1986-1990

1986
Sega, Atari React
Sega releases its 8-bit Sega Master System (SMS) in the US. The system features four dedicated sound channels--three for music, one for noise. Atari releases the 8-bit 7800 game console, which has built-in backward compatibility for 2600 games.

1986
Dawn of the Disk Era
Nintendo releases a peripheral for the Famicom (the Japanese NES)--a $150 disk drive called the Famicom Disk System. The device never makes it to the US market, but it signals the beginning of the shift from cartridges to digital discs.

Zelda's music was quite memorable.

1987
Zelda: A Legend Begins...
Shigeru Miyamoto's The Legend of Zelda comes to the NES, pioneering a key Nintendo franchise in 1987 in the US. The game's music won many fans and can be found reproduced in MIDI and MP3 format all over the Web.

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The Final Fantasy series is widely known for its excellent scores.

1987
Final Fantasy Debuts
In 1987, Square releases Final Fantasy for the NES in Japan. A franchise is born, and it will generate what is considered by fans and historians to be the best video game music ever made. Composer Nobuo Uematsu breaks entirely new ground with his sweeping and cinematic musical scores and continues to work his magic in sequels to this day.

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1989
Introducing the Game Boy
Nintendo's handheld phenomenon, the Game Boy, is released and features four channels for sound--each of which can be mapped to the left, to the right, or to both speakers.

The TurboGrafx-16.

1989
Turbocharge it: The TurboGrafx-16
NEC releases the TurboGrafx-16 in the US (only the graphics processor is true 16-bit). NEC also releases a $400 portable CD player attachment, which plays games that are stored on compact discs.

1989
In the Beginning: Sega Genesis
Sega responds to the TurboGrafx-16 with its 16-bit Genesis system, which features six-channel stereo sound.

1989
Mega Man 2: The Superior Sequel
Like Aliens or The Godfather Part 2, Mega Man 2 is one of those rare sequels considered better than the original. While the game's superior graphics are often heralded (they pushed the limits of what the NES could do), many gamers remember this title more for its effective music and sound design. Each level had its own theme music, with phrases and motifs specific to the game's long list of prosaically named villains: Bubble Man, Quick Man, Metal Man, Crash Man, Wood Man, Heat Man, Flash Man, Air Man, and, of course, the evil Dr. Wily himself.

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Jackson's grace was captured on the Genesis.

1989
Moonwalking With Michael
Sega launches a huge campaign to promote its title for the Genesis system, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker--seemingly the ultimate meeting of video games and pop music. The game, which features synthesized versions of MJ hits, such as "Billie Jean," "Another Part of Me," and "Beat It," is offbeat, but excellent. Jackson contributed to the creative development of the game, which follows the superstar as he shimmies through graveyards and pool halls, looking for kidnapped children. Yes, it all seems even creepier now.

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1990
Super Famicom Hits Japan
Nintendo of Japan unveils its Super Famicom, a 16-bit system with better audio and 3D graphics than those of the Genesis and TurboGrafx-16.

1990
SNK NeoGeo Makes the Scene
SNK releases the $399 24-bit NeoGeo in arcade and home formats. The home system's dedicated 8-bit sound processor provides 15 separate channels. Check out GameSpot's History of SNK feature for even more information on this remarkable console.