atari-coin-op-timeline - arcade...
TRANSCRIPT
ATARI-COIN-OP-TIMELINE Compiled by Kevin Williams- KWP Limited (V.4.3)
1972
1
2
Pong
Barrel Pong
Nov - first Atari game, 12,000 sold by Atari alone, first success,
first to have sequel, game built on royalties of Computer
Space, Atari sues by Magnavox over concept
Nov
Jun - Company founded form
an investment of $250, by
Nolan Bushnell, Al Alcorn and
Ted Dabney Bushnell (wanted
to call company Syzgy, but
name already taken)
1973
2
3
4
5
6
Space Race
Pong Double
Coup Davis
Gotcha
Eliminator (Kee)
Jul - prone to difficulties
Sep - first 4 player game
Sep - Europe release Pong Double
Oct - first arcade maze game
Oct - first Kee Games product
Jun - Kee Games formed as
secretly controlled competition
to Atari
Oct - Atari sells Pong rights to
Bally / Midway
1974
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Super Pong
Rebound
Spike (Kee)
Quadra Pong
Gran Trak 10
Formula K (Kee)
World Cup
Touch-Me
Twin Racer (Kee)
Trak 10
Feb
Feb - same as Spike
Mar
Mar
Mar - first car race game, first gear and peddle
Apr
Apr - was released in France as Coupe du Monde
Jun - rare cabinet
Jul
Jul
Apr - Atari Inc. merges! with
Kee Games to control success
of Tank
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Gran Trak 20
Pin Pong
Coupe Franc
Volleyball (Kit)
Pong Cocktail
Trak 20
Dr. Pong
Tank (Kee)
Tank Cocktail (Kee)
Qwak!
Sep
Sep
Sep - French only release, sequel to Pong Double
Aug
Aug
Aug
Oct
Nov
Nov
Nov - first non-mounted gun game
Puppy Pong (doctors’ offices)
Color Quadrapong
Prototypes
- 10 units made
1975
-
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
Compugraph Foto
Dodgeball
Pursuit
Indy 800 (Kee)
Hi-Way
Crossfire (Kee)
Tank II (Kee)
Anti Aircraft
Goal IV
Shark Jaws (Horror Games)
Steeple Chase
Crash ‘N Score
Jet Fighter (Kee)
- not a video game, first photo capture machine
Jan
Jan
Apr - first 8 player game
Apr - first cockpit driver
May
May - first ROM graphics
Jun
Jul
Sep - first animated characters, made under false name
Oct
Oct
Oct
Sep - Horror Games started to
protect Atari if sued by film
company over Shark Jaws
1976
39
40
41
Stunt Cycle
Outlaw
Tank 8 (Kee)
Jan - first cycle handles
Mar
Apr - first bill acceptor, full color Motorola 6800 microprocessor
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
-
Quiz Show (Kee)
Breakout
Breakout Cocktail
Indy 4
Cops N’ Robbers
Flyball (Kee)
Le Mans
Night Driver
Sprint 2 (Kee)
F-1 (Namco)
Atarians, The
Apr - first microprocessor
Apr - 15,000 sold, feud with Jobs and Wozniak
Apr
May
Jul
Jul
Aug
Oct - first driving simulator, first ‘First Person Perspective’
Nov - 8,200 sold, first competitive, first AI, built on Pong royalty
Nov - first Namco license, first projector game
Nov - Pin - Atari’s first pinball, first wide-body playing field
Apr - Atari sells Japanese
rights for Breakout to Namco
(Namco makes knock-off after
short supplies)
Oct - Bushnell sells Atari Inc.
to Warner Communication for
$28million ($15m for Nolan)
Breakout Deluxe
Cannon Ball
Prototypes
1977
52
53
54
55
56
-
57
58
59
-
60
61
62
Dominos
Triple Hunt
Sprint 8
Pool Shark
Drag Race (Kee)
Time 2000
Starship I
Super Bug (Kee)
Two Game Module
Airborne Avenger
Destroyer
Canyon Bomber
Sprint 4
Jan
Apr
May
Jun
Jun
Jun - Pin -
Jul - first cockpit space game, first grow motion technology
Sep
Sep
Sep - Pin - 350 produced
Oct
Nov
Dec
May - Atari opens Pizza Time
Theatre concept, originated by
Nolan as part of Atari (full title
Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time
Theater)
Dirt Bike
Boxing
Prototypes
- copied by Activision
1978
63
64
-
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
-
72
73
Sprint 1
Ultra-Tank (Kee)
Middle Earth
Sky Raider
Tournament Table
Avalanche
Fire Truck
Sky Diver
Smokey Joe
Super Breakout
Space Rider
Atari Football
Orbit
Jan - first CPU
Feb
Feb - Pin -
Mar - first vertical scroller
Mar
Apr
Jun - first co-operative 2 player
Jun
Jul
Sep
Sep - Pin –
Oct - first sports, first trackball, horizontal playing patent
Nov - first game continuation feature
Jun - Nolan buys back Pizza
Time Theatre concept from
Warner for $500,000
Nov - Bushnell fired from Atari
position as Chairman of the
Board, company changes from
R&D to Sales Marketing;
launches home division
Cosmo - Asteroids
Captain Seahawk
Tube Chase
Atari Wolf Pack
Mini Golf
Prototypes
1979
74
-
75
76
-
77
78
79
80
Video Pinball
Superman
Atari Basketball
Subs
Hercules
Atari Baseball
Lunar Lander
Atari 4 Player Football
Asteroid
Feb
Mar - Pin -
May - first Atari Sports title
May - first two separate screens
May - Pin - biggest pinball ever manufactured, last Pin
Jun
Aug - first vector, first game with continue coin feed option
Apr
Nov - first high score entry, Atari best seller 70,000
Dec - On the opening of
Showbiz Pizza Place, Bushnell
sued Brock and Topeka Inn
Management over breach of
contract
Orion XIV
Solar War
Road Runner - pinball
Sebring
Prototypes
- sequel to Video Pinball
1980
81
82
83
84
Atari Soccer
Monte Carlo
Missile Command
Battlezone
Apr
Apr
Jun
Nov - first ‘First Person Perspective’ battle simulator
Monza - pinball Prototypes
1981
85
86
87
88
89
Warlords
Asteroids Deluxe
Red Baron
Centipede
Tempest
Apr
Apr
May - first 3D flight simulator
Jun - 50,000 sales second most successful
Oct - first color vector
Cannon Ball
Battlezone Trainer
Tunnel Hunt
Force Field
Space Shoot
Thogs
Time Traveler
Neutron Star - pinball
Hyperspace
Prototypes
- military project
1982
90
91
92
Space Duel
Dig Dug (Namco)
Kangaroo (Sun)
Feb - first simultaneous vector 2 players
Mar - first license from Namco, advertised in theatres
Jun
- Atari and Bally, both make
equity investments in Namco
Ltd., called ‘goodwill gestures’
intended to bring the
companies closer in their
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
-
Gravitar
Fast Freddie (Kaneko)
Popeye (Nintendo)
Millipede
Liberator
Quantum
Pole Position (Namco)
Pat 900
Aug - worst selling game, “Move Over Gravitar”- Replay
Oct
Oct
Nov
Nov
Nov
Nov - first driving game in Atari cockpit
Nov - testing station for games
licensing relationships.
- Atari files law suit against
copies of Dig Dug.
Missile Command II (Deluxe)
Luna Battle
Nightmare
Super Centipede
Akka Arrh (Target Outpost)
Amazing Adventure
Heist
Interchange
Maze Invaders
Onslaught
Parking Lot
Power Gem
Star Trap
Warp Speed
Heart of Ice
Dragon Raider
QWAK
Tube Chase
Prototypes
- prototype of Gravitar
- later became Star Wars
- licensed to Centuri as Tunnel Hunt
1983
100
101
102
Xevious (Namco)
Mazer Blazer (Stern)
Black Widow
Feb - first vertical scroller, first computer rendered sprites
Feb
Feb
Mar - Namco acquires
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
Food Fight
Arabian (Namco)
Star Wars
Crystal Castles
Major Havoc
Dragons Lair (Magicom)
Space Ace (Magicom)
Pole Position II (Namco)
Mar - appearance of Chuck E. Cheese character
May
May - first film license
Jul
Nov
Nov
Nov
Nov - first game to store high score
Japanese manufacturing
division of Atari
Cloud 9 (Weather War)
Alpha 1
Runaway
Warp Speed
4x4 - pinball
Firebeast (Dragon Master)
Hare Scare
Heist
Interchange
Tomcat
Prototypes
- prototype for Major Havoc
1984
111
112
113
114
115
116
Firefox
TX-1 SD (Tatsumi/Namco)
Cloak & Dagger (Kit)
I, Robot
Empire Strikes Back (Kit)
Marble Madness
Jan - first laser disk
Mar - first three screen, first check-point continue
Mar - film deal
Jun - first 3D game, first view changer option
Sep
Dec
Jul - Jack Trammel buys Atari
Inc. home computer division
calling it Atari Corporation,
Warner retains 24%, and owns
arcade division of Inc. renamed
Atari Games Inc. / Tengen
Last StarFighter
Malibu Grand Prix
BattleStar Galactica
Road Runner
Prototypes
1985
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
Dragon Buster (Namco)
Return of the Jedi
Paperboy
Peter Pack Rat
Temple of Doom
Gauntlet
Indiana Jones
Feb
Mar
Apr
Jul
Jul
Oct - first game under Atari Games Inc., label
Oct
May - Atari Corp., closes
Ireland (Limerrick City)
corporate head-quarters
leaving only (Tipperary Town)
Atari Games Ireland Ltd. coin-
op manufacturing.
Air Race
Atari Jammin’
Prototypes
- first rhythm game
1986
124
125
126
127
128
Super Sprint
Road Runner
Gauntlet II
Championship Sprint
720
Apr
Jul
Aug
Sep
Dec - Sound track released
- Atari Games acquires the
arcade chain Barrel of Fun
Oct - Namco buys 43.8% in
Atari Games, taking charge of
Atari Japanese operation
1987
-
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
Vs. Atari RBI Baseball
Rolling Thunder (Namco)
Roadblaster
Dunk Shot (Sega)
A.P.B.
Dragon Spirit (Namco)
RBI Baseball (Namco)
Xybots
Pac-Mania (Namco)
- VS. Nintendo release of the original under licenses
Feb
Mar - first toy license
Jun
Jul
Jul
Nov
Nov
Dec
1988
-
137
138
Vs. Gauntlet
Blasteroids
Galaga ’88 (Namco)
- VS. Nintendo release of game
Feb
Apr
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
Vindicators
Pot Shot
Final Lap (Namco)
Toobin
Assault (Namco)
Cyberball
Final Lap U/R (Namco)
Vindicator Part II (Kit)
Apr
May
May - first network game
Jun
Aug - first special ‘Grow Motion’ hardware
Sep
Oct
Oct
Accelerator
Blasteroids (With Heads)
Prototypes
1989
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
Tetris
Hard Drivin’
Splatterhouse (Tecmo/Sharp)
Escape from the Planet...
Tournament Cyberball 2072
S.T.U.N. Runner
Skull & Crossbones
Four Tax (Namco)
Feb
Feb - first polygon driver, first force feedback, first drive sim
Feb
Jun
Aug
Sep
Nov
Dec
Street Drivin’
Guts n’ Glory
Prototypes
1990
-
155
156
157
158
-
159
160
Vs. Cyberball
Badlands
KLAX
Vindicators II
Hydra
Gumball Rally
Thunderjaws
Mad Dog McCree (ALG)
- VS. Nintendo release of the original under licenses
Jan
Feb
May
Jun
Jun - Redemption, not video game
Jul
Jul
Jun - Namco America Inc.,
sells their 43.8% shares in Atari
to management, but acquires
Atari Operations, Inc., and
keeps ownership of Atari
Games Ireland Ltd.
161
162
163
Pit Fighter
Race Drivin’
Shuuz
Aug - first Rotoscope game
Aug
Nov
1991
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
Rampart
Batman
Race Drivin’ Panorama
Road Riot 4WD
Who Shot Johnny Rock (ALG)
Steel Talons
Off the Wall
Feb
Apr
May – hardware used later by AGC
Jun - first rump thump effect
Jun
Aug
Oct
BMX Heat
Marble Man: MM2
Prototypes
1992
171
172
173
174
175
176
Relief Pitcher
Guardian of the Hood
Moto Frenzy
Space Lord
Gallaghers Gallery (ALG)
Space Pirates (ALG)
Apr
Jun
Jul
Nov
Nov
Nov
Danger Express
Atari Classic: Missile Command II
Atari Classic: Super Centipede
Road Riot 4WD (Revenge)
Dr. Sparkz Lab
Fish ‘n Freezy
Prototypes
1993
177
178
Mad Dog II (ALG)
Knuckle Bash (Toaplan)
Feb
Mar
Mar - AGC Simulation Products
launched, breakaway from
Atari, turning Hard Drivin’ into
179
180
181
World Rally (Gaelco)
Crime Patrol (ALG)
Drug Wars (ALG)
Mar
Jun
Nov
police training system
CyberStorm
Freeze: The Cat
Hard Drivin’ Airborne
BeatHead
Street Drivin’
Prototypes
- 10 units made
1994
182
183
184
185
Last Bounty Hunter (ALG)
T-Mek
Primal Rage
COPS (Nova)
Feb
Jul
May
Oct
Apr - Warner Communications
and Time Life merge to form
Time-Warner. Atari Games /
Tengen folded into new Time-
Warner Interactive.
Die Alien Scum!
3 on 3 Basketball
Metal Maniax
Prototypes
1995
186
-
Area 51
Hoop It Up
May - first Time Warner Interactive game, first hard-disk based
on Atari Jaguar console hardware
Sep - not a video game
Apr - Atari losses ALG
distribution contract
Primal Rage 2
Beavis & Butthead
Fishin’ Frenzy
Prototypes
- 3DO hardware
1996
187
188
Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey
San Francisco RUSH
Oct - first game released after Midway purchase
Dec - first 3Dfx architecture
Jun - Atari Corp., sold to hard-
drive marker JTS in 'reverse
merger' worth $50million
regarding remaining debts.
Nov - Time-Warner Interactive
(Atari Games Inc.) sold to WMS
(Midway) for an estimated
$23.8million
Vicious Circle Prototypes
1997
189
190
191
192
MACE: The Dark Age
Maximum Force
RUSH The Rock
Surf Planet (Gaelco)
May
Jun
Mar - first WaveNet
Oct
Jun - SNK agrees to sell Atari
products in Japan.
1998
193
194
195
196
197
198
Area 51 / Maximum Force Duo
Californian Speed
Gauntlet Legend
Radikal Bikers (Gaelco)
Area 51: Site 4
Vapor TRX
Feb
Mar - Midway designed project
Mar
May
Oct
Oct
Feb - Hasbro Interactive
acquires Atari Corp., and the
rights to 75 (1972-1984) classic
titles from JTS for $5million in
cash
10th Degree
Mean Streak
Prototypes
1999
199
200
201
WAR
Road Burner
RUSH 2049
Mar
Mar
Jun - LAST Arcade game by Atari
Mar - Atari signs patent
agreement with Sega
Enterprises (force feedback)
May - Namco closes Atari
Games Ireland Ltd.
August - Midway takes charge
of Atari’s sales, marketing and
manufacture.
WAR: Tournament Edition
RUSH: HotRod (Hot Rod Rebels)
Blood Lust
Jungle Rat
Prototypes
Remaining Atari development
is transferred to Midway (staying in California at the newly named Midway Games
West offices), but is eventually closed as Midway moves from the Arcade industry in 2001.
Midway Games West office closed 2003 – Midway acquired
by Warner 2009.
Credits:
- The ‘Atari Timeline’ based on that was compiled and created by Kevin Williams of KWP Limited in 2004
for an article in the amusement trade journal – all copyright & IP retained by their respective owners – the
compiled work retained by KWP (2004-2012).
END