All depending on what era you grew up in, the video games you played as a child can have a lasting effect on you. The video games that I grew up on are coming back for the new generation. It’s funny how you can tell a person’s age and/or era just by the video games they played with as a child. Video games today are so different from video games from thirty years ago. The advancement of the games is just amazing and the special effects make today’s video games so realistic, you actually feel you are in them. So I’m going to share with you a few great ones from my era. Here are 7 amazing video games that made my childhood totally unforgettable. I can’t even choose a favorite because when I played these games at the time, they were all my favorites!
- Pac Man
- Defender
- Super Mario Brothers
- Space Invaders
- Tetris
- Donkey Kong
- Tempest
- Legend of Zelda
PAC MAN
Pac Man is straight out of the ’80s and was and still is an arcade game. I’ve waited in so many lines to play this game as a teen. Thank goodness arcades caught on and put multiple games in the arcades. Pac Man was wildly popular and it was developed by a company called Namco. The game is super easy to follow and pretty much anyone in any age group can play and catch on quickly. Now you can play on handheld devices and on your gaming stations at home. While most games that were out were space games, fantasy games, and sports games, Pac Man created a whole new genre and appealed to the masses. This game was highly addicting. My parents even got attached. Did your parents take you to the arcade so they could play Pac Man too?
DEFENDER
The defender came out in the ’80s, and when it came out, it was complicated and challenging for most. It was developed by Williams Electronics. The game took place on an unnamed planet where the player needed to defeat aliens while they were protecting astronauts. It was one of the best-selling games ever to be put out and according to some, one of the most difficult. While the game took some time to learn, it was great when you finally figured it out. Defender not only made you learn to have patience, but it also made your gaming skills stronger on a whole other level!
SUPER MARIO BROS.
Super Mario Bros. is an all-time favorite of many. It was created for Nintendo by Shigeru Miyamoto, who also created Donkey Kong. Some people say this was the greatest video game ever created and one of the best-selling games as well. I couldn’t get enough of this game when I played. It kept my attention and I never wanted to get off. There were many Mario Bros. games created after the original and they fared just as well. When you mastered the first Mario Bros. you moved on to the next one. This game always gave you something to look forward to.
SPACE INVADERS
Space Invaders was also a very popular game upon its release. It too was one of the highest grossing video games at the time. It has also been a huge inspiration for other video games in the making and it has been re-released in many different forms. If you like the whole alien, shooting, laser beam type of game, Space Invaders would be that game.
TETRIS
Tetris also released in the 80’s kind of seemed like a puzzle game. Tetris made the Gameboy Nintendo a huge success because it was the kind of game you could just pick up and play anytime, anywhere. The game was designed and crafted so well, that even adults took to the game. Not only was it fun to play it was also challenging and took quite a bit of skill to reach the next levels. Tetris is definitely one of those games that are at the top of my list.
DONKEY KONG
Donkey Kong also released in the ‘80s was another popular game. Donkey Kong was one of the games that made Nintendo what it is today because it was played by everyone. Donkey Kong actually had a narrative behind it. Donkey Kong was a pet gorilla that had turned on his owner and kidnapped his girlfriend. The player had to help rescue the girl. However, learning the game didn’t take much skill, and was pretty easy to figure out. But it was fun and had a sense of humor. You were basically saving the princess forms the evil monkey. Donkey Kong is still a favorite among many and most certainly continues to be a favorite of mine.
TEMPEST
Atari inspired; Tempest was one of the first games that allowed players to choose the level they wanted to begin at. While the designed stayed the same, the levels increased as did the difficulty. All you needed to do was try to stay alive as long as you possibly could to boost your points. Tempest also took on some of Atari’s features; which included their color display technology.
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA
The Legend of Zelda was also published by Nintendo and originally released in Japan and was a bestseller for Nintendo Gameboy. This video game has action, adventure and has had many different versions since the first release.
These games are all pretty awesome in their own right. They have all earned a name for themselves during their era, as they should have. With these games, comes great memories for many. Whether it was playing with siblings, your cousins or going to the arcade with your friends. You can best believe these video games had quite an impact on everyone. If you grew up on these games, some of them are still around so you have the opportunity to introduce them to your children. A game night that includes, Pac Man, Super Mario Bros, Tetris, and Donkey Kong can be a great fun family night that includes everyone.