Mario Kart, Baldur’s Gate, even Among Us… today, video games are the bread and butter of entertainment, and we have hundreds of different ones to choose from.
But video games did not always look the way they do today. Nor was there always so much variety. So what did video games use to look like, and how have they evolved over time?
But video games did not always look the way they do today. Nor was there always so much variety. So what did video games use to look like, and how have they evolved over time?
The first video games ever released for public consumption were made for the arcade.
Image: Wikimedia CommonsIn 1972, Pong – a simple, digitised ping-pong game – became popular. The game was simple, consisting only of two white bars or “paddles” that players moved to hit a pixel “ball” across the court line.
Another arcade game was the iconic Pac-Man. This game was so well-loved that in 1980, it generated over USD 1 million in arcade earnings.
It even inspired fan merch, such as this vintage Pac-Man watch.
Image: Wikimedia CommonsIt even inspired fan merch, such as this vintage Pac-Man watch.
As the 80s arrived and technology improved, new genres were created, such as role-playing games (RPGs) and first-person shooters (FPS).
Many of these games, such as Doom and Fallout, took on more mature themes, fuelling the idea that gaming promoted violence.
Image: YouTubeMany of these games, such as Doom and Fallout, took on more mature themes, fuelling the idea that gaming promoted violence.
One other significant genre that gained popularity during this time was the platformer, a genre we see as a staple of games today.
Donkey Kong Country was one such successful platformer. It combined storytelling with (for its time) incredible graphics and top-range platformer mechanics, and was a hit when it came out in 1994.
Image: YouTubeDonkey Kong Country was one such successful platformer. It combined storytelling with (for its time) incredible graphics and top-range platformer mechanics, and was a hit when it came out in 1994.
When the 2000s arrived, gaming trends turned away from fantasy and escapism and towards more realistic, immersive environments.
Games like The Sims, which allowed players to move a human character around in a world that closely resembled their own, were prime examples of this shift.
Image: YouTubeGames like The Sims, which allowed players to move a human character around in a world that closely resembled their own, were prime examples of this shift.
One other aspect of real life that game developers touched on was healthy living.
Games like Wii Sports and Wii Fit promoted exercise, while games like Brain Age claimed to strengthen players’ mental capabilities. These helped to reframe video games as beneficial instead of harmful and violent.
Image: Wikimedia CommonsGames like Wii Sports and Wii Fit promoted exercise, while games like Brain Age claimed to strengthen players’ mental capabilities. These helped to reframe video games as beneficial instead of harmful and violent.
When the Internet arrived, it ushered in a new age of gaming.
Early Internet games were simple as game developers adjusted to their new medium.
Virtual pet website Neopets reflected this. Rather than relying on flashy animations and moving characters, players explored the world of Neopia by clicking on still images and triggered events by pressing buttons.
Image: Wikimedia CommonsVirtual pet website Neopets reflected this. Rather than relying on flashy animations and moving characters, players explored the world of Neopia by clicking on still images and triggered events by pressing buttons.
As Internet servers grew to accommodate more people, the first MMORPGs were created. These allowed multiple users to be online at once, and allowed for player interactions. MapleStory, Fantage, AQ Worlds... the choices were soon endless.
Perhaps the most well-known MMORPG of all was Club Penguin, which was created in 2005. Users played as colourful penguins, waddling around an icy island.
Image: YouTubePerhaps the most well-known MMORPG of all was Club Penguin, which was created in 2005. Users played as colourful penguins, waddling around an icy island.
In the 2010s, our love for uniqueness and novelty soon began to skew our preferences towards indie games. Unlike bigger companies, indie developers often created more innovative concepts and styles.
Games like Slenderman and Undertale soon became popular because of their unique stories and gameplay, and on mobile, Temple Run and Flappy Bird flourished.
Image: YouTubeGames like Slenderman and Undertale soon became popular because of their unique stories and gameplay, and on mobile, Temple Run and Flappy Bird flourished.
Today, we have more variety and more innovation than ever before when it comes to video games – regardless of brand, style, or genre, as the horror game Doki Doki Literature Club! demonstrates with its deceiving dating sim gameplay.
Image: YouTube
Whether you are a horror game fiend or a cosy game player, whether you play on a Switch, PS5 or just your mobile phone...
There’s something for everyone.
What will video games look like in the future?