Gaming through the Ages

Ralph H. Baer, the first man to create an electronic game for household televisions back in the 1960s, had no idea what he had started and what was to come in this new form of entertainment. Most people think that videogames weren’t invented until the 1970s with arcade classics such as Space Invaders, however this is not the case at all. Primitive forms of electronic games have been around since the 1940s, with Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann who created a game on a cathode ray tube. Ever since then, games have developed in so many ways that they are almost a new way of communication, not just a way to pass the time. Throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s videogames were constantly changing and being upgraded to a better format and a new way to approach them.

70s

‘Drop down, increase speed. Reverse direction. Drop down, increase speed!’ is all we hear from the countless enemies dwelling above us. Zipping side to side avoiding attacks is our only defence, besides the measly shields above us that our enemies can shoot through. We can shoot only one laser at a time but if we time our shots right, we can consecutively keep shooting and slowly chip away at our attackers. It doesn’t take long for us to cut the size of their army down to ten, then five and soon only one is left. This is where everything changes. Speed is unbelievable and no longer can we shoot directly at their ship, we have to shoot at where their ship is going to be. The enemy is closing in on us and our crew is losing its cool, speeding so fast from left to right. We only have one shot left to try and hit the … GAME OVER.

The 1970s. The drugs of the 1960s were wearing off and disco was taking over and some groovy, far out video games were being introduced. Albeit rather simple games but no doubt that they will live on as some of the classics of gaming. Public arcades were all the rage and coin-operated machines were the new big thing, and I literally mean big. These machines used heavily pixelated 2D graphics or even text and were played with a simple joystick with one or two buttons. Most games were either one or two player, and this didn’t even mean playing at the same time. At the time, many people thought the idea of video games was just a ‘fad’ and would be over in a few weeks’ time, but ten years down the track the 1980s were just getting started with putting their spin on how video games should be developed.

80s

Every morning I get up, put on my red overalls and cap and head to the gym before work. I need to be fit because my work it physically demanding. I have to climb ladders all day, whilst dodging barrels thrown by the ridiculously huge monkey at the top of this maze of uneven platforms. It is so exhausting and repetitive that I often question whether I should quit but there is something holding me here. Her name is Lady, and she is the most beautiful lady I have ever seen. She has rosy peach-coloured cheeks and so I often call her my Princess Peach.

The 1980s. Big hair, big pants and big ideas in the video game industry. Everything that was introduced in the 70s was now expanding and games were being available to play in the home. Not only were these gaming systems now accessible to everyday people, games were now becoming portable with the introduction of handheld gaming. Games were now sold on cartridges that were roughly the size of a book, which was tiny compared to the size of the previous decades arcade machines. No longer was there just a joystick, it was now a joypad with button inputs which was allowing completely different games to be created with a whole new level of gameplay. Graphics were also being improved from heavy pixelated images to very simple line-based 3D graphics. The 80s were almost an experimental era for gaming, with developers trying to see how far they could go with this pastime. By the end of the decade, developers were realising that they couldn’t just continue to reinvent and recycle the same old ideas they already had. They needed new ideas, new consoles and a new way to connect to people – and this is when the 90s took over.

90s

It’s finally the day. I’ve just turned ten and I’m on way to receive my first Pokémon from Professor Oak. I’ve been dreaming about this day for as long as I can remember, and every day I see the other kids of Pallet Town leaving on their journeys with their new Pokémon. But it’s finally my turn. Bulbasaur, Squirtle or Charmander? They are the Pokémon I have to choose from and it’s the hardest decision of my life. When I get to Professor Oak’s Lab I see each of the Pokémon waiting next to their poke balls, just waiting for me to make my decision and it doesn’t take me long before I yell the words ‘I choose you!’.

The 1990s. The rise of multiculturalism and alternative media was aided by the expansion of commercial internet, as was the rapidly changing video game industry. Cartridges were out and CD-ROMS were in. Home computers were now accessible and were in direct competition with gaming consoles. 3D graphics were being slowly introduced which gave players immersive environments and depth perspective. Another huge development to occur in this era was the introduction of online gaming with games such as World of Warcraft, which is still growing today. The 90s really were the start of something huge. Consoles such as the Nintendo 64 were released alongside huge game franchises such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Banjo-Kazooie and countless others. With the technology that was being created, it’s easy to see how such amazing development was continuing to occur in this industry.

00s

‘What’s our objective, men?’ yelled the General as he bounced back and forward in front of his men.

‘To hit those green piggies right where it hurts, Sir!’

‘Right you are, so what are we waiting for? Let’s get at it.’ The general ordered his men over to a large catapult, which many of them had noticed and had hoped it had nothing to do with them. Alas, this was not the case. The general looked at each of his men, trying to carefully pick the right bird for the job. Red, yellow and black are just a few colours of the birds that he has at his disposal. He ordered the triangular yellow bird, Chuck, to hop into the catapult, and ready himself to be flung at high speeds towards the enemy.

Chuck knew he was picked because he was the fastest, so it was easy to get him all the way across the field to the wobbly structure that they were trying to destroy.

Even high up in the catapult, Chuck could hear the chitter chatter of the rest of his team below.

‘I’m ready’, he yelled as he braced himself.

The general hauled back the catapult as far as he could and in one swift motion flung Chuck towards the enemy. Chuck hit the wooden wall hard and it fell onto the single pig who perished instantly.

‘SUCCESS!’ cried the general and it was as simple as that.

The 2000s. The internet was continuing to grow and with the introduction of social media, games were now available to anyone, anywhere, anytime – and this was huge. Mobile games such as Angry Birds started being introduced in the late 2000s. This changed the way people viewed games and they became more of a fill in game for commuters and so on. Online content was taking over and games were being readily available to buy and download online; games stores were becoming slightly obsolete. Games now also had cinematic quality graphics which made immersive play all the better, and these new graphics accompanied with new and exciting storylines showed the potential video games had as a storytelling medium. With the ever growing internet, exclusive online play was becoming a big thing and it allowed people to play online with people all over the world.

Currently, video games are a huge part of everyday life for most people who own a smart phone. They are forever evolving from competitive games, where the aim was to get the best score, to ‘experiences’ where the aim is to ‘not think, not do, just be’. With innovative ideas and growing technologies it is no surprise that gaming has survived through the ages and shall continue to please gamers out there everywhere.

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