From Pac-Man To Pong, Tetris To Super Mario Bros.: Video Game Hall Of Fame Welcomes Its Inaugural Class

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(gemv2003)

From a white ball bouncing back and forth on a screen to a duo of plumber brothers, the history of video games has been relatively short but packed with a wide array of gaming experiences. To honor some of the first greats, the World Video Game Hall of Fame has inducted its inaugural class, including Pong and Super Mario Bros. on the list, among others.

Joining those old favorites in the first-ever class of hall of famers are other vintage games like Pac-Man and Tetris (and now the song is in your head), along with newer games DOOM and World of Warcraft.

The WVGHOF opened its doors just last February at the Strong Museum in Rochester, N.Y. The nomination period for any electronic game — whether arcade, mobile or console — lasting through the end of March.

Games were chosen by a global committee made of almost two dozen game historians, journalists and professors, reports the Wall Street Journal, with the museum’s staff winnowing down March’s picks to 15 finalists. Oldies like The Legend of Zelda and Space Invaders joined newer fare like Angry Birds and Minecraft on the list of finalists, but only six could prevail as inductees.

Choosing inductees was “tough because all the nominees are important and influential games,” selection-committee member Ian Bogost, a game developer and professor at Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts told the WSJ. “We didn’t have a ton of time,” he says, adding that he’s pleased regardless with the picks.

The inaugural class will go on display at Strong’s eGamesRevolution exhibit.

‘Pong’ and ‘Pac-Man’ Are Among the First Inductees in the World Videogame Hall of Fame [Wall Street Journal]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist