Is there somebody on your Christmas list who wants a Nintendo Switch? Or perhaps you have hinted that this is something you’d love to see under your tree? While this system is pretty fantastic, it has taken many years for gaming to have reached this level. Video games date back over half a century, and this timeline shows just how far home consoles have evolved.

1960s

Even before man walked on the moon, a different man – Ralph H. Baer – came up with a working prototype of a video game console. Known as the “Brown Box,” it consisted of a big wooden box that had two controllers attached to it. It was developed to hook up to a TV and had six simple games, including volleyball and ping-pong. 

1970s

In 1972, Magnavox took Baer’s box, revamped it, and released the official home video console called Magnavox Odyssey. Three years later, Atari – after achieving great success with the Pong arcade game – decided to jump into the fray by launching its home console. This system only had self-contained games (including Pong), but Atari’s next one would usher in a major change in home video gaming. 

In 1977, the company unveiled its VCS 2600 system, which used game cartridges. These included Pacman, Frogger, and Asteroids. Not to be outdone, Mattel Electronics put out the Intellivision console in 1979, though Atari proved to be much more popular.

1980s

Video game systems started coming fast and furious in the 80s. First, Coleco put out ColecoVision in 1982, with notable games like Cosmic Avenger and Donkey Kong. Then in 1985, Nintendo Entertainment System brought out its system, which included games that are pretty much household names these days, such as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. In 1989, Nintendo would upend the video game market again with the release of its portable Game Boy system. 

While Nintendo seemed to have cornered the video game market up until that point, a challenger was waiting. The same year Game Boy came out, Sega released the Sega Genesis system. While Nintendo remained on top, Sega had many hit games, including Mortal Kombat and Sonic the Hedgehog.

1990s

The Super Nintendo system was unveiled in 1990, and with it came upgraded graphics and more controller options. It was also the system that brought us the highly addictive Super Mario Kart. Not to be outdone, Sega also put out a new console, which was smaller, lighter, and had AV stereo sound. 

Nearly a decade after the first Nintendo system came out, Sony created another huge moment for video games with the launch of their PlayStation in 1994. Thanks to the CD-ROM capability, the system played more complex games, and many utilized 3D graphics. Nintendo 64 was launched in 1996, which again upped the game in terms of graphics with its use of a 64-bit processor. 

2000s

In 2000, PlayStation 2 hit the market, and this one came with a pleasant surprise: It could play DVDs. This system also brought many soon-to-be popular games, such as Kingdom Hearts and Grand Theft Auto. The following year, Microsoft decided it was time to get involved, and Xbox – along with Xbox live – was unveiled. In 2005, Xbox 360 came out, which offered wireless controllers. This was also when Halo, Call of Duty, and other popular games arrived. 

As the console wars continued, Nintendo tried to mix things up in 2006 with its Wii system, which allowed players to use motion to play games like bowling and golf. That same year, PlayStation 3 was released, including online capabilities to compete with Xbox Live. 

2010s to the Present

Since 2013, many systems have been released. That year, both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 came out. In 2016, Microsoft and Sony again released systems: Xbox One S and PlayStation 4 Pro, respectively. The following year, Xbox One X was unveiled, as was Nintendo Switch. This was another game-changer from Nintendo, as this system can be played both on a TV and as a portable device. PlayStation 5 came out in 2020 and featured enhanced sound and wireless controllers with haptic feedback. 

To continue their cat-and-mouse game, shortly after Sony’s latest system, Xbox Series X was unveiled, which can play certain games that even go as far back as the original Xbox system. One of the most recent consoles is the Nintendo Switch OLED, which hit the market in late 2021 and offers a bigger, more vibrant screen. 

Did you know home video games were this old? Which systems or games are your favorites? Leave your comments below, and don’t forget to share this article with your gamer friends!