North American Video Game Crash
Category: Other
Updated: 4 Nov 2017
Contributors
Created byEdwin Sechrist
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Events
Fairchild Channel FThe first console to have cartridges and a micro-processor
Could only show 8 colors (6 at a time)
Sold very poorlyAtari 2600Cheaper than the Fairchild
Successful, sold 30 million
Had removable cartridges
Had popular arcade games (like Pong)
Warner Communications obtained Atari sharesMagnavox Odyssey²Had built-in keyboard
Sold well before the crash
Less-powerful than Atari 2600
Had programmable cartridges
Speech-synth for speech inputIntellivisionCame with a controller that had a host of buttons
The controller could have multiple mappings
The controller had a 16-directional disc (instead of the normal 8)
Better CPU and graphics acceleration than the Atari 2600
Relatively unsuccessfulColecoVision
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Vectrex
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Atari 5200Had superior graphics
Donkey Kong
Near-perfect arcade recreations
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Vector display monitor
Black and whit lines displayed
Featured color overlay panels
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High retail price
Poor joystick and button placement
Unreliable joystick
Discontinued within two yearsVideo Game CrashDue to rushed games and consoles:
Game companies began to fail
Hardware developers began to fail
Lack of investment in gaming industry
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