The Invention of the First Video Game
The Invention of the First Video Game — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.
Page 1
Devi watched a ladybug crawl across a giant sunflower. The miniature garden society bustled with activity all around her, tiny mushroom houses glowing softly. "Hana, look! Another one!" she shouted, pointing at a bright green caterpillar munching on a rose petal. "I wish there was something fun to do here," she sighed, kicking at a pebble.
Page 2
"Fun? We have plenty of fun, Devi," Hana chuckled, stirring a pot of nectar over a dandelion-fluff fire. "We tend our gardens, we sing songs, we tell stories." Devi wrinkled her nose. "But it's always the same stories! I wish we had something new to do, something... exciting!" Hana smiled knowingly. "Well, as my grandmother always said, 'The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.' I believe that's Helen Keller, Devi, right?"
Page 3
Devi's eyes lit up. "Curiosity! That's it!" She raced towards her own little mushroom home, its door made from a polished acorn shell. "I'm going to find something new!" she yelled over her shoulder. Inside, she scrambled up to her bookshelf and pulled down her glowing Invention Encyclopedia. Dust motes danced in the air as she flipped through the pages, mumbling, "Something exciting... something new..."
Page 4
Suddenly, the room around Devi dissolved into swirling colors. The Encyclopedia pulsed with light, lifting her off her feet. "Whoa!" she exclaimed, clutching the book tightly. When the light cleared, she found herself standing in a dimly lit room, surrounded by wires and strange contraptions.
Page 5
A young man with glasses and a focused expression looked up from his work. "Oh! Hello there! I didn't expect visitors," he said, adjusting his spectacles. "I'm William Higinbotham, and I'm trying to invent something fun... something to distract from all this serious science stuff at the lab."
Page 6
"Fun? Like... a game?" Devi asked, tilting her head. William smiled. "Exactly! I'm using an oscilloscope to create a simple tennis game. It's called 'Tennis for Two.' The Brookhaven National Laboratory was full of serious scientists, and I just wanted to bring some joy," he explained, gesturing to a screen displaying a simple line and a bouncing dot.
Page 7
"But how does it work?" Devi asked, pulling out her notebook. William chuckled. "Well, it's all about controlling the angle of the 'tennis racket' to hit the 'ball' over the 'net.' It's not much, but it's something new! I showed it at the visitor's day in October 1958, and everyone loved it," William told her, adjusting some knobs on the device. "Even though each controller cost about five dollars!"
Page 8
Devi scribbled furiously in her notebook. "So, you made something fun just because you wanted to?" William nodded. "Precisely! It's not about money or fame; it's about bringing a little joy. Today, the video game industry generates over 200 billion per year. From a little oscilloscope tennis game to that! You never know how far things can grow!"
Page 9
Suddenly, the swirling colors returned. "It's time to go! Thank you, Mr. Higinbotham!" Devi shouted as the workshop faded away. Back in her mushroom house, Devi closed the Encyclopedia. "Joy! That's worth inventing for," she whispered.
Page 10
Devi ran back to Hana, her eyes sparkling. "I know what we can do!" she exclaimed. "We can invent games! We can make up new stories and act them out!" Hana smiled. "As George Bernard Shaw said, 'We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.'" Devi giggled. "Let's start right now!", she grabbed Hana's hand, eager to begin.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
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