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These are the 12 games chosen for the world hall of fame

All of them iconic in their own right.

WHAT MAKES A GAME iconic?

It’s a question The Strong, a museum of play based in the US, has been trying to answer since 2015 as it chooses a select few for its hall of fame.

Before one can be selected, a game must meet four conditions: it must be iconic (is it widely recognised and remembered), it must have enjoyed popularity over time, it must have an international reach and it must have a significance influence on gaming and popular culture as a whole.

So far, only 12 titles are in the gaming hall of fame with the most recent entry released in 2004. Here they are.

The Oregon Trail (1971)

Why it was chosen: For being the longest published and most successful education game of all time.

A game that may be more familiar thanks to the game over phrase “You have died of dysentery” among other things, The Oregon Trail was originally created in 1971 by a teacher as a way to teach students history, but it was 1978 when it was redesigned and released on the Apple II.

It sold 65 million copies and while its purpose was educational, it was tough to ensure as many of your family members survived.

Mutch Games / YouTube

Pong (1972)

Why it was chosen: For launching the video game industry.

An incredibly simple concept that was built as a training exercise, Pong was one of the earliest arcade games released and one of the first to achieve mainstream popularity.

There was nothing complicated about it, but that and small touches like the ability to angle your shots made it a competitive game for all involved.

Old Classic Retro Gaming / YouTube

Space Invaders (1978)

Why it was chosen: For catapulting video games into the mainstream and proving they weren’t a fad.

Space Invaders was one of the earliest shooting games and also happened to be the game that helped turned video games from a novelty into a global industry.

It also popularised a number of different tropes associated with games including high scores, enemies that shot back, a continuous soundtrack, a lives system and moved gaming away the usual sports recreations to more fantastical settings.

Laoch111 / YouTube

Pac-Man (1980)

Why it was chosen: For making games a mass cultural phenomenon thanks to an iconic character. 

One simple character, four ghosts, and an endless maze full of dots. Yet Pac-Man was so much more. He was one of the first iconic characters in gaming but also gave his four antagonists (Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde) unique personalities and cut-scenes to break up levels.

Old Classic Retro Gaming / YouTube

Tetris (1984)

Why it was chosen: For being a timeless game that has mass appeal across the globe.

Created by the Russian designer Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris featured on PCs and arcade cabinets but it was before Nintendo’s handheld, but it was really the Game Boy that catapulted it into popular culture.

A launch title for the popular handheld, the simple yet addictive mechanics and theme tune that stayed in your head long after you’ve played were instrumental in its success.

World of Longplays / YouTube

Super Mario Bros (1985)

Why it was chosen: For being instantly recognisable and kickstarting the most popular gaming franchise of all time.

It’s hard to talk about influential video games without mentioning Shigeru Miyamoto’s iconic series. Donkey Kong may have marked the beginning for Mario, but Super Mario Bros not only cemented his status, but turned the NES into a must-have console and helped revive the gaming industry after the crash of the 80s.

The first stage alone is a textbook example of how to create an opening stage and even to this day, its influence can still be felt.

World of Longplays / YouTube

The Legend of Zelda (1986)

Why it was chosen: For popularising non-linear, open world exploration games.

Inspired by Miyamoto exploring the countryside as a child, The Legend of Zelda presented a large, complex overworld that was begging to be explored.

A world full of secrets, challenges and the fact you could tackle the dungeons in any order gave the player significant freedom, something not seen that often in console games.

World of Longplays / YouTube

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

Why it was chosen: For propelling SEGA ahead of Nintendo (temporarily) during the 90s console wars.

Back in the early 90s, Sega held a competition to design a rival mascot to Nintendo’s Mario. The answer was Sonic and what happened was usually referred to the golden age of gaming.

With the first adventure coming out in 1991, Sega had developed an icon that was everything Mario wasn’t: speed, attitude and a fresh design (the setting of Green Hill Zone quickly became the template for many opening stages) gave SEGA a memorable character to spearhead its attack on Nintendo.

World of Longplays / YouTube

Doom (1993)

Why it was chosen: For shaping the course of gaming history.

Revolutionary for how it characterised the first-person shooter, it’s easy to dismiss Doom as twitch gaming at its most pure but that would do it a disservice. Sure, that played a major part but it was also a very disciplined game. One where knowing all the secrets, pickups and enemies was essential if you were to make it through alive.

On harder difficulties, it could feel like a case of trial and error but it was rarely unfair. The game always gave you the tools to get through each level, you just had to make good use of them and your skills.

World of Longplays / YouTube

The Sims (2000)

Why it was chosen: For expanding the notion of what a game could be.

Practically a virtual doll house where you could play out the lives of some unsuspecting people, The Sims was the soap opera we all dreamt of.

Sure you could work towards making your Sims happy but for some, the real joy was thinking up twisted, unimaginable ways to be cruel to them. The kind of actions that would get you arrested or at least leave family and friends concerned for your wellbeing.

junyigamers / YouTube

Grand Theft Auto III (2001)

Why it was chosen: For both its open-world structure and its mature content which made the series infamous.

By this point, the Grand Theft Auto series had developed a reputation for controversy, which in no part helped its status but adding a third-dimension (the first two were top-down affairs) gave it a freedom rarely offered by games at the time.

It wasn’t just the missions or the violence, but the sheer freedom offered to you. You could go almost anywhere and just explore the city without worrying about missions, an aspect that became just as big a part of the series as the controversial elements.

AndromedaDude / YouTube

World of Warcraft (2004)

Why it was chosen: For reshaping the way people think about their online lives and communities.

Any game that South Park dedicate an entire episode to automatically makes something recognisable but World of Warcraft reputation is well deserved.

Taking place in the world of Azeroth, the level of customisation players had was (at the time) huge and the ability to interact and complete quests with groups of people helped its popularity.

During its lifetime, more than 100 million different accounts were created for it with activity still but subscribers have fallen to 5.5 million, compared to a peak of 12 million in 2010.

MMOHuts / YouTube

Read: Sorry, but it’s unlikely you’ll ever beat the world record for this game >

Read: This mobile game could end up helping the fight against dementia >

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52 Comments
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    Mute Joe Caulfield
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    May 27th 2018, 7:03 AM

    How does that 60k compare to the 2 million euros Shannon receives from the US military every year?

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    Mute owenmor
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    May 27th 2018, 7:08 AM

    Small change compared to the 2 million Shane Ross wasted on making the public services card mandatory when applying for a driving licence

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    Mute Tom Molloy
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    May 27th 2018, 6:48 AM

    Vandals/ISIS sympathisers that have damaged planes in the past are to blame.

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    Mute Carlin Ite
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    May 27th 2018, 8:12 AM

    @Tom Molloy: ISIS sympathisers would you ever fcuk off.

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    Mute James Maloney
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    May 27th 2018, 11:21 AM

    @Tom Molloy: Good point Tom.

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    Mute Tom Molloy
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    May 27th 2018, 12:34 PM

    @James Maloney: Fear of decapitation is already creating converts/lackeys in Ireland.

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    Mute Ros Aodha
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    May 27th 2018, 9:20 PM

    @Tom Molloy: already happened, Irish people on-board flight on 911, Irish people murdered on a beach in Tunisia, Irish people injured in bataclan. Irish clown who converted having failed to become a priest and blew himself up, Islam isn’t the problem, radicalisation is … Khalid Kelly.

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 7:09 AM

    Surely this man , is the son of god .
    I’d rather American soldiers going through Shannon airport , than Isis or German soldiers .

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    Mute Hugh Corcoran
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    May 27th 2018, 9:14 AM

    @Clinton Baptiste: you’re right, let’s allow the biggest war morgering nation on the planet use Shannon. You never know, if we ever find any meaningful resources in the country, might just save us from receiving a good old dose of American freedom. In saying that I could be tempted with a bit of regime change.

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    Mute Sean Conway
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    May 27th 2018, 9:22 AM

    @Clinton Baptiste: Look at all the lives saved by US forces in the middle east. the nation of peace.

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 9:36 AM

    @Hugh Corcoran: I’m not happy about military planes going through Shannon.
    It’s the government who allow this , most Irish people don’t want it .
    But if I had to choose between Isis , Germany , or the democratic people’s republic of Korea , I’d choose America .

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 9:41 AM

    @Sean Conway: They’re wrong in what they do , I agree .
    Iraq was a land grab , 100% .
    Now I can’t control the world , but if I could vote , my preference wouldn’t be for the ideology that led 19 men to fly planes into buildings .

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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    May 27th 2018, 10:02 AM

    @Hugh Corcoran: “biggest war mongering nation” I’d say the Russians have that accolade at the moment: Crimea, Ukraine, Syria etc.

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    Mute Hatchjaw
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    May 27th 2018, 1:06 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: How do you know what most Irish people want?

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    Mute Derek Teeling
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    May 27th 2018, 1:42 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: Gobsiht

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 5:53 PM

    @Hatchjaw: I put on a high -viz and poll them .
    On my days off I just listen to them at work .

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    Mute Denis McClean
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    May 28th 2018, 1:44 AM

    @Seamus Mac: So what percentage of the Crimean population is Russian and isn’t Obama on record as saying he wanted regime change in Syria? I’m thinking you might not be as Irish as your name suggests David.

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    Mute Scott Crossfield
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    May 27th 2018, 7:48 AM

    Times have changed as they’ve moved most of their stuff out to Belfast and other places so the tree huggers and the odd couple will have achieved most of their goals. While cutting deeper into Shannon’s downward spiral

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    Mute White Rabbit
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    May 27th 2018, 8:17 AM

    @Scott Crossfield: good stuff

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    Mute Declan Byrne
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    May 27th 2018, 7:42 AM

    We need to allow the Americans use this as a permanent Air Force base . That give Mick something to give out about .

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    Mute Martin Stapleton
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    May 27th 2018, 7:44 AM

    Look,
    Imagine if you said that the cost of each stop off was €722-00. Just doesn’t feel so good when you’re trying to create a headline I guess. Let it go for God sake.

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 8:07 AM

    @Martin Stapleton: They could tell us how much was spent in the duty free shop .
    If Mick Wallace is reading this , Mick , only duty free shops are exempt from paying certain taxes , everyone else needs to pay theirs .

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    Mute Seth Cheffetz
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    May 27th 2018, 8:27 AM

    How does 60k compare to the millions when the Queen visited? Or when the Pope makes his visit?

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    Mute Steve1234
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    May 27th 2018, 7:23 AM

    Rather spend money here than the huge amount of tax payers money (of which a third are opposed) that will be used to fund the slaughter of unborn Irish babies.

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    Mute Rob Lyn
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    May 27th 2018, 11:00 AM

    So the salary of one or two officers. That is shocking! :) still less than a certain TDs avoided taxes and less than his current salary. This is really a non story journal!

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    Mute Cheryl Mellett
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    May 27th 2018, 10:05 AM

    The reason the figure is so low is The Defence Forces don’t get paid overtime. They get very small rates of substitution allowance to cover meals and very basic expenses. For 12 hours it’s aprox 40 euro.

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 10:53 AM

    @Cheryl Mellett: can you imagine joining an army , and your job is cleaning up after real soldiers .

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    Mute Moss Cotter
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    May 27th 2018, 8:30 AM

    Always be thankful the Nazis never invaded Ireland during ww2 for the simple reason that it would have been very embarrassing to see how eager a little helper paddy would have been in shipping out Jewish population for extermation..ah but I hear you cry there might have been a few bob in it

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 10:50 AM

    @Moss Cotter: At least nowadays we don’t do what the Germans want .
    Oh wait !

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    Mute Ros Aodha
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    May 27th 2018, 7:30 PM

    Not bad for a non neutral state providing support to a strategic ally and trading partner. Have you compared that with the garda bill for the same operation? I’ve enjoyed watching this non news item getting slated. The real story here is the low pay that our enlisted soldiers are on.

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    Mute Stewart O Neill
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    May 27th 2018, 12:24 PM

    Hope the US are getting the bill

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    Mute Clinton Baptiste
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    May 27th 2018, 6:12 PM

    @Stewart O Neill: Israel pays for it , after they take it out of the ANC budget .
    Sticking babies in microwaves is cheaper than buying bullets .

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    Mute Paul Whitehead
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    May 28th 2018, 12:15 AM

    Why are we not using this money on the truly needy? You could dress Clare Daly and Mick Wallace in lovely clothes for a fraction of that 60k.

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    Mute Stevie Doran
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    May 27th 2018, 11:39 PM

    Who cares Mick Wallace

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    Mute William Kelly
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    May 28th 2018, 6:49 AM

    Shure, what else would the army be doing, only protecting the States from protesters.
    Can’t have any of that carry on that might upset inward investment like Doonbeg & the vulture funds.
    Never mind that several wars are being supplied through neutral Ireland.

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    Mute Roner555
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    May 27th 2018, 8:21 PM

    Probably psed of that they are not using Dublin airport

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