The five (or ten) video games that have marked the story
With regard to the world day of video games, we list those that have left their mark in this industry.
Last week the world day of videogames was celebrated. What started as a hobby, today is an industry that moves communities, subcultures, narratives, entertainment and even business and education. That is why, below, we list the video games that have marked a milestone to celebrate video games as it deserves.
1. Pong or Tennis for Two
ADVERTISING
inRead invented by Teads
When it comes to pioneering video games, one of the most obvious is “Pong”. This arcade product, created by Atari, was basically a ping-pong table with two-dimensional graphics. Despite its simplicity, it can boast of being the first to be commercially successful. It was with “Pong” that the world was first introduced to the world of video games.
However, it can not boast of having marked a milestone because it is nothing more than the shadow of an ancestor that saw the light twenty years before. In 1958, physicist William Higinbotham used to hold annual visits to his laboratory, during which thousands of people watched his machines and experiments. One day it occurred to him that having a game in the laboratory could animate the place and convey the message that his scientific efforts were relevant to society.
The instrumentation group had a small analog computer that could show several curves, including the trajectory of a ball bouncing on an oscilloscope. It took Higinbotham just a couple of hours to conceive the idea of a game of tennis, and only a few more days to put together the basic pieces. Thus, with the help of a technician, Higinbotham created the first videogame in history: “Tennis for two”, whose gameplay was practically identical to “Pong”.
2. World of Warcraft or Multi-User Dungeon (MUD)
Yes, “World of Warcraft” is one of the best videogames that have been developed in recent times. The virtual worlds suffer from an endemic evil that, at the time of its launch, generates a high expectation and curiosity, causing thousands of people to create accounts, avatars and begin to live within that world. After a while, that environment begins to become repetitive and boring for the first residents, every time there are fewer people living inside it and many of these worlds end up dying without anyone to inhabit them.
This defect does not seem to affect “World of Warcraft”. This video game was launched in 2004 and, to this day, it continues to host millions of residents, who devote large amounts of their time. There is no other virtual world that has had the longevity along with the constant and feverish popularity of “World of Warcraft”. For many people, their immersive world became downright addictive.
Also, new expansions and new contents are included to this day. In fact, the latest expansion, Battle of Azeroth, was launched just last August 14. This virtual world is so old that Blizzard is committed to bringing a classic server “vanilla” for those who want to relive the glorious days of the launch of “World of Warcraft”. It is truly unique in its kind.
But if there’s one thing that Blizzard has to thank, it’s the “Multi-User Dungeon” (MUD) game, because it was the first virtual world in history. MUD combined elements of RPGs, hack and slash, player vs. player, interactive fiction and an online chat to consolidate a text-based game. Players read or viewed descriptions of rooms, objects and other characters as a way of interacting with the game.
Its form of game caused the emergence of an intra-virtual language. He also fused the fantastic themes typical of an RPG – such as class, race and magic – with environments typical of science fiction. Books, films, periods of history and animations were inspiration for the creation of their rooms, objects and plots. Even this virtual world caught the attention of sociologists, communicators, lawyers and economists who saw in the interactions of the MUD a replica of their disciplines in a virtual environment. It’s MUD, and not “World of Warcraft,” the video game that marked the history of virtual worlds.
3. Super Mario Bros or Tetris
Super Mario Bros is Nintendo’s most famous video game. Successor of the arcade video game, this game has accompanied us since 1985 with his “Wahoo!”, “It’s-a me, Mario!” And, of course, “Mamma mia!”. After Super Mario Bros, “Super Mario 64”, “Super Mario Advance”, “Mario Hotel”, “Mario vs Donkey Kong”, “Mario Kart”, TV shows, manga and a lot of other games have arrived. Nintendo breathes Mario Bros because this video game is, almost literally, the oxygen of the company.
But Nintendo has another video game as important as Super Mario Bros, just that much less pretentious. You do not need to shout at the world “Mamma Mia!” To realize its existence, you do not need pizzas to survive or princesses in trouble to attract attention. This videogame does not exclaim, it does not announce its arrival, it does not enjoy trailers or presentations and, even so, its success is always resounding. While “Tetris” was created in Russia, it was Nintendo who made it popular in the West by including it as a Game Boy game. No need for drums and cymbals, “Tetris” has been available for almost all consoles and operating systems since two decades ago; It has even been possible to play on graphic calculators and wireless music systems. Unlike what is often said of other video games, “Tetris” is believed to elevate brain activity and improve critical thinking, reasoning, language and information processing. In the house, on the bus, in the waiting room and even in the classroom, “Tetris” has been part of each of the people who inhabit this planet. It is the true jewel of Nintendo.
4. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or Dragon Quest
Often considered one of the best, if not the best, of all time, “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” has enjoyed a legacy unlike any other. He was the first to use the 3D graphics and exploited them in all its magnitude. It is also one of the first video games that lead the player to experience the “Way of the Hero” typical of literary works of the epic genre. Through three dungeons, Nintendo brings out a dynamic narrative that masterfully transmits realities, fears and hopes to grow. As part of the story, Link’s exploits affirm his character as someone willing to help others, not for his own benefit, but because he believes it is the right thing to do. This quality is what helps him to put aside his childhood in order to fulfill his destiny. He is a child when he falls into a dream of seven years and still is when he wakes up, but he does not have time to think about children’s ideas. The story of Link in this installment of Zelda is one of the most tragic and epic, it is not uncommon for it to be the delivery that you most like.
However, it is another saga that carries the elements of a role-playing game to new heights, making the Way of the Hero the driving force of the whole plot. In this regard, “Ocarina of Time” is still considered an RPG, but only tangentially. “Dragon Quest”, on the other hand, breathes a heroic soul through all its pores. Published as “Dragon Warrior” in North America, the first installment of “Dragon Quest” is the story of the descendant of Edrick, who has been summoned by the king of Alefgard to rescue his daughter and defeat the Dragonlord, who is threatening the kingdom.
This is, basically, the whole plot of “Dragon Quest”, but the feat is that it was the first videogame to try to start a Hero’s Path through the application of roles. For 1986, this was incredibly innovative and, therefore, “Ocarina of Time” relies on “Dragon Quest” to be one of the greatest video games in history. It is the one that marks a milestone in the RPG, and “Ocarina of Time” was usufruct of this success.
5. Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy VIII
To tell the truth, I should simply enunciate each and every one of the Final Fantasy on this list, from I to XV. The characters, the narratives, the graphics, the emotions, the mythological inspirations … In simple terms, Square Enix has given the videogame industry a jewel that has been on the market for 31 years. But if you have to choose one of the saga, that can be the VIII. “What?! But if the VII is the good one, he is the famous one, he is the iconic one! ”
Maybe, as it may not. With Final Fantasy VII, the company wanted to create a more natural sense of death and loss in a gaming experience. In a sudden and discordant moment, Aeris, the beloved of the protagonist, is murdered. They tried to create the feeling of loss, but, truthfully, it feels unreal. The player is standing right there, with a monstrous sword, and he does not even have the chance to move around a bit as Sephiroth, the villain, descends. The player’s control is deactivated. The death of Aeris does not have a real artistic connection with the broader narrative, except to be part of the concept of a moribund world. It can be considered a poor turn. Yes, it is surprising that one of the “heroes” died, but the execution was not up to par. In fact, in a dystopia as recreated in “Final Fantasy VII”, the count of corpses should have been higher.
