First up we have the Atari 2600. This console came out on June 27th, 1972, and although it wasn't the first game console to come out, it did become very successful due to its better games, colorful gaming graphics and crisp sound effects than other competitors. Atari 2600 became successful with colorful and eye grabbing arcade games. These titles included Combat, Space Invaders, Pitfall, and lastly their more popular title Pac-Man.
The Nintendo Entertainment System Family Computer aka the NES Famicom. was first made in and release in Japan of July 15, 1983. The NES was one of the best-selling consoles of its time and aided in revitalizing the US gaming industry. This system introduced groundbreaking games like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid. These characters are not only the most recognizable faces across the globe, but the longest franchises to still be produced to this day.
Sega Genesis, also known as the Mega Drive was a 16-bit video console created and sold by Sega. This console was release in Japan on October 29, 1988. This was Sega's third console which at first ranked poorly in Japan due to the popularity of Nintendo's NES; however, it became a success in Europe, Brazil, and North America. With this console Sega wanted to compete against Nintendo's Super Mario franchise and thus created their original character known as Sonic the Hedgehog. The Sega Genesis also had amazing action-packed titles like Night Trap and Mortal Kombat, that became a massive hit.
Next, the console with many names, the PlayStation. Some know it as its abbreviated name PS, PS1, and/or PSX. This console was first the PS series. It developed by Sony Computer Entertainment and was first released in Japan on December 3rd, 1994. The PlayStation incorporated a revolutionary 3D polygon graphics card. This was not only their main selling point when they pushed this console out, but also their extensive game library, low price unit, and their well-liked franchises. The PlayStation franchise included Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, Final Fantasy, Gran Turimdo, Tomb Raider, and Metal Gear.
Lastly, we have the Xbox. This was the first installment to the Xbox series. It was developed and released as Microsoft's first step into the gaming market. The Xbox was release in North American on November 15, 2002. This came the first major console to be produced by an American owned company. Not only did the Xbox feature media playback, but it was the first console to have a built-in hard disk. This made it considered the more powerful console out of its competitors. Microsoft's exclusives included Fable, Ninja Gaiden, and Halo 2.
I truly hope you all enjoyed this brief history lesson on these timeless
gaming consoles, whether it gave you a sense of nostalgia or piqued your
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