The arcade and computer industries in the 1970s were in their early stages of development. Arcade games, such as Pong and Space Invaders, were becoming increasingly popular and were found in a variety of venues, including bars, bowling alleys, and arcades. Home computers, such as the Apple I and the Commodore PET, were also starting to become available, but they were primarily used by hobbyists and were not yet mainstream consumer products. 

The industry at the time was still small, but it was rapidly growing and starting to shape the future of entertainment and technology.

Atari  dominated that era and paved the way for others. With that in mind, most of our retro gear for this time period is based around Atari.

The arcade and computer gaming scene in the 1980s was a time of great innovation and growth. Arcade games such as such Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Double Dragon, Robocop, R-Type, Golden Axe and a host of others were incredibly popular and could be found in arcades, bars, and other public spaces. At home, personal computers like the Commodore 64, Spectrum and Amstrad were becoming increasingly popular for gaming, as well as for other uses like programming and word processing. They also brought with them their own classic games such as Dizzy, Gauntlet, Kickstart and many others.

This decade also saw the rise of the first successful console gaming system, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and SEGA Master System and brought gamers titles such as Super Mario, Alex the KIdd and many more. 

Overall, the 80s was a period where gaming started to gain mainstream popularity and become a cultural phenomenon.

At Retrotogs, we’ll try cover this period in all its glory

The arcade and computer gaming scene in the 1990s was marked by a continued growth in popularity and technological advancements. Arcade games were still popular, but home console gaming was starting to take over as the primary way people played games, and consoles were equipped to emulate their arcade counterparts allowing gamers to play the likes of Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat from home.

 The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the Sega Genesis were popular consoles of the era, with classics like Super Mario World and Sonic the Hedgehog being popular titles.

The introduction of 3D graphics in games like Super Mario 64 and Tomb Raider marked a significant shift in the way games looked and played. The rise of CD-ROM technology also allowed for more detailed graphics, longer and more complex games, and even full-motion video.

Personal computers also continued to be a popular platform for gaming. The Amiga 500 and Atari ST brought games such as Champ Manager, Zool, Syndicate and so on; Whilst the PC started to come into its wn with titles like Doom, Civilization, and Myst being popular among gamers. 

Online gaming started to become a reality, with games like Ultima Online and EverQuest being early examples of massively multiplayer online games.

I owned a Dreamcast around this period and remember being blown away by games such as Ready 2 Rumble, Soul Calibre, Echo the Dolphin and Shen Mui. However, my interest in gaming started to decrease and that was to be my last console and as such this is where Retrotogs ends its retro timeline.

Overall, the 90s was a time of rapid evolution in the gaming industry, with new technologies and genres emerging, and gaming becoming more mainstream than ever before.