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The first video game was created by William Higinbotham, a physicist. https://www.bnl.gov/about/history/firstvideo.php -
Recognized as the first commercially available arcade video game. Inspired by the 1962 computer game Spacewar! https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/before-pong-there-was-computer-space/ -
Pong is a two-dimensional sports game simulating table tennis. It became the first commercially successful video game, laying the foundation for the video game industry. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pong -
The first commercial home video game console. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1302004 -
Breakout is an arcade game where players use a paddle to bounce a ball and break bricks at the top of the screen. https://breakoutpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Breakout -
Space Invaders is a fixed shooter game where you destroy incoming aliens. It help develop the shooting genre and became a cultural phenomenon. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Space-Invaders
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Space_Invaders_video_games -
You play as Pac-Man with the goal of eating all the dots while avoiding ghosts. It became a cultural icon and one of the most influential arcade games. https://pacman.com/en/history/
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Battlezone was an arcade tank combat game that used vector graphics to create a wireframe 3D perspective. It is considered the first game to be 3D https://videogamehistory.fandom.com/wiki/Battlezone
https://www.museumofplay.org/blog/from-battlezone-to-world-of-tanks/ -
Players control Mario and avoid Donkey Kong's attacks. It marked the debut of Mario and was Nintendo's first big hit in North America. https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Donkey_Kong_(video_game) -
A Nintendo classic game featuring Mario and Luigi as plumbers battling creatures. It introduced simultaneous two-player gameplay. https://www.mariowiki.com/Mario_Bros._(game)
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Nintendo’s 8-bit home console that revolutionized gaming. https://www.britannica.com/technology/Nintendo-console
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Alexey Pajitnov, a Russian computer programmer, created Tetris. It quickly grew and is now one of the greatest and most recognizable games of all time. https://nationalcioreview.com/articles-insights/tech-time-travel/tech-time-travel-tetris-is-released-to-the-world/
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A platformer game developed by Nintendo where you control Mario to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. It defined the platforming genre.
https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Bros.
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The Legend of Zelda is an action-adventure game where players control Link to rescue Princess Zelda and defeat Ganon. It introduced open-world exploration and puzzle-solving elements. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda_(video_game) -
Unreal Engine was released and was the first 3D venture by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. The game "Unreal" was approved by GT Interactive in 1996, and "Unreal Engine" was then released two years later. https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/23/history-of-the-unreal-engine -
Sony created the best-selling console of all time, with a vast library. https://playstation.fandom.com/wiki/PlayStation_2
https://www.britannica.com/topic/PlayStation-2 -
The game engine Unity was officially released and announced at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/17/how-unity-built-the-worlds-most-popular-game-engine/ -
Roblox is an online platform that allows users to create, share, and play games made by other users. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roblox -
A revolutionary motion-controlled console that expanded gaming. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nintendo-Wii -
Marcus Persson releases Minecraft. Which would become the best-selling game of all time. https://explore.proquest.com/sirsdiscoverer/document/2676657775?searchid=1748542091&accountid=3541
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"Baba Yetu" from Civilization IV wins in the category of Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011. Became the first game to win a Grammy. https://www.polygon.com/24206239/civilization-4-wins-grammy-baba-yetu
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/first-time-video-game-music-wins-grammy-flna125087 -
An open-world action-adventure game set in the fictional city of Los Santos. It became one of the best-selling games of all time, praised for its storytelling, gameplay freedom, and attention to detail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_V -
The Game Awards became the premier annual event celebrating achievements in video games, including categories for best games, developers, and innovations. https://thegameawards.com/about -
Toby Fox’s Undertale defied RPG by allowing players to choose non-violent approaches to combat. He composed the entire game’s soundtrack, which has become iconic and beloved for its emotional depth and memorable themes. https://undertale.com/ -
RDR2 is the prequel to the original it was widespread acclaim for its writing, visuals, and immersive world-building. It’s frequently cited as one of the greatest video games of all time. https://medium.com/@fabdiyussuf55/beyond-the-screen-exploring-the-impact-of-red-dead-redemption-2s-honor-system-on-player-s-3c1c908c0f01 -
Supergiant Games’ Hades is a roguelike action RPG that blends fast-paced combat with a strong narrative. Its dynamic dialogue, art style, and soundtrack has earned it multiple Game of the Year awards. https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades/ -
Hades won Game of the Year, Best Design, Best Narrative, and Best Audio, a remarkable indie victory. https://igf.com/2021-winners -
The Super Mario Bros. theme was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry on April 12, 2023. It became the first video game song to be inducted. https://theworld.org/segments/2024/04/04/super-mario-bros-theme-inducted-into-us-library-of-congress https://blogs.loc.gov/now-see-hear/2023/08/from-the-national-recording-registry-super-mario-1985/ -
The Minecraft soundtrack enters the Library of Congress. Becoming the second song from a video game to enter. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/elton-john-mary-j-blige-minecraft-here-are-all-the-new-inductees-to-the-national-recording-registry https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-25-024/national-recording-registry-inducts-sounds-of-elton-john-chicago-broadways-hamilton-mary-j-blige-amy-winehouse-minecraft-and-microsoft/2025-04-09/
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