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