Video Game Consoles

Ever since the release of the first home console (the Magnavox Odyssey) in 1972, video game systems have been a popular addition to our homes. The early consoles of the 1970s with their set of built-in games soon developed into more sophisticated systems such as the Fairchild Channel F that used cartridges to load games, allowing the player to amass their own video game library.

After the video game crash of 1983, the market was rejuvenated by a number of 8-bit consoles, particularly the Sega Master System in Europe and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in North America. The late 1980's saw the introduction of 16-bit machines such as the TurboGrafx-16, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the Sega Mega Drive, whilst Sony entered the market in 1994 with the release of its 32-bit machine the PlayStation, which abandoned the use of cartridges for cheaper and less bulky CD-ROMs.

Microsoft entered the gaming market in 2000 with its 6th generation machine, the Xbox, whilst Sega bowed out of the hardware market after the discontinuation of its unsuccessful Dreamcast console in 2001.

Unlike previous generations where game consoles were mainly aimed at children and teenagers, today's video game consoles are popular with players of all ages, with gamers now 33 years old on average. It is estimated that sales of the latest 7th generation consoles such as the Sony PLAYSTATION 3 with its Blu-Ray disc, the Microsoft Xbox 360 with its highly developed online capabilities and the Nintendo Wii with its revolutionary playing style will reach as high as 35 million by 2007 and 60 million by 2008.

In this section, we've put together and in-depth guide to home video game consoles, from 1972 to the present day, along with information of the home computer gaming systems, such as the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and the Commodore 64.