OpenCourser brand icon
Sign in
We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.
Course image
Course image
edX logo

Evolution of Game Design

Prehistory to the late 1980s

John Appleby

Embark on a captivating journey through gaming history with this online course, tracing the evolution from ancient board games to modern board and arcade games.

This course explores the captivating history of game design, examining the features and applications of the earliest video games, as well as the development of second-generation video game consoles from the 1970s and 1980s.

Read more

Embark on a captivating journey through gaming history with this online course, tracing the evolution from ancient board games to modern board and arcade games.

This course explores the captivating history of game design, examining the features and applications of the earliest video games, as well as the development of second-generation video game consoles from the 1970s and 1980s.

You will also discover how the American video game industry crash of 1983 paved the way for game developers and game companies around the world—particularly Nintendo and Sega from Japan—to dominate the video game market of the late 1980s and develop the third generation of consoles.

Topics covered include:

  • Pre-electronic games
  • Birth of an industry
  • Explosion and crash
  • Rebirth of an industry

This course is based on the Game Design & VFX School at LaSalle College’s Vancouver campus, crowned the #1 undergraduate school in Canada for video game design by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Explore the evolution of games from prehistory to the creation of the personal computer.
  • Discover the milestones that shaped first- and second-generation games.
  • Revitalize your understanding of the video game industry's resurgence with the creation of third-generation consoles after its crash.
  • Master the ability to distinguish between the design, features, and applications of video games developed from the 1970s to the late 1980s.

Syllabus

Module 1: Pre-electronic games
Ancient games
Commercialization
The dawn of computers
Read more

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Appeals to those interested in gaming history
Suitable for those with no prior experience in game design
Will expand your knowledge of the video game industry and evolution
Led by industry-recognized instructors at LaSalle College
May need to purchase hardware and software to complete the course

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.
Save

Reviews summary

Captivating journey through early game design

According to learners, this course offers a captivating and comprehensive journey through the early evolution of game design, spanning from prehistory to the late 1980s. Many praise the engaging lectures and the instructor's palpable enthusiasm, which brings the rich historical context to life. Students found the material to be well-researched and clearly presented, making it a strong foundation for understanding the industry's roots. While some older reviews noted minor production quality issues, recent feedback suggests the course has been updated and polished, addressing earlier concerns and solidifying its reputation as a must-take for game history enthusiasts and aspiring professionals.
Covers a broad historical range, though some areas could benefit from more depth.
"It provided a strong foundation in understanding the industry's roots."
"My only minor critique is that some parts felt a little rushed, especially the 'Rebirth' module, which could have been expanded."
"Some of the early 80s sections could use a little more depth but still great."
Recent updates have addressed past concerns about video and audio quality.
"This course has clearly been updated and polished since its initial release, it feels very current."
"I felt some of the video quality was a bit low in the earlier modules... Hopefully, they update it."
"A bit dry at times... More interactive elements would help. Felt like a long lecture series."
Instructor's passion and deep knowledge greatly enhance the learning.
"The instructor's enthusiasm was palpable."
"The instructor really knows their stuff."
"It's clear, concise, and incredibly well-researched. The historical journey is captivating. Highly recommend..."
A captivating and comprehensive journey through early game history.
"Absolutely fantastic deep dive into early game history. The lectures were incredibly engaging and the material felt comprehensive for the period."
"Loved it! The course really brought the history to life with great examples and anecdotes. I appreciated the detail on pre-electronic games too..."
"This course is perfect for anyone curious about how video games became what they are today. The pacing was excellent and the topics flowed logically."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Evolution of Game Design: Prehistory to the late 1980s with these activities:
Create a timeline of video game history
Creating a timeline will help you visualize and understand the major milestones in the evolution of video games.
Browse courses on Video Game History
Show steps
  • Gather dates for key events
  • Choose a timeline format
  • Create the timeline
Read 'The History of Video Games' by Steven L. Kent
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history of video games, giving you a solid foundation for understanding the evolution of the field.
View The Ultimate History of Video Games, Volume 2:... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the overview and introduction
  • Read each chapter focusing on one game era
  • Take notes on key people, companies, and events
Play classic video games
Playing classic video games will give you a firsthand experience of the evolution of the industry.
Browse courses on Video Game History
Show steps
  • Choose 5 classic games
  • Play the games
  • Identify the key features of each game
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Watch video tutorials on game development
Watching video tutorials will help you learn new techniques and concepts that you can apply to your projects.
Browse courses on Video Game Development
Show steps
  • Find video tutorials on topics relevant to your project
  • Watch the tutorials
  • Take notes on the key concepts
Join a study group
Studying with a group will help you stay motivated and improve your understanding of the material.
Browse courses on Collaboration
Show steps
  • Find a study group
  • Meet with the group regularly
  • Discuss the course material
  • Help each other with assignments
Attend a game design workshop
Attending a workshop will give you the chance to learn from experts and get hands-on experience.
Browse courses on Game Development
Show steps
  • Find a game design workshop
  • Register for the workshop
  • Attend the workshop
  • Follow up on the material
Design a video game
Designing a video game will help you apply the concepts you learn in the course to a practical project.
Browse courses on Video Game Design
Show steps
  • Come up with a game concept
  • Develop the game mechanics
  • Design the game levels
  • Create the game assets
Attend a game development conference
Attending conferences will give you the chance to meet other people in the industry and learn from their experiences.
Browse courses on Networking
Show steps
  • Find a game development conference
  • Register for the conference
  • Attend the sessions
  • Meet with other people

Career center

Learners who complete Evolution of Game Design: Prehistory to the late 1980s will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We haven't picked any books for this reading list yet.

Share

Help others find this course page by sharing it with your friends and followers:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Reddit
X
Link
Email

Similar courses

Here are nine courses similar to Evolution of Game Design: Prehistory to the late 1980s.
Problem Solving, Python Programming, and Video Games
Most relevant
History of Video Games
Most relevant
Introduction to Game Development
Most relevant
Unity Mobile Game - Master Hyper Casual Word Game...
Most relevant
Unity Third Person Shooter
Most relevant
Unity Mobile Game - Create Your First Hyper Casual Game !
Most relevant
Learn to create advance Metroidvania game with Unity &...
Most relevant
Blender to Unreal Engine Become a Dungeon Prop Artist
Most relevant
Modern UI Development in Unity 4.6/5.0
Most relevant

edX Buyer Protection & Guarantee

Verified partner policies & purchase protections

World-Class University Partner
Free Trial & Audit

Free Audit Track Available

Free audit track available for most courses, giving open access to video lectures, course readings, and assignments at no charge.

Return & Refund Policy

14-Day Full Refund Window

14-day full refund available up to 14 days after course start or 14 days after payment (whichever comes second, up to 6 months max), provided verified certificate has not yet been earned.

Buyer Protections

Verified Academic & Industry Partner

University-backed credentials authored by elite institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Oxford, with tamper-proof certificate verification.

Key Purchase Protections
Free audit track for open learning access
14-day money-back guarantee on verified certificates
Prestigious university credentials (Harvard, MIT)
Automatic unenrollment refund process via dashboard
OpenCourser Verified Partner Policy details last reviewed: 2026-10-22
Course image
Effort
4 to 8 hours per week for 5 weeks
Level
Introductory
Via
edX
Institution
LCI Education
Instructor
John Appleby
Language
English
Transcript
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Appeals to those interested in gaming history
Suitable for those with no prior experience in game design
Will expand your knowledge of the video game industry and evolution
Led by industry-recognized instructors at LaSalle College
May need to purchase hardware and software to complete the course
Share this
Share to help others discover this course.
Facebook LinkedIn X Reddit Link Email
Begin learning today
Enroll now to gain full access to Evolution of Game Design.
Enroll now
Save for later
Add this course to your list. Find it anytime.
Save
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser