The Limitations and Features of Arcade and Console Platforms

Arcade Systems probably the oldest gaming machines that there is that are still being used to-date. You can still use them if you visit an arcade, although they are not as common as they used to be because of the future gaming platforms and modern gaming technology. 3D Graphics were introduced onto the arcades first and are known for being the pinnacle to the success of the gaming platforms we know today. Arcade machines had constant upgrades because of the advancement in games. The games were getting more graphical meaning that the old hardware could not hold up and new hardware had to be created, this is why the Arcades are one of the biggest gaming leaps to modern day. Some of the biggest games on the arcades are Super Mario Bros, Tron, Donkey Kong, PacMan etc.

Arcade Features:

• Coin operation – The player has to put in some form of currency to start the game level
• Buttons & joystick controls – These are the controls that were used for playing the games on the arcade, not many controllers
• Standard screen with basic graphics – Limited graphics because they had limited hardware and sofware capabilities
• Limited hardware and software capabilities
• Co-op Support – Could play with one or more players as long as they are using the same arcade  (not online)
• One machine = One game – Only one game per machine (expensive)
• Range of different games from shooters to dancing – Large range of games that could be played on the arcades
• Advancements have been made since the 1960’s – There are now arcades with higher end graphics for games such as Time Crisis but they are still limited compared to the consoles

Arcade Limitations:

• No online support or Multiplayer – You can not play online with the arcades
• Very large & hardware Dependant – They are not very portable so you cannot move it around as well as you could with modern consoles
• Older hardware than whats used today – The arcade hardware is still old compared to the other consoles because there is not a big market anymore for hardware in arcades
• Can crash a lot of the time – Can be unreliable because they still use old hardware
• Rarely used anymore besides dedicated arcades – Not many arcade machines in homes anymore, mainly found in dedicated arcades
• Not many games are created for them anymore unless they’re arcade based
• Can’t save games
• Basic Graphics (Low quality) – Due to the old hardware they cannot keep up with modern graphics that is being used by other consoles
• Game cannot be changed, one machine per game – You can only have one game per machine

Consoles are the pinnacle of gaming today. Millions of people use consoles to play their games on at the moment and this is because of how advanced they are, in graphics and in hardware. For example the new Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are both proving that hardware in consoles is increasing in quality at a rapid pace. Although they are still along way from PC.

Time Line

Here is a time line I have created that goes through the, in my opinion, the most important events in gaming console history.

http://www.dipity.com/OliverSmelik/Game-Console-History/

• Arcade game
• Donkey Kong
• Games
• Pac-Man
• Super Mario Bros.
• Time Crisis
• Video game arcade cabinet
• Video game console