What was the first game to split-screen?

The first game to feature split-screen gameplay was Drag Race, released in 1977 by Kee Games, which allowed two players to compete against each other in a racing game, with each player’s view displayed on a separate section of the screen. This innovative feature paved the way for the development of multiplayer games, enabling players to enjoy competitive and cooperative gameplay on the same console or arcade machine, and it is considered a significant milestone in the evolution of gaming technology.

History of Split-Screen Gaming

The concept of split-screen gaming has been around for decades, with early arcade games like Pong Doubles (1973) and Drag Race (1977) introducing the idea of simultaneous multiplayer gameplay on a single screen. As console technology improved, split-screen became a staple of many popular games, including Mario Kart 64 (1996) and GoldenEye 007 (1997).

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

1. When did split-screen gaming start?: Split-screen gaming dates back to at least the 1970s, with games like Drag Race (1977) and Pong Doubles (1973) featuring this format.
2. What was the first 2-player game?: The first video game to feature co-op play dates back to 1973, with Atari’s arcade video game Pong Doubles, which was a tennis doubles version of their hit arcade game Pong (1972).
3. What was the first 4-player console?: The earliest console built for four-player use was the Nintendo 64, which allowed up to four players to simultaneously take part in games like Mario Kart 64.
4. Why did games stop doing split-screen?: As the processing power of consoles like Xbox and PlayStation expanded, developers could make games with more realistic environments and character models, which caused split-screen to put more strain on the console.
5. Does split-screen still exist?: Yes, split-screen multiplayer games are still available, with many modern titles offering local co-op modes and a rich back catalog of classic couch co-op titles.
6. What are split-screen games called?: The split-screen feature is commonly used in non-networked, also known as couch co-op, video games with multiplayer options.
7. How old is the oldest console?: The Odyssey was manufactured by Magnavox and released in North America in September 1972, making it the first home video game console.
8. What is the most old game console?: The Magnavox Odyssey was the first video game console, released in 1972.
9. What is the oldest Xbox console?: The original Xbox was released on November 15, 2001, in North America.
10. What was the very 1st game?: The earliest known publicly demonstrated electronic game was created in 1950, called Bertie the Brain, an arcade game of tic-tac-toe.
11. What was the 1st video game?: The first video game was Tennis for Two, created in 1958, where players could turn a knob to adjust the angle of the ball and push a button to hit the ball towards the other player.
12. What was the first 3D game?: The first-ever commercial 3D video game is Battlezone (1980), followed by 3D Monster Maze (1981) and Super Mario 64 (1996).
13. Is Sons of the Forest split-screen?: No, Sons of the Forest does not have split-screen, but it does offer online co-op.
14. Why is split-screen so rare?: Split-screen is rare because it requires the console or PC to render the game twice, which can be hardware-demanding and may not be possible with modern games.
15. Was Fortnite split-screen?: Yes, Fortnite offers split-screen mode on PlayStation and Xbox consoles, allowing two players to play Duos and Squads together on the same screen.