Text and early adventure games in the 80s

Even in their most primitive text-only form, PC-based games have had a richness and quality in their storytelling that is almost unmatched by console and arcade games, at least during the 80s.

Bringing the games home: the console revolution

The migration of gaming from the arcade to the lounge-room caused a huge sensation during the early 80s, although it wasn’t until the middle of the decade that the movement stabilised and began to grow into the billion dollar industry we know it as today.

Bajo & Hex from ABC TV’s ‘Good Game’ at the Retro Gaming Opening night

Bajo remembers the Atari and games like Ms Pacman, Frogger & Super Mario. Hex recalls the joy of text-based role playing in the 80s.

Star Wars (Atari, 1983)

I was in London in 1984 and there was a seedy little arcade in Soho which had, near the door, a lovely sit down version of Star Wars. I’d plead with my parents to let me pop in for a few games after a meal in nearby Chinatown. Back then the vector graphics were out of this world and the speed of the gameplay blitzed the far more slow moving Battlezone.