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In July this year it will be 40 years since the ultra popular video game Space Invaders first hit the arcades:
Arcade historians know that 1978 was a big year in arcade games and Taito knows it too since they released a game that year that put them on the map. Unfortunately Taito hasn’t done anything earth-shaking in the past few years but they will certainly be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Space Invaders throughout 2018. They’ve started by launching this special website commemorating the original; if you frequent modern arcades then you likely will have come across the new Space Invaders Frenzy by Raw Thrills.
For the record, the arcade version was released in July of 1978.
Any other Soylentils remember when this first arrived in the arcades?
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Thursday January 04 2018, @06:33PM (5 children)
Video games were a culture shock for me, to be honest. Let me explain:
Was in the Navy, and we left in June on a Med cruise. At the time, everyone in Europe and Africa thought they were Disco Duck - which was alright. No matter what we might think of disco, that was where the women were, so we discoed.
Anyway, we got back to the US in February, and HOLY SHIT, it wasn't the same place we left. There were video game arcades EVERYWHERE!! The old pinball games were relegated to the rear of the store, if they remained at all. For every pinball arcade what had been here when we left, there were at least three video game arcade. Of course, sailors are game for anything, so we plugged in our quarters, to see what we could do. WTF?!?! My score is like 500? High scores recorded on the screen are all in the multiple millions? Pretty much the same thing for Space Invaders, Pacman, Asteroids, and whatever else I could find. Wow, what a learning curve!! The video games that we played on an old TRS-80 were leisurely things. Turn based, blah blah blah. These high speed games had me discouraged for awhile.
But, back to that culture shock. It seemed like everyone under the age of 40 was playing these things. Basically, everyone my age. If you overheard two or more people my age talking, eventually the conversation would turn to their favorite video games. It used to be weather, television, and current events. Now, it was weather, video games, television, and to hell with current events.
Video games were the end of all life as we knew it. Don't believe me? Just look at the kids today. How many of them are basement dwellers? And, the rest have those infernal walking talking computers stuck to their ears all day, every day.
The younger generation can't possibly imagine how different life was without those electronic devices. They certainly can't imagine living for a quarter of a century without ever having seen a video game!!
(Score: 4, Interesting) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Thursday January 04 2018, @06:51PM (3 children)
True. I was just over a quarter of that before I saw my first video game. Pong. I remember a pong game between the bar and dining room of what was the most posh "Supper Club" in our little town. I think that was around 1976. That and playing Star Trek on a printer terminal connected to a DEC (my much-older sister took me to the computer system at the local University) forever scarred me.
And while Space Invaders and Asteroids were unquestionably breakout hits for the arcade industry, I'd still use Pong for ur-dating when the video game revolution began. Wikipedia tells me that was 1972.
This sig for rent.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by nitehawk214 on Thursday January 04 2018, @07:46PM
I guess due to my age I always think the video game revolution happened later. I can remember playing pong with my mom in the early 80's. I was born in 1978, but we were poor as fuck so were on the trailing edge of things. The 2600 came out a year before I was born, but our first one was the slimline 1986 model (nice and cheap because it was post video game crash of 1983). Our first NES was well after that (though pre SNES), it was the one with a single controller and not bundled with Mario/Duck Hunt.
Still, I can proudly say I am a rather old 2nd generation gamer.
Also, I don't recall seeing a 40th anniversary of the 2600 article on Soylent last year, which is a much bigger deal.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 4, Interesting) by fliptop on Thursday January 04 2018, @10:33PM (1 child)
My Dad worked part-time in a bowling alley and I usually helped out, running tools to the guys while they worked on the machines and also working the counter before the leagues showed up. One day a guy was taking out one of the pinball machines and I asked him what was going on. He said he was putting in a new one. I went back to work and didn't think much of it.
Later, after the leagues were done and we were closing up, I noticed the pinball machine was replaced w/ Pong. Dad and I were curious, and the first thing I noticed was it was $0.25 for one play (pinball got you 3 plays for a quarter). After dropping in a quarter we took up sides and the battle began. It didn't have a joystick but instead had a little knob you turned to get your paddle to move up and down. Dad and I furiously volleyed back-and-forth, laughing the whole time, for what seemed like an hour but was probably only a few minutes. After he beat me we left but were still laughing and joking during the ride home about the experience. It was 40-some years ago, but that childhood memory is as vivid as if it happened yesterday.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Thursday January 04 2018, @11:09PM
My experience parallels yours, I played my Dad too at the supper club. It really was an experience where I thought the world changed a little. And I remember multiple plays for a quarter in pinball, too.
My Dad had a job (long before I was born) rewiring pinball machines, and remembered the days when the machines would actually pay you back if you got a high enough score. Then they were classified as gambling.
This sig for rent.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 04 2018, @07:14PM
It'll swing back, there is already a core of rebels that eschew the always connected life. It won't go all the way back, but you'll see less and less people glued to their devices all the time. Or the quality of interactions will vastly improve and humanity will move into a much more digital reality.
Actually, the net has enabled a lot more real socialization that would not happen otherwise. Far flung groups plan meetups, it is easier than ever for people to find activities, perhaps city's will one day publish volunteer opportunities that make it easy to get involved locally and do what needs to be done.
If you want to experience the time before computers just shut down the local power grid. Like camping it is magical for a short time, then you remember all the up sides to civilization like hot water, comfy beds, and restaurants! Or in this case, forums to talk with somewhat like minded people instead of farmer joe at the pub who hates computers. Music, movies, games, keeping up with family/friends, and DIY info that helps you fix your sink.
We're not going back voluntarily, but I expect we'll achieve more balanced lives as the novelty of SpyFace and Twater wear off.