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British Kids Using Computers, 1980 – 1981

Published November 4, 2013 Atari , Computer Labs , Personal Computers , Video Games 13 Comments

Slatyford Comprehensive School, 1981. Photo: The Mirror

All of the photos shown here are from The Mirror/Daily Mirror archives and collected by Us Vs Th3m. Click the link to see more.

The first one shows the lads on a Video Genie, known as the Dick Smith (of Dick Smith Electronics) System 80 in Australia and New Zealand, where it was important as an alternative to the scarce and largely unaffordable TRS-80. It appeared briefly in North America as the PMC-80.

Longbenton High School, Newcastle, 1981. Photo: The Mirror

The Research Machines 380Z was developed and produced in Oxford for the education market starting in 1977. It was succeeded in 1981 by the Link 480Z, although the 380Z continued to be produced until 1985.

Benfield Road High School, 1980. Photo: The Mirror

Another 380Z (the CPU is under the TV). The aloof pose of the young lady on the right reminds me of the young lady in this photo. Not everyone found the new technology thrilling, or even interesting.

Space Invaders World Championship, 1981. Photo: The Mirror

Okay, so the kids aren’t really “computing,” but it’s a beautiful shot. The description identifies the scene as the “National Space Invaders Championship” of 1981, but that event, probably the most famous video game tournament in history, took place in late 1980, and it was exclusive to the U.S. (The Golden Age Arcade Historian talks about it here.) The Space Invaders World Championship was held in 1981.

Kids Playing Atari in Department Store, 1981

Published October 8, 2013 Atari , Demonstration Centers/Stations , Department Stores , Home Consoles , Intellivision , Video Games 15 Comments

The year is a guess, and the exact location is unknown. I’m going with 1980 because that’s when Intellivision (carts in the glass cabinet on the left) was released nationwide. The Atari 400 and 800 came out in November of ’79, and the Odyssey² came out in ’78. The original Magnavox Odyssey hit shelves in 1972. The ping-pong game that came with it inspired Pong.

I can’t tell what’s playing on the 400, but somebody’s playing Space Invaders on the screen to the far left. It doesn’t look like any of the Atari versions, so maybe my year is off after all. It could be Intellivision’s Space Armada (1981), but there’s more space between the aliens in that game.

UPDATE: The year is at least 1981. Lefty Limbo spotted the Asteroids 2600 cart (1981) on the top row of the front glass cabinet. Title updated accordingly.

(Photo via Historic Images/eBay)

Arcade Cabinets: Lunar Lander (Atari, 1979)

Published September 24, 2013 Arcade Cabinets/Coin-Ops , Atari , Video Games 3 Comments

(Images via eBay, Wikipedia, Stiggy’s Blog, KLOV forums, Pinball Rebel, and The Arcade Flyer Archive)

Nintendo’s Wild Gunman (1974)

Published September 13, 2013 Toy Guns/Weapons , Video Games 1 Comment

As far as I can tell, Wild Gunman is the first arcade video game to feature a replica gun used against replica people. A longer demo is here. I remember the experience with much bitterness, because the light gun was not very sensitive, and even if you drew and fired in time, the hit didn’t always register.

The flyer below shows the cabinet and the different cowboys you could duel. Shooting Trainer (1975) was the sequel. The player fired at white bottles that popped up against a Wild West backdrop.

(Video via Shane MacDonald/YouTube; images via The Arcade Flyer Archive)

Arcade Zen (1982)

Published July 31, 2013 Moral Panic , Video Arcades , Video Games 2 Comments

Mercer Island Video Arcade, February 10, 1982. (Natalie Fobes/Seattle Times)

Caption:

Youths flock to the Mercer Island Video Arcade after school. Some parents are unhappy about the arcade’s location and the time and money their children spend there.

Here’s what happened the very next month, from the March 25, 1982 edition of The Spokesman-Review.

Step one: Blame new entertainment technologies for the failure of parents to raise their children responsibly.

Step two: Tax those new technologies, thereby exempting the failure of city officials to manage tax revenue responsibly.

It turned out that affluent Mercer Island had bigger problems.

(Photo via Seattle Washington Archive)

Atari Game Club Brochure, 1980

Published July 31, 2013 '80s Decor/Design/Fashion , Atari , Home Consoles , Video Games 6 Comments

Wait a minute. Membership is $100, unless you buy a cart ($21.95 to $39.95), in which case your membership is free. So why would anyone pay the $100? Is it supposed to be some kind of reverse psychology? “Wow, look at all the cool free stuff I get if I can convince my dad to give me a check for Breakout!”

BASIC Programming is one of the selections in the purple tier.

I remember that Space Invaders shirt.

UPDATE (1/19/14): Keith Golon wrote to tell me that it’s not $100 for a membership, but $1.00 Now that makes sense. If you look closely, you can see the decimal. Thanks a million, Keith.

(Images via rbgamehunter)

Williams Electronics Trade Ads (1982)

Published July 9, 2013 '80s Decor/Design/Fashion , Ads , Arcade Cabinets/Coin-Ops , Comic Books , Make Mine Marvel , Spinner Racks , Video Games 1 Comment

What a brilliant display of golden age video game marketing. Almost all service businesses had cabinets by ’82, but those businesses had to choose between a whole bunch of different game manufacturers. Williams (Defender, Stargate, Joust, Robotron, Sinistar) was one of the big names.

Is dad reading the Bible in the before shot of the first ad? And who the hell is that in the blue shirt? Pat? I had a handheld or two by ’82, but nothing compared to a row of cabinets. Just hearing the attract mode noises made life so much more exciting.

Check out the lady on the left peering curiously at the kids in the grocery store. She’s thinking: “Video games in the supermarket? What a great idea! Now I can bring my kids and spend way more money!”

The third ad is my favorite. Look how bored they are with one another until the cocktail cabinets arrive. And the guys at the coin-op-less bar are so miserable not because they’re stag, but because all the games are taken.

Fourth ad: Ruffles bags haven’t changed much, I guess. See all the beautifully pristine comic books on the spinner rack? That’s Captain America #268 second from the bottom.

(Images via The Arcade Flyer Archive)