Photos: Take a look at how far home gaming has come since the 1950s

DOES anyone remember a game called Tennis for Two? Or playing on a Magnavox Odyssey? Check out how far gaming has come since the 1950s.

1979 ... Milton Bradley released first portable video game system “Microvision” which also was the first portable console to use interchangeable game cartridges. The designer Jay Smith later went on to create the vector-based home console ‘Vectrex’.

COMPUTER consoles have come a long way from the 1950s, when would alleviate their boredom at the local library with an early version of ‘Pong’ simulated on an Oscilloscope.

We can now play affordable games of high calibre with 3D graphics and awesome interactivity in the comfort of our home, taking for granted the little and subtle improvements made to decades of consoles.

This month gamers from across the globe will gather in Melbourne for the Penny Arcade Expo — a festival for gamers to celebrate gaming culture.

First held in Seattle in 2004, PAX has nearly doubled in size every year, with Australia playing host to the inaugural international event last year.

Gamers will have the opportunity to play on some of the retro console designs that have shaped the way we play computer games today.

Check these out.

1958 ... The world’s first interactive video game ever invented was Tennis for Two by American physicist William Higinbotham. Simple concept of ‘Pong’ simulated on an Oscilloscope created to alleviate boredom for library patrons.

1972 ... Ralph Baer releases the world’s first home video games system, the Magnavox odyssey. The odyssey marks the birth of the first generation of home video gaming systems.

1972 ... Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney found Syzygy, which later becomes Atari. Atari first tastes success with Al Alcorn's Pong, followed by the commercially successful Atari VCS / 2600 home video gaming console.

1975 ... The MOS6502 8-bit microprocessor is unleashed to the fledgling home computer market. Its competitive price ensured that it (and it's variations) would find a home in popular computers and consoles, from the Apple II, Atari, to the Commodore 64 and the Nintendo Entertainment System.

1979 ... Activision is founded by former disgruntled Atari programmers, David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Alan Miller, and Bob Whitehead. Activision becomes the world's first third-party developer.

1979 ... Milton Bradley released first portable video game system “Microvision” which also was the first portable console to use interchangeable game cartridges. The designer Jay Smith later went on to create the vector-based home console ‘Vectrex’.

1981 ... Nintendo releases the arcade game Donkey Kong, and introduces us to Jumpman, the little Italian plumber who we now know and love as Mario.

1982 ... Dawn of the 8-bit home computer gaming system — it started many a schoolyard arguments across Europe and Australia. The Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and the ZX Spectrum were all the rage. The Commodore 64 would reign supreme.

1983 ... The North American video games market crash of 1983 brought the industry to its knees. A combination of too many consoles and inferior software products which the market could not sustain, resulted in the capitulation of the nascent industry. Once a leader in the market, Atari becomes a major causality and would never taste success again.

1989 ... The world's first 16-bit colour handheld is unveiled. Drawn on a napkin way back in 1986 by the men that created the Amiga, the Epyx Handy eventually became the Atari Lynx, some 3 years after that fateful napkin doodle.

1991 ... SEGA releases Sonic the Hedgehog. A new mascot was needed to identify Sega and to compete with Nintendo’s own Mario. Sonic was well received by the gaming community. Due to Sonic’s popularity, the franchise is still going till this day. Ironically, Nintendo now have exclusive rights to the Sonic franchise to produce games for the WiiU.

1992 ... Mortal Kombat debuted in the video arcades and home consoles shortly after. It was the first video game to spark controversy among mainstream media and authorities, which then pushed the notion for an age classification system for electronic entertainment worldwide.

1994 ... After the failed attempt in creating a CD add-on for the Super Nintendo, Sony decides to go alone and create their own console. Once Sony released the PlayStation, their dominance was assured and they went on to surpass the traditional video games heavyweights, Sega and Nintendo.

1998 ... After poor sales of the Sega Saturn in the west, Sega produced their swan song, the Dreamcast. The console sold respectively but was outshone by the success of the PlayStation 2. The Dreamcast was known for great arcade ports and exclusive games like Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5 and Daytona USA 2001.

After the success of last year’s show, this year’s PAX Aus will be held at the larger Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre from October 31st to November 2nd and features a packed schedule of exhibitions, panels and hands-on gaming.

Tickets available from http://aus.paxsite.com

Originally published as Photos: Take a look at how far home gaming has come since the 1950s