Communications of the ACM
Video Game Bounces Into History
A re-creation ofthe "Tennis for Two" interactive analog computer game is on display at The Strong Museumof Play.
Credit: The Strong
In 1958, Brookhaven Lab physicist William "Willy" Higinbotham came up with a brilliant idea. The atoms-for-peace scientist, who wished to be known for his work on radar displays and his efforts to slow the nuclear arms race, set up an oscilloscope screen using a cathode-ray tube (similar to the black and white television tubes used at that time) that allowed a two-dimensional side view of a "tennis court" with a "bouncing" ball. It also used germanium transistors that had only become widely used in the 1950s. Players could use controllers and rotate dials to "swing" the invisible tennis racquet in an attempt to hit the simulated bouncing ball across the net.
On display at Brookhaven Lab on that visitor's day in 1958, the exhibit drew hundreds of people who waited in line for a chance to play the new electronic game. Every day since then, the game has held its place in history and is credited as leading to Pac-Man, Super Mario Brothers, and other well-known video games.
Recognizing its importance and colorful history, The Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y., has included "Tennis for Two" in its permanent eGameRevolution exhibit. The Strong is a highly interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. It houses the world's most comprehensive collection of materials related to play and is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the World Video Game Hall of Fame, just to name a few.
"It's no surprise to me that our re-creation of Willy's game found its way to The Strong," says Peter Takacs of the Lab's Instrumentation Division, who has spent countless hours rebuilding components of the game and researching its history in great detail. "This was more than just a game,'" he says. "It was a remarkable exhibit that connected science to society. Its place in history is well-deserved."
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