The World Video Game Hall Of Fame welcomed six new members this week, two of those being classics from the 1980s.
One game was popular in arcades while the other was a staple in classrooms across the country.
“Space Invaders” and “Grand Theft Auto III,” along with “The Oregon Trail,” ”Sonic the Hedgehog,” ”The Legend of Zelda” and “The Sims,” were honored Thursday for their influence on gaming and pop culture at the hall inside The Strong museum in Rochester.
The high score display at the top of “Space Invaders” quickly became a standard feature in arcade games. In 1980, the game broke free from the arcade and entered the home console market to become the Atari 2600’s most popular game.
“The Oregon Trail” was developed by three student teachers in 1971 and gave many players their first introduction to computers. It was designed to teach Minnesota schoolchildren American history by making them settlers heading west in covered wagons toward the Pacific coast. Jon-Paul Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic games, said “The Oregon Trail” pioneered the valuable blend of learning and play.
The hall of fame inductees were chosen from among 15 finalists from thousands of nominations from around the world.
via ABC 6
