Gaming has long been a popular pastime for many people. Even though technology has advanced in recent years, the concept of gaming has been around for a long time. In fact, some of the more popular game series have a long history of popularity, Pac-Man & Super Mario Bros. for example.
Pac-Man
This video game was first released in 1980. It became such a success that “Pac-Man Fever” overtook society with a recorded single of the same name being released. At the time of the game’s release, most games involved some kind of space aliens and shooting. However, Pac-Man, perhaps one of the most influential games of all time, broke new ground by creating a new genre. This game introduced gamers to the concepts of power-ups, in-game bonus items as well as alien enemies. With its maze set-up, the game and the associated sound effects were catchy and easily recognized. The game has evolved into over 30 spin-offs which is evidence of the games immense popularity. The game was also important as it lead to a spin-off involving Ms. Pac-Man which helped draw more females into gaming. Pac-Man is still recognizable to gamers young and old and can be played on today’s newest technology including mobile phones.
Super Mario Bros.
Released five years after Pac-Man’s debut, Super Mario Bros. was an improvement upon the idea of adventure games for gaming consoles. Also, featuring power-ups, Super Mario Bros. had expanded worlds and characters, levels and hidden treasures. As technology expanded, so did the implications for playing this game series. Nintendo was no longer the exclusive console or device with the game and its spin-offs now available on mobile phones and tablets.
With so many popular games being released in recent years, it will be interesting to see if any of them will have the impact that these two early video games on had on society and the gaming world.
