Games · 1983
The Crash and the Famicom's Dawn
The North American video game market collapsed under a flood of poor-quality titles, bringing an iconic era to a sudden halt. Meanwhile in Japan, Nintendo launched the Famicom, quietly laying the groundwork for the industry's ultimate resurrection.
- Console / Nintendo / July 1983
Family Computer (Famicom)
Nintendo launched its 8-bit home console in Japan, laying the technological foundation for the modern home video game industry.
- Arcade / Nintendo / June 1983
Mario Bros.
Shigeru Miyamoto introduced Luigi and redefined platforming gameplay as Mario flipped pests out of New York City's sewers.
- Arcade LaserDisc / Cinematronics
Dragon's Lair
Don Bluth's breathtaking movie-quality animation dazzled arcade visitors who guided Dirk the Daring through quick-time hazards.
- Arcade Vector / Atari / May 1983
Star Wars
Players sat in an immersive cockpit cabinet with digitized voice synthesis to blast TIE fighters and destroy the Death Star.
- Console / Sega / July 1983
Sega SG-1000
Sega entered the home video game market on the exact same day as Nintendo, igniting a classic console rivalry.
- Apple II / Broderbund / Puzzle
Lode Runner
Doug Smith's clever platform-puzzle game captivated computer users and popularized user-created content with its built-in level editor.
- Arcade / Bally Midway / Action
Spy Hunter
Driving an armed gadget car to the Peter Gunn theme, players dodged enemy vehicles and oil slicks on an endless highway.
- Hardware Standard / ASCII & Microsoft
MSX Home Computer Architecture
Microsoft and ASCII Corporation introduced a standardized 8-bit computer format that quickly became a major gaming platform in Japan.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?