Looking Back: A Millenium of Gaming

Okay, so the title's deceptive. Video games have only been around since the late 1950's. Still, as we cross into the new millenium, one can only wonder about the future of gaming. But, before we can go ahead, we should take a look back. This article will highlight some of the most important titles of the millenium, and their contributions to the world of gaming.

Pong - No Millenium list would be complete without giving credit to the first mainstream video game - Pong. With the incredible graphics, innovative gameplay, and enthralling storyline, how could this game not be addicting? Okay, so it's nothing more than ping pong on your TV. But still, it was the starting point for what's becoming a titanic industry. I can only imagine the conversations that ensued from teens who saw this game for the first time -

"Dude, what are you watching?"

"I'm not watching, I'm playing! It's like ping pong, but it's on my tv!"

"No way! You can't control the TV....can you?"

"Sure, watch........"

"Dude......."

Super Mario Bros., NES - While not the first side scrolling platformer (I think Atari had at least one), this title was the groundbreaking title on the good 'ol NES. Control Mario as he jumped, ran, threw fireballs, and, well, that's about it, but still, it was pretty cool. And it did introduce the ever important level hole, that oh so challenging pitfall that lead to nowhere, and cost you one of your little men. D'oh!

Zelda, NES - Think different. Steve Jobs would have been proud. In an era where it was all about jumping, stomping, and shooting, Zelda dared to be unique. It was the first true RPG - the game focused primarily on story and other challenges, although action was a pretty big part of it (remember the dungeon monsters?). It was almost funny to watch other players pull out their hair as they tried in vain to solve one of the dungeon puzzles.

Final Fight, Arcade - And so began the era of the side scrolling beat 'em up. Cody, Guy and Haggar kicked, punched, and kicked some more through the mean streets of Metro City. Although not the first, Final Fight was the best, and probably pioneer title of the genre. Other titles include The Simpsons Arcade, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Sega's infamous Altered Beast. Final Fight was also reflective of most arcade games at the time - two player cooperative. If a second (or more) player wanted to join in a game, they usually fought WITH the first player, not against. Despite this, gamers still showed their competitive nature by comparing high scores. Cooperative gaming would be the way to go until......

Street Fighter II, Arcade - This is, by far and away, the most important video game since Pong. Whether you liked it or not, it forever changed the way we play video games. It is the most recognized game of all time- if, in describing another game, you would say "fireball motion", or "dragon punch motion", everyone (or most everyone) would instantly know you meant D, DF, F, or F, D, DF.

Street Fighter II brought the focus of gaming to the arcades. Don't get me wrong - before SFII, there were some pretty good arcade games. But the main focus was always on consoles. The arcade was something you did if you were bored with or console games, or just happened to be there. You didn't really horde quarters, and plan out arcade trips. And, with the focus on arcades now, the need for a really good arcade to home conversion arose, as gamers began to ask "Can I play this at home?"

Additionally, SFII abolished the concept of two player cooperative. Now, two players fought head to head, in a true test of skill. Players were able to start learning the game, challenge other players, and learn some more, continually improving their skills. You could regulate at the arcade one day, and get your butt kicked the next. It was great. Also, with 2P co-op gone, we saw the gradual end of the right-sided joysticks - boards with the buttons on the left and the joystick on the right. I'm sorry lefties, but that was just a horrible idea, and I'm glad it's gone.

Not to mention that SFII is the father of many fighting game techniques - the fireball, dragon punch, combos, etc.

Mortal Kombat, Arcade - Looking back, MK wasn't all that great of a game. It gained popularity because it was completely different from SFII, a rare quality that was hard to find amidst all the SFII clones. You'd be in line for the next SFII game, look over at this strange looking, grainy fighter, and all of a sudden, you'd find yourself saying "Whoa? Did he just rip that guy's head off?"

Yes my friend, he did. MK's most important contribution to gaming this millenium is the art of gory video game violence. Ironically, this wasn't much of an issue until Acclaim and Midway tried to bring the game home to the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. Parents, retailers, and even congressmen alike screamed bloody murder (pardon the pun) over the incredibly violent content of the game. Nintendo weaseled out of the controversy by censoring the game, while Sega hid the blood through a "Blood Code". After the sales of Sega's MK pummeled Nintendo's, the Big N was forced to rethink their stance for the sequel, MKII. The game was sold, gore intact, but with a warning label on the box - perhaps the first prototype for the video games ratings system, now universally implemented by the ESRB. This provides for a happy medium for bloodthirsty gamers, and self righteous parents and congressmen looking to be reelected. MK still marks the first time when parents even took notice, much less raised hell, over what their kids are playing. The "Violence in Video Games" card is still played every now and then when violence plagues the youth of America.

Doom/Wolfenstein 3D, PC - I don't remember which came first, so I'll give credit to both. (Note: The rest of us remember Wolfenstein coming first). With a gun at the bottom of your screen, and horrible, disfigured monsters in front of you, this game kept PC'ers mesmerized in front of their screens, and brought PC gaming into the market. The formula was simple - blast a few monsters, try to figure your way out of some impossible maze, blast more monsters, fight a boss, repeat. Duck Hunt meets Zelda. But its success cannot be disputed, and has even lead to some incredible games, such as Sierra's Half-Life.

Daytona USA, Arcade - "Dayyyytoooooonnnaaa! Let's roll away!" With this incredibly annoying refrain, gamers were strapped into the drivers seat with Daytona USA. With the arcades still dominated by fighting games, DUSA managed to acquire a rather healthy following. This title was the SFII of racers, and spawned many similar arcade racers, along with some pretty good home versions, like Namco's Ridge Racer series, and the awesome Gran Turismo. One of DUSA's biggest advantage was that more that just two players could play at once. It was also perhaps one of the first arcade units to fully encompass the gamer, providing gamers with a car-like environment; steering wheel, drivers seat, and don't forget the stick shift. Similar "encompassing" units include Star Wars Trilogy, and Jurassic Park: The Lost World.

Virtua Fighter, Arcade - The pioneer of 3D fighters. Crude, blocky, awkward, groundbreaking. Instead of the fantasy setting of the SF world, you got a realistic fighting environment, sans the 30ft jumps. Instead of light, medium, or heavy attacks, you got right and left movement in punches and kicks. Putting together moves and combos depended on your character's movement and momentum. You could also sidestep into or out of the background to avoid attacks - something previously undreamt of with the 2D fighters. Additionally, another new concept was introduced - the ring out. Corner traps and combos were eliminated as, instead of being backed into an imaginary wall, you could fall out the ring and just lose the match. Or, if you were getting your butt kicked, you could force your opponent out of the ring for a cheesy yet effective victory.

Super Mario 64, N64 - The 3D-inization of video games was marked with a radical new look for an old favorite. SM64 broke the mold - levels were no longer linear, from start to finish, but were huge, 3D worlds, open for you to explore. Proceed at your own pace, explore as you will. Run, slide, fly, do. The vast, 3D action games are slowly driving the 2D, side scrollers into extinction.

Nintendo 64 - (Super Mario 64), (Starfox) - The contribution to gaming here does not come from a game, but the controller. In an effort to fully integrate the gamers with the game, Nintendo has given us two new toys for us to play with. The first being the analog stick. Introduced with the N64's launch and Mario 64, it was a completely different change from our old control crosses. Wherever you moved your stick, is where your character moved. Additionally, applying more or less pressure could also affect speed. Pressing lightly on the stick made Mario baby-step walk. Maxxing it out made him run. All the movement control you ever needed was now in your left thumb, as opposed to a combination of cross plus a button or two. Gamers (or maybe gaming companies) liked analog technology so much that Sony developed an analog stick of their own, and the new Sega Dreamcast comes standarized with a stick. (note: Ronin says Sega had the Nights 3D control out before N64).

Bundled in with the release of N64's Starfox was the Rumble Pak, the pioneer of vibration technology. Plugged into your controller, it simulates game events by.....well.....vibrating. For minor events - shooting your gun, perhaps getting winged by an errant shot, the vibration is slight, and for your heavier events - all out explosions, your plane going down, etc, you get major trembles. Like analog technology, Sony and Sega have developed vibration technologies of their own. In some games, it doesn't really matter, while in some games, such as the next one on my Millenium list, it can add to the experience. However, vibration isn't for everyone.

Goldeneye 007, N64 - Definitely one of the best games on the N64, if not the best. It added a great deal of realism to an otherwise fantasy ladden genre. In Doom, if you shot a monster, he exploded into a bloody pulp, and that was pretty much it. In Goldeneye, shooting your human opponents was hauntingly realistic. Arm or leg shots only slowed them down, while a few good chest shots, or one head shot put them away. They reacted realistically too, twisting, groping, even rolling in pain. Such a game would probably never have happened on the N64, if not for the ESRB ratings that were established thanks in part to Mortal Kombat (see above). Goldeneye's biggest contribution to the gaming world though would have to be it's multiplayer. With up to four players duking it out, this is one of the most addicting games in history. You can go all out in a free-for-all, or strategize with teams, or target whoever has a specific item (golden gun, flag, etc). With an assortment of modes, levels, and guns, this was, and still is, an awesome game, which has undoubtedly influenced other multiplayer games. We still play Goldeneye - imagine a dorm of college students, half of whom are playing Goldeneye until 4AM, even though we all have classes the very next day. Addicting indeed.......

Tomb Raider, PSX - I don't particularly like the Tomb Raider games. But this isn't about what I like. It's about Tomb Raider's biggest contribution to gaming this millenium - sex. That's right, sex. Lara Croft is one of the most recognized names in America, and it isn't for her exploration skills. Not bad, considering she's nothing but polygons. Eidos, not fooling themselves, worked long and hard with each sequel, to make Lara more.....err.....rounder. I'm not saying Lara was the first. Gamers have been wearing their pause buttons out with Chun-Li for years. It just never was this extreme.

Final Fantasy VII, PSX - This game earned a lot of notoriety, although not necessarily good. FFVII's first major contribution was hype. Now, FFVII certainly wasn't the first game ever to be extremely hyped (cough cough MK3 cough cough), but never before had it been this bad. Before the game was even released, it was being heralded as the greatest game ever made. Gamers expected nothing short of perfection, and many were disappointed in the subsequent months after it's release. FFVII has recieved a lot of backlash, from many gamers who, at the time, actually enjoyed it. It is perhaps the perfect example of the old saying "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Final Fantasy VII's second contribution to gaming this millenium is eye candy. Although FFVII was in no means the start of the eye candy movement, it is perhaps the epitome of it. FFVII had some incredible FMV cut scenes - some gamers would argue that the FMV was all it had too. It's a cry that's becoming all too familiar recently. With gaming technologies advancing by the second, and more powerful systems coming out, programmers are finding they can do more with the way a game looks and sounds. They're creating these masterpieces that assualt the senses, but perhaps forgetting to include fun, challenge, and interest. The newer generation games just aren't as enjoyable as the older ones. This has created a retro movement, as many gamers are turning to emulators to play old NES, SNES, and Genesis classics.

Soul Calibur, Arcade - With the fighting genre slowly dying out (you gotta admit, it had an incredible run though), Soul Calibur breathes a little more life into it. The conventional 30ft jumps were gone, replaced by smaller, more realistic jumps. The 8-Way run was implemented, and after using it, you start to wonder how you ever played without it. Guard impact was also introduced, which adds a whole new dimension to advanced 2-player fighting. It could possibly be the SFII of 3D fighters, but it's still way too early to tell.

-Storms