Defining Moments in Gaming Video games have come a long way since the days of single buttons and simple graphics. Here’s a look at some defining moments in gaming in honor of National Video Games Day. ‘Tennis for Two,’ created by Dr. William Higinbotham in 1958, was the first virtual user experience and set a precedent for games to come. The first home gaming console, Magnavox Odyssey, was released in 1972. The 70’s welcomed arcade games such as 'Pong' and 'Space Invaders,' both created by American gaming giant Atari. Nintendo swept the 80’s with the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy, introducing classics such as 'Donkey Kong' and 'Super Mario.' The next two decades saw the rise of PC gaming and the release of home consoles including Sony’s PlayStation, Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo's Wii. Mobile gaming followed suit and was popularized by games such as Candy Crush and Angry Birds.