Gaming History 101

The history of video games is so varied because it has been poorly documented.  For this reason we attempt to start at the basics and work from there.

General Lessons:

• Strength in Numbers – Intro to this web site
• Generation Gap – Brief history of US domestic home consoles (also featuring supplements on import consoles, the Sega 32x and Nintendo Virtual Boy)
• Gaming To-Go – Brief history of US domestic handhelds
• Hardware Profile: Game Cartridges – Learn about the dynamic world of the cartridge, which can play games, work as add-ons, and upgrade hardware.
• Regionalization – Learn about imports and gaming
• Emulation – The Secret Multi-Console
• Bang For Your Buck – Importance of price guides and collecting
• Homebrew – Community-based games and applications
• Genre Study: Japanese Role Playing Games – Learn about the JRPG.
• Genre Study: Roguelikes and MetroidVania – Sure we know the names, but what do they mean?

Game-centric Lessons:

• Shmuppreciation 2012 – More than 30 games and features about the shoot-em-up genre.
• Castlevania Retrospective – Learn about the history and games that follow the Belmont family’s endless struggle with Dracula.
• Know this Developer: Radical Entertainment – From humble beginnings on the NES to the rise of Prototype.
• Know this Publisher: Sunsoft – From Aero the Acrobat to Zero the Kamikazee Squirrel.