The evolution of video game graphics from the early 1960’s to this point has been simply astounding. Back in the day there was only so much movement, so many graphics, and so many possibilities. With each year however the games got a little better, a little quicker, and a little more involved.
By the 1970’s the movement was improving and the skill levels were getting a little harder to accomplish, but the graphics still left a lot to be desired. At the time however video games were still in their infancy and thus were still fairly simple. This was what people had to play on and it was what they enjoyed. By the time the 80’s came around video game designers had added color, even more difficult levels and a continual style of play that didn’t really have an ending most times but was still challenging enough to keep people coming back trying to beat their high score.
Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, Tapper, and many others were games of skill that started out fairly simple but sped up and increased in difficulty as they went along. Those games followed a set pattern that if identified could allow a player to keep going until their reflexes could no longer keep up. When the fighting games came out the level difficulty only increased as players were then forced to go against the computer in a manner that was less pattern and more randomized action.
By the 1990’s the action got even more intense and more and more sound was being added into the games. Voices were given to characters and the level of difficulty was insane to think about. People would spend hours simply trying to beat one level or one boss only to realize later on that it was far simpler than they had originally believed. Many controllers and even game systems were busted in the process of attempting to discover the trick to winning. Games that incorporated action, skill, and problem-solving swiftly began to take over until the 2000’s when the story lines within the games became more complex and engaging.
By this time gamers could go online and interact with other players around the world in certain games to compare and challenge themselves to one another. You could be facing off against someone on the other side of the globe and never even know their name while you either teamed up or sought to kill one another in the virtual world.
As of now gaming is a worldwide phenomenon, and tournaments are held annually if not on a more frequent basis to determine just who is the best at what they do.
Gaming has certainly changed throughout the years.
Video Games:
1962: Spacewar
1972: Pong
1973: Space Race
1974: Tv Basketball
1975: Gun Fight
1976: Death Race
1977: Canyon Bomber
1978: Space Invaders
1979: Speed Freak
1980: Pacman
1981: Donkey Kong
1982: Pole Position
1983: Tapper
1984: Duck Hunt
1985: Super Mario Bros.
1986: The Legend of Zelda
1987: Street Fighter
1988: Galaxy Force 2
1989: Prince of Persia
1990: Mickey Mouse Castle of Illusion
1991: Sonic The Hedgehog
1992: Mortal Combat
1993: Doom
1994: Tekken
1995: Time Crisis
1996: Quake
1997: Gran Turismo
1997: Grand Theft Auto
1998: Half Life
1999: Unreal Tournament
2000: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
2001: Max Payne
2002: Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
2003: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell
2004: Half-Life 2
2005: Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
2006: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
2007: Halo 3
2008: Left 4 Dead
2009: Batman: Arkham Asylum
2010: Bioshock 2
2011: Skyrim
2012: Far Cry 3
2013: Tomb Raider
2014: Grand Theft Auto V (Next Gen Release)
2015: Star Wars Battlefront
2016: Battlefield 1
2017: Horizon Zero Dawn
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