Who’s Going to the Video Game Hall of Fame?

The World Video Game Hall of Fame. It’s located in  New York (check it out if you get the chance). Here, games are memorialized for their impact on gaming, their popularity, even their geographical reach.

Recently, the WVGHF announced that these 15 games were the finalists. This came after sorting through thousands upon thousands of entries.  Starting from the 1972 to 2009, these selection are the epitome of gaming. Many of them have spawned fond memories as they redefined our idea of having fun. Some of them have destroyed friendships, while others gave us a reason to socialize.

According to Jon-Paul Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games, he said, ““The 15 finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame span decades, gaming platforms, and geographies—but what they all have in common is their undeniable impact on popular culture and society in general.”

“Whether it’s the groundbreaking game Pong or a more recent viral sensation like Minecraft, all of these games have helped shape the way that people across the globe play and relate to one another.”

Below are the 15 finalists.

1.) Angry Birds (2009)

This mobile smash hit utilized the simple concept of throwing one thing into another thing. It generated multiple knock-offs, and has even made an impact upon religion. It has seen over two billion downloads.

2.)Doom (1993)

This put first-person-shooters on the map. With 3D graphics, it saw the rise of multi-player gaming. It was also controversial in its portrayal of Satanic demons and the Columbine shooting.

3.) FIFA (1993)

First game to have an official license from FIFA. The game has expanded all over the globe, featuring many soccer-leagues.

4.) The Legend of Zelda (1986)

This game led the role-playing genre. Though it lacked the traditional RPG elements, it introduced early open world exploration and save files.

5.) Minecraft (2009)

The community and the ability to create anything has led this game to being a staple in gaming culture.

6.) The Oregon Trail (1971)

The game was an important education tool, and spawned the popular phrase, “”You have died of dysentery.”

7.) Pac-Man (1980)

This game brought about the first gaming mascot and ushered the maze-genre of gaming. It also opened up to female audiences (Mrs. Pac-Man).

8.) Pokemon (1996)

This created an iconic culture within itself and encouraged gamers to trade with each other in order to receive better characters.

9.) Pong (1972)

The earliest arcade game. Ever.

10.) The Sims (2000)

The game allowed players to control the lives of their Sims, impacting their every day decisions.

11.)Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

One of the best selling Sega games of all time.

12.) Space Invaders (1978)

One of the earlier forerunners of gaming.

13.) Super Mario Bros. (1990)

This game brought video gaming back from the dead during the 1980s American video game crash.

14.) Tetris (1984)

This game defined addiction (early predecessor, but yes there are other addicting games) that focused on finding the right piece and color in order to score points.

15.) World of Warcraft (2004)

The world’s most subscribed MMORPG.

A special ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 4, at 10:30 am to announce their induction. As the month dwindles closer, do you agree with the selections?