Task 3

Okay so I hope I'm not skipping too much of the middle ages by kicking things off with Nintendo's NES. I'd like to pay homage to their Game & Watch system too so I'll mention how it helped to create the very cool Flat Zone stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and of course, Mr. Game & Watch as a playable character. Anyway, back to the NES. Released in 1985 and named the Famicom in Japan (Family Computer), the NES pretty much set the standard for all games consoles to follow, dragging the game industry from the pit of the video game crash of '83 as well as introducing one of the greatest games ever created as a launch title (Super Mario Bros).

On a side note... anybody think that this old Famicom logo bears resemblance to the modern day Wii logo? Maybe it's just me, but I dunno... certainly seems like they're going all out on attracting non-gamers and promoting family gaming once again even with the logo.

Anyway, back to history. Nintendo gets competition with Sega's Master System strolling onto the scene but proves to be far more successful due to a killer line up of games for the NES such as Metal Gear, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy and of course, The Legend of Zelda. I feel ashamed that I'd have been only a few months old while all these great genre defining games were being released and played by people with funny hair cuts.

The console war now truly begins as Sega becomes more serious competition to Nintendo. This is good news for us gamers because it means both Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros with the release of the Sega Genesis, or Megadrive (1989), and the SNES (1991). Nintendo also properly initiated handheld gaming with the introduction of the Game Boy in '89 so all in all, it's good gaming on the go or at home. (Apologies for the cheesy alliteration...)

Moving on, the Playstation and Nintendo 64... well... I've realised I'm sort of avoiding PC gaming but that's mainly because I find the console wars that bit more interesting, but a quick word about Wolfenstein 3D and Doom defining the FPS genre can't hurt. Initially distributed through shareware, these games allowed basic 3D environments to be displayed, allowing for action packed and enjoyable style of game play that was previously unavailable.

The introduction of Sony's 32-bit Playstation console provided a new and interesting selection of games as well as popularising the CD format to be used for games, and 3D gaming truly began. The Nintendo 64, a 64-bit console released two years after in1996, launched with a title that defined the 3D platformer genre: Super Mario 64, along with the release of various other successful and highly regarded games such as Goldeneye: 007 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but ultimately Nintendo's choice to use cartridges as opposed to CDs proved to be a negative decision, with Squaresoft turning to the Playstation to continue its Final Fantasy series due to the FMV capabilities of the CD format.

Personally, I feel that experiencing these genre defining moments in game history have been the most exciting events in my gaming experience. Playing games such as Doom and Super Mario 64 were unlike anything that had come before and I found them instantly immersive due to that. Nowadays I tend to think too critically about the games I'm playing and get dragged back into reality by the occasional sloppy animation or glitch, but back then it was a different story. This makes me wonder whether the Wii can bring back that sense of awe that I felt back in the day due to its new control methods, but at the same time would the stunning visuals of the PS3 work just as well at nailing that immersion factor...? Perhaps some beautiful hybrid console is in order.

PSWii60PC anyone? o.O;