8 Facts About the Magnavox Odyssey, the World’s First Home Video Game System

(via Mental Floss) While Nintendo and Atari generally get the lion’s share of attention from video game historians and retro enthusiasts, the beginning of the home game console phenomenon started earlier. In 1972, Magnavox released the first home console, the Odyssey, a $99.95 system that resembled nothing so much as a home appliance and included 12 primitive games without sound or color. It was nonetheless a necessary first step in the evolution of home gaming. Check out some facts about the Odyssey’s peculiar approach to graphics, its accessories, and why it was part board game.