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The first video game systems were introduced in the USA in the early 1970s, with Atari's Pong as an arcade system, and Magnavox's Odyssey as a home system attached to a television.
Gradually, video games entered "Pop Culture", generally meaning that other media began making references to video games in popular arts, such as television, music, and film.
This Web site is an attempt to document all pop culture references to video games.
Defining what constitutes a pop culture reference is not entirely straightforward.
My general guidelines when considering a reference are:
- the medium itself is considered a popular part of past or current culture (TV show, movie, book, magazine article, toy, other video game, etc.)
- the artist (creator, writer, etc.) specifically chose a video game when some other type of entertainment could have been used
- the artist specifically chose a video game because of something special about video games
- the product is targeted at the general public, not video game enthusiasts primarily
- the reference is a minor or secondary part of the product, not the main focus
I feel that a pop culture reference is not something where the video game is the main focus of the medium, such as a news article, a documentary film, etc.
The marketing strategy of "product placement" interferes with the motive for the appearance or mention of a video game, but the end result is a reference to the video game.
In the case of regular appearances of a video game, only the first appearance of a particular game or system is noted. If a different game or system appears in the same series, the new appearance is noted. See my C
ronology of Video Game Systems for a more complete history of video game hardware and software.
Your contributions to this list will be gladly accepted. Images of video game references should include any appropriate photo credits. Send me email at contact@kpolsson.com/vidgame.
May 9, 1973
| The film Soylent Green is released to theaters in the USA. The arcade video game Computer Space appears. |   
(Copyright 1973 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) |
June 14, 1974
| Paramount Pictures releases the film The Parallax View in the USA. The arcade game Pong appears. |  
(Copyright 1974 Paramount Pictures) |
November 1, 1982
| The Columbia Broadcasting System airs the TV show Cagney and Lacey in the USA. A short scene takes place in a video games arcade, showing Stern's Astro Invaders game. | 
(Copyright 1982 Columbia Broadcasting System) |
November 15, 1982
| The Columbia Broadcasting System airs the TV show Cagney and Lacey in the USA. The Colecovision home videogame system appears; it appears to be playing Vanguard. |   
(Copyright 1982 Columbia Broadcasting System) |
January 22, 1983
| The National Broadcasting Company airs the TV show The A-Team in the USA. Two arcade games appear, Pac-Man and Hockey. | 
(Copyright 1983 National Broadcasting Company) |
June 3, 1983
| MGM/UA Entertainment releases the film WarGames to theaters in the USA. A scene takes place in an arcade; Galaga is prominently featured, and we also see Ms. Pac-Man. |  
(Copyright 1983 MGM/UA Entertainment) |
March 9, 1984
| Buena Vista Pictures releases the film Splash to theaters in the USA. A department store has an area named "VIDEO GAMES", though it only shows television sets. | 
(Copyright 1984 Touchstone Pictures) |
June 8, 1984
| Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film Gremlins to theaters in the USA. A small table top version of the Donkey Kong video game appears. | 
(Copyright 1984 Warner Bros. Pictures) |
June 29, 1984
| Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film Cannonball Run II to theaters in the USA. A man plays Pac-Man in a car, probably the Atari 2600 version. |  
(Copyright ) |
July 13, 1984
| Universal Pictures releases the film The Last Starfighter to theaters in the USA. In the film, a young man plays the Starfighter arcade video game, then travels into space to operate a real spaceship. |  
(Copyright 1984 Universal Pictures) |
June 11, 1986
| Paramount Pictures releases the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off to theaters in the USA. Arcade game Karate Champ appears. The sound effects of Pac-Man dying can be heard. | 
(Copyright 1986 Paramount Pictures) |
1987
| The film Thrillkill is released to theaters in Canada. A scene takes place in a bar, with video games Vanguard, Galaga, Sinistar (you can hear "Beware, I live"), Air Attack, Jet Rocket, Phoenix, Space Race. |    
(Copyright 1984 Brightstar Films) |
July 31, 1988
| MCA/Universal Pictures releases the film BASEketball to theaters in the USA and Canada. A character says "You still hangin' out, playin' Nintendo?". |
June 16, 1989
Columbia Pictures releases the film Ghostbusters II to theaters in the US. - Someone asks "Do you want to play ... Super Mario Bros?".
- A Nintendo NES Advantage joystick is used.
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(Copyright 1989 Columbia Pictures) |
November 1989
| Universal Studios releases the film The Wizard to theaters in the USA. The film is about video game playing, with a promotion of the upcoming Nintendo game Super Mario Bros. 3. |
November 22, 1989
MCA/Universal Pictures releases the film Back to the Future Part II to theaters in the USA. - An antique store window includes boxes for Nintendo Entertainment System video game cartridges of Jaws and BurgerTime.
- An arcade game Wild Gunman appears, based on the game for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
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(Copyright 1989 Universal Pictures) |
February 11, 1990
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. Two characters play a boxing home video game "Super Slugfest" on the TV, using single-button joysticks. One character goes to the arcade to practice on the arcade version. |     
(Copyright 1990 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) |
October 25, 1990
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. A video monitor shows the Pong video game which aliens declare to be a "crowning achievement in amusement technology". | 
(Copyright 1990 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) |
May 24, 1991
TriStar Pictures releases the film Hudson Hawk to theaters in the USA. - A character says "Will you play Nintendo with me?".
- A crime family in New Jersey is known as "the Mario Brothers".
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July 12, 1991
| Columbia Pictures releases the film Boyz n the Hood to theaters in the USA. The game Duck Hunt is played on the Nintendo Entertainment System. |
November 7, 1991
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. - Two characters play a home video game on the television, with a single-button joystick.
- At a convenience store, a standalone arcade game is shown.
|   
(Copyright 1991 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) |
December 26, 1991
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. A character plays an arcade video game resembling Ms. Pac-Man. | 
(Copyright 1991 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) |
January 9, 1991
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. A scene shows an arcade video game, "Larry the Looter". |  
(Copyright 1992 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) |
February 13, 1992
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. A character refers to a yo-yo as "not much competition for a video game". |
May 7, 1992
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. A character says "Let's go to the arcade". |
October 1, 1992
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. A character is playing a handheld video game strongly resembling a Nintendo Game Boy. | 
(Copyright 1992 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) |
November 12, 1992
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. One scene shows children playing in a video game arcade. | 
(Copyright 1992 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) |
November 1993
| Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York includes a six-story high Sonic balloon, the first video game character in the annual parade. |
November 18, 1993
| The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. One scene takes place in a video game arcade. |  
(Copyright 1993 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation) |
May 25, 1994
| Paramount Pictures releases the film Beverly Hills Cop 3 to theaters in the USA. Someone says "This place is as high tech as NASA and Nintendo combined." |
November 29, 1994
| The American Broadcasting Company airs the Full House TV show in the USA. The family is playing the Super Nintendo using a NES Max controller. |
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Other web pages of interest:
Chronology of Video Game Systems
Top Selling Video Games by Month
Polsson's Garage Sale - Video Games
Disney References in Pop Culture
Personal Computer References in Pop Culture
Corvette References in Pop Culture
This Day in History
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