the NES - 1983
The NES was the first ever 8-bit colour game system and was released in 1985. This meant that games could now be played, at home, in full colour. This revolutionized the industry, showing that colour was the way forward. It ran infamous titles such as Mario, and had a huge effect on society, as without this console we may still be playing in Black & White at home. It was this console that revived the gaming industry after the aforementioned crash caused by Atari. It is almost impossible to overstate the influence this console had. It single-handedly revolutionized home gaming. It cost $299 for the full Deluxe set. Comparatively, this was cheap compared to others. Sales rocketed and a new era in gaming was born. It was almost as important as the Magnavox for gaming, as it performed a full revive on the home gaming industry, after the crash in '83 caused by Atari and E.T.
the sega mega-drive (genesis) - 1988/90
The Sega Mega-Drive was influential as it was the first console to use CD-ROM technology, allowing games to be larger in terms of file size. This meant they could have better graphics, story lines and mechanics. The fact that larger storage devices were now available changed the industry, at least until games got too big even for CD’s and have to bought off the newly founded Internet.The console used characters like Sonic the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna and more violence based games like Mortal Kombat to appeal to the older generation Mario left behind. At $189 when released, the Genesis was around average price, competing with the older systems such as the NES. Released in 1988 in Japan and 1989 in America, The Mega-drive was a step forward in gaming because of the appeal to teens, making the point that gaming wasn't just for kids.
the gameboy - 1989
The Gameboy was one of, if not the first handheld game console. It paved the way for infamous hand-help consoles such as the PSP and the Nintendo DS almost 15 years later, along the way earning a name for itself. It featured a green and black monotone screen, as it was incapable of colour other than 4 varying shades of grey and olive green. It ran off an 8-bit processor and had 7 games available for it. This console was important for society as it helped popularize handheld technology. This is one development which would eventually develop into the Mobile Phones that didn't involve a briefcase. It was important because it meant people could play games on the go, popularizing movement and active gaming instead of the ‘couch potato mentality’.