The Day Video Games Almost Died

It’s time to get Halloweeny and tell you about a really scary time…

So, a long, long time ago (in a galaxy far away), back in the year 1983, there was a time when the video game industry almost went away. Back then, there were few game systems and too many games. Many blame the infamous E.T. game for the Atari home console (this is why people say it was buried in the desert, but that wasn’t why). It was mainly because of people’s expectations for the next big console and then no sales to back up the cost of creation. (If you guys want to know more about this, there’s a great documentary on Netflix called Atari: Game Over.)

But, what if I told you there have been other crashes in the video game market? Well, it’s true. In 2013, there were whispers of a video game crash about to happen, and no one is exactly sure if it’s happened yet. But, one we do know happened, the one that happened before the infamous Crash of ’83, was the often ignored Crash of ’77.

1977 was an even simpler time than 1988; with even less consoles and surprisingly even more expectations than in ’83. After the introduction of the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972, people knew that this new-fangled technology was getting better and better, and the games people wanted were expected to be just as advanced. But, the newer systems weren’t selling as expected. Only the biggest companies, like Magnavox and Atari, managed to stay in the market because of the popularity of their systems. But these systems were quickly becoming outdated and so the games were expected to 

be better, but the systems couldn’t keep up, and the market spiraled.     

Long story short, don’t expect too much too fast, or it’s all getting messed up. 


Be sure to leave comments down below!

Trick or Treat?!

It’s that time of year again! ‘Tis the season for scary stories, spooky movies, and candy hoarding! I decided to make this a Halloween-themed post in honor of the holiday this Saturday.

Plants vs Zombies 2 is a popular mobile game in which players have to plant flowers to attack approaching zombies before they "eat your brains." The game already has a spooky feel since the antagonists are undead creatures, but for a limited time, the game is getting a Halloween makeover.

I figured there was no better time than the present to learn to play this game!

I downloaded the Plants vs Zombies 2 app with the new update on my iPod, and then I started with the tutorial. Although it went at a very slow pace, I found the tutorial fun and informative.

World 1 started out easy. As the levels went on, I unlocked more and more plants. First, I had the peashooter. The peashooter is a basic plant that shoots enemies with a normal amount of damage. It was the most effective plant for killing zombies that I used. Eventually, players are able to buy plant food to make the peashooters more powerful. Sunflowers are also helpful to gather sunlight in order to buy more plants.

I enjoyed playing the game until power-ups were introduced. I was used to placing plants down to attack the zombies, and now I was expected to kill the enemies myself.

I enjoy playing video games as a part of this project, but when I’m sitting at my desk, hunched over, staring at a tiny screen, I feel a little unproductive. So hopefully I can find a game that makes me feel a little more industrious for next week’s post (any suggestions?).

Happy Halloween!

Why Indie Games Really Are Cool

Just because it’s indie doesn’t mean it’s for hipsters.

In case you’ve been out of the loop, indie, or independent games, have been on the rise recently. The amount of crowdfunding for games has become insane, and these games have become super popular, super fast.

Why though?

Well, for one thing, indie games provide something new and different to the gaming scene. Games like Shovel Knight and Undertale are highly successful games made by independent developers that change the mechanic. Shovel Knight might be like a retro platformer, but using a character that uses a shovel as his weapon of choice is certainly different. And Undertale, during its crowdfunding campaign, was advertised as an RPG where you don’t have to kill anyone to progress through the game, which certainly has never really been done before in gaming history. This is definitely something, but what else makes them so different?

For another thing, they’re generally cheaper than most other games on the market. When I bought Undertale, the game was only $10 on the Steamstore. Depending on the system for which the game is sold, the prices of indie games can be anywhere from free to $30, but it is generally very rare to see a title be the same amount as a AAA game ($50, $60). These cheaper prices make it easier for gamers to buy and get access to these unique games.

    

Indie games are inexpensive, highly inventive games that allow people to enjoy something new without destroying their bank accounts. Buying these titles helps support people who have made full story video games either by themselves or with a very small team of people. I believe having indie games strengthens the community as a whole, and gives us something fun at the same time. 


Have a suggestion for the next post? Let me know in the comments down below!

A Wild Pokémon Appeared!

Pokémon is one of those games that every gamer has played at some point in his or her life. No matter how old you may be, Pokémon is a good starter game to learn, even though the protagonist is only 10 years old.

My little sister is an avid player of Pokémon games. She’s constantly training her pokémon and telling me all about her battles. She knows the names and types of all the monsters. A few years ago, I bought a Pokémon game so I could play with her, but I was never as skilled or knowledgeable as she is.

This is why I wanted to take the time today to talk about Pokémon.

Each game has 8 gyms that you have to beat. Once you obtain all 8 gym badges, you can challenge the Elite Four. Eventually, you must battle the Champion.

Last week, Sanoyas Interaction announced the opening of an actual Pokémon gym in Osaka, Japan this November. Members must purchase a gym card and pass in order to be admitted. The gym offers tips and activities, as well as training programs for Pokémon players.

The Pokémon EXPO gym is also launching a smartphone app for members to track their stats and ranking.

The gym is a great way to market new games to players. Each game has its own region, and players who prefer the "old school" Pokémon games tend to be more familiar with the original Kanto and Johto regions. Two of the newest games, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, introduce the Kalos region. Many players are hesitant to learn the new game, so the EXPO gym hopes to encourage trainers to play these games by rewarding them with "special pokémon."

I believe that the Pokémon gym in Japan is a great idea and will be well-received by fans. Hopefully, more gyms like these will be established around the world.

How do you feel about the new "real life" Pokémon gym?

"Mobile Games Aren't Real Games" ...Right??? Pt. 2

Hello and welcome back! Sorry about the late post guys! Last time, we discussed some of the background of mobile phones and began to touch on how the mobile game market has begun to expand, and the AAA companies that are involved. Do you wish to continue? (3...2...1...)

With the explosion in mobile game downloads, the amount of “casual” gamers has been on the rise, and game companies want to be in the money loop. Even just earlier this year, Nintendo has refused to put themselves into the mobile game market, but they’ve since changed their minds. Since September, Nintendo has allowed for one of their biggest properties, Pokémon, to be in the mobile space with Pokémon Shuffle Mobile. With 1 million+ downloads (myself included), this game is gaining popularity. Other companies like Square Enix and EA have already been in on this market for years, and they’re benefiting from it greatly.

And, the games become more and more popular if they're free. The developer gets money from either adds, or in-app purchases, so you don't have to spend money on the download to support the developer, so everybody wins! 

Mobile games are simple, easy to make, cheap, addicting games that are easily accessible to the masses that allow for easy profit and great popularity. They might not be the next Halo, but they are still worth something. 

Red vs Blue: It Isn't Just Black and White!

I apologize for the late post! It’s been quite the busy week.

"What team should I choose?"

This is a question many gamers ask themselves when starting a game. Today's video game choice will hopefully give us an answer.

From Mario Kart to Team Fortress 2, most games have red and blue teams. Earlier this year, Psychology Today posted an article titled “Red vs. Blue: Which Should You Choose?” In theory, the wins should be 50/50, right? Wrong. According to the article, the red team is more likely to win.

There is one game however, where the odds are reversed.

League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena game where players compete as champions (characters on League with their own special abilities) in order to destroy the other team's defense structures. Players are not able to pick their teams. The blue team is more likely to win in ranked games.

I would have loved to have played a ranked game in order to see if the blue team actually won more, but ranked is only available for players over level 30. As a beginner, I had to play a normal game (the red team has a higher probability of winning in normal games).

League is not a game designed for beginners. It is very confusing and the games can last up to an hour long. Naturally, I got extremely frustrated and only played two games.

My boyfriend, Tim, and his best friend, Noah, are experienced at League of Legends, so they taught me how to play.

For the first game, we were on the red team. Apparently our team got a lot of kills (none of them were from me) and the other team surrendered, giving us the win.

That’s one win for the red team!

The next game, we were all on the blue team. This game was much more difficult, and after an hour or so of playing, we were defeated.

That’s two wins for the red team.

If I hadn’t gotten so infuriated, I would’ve played more games to better test my theory. Instead, I decided 2/2 wins for the red team was enough.

In the end, I decided that maybe there really is something to this whole red team-blue team deal.

The Game Theorists also made a video on this topic. If you have the time, I highly recommend watching it!

What do you think? Does the red team win more than the blue team in the games you play?

"Mobile Games Aren't Real Games." ...Right??? Pt. 1

Sure, the Birds are Angry, but why are they popular?

Ever wondered how this spike in mobile games even happened? One day, it’s a joke to play a game on your phone, and then the next celebrities are advertising them everywhere, they get their own movies (yes,this real), and anyone with a smartphone has them. What’s going on?

Well, the answer is simple.

Smartphones.

Before the age of everyone and their mother having a mobile device, cellular devices were more or less used for/by businesspeople. These dinosaurs of the cell phone’s history had only one function: phone calls. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s when Apple released its first mobile phone with a touch interface; the modern smartphone. After that, mobile devices have been selling like hotcakes, and becoming more and more advanced as the years go by. They have become less about conversation and more about being a platform for which people can create.

Now, don’t get me wrong, mobile games have been around since cell phones had screens, but the modern mobile game has only been around since the first iPhone. These games are more complex, have better graphics, and more complex mechanics than any old game of Snake. And sure, these games are simpler than some AAA title on a console or PC, but it still matters when AAA companies like Nintendo and Square Enix are now in the mobile market...

Sorry guys, but we're gonna have to leave this on a

Want to know more about this??? Well, then tune in next time for part two!!