Sweat, blisters, a sense of great accomplishment. The love of the game the video game, that is.To capsulate the history of video games is a difficult task. Over the past 20 years, a rapid evolution in gaming has occurred. Perhaps it would be best to borrow a slogan from the Virginia Slims ad campaign and say, “We’ve come a long way, baby.”
Over the years, hundreds of games have hit the shelves. To choose which is the best video game ever is a difficult task, so I went to the experts.
“Marvel vs. Capcom 2” and “Dance Dance Revolution MAXX2” were the two most popular games in the arcade, according to Tilt employee Steve. “Marvel vs. Capcom” is a fighting game where each player picks three characters and can switch them in and out of the fight. Characters include Mega-Man, Spiderman, and Spawn.
“Dance Dance Revolution MAXX2,” more commonly known as “DDR,” is a game where players choose from a list of songs, and then step on arrows that scroll to the top of the screen. It is a highly interactive game, and can be a workout, too.
On my walk around the mall, the video game mania was apparent. Hot Topic sells a wide range of video-game inspired T-shirts (over 10 to choose from), sweat bands, and steering wheel covers. Stickers, fuzzy dice, and even a Mario antenna topper are available.
As I walked around the mall, Ken and Chase, employees of Game Stop, were faithfully manning their posts. When asked what the greatest video of all time was, they had quite a list running Nintendo: “Super Mario 3,” “Mega Man 2,” “Burgertime,” “Legend of Zelda;” Sega Genesis: “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” “Toe Jam and Earl,” “Streets of Rage 2;” PS1: “Final Fantasy VII;” PS2: “Grand Theft Auto 3;” X-Box: “HALO”
Jason, an employee at Electronics Boutique, confirmed many of the above games, and added some more suggestions, including “Super Mario,” “Paperboy” (NES), “Super Mario Advance” (SNES), and “Max Payne,” a game for X-Box.
These days, X-Box and the PS2 seem to be the systems of choice. “HALO,” a first-person multi-player gun-fest has a tight following. Ground Zero, a gaming center in the Gay Street Plaza, has a four-person set up. Each player gets his/her own couch, console, and TV. If you are a big time gamer, look into it. They sometimes hold tournaments where you can win prizes, including free game play.
As the “Nintendo generation” matures, many remember the video games of their youth. It seems no one can agree on any one “best video game ever.”
If you look down at your hands, and can still feel the blisters from the controller, think of what game that was. Chances are, it’s the best game ever.