For the ultimate retro gamer, “Computer Space” and “Tennis for Two” might ring a bell, but others may only recall Pong as being the first game released. Continue reading to see them both. Click here for first picture in gallery.
Computer Space
Computer Space is touted as the first ever, coin-operated video arcade machine to be commercially sold. Created by Ted Dabny and Nolan Bushnell — original Atari founders, its gameplay consisted of maneuvering a rocket ship to avoid enemy fire from flying saucers (while firing off missiles to destroy them), using a thruster and rotational buttons — this type of game would later be known as a multi-directional shooter. If you’re score was higher than the computers after each 90-second session, you were rewarded with another round of play.
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Tennis for Two
Created by William Higinbotham in 1958, Tennis for Two basically simulated a game of tennis / ping pong. It was based on analog, rather than digital computing. With the playing field being a side-view of a simplified tennis court, the game “was controlled by an analog computer and ‘consisted mostly of resistors, capacitors and relays, but where fast switching was needed � when the ball was in play � transistor switches were used.'”
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