History VideoGame / Pong

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the Creator/ChuckECheese franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] Creator/{{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it OlderThanTheNES. The company that was founded to publish it, Atari, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

* FollowTheLeader: Given it was one of the earliest video games ever made, and certainly the first one to achieve success, Pong ended up becoming one of the most heavily cloned video games of its day. There were dozens of mini-"consoles" made which featured variations of the game (i.e. Tournament 1000 by Unisonic, APF TV Fun, the Wonder Wizard, the Radioshack TV Scoreboard, Sears Super Pong Tele Game, Colorsport VIII, the Ricochet, TV-4 4-Way Video Game, Volley VI, Coleco Telestar/Telestar Arcade, etc.) Even Nintendo's very first game device, Color TV Game 6, was a Pong clone. Even the Fairchild Channel F and RCA Studio II, the first game systems to use cartridges, had a Pong game made for them.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the Creator/ChuckECheese franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] Creator/{{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] UsefulNotes/AppleII. The company that was founded to publish it, Atari, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

''Pong'' is often thought of as "the first video game ever", [[OlderThanTheyThink but this is untrue]] — for one, the UsefulNotes/MagnavoxOdyssey debuted earlier in 1972 (and had been in development since 1968). Not to mention Computer Space, also created by Bushnell, debut a year earlier. Before that, it gets pretty complicated and still challenged due to varying opinions of what constitutes a VideoGame — the very first is either ''VideoGame/{{Spacewar}}'' (1962), ''VideoGame/TennisForTwo'' (1958), ''VideoGame/{{OXO}}'' (1952), or the ''VideoGame/CathodeRayTubeAmusementDevice'' (1947). It was, however, the game that started the video game industry.

''Pong'' is often thought of as "the first video game ever", [[OlderThanTheyThink but this is untrue]] — for one, the UsefulNotes/MagnavoxOdyssey debuted earlier in 1972 (and had been in development since 1968). Before that, it gets pretty complicated and still challenged due to varying opinions of what constitutes a VideoGame — the very first is either ''VideoGame/{{Spacewar}}'' (1962), ''VideoGame/TennisForTwo'' (1958), ''VideoGame/{{OXO}}'' (1952), or the ''VideoGame/CathodeRayTubeAmusementDevice'' (1947). It was, however, the game that started the video game industry.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the Creator/ChuckECheese franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] Creator/{{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] UsefulNotes/{{Apple}} II. The company that was founded to publish it, Atari, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the Creator/ChuckECheese franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] Creator/{{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] UsefulNotes/Apple II. The company that was founded to publish it, Atari, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the Creator/ChuckECheese franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] Creator/{{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] UsefulNotes/AppleII. The company that was founded to publish it, Atari, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

* ProductFacelife: Magnavox made a bunch of their own variations of Pong consoles, such as the Magnavox Odyssey 4000.

* FollowTheLeader: Given it was one of the earliest video games ever made, and certainly the first one to achieve success, Pong ended up becoming one of the most heavily cloned video games of its day. There were dozens of mini-"consoles" made which featured variations of the game (i.e. Tournament 1000 by Unisonic, APF TV Fun, the Wonder Wizard, the Radioshack TV Scoreboard, Sears Super Pong Tele Game, Colorsport VIII, the Ricochet, TV-4 4-Way Video Game, Volley VI, Coleco Telestar/Telestar Arcade, etc.) Even Nintendo's very first game device, ColorTVGame6, was a Pong clone. Even the FairchildChannelF and RCA Studio II, the first game systems to use cartridges, had a Pong game made for them.

* FollowTheLeader: Given it was one of the earliest video games ever made, and certainly the first one to achieve success, Pong ended up becoming one of the most heavily cloned video games of its day. There were dozens of mini-"consoles" made which featured variations of the game (i.e. Tournament 1000 by Unisonic, APF TV Fun, the Wonder Wizard, the Radioshack TV Scoreboard, Sears Super Pong Tele Game, Colorsport VIII, the Ricochet, TV-4 4 Way Video Game, Volley VI, Coleco Telestar/Telestar Arcade, etc.) Even Nintendo's very first game device, ''ColorTVGame6'', was a Pong clone. Even the ''Fairchild Channel F'' and ''RCA Studio II'', the first game systems to use cartridges, had a Pong game made for them.

Everything aside, ''Pong'' was the [[TropeCodifier first game to be successful enough]] for people outside the (then '''extremely''' small) geek culture to know about its existence.

* CompilationRerelease: ''VideoGame/VideoOlympics'' for the {{Atari 2600}} is the oldest example in video game history, being one of the 2600's nine launch titles in 1977. It includes ''Pong'', ''Super Pong'', ''Pong Doubles'', and ''Quadrapong'', along with a few other of Atari's early arcade games.

''Pong'' is often thought of as "the first video game ever", [[OlderThanTheyThink but this is untrue]] — for one, the MagnavoxOdyssey debuted earlier in 1972 (and had been in development since 1968). Before that, it gets pretty complicated and still challenged due to varying opinions of what constitutes a VideoGame — the very first is either ''VideoGame/{{Spacewar}}'' (1962), ''VideoGame/TennisForTwo'' (1958), ''VideoGame/{{OXO}}'' (1952), or the ''VideoGame/CathodeRayTubeAmusementDevice'' (1947). It was, however, the game that started the video game industry.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the Creator/ChuckECheese franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] Creator/{{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] AppleII. The company that was founded to publish it, Atari, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

''Pong'' is often thought of as "the first video game ever", [[OlderThanTheyThink but this is untrue]] — for one, the MagnavoxOdyssey debuted earlier in 1972 (and had been in development since 1968). Before that, it gets pretty complicated and still challenged due to varying opinions of what constitutes a VideoGame — the very first is either ''VideoGame/SpaceWar!'' (1962), ''VideoGame/TennisForTwo'' (1958), ''VideoGame/{{OXO}}'' (1952), or the ''VideoGame/CathodeRayTubeAmusementDevice'' (1947). It was, however, the game that started the video game industry.

''Pong'' is often thought of as "the first video game ever", [[OlderThanTheyThink but this is untrue]] — for one, the MagnavoxOdyssey debuted earlier in 1972 (and had been in development since 1968). Before that, it gets pretty complicated and still challenged due to varying opinions of what constitutes a VideoGame — the very first is either ''VideoGame/SpaceWar!'' (1962), ''VideoGame/TennisForTwo'' (1958), or ''VideoGame/{{OXO}}'' (1952). It was, however, the game that started the video game industry.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the ChuckECheese franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] Creator/{{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] AppleII. The company that was founded to publish it, Atari, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

Can be played PvP or against a computer AI (the original arcade machine, however, was PvP only).

-->The complete directions for the original arcade game.

Pong is a 1972 video game, the first one released by {{Atari}}. You control a paddle that goes along one line — in the classic version, up and down. Your opponent has another paddle. You bounce a square ball against the paddle. If your opponent misses, you get a point. If you miss, your opponent gets a point. First to reach 21 wins.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the ChuckECheese franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] {{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] AppleII. The company that was founded to publish it, {{Atari}}, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

''Pong'' is often thought of as "the first video game ever", [[OlderThanTheyThink but this is untrue]] — for one, the MagnavoxOdyssey debuted earlier in 1972 (and had been in development since 1968). Before that, it gets pretty complicated and still challenged due to varying opinions of what constitutes a VideoGame — the very first is either ''SpaceWar!'' (1962), ''VideoGame/TennisForTwo'' (1958), or ''VideoGame/{{OXO}}'' (1952). It was, however, the game that started the video game industry.

* CompilationRerelease: VideoGame/''VideoOlympics'' for the {{Atari 2600}} is the oldest example in video game history, being one of the 2600's nine launch titles in 1977. It includes ''Pong'', ''Super Pong'', ''Pong Doubles'', and ''Quadrapong'', along with a few other of Atari's early arcade games.

* CompilationRerelease: [[VideoGame/''VideoOlympics'']] for the {{Atari 2600}} is the oldest example in video game history, being one of the 2600's nine launch titles in 1977. It includes ''Pong'', ''Super Pong'', ''Pong Doubles'', and ''Quadrapong'', along with a few other of Atari's early arcade games.

* CompilationRerelease: ''VideoOlympics'' for the {{Atari 2600}} is the oldest example in video game history, being one of the 2600's nine launch titles in 1977. It includes ''Pong'', ''Super Pong'', ''Pong Doubles'', and ''Quadrapong'', along with a few other of Atari's early arcade games.

* CompilationRerelease: ''VideoOlympics'' for the {{Atari 2600}} is the oldest example in video game history, being one of the 2600's nine launch titles in 1977. It includes ''Pong'', ''SuperPong'', ''PongDoubles'', and ''{{Quadrapong}}'', along with a few other of Atari's early arcade games.

* CompilationRerelease: ''VideoOlympics'' for the {{Atari 2600}} is the oldest example in video game history, being one of the 2600's nine launch titles in 1977. It includes ''{{Pong}}'', ''SuperPong'', ''PongDoubles'', and ''{{Quadrapong}}'', along with a few other of Atari's early arcade games.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the [[SuckECheeses Chuck E. Cheese]] franchise[[labelnote:*]]Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] {{Atari}}[[/labelnote]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] AppleII. The company that was founded to publish it, {{Atari}}, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

In more detail: ''Pong'', developed by Nolan Bushnell (who would later create the [[SuckECheeses Chuck E. Cheese]] franchise[[hottip:*:Oh, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and some company called]] {{Atari}}]]), is one of the oldest video games. It dates from 1972, making it [[OlderThanTheNES Older Than The]] AppleII. The company that was founded to publish it, {{Atari}}, became synonymous with video games for years afterwards. It was also packed with many first-generation consoles, and Atari made a separate console that only played the game.

Can be played PvP or against a computer AI (the original arcade machine however, was PvP only).