The Complete Retro Gaming Timeline
From the first electronic game in 1947 to the Nintendo DS era — explore the consoles, games, and moments that shaped gaming history. Click any platform to shop premium cartridges.
The First Electronic Game
Thomas Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann patent the Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device — the earliest known interactive electronic game, simulated on a CRT screen.
OXO — The First Graphical Game
A.S. Douglas creates OXO (a tic-tac-toe game) for the EDSAC computer at Cambridge — the first video game to display graphics on a screen.
Tennis for Two
Physicist William Higinbotham builds Tennis for Two at Brookhaven National Laboratory — an interactive tennis game on an oscilloscope, the direct ancestor of Pong.
Spacewar! — The First Computer Game
MIT students create Spacewar! on the PDP-1 mainframe — widely regarded as the first recognizably modern video game and a defining moment in hacker culture.
The Brown Box
Ralph Baer's team develops 'The Brown Box' — the prototype for the first home video game console, which launched commercially as the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972.
Pong & the First Home Console
Atari releases Pong, the first commercially successful arcade game. Magnavox launches the Odyssey — the first home console. The video game industry is officially born.
The Atari 2600
Atari launches the Video Computer System (2600), popularizing swappable ROM cartridges and bringing arcade-quality gaming into living rooms worldwide.
Pac-Mania Sweeps the Globe
Namco releases Pac-Man in arcades — it becomes one of the highest-grossing and most iconic video games of all time, transcending gaming into pop culture.
The Video Game Crash
The North American video game market collapses due to oversaturation and poor quality games, nearly destroying the industry.
Nintendo Saves Gaming
The Nintendo Entertainment System launches in North America, reviving the home console market and introducing the lockout chip to ensure game quality.
The Legend Begins
The Legend of Zelda and Metroid release on the NES, introducing non-linear exploration and save systems that would define gaming for decades.
Gaming Goes Portable
Nintendo launches the Game Boy with Tetris bundled, proving that portable gaming is viable and starting a handheld dynasty.
Super Famicom Launches
The 16-bit era begins in Japan with the Super Famicom, featuring Mode 7 graphics and an advanced sound chip.
The SNES Comes to America
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System launches in North America, kicking off the legendary 16-bit console war with Sega.
The Golden Age of RPGs
Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, and Final Fantasy VI push the SNES to its absolute limits in one of gaming's greatest years.
3D Gaming Revolution
The Nintendo 64 launches with Super Mario 64, redefining 3D movement and camera controls. Pokemon debuts in Japan.
Pokemon Goes Global
Pokemon Red & Blue launch in North America, sparking a cultural phenomenon. The Gameboy Color brings color to handhelds.
32-Bit Handheld Power
The Gameboy Advance launches, bringing SNES-quality graphics to portable gaming with a massive library of RPGs and platformers.
Dual Screens Debut
The Nintendo DS launches with dual screens and a touchscreen, becoming the best-selling handheld console of all time.
A New Generation
The Nintendo Wii launches with motion controls. The DS Lite redesign and New Super Mario Bros. make the DS era iconic.
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