To say that the 1980s was a rollercoaster decade for the gaming industry would be an understatement. The so-called "golden age of arcade video games" was still in full flow up until about 1982; one year later, the home console industry crashed, and then two years later, the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in the west - bringing the industry back from what looked like a resounding defeat, and introducing the world to franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.
Although it may not seem like much by today's standards, the jump in quality from games on the Atari 2600 to those on the Nintendo Entertainment System felt enormous at the time, which played a major part in convincing consumers that home console gaming was the future. Many special memories were created by the gaming industry in the '80s, and there are some iconic images from the decade that are sure to give players a rush of nostalgia.
7 "It's Dangerous To Go Alone! Take This." - The Legend of Zelda
As mentioned before, the 1980s were home to the first Legend of Zelda release. The game simply titled The Legend of Zelda was released in February 1986 and, as is common with the franchise's games, is considered one of the most influential releases of its generation.
In fact, it can be argued that the original Legend of Zelda is still having a significant influence on gaming today, as it was one of the first games to ever offer the freedom of an open world, something that the most recent game in the franchise, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, emulated.
The game's most iconic moment comes at the very beginning when Link enters a nearby cave and is given a sword from an old man who utters the line, "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this."
6 "Our Princess Is In Another Castle" - Super Mario Bros.
From one of gaming's most famous quotes to another, Toad's "but our princess is in another castle!" line is well-known all around the world. Interestingly though, like "I am your Father" from Star Wars, many people misquote Toad's famous line, saying it as either "your princess" or "the princess."
Either way, the quote may seem like a deflating thing to read after completing each world, though it was an indication that more content was available. This was particularly important in the '80s, as most players would only have one or two games.
5 Early '80s Arcades
As mentioned before, the early '80s were still considered to be a part of the "golden age of arcade video games" by most people. Although the Atari 2600 provided a home-based alternative at the time, many of its releases were just inferior adaptations of popular arcade games. This was most notably the case with the Atari 2600's Pac-Man adaptation, as the game was so bad that, along with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, it led to the 1983 home console crash.
'80s gamers won't only have fond memories of classic arcade games themselves but also of how sociable the hobby was at the time, as exemplified by the packed room pictured above.
4 The NES' Many Accessories
The Nintendo Entertainment System was first released in Japan in July 1983 under the name Famicom. Following the console's impressive sales figures in the country, Nintendo naturally wanted to release the console in North America.
However, the home console crash was still fresh in people's minds, and many believed that home console games couldn't compete with arcade machines at the time. So, to make the product a success, Nintendo had to find a way to sell the Famicom in North America, but without making it look like just another "home console."
Nintendo achieved this by marketing the Famicom as more than just a games console, hence the name "Entertainment System." To support this idea, a series of accessories were released, including the NES Zapper and the Robotic Operating Buddy, better known as R.O.B.
3 Atari 2600 Advert From 1982
This Atari 2600 advert from the early '80s is sure to bring back some memories. Not only will some people recognize the advert itself, but the questions being asked and answered will surely ring a few bells.
"Will they damage my TV set?" appears in the advert and was a common question at the time, as some people flat-out refused to buy a console due to fears that their TV would break or even explode. "Are they a passing fancy, like Hula Hoops" is another wonderfully '80s question and a funny one to think about in hindsight, considering how big video games have become.
2 The Mike Tyson Fight - Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
1980s video games were, generally speaking, considerably harder than today. This was the case for two main reasons: firstly, hardware limitations understandably meant that games were a lot shorter at the time, so a tough difficulty level was a way of increasing a game's runtime. Secondly, arcade games weren't designed to be critically-acclaimed masterpieces; they were designed to get people to spend as much money as possible - so game over screens was a common occurrence.
One of the most infamous challenges of the 1980s was Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!. The game starts off easy enough, with push-overs like Glass Joe providing a simple warm-up. However, the fights slowly but surely get tougher, culminating in the brutally difficult fight against Mike Tyson. Beating Mike Tyson was one of the '80s most memorable challenges and one that only a select few could honestly say that they accomplished.
1 Gaming's First-Ever Easter Egg - Adventure
As the name suggests, Adventure is an adventure game that was released on the Atari 2600 in 1980. The game is one of the most influential of all time, as it is considered to be the first action-adventure and fantasy game to release on consoles.
That's not all that Adventure is innovative for, however, as it is also home to the first-ever easter egg in gaming. Back in the late-70s and early-80s, games were predominantly created by just one person. Despite this, Atari almost never gave creators any public credit, as they didn't want other companies recruiting their talent. So, as a way of sticking it to Atari, Adventure's creator Warren Robinett implemented a hidden room that simply had the words "Created by Warren Robinett."
Interestingly, the lack of credit from Atari, along with underwhelming pay, led to a handful of programmers starting a little-known company called Activision.