Posted by hacking tips in
Remembering the good all days, when me and my friends were playing Doom, Mortal Kombat, Quake or War Craft on a Pentium 133 MHz computer with Sound Blaster and a 4MB video card. A lot has changed since then.Video games actually are a lot older than that we used to play in the 90s. The first video game was created in 1947 called Tennis for two and it was played on an oscilloscope like device.
With the release of Apple II, Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum in late 70s early 80s people could afford to buy such devices and to play video games from their own home. By the mid 80s the video game industry started to evolve at a fast pace releasing games such as Zork, Battlezone and Bard’s Tale.
The 1990s became the golden age of computer video games and gave birth to a large number of game developers and publishers such as Activision, Electronic Arts, Blizzard and id Software
From design and graphics point of view, video games greatly evolved and continue to do so. Writing about 90s computer games in 2008 is somewhat nostalgic and in the same time it’s funny, because what can you expect from a 16 bit graphic display and a 100 MHz machine, but remembering that in those days these configs were king just as 3,6 GHz and Nvidia GeForce 9400 nowdays.
So, let’s look at how the graphics and design evolved starting from 1990.
1990
- Nintendo releases Super Famicom 16 bit console
- Creative Labs introduces Soundblaster Pro
Super Mario World
Final Fantasy III
Commander Keen
Source: mobygames.com
1991
- Graphic accelerator cards are born
- id Software is founded
- Tim Berners-Lee introduces the World Wide Web
- Intel sells 486SX processors
Road Rash
The Legend of Zelda
Neverwinter Nights
1992
- Microsoft releases Windows 3.1
Wolfenstein 3D
Dune II
1993
- Microsoft releases Windows NT and MS-DOS 6
- Intel Pentium 60 MHz processor is released
Doom
Virtua Fighter
Source: Wikipedia
Master of Orion
1994
- Commodore computers files for bankruptcy
- 3DFX is founded (company known for it’s Voodoo video cards)
- First Sony Playstation is introduced
Warcraft
Tekken
1995
- The first E3 is held in Las Vegas
- Microsoft Windows 95 is released
- DirectX 1.0 is introduced by Microsoft
- ATX motherboards are born
The Need For Speed
Command and Conquer
1996
- Intel released 200 MHz Pentium
- DirectX 2.0 is released
- Nintendo releases the first true 64 bit game console
Duke Nukem 3D
M.A.X.
Source: mobygames.com
1997
- Wi-Fi is released
- DirectX 5.0 is released
- Intel introduces MMX chips
- First DVDs are sold
- Intel 233 MHz processor is introduced
Total Annihilation
Source: mobygames.com
Age of Empires
Source: gamegoldies.org
Final Fantasy VII
Source: TeamTeaBag
Quake 2
Source: midwesternbias.blogspot.com
Diablo
Source: chello.at/theodor.lauppert
1998
- Intel releases Celeron processors
- AMD 3DNow! is born
- Rockstar Games is founded
Source: mobygames.com
Starcraft with Broodwar expansion
Source: mobygames.com
Microsoft Flight Simulator 98
Source: mobygames.com
StarCraft
Source: thezeal.com
Unreal
Source: mobygames.com
1999
- Sega Dreamcast is released
- Pentium III 500 MHz is introduced
- nVidia introduces the GPU (Graphics Processor Unit)
Source: flatrock.org.nz
Heroes of Might and Magic III
Source: mobygames.com
2000
- Sony Playstation 2 is released with better graphics capability than a PC
Source: thesims.eagames.nl/
Counter Strike
Source: ob81.com
Colin McRae Rally 2
Source: mobygames.com
Grand Theft Auto 2
Source: ugo.com
2001
- Microsoft enters the game consoles market with it’s XBox console
Source: mobygames.com
Grand Theft Auto 3
Source: compactiongames.about.com
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Source: softpedia.com
Halo
Source: mobygames.com
Empire Earth
Source: gamesurge.com
2002
Mafia
Source: the-nextlevel.com
Diablo II Lord of destruction
Source: freegamesclub.blogspot.com
Warcraft 3
Source: ogre3d.org
Neverwinter Nights
Source: mobygames.com
Splinter Cell
Source: Wikipedia
Dungeon Siege
Source: gameogre.com
Battlefield 1942
Source: juegaenred.com
Baldur’s Gate – Dark Alliance
Source: filefront.com
2003
- Nokia introduces the first console / mobile phone hybrid,the N-Gage series
- Sony Playstation Portable is developed
Source: Wikipedia
Tony Hawk’s Underground
Source: g4tv.com
Prince of Persia
Source: mobygames.com
Max Payne 2
Source: thierrygagnon.com
Rise of Nations
Source: compactiongames.about.com
2004
- Acclaim declared bankruptcy
Source: flickr.com
World of Warcraft
Source: mobygames.com
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
Source: flickr.com
Far Cry
Source: flickr.com
Half Life 2
Source: flickr.com
Halo 2
Source: computergames.ro
2005
- XBox 360 is released
- Sony Playstation Portable is released
Source: mobygames.com
F.E.A.R.
Source: flickr.com
Age of Empires 3
Source: flickr.com
Guitar Hero
Source: mobygames.com
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Source: flickr.com
2006
The Godfather
Source: mobygames.com
Gears of War – 2006 (on XBOX), 2007 (On Windows)
Source: mobygames.com
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Source: Wikipedia
Elder Scrolls IV – Oblivion
Source: IGN
Hitman Blood Money
Source: mobygames.com
Prey
Source: steamreview.org
Heroes of Might and Magic V
Source: www.gameogre.com
Titan Quest
Source: gaming.hexus.net
2007
- Blizzard announces Starcraft II
- 3D Realms released teaser trailer for Duke Nukem Forever
Source: flickr.com
Super Mario Galaxy
Source: Wikipedia
Crysis
Source: flickr.com
Call of Duty IV – Modern Warfare
Source: Wikipedia
Unreal Tournament 3
Source: flickr.com
FIFA 08
Source: computergames.ro
The Witcher
Source: flickr.com
Guitar Hero 3
Source: mobygames.com
2008
- Blizzard announces Diablo III
Source: flickr.com
Prince of Persia
Source: Diversion Projects
Metal Gear Solid 4
Source: flickr.com
Shaun White Snowboarding
Source: IGN
Command and Conquer 3 Kane’s Wrath
Source: filefront.com
Madden NFL 09
Source: easports.com
Fallout 3
Source: theforumsite.com
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Source: Wikipedia
2009
- Upcoming releases for the next year
Source: IGN
Alan Wake
Source: IGN
Starcraft 2 Terrans: Wings of Liberty
Source: IGN
Diablo 3
Source: IGN
12 Dec
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