The sports video game genre has existed since the early days of the industry. It was the game of tennis that influenced pioneering efforts like William Higinbotham’s Tennis for Two, a sport that would also lead to creation of Atari’s Pong. Other early efforts included Taito’s Davis Cup and two player version of Pong, Soccer and Pro Hockey also using a similar gameplay style as Pong with slightly altered graphics. Continue reading
In the mid 80’s Nintendo reigned supreme over the video game industry, with their NES console the must have device for any gamer. The popularity of the NES was in no small part due to Shigeru Miyamoto and his best-selling titles like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. In February of 1986 Nintendo released a new peripheral for the Famicom (Japanese NES) console, it would allow for the use of proprietary floppy disks. Continue reading
This may be the first time that I attempt to write a review without it going off on a tangent, however I can’t promise anything. The Xbox One is only a few days from its launch and I had the pleasure of experiencing the next generation console last Saturday evening, a week ahead of the Friday 22nd release date. As part of the Microsoft promotion push the new console was taken on a whistle stop tour around the world which included a stopover at Dublin’s Ambassador Theatre. Continue reading
We’re well into the end of year crunch, with every major game release coming over the two to three month period that bookends the year. Two new consoles are set to be released with a host of launch titles on offer. One of the big releases that came at the beginning of this period was GTA V, Rockstar’s well established franchise. Continue reading
Nintendo had already established itself as a major video game developer by the mid 80’s. Smash hit titles such as Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. had put the company on the map and increased its market share of the American arcade sector. Now Nintendo wanted to tap into the lucrative console market. Continue reading
Like many other popular franchises Call of Duty has become an annual series, with a new game being released every holiday season. The latest game in the series Call of Duty: Ghosts is based upon it successors with the usual set of features and gameplay mechanics. Activation’s cash cow franchise hasn’t really looked to innovate since the bitter departure of Jason West and Vince Zampella from Infinity Ward. Continue reading
“Leave Luck To Heaven” is the translation for the Japanese video game company Nintendo. The company would see its rise to prominence out of the ashes of the 1983 video game crash. Continue reading
The Battlefield series has played second fiddle to its far more popular rival Call of Duty for many years now. This year Battlefield 4 goes up against Call of Duty: Ghosts, which one will come out on top? Although I’m personally a fan of DICE games my money would be on Call of Duty. The Battlefield series was not always residing in COD’s shadow with its breakout title Battlefield 1942 giving gamers an entirely new experience in the FPS genre. Continue reading
The year of 1982 was a dark period for the video game industry. Early in the year the port of the popular arcade game Pac-Man was released. Atari bet on the game selling well and thus produced 12 million cartridges, however in the end it only sold 7 million units. Atari were facing into a bleak financial period and would soon to be facing completion from within. Continue reading
2013 has being one of the busiest years for the world of video games. From major franchises releasing their long awaited follow up titles, to the all-out PR war that ensued between Sony and Microsoft with the release of their next-gen consoles.