.
