Friday, September 11, 2015

Media Arts 3 | Assignment 1 | Game Comparison

For this comparison, I will be comparing the different kinds of games played between two distinctive generations. The reason why I want to focus on games is because through the century, playing a game that involves two or more people have been a pass time and a way to socialize between friends and family. Games come in many forms whether it would be and outdoor game, board game, and even the more recent video games. For this comparison, I will be comparing between Gen X (1950s-1970s) to Gen Y (1980s-2000s)

Gen X
In the 1950s to the 1970s, board games started to grow in popularity. Aside from the very traditional types, many new types of board games started to be released in the market and quickly gained popularity especially among the family audience. Some follows a certain theme.


Monopoly is a very well-known and timeless board game. The objective of the game is to simply make the most money out of all the players. How that is done is by buying property and charging rent to other players all over the board. In other words, it is the grammar school definition to capitalism.


Battleship was another iconic game which was designed to be played between to people. Since it was still considered the post-war era, the general public had an interest in the war theme. The game battleship capitalized on this where it simulates a battle out in open seas. The board itself replicates an actual radar screen on a battle ship.

Gen Y
Entering into the 1980s saw the start of the video game era. Among the first video games that came out at the time was a microprocessor-based console called ‘Pong’. ‘Pong’ was basically a very simple ping pong game that can be played by two people.


From the 1980s to the early 2000s, majority of console and video games maintain an element of socialism. Thus, the reason the majority of consoles have between two to four controllers. Among some of the iconic games throughout that time that revolved heavily with multi-player gaming were Super Smash Bros and Mario Party that was based on the theme of calling friends over to play along.


Among other games that use the same element but based on different themes are GoldenEye 007 (first person shooter), Mario Kart (racing) and the ever so popular Fifa and other sports games.



All the way up to the 2000s, games regardless on a board or in a TV screen, there was always a social element. Meaning it would be meaningless to play without friends in the same room. Nowadays though, games have become more of an individual past time. This becomes more evident when mobile gaming became huge in the present day. Thus, causing the phenomenon of ‘anti-socialism’ becoming a norm. I would like to see the social element to be back.

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