It began with a game called Pong in the early 1970s. But the Pong fad only lasted a couple of years because people tired of playing a game that was predictable and that they learned so easily. Then in 1979 came Space Invaders, an electronic game manufactured by the Taito Corporation in Japan. What had at first been a fad turned rapidly into an addiction. Video arcades, already a popular place in which to spend money and time in Japan, appeared all over the United States and in nearly every other country where people had some extra money to spend.

Space Invaders was not alone in the arcades for very long. It was quickly followed by Pac Man, Defender, Centipede, Scramble, Donkey Kong, Star Castle, Asteroids, Missile Command, and an ever increasing variety of electronic versions of sports and card games.

Many of the arcade games also became available for play at home. Some were played on home computers; others used the television screen as a monitor; some were self-contained, hand-held, battery-powered, or table-model games. Pong, manufactured by Atari, was available early as an arcade game and for home television.

The most popular arcade games are played by one person against the machine. The most common of the games, though they may appear complicated, are really a simple matter of attack and defense. A player can pile up a large score, but the fun is in the playing. Some games, such as simulated athletic contests, can be played by two or more people at once. Electronic card games can be played by one or more, depending on the game.