The World of Teletype Computer Games (2017)

The Forgotten World of Teletype Computer Games

A glimpse of what computer gaming was like before the personal computer.

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When we think of computer games today, we almost always imagine a lushly illustrated game taking place on some form of fluid electronic screen like an LCD monitor or TV set. But few know today that many of the earliest computer games played out solely on a hardcopy medium—of ink struck on paper.

In the land before video terminals were common, many computer users interfaced with computers via teleprinters—commonly called "teletypes"—which gained that name from the Teletype Corporation, creator of the most popular models.

Teletypes began as specialized typewriters that could be commanded to print from over telegraph or telephone lines, allowing for the efficient and accurate transmission of text-based information. Not long after the creation of the first mainframe computers, engineers figured out a way to rig up teletypes to computers as a form of input and output, making the first economical interactive computer interfaces.

And naturally, as humans do, people figured out a way to have fun with the new medium. Many famous computer game genres we know today originated in a form that was played via teletype—adventure games, board games, 4X strategy games, business simulations, physics simulations, economic trading games, puzzle games, baseball games, and more.

In the annotated gallery ahead, we'll take a look at just a handful of some of the most interesting and important teletype games, most of which hail from the early 1970s. When you're done reading, I'd love to hear from any of the veterans out there who played teletype games back in the day. Which games were your favorite? Let us know.

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