second generation of video game consoles

File:Cartridge Fairchild Channel F Platine.jpg ROM cartridge, illustrating the ROM chips mounted to a circuit board within the casing. The cartridges were inserted into the console via the exposed contacts on the top of the board.]]

The primary driver of the second generation of consoles was the introduction of the low-cost microprocessor. Arcade games and the first generation of consoles used discrete electronic components including simple logic chips such as transistor-transistor logic (TTL)-based integrated circuits (ICs). Custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) like the AY-3-8500 were produced to replicate these circuits within a single chip, but still presented only a single fixed logic program. Once a game was shipped, there were only minimal variations that could be made by adjusting the positions of jumpers (effectively the behavior of the "cartridges" that shipped with the Magnavox Odyssey). As Atari, Inc. recognized, spending from {{USD|100,000 to 250,000|long=no}} and several months of development time on a hardware unit with a single dedicated game with only three-month shelf life before it was outdated by other competitors' offerings was not a practical business model, and instead some type of programmable console would be preferred.{{cite web | url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130414/the_history_of_atari_19711977.php?print=1 | title = The History of Atari: 1971-1977 | first = Steve | last = Fulton | date = November 6, 2007 | access-date = September 11, 2018 | work = Gamasutra | archive-date = September 12, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180912021902/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130414/the_history_of_atari_19711977.php?print=1 | url-status = live }}

Intel introduced the first microprocessor, the 4004, in 1971, a special computer chip that could be sent a simple instruction and provide its result. This allowed the ability to create software programs around the microprocessor rather than fix the logic into circuits and ICs. Engineers at both Atari, Inc. (via its Cyan Engineering subsidiary) and at Alpex Computer Corporation saw the potential to apply this to home consoles as prices for microprocessors became more affordable. Alpex's work led to partnership with semiconductor manufacturer Fairchild Camera and Instrument and lead to the release of the first such programmable home console, the Fairchild Channel F released in 1976, based on the Fairchild F8 microprocessor. The Channel F also established the use of ROM cartridges to provide the software for the programmable console, consisting of a ROM chip mounted on a circuit board within a hard casing that can withstand the physical insertion into the console and potential static electricity buildup. Atari's own programmable console, the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS or later known as the Atari 2600), was released in 1977 and based on the MOS Technology 6507 microprocessor, with a cartridge design influenced in part by the Channel F system.{{cite web | url = https://www.fastcompany.com/3040889/the-untold-story-of-the-invention-of-the-game-cartridge | title = The Untold Story Of The Invention Of The Game Cartridge | first = Benj | last = Edwards | date = January 22, 2015 | access-date = July 29, 2020 | work = Fast Company | archive-date = January 11, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200111161144/https://www.fastcompany.com/3040889/the-untold-story-of-the-invention-of-the-game-cartridge | url-status = live }} Other console manufacturers soon followed suit with the production of their own programmable consoles.

At the start of the second generation, all games were developed and produced in-house. Four former Atari programmers, having left from conflicts in management style after Atari was purchased by Warner Communications in 1976, established Activision in 1979 to develop their own VCS games, which included Dragster initially and the hits Kaboom! and Pitfall! later. Atari sued Activision and its founders on the basis of theft of trade secrets and violation of their non-disclosure agreements, and for Dragster allegedly infringing on the Drag Race arcade game from Atari's arm Kee Games; the cases were thrown out of court and the two companies settled in 1982, with Activision agreeing to pay Atari for a "technology license". This established Activision as the first third-party developer for a console. It also established a working model for other third-party developers, and several such companies followed in Activision's wake, partially contributing to the video game crash of 1983 due to oversaturation.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1537/the_history_of_activision.php?print=1 |title=The History Of Activision |work=Gamasutra |first=Jeffrey |last=Flemming |access-date=December 30, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220122651/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1537/the_history_of_activision.php?print=1 |archive-date=December 20, 2016}}https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-atari-v-activision/68907276/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/atari-the-golden-years----a-history-1978-1981https://thedoteaters.com/?bitstory=console/activision

As the second generation of consoles coincided with the golden age of arcade video games, a common trend that emerged during the generation was licensing arcade video games for consoles. Many of them were increasingly licensed from Japanese video game companies by 1980, which led to Jonathan Greenberg of Forbes predicting in early 1981 that Japanese companies would eventually dominate the North American video game industry later in the decade.{{Cite magazine|last=Greenberg|first=Jonathan|date=April 13, 1981|title=Japanese invaders: Move over Asteroids and Defenders, the next adversary in the electronic video game wars may be even tougher to beat|url=https://jonathangreenberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Japanese-Invaders-April-13-1981.pdf|magazine=Forbes|volume=127|issue=8|pages=98, 102|access-date=December 2, 2021|archive-date=December 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202200213/https://jonathangreenberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Japanese-Invaders-April-13-1981.pdf|url-status=live}}

At this stage, both consoles and game cartridges were intended to be sold for profit by manufacturers. However, by segregating games from the console, this approach established the use of the razorblade business model in future console generations, where consoles would be sold at or below cost while licensing fees from third-party games would bring in profits.{{cite book | last = Ernkvist | first = Mirko | chapter = Down many times, but still playing the game: Creative destruction and industry crashes in the early video game industry 1971-1986 | year = 2008 | pages = 161–191 | title = History of Insolvancy and Bankruptcy | publisher = Södertörns högskola | editor-first= Karl | editor-last=Gratzer | editor-first2=Dieter | editor-last2=Stiefel | isbn = 978-91-89315-94-5 }}{{cite journal | title= Use of a Game Over: Emulation and the Video Game Industry, A White Paper | first1= James | last1= Conley | first2= Ed | last2= Andros | first3= Priti | last3= Chinai | first4= Elise | last4= Lipkowitz | first5= David | last5= Perez | journal= Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property | volume= 2 | issue= 2 | date= Spring 2004 | url= https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/njtip/vol2/iss2/3/ | access-date= September 2, 2020 | archive-date= November 18, 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211118235114/https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/njtip/vol2/iss2/3/ | url-status= live }}

{{Main|Fairchild Channel F}}

The Fairchild Channel F, also known early in its life as the Fairchild Video Entertainment System (VES), was released by Fairchild Semiconductor in November 1976 and was the first console of the second generation.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7chzUOYwLPkC&q=fairchild+channel+f+second+generation&pg=PA318|title=Handbook of Research on Serious Games as Educational, Business and Research Tools|last=Manuela|first=Cruz-Cunha, Maria|date=February 29, 2012|publisher=IGI Global|isbn=9781466601505|pages=318|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134112/https://books.google.com/books?id=7chzUOYwLPkC&q=fairchild+channel+f+second+generation&pg=PA318|url-status=live}} It was the world's first CPU-based video game console, introducing the cartridge-based game-code storage format.{{cite book |last=Wolf |first=Mark |date=2008 |title=The Video Game Explosion: A History from PONG to Playstation and Beyond |page=15 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XiM0ntMybNwC&q=fairchild+channel+f+rom&pg=PA15 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=978-0-313-33868-7 |access-date=November 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102153718/http://books.google.com/books?id=XiM0ntMybNwC&pg=PA15&dq=fairchild+channel+f+rom&hl=en&sa=X&ei=J659UviuB6GciQK5_4C4Cg&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=fairchild%20channel%20f%20rom&f=false |archive-date=January 2, 2014 |url-status=live }} The console featured a pause button that allowed players to freeze a game. This allowed them to take a break without the need to reset or turn off the console so they did not lose their current game progress.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C&q=%22Fairchild+Channel+F%22+%22pause%22&pg=PA203|title=Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide|last=Weiss|first=Brett|date=December 20, 2011|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786487554|pages=203|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134128/https://books.google.com/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C&q=%22Fairchild+Channel+F%22+%22pause%22&pg=PA203|url-status=live}} Fairchild released twenty-six cartridges for the system, with up to four games being on each cartridge. The console came with two pre-installed games, Hockey and Tennis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3900/the_history_of_pong_avoid_missing_.php?print=1#_ftnref8|title=The History Of Pong: Avoid Missing Game to Start Industry|last=Barton|first=Matt|date=January 9, 2009|website=Gamasutra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119122802/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3900/the_history_of_pong_avoid_missing_.php?print=1#_ftnref8|archive-date=January 19, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 18, 2019}}

Following the release of the Atari 2600, the Channel F's popularity waned quickly as the more action-driven games of the Atari 2600 drew more attention than the more educational and slow-paced games on the Channel F. By 1979, only an additional 100,000 units of the Channel F were sold for lifetime sales of 350,000.{{cite web | url = https://www.fastcompany.com/3040889/the-untold-story-of-the-invention-of-the-game-cartridge | title = The Untold Story Of The Invention Of The Game Cartridge | first = Benj | last = Edwards | date = January 22, 2015 | access-date = July 29, 2020 | work = Fast Company | archive-date = January 11, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200111161144/https://www.fastcompany.com/3040889/the-untold-story-of-the-invention-of-the-game-cartridge | url-status = live }}

In 1978, Fairchild redesigned the system into a new model, the Channel F System II. The System II streamlined some of the initial Channel F to reduce cost and improve consumer usage compared to the Atari 2600, such as improved controller connections and using the television speakers for audio output, but by the time it was released, the Atari 2600 had too much market advantage for Fairchild to overcome. After releasing 21 games for the system, Fairchild sold the Channel F technology to Zircon International in 1979, who then discontinued the system by 1983.

{{Main|Atari 2600|Atari 5200}}

File:Atari-2600-Joystick.jpg game joystick controller]]

In 1977, Atari released its CPU-based console called the Video Computer System (VCS), later called the Atari 2600.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3551/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1|title=A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS|last1=Barton|first1=Matt|last2=Loguidice|first2=Bill|date=February 28, 2008|work=Gamasutra|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225503/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3551/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1|archive-date=September 11, 2018|url-status=live}} Nine games were designed and released for the holiday season. Atari held exclusive rights to most of the popular arcade game conversions of the day. They used this key segment to support their older hardware in the market. This game advantage and the difference in price between the machines meant that each year, Atari sold more units than Intellivision, lengthening its lead despite inferior graphics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3653/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1|title=A History of Gaming Platforms: Mattel Intellivision|last1=Barton|first1=Matt|last2=Loguidice|first2=Bill|date=May 8, 2008|website=Gamasutra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101020927/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3653/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1|archive-date=November 1, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=January 21, 2019}} The Atari 2600 sold over 30 million units over its lifetime, considerably more than any other console of the second generation.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YVTNBQAAQBAJ&q=30+million&pg=PA30|title=The Golden Age of Video Games: The Birth of a Multibillion Dollar Industry|last=Dillon|first=Roberto|date=April 19, 2016|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781439873243|pages=125|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134127/https://books.google.com/books?id=YVTNBQAAQBAJ&q=30+million&pg=PA30|url-status=live}} In 1982, Atari released the Atari 5200 in an attempt to compete with the Intellivision. While superior to the 2600, poor sales and lack of new games meant Atari only supported it for two years before it was discontinued.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=deBFx7QAwsQC&q=atari+5200&pg=PA388|title=Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming|last=Wolf|first=Mark J. P.|date=2012|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9780313379369|pages=49|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134126/https://books.google.com/books?id=deBFx7QAwsQC&q=atari+5200&pg=PA388|url-status=live}}

Early Atari 2600 cartridges contained 2 kilobytes of read-only storage. This limit grew steadily from 1978 to 1983: up to 16 kilobytes for Atari 5200 cartridges. The Atari 2600 directly supports up to 4 kilobytes (4096 bytes) of cartridge ROM. Bank switching, a technique that allows two or more different parts of the program to use the same memory addresses, was required for the larger cartridges to work. The Atari 2600 cartridges got as large as 32 kilobytes through this technique.{{Cite book|title=Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System|author1=Monfort, Nick|author2=Bogost, Ian|publisher=MIT Press|year=2009|isbn=978-0-262-01257-7|pages=88|name-list-style=amp}} The Atari 2600 has only 128 bytes of RAM available in the console. A few late game cartridges contain a combined RAM/ROM chip, or an additional separate RAM chip, thus adding another 256 bytes or more (up to 2 kilobytes)The Atari 2600 game cartridge Burgertime, from M-Network, contains 2 KB of RAM. of RAM inside the cartridge itself. The Atari 2600 standard joystick is a digital controller with a single button, released in 1977.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3551/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1|title=A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS|last1=Barton|first1=Matt|last2=Loguidice|first2=Bill|date=February 28, 2008|website=Gamasutra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225503/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3551/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1|archive-date=September 11, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=January 20, 2019}} The Atari 2600 also supports 4 analog paddle controllers (or, in theory, 2 analog joysticksAtari never sold a 2600-compatible analog joystick, and no known games for the 2600 supported an analog joystick. The Atari 5200, in contrast, has only analog joysticks which are non-centering (unsprung), unlike most arcade machine joysticks.).

{{Main|Bally Astrocade}}

The Bally Astrocade was released in 1977 and was available only through mail order.{{Cite book|title=Scientific American Magazine|year=1977|pages=15–17}} It was originally referred to as the Bally Home Library Computer.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C|title=Classic Home Video Games, 1972_1984: A Complete Reference Guide|last=Weiss|first=Brett|date=April 4, 2011|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786487554|pages=18|language=en|access-date=January 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122195622/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C|archive-date=January 22, 2019|url-status=live}} Delays in the production meant that none of the units shipped until 1978. By this time, the machine had been renamed the Bally Professional Arcade. In this form, it sold mostly at computer stores and had little retail exposure, unlike the Atari VCS. The rights to the console were sold to Astrovision in 1981. They re-released the unit with the BASIC cartridge included for free; this system was known as the Bally Computer System. When Astrovision changed their name to Astrocade in 1982 they also changed the name of the console to the Astrocade to follow suit. It sold under this name until the video game crash of 1983 when it was discontinued.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oYZ-DwAAQBAJ|title=The Routledge Companion to Media Technology and Obsolescence|last=Wolf|first=Mark J. P.|date=November 21, 2018|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781315442662|language=en|access-date=January 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122195620/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oYZ-DwAAQBAJ|archive-date=January 22, 2019|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Magnavox Odyssey 2}}

In 1978, Magnavox released its microprocessor-based console, the Odyssey 2, in the United States and Canada.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OIhYAAAAYAAJ&q=Magnavox+Odyssey%C2%B2|title=Game Informer Magazine: For Video Game Enthusiasts|date=May 2009|publisher=Sunrise Publications|pages=17|language=en|access-date=September 26, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134124/https://books.google.com/books?id=OIhYAAAAYAAJ&q=Magnavox+Odyssey%C2%B2|url-status=live}} It was distributed by Philips Electronics in the European market and was released as the Philips G7000.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4aQBAAAQBAJ&q=philips+g7000+europe&pg=PT232|title=Translation and Localisation in Video Games: Making Entertainment Software Global|last=Bernal-Merino|first=Miguel Á|date=September 19, 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781317617839|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134114/https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4aQBAAAQBAJ&q=philips+g7000+europe&pg=PT232|url-status=live}} A defining feature of the system was the speech synthesis unit add-on which enhanced music, sound effects and speech capabilities.{{Cite magazine|last=Goodman|first=Danny|author-link=Danny Goodman|date=Spring 1983|title=Home Video Games: Video Games Update|url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/cva/v1n1/vgupdate.php|magazine=Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games|page=32|access-date=January 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107020633/http://www.atarimagazines.com/cva/v1n1/vgupdate.php|archive-date=November 7, 2017|url-status=live}} The Odyssey² was also known for its fusion of board and video games. Some titles came with a game board and pieces which players had to use in conjunction to play the game. Although the Odyssey² never became as popular as the Atari consoles, it sold 2 million units throughout its lifetime. This made it the third best selling console of the generation.{{cite book|title=The encyclopedia of consoles, handhelds & home computers 1972 - 2005|last=Forster|first=Winnie|publisher=GAMEPLAN|year=2005|isbn=3-00-015359-4|page=30}} It was discontinued in 1984.{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-nextlevel.com/odyssey2/articles/timeline/index.php|title=The Odyssey2 Timeline! - The Odyssey² Homepage!|website=www.the-nextlevel.com|access-date=January 18, 2019|archive-date=April 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421134712/http://www.the-nextlevel.com/odyssey2/articles/timeline/index.php|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Intellivision}}

The Intellivision was introduced by Mattel to test markets in 1979{{cite web|url=http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/people/askhal/askhal.html#A1|title=Ask Hal: Frequently Asked Questions to the Blue Sky Rangers|last1=Robinson|first1=Keith|last2=Roney|first2=Stephen|publisher=Intellivision Productions|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101015516/http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/people/askhal/askhal.html|archive-date=November 1, 2018|url-status=usurped|access-date=November 3, 2008}} and nationally in 1980. The Intellivision console contained a 16-bit processor with 16-bit registers and 16-bit system RAM. This was long before the "16-bit era". Programs were however stored on 10-bit ROM. It also featured an advanced sound chip that could deliver output through three distinct sound channels.Barton, Matt and Loguidice, Bill. (May 8, 2008). [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3653/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php A History of Gaming Platforms: Mattel Intellivision] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111109023711/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3653/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php |date=November 9, 2011 }}, Gamasutra. The Intellivision was the first console with a thumb-pad directional controller and tile-based playfields with vertical and horizontal scrolling. The system's initial production run sold out shortly after its national launch in 1980. Early cartridges were 4 kilobyte ROMs, which grew to 24 kilobytes for later games.

The Intellivision introduced several new features to the second generation. It was the first home console to use a 16-bit microprocessor and offer downloadable content through the PlayCable service.{{cite magazine|date=May 1997|title=No. 9 Games by Wire|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=29|page=26}} It also provided real-time human voices during gameplay. It was the first console to pose a serious threat to Atari's dominance. A series of TV advertisements featuring George Plimpton were run. They used side-by-side game comparisons to show the improved graphics and sound compared with those of the Atari 2600. It sold over 3 million units{{cite web|url=http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=ConsoleMuseum.Detail&id=17&game=9|title=Mattel Intellivision — 1980–1984|work=ClassicGaming|publisher=IGN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623232114/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=ConsoleMuseum.Detail&id=17&game=9|archive-date=June 23, 2008|url-status=dead|access-date=May 16, 2008}} before being discontinued in 1990.{{cite book|title=The encyclopedia of consoles, handhelds & home computers 1972–2005|last=Forster|first=Winnie|publisher=GAMEPLAN|year=2005|isbn=3-00-015359-4|page=42}}

{{Main|ColecoVision}}

The ColecoVision was introduced by toy manufacturer Coleco in August 1982. It was more powerful than previous consoles, providing an experience that was closer to Arcades than what the 2600 could provide.{{Citation | journal=Christian Science Monitor | title=Zap! Pow! Video games sparkle in holiday market | last=Aeppel | first=Timothy | page=7 | date=December 10, 1982 | quote=In recent weeks, two particularly hot-selling systems have emerged - the Atari 5200 and ColecoVision. Both are described as powerful 'third wave' machines, the Cadillacs of game systems, and priced accordingly at close to $200...[T]hey are sure to snatch most of the Christmas market.}} The console launched with several arcade ports, including Sega's Zaxxon, and later saw third-party support from many developers such as Activision and even their competitor Atari.{{Cite web|url=https://tcrf.net/Galaxian_(ColecoVision)|title=Galaxian (ColecoVision) - The Cutting Room Floor|website=tcrf.net|access-date=December 1, 2020|archive-date=December 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208221453/https://tcrf.net/Galaxian_(ColecoVision)|url-status=live}} The ColecoVision is notable for its Atari 2600 expansion module, which enabled the console to play 2600 games, resulting in a lawsuit from Atari.{{cite news|title=Atari-Coleco Pact|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/12/business/company-news-atari-coleco-pact.html|work=the New York Times|date=March 12, 1983|access-date=August 9, 2020|archive-date=August 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827232946/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/12/business/company-news-atari-coleco-pact.html|url-status=live}} The ColecoVision was a victim of the video game crash, ultimately being discontinued in 1985.

{{Main|Vectrex}}

The Vectrex was released in 1982. It was unique among home systems of the time in featuring vector graphics and its own self-contained displayBarton, Matt and Loguidice, Bill. (2007). [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3117/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_the_.php A History of Gaming Platforms: The Vectrex] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416003157/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3117/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_the_.php |date=April 16, 2016 }}, Gamasutra. (necessitated by the fact that a normal TV set cannot display vector graphics, since the TV is a raster display.) At the time, many of the most popular arcade games, such as Asteroids, used vector displays. Through a licensing deal with Cinematronics, GCE was able to produce high-quality versions of arcade games such as Space Wars and Armor Attack. Despite a strong library of games and good reviews, the Vectrex was ultimately a commercial failure.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=duITAQAAIAAJ&q=vectrex|title=Phoenix: The Fall & Rise of Videogames|last=Herman|first=Leonard|date=January 1, 1997|publisher=Rolenta Press|isbn=9780964384828|language=en|access-date=September 26, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134115/https://books.google.com/books?id=duITAQAAIAAJ&q=vectrex|url-status=live}} It was on the market for less than two years.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C&q=vectrex+1984&pg=PA274|title=Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide|last=Weiss|first=Brett|date=December 20, 2011|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786487554|pages=274|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134116/https://books.google.com/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C&q=vectrex+1984&pg=PA274|url-status=live}}

{{See also|List of million-selling game consoles}}The best-selling console of the second generation was the Atari 2600 at 30 million units.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V70tDwAAQBAJ&q=atari+2600+30+million&pg=PA162|title=Mostly Codeless Game Development: New School Game Engines|last=Ciesla|first=Robert|date=July 19, 2017|publisher=Apress|isbn=9781484229705|pages=162|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134116/https://books.google.com/books?id=V70tDwAAQBAJ&q=atari+2600+30+million&pg=PA162|url-status=live}} As of 1990, the Intellivision had sold 3 million units.{{cite web|url=http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=ConsoleMuseum.Detail&id=17&game=9|title=Mattel Intellivision – 1980–1984|work=ClassicGaming|publisher=IGN|access-date=May 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623232114/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=ConsoleMuseum.Detail&id=17&game=9|archive-date=June 23, 2008|url-status=live}} This is around 1 million higher than the Odyssey² and ColecoVision sales^ Forster, Winnie (2005). The encyclopedia of consoles, handhelds & home computers 1972 – 2005. GAMEPLAN. p. 30. {{ISBN|3-00-015359-4}}.{{Citation|title=Coleco Industries sales report|date=April 17, 1984|publisher=PR Newswire|quote='First quarter sales of ColecoVision were substantial, although much less {{sic|that}} those for the year ago quarter,' Greenberg said in a prepared statement. He said the company has sold 2 million ColecoVision games since its introduction in 1982.}} and eight times the number of purchases for the Fairchild Channel F, which was 350,000 units.

File:RCA-Studio-II-FL.jpg|RCA Studio II
(released in 1977){{Cite news |url=https://www.fastcodesign.com/90147592/rediscovering-historys-lost-first-female-video-game-designer |title=Rediscovering History's Lost First Female Video Game Designer |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=October 27, 2017 |work=Fast Company |access-date=October 27, 2017 |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109090030/https://www.fastcodesign.com/90147592/rediscovering-historys-lost-first-female-video-game-designer |archive-date=November 9, 2017 |url-status=live }}

File:Acetronic-MPU-1000.png|1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
(released in 1978){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pZ6DDwAAQBAJ|title=Super Retro:id: A Collector's Guide to Vintage Consoles|last=Lithner|first=Martin Tobias|date=January 14, 2019|publisher=BoD - Books on Demand|isbn=9789177856771|language=en|access-date=January 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123010239/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=pZ6DDwAAQBAJ|archive-date=January 23, 2019|url-status=live}}

File:VC-4000-Console-Set.png|VC 4000
(released in 1978){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LVc1QNGo_g0C&q=Magnavox+Odyssey%C2%B2+1979&pg=PA354|title=The Video Games Guide: 1,000+ Arcade, Console and Computer Games, 1962-2012, 2d ed.|last=Fox|first=Matt|date=2012-12-01|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9781476600673|pages=354|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134117/https://books.google.com/books?id=LVc1QNGo_g0C&q=Magnavox+Odyssey%C2%B2+1979&pg=PA354|url-status=live}}

File:APF-MP1000-FL.jpg|APF-MP1000
(released in 1978){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z2gWO6efsfEC|title=The Ultimate Guide to Classic Game Consoles|last=Baker|first=Kevin|date=May 23, 2013|publisher=eBookIt.com|isbn=9781456617080|language=en|access-date=January 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123011754/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=z2gWO6efsfEC|archive-date=January 23, 2019|url-status=live}}

File:No image available.svg|Unisonic Champion 2711
(released in 1978)

File:Bandaisupervisionconsole.jpg|Bandai Super Vision 8000
(released in 1979)

File:Epoch-Cassette-Vision-Console.png|Epoch Cassette Vision
(released in 1981)

File:CreatiVision-Console-Set.png|VTech CreatiVision
(released in 1981)

File:Compact Vision TV Boy, Gakken 01.png|Compact Vision TV Boy (released in 1983)

{{See also|List of handheld game consoles|Comparison of handheld game consoles}}

{{main|Microvision}}

The Microvision, manufactured and sold by Milton-Bradley. was released in 1979.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iYNUAAAAMAAJ&q=milton+bradley+microvision|title=Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide|last=Weiss|first=Brett|date=2007|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786432264|pages=243|language=en|access-date=September 26, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134125/https://books.google.com/books?id=iYNUAAAAMAAJ&q=milton+bradley+microvision|url-status=live}} It was the first handheld game console that used cartridges that could be swapped out and that contained their own processor as the console itself had no on-board processor. It had a small game library which was prone to damage from static electricity and the LCD screen could also rot. These two factors contributed to its discontinuation two years after release.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Entex released two handheld systems in the second generation, the Select-A-Game and the Adventure Vision. There were 6 games available for the Select-A-Game but it was only available for a year until focus shifted to the Adventure Vision which was released in the following year.

The Adventure Vision was released only in North America in 1982 by Entex and was the successor to the Select-A-Game.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nLhiBwAAQBAJ&q=%22game+and+watch%22&pg=PA109|title=Collecting Gadgets and Games from the 1950s-90s|last=Blythe|first=Daniel|date=December 13, 2011|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=9781844681051|pages=109|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134120/https://books.google.com/books?id=nLhiBwAAQBAJ&q=%22game+and+watch%22&pg=PA109|url-status=live}} It was unique among the consoles as it used a spinning mirror system for its built-in display and had to be used set down on a surface due to its size and shape.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C&q=entex&pg=PA274|title=Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide|last=Weiss|first=Brett|date=December 20, 2011|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786487554|pages=5|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134133/https://books.google.com/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C&q=entex&pg=PA274|url-status=live}} It was discontinued one year later in 1983 after selling just over fifty thousand units.

Developed and manufactured by Palmtex, the Super Micro was released in 1984 and discontinued later that year. Due to financial problems between Palmtex and Home Computer Software, only three games were released for the system despite more being planned. It was criticized for its poor build quality and how easily it would break, and sold fewer than 37,000 units.

{{main|Epoch Game Pocket Computer}}

The Epoch Game Pocket Computer was released in Japan in 1984.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ercrDwAAQBAJ&q=epoch+game+pocket+computer&pg=PA76|title=The Game Console: A Photographic History from Atari to Xbox|last=Amos|first=Evan|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=No Starch Press|isbn=9781593277727|pages=76|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134121/https://books.google.com/books?id=ercrDwAAQBAJ&q=epoch+game+pocket+computer&pg=PA76|url-status=live}} Due to poor sales, only five games were made for it and was not released outside of Japan.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ercrDwAAQBAJ&q=Epoch+Game+Pocket+Computer&pg=PA76|title=The Game Console: A Photographic History from Atari to Xbox|last=Amos|first=Evan|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=No Starch Press|isbn=9781593277727|pages=76|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134121/https://books.google.com/books?id=ercrDwAAQBAJ&q=Epoch+Game+Pocket+Computer&pg=PA76|url-status=live}}

{{main|Game & Watch}}

The Game & Watch was a series of 60 handheld consoles that contained a single game in each release. The first, titled "Ball" was released in 1980 and titles were released up until it was discontinued in 1991. Unlike the other handheld consoles in the second generation, the Game & Watch had a segmented LCD screen similar to a digital watch which limited the display to the configuration of the segments. The series sold a combined 43.4 million units, making it the most popular handheld of the generation.

• Advanced Dungeons and Dragons: Cloudy Mountain (Intellivision) by Mattel Electronics won an award in the "1984 Best Adventure Videogame" category at the 5th Annual Arkie Awards.{{cite magazine|last1=Kunkel|first1=Bill|last2=Katz|first2=Arnie|author-link2=Arnie Katz|date=January 1984|title=Arcade Alley: The Arcade Awards, Part 1|magazine=Video|publisher=Reese Communications|volume=7|issue=10|pages=40–42|issn=0147-8907|author-link1=Bill Kunkel (journalist)}} It was the first Intellivision cartridge to have more than 4K of ROM.{{cite journal | last = Andersen | first = Helge | date = December 1983 | title = Intellivision: Spiel Perfekt | journal = TeleMatch | issue = 7/83 | pages = 38–40 | url = http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_telematch_1983-07 | format = Artikelscan | access-date = October 3, 2019 | archive-date = October 3, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191003040039/https://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_telematch_1983-07 | url-status = live }}
• Adventure (Atari 2600) by Atari, Inc. was the first action-adventure video game{{cite web|url=http://retro.ign.com/articles/903/903024p1.html|title=Top 10 Best-Selling Atari 2600 Games|last=Buchana|first=Levi|date=August 26, 2008|website=IGN|access-date=January 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726161836/http://retro.ign.com/articles/903/903024p1.html|archive-date=July 26, 2011|url-status=live}} and first console fantasy game.{{cite book|title=The Medium of the Video Game|last=Wolf|first=Mark J. P.|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=2001|isbn=978-0292791503|editor=Mark J. P. Wolf|chapter=5: Narrative in the Video Game|ref=medium|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/mediumofvideogam0000unse}} It is considered to have played an important role in the advancement of home video games{{sfn|Wolf|2001|p=97|ref=medium}} and one of the best Atari 2600 titles.{{cite book | editor=Mark J.P. Wolf, Bernard Perron | title=The Video Game Theory Reader | page=vii | year=2013 | publisher=Routledge | isbn=978-1-1352-0518-8}}
• Asteroids (arcade port) (Atari 2600) was the first game on the 2600 to utilize the bank-switching technique.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bGEbLt1C168C&q=bank+switching+asteroids&pg=PA229|title=Hardware Hacking: Have Fun while Voiding your Warranty|last1=Grand|first1=Joe|last2=Mitnick|first2=Kevin D.|last3=Russell|first3=Ryan|date=January 29, 2004|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=9780080478258|pages=229|language=en|access-date=November 3, 2020|archive-date=April 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407160745/https://books.google.com/books?id=bGEbLt1C168C&q=bank+switching+asteroids&pg=PA229|url-status=live}}
• Baseball (Intellivision) by Mattel was the console's best selling title with over one million copies sold.
• Demon Attack (Atari 2600) by Imagic was released in 1983. It won the 1983 Arcade Award for "Best Videogame of the Year".{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/stream/electronic-games-magazine-1983-06/Electronic_Games_Issue_16_Vol_02_04_1983_Jun#page/n45/mode/2up|title=The Players Guide to Fantasy Games|date=June 1983|work=Electronic Games|access-date=January 6, 2015|pages=47|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107032556/http://www.archive.org/stream/electronic-games-magazine-1983-06/Electronic_Games_Issue_16_Vol_02_04_1983_Jun#page/n45/mode/2up|archive-date=January 7, 2015|url-status=live}} It was the company's best selling game and is considered a classic of the Atari 2600.{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=8886|title=Demon Attack|last=Weiss|first=Brett Alan|publisher=AllGame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114095305/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=8886|archive-date=November 14, 2014|access-date=January 6, 2015}}{{cite journal|last1=Kunkel|first1=Bill|last2=Katz|first2=Arnie|author-link2=Arnie Katz|date=February 1983|title=Arcade Alley: The Fourth Annual Arcade Awards|journal=Video|publisher=Reese Communications|volume=6|issue=11|pages=30, 108|issn=0147-8907|author-link1=Bill Kunkel (journalist)}}Barton, Matt and Bill Loguidice. "[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131956/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1 A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323092708/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131956/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.php?print=1 |date=March 23, 2018 }}". Gamasutra. February 28, 2008.
• Donkey Kong (arcade port) (ColecoVision) by Coleco was praised for being faithful to the original arcade game. Critics considered it the best version out of the ColecoVision, Atari and Intellivision ports.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/arcadeexpress/arcade_express_v1n4.pdf|title=Arcade Express|last=Katz|first=Arnie|date=September 26, 1982|publisher=Reese Publishing Co.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923215251/http://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/arcadeexpress/arcade_express_v1n4.pdf|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 26, 2015}}
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Atari 2600), released in 1982,{{cite web|url=http://www.atariage.com/magazines/magazine_page.html?MagazineID=4&CurrentPage=3|title=E.T.™ NEEDS YOUR HELP!|website=AtariAge|publisher=Atari Age|access-date=March 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420203856/http://atariage.com/magazines/magazine_page.html?MagazineID=4&CurrentPage=3|archive-date=April 20, 2014|url-status=live}} is often credited as being one of the worst games of all time.{{Cite journal|last=Guins|first=Raifrod|year=2009|title=Concrete and Clay: The Life and Afterlife of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600|journal=Design and Culture|volume=1|issue=3|pages=345–364|doi=10.1080/17547075.2009.11643295|s2cid=191413087}} Some believe the game played a significant role in the video game crash of 1983.{{cite journal|last1=Dvorak|first1=John C|date=August 12, 1985|title=Is the PCJr Doomed To Be Landfill?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ai8EAAAAMBAJ&q=atari+landfill&pg=RA1-PA64|journal=InfoWorld|volume=7|issue=32|page=64|access-date=September 10, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801133617/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ai8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA64&dq=atari+landfill#v=onepage&q=atari%20landfill&f=false|archive-date=August 1, 2019|url-status=live}}
• Microsurgeon (Intellivision) by Imagic was praised for its originality. It was included in "The Art of Video Games" exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/|title=Exhibitions: The Art of Video Games / American Art|publisher=Americanart.si.edu|access-date=February 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110015838/http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/|archive-date=January 10, 2011|url-status=live}}
• Missile Command (arcade port) (Atari 2600) by Atari, Inc. was released in 1981 and sold more than 2.5 million copies.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/102784/Playing_Catch_Up_Night_Traps_Rob_Fulop.php|title=Playing Catch Up: Night Trap 's Rob Fulop|last=Wallis|first=Alistair|date=November 23, 2006|website=Gamasutra|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503070403/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/102784/Playing_Catch_Up_Night_Traps_Rob_Fulop.php|archive-date=May 3, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=August 5, 2019}} This made it the third best selling game on the console.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/08/26/top-10-best-selling-atari-2600-games|title=Top 10 Best-Selling Atari 2600 Games|last1=Buchanan|first1=Levi|date=August 26, 2008|website=IGN|access-date=January 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831085300/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/08/26/top-10-best-selling-atari-2600-games|archive-date=August 31, 2018|url-status=live}}
• Pitfall! (Atari 2600) by Activision, released in 1982,{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/177270/Living_in_Pitfalls_shadow.php|title=Living in Pitfall! 's shadow|last=Cifaldi|first=Frank|date=September 6, 2012|website=Gamasutra|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122044138/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/177270/Living_in_Pitfalls_shadow.php|archive-date=January 22, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 21, 2019}} was one of the best selling games for the Atari 2600, selling over 4 million copies.{{cite book|title=Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System|author1=Bogost, Ian|author2=Montfort, Nick|date=2009|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=978-0-262-01257-7|ref=Beam|author-link1=Ian Bogost|author-link2=Nick Montfort}} Pitfall popularized the side-scrolling platformer genre.{{cite magazine|last=Morales|first=Aaron|date=January 25, 2013|title=The 10 best Atari games|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2013/01/25/the-10-best-atari-games|access-date=April 17, 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115174334/http://ew.com/article/2013/01/25/the-10-best-atari-games/|archive-date=January 15, 2018|url-status=live}}
• Pitfall II: Lost Caverns (Atari 2600) by Activision, released in 1984,{{cite web|url=http://dadgum.com/giantlist/|title=The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers|last1=Hague|first1=James|access-date=January 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101233057/http://dadgum.com/giantlist/|archive-date=January 1, 2016|url-status=live}} was one of the most technically impressive titles for the 2600.{{Cite magazine|last1=Jones|first1=Darran|last2=Hunt|first2=Stuart|date=January 1, 2008|title=Top 25 Atari 2600 Games|magazine=Retro Gamer|publisher=Imagine Publishing Ltd|issue=46|page=33}} It came with a specialized audio chip on the cartridge that allowed for advanced music capabilities where music could be changed dynamically.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EOkDAAAAMBAJ|title=GameAxis Unwired|last=Santos|first=Wayne|date=December 1, 2006|publisher=SPH Magazines|pages=39|language=en|access-date=January 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124203308/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EOkDAAAAMBAJ|archive-date=January 24, 2019|url-status=live}}
• River Raid (Atari 2600) by Activision was the first video game to be banned for minors in West Germany.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=deBFx7QAwsQC|title=Encyclopedia of Video Games: A-L|last=Wolf|first=Mark J. P.|date=January 1, 2012|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9780313379369|access-date=January 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513132955/https://books.google.com/books?id=deBFx7QAwsQC|archive-date=May 13, 2016|url-status=live}} Despite this, it was still one of the most popular titles for the Atari 2600 and won an award for "1984 Best Action Videogame".{{cite journal|last1=Kunkel|first1=Bill|last2=Katz|first2=Arnie|author-link2=Arnie Katz|date=February 1984|title=Arcade Alley: The 1984 Arcade Awards, Part II|journal=Video|publisher=Reese Communications|volume=7|issue=11|pages=28–29|issn=0147-8907|author-link1=Bill Kunkel (journalist)}}
• Space Invaders (arcade port) (Atari 2600) by Taito was the first official licensing of an arcade game and was the first "killer app" for video game consoles.{{cite book|title=Ultimate History of Video Games|last=Kent|first=Steven|publisher=Three Rivers Press|year=2001|isbn=0-7615-3643-4|page=190}} Its release saw sales of the Atari 2600 quadruple and was the first title to sell 1 million copies.{{cite book|title=Classic home video games, 1972–1984: a complete reference guide|last=Weiss|first=Brett|publisher=McFarland|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7864-3226-4|location=Jefferson, N.C.|page=108}}
• Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Atari 2600) by Parker Brothers was the first officially licensed video game of the Star Wars franchise.{{cite book|title=Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System|author1=Bogost, Ian|author2=Montfort, Nick|publisher=The MIT Press|year=2009|isbn=978-0-262-01257-7|ref=Beam|author-link1=Ian Bogost}}
• Utopia (Intellivision) by Don Daglow is often credited with being the first real-time strategy that laid the foundation for many games within the genre.{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/09/build-gather-brawl-repeat-the-history-of-real-time-strategy-games/|title=Build, gather, brawl, repeat: The history of real-time strategy games|last=Moss|first=Richard|date=September 15, 2017|website=Ars Technica|access-date=October 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928023807/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/09/build-gather-brawl-repeat-the-history-of-real-time-strategy-games/|archive-date=September 28, 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite book|title=Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time|last1=Loguidice|first1=Bill|last2=Barton|first2=Matt|date=2009|publisher=Focal Press|isbn=978-0240811468|location=Boston|page=238}}
• Zaxxon (arcade port) (ColecoVision) by Sega was the first home console game to use isometric graphics.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4cpEAQAAQBAJ|title=The Video Game Theory Reader|last1=Wolf|first1=Mark J. P.|last2=Perron|first2=Bernard|date=October 8, 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781135205195|pages=70|language=en|access-date=January 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122044436/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=4cpEAQAAQBAJ|archive-date=January 22, 2019|url-status=live}}

{{Portal|1970s|1980s|Video games

}}

• 1970s in video games
• 1980s in video games
• Home computer (List of home computers)
• History of computing hardware (1960s–present)

{{Reflist|30em}}{{Second generation game consoles}}

{{History of Video Games}}

02

.Consoles02

.Consoles02

.Consoles02

Video game consoles02

Video game consoles02

Video game consoles02