

Breakout, first released in 1976, evolved from a desire to create a single-player version of Pong. There are, however, other types of maze games as well, including games from a third-person overhead perspective or the first-person point-of-view.īreakout-style games require the player to destroy a wall or other barrier. First released in arcades in 1980, Pac-Man has inspired countless sequels, clones, and ports to various home formats.
#Game corp dx tips series
By far the most prevalent example is the Pac-Man series of games.

Maze games force the avatar to maneuver through a maze. series, in which characters from various video game franchises face one another in battle. Nonetheless, new games are being created and finding success, including the Super Smash Bros. This subgenre, like that of the beat-em-up, is not as popular as it once was. Throughout the early and mid-1990s, fighting games dominated the video game market. These games typically included special moves unlocked by button combinations as well as standard attacks such as punching and kicking. Mortal Kombat (1992) offered similar gameplay in some ways, but pushed the envelope in terms of graphic and sound quality as well as violence this last quality stirred up controversy. Street Fighter II (1991) vastly outperformed its predecessor both in arcades and in home versions. It was not until after 1990, however, that the popularity of fighting games began to explode, just as that of beat-em-ups started to wane. Karate Champ (1984) was the first such game to attain mass popularity. Though less popular today than in the late 1980s, beat-em-ups are still produced, and classic examples remain enduringly popular.įighting games require the player’s avatar to face a series of opponents in one-on-one fighting matches in an arena. Final Fight (1989) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (also 1989) are considered two high points in the field, which went into decline as the 1990s began. The game was ported onto many home systems and inspired numerous sequels.

The two characters move through a dangerous urban jungle doing battle with a street gang. Double Dragon allowed two players to fight together in cooperation. Early beat-em-ups, such as Kung Fu Master and Renegade, began to appear in arcades during the mid-1980s, but it was only with 1987’s Double Dragon that the subgenre truly matured. More recent examples of this subgenre have abandoned 2-D side-scrolling for 3-D worlds offering a much wider range of movement and more challenges.īeat-em-up games feature players advancing through a level while engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a series of opponents. They inspired many imitators and were for a time the most popular kind of video game. line of games were all examples of more complex platform games. Nintendo later resurrected the character, renamed him “Mario,” and created one of the most enduring franchises in video game history. Jumpman starts at the bottom of the screen and works his way up by climbing or jumping. It featured a character called “Jumpman” who had to rescue a captive woman from his angry pet gorilla. Nintendo’s 1981 Donkey Kong is generally considered the first true example of this subgenre. Platform games require the avatar to frequently jump on platforms of various levels while navigating around obstacles and fighting enemies. Time limits and simple puzzles are other common characteristics.Īction games have diversified into a number of subgenres. The primary challenge of action games arises from the coordination and quick reactions necessary to maneuver the avatar. Typically, action games are divided into levels. An action game is a video game in which the player controls a character, or avatar, through various challenges or obstacles, generally while fighting enemies and collecting objects which increase the avatar’s power or the player’s score or number of extra lives.
