First console game to feature voice acting?

**Swamperon** · 08-13-2009, 04:55 PM

The earliest I can think of is Altered Beast 1989(?) but surely there must be an earlier one than that?

**Ryaan1234** · 08-13-2009, 05:09 PM

I would guess Sinistar (arcade) in 1982. There might be one before that but I'm not sure.

oops I didn't realize you said "console game". Maybe Gauntlet for the NES? It was released in 1987. I think it had voice acting.

**skaar** · 08-13-2009, 05:14 PM

Wait, voice acting or digital voice samples?

Samples would probably have been that Intellivion Game Voice module?

**Baloo** · 08-13-2009, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by skaar

Wait, voice acting or digital voice samples?

Samples would probably have been that Intellivion Game Voice module?

Yeah, I was thinking of that myself, the Intellivision voice Module probably had the first voice in a video game.

Second could've been Tommy Lasorda Baseball or Altered Beast.

**Ryaan1234** · 08-13-2009, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by skaar

Wait, voice acting or digital voice samples?

Samples would probably have been that Intellivion Game Voice module?

I thought he meant digitally sampled voice, which is why I guessed Gauntlet. If he meant actual synthesized voice then I'm not sure.

**Daria** · 08-13-2009, 06:00 PM

"Red Warrior shot the food."

**The 1 2 P** · 08-13-2009, 06:59 PM

Definitely not Ninja Gaiden, although voice overs would have worked quite well with the cinematic cut scenes.

**chrisbid** · 08-13-2009, 07:04 PM

the intellivoice games were sampled voices from human actors

**Sonicwolf** · 08-13-2009, 07:10 PM

When it comes to samples I would say Star Wars from 1980ish.

**Ryaan1234** · 08-13-2009, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Daria

"Red Warrior shot the food."

Red Warrior's such a douche >_<

**BHvrd** · 08-13-2009, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Daria

"Red Warrior shot the food."

Originally Posted by Ryaan1234

Red Warrior's such a douche >_<

Usually you see the phrase "needs food badly" quoted. This made me lulz.

**Daria** · 08-13-2009, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by BHvrd

Usually you see the phrase "needs food badly" quoted. This made me lulz.

I think I was just a dick when I played with my friends.

**c0ldb33r** · 08-13-2009, 09:12 PM

According to wikipedia:

Intellivision was the first game console to provide real-time human and robot voices in the middle of gameplay, courtesy of the IntelliVoice module.

**tomaitheous** · 08-13-2009, 09:14 PM

Voice acting would be like a narration or dialog of/between characters. For home console, that would probably be one of the early PCE CD games? For arcade, probably Dragon's Lair.

For voice samples, I'm sure that goes way back for arcade or home console.

**CDiablo** · 08-13-2009, 10:25 PM

I believe the Angy Videogame Nerd used the intellevoice that c0ldb33r refers to in this intellivision review. Otherwis I would say Ghostbusters for NES. "Goost-BUSTAS!"

**Baloo** · 08-13-2009, 10:37 PM

He actually does, he plays "BEEEEE-SEVENTEEN BAWMBER!" with it.

**tom** · 08-14-2009, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by CDiablo

I believe the Angy Videogame Nerd used the intellevoice that c0ldb33r refers to in this intellivision review. Otherwis I would say Ghostbusters for NES. "Goost-BUSTAS!"

I think Ghostbusters on C64 was earlier, also incl. speech.

What about Quadrun (VCS), I think I read that was a real voice, or Berzerk (5200).

**j_factor** · 08-14-2009, 02:19 AM

Originally Posted by tomaitheous

Voice acting would be like a narration or dialog of/between characters. For home console, that would probably be one of the early PCE CD games? For arcade, probably Dragon's Lair.

For voice samples, I'm sure that goes way back for arcade or home console.

You have the right idea here. Voice acting isn't the same as voice samples. The first console game with voice acting was probably Thayer's Quest for the Halcyon. It was probably also the first game (for any platform) with both voice acting and voice synthesis.

The Intellivoice was voice synthesis, rather than samples. The difference is that voice synthesis is procedurally generated, whereas a voice sample is pre-recorded. Berzerk may have been the first arcade game (and first game overall) with voice synthesis, and its Atari 5200 port may have been the first console game with voice samples. Not sure though.

**Ed Oscuro** · 08-14-2009, 03:45 AM

Originally Posted by Ryaan1234

I would guess Sinistar (arcade) in 1982.

I thought that was 1981, same year as Stratovox, which is sitting in pieces in my basement, heh

**jb143** · 08-14-2009, 08:45 AM

It would probally be Space Spartans for the Intellivision if you count the Intellivoice. I believe the Intellivoice did use samples but only for a few short phrases, numbers etc...the rest was phonemes(the smallest unique sounds of a language) that the games would combine to create other words.

Edit--
OK, I looked it up and it looks like the Intellivoice didn't use phonemes but instead a collection of generic words to make simple sentences out of.

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