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Odysseye2m

The Magnavox Odyssey is the first video game console and was released in 1972 by Magnavox. It started the first generation of video game consoles and numerous other consoles followed. The console was designed by Ralph Baer. The Brown Box was the prototype is at the National Museum of Natural History.

Concept and Design[]

Ralph Baer was working for Sanders Associates, a TV manufacturing company back in the 50s. One day while he was fixing a TV he had and idea and explained it to his boss to put games on video onto the TV, his boss disagreed. Years later in 1966 Baer came back to his idea. TV sales were going low and they had to come up with something to help save the company. Baer and some workers created a system made of wood. The system was called the Brown Box, and had video games on it. After getting a license with Magnavox, Baer manufactured the Brown Box into the Magnavox Odyssey and started selling the consoles in the autumn of 1972. The console is considered analog but Baer considers it digital. The games on it use a sort of a circuit card that can be inserted like a cartridge. They have a series of jumpers that go between the card connector. They interconnect to give the game its logic. The console lacks sound capability. A light gun was included for the Shooting Gallery.

List of Games in[]

Original 12 Games-

  • Table Tennis
  • States
  • Haunted House
  • Roulette
  • Tennis
  • Ski
  • Cat and Mouse
  • Hockey
  • Simon Says
  • Analogic
  • Submarine
  • Football
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