View Full Version : First sequel in video game history?
As a historian, I really should know this, but I'm sorta stumped. Was it Super Break-Out?
jb143
12-05-2008, 02:33 PM
Super Pong? Odyssey 200?
Greg2600
12-05-2008, 02:36 PM
Do you mean home consoles or all games, including arcades? I'd figure the many incarnations of Pong would have been the first?
mezrabad
12-05-2008, 02:40 PM
Hmm, interesting question.
In 1975 the sequel to Odyssey (1972) was called Odyssey 100, so that's probably the first "system sequel" like PS1 to PS2.
The RCA Studio II (no RCA Studio I) did have some I and II titles in their education titles (TV Schoolhouse I & II), as did the Fairchild Channel F with their Math carts (Math Quiz 1 & 2). These sorts of titles seem more like "paired" titles rather then a prequel-sequel sequence. IE they seemed designed and manufactured parallel.
However, I think the first sequel on home system would be Speedway II (1977) on the Atari VCS aka Street Racer. Speedway II (the Sears name for an Atari cart) was probably named after a dedicated console which had PONG and race car games on it, that Sears had distributed in 1976. So, the first sequel on an home videogame system could be considered a cross generational system title!
In the arcades, per KLOV.com, SeGa released Pong Tron and Pong Tron II in 1973, that may be the first arcade based sequel set, unless you count PONG Doubles (Atari 1973) as a sequel to PONG (1972).
Anyway, my 10 (two) bits.
Do you mean home consoles or all games, including arcades? I'd figure the many incarnations of Pong would have been the first?
Well, I am talking about a true sequel, not a variation with a different name. For example, Ms. Pac-Man and Street Fighter II are true sequels. Galaga is not (it's a spin-off of Galaxian).
However, I think the first sequel on home system would be Speedway II (1977) on the Atari VCS aka Street Racer. Speedway II (the Sears name for an Atari cart) was probably named after a dedicated console which had PONG and race car games on it, that Sears had distributed in 1976. So, the first sequel on an home videogame system could be considered a cross generational system title!
Great reply, but was there a game called just Speedway before Speedway II? how about the first home system true sequel with the same name? For example, there was Break-Out! and then Super Break-Out! for the 2600. Was that the first of its kind? Also, what was the first true system sequel with a "2" in the name (rather than Super, Deluxe, etc.)?
NE146
12-05-2008, 03:27 PM
I seriously doubt this is anywhere near the first.. but I remember when Sea Wolf 2 came out and I was thinking it was pretty neat in that it was a more 'advanced' Sea Wolf, which I had played before :)
Ultima (Origin) came out in 1980, and Ultima II in 1982.
Aren't all sequels variations of the original by nature? ;) Btw, Ms. Pac was essentially a hack of Pac-Man."
Yes, but I think he means titles that were intended as sequels, right? Not "This is not Breakout II (wink)"
Again, Ms. Pac-Man isn't a good example of a "true" sequel because it wasn't developed as such. Baby Pac-Man or Super Pac-Man would be better examples. However, I consider Galaga a "true" sequel to Galaxian, just as Gaplus is a true sequel to Galaga.
Otherwise, you need to be more specific on making the distinction between sequel and true sequel, because "a variation with a different name" pretty much applies to every game mentioned :)
If your definition of a true sequel is having "II" in the title, then Tank II is probably the first.
well, I consider Ms. Pac-Man more of a "true" sequel to Pac-man than Galaga is to Galaxian, because the original name (Pac-Man) is in the follow-up. Galaga wasn't called Galaxian II or Super Galaxian, but a completely different that that the average Joe wouldn't know it was even related. I was talking a sequel with the original's name somewhere still in it. I guess it may be Tank II. For home systems, probably Super Break-Out!
Now here's a good one: Eliminate arcades comepletely. What was the first console sequel to another console game (like another poster said, let's not count parallel games like the Math games on the Studio II). You may have to dip into the 80's for the answer.
jjessop
12-06-2008, 12:44 AM
2 player Computer Space :)
Jerry
slapdash
12-06-2008, 01:56 AM
Atlantis to Cosmic Ark? Hard to debate that one as a "TRUE" sequel, though there may of course have been earlier examples.
XianXi
12-06-2008, 12:49 PM
What about Sprint? Was Sprint 2 an actual sequel or just a variation?
Marriott_Guy
12-06-2008, 04:28 PM
... Also, what was the first true system sequel with a "2" in the name (rather than Super, Deluxe, etc.)?
Assuming you mean non-pong systems, that would probably be the Channel F System 2 released by Zircon (not exactly a #2, but close enough). The 1292 APVS line of consoles had a ton of incremental name variations, but not sure if you would include this group in your original question.
Greg2600
12-06-2008, 06:07 PM
Atlantis to Cosmic Ark? Hard to debate that one as a "TRUE" sequel, though there may of course have been earlier examples.
Really? They didn't have much to do with each other.
k8track
12-06-2008, 06:41 PM
What about Sprint? Was Sprint 2 an actual sequel or just a variation?
If I remember correctly, Sprint 2 was actually the first of the Sprint series. The number referred to the number of players.
XianXi
12-06-2008, 06:43 PM
Ya I looked up and remembered that.
At the end of Atlantis, a small saucer escapes, which turns out to be the ark in Cosmic Ark. The small saucer that escapes at the end of Cosmic Ark was intended to lead to another follow-up game. Both games were developed at the same time, so one isn't a sequel of the other. The programmers just decided to tie them together, using the little saucer and the background stories.
Heh. I didn't know that. Pretty cool.
slapdash
12-07-2008, 10:05 PM
Yeah. And the point is they're sequels in the sense of the story, not just numbered 1 & 2, or just adding some extra play mechanic to the first game.
Iron Draggon
12-08-2008, 03:00 AM
if it's not Atlantis & Cosmic Ark, I'd say it's Miner 2049er & Bounty Bob Strikes Back
j_factor
12-08-2008, 04:05 AM
How about the Swordquest series?
How about the Swordquest series?
Wasn't Swordquest Earthworld 1982? Unlikely that there wasn't a console-only sequel before then.
j_factor
12-08-2008, 04:39 PM
Wasn't Swordquest Earthworld 1982? Unlikely that there wasn't a console-only sequel before then.
Well no one's been able to mention one yet. The first two Swordquest games both came out in 1982, putting it ahead of Bounty Bob Strikes Back (although technically, that wasn't even console-only). Another early console sequel would be K.C.'s Crazy Chase, which was also released in 1982.
For arcades, I would say that the first "true" sequel (ie, not just a variation) would probably be Stargate. Not sure what the first computer game sequel would be... maybe Zork II?
Haoie
12-08-2008, 06:59 PM
This is a good debate.
I wonder what people thought about sequals back then? Certainly not the same as what they think now.
Well no one's been able to mention one yet. The first two Swordquest games both came out in 1982, putting it ahead of Bounty Bob Strikes Back (although technically, that wasn't even console-only). Another early console sequel would be K.C.'s Crazy Chase, which was also released in 1982.
For arcades, I would say that the first "true" sequel (ie, not just a variation) would probably be Stargate. Not sure what the first computer game sequel would be... maybe Zork II?
Well, Slapdash said Cosmic Ark is the first true console sequel (to Atlantis). When was that released?
For arcades I's say Super Breakout, unless you consider it a variation. Hmm, Ms. Pac-Man was 1981 I think.
Not all that much of a computer expert. When did Zork I and II come out? How about Ultima II? Wizardry II? There are so many...
boatofcar
12-09-2008, 03:26 AM
How is Super Breakout not a variation?
Gameguy
12-09-2008, 04:41 AM
How is Super Breakout not a variation?
It's still a sequel, most sequels are just variations of the preceding game. Just because it doesn't have a "2" at the end of it doesn't mean it's not a sequel.
Games don't even have to have the same name to be a sequel, it's like 7th Guest and 11th Hour. Different names but 11th Hour is a sequel.
How can you tell when a game is a sequel to a game or just another game in the same series?
It's easier to consider a game a sequel when the story/plot continues the story/plot or events from another game, so what was the first game to have a story/plot? Pong or clones like it don't really have those. Wack ball with paddle is too generic for a story.
k8track
12-09-2008, 09:37 AM
I'm gonna go with Final Fantasy IV.
blue lander
12-09-2008, 10:41 AM
Not sure what the first computer game sequel would be... maybe Zork II?
I think Zork I II and III were all initially part of the same game (when it was initially written for minicomputers) and they split it into three parts for the commercial releases. I'm not sure if that'd disqualify it as a proper sequel.
It's still a sequel, most sequels are just variations of the preceding game. Just because it doesn't have a "2" at the end of it doesn't mean it's not a sequel.
Games don't even have to have the same name to be a sequel, it's like 7th Guest and 11th Hour. Different names but 11th Hour is a sequel.
How can you tell when a game is a sequel to a game or just another game in the same series?
It's easier to consider a game a sequel when the story/plot continues the story/plot or events from another game, so what was the first game to have a story/plot? Pong or clones like it don't really have those. Wack ball with paddle is too generic for a story.
I agree with everything you wrote, well said.
I'm not sure I even consider Phantasy Star 2 a true sequel. There was no continuation of Alis and her friends at all, they weren't even in it.
j_factor
12-09-2008, 01:50 PM
Not all that much of a computer expert. When did Zork I and II come out? How about Ultima II? Wizardry II? There are so many...
Zork I came out in 1980; Zork II in '81. Ultima I also came out in 1980, but Ultima II didn't come until '82. Wizardry I and II came out in '81 and '82.
edit: Oh, and Cosmic Ark came out in '82, same year as the other two games I mentioned.
I don't consider Super Breakout a sequel. It's just like the different variations of Pong.
Got on my nerves with Nintendo...Super this, super that....super with everything
Haoie
12-10-2008, 01:39 AM
I'm sure people didn't think "great, another crappy sequal" in the early days of gaming, right? Before sequals became commonplace.