Week 4: Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3

Mario: Ba da ba ba da da DUH!

Through the various games, cultural references, and even a movie that would best be forgotten, Mario has solidified his presence as an iconic character in video games.  In fact, the success of Mario’s games helped lead to other great games, including my all-time favorite game: the original “Super Smash Bros.”, which I will most certainly blog about at some point.

In all honesty, I never played the original Super Mario Bros. until this class.  At first, I found Mario’s movements to be sluggish compared to the newer games, which created distaste for the game.  After some more play time, though, I realized that I was just ill acquainted with the controls and game format.  I began to play exceedingly better once I adapted to the style of the game, and the game became exponentially more fun. 

Super Mario Bros. is ridiculously entertaining.  After making it fairly far into the game, I discovered that I enjoyed analyzing the scoring methods more than actually playing the game itself.  Because of this, I spent a great deal of time playing and re-playing the first level in order to discover the best way to maximize points.  By a long shot, the best way to accomplish this is to sprint the level with only a single pause: to grab the first mushroom.  By doing that, I was able to achieve a score slightly above 27,000 points, which I have only seen surpassed by those using an emulator. 

Another exciting addition to the game is the warp pipes that are located in Level 1-2.  As I stated previously, I had never played these games or even known much about them, so I actually discovered the warp pipes on my own!  This game is understandably considered one of the greatest ones of all time, and considering the enormous fun that I had with it more than 20 years after its release, I can understand why.

If you watch Family Guy, you will laugh.

Mario 3: “The Journey is the Destination”

I had, in fact, played Mario 3 previously, so I was already acquainted with several of the game’s features and additions from the original Mario.  However, for some reason, I had no idea that there were warp whistles.  I did not feel so silly once I did some online research and discovered that they are virtually impossible to find unless your name is Jimmy.  Of course, using the warp whistles to beat the entire game is a little cheap; this clip from CollegeHumor illustrates that point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeQU3bEI-xk

Even still, the addition of other features (different layout of the background, additional types of suits (even though the raccoon and frog suits look ridiculous, they are quite useful), and the inside-games that include a roulette-type wheel and mini-boss challenges) made the game playable for longer periods of time.  More than any of these things, it was very useful to have an overhead map between each stage, and then, the actual action could occur in the platform-style.  This allows for gamers to grab a meal in between levels or to just take a break, which is a much-needed feature for the modern gamer.  Even though this game is more fun to play than the original, it is still Super Smash Bros. > Super Smash Bros. 3 due to the greater overall originality and creativity that Super Smash Bros. possessed.

Week 3: Galaga, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man

Space Invaders Perfected!

Many people, including myself, have lovingly mocked the game “Space Invaders” for the ridiculousness of the enemy’s movement.  They move from left to right and from right to left without deviance; the only change is that the enemies speed up their attack as the levels progress.  Nevertheless, the game is still entertaining and was revolutionary for the time.  Therefore, when another game was released that fixed this flaw and added other mechanics to the already-solid game, the gaming world was forever changed.

Galaga was released a few years after Space Invaders.  Much like Space Invaders, the main player was limited in their movement.  They could only swivel from left to right across the screen.  The enemy, though, attacked the main player by dropping bombs at random intervals and by dive-bombing at the bottom of the screen, which is where the main player is stuck.  If the player can manage to avoid these attacks and destroy all of the ships, they will quickly progress through the levels.

Along with the improved AI (artificial intelligence) of the enemies, Galaga helped the gaming industry usher in other interesting innovations.  Among the more prominent ones is the ability to improve your performance by doing something that would seem to be at a disadvantage.  In this instance, I am referring to the “ultra ship”, which attacks by swooping in and using a tractor beam to steal your ship.  The benefit of this is that if you are able to destroy that ship, you will receive that stolen ship back, it will be attached to your current ship, and your firing rate will double.  This is especially helpful with the second innovation: the bonus round.  In this round, enemy ships fly around the screen, and the player collects bonus points by trying to destroy as many ships as possible.  The benefit of having a second, attached ship is that the increased firing rate allows the player to destroy more ships and collect more bonus points.  These solid innovations certainly have made the game more exciting, and it is innovations like these that have enabled the video game industry to flourish.

Gargantuan Gorilla Throws Barrels as its form of Attack…

Although I will be discussing it in another blog, the documentary "King of Kongs" was very accurate in one regard: it takes a tremendous amount of skill/reflexes to be successful in the game "Donkey Kong".  In the game, there are three distinct levels.  The first requires that the player (the character is given the name "Jumpman", but it has an odd resemblance to another video game character) jump over barrels, which are being hurled by a giant gorilla, in an attempt to ascend the multiple platforms that lead to Jumpman's beautiful girlfriend Pauline.  The second level is fairly straightforward; Jumpman needs to navigate his way across platforms and dodge a bouncing thimble, which is once again being thrown by a giant gorilla, to reach Pauline.  The third and final stage is far more simple.  The player needs to navigate his/her way around some flaming enemies and demolish the structure that is holding Donkey Kong.  Once that is done, the player has successfully beaten the gorilla and saved Pauline, but it is of little consequence because the game continues, following the same 3-level pattern as before.

I enjoyed the first level far more than the second or the third.  The seeming randomness of the barrels made for an exciting pace, especially as the levels progressed and the barrels approached more quickly.  The appeal with this game is the sense of progress in which the player is engaged.  The player is climbing the platforms non-stop in order to achieve the end result, and in this case, it is saving the princess.  This concept is similar to today's practice of "leveling up" in games; it gives the player the sense of accomplishment and encourages them to continue playing.  In an arcade setting, this was perfect for sales.  The players were instilled with an equal sense of accomplishment and competition.  Plus, the added feature of randomness, which was especially apparent with the barrels on the first level, made the game have the same appeal as a gambling device.  Because of these things, this game was revolutionary as a money-maker for the arcade, and it helped usher in the story-telling aspect of video games.

On a side note, I am a huge fan of "Dorkly", which is a website that makes funny videos about gaming.  Whenever possible, I will reference one of those videos if it is related to the game being discussed.  That being said, here is a clip that brings up a valid point about Donkey Kong's approach.  WARNING: This clip does contain vulgar language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrUkS_3zaVE

Nom nom nom!

From its origin as a pizza to its development as a pixel, Pac-Man has become one of the most iconic images in the gaming world.  One of the reasons for the game’s success is the addictiveness of its features.  Some of the more obvious examples are the “bigger pellets’ that Pac-man eats and the siren music that plays during the course of the game.  These elements add to the intensity of the game, but there is another element that contributes to the appeal of the game.  For the casual gamer, the movement of the ghosts seems fairly random, but in reality, there is a set pattern.  As a player gives more and more time to the game, they will begin to notice that there is a pattern and will continue to play in order to do better than the previous attempt.  This chain effect has helped video games for years in being profitable, and it is games like Pac-Man that have allowed this trend to continue.

Personally, I have enjoyed Pac-Man for many years.  I believe that there are several ways for a game to be successful, and Pac-Man is the epitome of one of those methods: design a game that is simple to understand but requires practice and skill to master.  As the gameplay quickens and the music seems louder, the player is forced to memorize patterns and have incredible reflexes if they wish to do well in Pac-Man.  I am not an expert at the game, but due to the layout of the game, I can enjoy it nonetheless. 

Week 2: Space Invaders, Battlezone, Lunar Lander

Attack of the Space Invaders!

Space Invaders is the pinnacle of the greatest grandfather games.  At the time of its release in 1978, video game designers were limited in their resources and computing ability; ergo, they were limited to the creative capacity that a game could contain.  With Space Invaders, though, the programmer focused mainly on the mechanics of the gameplay.  This means that the player was introduced to a fluid and fast-paced game, offering multiple gaming styles for the player to employ.

One of the interesting parts about Space Invaders is that it is a heavily skill-based game, but it also invites a certain amount of strategy for the player.  When I played the game for the first time, I found myself dying repeatedly in the later levels.  This was due to the holes in the "shield barriers" above Earth's ships that was caused by the bombs of the invading alien force.  Following the first game, I destroyed the shields at the beginning of every game.  This was done for two reasons: first, it prevented me from relying on the unreliable shields; second, the shields would probably be completely destroyed by the time that a player reached 20,000 points, so it was better to gain practice without them during the course of the game.  It is the incorporation of tactical planning into this game that makes it so revolutionary.

Of course, it is still amusing to take an honest examination at the material.  The space invaders attack Earth by moving back and forth across the screen with no deviances.  It is ludicrous, but more than forgivable when the time period of the game's release is considered.

The game was an enormously popular at the time of its release, and the pixelated "alien" remains an icon in the video game world to this day.  On a personal level, this is one of my favorite pre-1999 games, and as always, it is a pleasure to play it.

Battlezone

Oddly enough, a descendent of this game was the first flash game that I ever played online.  The later version of Battlezone was far more fast-paced and allowed the player to have more control.  In other words, it replaced the realistic aspect of the game and just made it more exciting.  For the modern gamer who prefers the thrill of the game over the logistics, this change was a wise one.  However, the thought-process of the original game should first be considered.

Like the other games in this series, Battlezone was made in a time period that had limited computing power, and this made it literally impossible to create a game with the speed of today's games (outside of a Star Trek script involving time travel and repeatedly bringing back dead main characters).  Because of this, the game developers decided to create a game that simulates the movement and attack pattern of a real tank.  The result was a strategy-based game that implemented the use of physical barriers in a 3D setting.  The physical barriers, the enemy tanks, and all other objects are displayed as wireframes, which is one of the first attempts at creating a 3D setting in a game.  

The game is still considered revolutionary.  If I were to make one change to it, I would allow the bullets from the "hero" tank to destroy the bullets from the "enemy" tank.  It is quite frustrating when you are unable to stop yourself from imminent doom, but it is understandable given their time period that they did not do this.  Because I am guilty of preferring a thrilling game to a realistic one, this is not a game that I would want to practice consistently, but it is fascinating to observe and from which to learn more about the evolution of gaming.

"Oh sh...."

Lunar Lander

Given my explanation about Battlezone, is little surprise that I did not enjoy the complexity of Lunar Lander.  This is a game that incorporates several different aspects of real intergalactic travel, including fuel levels and the pull of gravity.  These are fun parts of the game, but it is extremely difficult to successfully land the space shuttle on the platform.  In fact, it is so complicated that NASA used this game as a method of preparation for astronauts.  If a game is complex enough to be used seriously by rocket scientists, there might be a problem.

"That's one small step for man.  One giant leap for gamerkind."

As a gamer of many years, I have played variations of this game.  There are more and less complex versions on the Internet, but in all honesty, this kind of game was just never very interesting to me.  The objective is to land a space shuttle on a platform, which means that there is no real enemy outside of your depleting fuel and the heartless gravity.  Like the last game, I think it is awesome that the Government valued it highly enough to use as a training mechanism, but I just can't imagine someone playing this game for hours on end.

Week 1: Adventure, Missile Command, Tempest

Adventure: Classic Among Classics

The concept behind the revolutionary action game "Adventure" is to navigate a man, being represented by a simple dot, through a series of mazes in order to find a Chalice.  As far as the casual gamer is concerned, there is no specific reason that the dot-person requires the chalice.  It is just the job of the gamer to find the chalice, no questions asked.  Once the Chalice is successfully located, the player is then to escort it back to the Golden Castle, which is locked unless the player also has the golden key.  There will be trials and tribulations for the player, of course.  Besides the mazes and a few other castles that might contain the golden key and/or chalice, the player must face three dragons.  The dragons are stationary until the player is within their sight.  Then, they will attack ferociously.  For an experienced gamer, they will be comically easy to elude.  A zig zag motion will leave them confused and disoriented.  The dragons can be slain using the sword, and the sword is represented by a yellow arrow; however, it is far more entertaining to simply juke the dragons.

The handy sword allows the player to slay the fearsome "dragon".

A game like this must have been quite exciting at its release date of 1979.  Even for a gamer like myself that has wasted (ahem, invested) hundreds of hours on games ranging from the original Medal of Honor to Modern Warfare 3, there was still a thrilling sensation in my stomach when I saw the red dragon charge my courageous and noble dot-person for the first time.  But there is so much more to this game than just the surface material.  I find it interesting and a touch inspiring that the gamers of yesterday were able to use their imagination so fully for this game.  It is far more difficult for today's gamers to be captivated by such a game.  After all, we have been spoon-fed plots our entire lives. 

The class instructor, Professor Young, mentioned that this game included the first Easter Egg in a video game.  After a little research, it was discovered that although it is not certain which game had the first Easter Egg, it is certain that Adventure was not that one.  On the other hand, it was the first widely-known Easter Egg.  The Easter Egg for Adventure stems from a humorous story.  Due to the policy in Atari (the company that created Adventure), game developers were not given credit for their work in a game.  The disgruntled creator of Adventure, Warren Robinett, included a secret room that is nearly impossible to discover.  In the room, there are flashing lights and the words "Created by Warren Robinett".  I actually looked up a tutorial to find the room so that I could share in the experience, but after I realized that is was complicated and time-consuming, I gave up.

Adventure was a worthwhile use of 30 minutes (15 for play, 15 for research).  Although I will probably never return to it, it is comforting to know that the gamers of 1979 at least had a game like this with which they could be entertained.

Mission Command and Tempest

The other two games of this series, Missile Command and Tempest, were not nearly as impressive or entertaining as Adventure.  In fact, unlike Adventure, I became uninterested in the first 10 minutes of play for each of the games.  For their time and place, the games must have had value, but because it lacks the creativity of Adventure and is a very old game, it just pales in comparison to the more advanced versions of these games.

The main problem with Missile Command is the bases being completely stationary.  Gamers crave and need movement.  Even if the map does not stretch to great lengths (or is in fact just a large square like in Pacman), it is far better to have a game that allows some movement rather than giving the player shackles.  It is one of the classic blunders of game designing, with the most famous being long, inescapable cut-scenes.  To make matters worse for Missile Command, the game is unreasonably difficult.  After the first, ridiculously easy level, the game turns the notch up to 11.  Even if the player is skilled enough to hit the incoming missiles directly at their impact point, they may or may not detonate.  This means that the player must use multiple shots for each incoming missiles, which in turn means that the player will run out of shots before the end of the level.  Therefore, it is simply chance that decides how many levels the player will survive before all of his/her bases are destroyed.  In an age that rewards dexterity and reaction time in gaming, a game like Missile Command simply does not belong.

When a player loses, they are entertained with this screen, simulating the end of a nuclear war.  Players may recognize it from "Terminator 2".

Tempest, while not as engaging as Adventure, was exceedingly better than Missile Command.  In this game, the player rotated around an axis while spinning quadrilaterals tried to destroy the player.  The quadrilaterals could rotate around the axis and send “bullets”, which would destroy the player just like their touch.  Because this game required the player to successfully maneuver around the axis while shooting the approaching four-sided shapes, it requires a decent amount of attention and dexterity.  The major flax to this game, though, is that there are no limits to the player’s ammo.  This means that anyone who wishes to can just “spam” the fire button and clear every round with little effort; however, anyone with gaming integrity will just ignore this design mistake and play the game as intended.    The other cool addition to Tempest is the “clear the axis” button.  Once per level, the player may use this button to clear all of the quadrilaterals on the axis.  There may be more after that, but it can save a player that is a second from death.  It makes the game more enjoyable and varied, which is nearly always favorable.