回顾性 (RETROSPECTIVE)
Everyone remembers their first console. If you’re in your thirties or forties, you’re part of the first generation to have grown up with consoles, witnessing their evolution over time.
E Veryone记得他们的第一个控制台。 如果您是30或40多岁的人，那么您就是第一代拥有控制台的人，他们见证了控制台随着时间的发展。
What was your first game console?
您的第一个游戏机是什么？
I do remember owning an Atari 2600; I have vague memories of playing it with my siblings and cousins. But the console that stands out the most in my memory was called Sakhr صخر. It represented the very best gaming memories from my childhood.
我确实记得拥有Atari 2600； 我与兄弟姐妹和堂兄弟玩游戏时记忆犹新。 但是在我记忆中最突出的控制台称为Sakhrصخر 。 它代表了我小时候最好的游戏记忆。
Sakhr AX170. Source: msx.org. Sakhr AX170。 资料来源：msx.org。
Sakhr was developed by the Kuwaiti Sakhr Software Company (CEO: Mohammed Al-Sharekh) in the 1980s. Sakhr was an Arabic version of the MSX computers developed by Microsoft for Eastern markets. Sakhr Software Company developed the Arabic Keyboard, which is still used today, as well as converted the Basic language to Arabic. There are many versions of Sakhr Computers. But the most popular version is AX170.
Sakhr由科威特Sakhr软件公司 (首席执行官：Mohammed Al-Sharekh)在1980年代开发。 Sakhr是Microsoft为东方市场开发的MSX计算机的阿拉伯版本。 Sakhr软件公司开发了阿拉伯语键盘，该语言至今仍在使用，并将基本语言转换为阿拉伯语。 Sakhr计算机的版本很多。 但是最受欢迎的版本是AX170。
Even though Sakhr and MSX devices are classified as computers, one can argue that they were consoles; you connected them to a TV, they came with two cartridge-slots, one of which was for a game master, and one can connect two controllers to the system for two players. It was an incredible gaming console for the time.
即使Sakhr和MSX设备被归类为计算机，也可以说它们是控制台。 您将它们连接到电视后，它们便带有两个盒式插槽，其中一个用于游戏主机，一个可以将两个控制器连接到系统上，供两名玩家使用。 当时是令人难以置信的游戏机。
Sakhr Software Company released multiple games for the Sakhr computer. Their focus was mainly on educational games, which ranged from English teaching games to trivia, math, and programming. They teamed up with Konami and other game developers from Japan to release some games in Arabic as well.
Sakhr软件公司为Sakhr计算机发布了多个游戏。 他们的重点主要是教育游戏，从英语教学游戏到琐事，数学和编程。 他们与Konami和其他日本的游戏开发商合作，还发布了一些阿拉伯语游戏。
Nostalgic Shadow. 怀旧阴影 。
MSX and Sakhr Computers had a port to connect a data recorder device, which played cassettes. The cassettes contained video games or software. Games on tapes were cheaper than cartridges. I owned only one game as a cartridge, and the rest of my games were cassettes. To start a game from a cassette, you needed to rewind the cassette and play it from the start — kids today will never understand the effort it took to play video games in the ‘80s.
MSX和Sakhr Computers有一个端口，用于连接播放录音带的数据记录器设备。 卡带中装有视频游戏或软件。 磁带上的游戏比盒带便宜。 我只拥有一个游戏卡带，其余的游戏都是卡带。 要从盒式磁带开始游戏，您需要倒带并从一开始就玩游戏-今天的孩子们永远都不会理解80年代玩电子游戏所付出的努力。
Sakhr computers were very popular in the Middle East. More popular, in fact, than even the mighty Nintendo Entertainment System. One reason for this — aside from the obvious effort to localise the hardware and software for the region — was that Sakhr computers were used widely beyond gaming at home. They were also utilised by schools to teach kids Basic, as well as typing. The Sakhr computer became ubiquitous across the Middle East.
Sakhr计算机在中东非常受欢迎。 实际上，甚至比强大的任天堂娱乐系统更受欢迎。 除了在该地区对硬件和软件进行本地化的明显努力之外，这样做的原因之一是Sakhr电脑已广泛用于家庭游戏之外。 学校还利用它们来教孩子们基础以及打字。 Sakhr计算机在整个中东无处不在。
Sakhr AX170 — Source: msx.org Sakhr AX170 —来源：msx.org
Sakhr was discontinued in the 1990s. After the first Gulf War, Sakhr Software Company relocated to Egypt — but in doing so, its lost a significant amount of its talent. Sakhr Software’s CEO recently stated in an interview that although Sakhr computers were highly popular with families and schools, numerous companies and governmental offices refused to use the machines for largely bureaucratic reasons. There was, perhaps, an ironic disinterest in purchasing a “home grown” machine. Sakhr Computers’ CEO was often faced with the question “why should we purchase made in Kuwait computers if we can buy the originals?”
Sakhr在1990年代停产。 第一次海湾战争之后，Sakhr软件公司迁至埃及-但这样做却损失了大量人才。 Sakhr Software的首席执行官最近在一次采访中表示，尽管Sakhr计算机在家庭和学校中非常受欢迎，但许多公司和政府机构出于官僚原因拒绝使用这些计算机。 也许有讽刺意味的是，人们对购买“自家种植”的机器不感兴趣。 Sakhr Computers的首席执行官经常面临这样一个问题：“如果可以购买原件，为什么我们应该购买科威特制造的计算机？”
In the end, Microsoft discontinued the MSX series and switched over to Windows PCs. The Sakhr Software Company stopped developing its Sakhr computers and in doing so, gave up its hardware business entirely to focus exclusively on software. The company is still active today. Their main goal is to continue to build Arabic software and to enrich Arabic content online.
最后，Microsoft停止了MSX系列，并切换到Windows PC。 Sakhr软件公司停止了Sakhr计算机的开发，而放弃了其硬件业务，而完全专注于软件。 该公司今天仍然活跃。 他们的主要目标是继续开发阿拉伯语软件并在线丰富阿拉伯语内容。
Now that you have some context around the machine and the company that manufactured it, let’s look at the games. Here are just a few of the games I really loved — it’s been a good 30 years since I’ve played some of them, but I still fondly remember them.
既然您已经了解了机器和制造机器的公司，那么让我们看一下游戏。 这只是我真正喜欢的一些游戏-自从我玩了一些游戏已有30年了，但是我仍然深情地记得它们。
Nostalgic Shadow. 怀旧阴影 。
Knightmare (1986): was a vertical scrolling shooter. The player played as a knight on his way to defeat Hudnos. The game was released by Konami and was considered very sophisticated for its time with its top-dow view. Konami later re-released the title as a mobile game.
Knightmare(1986)：是垂直滚动射击游戏。 玩家在击败哈德诺斯的路上扮演了骑士的角色。 该游戏由Konami发行，并以其最高俯视图视图被认为非常精致。 Konami随后将其标题重新发布为手机游戏。
Penguin Adventur. Source: http://opcodegames.com/. 企鹅冒险。 资料来源： http : //opcodegames.com/ 。
Penguin Adventure (1986): Another game by Konami, this was considered the best Sakhr game at the time. This action-adventure platform video game was the first game that Hideo Kojima worked on. It has been re-released on many platforms later on, including PlayStation and Sega Saturn.
企鹅冒险(1986)： Konami的另一款游戏，被认为是当时最好的Sakhr游戏。 这个动作冒险平台视频游戏是小岛秀夫开发的第一款游戏。 后来它在包括PlayStation和Sega Saturn在内的许多平台上重新发布。
King’s Valley. Source: generation-msx.nl. 国王谷。 资料来源：generation-msx.nl。
King’s Valley (1985): Is another game released by Konami for the MSX and, therefore, also for the Sakhr computers. King’s Valley is a platform game that takes place in Egyptian pyramids. The goal is to collect multiple gems while running away from mummies. The puzzles in this game were challenging. I used to play this with my cousins as well; we tried collectively to solve the levels.
国王谷(1985)：是Konami为MSX发行的另一款游戏，因此也为Sakhr计算机发行。 国王谷是一款在埃及金字塔中进行的平台游戏。 目标是在逃离木乃伊的同时收集多个宝石。 在这个游戏中的难题是具有挑战性的。 我以前也和我的表兄弟一起玩。 我们共同尝试解决这些问题。
You might be wondering where Middle Eastern gamers went after Sakhr computers disappeared from store shelves. Many people switched either to the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis in North America), the Super Nintendo, or a bootlegged NES. Video games were slowly gaining greater popularity, but without Sakhr, gaming in the Middle East lost a degree of its stability. One reason for this is because, across the board, most products like TVs and VHS players were based on the PAL format (like Europe, China/SE Asia, much of Africa, Australia, and New Zealand). However, game consoles available in the Middle East were not always PAL format — they could be either PAL or NTSC. It wasn’t until the arrival of the PlayStation 2 and Xbox that the sector saw greater standardisation across the region.
您可能想知道Sakhr计算机从商店货架上消失后中东游戏玩家去了哪里。 许多人选择了Sega Mega Drive(北美的Genesis)，Super Nintendo或盗版的NES。 电子游戏正逐渐普及，但没有萨赫尔，中东的游戏就失去了一定程度的稳定性。 原因之一是，总体而言，大多数产品(例如电视和VHS播放器)都是基于PAL格式的(例如欧洲，中国/东南亚，非洲大部分地区，澳大利亚和新西兰)。 但是，中东可用的游戏机并不总是PAL格式的-它们可以是PAL或NTSC。 直到PlayStation 2和Xbox出现，该行业才在整个地区实现了更高的标准化。
When we look back at gaming history, we tend to think of the big names from Japan, Europe, and North America. But let’s not forget Sakhr Software Company, and its incredibly influential Sakhr computer range. This was the company — and the device — that brought gaming to the Middle East well before the NES (or any other device) could. Sakhr allowed gaming culture to flourish across the region. And it will always remain my favourite console (albe it a machine that played video games from cassettes that I had to rewind first…)
当我们回顾游戏历史时，往往会想到来自日本，欧洲和北美的知名人士。 但是，不要忘了Sakhr软件公司及其极具影响力的Sakhr计算机系列。 这是一家将游戏带入中东的公司(以及设备)，早于NES(或任何其他设备)就可以了。 Sakhr使得游戏文化在整个地区蓬勃发展。 而且它将始终是我最喜欢的控制台(尽管它是一台播放我不得不先倒带的盒式磁带中的视频游戏的机器……)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
关于作者
Walid Al Otaibi -WAO- works at an engineering company in Germany as a Project Manager. He manages mainly sustainable energy projects. Connect with WAO via Twitter or Instagram.
Walid Al Otaibi- WAO-在德国的一家工程公司担任项目经理。 他主要管理可持续能源项目。 通过Twitter或Instagram与WAO连接。
翻译自: https://medium.com/super-jump/a-console-youve-never-heard-of-kickstarted-gaming-in-the-middle-east-c9b8dbc07bbe