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Analogue Pocket Is Now Home to the First Video Game Ever Made
'Spacewar!' hails from 1962, beating Pong by a decade
By Lawrence Bonk Lawrence Bonk News Reporter Florida State University Lawrence Bonk is a tech news reporter for Lifewire, specializing in gaming, AI, VR, and consumer tech, including iOS, macOS, wearables, and more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on July 29, 2022 01:26PM EDT Fact checked by Jerri Ledford Fact checked by Jerri Ledford Western Kentucky University Gulf Coast Community College Jerri L. Ledford has been writing, editing, and fact-checking tech stories since 1994. Her work has appeared in Computerworld, PC Magazine, Information Today, and many others. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Gaming Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming It’s one thing to use a retro gaming console to play old Atari or Nintendo titles, but it is another to boot up games dating back to the early 1960s. Analogue Pocket owners, however, will be able to do just that, as the portable console just received a system update that includes Spacewar!, a game invented by MIT students in 1962. Analogue Spacewar! is a two-player competitive shooter in which a pair of spaceships face off against one another while navigating the gravity of a star. It used an early version of a gamepad for controls and a cathode-ray tube for a display. The antiquated technology used to make this game presented emulation challenges, which were handed off to third-party developer Spaceman. The port of Spacewar! is being used to showcase the handheld’s new developer mode, which allows third-party developers to make games specifically for the system. Of course, the title of "first video game ever" is up for dispute, as scientists at the Brookhaven National Laboratory created a tennis game back in 1958, among other experiments throughout the country during the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, Tennis for Two and its cousins stayed at the lab, whereas Spacewar! became a sensation on college campuses that had the equipment to run it. Despite its relatively niche popularity, it is cited as the first bonafide hit in gaming, beating Pong and Pac-Man by a decade or more. The most recent Analogue Pocket update also brings some more useful features to the table, including save states and a reference tool that brings up relevant details on whatever you are playing. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Pong: The First Video Game Megahit The 10 Best Games of the Half-Decade, 2010 through 2014 Compare Every iPhone Model Ever Made The 10 Best Products from CES 1967 - Present 6G: What It Is & When to Expect It Compare Every iPad Model Ever Made OXO aka Noughts and Crosses - The First Video Game The 10 Best Games for Steam Deck of 2022 The 9 Best Classic Xbox Video Games to Play Best Places to Sell Used Video Games What are the Different Types of Game Boys? What is an Easter Egg in Tech? Video Game Emulators: What You Need to Know 10 Reasons the Wii U Failed The 10 Best Xbox 360 Games Best Old-School Games on iOS, Windows, and Android Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies