Gaming Historian

Season 2017

The Gaming Historian is a documentary series all about the history of video games.

Where to Watch Season 2017

13 Episodes

  • Atari vs. Pac-Man Knockoffs
    E1
    Atari vs. Pac-Man KnockoffsK.C. Munchkin is a Pac-Man clone that set off a groundbreaking legal battle with Atari. The ensuing court case would provide the groundwork for how copyright laws apply to video games.
  • Panasonic Q: The Ultimate Nintendo GameCube
    E2
    Panasonic Q: The Ultimate Nintendo GameCubeDuring the sixth generation of consoles, Nintendo's GameCube was criticized for it's lack of DVD playback. But in Japan, Panasonic had a solution: A DVD player that can play GameCube games! But was it worth the hefty price tag?
  • From Shady to Legal: How Bleem & VGS Battled Sony
    E3
    From Shady to Legal: How Bleem & VGS Battled SonyBack in 1999, two emulators were released commercially that let gamers play Playstation games on their computer: The Connectix Virtual Game Station and Bleem! Sony sued both companies, and their legal battle set a precedent for the legality of emulation. Learn the history behind it all!
  • TOAD IS DEAD?!? NINTENDO EXPOSED - NORMOGATARI!
    E4
    TOAD IS DEAD?!? NINTENDO EXPOSED - NORMOGATARI!Apparently some of you thought I wasn't "funny" in my last episode. Fine then, let's get serious. DEADLY SERIOUS.
  • Who Invented the D-Pad?
    E5
    Who Invented the D-Pad?The D-Pad is an industry standard in controller design. Who invented it? How does it work? Why is it in just about every video game controller? Is every D-Pad the same? Find out!
  • The Story of Super Mario RPG
    E6
    The Story of Super Mario RPGIn 1996, powerhouse developers Square & Nintendo teamed up and released Super Mario RPG. While the concept puzzled a few people, the game became a classic. Learn the history of the game and how it came to be!
  • The Legend of Polybius
    E7
    The Legend of PolybiusGaming Historian attempts to uncover the truth about Polybius, one of the first video game urban legends. Allegedly, the game was made by the government as an experiment to recruit soldiers and brainwash kids. Is it all false? Or are there some kernels of truth?
  • Game Factory: SEGA & Blockbuster's On-Demand Game Rentals
    E8
    Game Factory: SEGA & Blockbuster's On-Demand Game RentalsBack in the 90's, Blockbuster had two big problems. They knew their business model wouldn't last forever, and customers couldn't rent what they wanted due to inventory issues. The solution? On-demand kiosks. They tested this new technology on video games, and Game Factory was born. But it didn't last very long. Learn the story.
  • Game Boy Player: The Best Way to Play Game Boy on a TV
    E9
    Game Boy Player: The Best Way to Play Game Boy on a TVIn 2003, Nintendo released the follow-up to the Super Game Boy, the Game Boy Player. A device for the Gamecube, the Game Boy Player could play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games. Is it the best way to play Nintendo handheld games on your television?
  • The Story of the Konami Code
    E10
    The Story of the Konami CodeLearn the origins of the most famous cheat code of all time: The Konami Code!
  • Before Apple: Steve Jobs at Atari
    E11
    Before Apple: Steve Jobs at AtariBefore Steve Jobs changed the world of technology at Apple, he was just a college dropout looking for a job. He ended up at a new startup video game company, Atari, where he worked on one of their most popular titles.
  • SEGA's 3 Biggest Mistakes
    E12
    SEGA's 3 Biggest MistakesSega saw a meteoric rise in the video game market share during the early 90's. By 2001, they were no longer making hardware. How can you fall so hard, so fast? Let's take a look at Sega's 3 Biggest Mistakes!
  • SEGA Pods: A Motion-Detecting Toy
    E13
    SEGA Pods: A Motion-Detecting ToySEGA was one of the biggest video game companies in the 90's, but did you know they dabbled in toys too? Let's take a look at SEGA Pods, a motion-detecting game very similar to Simon!

 

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