Video Game Timeline from 1985 to the present...AND BEYOND!!!
Prices listed are how much each thing cost at the time it was released.

August, 1985 - Nintendo released their first gaming console, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

1986 - Sega released its Sega Master System, but it didn't last long against the NES.

July, 1989 - The Game Boy was the first portable gaming system; it cost $109.

August, 1989 - Sega Genesis was the first major 16-bit console at the price of $189.

1991 - Sega released the best competition against the Game Boy ever seen, the Game Gear.

September 9, 1991 - The 16-bit Super NES was released, along with "Super Mario World"; its price was $249.95.

1994 - The Super Game Boy accessory is released so that people could play their Game Boy games on their Super NESs.

1995 - Sega released a Game Gear-like version of Genesis, the Nomad.

May 11, 1995 - Sega introduced the Sega Saturn at an expensive price ($399).

August, 1995 - Nintendo releases its portable 3D immersion system, the Virtual Boy.

September 9, 1995 - Sony entered the video-game business with its PlayStation console. It cost $299.

September, 1996 - Nintendo releases the Game Boy Pocket; it was sleeker & 30% smaller than the original Game Boy.

September 29, 1996 - The 64-bit Nintendo 64 hits the stage at $249

November, 1998 - Nintendo improves its portable system by releasing the Game Boy Color; its price was $79.99

September 9, 1999 - Sega Dreamcast becomes the 1st "next-generation" (128-bit) console in America. Cost is $199.

2000 - Sony releases a mini-PlayStation, the PSone, which is portable with a 5" LCD screen that costs $149. The console alone costs $99; it works the same way as the original PlayStation.

October 26, 2000 - The Sony PlayStation 2 hits stores with a $299 price tag; it becomes the Sega Dreamcast's rival in the Next-gen console wars.

March 2001 - Sega had no choice but to stop production of the Dreamcast console because their losses from the Saturn and Dreamcast consoles.

June 11, 2001- Nintendo releases its third improvement of its best-selling video game system, the Game Boy Advance. It has a Game Gear-type body and costs $100.

November 15, 2001 - Microsoft enters the console industry with their Xbox ($299).

November 18, 2001 - Nintendo releases its competition against the PS2 and the Xbox, the Gamecube. It's basically a cube that uses mini-discs instead of cartridges. It costs $199.95 and can be linked with the Game Boy Advance for select games and extra features.

November 15, 2002 - Microsoft lauches its online-gaming service, Xbox Live.

March 23, 2003 - Nintendo revamps the GBA with the Game Boy Advance SP, which includes a Front Light Screen and can be folded into a small square. It cost about $99.95.

October 7, 2003 - Nokia releases the N-Gage, a cell phone that can also play games. It retails about $299. Good News: You can buy them whereever you can buy Nokia phones as well in game shops. Bad News: You have to take out the batteries in order to change game cards. At the same time, Nokia will "engage" the N-Gage Arena network, which is like Xbox Live but for the N-Gage.

November 21, 2004- Nintendo releases a companion to the GBA, the Nintendo DS. It has two screens: one is a touchscreen for which you have a stylus and the other way displays the main action going on in the game. Its launch price was $149.99 and came with a demo of Metroid Prime: Hunters.

A good site that has over 1,000 images of video game consoles and accessories is VidGame.net.