HISTORY OF VIDEO GAMES (1940's - 2010's)

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This is website about history of video games and video games "Firsts". What was first color game? First racing game? First banned game? First 3D Game? You will find all these game here! Plus -Retro reviews and photos from old magazines!. All games listed chronologically. You'll find on this site - original posters and cover arts, most interesting trivia for each game, rare original videos of gameplay and more (screenshots, secrets and deleted materials from these games, first teviews and previews). All innovative games from 1947 to our times!

1947

Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device (analog                    First video game ever

computer)

Video games of 1950's

1951

Draughts programme (NPL Pilot ACE)                                  First game to use computer memory

1952

OXO     (EDSAC)                                                                   First game with random-access memory

1954

Pool     (MIDSAC)                                                                 First real time graphics

Auto Test (arcade)                                                               First full motion video game

1958

Tennis for Two (Donner Analog Computer 3500)                 Advanced graphics, First tennis video game

1959

Mouse in the Maze (TX-0)                                                    First light pen video games

Tic-tac-toe        (TX-0)

Video games of 1960's

1962

Spacewar!      (DEC PDP-1)                                                    First digital computer game

1967
Brown Box (dedicated console)                                              First video game console prototype

1968

The Sword of Damocles  (TX-2)                                            First augmented reality and 3D graphics

1969

Space Travel  (GE-645)                                                          First simulator with realistic physics

Missile (arcade)                                                                     First game to use film as gameplay part

1971

Star Trek (SDS Sigma 7)                                                         First game based on TV show

Galaxy Game (arcade)                                                            First arcade electronic video game

Road Runner (arcade)                                                             First holographic video game

Computer Space  (arcade)                                                       First game with sound

1972

Hunt the Wumpus (PDP-10)                                                     First adventure video game

Pong (arcade)                                                                          Third arcade game

1973

Gotcha  (arcade)                                                                       First color game

Space Race (arcade)                                                                  First racing game

Maze War (Imlac PDS-1)                                                           First 3D first person shooter

1974

Basketball (arcade)                                                                   First game with sprites

Gran Trak 10 (arcade)                                                              First car racing game

Speed Race (arcade)                                                                 First game with scrolling graphics

Spasim (PLATO)                                                                        First 3D space game

Balloon Gun (arcade)                                                                First two-player light gun game

Airfight (PLATO)                                                                       First 3D flight simulator

Wild Gunman (arcade)                                                              First full motion light gun video game

Advanced Simulator for Pilot Training (ASPT)                            First full motion CGI video simulator

Bulls & Cleots (HP 9800)                                                           First game for personal computer

1975

dnd (PLATO)                                                                             First role-playing game

Dungeon (PDP-10)                                                                   First RPG game to use "line of sight"

Atari Pong (dedicated console)                                                 First console game with sound

Shark Jaws (arcade)                                                                  Advanced animated characters

Panther (PLATO)                                                                       First 3D vehicle simulator

Gun Fight (arcade)                                                                    First video game with stereo sound

Moria (PLATO)                                                                           First 3D RPG game

Interceptor (arcade)                                                                   First sprite scaling

Gun Smoke (arcade)                                                                  Second holographic game

Steeplechase (arcade)                                                                First sidescrolling game

1976

Road Race (arcade)                                                                    First curved road scrolling racing

Moto-Cross (Fonz) (arcade)                                                       First haptic feedback

Crashing Race (arcade)                                                              First car combat

Death Race (arcade)                                                                   First protests against video game

Heavyweight Champ (arcade)                                                     First fighting game

Mattel Auto Race (dedicated console)                                         First handheld video game

Nurburgring 1 (arcade)                                                              First 3D racing game

Nurburgring 3 (arcade)                                                              First 3D racing with visible road and skies

Knights in Armor (arcade)                                                          First martial arts game with weapon

Starship 1 (arcade)                                                                     Advanced 3D graphics

1977

Air (PDP-11)                                                                              First multiplayer 3D flight combat simulator

Space Wars (arcade)                                                                   Advanced vector graphics

Star Ship (Atari 2600)                                                                First console 3D game

Super Bug (arcade)                                                                     First game with scrolling  playfield

1978

Alto Trek  (Xerox Alto)                                                               First game to use computer mouse

Frogs (arcade)                                                                            First jumping character

Space Invaders (arcade)                                                              First shoot 'em up

MUD1 (PDP-10)                                                                          First MUD game

Escape! (Apple 2)                                                                       First 3D personal computer game

Test Driver (arcade)                                                                   Advanced racing game to use film

Santa paravia en fiumaccio (TRS-80)                                          First "God" game

Beneath Apple Manor (Apple 2)                                                   First top-down free-roaming RPG

Pork Barrel  (TRS-80)                                                                  First political game      

Superman (Atari 2600)                                                               First licensed game based on a movie

Star Fire (arcade)                                                                        Advanced 3D graphics

1979

Starhawk (arcade)                                                                      Advanced 3D vector graphics

Block Buster (Microvision)                                                          First handheld game with LCD display

Basketball (arcade)                                                                    First sports game with advanced graphics

Warrior (arcade)                                                                         First motion capture game

Galaxian (arcade)                                                                       First enemies with individual personalities

Ozma Wars (arcade)                                                                   First game with separate levels

Nuerburgring Powerslide (arcade)                                              First color 3D racing

Galactic Empire (TRS-80)                                                           First real time strategy

Speed Freak (arcade)                                                                  First free roam 3D racing game

Monaco GP (arcade)                                                                    Advanced sprite scaling

Sheriff  (arcade)                                                                          First game with background music

Manbiki Shounen (Commodore Pet)                                            First stealth game

Video Pinball (arcade)                                                                First video game with realistic physics

Video games of 1980's

1980

Mystery House (Apple 2)                                                  First game with ending

Pac-Man (arcade)                                                             First cutscenes

Defender (arcade)                                                            Advanced side-scrolling game

Stratovox (arcade)                                                           First synthesized voices

Berzerk (arcade)                                                              First game that killed a player

Battlezone (arcade)                                                         Advanced 3D vector graphics

Red Baron (arcade)                                                          Advanced 3D flight game

Wizard and the Princess (Apple 2)                                   First adventure color game

Star Castle (arcade)                                                         Advanced artificial intelligence

Space Panic (arcade)                                                       First platformer

Space Tactics (arcade)                                                     First pseudo-stereoscopic 3D effect

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the

Mad Overlord (Apple 2)                                                   First 3D RPG with color graphics 

1981

Gorf (arcade)                                                                   First game with different level design

Donkey Kong (arcade)                                                     First jumping over the objects

Quarter Horse (arcade)                                                    First game to use LaserDisc    

Turbo (arcade)                                                                 First third-person 3D racing

Football Manager (TRS-80)                                              First sports manager

Softp..n Adventure (Apple 2)                                           First adult game    

Haunted House (Atari 2600)                                            First survival horror

Scramble (arcade)                                                           First forced side-scrolling game

Jump Bug (arcade)                                                          First parallax scrolling

Yakyuken (MZ-80K)                                                        First adult game with graphics

Bradley Trainer (arcade)                                                 First 3D professional military simulator

1982

Zaxxon (arcade)                                                            First isometric game

Astron Belt (arcade)                                                       First LaserDisc game with sprites

Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0 (DOS)                              First full color flight simulator

SubRoc-3D (arcade)                                                      First stereoscopic 3D game

Alien Garden (Atari 8-bit)                                              First art game 

Pole Position (arcade)                                                    Advanced 3D racing game

Xevious (arcade)                                                            First pre-rendered graphics    

Lolita: Yakyuken (FM-7)                                                 First anime game

Moon Patrol (arcade)                                                      Advanced parallax scrolling

Phantom Slayer (TRS-80 color)                                       First color first-person shooter

Wayout (Atary 8 bit)                                                       First 3D game with 360 degree freedom

Treasure Hunt (DOS)                                                      First third-person 3D game

Night Life (PC-88)                                                          Advanced adult game

Tumbleweeds (Atari puffer and Atari 400)                     First exergame

Maze Mania  (laserdisc player)                                       First  interactive live action game

Wabbit (Atari 2600)                                                       First depiction of female protagonist

AX-6: Powered Knight (NEC PC-6001)                           First Mecha game

1983

Dragon's Lair (arcade)                                                    First interactive animated movie

Moondust (Commodore 64)                                           First music game

Journey (arcade)                                                            First game with digitized graphics

TX-1 (arcade)                                                                First nonlinear racing game

Bruce Lee (Atari 8-bit)                                                   First beat 'em up     

Star Arthur Legend - Planet Mephius (FM-7)                 First point and click game

King's Quest (PCjr)                                                        First animated adventure game

Star Rider (arcade)                                                        First LaserDisc game with 3D graphics

Cosmo Lemans (Tomytronic 3D)                                   First stereoscopic 3D handheld game

I, Robot (arcade)                                                           First 3D polygonal graphics

NFL Football (arcade)                                                    First game on vinyl disc

Tropical Angel (arcade)                                                 First realistic female protagonist

Dancing Feats (Atari 8-bit)                                            First music simulator

Video Jogger (Atari 2600)                                              First game with floor game controller pad

1984

Hogan's Alley (NES)                                                       First rail shooter

Astron Belt (Palcom MSX)                                              First home LaserDisc game with sprites

Kung-Fu Master  (arcade)                                             First sidescrolling beat 'em up

Karateka (Apple 2)                                                        First rotoscoping game

Rescue On Fractalus! (Atari 5200)                                 First 3D flight game with landscapes  

Pac-Land (arcade)                                                         Advanced parallax scrolling

Ice Climber (NES)                                                          First censored game

Thayer's quest (RDI Halcyon)                                        First speech recognition video game

1985

Hang-On (arcade)                                                        First game to use 16-bit graphics

Space Harrier (arcade)                                                  First shadow from player in 3D game

Alternate Reality: The City (Atari 8-bit)                        First game to use ray casting

TwinBee (arcade)                                                         First cute'em up

Habitat (Commodore 64)                                             First MMORPG

Air Race (arcade)                                                         First racing game with flat-shaded 3-D polygons

NASA Virtual Reality Headset (custom computer)        First Virtual Reality headset

1986

Scene of the Crime (Control-vision)                             First game on a videotape

Athletic World (NES)                                                     Advanced floor game controller

Nekketsu Koha Kunio-kun (arcade)                              First isometric beat 'em up

Wibarm (PC-88)                                                            First  third-person 3D polygonal game

WEC Le Mans (arcade)                                                   First realistic road in 3D racing

Lock-On (arcade)                                                         First flight simulator with scaling sprites

Chiller  (arcade)                                                           First game to feature blood and gore

1987

MIDI Maze (Atari ST)                                                     First first-person shooter with visible bullets 

Driller (Amstrad CPC)                                                   First FPS where you can look up and down 

Dance Aerobics (NES)                                                   First rhythm game

38 Ambush Alley (Action Max)                                      First live action light gun home game

Xybots (arcade)                                                             First 3D third-person shooter

Otocky (Family Computer Disk System)                         First generative music game

Thunder Blade (arcade)                                                 Advanced 3D flight game

Assault (arcade)                                                            First massive sprite rotation

1988

The Colony (Macintosh)                                                 First full screen poligonal first person shooter

Winning Run (arcade)                                                    Advanced 3D racing game

NARC (arcade)                                                               First color digitized graphics

Reikai Doushi (arcade)                                                   First digitized fighting game

No Ri Ko (TurboGrafx 16 CD)                                         First game on compact disc

1989

Prince of Persia (Apple 2)                                               Advanced rotoscoping

Blue lightning (Atary Lynx)                                              First 3D handheld game

S.T.U.N. Runner (arcade)                                                 First high-speed 3D polygonal graphics

Exterminator (arcade)                                                     First 3D digitized graphics for every element of the game

Die Hard (DOS)                                                                First full screen third-person shooter

Vette! (DOS)                                                                    First 3D open world racing

Video games of 1990's

1990

Super Glove Ball (NES)                                                    First game with motion detection controller

U-Force power games (NES)                                           First game with infrared sensor controller

Corporation (Amiga)                                                       First dynamic lighting

Alpha Waves (Atari ST)                                                    First 3D platformer

R360 - G-Loc Air Battle (arcade)                                     First 3D 360 degree game with physically rotated player

Pit-Fighter (arcade)                                                         First fighting with digitized real life actors

Virtual Racquetball (Autodesk)                                       First standart VR video game

Galaxian 3 (GH-28 model) (arcade)                                 First video game amusement ride

The Super Spy (arcade)                                                   First shooter where arms and weapons are visible

Virtual s..x  (Autodesk)                                                   First VR adult game

Rad Mobile (arcade)                                                       First fog and rain effects in 3D game

International 3D Tennis (Amiga)                                    First sports 3D game

Tell Me Why 2 (CD-I)                                                      First home video game with CGI intro

1991
Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (arcade)                           First game voiced by celebrity

4-D Boxing (Macintosh)                                                  First 3D fighting

Ancient Ys Vanished (Sharp X68000)                              Advanced pre-rendered animation

Street Fighter II (arcade)                                                 First fighting game to use combos

Hovertank One (DOS)                                                      First FPS that imitate human walk

Hunter (Amiga)                                                               First open world 3D game

Time Traveler (arcade)                                                    First specular holographic game

Catacomb 3D (DOS)                                                         First FPS with texture mapping

Arabian Fight (arcade)                                                     Most advanced 2D video game

Mario and me (custom computer)                                   First live action onscreen avatar

The Godfather: The Action Game  (Amiga)                      First realistic gangster's game

Terminator (DOS)                                                           First open world 3D city

1992

Mortal Kombat (arcade)                                                  First fighting game with finishing move

Alone in the Dark (DOS)                                                  First 3D survival horror  

Comanche: Maximum Overkill (DOS)                              First game based on voxel technology

Gun Buster (arcade)                                                        First first-person shooter with light gun 

Virtua Racing  (arcade)                                                   Advanced 3D racing game

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss (DOS)                  First 3D game with varying heights floors and ceilings

Wolfenstein 3D (DOS)                                                     Advanced first person shooter

The 7th Guest (DOS)                                                       First 3D adventure game

Sim Drive   (arcade)                                                        First Gouraud shading

Dark Edge (arcade)                                                         First mirror reflection effect in 3D game

Recca (NES)                                                                     First bullet hell game

Cyber Dome (arcade)                                                      First arcade augmented reality game

1993

Hi-Ten Bomberman (NEC computer+Turbografx16)       First HD game

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (DOS)                         First game with profanity

Doom (DOS)                                                                    First game to present panoramic skies

Virtua Fighter (arcade)                                                     First 3D fighting with zoomed and rotated viewpoint

Batsugun (arcade)                                                           Advanced bullet hell game

Daytona USA  (arcade)                                                     Advanced 3D racing game

Scramble (IBM Simon)                                                      First mobile phone game

Military Flight Simulator (Custom computer)                   Advanced 3D flight simulator

1994

Killer Instinct (arcade)                                                     Highest quality pre-rendered fighting

Virtua Striker (arcade)                                                     First team sport game with 3D poligonal graphics

Earthbound (SNES)                                                          First postmodern video game

Descent (DOS)                                                                Advanced 3D textured environments

Sega Rally Championship (arcade)                                  First game to feature driving on different surfaces

Rise of the Triad: Dark War (DOS)                                   First level-over-level environments

Magic Carpet   (DOS)                                                      First 3D water effect

The Horde (3DO)                                                           First strategy game with 3D elements

Mortal Kombat 2 (SNES)                                                 First game that supports haptic suit

Peg Game (Browser)                                                       First web browser game

Metaltech: EarthSiege (DOS)                                           First dynamic skies in 3D video game

1995

Terminator: Future Shock (DOS)                                     Totally free mouse-look

Flight Unlimited (DOS)                                                    First flight simulator to use fluid dynamic physics

Soul Edge (arcade)                                                          Advanced motion capture

Phantasmagoria (DOS)                                                    First live action avatar

Fade to Black  (DOS)                                                        First polygonal third-person shooter

BS Chrono Trigger: Character Library  (SNES)                   First DLC (Downloadable content)

Battle Arena Toshinden 2 (arcade)                                  First 3D breast physics

1996

Virtua Fighter 3 (arcade)                                                 Advanced 3D fighting game

Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)                                         First free dynamic camera system

Quake (DOS)                                                                   Advanced 3D first person shooter

SimCopter (Windows)                                                      First big 3D open world city

ZPC (Windows)                                                                First cel-shaded game

Cyber Pong (arcade)                                                        First motion detection game

Rocket Jockey (Windows)                                                 First game with ragdoll physics

Tunnel B1 (Playstation)                                                   First 3D lens flare effect

ReVolte (Windows)                                                          First self-shadowing

1997

Dragon's Lair DVD-Rom (Windows)                                First game on DVD

Streets of SimCity (Windows)                                          First driving and shooting ability in 3D open world city

Blade Runner (Windows)                                                 First real time 3D adventure game

Beatmania (arcade)                                                         First musical instrument simulation

MDK (Windows)                                                              Advanced third person shooter graphics

Riven: The Sequel to Myst (Windows)                              First high-dynamic-range rendering

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2 (Windows)              First 2048x1536 resolution (2K)

Blast Corps (Nintendo 64)                                               First 3D fire

Montezuma's Return  (Windows)                                     First Bump-mapping

Des Blood (Windows)                                                      First CGI 3D adult video game

1998

Dance Dance Revolution (arcade)                                   First 3D dance rhythm game

Unreal (Windows)                                                           First volumetric lighting

Half-Life (Windows)                                                       Advanced 3D graphics

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Windows)                             First fully 3D tactical shooter

Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (PlayStation)                          First 3D stealth game

Trespasser: Jurassic Park (Windows)                               Advanced ragdoll physics

Mizzurna Falls  (PlayStation)                                           First open world game with "walk and drive" abilities

I'm Your Man (DVD player)                                             First game for DVD players

Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within  (Playstation)          First 3D psychological horror game

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64)            First cloth physics (soft body physics)

1999
Brave Fire Fighters (arcade)                                           First phong shading

Quake 3 Arena (Windows)                                              First "shader" system

Descent 3 (Windows)                                                     First procedural texturing

Shenmue (Dreamcast)                                                   Advanced open world game

Urban Chaos  (Windows)                                               First modern open world game

Gran Turismo 2 (PlayStation)                                        Best-selling single platform game

Outcast (Windows)                                                       First bloom lighting and depth of field

WinBack: Covert Operations  (Nintendo 64)                  First "cover and shoot" gameplay mechanics

Star Trek: Secret of Vulcan Fury (Windows)                   Advanced facial motion capture

Requiem: Avenging Angel  (Windows)                           First 3D bullet  time

Kingpin: Life of Crime (Windows)                                  First 3D gangster's game

Video games of 2000's

2000

Police 911 (arcade)                                                      First full motion detection game

Tread Marks (windows)                                               Advanced destructible terrain

ARQuake (UNIX custom computer)                              First outdoor augmented reality game

Harley Davidson: Wheels of Freedom (Windows)          First game with Havok physics engine

Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force   (Windows)                First game with anisotropic filtering

Jet Set Radio (Dreamcast)                                            First fully cel-shaded game

Giants: Citizen Kabuto (Windows)                                First normal mapping

Gift (Windows)                                                             First unified lightning and shadowing

2001

Grand Theft Auto 3 (PlayStation 2)                              First modern realistic sandbox game

ICO (PlayStation 2)                                                      Advanced key frame animation

Metal Gear Solid 2:Sons of Liberty (PlayStation 2)        First postmodern philosophical action game

Red Faction (PlayStation 2)                                          Advanced destructible environments

Max Payne  (Windows)                                                 Advanced third-person shooter graphics

Pirates of the Caribbean (Arcade)                                 First game with multiple combined surround screens 

Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox)                                       First screen space crepuscular rays

Silent Hill 2 (Xbox)                                                       First per-pixel lighting

PainStation  (arcade)                                                    First game with pain feedback     

Virtua Fighter 4 (arcade)                                              Advanced normal mapping

2002

The Legend of Zelda:The Wind Waker (GameCube)      Advanced  unified lighting

2003

EyeToy: Play (PlayStation 2)                                         First motion detection game with interactive display

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (Playstation 2)                    Advanced soft body physics

2004

Doom 3 (Windows)                                                     First fully dynamic per-pixel lighting

Half-Life 2 (Windows)                                                Advanced detailed physics simulation

Myst IV: Revelation  (Windows)                                   Advanced entirely pre-rendered graphics

Painkiller (Windows)                                                   First game with giant bosses

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PlayStation 2)           Best selling multiplatform game

Quake 3: Ray Traced (Windows)                                 First ray tracing in video games

2005

Resident Evil 4 (GameCube)                                       First over-the-shoulder viewpoint

Half-Life 2:  Lost Coast (Windows)                             First cube mapping

Condemned: Criminal Origins (Xbox 360)                  First ambient occlusion

Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard (Windows)          First game to use Physx

F.E.A.R.   (Windows)                                                   Advanced depth of field

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (Windows)                       First game with parralax mapping

2006

The House of the Dead 4 Special (arcade)                  Advanced haptic feedback

Resistance: Fall of Man (PlayStation 3)                       First game to use Blu-Ray disc

Wii Sports (Wii)                                                         Advanced remote controllers techology

TOCA Race Driver 3 (Windows)                                 First game to use amBX

Natural selection 2 prototype (Windows)                  First dynamic infestation

Indiana Jones (Xbox 360)                                         First game with Euphoria engine

2007

Crysis (Windows)                                                       First screen space ambient occlusion

3rd Space Incursion (Windows)                                  Advanced haptic suit

The Eye of Judgment  (PlayStation 3)                         First modern augmented reality game

Assassin's Creed  (PlayStation 3)                               Advanced 3D cinematics, first 4K resolution

Dragons Lair (Blu-ray player)                                    First game for Blu ray players

2008

Crysis Warhead (Windows)                                         First global ambient lighting system

Battlefield: Bad Company (Xbox 360)                        Advanced destructible environments

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Xbox 360)              Advanced destructible environments

Mirror's Edge (Xbox 360)                                           Advanced 3D platform video game

Grand Theft Auto 4 (Xbox 360)                                  Advanced open world game

Alone in the Dark (Windows)                                      First dynamic fire propagation

Far Cry 2 (Windows)                                                  Advanced vegetation

2009

Project Milo (Xbox 360)                                             First 3D face and voice recognition

DiRT 2 (Windows)                                                      First displacement mapping

Video games of 2010's

2010

Mafia 2 (Windows)                                                    First game with Physx APEX

Vanquish   (PlayStation 3)                                         First 3D rocket-sliding mechanics

Heavy Rain  (PlayStation 3)                                        Advanced motion capture

Target Shooting (Nintendo 3DS)                                First stereoscopic 3D handheld game without 3D glasses

2011

L.A. Noire  (PlayStation 3)                                         Advanced motion capture

2012

Black Mesa (Windows)                                              Most advanced game mod

The Secret World (Windows)                                     First TXAA anti–aliasing

Keep of the Lich-Lord  (IPad)                                    First HD handheld game

2013

Displair Holographic game (custom computer)        First fog screen holographic game

Crysis 3 (Windows)                                                  First diffuse shadows

Remember Me (Windows)                                        First game with physically based rendering

2014

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (Windows)                First game with photogrammetry

2015

Streets of Fury EX (Windows)                                  Most advanced digitized game

2016

Quantum Break (Windows)                                      Advanced in-game graphics

2019

Days Gone (PlayStation 4)                                       First crowd A.I.