The Evolution of Video Gaming (Part 8)

Where I left off, the battle between Nintendo and Sony had just begun. The year was 1996 when the Nintendo 64 was released to compete with the Sony PlayStation (which was released in 1995). These systems were unique and different in there own ways, but still, both of these systems were very successful. During the mid to late 1990's, neither one of these systems really dominated the other one. Each one was able to "stay on the map" in the video gaming world.

In 2000, Sony decided it was time to step things up. It had been 5 years since they had released a new product and although the PlayStation was still successful, they needed something new. Thus came the release of the Sony PlayStation 2. This was the first 128 bit system on the market. This system had many new features that had never been seen before. First, the ability to play backwards. It also had the ability to play old 32 bit PlayStation games. One of the most unique features was the PlayStation 2's ability to play DVDs. DVDs were becoming very popular at the time and this was one of Sony's best ideas to help encourage the product. It was a way to to get enjoyment by playing your favorite video games as well as watch your favorite movies. Many people liked the product because they did not have to buy a video gaming system AND a DVD player. They just needed to buy the Sony PlayStation 2 and they were set. Another reason the PlayStation 2 was so successful was because of the games. The big name games that were played on PlayStation 2 were Grand Theft Auto (the series), Metal Gear, and Final Fantasy. With all this great success once again, the PlayStation 2 was the most popular video gaming console of the 128 bit era. Another extraordinary thing the PlayStation 2 had was its rise in popularity of consoles played over a high speed Internet connection. One thing about the PlayStation 2 that some people did not like quite as much was that it was still only meant for 2 people to play a game at a time. However, Sony realized this problem and made a converter that could allow 4 people to play. Although this cost more money, it was very useful. With that said, games began to be made for up to 8 people to play. If you were to plug in 2 converters (one into each of the two controller slots) then there would be even controller slots for 8 people to play. The PlayStation 2 was even more successful than the first PlayStation and it remained a high competitor for the best video gaming system for a real long time.

By 2001, Nintendo released its first non cartridge based video gaming console. It was a 128 bit home console that was called the Nintendo Game Cube. The console used game disc that had the ability to hold up to 1.5 gigabytes of information on a disc that was less than 3 inches in diameter. This was considerably smaller than a traditional CD Rom or DVD. A very unique feature the Game Cube has it its ability to link to a portable system such as the Game Boy. By linking to a Game Boy, you could play a Game Boy game through the Game Cube on your television. Still popular games on the Nintendo gaming system were Mario, Zelda, and Metroid. Nintendo also got titles from 3rd party developers when the Game Cube was released. In the past these games were only developed for Sony or other video gaming companies. The Game Cube was obviously called that because of its "cube" shape. There was also the ability for 4 people to play at time, just like in the past gaming consoles. Although, many did not like the shape of the controller. Although it was similar in design and similar in the amount of buttons used to Sony's controllers, it was different and many did not like it. The Game Cube was successful at first because so many anticipated another great video gaming console from Nintendo. However, many eventually did not like the system for various reasons and turned to the PlayStation 2 during this era. The PlayStation 2 was definitely a favorite over the Nintendo Game Cube. Even with this said, the battle still continues.

Also a contributing factor as to why the Nintendo Game Cube was not as successful as most thought it would be was because of the release of another video gaming system in 2001. This was not released by Sony, but by another company that was making its first appearance in the video gaming world. Learn about this mysterious, yet successful gaming system in the next part of The Evolution of Video Gaming.