For many Gen Xers, video games were an integral part of growing up, and it all started in the 1970s with the dawn of home video gaming. Before that, video games were strictly found in arcades, where kids would pump quarters into machines like Pong or Space Invaders. The 70s, however, introduced a revolution that brought these experiences into our homes. Let’s take a look back at those early systems and what it was like for a Generation X kid to witness the rise of home gaming.
Defining Home Video Games in the 1970s
Prior to the late 1970s, video games existed almost exclusively in arcades. These massive machines were a focal point of early gaming, but they weren’t practical for home use due to their size and cost. Home video game consoles changed everything, bringing a taste of arcade excitement to living rooms across America. Early consoles were rudimentary by today’s standards, but they laid the groundwork for the gaming industry we know today.
The first generation of home consoles, like the Magnavox Odyssey (released in 1972), featured simple built-in games that were hardwired into the machine. These early consoles were often limited to variations of a couple of games—usually involving ping-pong-style paddles. You couldn’t swap out the games; what you got was what you played.
Enter the Fairchild Channel F (1976)
One of the most significant breakthroughs came with the Fairchild Channel F, later marketed as the Zircon Channel F. Released in 1976, it was the first video game console to use removable game cartridges—a revolutionary concept at the time. Prior to this, consoles only featured built-in games, so the Channel F introduced the idea of expanding your game library by purchasing new cartridges.
I personally had one of these systems, which my father bought in 1978. The Channel F’s controller was also unique—a joystick that you could twist and push, with a button for firing. This setup was ahead of its time and allowed for more interaction compared to the stiff, built-in controls of earlier consoles. The Channel F’s game library was basic, but the innovation of cartridge-based games set the stage for what was to come in the video game industry.
The Rise of Intellivision (1979)
A couple of years after the Channel F, my family got an Intellivision, which I received for Christmas. Although it was branded as the Sears Super Video Arcade, it was essentially the same system as the Mattel Intellivision. What set the Intellivision apart from its competitor, Atari, was its superior graphics and deeper gameplay. I remember thinking that the Atari 2600 was cool, but when it came to graphics, my Intellivision blew it out of the water.
Intellivision had its own line of game cartridges, including the classic poker game that came with the system—my dad loved that one. The unique controller, which featured a circular disc for movement and a number pad for different functions, added to its futuristic feel.
The Console I Couldn’t Get: ColecoVision
One console I always wanted but never got as a kid was the ColecoVision, which came out in 1982. By then, the video game market was about to crash, and I never got the chance to have one until much later. The ColecoVision had incredible arcade-quality graphics for the time, and it was a system that many Gen X kids dreamed of owning. Unfortunately, the video game crash of 1983 derailed many plans, including mine, for upgrading to this next level of gaming.
I still love Donkey Kong on ColecoVision. In my opinion, it was one of the most realistic versions of the arcade classic for home consoles, and even today, it holds up surprisingly well. The graphics were among the best of its time, capturing the look and feel of the arcade original, making it an unforgettable part of my childhood gaming memories.
The Sega Genesis and 1990s Gaming
By the late 80s and early 90s, I was already a young adult, but my love for gaming never faded. One of the last systems I got into was the Sega Genesis, which came out in 1989 in North America. To this day, I still fire up my Sega, particularly during the holidays. Sonic the Hedgehog, released in 1991, was my go-to game. The speed, the colorful graphics, and the gameplay were groundbreaking for the time. Another favorite was Earthworm Jim, a quirky and fun platformer that showed off the Genesis’ capabilities.
The Genesis became my most high-tech gaming experience, and while newer consoles have come along since then, the Genesis remains the pinnacle of my personal gaming collection. I might not dive into the high-end gaming world of today, but my Sega Genesis still brings back all the excitement I felt back in the early 90s.
WPIX’s TV PIXX: A Unique Call-In Game Show
Growing up in Queens, New York, I remember a unique call-in game show on WPIX called TV PIXX, which aired from 1979 to 1982. This show allowed viewers to call in and play video games on their TV screens in real-time. Games like Astro Smash or even Tic-Tac-Toe would be displayed, and the player would say “PIX” to control the action on the screen.
It was simple but thrilling. I always wondered how it worked—whether someone at the TV station pressed the button when the caller said “PIX.” It turns out that’s exactly how it worked: someone at the station pressed the controller’s fire button when the player gave the command. The games were powered by systems like the Intellivision, and possibly even the Channel F. It was such a cool concept at the time, and if you performed well, you could win prizes. This interactive TV gaming show was something I always looked forward to and added to the excitement of early gaming.
The Video Game Crash
The early 80s saw the video game market flooded with too many consoles and poorly made games. The oversaturation of the market led to a massive crash in 1983, causing many companies to go out of business and leaving others, like Atari, in steep decline. While this crash was devastating for the industry at the time, it also paved the way for the resurgence of gaming in the mid-80s, most notably with the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
Nostalgia and Collecting
Years later, around 1999 or 2000, I found myself in a nostalgic buying spree, acquiring many of the systems I couldn’t get as a kid, including the ColecoVision. Today, I still have those classic systems, and I make it a tradition to fire them up around Thanksgiving or Christmas, when things slow down. There’s something timeless about revisiting those early video games—they represent a simpler time when the possibilities seemed endless, and every new cartridge opened up a new world of fun.
Conclusion
For Generation X, the early years of video gaming were nothing short of magical. Systems like the Channel F, Intellivision, and ColecoVision gave us a glimpse of the future while providing countless hours of entertainment. As the industry grew and evolved, so did our love for video games, and those early experiences shaped the way we see gaming today. Whether it’s playing an old favorite or introducing younger generations to these early classics, the legacy of 1970s video gaming lives on.
Speaking of early video games, did anyone else out there own a Channel F? It’s a rare and obscure system, so I’d love to hear your memories or experiences with it!
