| Very few of the "gamers" remember "back in the | | | | did use live actors instead of the character). In a 1991 |
| day", around Christmas of 1975 Atari was the first to | | | | poll, it was found more kids could identify a picture of |
| mass produce and distribute a game, where the game | | | | Mario than Mickey Mouse.The 1990's brought us into |
| console had 2 knobs that turned left and right moving | | | | the "shooters" era with games such as Wolfenstein |
| a little rectangle block up an down the screen, one on | | | | 3D and Doom. Following Doom, the retail publishers and |
| the left side and the other on the right. Moving this | | | | developers began to earnestly mimic the practice of |
| rectangle allowed the "player" to hit a small ball back | | | | offering demos, which had the effect of reducing |
| and forth between the two players, trying to "play the | | | | shareware's appeal for the rest of the decade. During |
| angle" by hitting it on the edge of your paddle to "give it | | | | this time, the increasing computing power of personal |
| English" or a sharp angle to score the point. The first | | | | computers began to allow rudimentary 3D graphics. |
| "Video Tennis or Ping Pong" game I guess would be a | | | | 1993's Doom in particular was largely responsible for |
| proper reference, in fact it was call "PONG".Two year | | | | defining the genre and setting it apart from other |
| later, the development of a cartridge-based console | | | | first-person perspective games. The mid 90's brought |
| called the Video Computer System (VCS), later called | | | | us genra games such as the "Sim" games, beginning |
| Atari 2600 and the next generation of creators | | | | with SimCity, and continuing with a variety of titles, |
| brought us game such as galaxian, space Invaders, | | | | such as SimEarth, SimCity 2000, SimAnt, SimTower, |
| Asteroids, Moon Patrol, Frogger, Donkey Kong (who | | | | and the wildly popular day to day life simulator, The |
| was that little man jumping over those barrels? | | | | Sims in 2000. The 90s also saw the beginnings of |
| Hmmm). The first football game from the Atari 2600 | | | | Internet gaming, with MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons) in |
| allowed you to control one player on offense and your | | | | the early years. Id Software's 1996 game Quake |
| opponent controlled either the 3 man D-Line or a single | | | | pioneered play over the Internet in first-person |
| player. Gee the good ol' days....1980 ushered in the | | | | shooters. Internet multiplayer capability became a |
| "Golden Era" of video games such as Defender, Battle | | | | defacto requirement in almost all of the games we |
| Zone, Zork and some game called, let me see, what | | | | see now.With all of these developments, but online and |
| was it? Oh yea, Pacman....... Anyone remember that | | | | console games, the "arcade" as we knew it, has |
| one? (just kidding)Around 1985 the "console game" | | | | pretty much became a thing of the past limited now to |
| market hit a low point as desktop computers along | | | | expensive game control systems not available to |
| with hand held units took over the popular market. | | | | home users. These are usually based on sports like |
| Then came the invention of the 8-bit machines and a | | | | skiing or cycling, as well as rhythm games like Dance |
| company called Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) | | | | Dance Revolution, which have carved out a large slice |
| burst on the seen with some Italian guys called Mario | | | | of the market.Current times have us now playing PS2, |
| and Lugi Mario. Mario first appeared in the 1982 arcade | | | | PSP, Xbox, all of which have become Multi-tasking |
| hit Donkey Kong, and became an instant hit. He | | | | devises similar to computers in that they can play not |
| appeared again 2 years later in Mario Bros., his first title | | | | only games created and designed for them, but also |
| role. This game also introduced Lugi to the public. Mario | | | | CD's, MP3's, Videos. What is next? PS3, Xbox 360 |
| first came home on the Nintendo Entertainment | | | | are both due out this fall/early winter just in time for |
| System in Super Mario Bros., one of the best selling | | | | Christmas. Both with disk space rivaling that of a |
| games ever. This game brought Mario into millions of | | | | desktop computer.Can we actually wait that |
| homes around the world and made him a cultural icon | | | | long?......Just a normal guy trying to starta business on |
| equal to Harrison Ford, Arnold Swartzneger, or Tom | | | | the internet. 50 year old white male father of 4. Born in |
| Cruise. Besides all the games, he has starred in 3 | | | | the midwest moved to the southwest 30 plus years |
| cartoon series, one major motion picture (although they | | | | ago. |