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1980 saw the release of a number of games with influential concepts, including Pac-Man , Battlezone , Crazy Climber , Mystery House , Missile Command , Phoenix , Rally-X , Space Panic , Stratovox , Zork , Adventure, and Olympic Decathlon . The year's highest-grossing video game was Namco's arcade game Pac-Man, while the best-selling home system was Nintendo's Game & Watch. The Atari VCS (later called the Atari 2600) also grew in popularity with a port of Space Invaders and support from new third-party developer Activision.
The following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games worldwide in 1980.
Rank | Title | Gross revenue | Inflation | Cabinet sales | Developer | Distributor(s) | Genre | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Pac-Man | $1,000,000,000 | $3,600,000,000 | 100,000 | Namco | Namco / Midway | Maze | [3] [4] [5] |
2 | Asteroids | $700,000,000 | $2,500,000,000 | 70,000 | Atari, Inc. | Atari, Inc. | Shoot 'em up | [6] [7] |
Galaxian | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Namco | Namco / Midway | Shoot 'em up | [8] [9] | |
Space Invaders | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Taito | Taito / Midway | Shoot 'em up | [10] |
In Japan and the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1980.
Rank | Japan ( Game Machine ) [8] [11] | United States | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Title | #1 | #2 | #3 | Points | Cash Box [12] | Play Meter [9] [13] | RePlay [14] [15] | Cabinet sales | |
1 | Pac-Man | 62 | 46 | 17 | 295 | Asteroids | < 60,000 [6] | ||
2 | Galaxian | 44 | 25 | 18 | 200 | Galaxian | < 40,000 [16] | ||
3 | Crazy Climber | 14 | 19 | 30 | 110 | — | Space Invaders | < 12,000 [17] [18] | |
4 | Moon Cresta | 3 | 24 | 15 | 72 | — | Unknown | Missile Command | Unknown |
5 | Monaco GP | 11 | 4 | 11 | 52 | — | Unknown | Rip Off | Unknown |
6 | Rally-X | 1 | 6 | 3 | 18 | — | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
7 | Heiankyo Alien (Digger) | 1 | 4 | 4 | 15 | ||||
8 | Pitch In | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | ||||
9 | Super Speed Race | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||||
10 | Sasuke vs. Commander | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Space Invaders | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |||||
Missile Command | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
The following titles were the best-selling home video games in 1980.
Rank | Title | Platform | Developer | Publisher | Release Year | Genre | Sales | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Space Invaders | Atari VCS | Taito | Atari, Inc. | 1980 | Shoot 'em up | 1,318,655 | [19] [20] |
2 | Breakout | Atari VCS | Atari, Inc. | 1978 | Action | 256,265 | [20] | |
3 | Football | Atari VCS | Atari, Inc. | 1979 | Sports (American football) | 248,502 | ||
4 | Bowling | Atari VCS | Atari, Inc. | 1979 | Sports | 245,670 | ||
5 | Night Driver | Atari VCS | Atari, Inc. | 1980 | Racing | 161,352 | ||
6 | Air-Sea Battle | Atari VCS | Atari, Inc. | 1977 | Shooter | 160,093 | ||
7 | Circus Atari | Atari VCS | Atari, Inc. | 1980 | Action | 148,756 | ||
8 | Street Racer | Atari VCS | Atari, Inc. | 1977 | Racing | 89,269 | ||
9 | Video Olympics | Atari VCS | Atari, Inc. | 1977 | Sports | 36,028 |
Rank | System(s) | Manufacturer | Type | Generation | Sales | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Game & Watch | Nintendo | Handheld | — | 2,000,000+ | [21] |
2 | Atari Video Computer System (VCS) | Atari, Inc. | Console | Second | 1,250,000 | [22] |
3 | TRS-80 | Tandy Corporation | Computer | 8-bit | 290,000 | [23] |
4 | Intellivision | Mattel | Console | Second | 200,000 | [22] [24] |
5 | Atari 400 / Atari 800 | Atari, Inc. | Computer | 8-bit | 200,000 | [23] |
6 | Commodore PET | Commodore International | Computer | 8-bit | 90,000 | [23] |
7 | Apple II | Apple Inc. | Computer | 8-bit | 79,500 | [25] |
8 | HP 9800 / HP Series 80 | Hewlett-Packard | Computer | 8-bit | 11,300 | [25] |
9 | North Star Horizon | North Star Computers | Computer | 8-bit | 8,200 | [25] |
10 | TI-99/4 | Texas Instruments | Computer | 8-bit | 8,100 | [25] |
The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System, it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridges, a format first used with the Fairchild Channel F in 1976. The VCS was bundled with two joystick controllers, a conjoined pair of paddle controllers, and a game cartridge—initially Combat and later Pac-Man. Sears sold the system as the Tele-Games Video Arcade. Atari rebranded the VCS as the Atari 2600 in November 1982 alongside the release of the Atari 5200.
The video game crash of 1983 was a large-scale recession in the video game industry that occurred from 1983 to 1985, primarily in the United States. The crash was attributed to several factors, including market saturation in the number of video game consoles and available games, many of which were of poor quality. Waning interest in console games in favor of personal computers also played a role. Home video game revenue peaked at around $3.2 billion in 1983, then fell to around $100 million by 1985. The crash abruptly ended what is retrospectively considered the second generation of console video gaming in North America. To a lesser extent, the arcade video game market also weakened as the golden age of arcade video games came to an end.
Space Invaders is a 1978 shoot 'em up arcade video game developed and released by Taito in Japan, and licensed to Midway Manufacturing for overseas distribution. Commonly considered as one of the most influential video games of all time, Space Invaders was the first fixed shooter and set the template for the genre. The goal is to defeat wave after wave of descending aliens with a horizontally moving laser cannon to earn as many points as possible.
Kaboom! is an action video game published in 1981 by Activision for the Atari 2600. The gameplay was based on the Atari arcade game Avalanche (1978), with the game now involving a Mad Bomber who drops bombs instead of falling rocks. Kaboom! was programmed by Larry Kaplan with David Crane coding the graphics for the buckets and Mad Bomber. It was the last game designed by Kaplan for Activision, who left the company shortly after the release of the game. The game was later ported by Paul Wilson for the Atari 5200 system.
Ms. Pac-Man is a 1982 maze arcade video game developed by General Computer Corporation and published by Midway. It is the first sequel to Pac-Man (1980) and the first entry in the series to not be made by Namco. Controlling the title character, Pac-Man's wife, the player is tasked with eating all of the pellets in an enclosed maze while avoiding four colored ghosts. Eating the larger "power pellets" lets the player eat the ghosts, who turn blue and flee.
1983 has seen many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Mario Bros. and Pole Position II, along with new titles such as Astron Belt, Champion Baseball, Dragon's Lair, Elevator Action, Spy Hunter and Track & Field. Major events include the video game crash of 1983 in North America, and the third generation of video game consoles beginning with the launch of Nintendo's Family Computer (Famicom) and Sega's SG-1000 in Japan. The year's highest-grossing video game was Namco's arcade game Pole Position, while the year's best-selling home system was Nintendo's Game & Watch for the third time since 1980.
Galaxian is a 1979 fixed shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. The player assumes control of the Galaxip starfighter in its mission to protect Earth from waves of aliens. Gameplay involves destroying each formation of aliens, who dive down towards the player in an attempt to hit them.
Galaga is a 1981 fixed shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. In North America, it was released by Midway Manufacturing. It is the sequel to Galaxian (1979), Namco's first major video game hit in arcades. Controlling a starship, the player is tasked with destroying the Galaga forces in each stage while avoiding enemies and projectiles. Some enemies can capture a player's ship via a tractor beam, which can be rescued to transform the player into a "dual fighter" with additional firepower.
The golden age of arcade video games was the period of rapid growth, technological development, and cultural influence of arcade video games from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. The release of Space Invaders in 1978 led to a wave of shoot-'em-up games such as Galaxian and the vector graphics-based Asteroids in 1979, made possible by new computing technology that had greater power and lower costs. Arcade video games switched from black-and-white to color, with titles such as Frogger and Centipede taking advantage of the visual opportunities of bright palettes.
The following article is a broad timeline of arcade video games.
1984 saw many sequels and prequels along with new titles such as 1942, Boulder Dash, Cobra Command, Jet Set Willy, Karate Champ, Kung-Fu Master, Yie Ar Kung-Fu and Punch-Out!! The year's highest-grossing arcade games were Pole Position in the United States, for the second year in a row, and Track & Field in the United Kingdom. The year's best-selling home system was Nintendo's Family Computer (Famicom), which was only sold in Japan at the time.
1982 was the peak year for the golden age of arcade video games as well as the second generation of video game consoles. Many games were released that would spawn franchises, or at least sequels, including Dig Dug, Pole Position, Mr. Do!, Zaxxon, Q*bert, Time Pilot and Pitfall! The year's highest-grossing video game was Namco's arcade game Pac-Man, for the third year in a row, while the year's best-selling home system was the Atari 2600. Additional video game consoles added to a crowded market, notably the ColecoVision and Atari 5200. Troubles at Atari late in the year triggered the video game crash of 1983.
Fueled by the previous year's release of the colorful and appealing Pac-Man, the audience for arcade video games in 1981 became much wider. Pac-Man influenced maze games began appearing in arcades and on home systems. Pac-Man was the highest grossing video game for the second year in a row. Nintendo's Donkey Kong defined the platform game genre, while Konami's Scramble established scrolling shooters. The lesser known Jump Bug combined the two concepts into both the first scrolling platform game and the first platform shooter. Other arcade hits released in 1981 include Defender, Frogger, and the Galaxian sequel Galaga.
1979 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Space Invaders Part II and Super Speed Race, along with new titles such as Asteroids, Football, Galaxian, Head On, Heiankyo Alien, Monaco GP, Sheriff and Warrior. For the second year in a row, the highest-grossing video game was Taito's arcade game Space Invaders and the best-selling home system was the Atari Video Computer System.
1978 saw the release of new video games such as Space Invaders. The year is considered the beginning of the golden age of arcade video games. The year's highest-grossing video game was Taito's arcade game Space Invaders, while the best-selling home system was the Atari Video Computer System.
1977 had sequels such as Super Speed Race and Datsun 280 ZZZAP as well as several new titles such as Space Wars. The year's highest-grossing arcade games were F-1 and Speed Race DX in Japan, and Sea Wolf and Sprint 2 in the United States. The year's best-selling home system was Nintendo's Color TV-Game, which was only sold in Japan.
Pac-Man is a 1982 maze video game developed and published by Atari, Inc. under official license by Namco, and an adaptation of the 1980 hit arcade game of the same name. The player controls the title character, who attempts to consume all of the wafers in a maze while avoiding four ghosts that pursue him. Eating flashing wafers at the corners of the screen causes the ghosts to temporarily turn blue and flee, allowing Pac-Man to eat them for bonus points. Once eaten, a ghost is reduced to a pair of eyes, which return to the center of the maze to be restored.
Atari, Inc. was an American video game developer and home computer company founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. Atari was a key player in the formation of the video arcade and video game industry.
An arcade video game is an arcade game where the player's inputs from the game's controllers are processed through electronic or computerized components and displayed to a video device, typically a monitor, all contained within an enclosed arcade cabinet. Arcade video games are often installed alongside other arcade games such as pinball and redemption games at amusement arcades. Up until the late 1990s, arcade video games were the largest and most technologically advanced sector of the video game industry.
The game produced one billion dollars in 1980 alone
It was all Midway could do to keep up with the demand for the quarter-munching machines, churning out a hundred thousand of them in 1980 (three times that number were produced over the next seven years).
In 1980, the company introduced Asteroids to compete with the Space Invaders arcade game, which was produced by another company. Atari's version proved to be a popular alternative. By the end of the year, 70,000 of the units had been shipped.
Examination of the graphics of 10 video machines, selected from the list of the 20 most popular videos for 1980 as published by Play Meter, supported our initial observations. (...) The three most popular video games for 1980 were Asteroids, Galaxian, and Space Invaders in that order. All three video games involve shooting electronic projectiles at rocks in space or at alien invaders.
By 1980, some 300,000 Space Invader video arcade games were in use in Japan, and an additional 60,000 in the United States.
Despite the success of his game, Iwatani never received much attention. Rumors emerged that the unknown creator of Pac-Man had left the industry when he received only a $3500 bonus for creating the highest-grossing video game of all time.