VWestlifeAm I the only one annoyed by oft-repeated Internet factoids that are technically true, but lack important context? For example, everyone says LaserDisc was launched in 1978, but that was only a test-market release of just 25 players(!) in Atlanta, Georgia in December 1978, which all sold out in one day. Seattle was next in February 1979, but the true nationwide U.S. launch of LaserDisc didn't happen until the end of 1980: https://www.cedmagic.com/history/discovision-marketed.html
Same thing with "the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in 1985, and the Atari 7800 flopped because it didn't come out until a year later". Nope! The NES only had a test-market release of 100k units in NYC in December 1985; meanwhile, the Atari 2600 sold over a million units in 1985. The 7800's nationwide release was in May 1986 (along with the redesigned 2600 "Jr."), while the NES didn't hit U.S. stores nationwide until late September 1986.
mausmalone@vwestlife yeah ... people seem to think that the NES was successful because of timing alone, but I remember at the time having classmates talk about this "amazing" new video game system where, when you reach the end of the screen, the level just ... *keeps going*
And we were all genuinely amazed by this concept and desperately wanted a Nintendo as a result.
AZ Guy 
@mausmalone @vwestlife I remember everyone wanting a Nintendo. I don't think I've ever even seen an Atari 7800
@mausmalone The Atari 2600 had side-scrolling games as far back as 1982: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufo1ELN0Nec
[Atari 2600] Barnstorming (1982) Longplay
@vwestlife Sure, but we were also 5 years old and didn't have an encyclopedic knowledge of games. Super Mario Bros. was a far sight more impressive than Pac Man and Frogger and Yar's Revenge - especially in magazine screenshots.
Erik 'Picto-Fictionist' Amill@vwestlife Like the saying goes...
"When Legend becomes Fact, print the Legend."