back to article Doom, Mario, Pac-Man level up to video gaming's Hall of Fame

The Strong Museum has chosen its first six honorees for its Hall of Fame for video games – but has omitted some major names in the process. Pong, Pac-Man, Tetris, Super Mario Bros, DOOM, and World of Warcraft were the first titles to win inauguration for the new Hall of Fame. Pong was cited for its influence on popular …

  1. ZootCadillac
    Facepalm

    What part of Elite and Dungeon Master did these kids not understand?

    1. ThomH

      The clue is in the text: "Super Mario Bros was noted for its role in resurrecting the video game market in the late 1980s". So this is an explicitly America-centric list and therefore a console-oriented list. Probably correctly for an NYC-based museum (if you politely ignore the 'World' part in the title, of course).

      1. K
        Thumb Up

        Bit like the World Series...

        1. Douchus McBagg

          downvote for stupidity. even being a brit, I know that's FUD.

          1. breakfast Silver badge

            Fear Uncertainty and Dismay caused by the suggestion that the World Series only features American team. I'm just not sure how afraid, uncertain or dismayed most people would be by that implication.

      2. stephajn

        "Explicitly America-centric list"

        I thought Tetris came from Russia? And really, since Super Mario is from Nintendo, doesn't that mean it is from Japan

        1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

          @stephajn; I assume that "America-centric" means games that had a significant impact on gaming culture within the US.

          Honestly, Dungeon Master was relatively popular in its day and no doubt a notable step in the development of the roleplaying genre, but I don't get the impression it even comes close to the all-encompassing levels of popularity, cultural penetration and importance of the games mentioned here.

          FFS they even left out Space Invaders (*) so, no, they weren't likely to let Dungeon Master in!

          (*) FWIW, I'm not going to claim that Space Invaders is a great game nowadays. Even growing up in the 80s (but- crucially- not old enough to have played Invaders when it came out) it seemed a bit staid and boring to me. Now I can see the problem is that it was eclipsed even by its immediate successors- most notably Galaxian, which was obviously influenced by Invaders' formula, but introduced more variety, fluidity and excitement. Still, Space Invaders was undeniably important, original and influential at the time and for that reason I'm surprised it was left out.

      3. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        "So this is an explicitly America-centric list"

        Yes, I was thinking that too. Here in the UK, although Pong was quite popular and did appear in many pubs and clubs etc, it was my impression that Space Invaders was the one which really kick-started the video game craze in the UK. Not just pubs and clubs, but local newsagents, swimming pools/leisure centres or pretty much anywhere someone thought they make money.

        1. Dan Paul

          And you did know...

          that pong the video game was invented in America?

  2. InfiniteApathy
    FAIL

    Other games omitted were The Oregon Trail....

    Unbelievable

    1. I am the Walrus

      Re: Other games omitted were The Oregon Trail....

      To be fair the article states that it was "Oregon Trail Pokemon" that was omitted. I've never played it but I'm guessing that it's Pikachu that dies of dysentery in that version?

    2. Captain DaFt

      Re: Other games omitted were The Oregon Trail....

      Well, it was going be considered, but the submitter died of anthrax.

  3. Kevin 6

    wtf

    "Other games omitted were The Oregon Trail Pokemon and Sonic the Hedgehog, both of whom were nominated but didn't quite make the cut based on their lack of impact on popular culture. "

    They are saying Pokemon had a lack of impact on culture? It had way more impact then Doom

    Wolfeinstein 3d more deserved to be in then Doom as wolfeinstein pretty much started the 3d shooter craze.

    Hell I could ask a pile of people who play games if they ever heard of Doom, and they would say no, but ask about pokemon everyone knows that.

    WoW I can only imagine should be in it for going from an epic game to a money grubbing pile of crap in record speed.

    1. Daniel B.

      They are saying Pokemon had a lack of impact on culture? It had way more impact then Doom

      Um... nope. Pokemon is currently known more because there are still Pokemon games being cranked out, while Doom has mostly kept to a specific generation of gamers (though that might change now that id is cranking out a new DOOM). The squeaky kids playing "Call of Halo" games weren't even born when DOOM came out, of course they don't know about it, but will know about Pokemon because again, there are still Pokemon games being released.

      And it still wouldn't make it as there are far more popular games still on the waiting list, like Sonic, Space Invaders, even Zelda. Sure, I'd expect other games as Lemmings, but maybe those weren't that known as I think they were.

      1. stucs201

        re: way more impact then Doom

        Um, nope. Doom had multiple significant things which even if not unique or first were definitely unusual at the time, but became much more common subsequently:

        1) User created content.

        2) LAN multi-player

        3) The PC no longer being a second-rate games machine compared to a much cheaper Amiga/ST/console - this was a game which benefited from raw processor speed and not assistance from 2D graphics acceleration.

        Combine that lot and you've got something pretty significant, Doom was a definite milestone and turning point.

        1. Daniel B.
          Go

          Re: re: way more impact then Doom @stucs201

          Yes, Doom was one of the first games to allow user generated content, and its successor, Quake, was all the rage for allowing TCP/IP play for free, and for the "mod" community that formed around it. Stuff from the Doom/Quake era is very relevant, as there's at least one game directly descended from that: Team Fortress 2.

          1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

            Re: re: way more impact then Doom @stucs201

            "Doom was one of the first games to allow user generated content"

            A fair number of games allowed this years before Doom came out. Especially puzzle type games. The Boulder Dash Construction Kit comes immediately to mind but there were many others, some included with the actual game rather than as add-ons.

            I think the Boulder Dash Construction Kit even came out on the Apple ][.

            1. Maynard G. Krebs

              Re: re: way more impact then Doom @stucs201

              Loderunner was my personal fav among the games that allowed player created levels. Construction set was included with the game. My friends and I spent many happy weekends trying to create winable but crazy hard levels. A true classic.

        2. Jagged

          Re: re: way more impact then Doom

          The other significant thing to say about Doom was that it was distributed as freeware, which was new at the time. You were encouraged to share it and play after-the-fact (which is how I did it) and the first 3rd of the game was given away free. Awesome marketing.

    2. MJI Silver badge

      Doom & Pokemen

      Well lets see.

      Doom.very dark shooter with OTT weapons, the chainsaw, the BFG 9000, anyone of a certain age has seen it and possibly played it.

      Then you have Pokemon, a game based around cuddly toys.

      The BFG9000 gets it.

      Oh and I am rare in that I actually enjoyed playing Rage?

      1. eJ2095

        Re: Doom & Pokemen

        Ahh yes "Big Friendly Giant" Gun.....

  4. aregross

    Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem 3D, Doom, Quake I and II, and Descent3 (6 Degrees of Freedom Yo!)... I stopped there but yea, Wolfy started that whole thing.

    1. stucs201

      Wolfenstein wasn't bad, but it was Doom where people really seemed to take notice. As a PC game player since CGA 8086 machines I remember Doom as the game where people stopped laughing at the PC as a games platform.

  5. stringyfloppy

    This is nonsense.

    That Star Trek game played on a Teletype?

    Space War (first arcade video game)?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    No Space Invaders !?!

    That is just wrong!

    1. Daniel B.
      Go

      Re: No Space Invaders !?!

      Oh so very agreed. Space Invaders is as much of an icon as Pac-Man.

  7. Dan Paul

    You never even read the announcement Shaun!

    The Strong Museum is in ROCHESTER, NEW YORK over 400 miles from "New York Shitty"!!!!!!

    How can you be considered a journalist if you can't even include the right details?

    Learn some geography for Christ's sake please. Just because something is located in New York State does NOT MEAN it is anywhere near NYC! There is a whole world outside of that hellhole.

    The following below from the Strong Museum announcement.

    "In her will, Margaret left her collections and most of her financial resources for a museum, and 13 years later, in 1982, the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum opened to the public at One Manhattan Square in downtown Rochester. Over the following two decades, the museum grew dramatically, expanding its collections, facilities, and resources. Now known simply as The Strong, it spans more than 282,000 square feet and serves global audiences on-site at the museum, online, and through the work of its International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play."

    1. Grikath
      Devil

      Re: You never even read the announcement Shaun!

      "The Strong Museum is in ROCHESTER, NEW YORK over 400 miles from "New York Shitty"!!!!!!"

      That's actually better accuracy than the average US-ian manages when it comes to places in europe.. At least the country is correct..

      1. Dan Paul

        Re: You never even read the announcement Shaun!

        Sorry Grikath, that does not excuse the author from being completely incorrect, unable or too lazy to actually read the source of his article that he did link to and should have known if he only bothered to read it.

        BTW 450 miles is enough to be off by a whole country in Europe.

        Thanks for the compliment though, I must be above average since I have a better understanding of geography than you or most Europeans do.

  8. Edwin

    Rogue? Nethack?

    'nuff said.

    1. Loud Speaker

      Re: Rogue? Nethack?

      Lunar Landings - the very first and the very best! Most popular computer game in 1969!

      Without it, maybe the PDP would not have sold in millions!Description here:

      http://mrwalker.greshamhs.org/2009/09/the-first-great-computer-game-lunar-lander/

      No mention of Colossal Cave?

      > Kill Dragon

      What with - your bare hands?

      > Yes

      The dragon lies dead at your feet!

      Unbeatable!

      Don't these people know any history at all? Where is your ASR33?

      1. Daniel B.
        Happy

        Re: Rogue? Nethack?

        Also, Zork.

        It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

  9. Benchops

    Manic Miner

    an JetSet Willy.

    They were even written by a Timelord

  10. Katie Saucey
    Flame

    No Half-life?

    - won over fifty PC Game of the Year awards

    - IGN ranked Half-Life as the number one greatest first-person shooter of all time, stating that "When you look at the history of first-person shooters, it all breaks down pretty cleanly into pre-Half-Life and post-Half-Life eras."

    HL was a game changer when it was released, I (like a lot of gamers) bought my first 3d add-on card specifically for the HL. Half-life also spawned CounterStrike, arguably they greatest online multiplayer of the last 15years. HL's mod community was and still is huge, with many modder maps becoming instant online classics. I can't believe it didn't get a mention.

  11. Douchus McBagg

    settlers? dune? hard drivin? zany golf? lotus2 turbo challenge 4 player linkup mode?

    *gasp* Mario kart? golden eye?

    all subjective to each of our own personal expiriences of course

    1. Sir Runcible Spoon

      no populous either

  12. Not That Andrew

    Not to mention none of the Lucas Arts adventure games, or Sierra adventure games, for that matter. And no Elite is kinda ridiculous.

    1. Katie Saucey
      Happy

      Sierra adventure games

      Gold Rush was a classic. I still remember starving to death many many times aboard a ship to Panama because I couldn't figure out how to eat a pig that was running around the deck. Finally I typed "GRAB THE PIG" and it worked, who would have thought? It must have been a great game for me to still have that in my head over 25 years later.

  13. casaloco

    Elite and Wolfenstien 3d

    Elite and Wolfenstien 3d were game changers and technical feats of genius. Elite was ground-breaking and made use of the available hardware in a way that is still staggering to programmers today, and Wolfenstien 3d started a whole genre that forms the backbone of the current games market, as well as being the first game to make full use of 386 mode, as well as write to one part of the graphics memory while another part was being displayed.

    1. Zmodem

      Re: Elite and Wolfenstien 3d

      wolfenstein is like the 808 drum machine, nobody had it, but everyone had the 909/doom

  14. Matt Siddall

    WoW?

    I don't really get why World of Warcraft is listed here. It was the biggest (in terms of subscribers) but did absolutely nothing new, other than make a ton of money for the producers.

    1. Thecowking

      Re: WoW?

      Like the iPhone, WoW did nothing new, but it did a lot of things in a shiny way which got great press and got MMOs into mainstream thinking.

      I love WoW, but what it does best is rip off other games and polish their ideas.

  15. Stephen Wilkinson

    No Jetpack, Manic Miner, Attack of the Mutant Camels?

    1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

      Hardly surprising given that it's a US (and US-industry-centric) museum and none of those games were big over there. (*)

      FWIW, Attack of the Mutant Camels was a nice idea and technically well executed for the time (the Atari 800 version anyway), but essentially it was a derivative of the Atari 2600 "Empire Strikes Back" game. Your mileage may vary, but while it was good in some respects, I found the "keep shooting the leading camel's backside while avoiding those irritating missiles" gameplay a bit repetitive for my taste.

      Regardless, even without the US bias of the museum, it wasn't in the same league of world-conquering importance as (e.g.) Doom or Super Mario Bros. As I said elsewhere, they even left out Space Invaders, so you can't be surprised that every moderately important game didn't get in!

      (*) In fact, the name "Attack of the Mutant Games" was instead used on a totally unrelated Llamasoft game- one of the Gridrunners, apparently- in the US.

  16. MJI Silver badge

    Invalid list

    Now lets think what games had huge influence.

    Arcade - Space Invaders it HAS to be included.

    Home consoles - Sonic

    No Elite

    Doom rightly included

    I would put down Portal & Half Life as a next level of importance.

  17. SVV

    Don't get sucked in folks....

    Wot no <my personal fave>? That was way more innovative / important than <other title>

    This looks to me like a direct copy of the commercial and risible "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame", which is a loathsomely smug feast of self congratulation that gets lots of coverage in the media for its' yearly "induction ceremony" but has as much to do with the true spiirit of rock and roll as would Asda being inducted into the Supermarket Hall of Fame.

    Mind you weren't people saying that video games were the new rock'n'roll at some point back in the 90s?

    Anyway, ignore this crap : most enthusuastic gamers know the history of gaming and have played a lot of the old stuff too through emulators, and debate endlessly amongst themselves. So either ignore or mock this organisation, or set up a million "Video Game Corridor of Popularity" type alternatives and maybe we'll be spared this yearly irritation.

  18. Avatar of They
    Happy

    Does seem to be US console-centric,

    Port 666 in windows is Doom, I think that counts as popular culture regardless of whether you were "legally" old enough to play it.

    Elite, Baldurs gate, worms as the first game you could play on your nokia phone, or solitaire for that matter.

    I agree with the six as a six, but why six? Why not ten?

    And age specific, WOW is newish, but half life set a benchmark for what can be done in a game (and the market that is valve / steam changed the way we consume games digitally and not on a disk.

    Battlefield 1942 brought in multi online, pic k a vehicle and respawn type games that changed the market again. (then cloned into a cash cow for EA)

  19. SoftwareDefinedMe

    Fun Tetris fact (that most of you already know): Steve 'Woz' Wozniak was so good at Tetris, Nintendo magazine banned him from entering his high score. He provided a cunning alias (his name spelt backwards) and entered a new high score using that.

  20. E net

    I know it has been said before but..

    The list is just plain wrong or at best extremely limited. So many of these lists seem to be created by people who didn't actually understand the thing they were categorising. How many actual games players of either the older generation (Space Invaders, Defenders, Galaxian) or the current generation were on the panel?

  21. Bassey

    If it's cultural impact

    If they are after games that have had a massive cultural impact then wouldn't Angry Birds be a pretty major contender? It was the first significant game on mobile phones and, as such, has kicked off the next phase of computer/video games.

    For the last 40 years or so, your age and the machine you/your friends had access to is going to define what you saw as culturally significant. As a ZX Spectrum gamer from the early eighties it would be manic miner for me. The significance of Angry Birds was that it was almost instantly available on a few billion devices and seemed to be played by all generations.

  22. Farmer Fred

    Don't forget....

    An honourable mention has to go to Nokia Snake, Qbasic Gorillas, Scorch and Asteroid.

  23. Yet Another Commentard

    What happened to...

    Dune II?

    Spawned just about every RTS game.

    Civilization (just... one... more... turn...)

  24. Simon Booth
    Unhappy

    Err

    Secret of Monkey Island etc?

    Ultima series

  25. quartzie

    am I the one-man cheering section for Prince of Persia?

    As for impactful games, I wouldn't throw out Max Payne's Bullet Time.

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    My list

    Would go

    Pong, Space Invaders, Battlezone, Populous, some pinball game on the Amiga whose name I can't bring to mind currently (sorry!) but AFAIK it was the first with fully realistic physics, Civ, Worms, Dune 2 in the early years section.

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