Retroware presents: The Video Game Years


release year: 2012
genre: documentary
viewing setting: home DVD, 1/25-29/21

synopsis: These nine episodes each cover a year in video gaming, from 1977 through 1985

impressions: This was some kind of web series, and each year/episode was between 45 and 105 minutes in length. They were done by a bunch of online video game reviewers with often-corny behavior and jokes. Most episodes contained old/vintage ads for video games or systems, which were fun to see again. Some highlights from specific years/episodes included:
  • 1977/1978/1979 - these were the REALLY old days of video games, and featured early home systems, Pong, Adventure, Space Invaders, Atari 2600 debut
  • 1980 - Pac-Man, Space Invaders for the 2600, Centipede, Berserk, Battlezone, Missile Command, Rogue, Tempest, Zork
  • 1981 - Frogger, Galaga, the IBM PC, Defender, Donkey Kong, Qix, Venture, Atari vs Intellivision, Ultima, Wizardry, Turbo, Yars Revenge, MS Pac-Man
  • 1982 - Atari 5200, Burgertime, Q-Bert, Pole Position, the Commodore 64, Joust, ET for the 2600, MS Flight Simulator, Popeye, Colecovision, Donkey Kong Junior, the Vectrex system, Dig Dug, the Pac-Man animated series, Choplifter, Sinistar, the debut of EG magazine, Mr Do, Robotron, Pitfall
  • 1983 - Elevator Action, Starcade TV show, Jumpman, Congo Bongo, the Famicon system, Gyruss, Dragon's Lair, Crystal Castles, Spy Hunter, Star Wars arcade game, Mario Brothers, Ultima 3: Exodus, the Wargames movie, Food fight, Crossbow, a glut of cheap bad games for the 2600, the arrival of home computers
  • 1984 - Marble Madness, Atari being sold, Karateka, Paperboy, Babbage's, Kung-Fu Master, Summer Games, Space Ace, Lode Runner, 1942, Punch-Out!, King's Quest
  • 1985 - Commando, Ultima 4, the NES system, Amiga, Super Mario Brothers, Ghosts and Goblins, Gauntlet, The Bard's Tale, Excitebike, The Oregon Trail, F15 Strike Eagle

    acting: n/a; the various experts generally do a good job of talking about these old video games and systems, although some of them are real dorks

    final word: Good recap of the golden age of video games

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