On May 15th, 1978, Milton Bradley launched Simon, an electronic memory game that became a pop-culture symbol of the late 20th century. In an iconic marketing move, the game was introduced just after midnight at the legendary New York City nightclub Studio 54, where a four-foot-tall model of the device was suspended over the dance floor. Simon was created by Ralph Baer, often called the "Father of Video Games", as he created the world's first home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey. Retailing at a price of $24.95 ($120 today), the device used a microprocessor to challenge players to repeat increasingly complex sequences of lights and sounds. Despite its high price, Simon was the must-have toy of the 1978 holiday season, sparking store shortages and ultimately selling over 10 million units by 1982.
