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videogame history

@vghistory.bsky.social

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a meditation on videogame (w/ occasional technology and web) history. donate to my ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/moshboy/ also find me on mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@moshboy nfaq: https://pastebin.com/vUmrYKx6

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 7h

print ad, excerpt (1983) archive.org/details/your...

illustration: a furry ball sharp toothed angry evil monster is outside a door that a headless body (holding its head under its arm) is exiting or peeking out of.
text: bodybuilder vic-20 (6 and a half k ram)
i don't know whether i'm coming or going. so many doors - so many monsters chasing me. somebody must have my head...my arm...my leg...
4.50 pounds

videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 13h

illustration, msx magazine (1992) archive.org/details/2023...

a kid with big bulging eyeballs and standup hair, playing (making?) a game called dante II on his msx, papers on his desk, a massive though bubble above his head, containing a knight finding treasure, fighting an armoured beast and entering a castle. the kid's cat has its head poked above desk level and is looking at him, while pointing to a window that shows the sun is out.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · Jul 13

ridge racer revolution, print ad, playstation (1996) www.mobygames.com/game/3563/ri...

imagery (top down view) is a man collapsed on the floor, from sitting in his leather seat, his head smashed into his t.v. set. a playstation is plugged in and a controller is in his hand. snacks are on the floor. the crash he experienced in ridge racer revelution translated into his reality.
main text roughly translates to:
everything happened very quickly, a turn, a brake stroke and then a great light.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · Jul 13

banjo-tooie, magazine screenshot, n64, games master, magazine (2001) archive.org/details/Game...

(3d): someone is looking at their hand of cards. betting chips are on the table. text above reads: there goes your birdseed money!

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · Jul 12

little nemo: the dream master, zone title card, nes (1990) www.mobygames.com/game/7879/li...

purple haired little nemo is jumping/floating/flying out of his bed. title card reads:
dream 1
shroom forest

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · Jul 12

phantasy star III: generations of doom, print ad, genesis (1991) www.mobygames.com/game/7749/ph...

imagery is a skeleton sitting, legs bent and apart but feet together, holding a game controller. in game screenshots are to the left and right.
text below, bold and caps: by the time you get through phantasy star III, you'll get married, grow old, and die three times.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · Jul 16

print ad (1980) archive.org/details/1980...

a handheld game with an lcd screen called time out (the o has two hands in it signalling a time out?).
main imagery of the ad is a hand with the lcd game in its palm. single screen with a button on the left and right of the screen and three buttons below. on the screen is a long armed creature.
text:
palm held electronic games with a built in quartz clock
the major breakthrough in electronic game technology

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · Jul 16

goonies 2: fratelli saigo no chōsen, manual, back, famicom (1987) archive.org/details/TheG...

the old woman in her cap and dress, in her chair and her henchmen, wearing shades, suits and hats standing behind her, one with a curled piece of paper in his hand.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · Jul 15

the making of video-games: how and why games are manufactured, article, excerpts, videogaming illustrated, magazine (1982) archive.org/details/vide...

an exidy employee assembling a circuit board (using a solder). to the left is a rack of circuit boards.
caption: the process of asembling videogames for home or arcade is long and arduous. here, at exidy, a technician solders a printed circuit board. other boards, stacked in a rack to her left, await the woman's attention.

a technician tests an assembled circuit board (simulating operation). a screen is to their right.
caption:
after the boards are assembled, technicians check them under conditions which simulate actual operation. the tv screen informs the operator whether or not all systems are functioning smoothly.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · Jul 15

e3, trade exhibition, los angeles (1996) archive.org/details/inte...

the playstation section of the event, crowded, lines of large screens and consoles for playing, a playstation sign lit up on a makeshift wall.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 7d

maxell floppy disk, print ad (1984) archive.org/details/popc...

a man kneeling in dark robes, looking very calm. below, a maxell floppy disk.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 7d

computerland, store, game room, promotional photo, california (1978) archive.org/details/byte...

a father and son are enthralled, the son is playing a computer game on a trackball(?). the screen has a pattern of colours within coloures on screen (a dot within multiple square shaped layers within a large circle). 'game' is printed in large white letters behind the computer.

videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 1d

robocop 2, magazine screenshot, in development, amiga (1990) archive.org/details/Comm...

graphics: the metallic robocop sprite in various stages of movement, holding his pistol.
caption: karen's (davies) early drafts for robocop's movement.

videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 1d

asylum, screenshot, dos (1985) www.mobygames.com/game/56196/a...

graphics: a surgeon, wearing pink gloves and light aqua blue surgeon's clothing and face covering and a light strapped to the top of their head. they are holding up a shiny scalpel.
text:
excellent! you have drugs for anesthesia. i will give you a new face!
you are being operated on.
[press any key]

videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 1d

commodore user, magazine, excerpt (1986) archive.org/details/Comm...

graphics: a mysterious robed figure, hood covering face, only eyes visible, is pointing at something.
caption: danger - software super hype at work

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 8d

simcity 2000: cd collection, print ad, imagery (1995) www.mobygames.com/game/2313/si...

black text:
one extra large helping of urban reality, served up on a silver platter.
(pixelated isometric chunk of a city, including skyscrapers and a stadium, sitting on a shiny round cd).

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 8d

game review rating system, login, magazine (1987) archive.org/details/logi...

some faces on a sun, ranging from a beaming sun smiley face, non-beaming sun happy but less happy face, angry or sad sun, sun face, mostly covered by cloud and finally no sun at all just a dark cloud and rain.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 8d

the powerpuff girls: chemical x-traction, screenshot, n64 (2001) www.mobygames.com/game/10102/t...

angry looking princess, puffy orange hair, golden crown, yellow dress, surrounded by layers of pink love hearts and a few yellow stars. the word 'congratulations!' is above.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 8d

the return of ishtar, sprite sheet, pc-88 (1987) archive.org/details/logi...

cute lil female character ki, shown walking from 360 angles. long black hair, head band, light blue clothes, brown? boots.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 9d

magazine screenshot (1999) archive.org/details/play...

a sprite editor? a gridded pixelated horned skull with a colour palette below.

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 9d

comic, your computer, magazine (1982) archive.org/details/yc_1...

a man with an axe embedded in his belly is being carried on a stretcher, while two other men watch on.
"looks like johnson's been playing adventure during lunchtime again!"

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videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 9d

sabre team, screenshot, amiga cd32 (1994) www.mobygames.com/game/1474/sa...

graphics of a fancy tombstone on a hill with wreaths of flowers resting upon it. a castle can be seen down the hill. rays of sun are shining through the clouds.
text:
mission failed rest in peace

videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 2d

neo geo cd live tour, japan (1994) archive.org/details/logi...

bunch of kids playing neo geo cds on colourful (alternating between blue and red) setup portals at a touring event. the consoles themselves are in clear enclosed cases, below the screens.

videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 2d

tetris worlds, print ad, imagery (2001) archive.org/details/nint...

a red t tetris piece with legs is running towards a man, holding a bunch of flowers on a beach. text: tetris is back
smaller text: if you love it then, you'll love it even more now.

videogame history @vghistory.bsky.social · 2d

login, magazine, cover (1994) archive.org/details/logi...

a very happy boy, arms raised, legs apart (probably jumping), one hand holding a keyboard, the other holding a mouse, fluid coming out of his sparkling eyes, wearing a t-shirt that reads 'i've done it!!
behind him are illustrations of fake 'congratulations', 'you've won' and 'you saved the world' video game screens.