The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG2FqsybwaA (if link is not working type in The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Walkthrough Part 1) This video shows the N64 version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the 5th and final game from the past that will be discussed here. Ocarina of Time is an action-adventure game that takes place in two different times since the player can go from Young to Adult Link or vice versa by something as simple as picking up or putting back the Master Sword. The story of Ocarina of Time is amazing and even when that is done there is still a lot of things to do. Many still think of it as one of the greatest games of all time despite it being slightly over a decade old. This game to me means that no matter how "old" a game is it can still be up there with the best of them.

Starcraft (original)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIXgxnVpRBU&playnext=1&list=PLF9226B77F797043B (if the link is not working type in The Entire Starcraft 1 Story - Episode I P1/4) Starcraft is a PC RTS (real time strategy) game. In the game you control one of three races, the zerg, terran(humans), and the protoss. Your goal can be any number of things from bringing a character somewhere, protecting a certain unit or simply taking out all your opponents. Starcraft features decent graphics and includes mission briefings in the single player campaign. I honestly credit Starcraft's briefings with the reason why I can read decently today since you could actually see the words on the screen while they were talking. The avatars of the characters in the briefings even show emotion when it fits the conversation so they aren't just pixels on a screen doing actions.

Donkey Kong Country (Super Nintendo version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwN_Dpsdnuw (If link is not working type in SNES Donkey Kong Country - Jungle Hijinks) This video shows the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country, an early console game. Donkey Kong Country is a platform game, meaning you go from one side of the level to the other while avoiding obstacles, pitfalls and enemies. The characters in Donkey Kong Country are more detailed then Street Fighter. Donkey Kong Country characters also show emotions based upon what the characters do in certain events (Diddy stomps on his hat if you lose a minigame for example) which adds some comedy to failure and praise to success. The backgrounds also show in certain levels changes in scenery such as in the video when the time of the day changes from day to night as you end the first level.

First Street Fighter Arcade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M16WIxxo0WA (if link is not working, type Street Fighter Arcade (one credit keyboard play)). This is a video showing the first Street Fighter game. This game is much more advanced then Pong. There are complicated controls such as punching, kicking, movement and special moves that go beyond the simple game of catch of Pong. There is also much more complex shapes used in Street Fighter. Street Fighter characters look decently humanoid except there is no real high detail on the character models. The backgrounds are also lacking in elaborate details, but seem slightly more detailed then Street Fighter's character models.

Video of Pong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPkUvfL8T1I (or if the link is not working type Arcade Original Pong in youtube). This short video shows one of the oldest video games of all time, Pong. This game is much simpler than games of today as it has no complex shapes. Though like modern games, Pong is simply the same thing over and over again, just in a simpler form.

The Culture of Video Games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aw-42JO3qk

Video games have been around since the 70's. It is no surprise that it would have a huge emphasis in our culture and even our everyday lives. The images and video above may be games you have all seen or played before. The impact of video games is very prominent and deeply ingrained if our culture. When the first original Mortal Kombat hit the arcades (and eventually console) it was immediately met with controversy over its graphic and bloody gameplay. So much in fact that current the Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman initiated hearings in 1992, which would eventually lead to the creation of the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) which contineus to this day rating days for children, parents, and adults.

Video games also seek to continue to milk the cash cow of other forms of entertainment, specifically movies and music. The very popular rythemn/instrument-based games bank millions and millions off not only the game itself, but also for the instruments used to play teh game. Some games are even entirely based on a certain artist, to capture the fans and demographic of that artists music style ( Rock Band The Beatles). In Hollywood, James Cameron's Avatar in 2009 was an enormously huge blockbuster, becomign teh first film to crack 2 billion in grossings. The above image is just a picture of the now many video games that are based on highly successful Hollywood movies.

One of the arguments against videogames is the reasoning that they are unhealthy and causes children to participate less and less in physical activities. However, there are many video games out nwo that require physical activity. Many children-based programs commonly combine or use games with physical exercises. These include (pictured above) Dance Dance Revolution machines, WII sports, and Playstation MOVE sports to name a few.

All in all, videogames are many things to everybody. In the video posted above, the computer game Starcraft is so immensely popular in South Korea, that players are paid thousands to play like professional athletes and are even revered on the same level same as music stars. Whether we play videogames to move crazily on a dance mat, beat and trash-talk with friends, relive a movie, or just to kick back and relax, videogames are here to stay.

The timeline of videogames

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yn4JRsmyy4

Very interesting video that takes you from the history of videogames from the founders that started everything back in the 1950's. You can actually see the progression over the years and the advancement of technology.

Evolution of Videogames

Feeling nostalgic? Many of these images are probably bring out the good old childhood memories from some of you who enjoyed playing video games as a child. As with all otherforms of technology, video games have deeply evolved at an incredible rate. Back in the 1980's dumping quarters to play Pac-Man at a nearby laundromat was probably a common occurrence. Cue ten years later where the children who befriend other children at thriving arcades are now bringing their friends from school back home to play the newly created consoles. Videogames evolved to now be able to have an entire lightweight machine playable at the comforts of your home, with companies such as Nintendo and their SNES and N64 consoles or the Sony and their Playstation 1 consoles that so culturally impacted the 1990's. Flash forward to the 2000's where console gaming is still very much prominent, however in even far more advanced forms. Not only are our current generation consoles such as a PS3 or Nintendo WII able to play DVD's and CD's, but are able to link internationally to play games with other people across the Internet. No more did children have to go other each others houses. All they needed was internet connection and a microphone and they connected. Along with the connection to the internet, but the now prominent physically active games that are so popular now. Games such as Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, and the current motion sensory panels such as the PSMove and WII are a new breed of video games that are taking households by storm. Needless to say, videogames have deeply evolved from the old days of playing Pong.

Evolution of video games

This is our first post.. a little behind, but that shouldn't mean anything. In this blog we will be discussing the evolution of videogames in the past, present, and future. Video games aren't that "ancient" and have been around since the 70's, so it should be interesting to see how technology has sprouted at an incredible speed.