SimCity, Metroid and Neopets (and 9 others) nominated for Video Game Fall of Fame
The Strong National Museum of Play has announced the 12 games nominated for the World Video Game Hall of Fame in 2024: Asteroids, Elite, Guitar Hero, Metroid, Myst, Neopets, Resident Evil, Tokimeki Memorial, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Ultima, And You don’t know Jack.
“This year’s finalists have the honor of competing to become part of the 10th class of inductees into the World Video Game Hall of Fame,” said Jon-Paul C. Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games, in a statement. “Even ten years later, there is no shortage of deserving contenders who have had a huge impact on pop culture or the gaming industry itself. These games span decades. Asteroids is an icon of the late 70’s arcade. Myst demonstrated the potential of CD-ROM technology in the 1990s. Neopets became a staple of browser-based, free games as we entered the 2000s. And Guitar Herowhich is less than twenty years old, has already proven its staying power.”
The public will vote for their favorites on the World Video Game Hall of Fame website, and the top three matches are added to a vote. The remaining ballots were submitted by the International Selection Advisory Committee, which, according to The Strong Museum, includes “journalists and scholars familiar with the history of video games and their role in society.” Public voting is open from March 14 to March 21. The nominees will be announced on May 9 during a personal ceremony.
Last year, Barbie fashion designer, Computer room, The last of usAnd Wii Sports were inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, beating games like Age of Empires, Angry Birds, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, FIFA International Soccer, GoldenEye 007, NBA 2K, Quake, And Wizardry. To date, 44 games have been recognized as part of the World Video Game Hall of Fame.
In a press release, The Strong Museum outlines what makes each game worthy of a spot in the World Video Game Hall of Fame:
Asteroids: Released in 1979, Atari’s Asteroids offered players challenging gameplay, beautiful graphics and intense sound effects in an action-packed space environment. The game quickly replaced the popular Space invaders in many arcades and sold over 70,000 arcade units, becoming Atari’s best-selling coin-operated game. The home version of the game, made available on the Atari 2600, took the game’s popularity to new heights and brought it into millions of living rooms.
Elite: Developed in Britain and released in 1984, Elite pioneered innovative 3D graphics and the idea of open-world gaming by letting players pilot ships that roamed the galaxy. The expansive universe and strategy elements have helped create a generation of games with endless play possibilities, such as Grand Theft Auto 3 And Eva Online. Elite proved to be one of the most popular games during the British personal computer boom of the 1980s, and it dramatically influenced the design of other games.
Guitar Hero: Harmonix’s, launched in 2005 Guitar Hero challenged players to unleash their inner rock star by following the notes on the screen and strumming a plastic guitar to the rhythm of popular music. Its broad appeal, licensed music and social gameplay spawned other similar titles, including the popular ones Rock band. Activision, which acquired the rights to the game, released versions of Guitar Hero for almost any platform, including home consoles, computers, and portable and mobile devices. The Guitar Hero series has sold over 25 million copies and over 60 million songs worldwide, earning over $2 billion.
Metroid: Nintendos Metroid Launched in 1986, it immersed players in a futuristic world packed with innovative adventure and evocative music. The game combined Nintendo’s platforming action Super Mario Bros. and non-linear story elements The Legend of Zelda, which offers a new gameplay experience. The main character, Samus, also gave the gaming industry the first playable human female character in mainstream video games. The game launched a franchise with 13 core titles that have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.
Myst: Published by Broderbund in 1993, Myst welcomed players to an enchanting world full of mysterious puzzles and terrifying vistas. The game took advantage of early CD-ROM technology, which offered high storage capacity but slow loading times. However, the discs suited the slow, contemplative style of the game well and allowed for the creation of an immersive world. Myst became the best-selling computer game in the 1990s, selling more than six million copies.
Neopets: When Neopets debuted in 1999, it quickly became a staple of browser-based, free-to-play games. Neopia’s online world allows players to explore different lands, care for pets, and participate in a robust social component, complete with opportunities to chat with other players and form guilds. Neopets also demonstrated the potential of the Internet for gaming and served as a testing ground for cybersecurity mechanisms and immersive advertising. At its peak in 2005, Neopets had 25 million active users, and more than twenty years later it is still popular.
Residential evil: While not the first horror video game, Residential evil (or Biological hazard as it was known in Japan) was the first game to popularize the ‘survival horror’ genre. Created by game director Shinji Mikami and released by Capcom in 1996. Residential evil spawned a billion-dollar media franchise while helping demonstrate that video games could provide mature entertainment for older teens and adults. As of 2022, films based on the Resident Evil franchise have collectively grossed more than $1.2 billion.
SimCity: Published by Maxis in 1989, SimCity helped expand the audience for video games by offering a city building simulator that appealed to both adults and children. Based on real-life principles of city design, players could build their own city and respond to ever-changing problems. The game spawned numerous sequels and offshoots, such as the World Video Game Hall of Fame inductee The Sims– and has influenced the development of many city building simulation games and even real-time strategy games Command and rule And Age of empires.
Tokimeki Monument: Konamis Tokimeki Monument brought a cohesive story, colorful graphics, unparalleled depth of choices, and engaging gameplay to the dating simulator genre upon its launch in 1994. Although it was never localized outside Japan, its impact on game design was widespread, paving the way for graphic adventure games, visual novels, dating sims and role-playing games to invest more in personal relationships as part of their gameplay loop.
Tony Hawk’s professional skater: Launched by Neversoft/Activision in 1999, Tony Hawk’s professional skater brought the sport and culture of skateboarding to millions of homes. Players flew off ramps and jumped and used the environment as a playground to perform top tricks, all to a memorable soundtrack. The legendary Tony Hawk himself said that the game “simultaneously ignited and overshadowed my career.” Its success led to sequels that have generated sales of approximately $1.4 billion.
Ultimate: Ultima: The First Age of Darkness helped define the computer role-playing game genre. Designed by Richard Garriott and released in 1981, Ultimate combined role-playing mechanics, a huge fictional world and fantasy and science fiction themes. Ultimate‘s innovative gameplay laid the foundation for one of the most enduring and influential gaming franchises of all time (with eight sequels). Many top game designers credit it as the inspiration for their later role-playing games, such as Dragon quest And Final fantasy.
You don’t know Jack: The developers of You don’t know Jack reinvented the television game show format for the home video game market. Debuting in 1995, You don’t know Jack combined witty questions with humor in a multiplayer party game. Sequels and spinoffs continue to find success on Facebook and mobile platforms, and steamy versions were extremely popular in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.