How Atari's Pong Got Made: Members Only

[AARPLynne]

With a half-century’s hindsight, the video game Pong looks primitive. The table tennis game from 1972 consists of two paddles, a square ball, a score counter, and some canonical bleep and bloop sound effects — and many decades later, it still frustrates and delights. Its humble beginnings and simple graphics notwithstanding, Pong was revolutionary: It kick-started the multibillion dollar home video game market. (Read the full article…Members Only)

Do you play? What do you like about Atari games?

[ArriettaL74592]

Oh, I almost forgot! My husband and I played Pong. We had a lot of fun playing that first video game, and we definitely got pretty competitive. I always wondered what happened to the game. I think I let my brother borrow it and we never saw it again. We still have two Intellivision game consoles and lots of game cartridges. We loved playing these games!

[ArriettaL74592]

My sister Linda had an Atari console. We played a game called Kaboom! She was so darn good at that game. The bombs came faster and faster the longer you played. I’d lose my turn pretty quickly but my sister, boy was she fast! It was such a joy to watch and cheer her on. And that game was exhausting! We laughed so hard every time we played, especially the time my Mom played with us. Great memories. 

[2Papa]

I liked that back in the day when we had Atari, I could beat my kids at the games.  Now though, it’s a different story.