by Len Morse

Created on: February 20, 2009   Last Updated: June 23, 2010

Graphics and animation are both great, but without strategies, moves, rules, and other inner workings of game play, a video game is just a video. Watching a slide show or reading a short story might be nice, but if you want to immerse yourself in an adventure where you need speed, strategy and skill, nothing beats a game's ability to control your character's destiny.

The Random House dictionary abridged definition of a game is "A competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators." No matter how good it looks, this activity is the heart and soul of any video game.

Both gaming and graphics have come a long way since their respective early days, and expanding technology continues to allow improvements in both fields. However, the unavoidable truth is that active participation is what makes game play the most fun, no matter how many pixels are in front of you, nor how smoothly they change.

== Rock, Paper, Scissors ==

Games came first, and the longevity of some of the earlier, more basic games proves that during those early days, players did not need terrific graphics to enjoy a game. People have always endeavored to find the best ways to execute actions and perfect strategies in mostly friendly competitions. This strategizing became a regular part of early card and board games. Some games from early civilizations include Tic-Tac-Toe (US) / Naughts and Crosses (UK), Go / Weiqi (China), and Mancala (Africa).

If there was no strategy involved, players merely allowed Lady Luck to work her magic (usually when only dice or coins were involved) and simply hung on for the ride. It was the thrill of the hunt and strategizing to overcome hurdles that kept them coming back for more, and the same holds true today.

However, because of this innate competitiveness, many games of logic, skill, and endurance evolved way before graphics, computers, or even the discovery of electricity. Simply put, they are by-products of human nature.

== It's All In The Wrist ==

Even if you don't take stock in the evolutionary argument, consider the popularity of some of the earliest arcade games. Asteroids, Centipede, Dig-Dug, Donkey Kong, Frogger, Galaxian, Mario Brothers, Missile Command, Pac Man, Pong, Space Invaders, and Tetris were among the first video games to appear on home gaming systems like Atari and Nintendo.

Compared to today's games, those graphics were blocky and uninspiring, yet everyone was playing them. Why? Because they were fun. We learned enemy movements and timing, found our joystick's limitations, and most likely created our own strategic click and movement pattern that led us to victory. Did we spend those countless hours fixed to our screens because the graphics were awesome? No - we enjoyed playing the games, plain and simple.

== Commonalities ==

Certainly not everyone enjoys the same types of games. However, with today's incredible variety of games to choose from (platform, war, strategy, logic, driving, card, matching, etc.), almost anyone can find a game they like. The thing to remember, though, is that great graphics are only one element of a great game. You also need attention to detail, clear instructions and objectives, controls that are easy to learn, and a game that is tough to master, among other points.

Overall, the actual game play must be appealing, not matter how beautiful the graphics are, or else you will become bored or frustrated and thus look elsewhere for amusement.

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