The 1980’s Had an Airborne Version of PONG

It’s not terribly surprising to have access to a handful of in-flight video games from the comfort of your seat nowadays. This is 2014 after all. But what if I told you there were video games you could play on flights in the early eighties? It sounds crazy, right?

But in the early 1980’s Continental Airlines Did just that. Well… kind of. You could hop on a “pub flight” to enjoy all the comforts of your local tavern while hurtling through the sky. Circular tables, a walk-up bar, and PONG.

“With electronic pub pong, it’s fun and games all the way!” proclaims the Continental spokesperson, attired in the finest men’s fashion 1981 had to offer.

Considering that some airlines now charge for water, imagining a time when “luxury” and “coach” went hand in hand kind of makes my head spin.

[via Mental Floss]

Jim Squires

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Jim Squires is the Editor-in-Chief of Gamezebo. Everything you see passes his eyes first, so we like to think of him as "the gatekeeper of cool stuff." He likes good games, great writing, and just can't say no to a hamburger. Also, he is not a bear.