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- Atari Pong Game, circa 1976 - Pong, a simple video Ping-Pong game, started in 1972 as an early and incredibly popular arcade game. Manufacturer Atari, under its legendary co-founder Nolan Bushnell, released a home version of the game through Sears in 1975. One of the first successful home video games, Pong paved the way for this new leisure activity for kids and adults.
- circa 1976
- Collections - Artifact
Atari Pong Game, circa 1976
Pong, a simple video Ping-Pong game, started in 1972 as an early and incredibly popular arcade game. Manufacturer Atari, under its legendary co-founder Nolan Bushnell, released a home version of the game through Sears in 1975. One of the first successful home video games, Pong paved the way for this new leisure activity for kids and adults.
- Atari Pong Game, circa 1975 - Pong, a simple video Ping-Pong game, started in 1972 as an early and incredibly popular arcade game. Manufacturer Atari, under its legendary co-founder Nolan Bushnell, released a home version of the game through Sears in 1975. One of the first successful home video games, Pong paved the way for this new leisure activity for kids and adults.
- circa 1975
- Collections - Artifact
Atari Pong Game, circa 1975
Pong, a simple video Ping-Pong game, started in 1972 as an early and incredibly popular arcade game. Manufacturer Atari, under its legendary co-founder Nolan Bushnell, released a home version of the game through Sears in 1975. One of the first successful home video games, Pong paved the way for this new leisure activity for kids and adults.
- Atari Home Computer, Model 800, 1979-1982 - The Atari 800 was the second computer manufactured by the company. It was an entry-level system in the home computer revolution, available at department stores like Sears. Customized assortments of "Intelligent" peripherals connected by the SIO system, similar to today's USB ports. Alongside office and programming software, the Three Mile Island inspired game SCRAM was included in the Starter Kit.
- 1979-1982
- Collections - Artifact
Atari Home Computer, Model 800, 1979-1982
The Atari 800 was the second computer manufactured by the company. It was an entry-level system in the home computer revolution, available at department stores like Sears. Customized assortments of "Intelligent" peripherals connected by the SIO system, similar to today's USB ports. Alongside office and programming software, the Three Mile Island inspired game SCRAM was included in the Starter Kit.
- Atari Products Excavated April 2014 from the Alamogordo, New Mexico Landfill, Site of the 1983 Atari Video Game Burial - In 1983, rumors circulated: Atari was bankrupt, and was dumping truckloads of games into a New Mexico landfill. Victim to the "Video Game Crash," the company buried 700,000 cartridges in the desert. The story became an obscure pop culture legend -- until "The Atari Tomb" was unearthed in 2014. These images document the world's first video game excavation.
- April 26, 2014
- Collections - Artifact
Atari Products Excavated April 2014 from the Alamogordo, New Mexico Landfill, Site of the 1983 Atari Video Game Burial
In 1983, rumors circulated: Atari was bankrupt, and was dumping truckloads of games into a New Mexico landfill. Victim to the "Video Game Crash," the company buried 700,000 cartridges in the desert. The story became an obscure pop culture legend -- until "The Atari Tomb" was unearthed in 2014. These images document the world's first video game excavation.
- Atari 2600 Video Computer System, 1982-1983 - The Atari 2600 "Black Vader" was the company's most popular console system, produced for 14 years. It marks a transitional period -- the last console produced by Atari before the "Video Game Crash of 1983." This collapse occurred due a flooded market, the rise of personal computers as gaming systems, and highly anticipated (but poor quality) games like "E.T." and "Pac-Man."
- 1982-1983
- Collections - Artifact
Atari 2600 Video Computer System, 1982-1983
The Atari 2600 "Black Vader" was the company's most popular console system, produced for 14 years. It marks a transitional period -- the last console produced by Atari before the "Video Game Crash of 1983." This collapse occurred due a flooded market, the rise of personal computers as gaming systems, and highly anticipated (but poor quality) games like "E.T." and "Pac-Man."
- Atari Video Game, "Dodge 'Em," 1978-1981 - Dodge 'Em is a bird's eye view driving maze game designed and programmed by Carla Meninsky for Atari. She was one of only two female employees in Atari's cartridge design division, along with Carol Shaw. Meninsky also worked on the games Star Raiders and Warlords. Today, she works as a lawyer specializing in electronic privacy and intellectual property law.
- 1978-1981
- Collections - Artifact
Atari Video Game, "Dodge 'Em," 1978-1981
Dodge 'Em is a bird's eye view driving maze game designed and programmed by Carla Meninsky for Atari. She was one of only two female employees in Atari's cartridge design division, along with Carol Shaw. Meninsky also worked on the games Star Raiders and Warlords. Today, she works as a lawyer specializing in electronic privacy and intellectual property law.
- Atari Video Game, "Pole Position," 1983 - <em>Pole Position</em> was a top hit at American arcades in 1982. The home version, issued the following year for the Atari 2600 console, enjoyed similar success. Its full-color landscapes and challenging Formula One-inspired gameplay brought new realism to racing video games. <em>Pole Position</em> is regarded as one of the most influential racing games of all time.
- 1983
- Collections - Artifact
Atari Video Game, "Pole Position," 1983
Pole Position was a top hit at American arcades in 1982. The home version, issued the following year for the Atari 2600 console, enjoyed similar success. Its full-color landscapes and challenging Formula One-inspired gameplay brought new realism to racing video games. Pole Position is regarded as one of the most influential racing games of all time.
- Atari Video Game, "Indy 500," 1977 - When the Atari 2600 launched in 1977, <em>Indy 500</em> was one of the first nine titles advertised. It was made in the spirit of full-size coin-operated arcade racing games. The home version of <em>Indy 500</em> was played using a special driving controller with a fully rotating dial that gave players greater control over their vehicles.
- 1977
- Collections - Artifact
Atari Video Game, "Indy 500," 1977
When the Atari 2600 launched in 1977, Indy 500 was one of the first nine titles advertised. It was made in the spirit of full-size coin-operated arcade racing games. The home version of Indy 500 was played using a special driving controller with a fully rotating dial that gave players greater control over their vehicles.
- Atari Video Game, "3-D Tic-Tac-Toe," 1980 - 3D Tic-Tac-Toe is an abstract strategy video game designed by Carol Shaw for Atari. Shaw is notable as one of the first female professional video game designers. The illustration on the game's box is a collaboration between Susan Jaekel and Rick Guidice, who created images of space colonies for the NASA Ames Research Center in the 1970s.
- 1980
- Collections - Artifact
Atari Video Game, "3-D Tic-Tac-Toe," 1980
3D Tic-Tac-Toe is an abstract strategy video game designed by Carol Shaw for Atari. Shaw is notable as one of the first female professional video game designers. The illustration on the game's box is a collaboration between Susan Jaekel and Rick Guidice, who created images of space colonies for the NASA Ames Research Center in the 1970s.
- "Atari," Clip from Interview with Steve Wozniak, August 18, 2008 - American computer engineer Stephen Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.) with Steve Jobs in 1976. Wozniak's inventions and machines--he created the Apple 1 and Apple II computers--contributed greatly to the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 80s. In 2008, staff from The Henry Ford interviewed Wozniak at the Computer History Museum in California as part of the Collecting Innovation Today Oral History Project.
- August 18, 2008
- Collections - Artifact
"Atari," Clip from Interview with Steve Wozniak, August 18, 2008
American computer engineer Stephen Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.) with Steve Jobs in 1976. Wozniak's inventions and machines--he created the Apple 1 and Apple II computers--contributed greatly to the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 80s. In 2008, staff from The Henry Ford interviewed Wozniak at the Computer History Museum in California as part of the Collecting Innovation Today Oral History Project.