Video games are a wonderful form of escapism, giving players an opportunity to lose themselves in a completely new world – whether that is stepping back in time to take on the world in a Western or in a war, or battling hordes of zombies, or even solving some puzzles.
Gaming used to be considered a bit of a niche pastime but increasingly, people of every age group and demographic are choosing to game in their leisure time, which means that the gaming industry continues to grow. This peaked during the pandemic when social distancing and isolation drove people to find new ways to connect; the camaraderie and socialising options that online games provided meant that we didn’t have to feel alone when we couldn’t meet up in person.
This growth might have slowed a bit now, but according to Statista, the projected market volume of the video game industry is set to reach $363.20 billion by 2027 thanks to an annual growth rate of 8.76%. By 2027, it is estimated that globally there will be 1.742 billion gamers.
What makes gaming so attractive is the incredibly vast array of games that are available. Whatever your passion, interest, or skill set, there is a game genre out there for you – and some that you might not even have considered. Games range from the top console titles featuring smooth, realistic graphics and enormously detailed open world settings, to the more ‘Indy’ creations that are surprisingly fun and engaging to play. You can find real money casino games (check Bonus Finder and their recent reports to find the best place to play), hyper casual mobile games, and everything in between.
Top 5 Iconic Games
Tetris
Developed in 1984 by the Soviet team of Alexey Pajitnov and Vladimir Pokhilko, Tetris is up there in nostalgic notoriety with the likes of Pong and Pacman. Originally created for the Electronika 60 computer, Tetris came to a more widespread audience when Nintendo released the game for their NES and Game Boy devices in 1989.
With a simple premise, easy to learn rules and controls, and levels that progressively more challenging, Tetris is the type of game that really stands the test of time and it is no surprise that it is the most ported game of all time.
Even just reading the name of the game made you think of the 8-bit theme tune, didn’t it?
Minecraft
Minecraft was the surprise of the decade, an independent release that soon became a billion-dollar cultural phenomenon.
Again, showing that simplicity is valued by gamers, Minecraft combines blocky graphics with a focus on imagination that proved to be a hit with all sorts of different gamers. The game came out in 2011, and the sky is the limit when it comes to the things you can do while you are playing (and sometimes that isn’t true either, when you consider the amount of people who have built castles int the clouds).
Whether you are playing in survival mode or just building, your imagination can take you anywhere – and this combination of endless creativity and simplicity has proven to be a winner with kids but also with seasoned gamers, too.
Doom
It wasn’t the first first-person shooter, but Doom really defined what a FPS could be, establishing a template that many game creators still use to this day.
A simple premise – kill the demons – that was portrayed in a new way, becoming the latest villain in the media for ‘things that should be banned.’ Doom was a developed by Id Software and released back in 1993, yet it was really the game that made video gaming that little bit more ‘cool’ – if the church, society, and your parents didn’t want you to play it, of course you were going to get your hands on a copy.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The latest game on this list, Breath of the Wild is another sequel to the original tale of Link and Princess Zelda but the first to be released on the Nintendo Switch. The game came out in 2017, yet it is still one of the bestselling and critically acclaimed games of all time – a title earned thanks to the huge open world game area and the way that problem solving is left completely up to the player.
Breath of the Wild has set the scene for many open world games and has already left a massive mark on the industry.
Fishin’ Frenzy
This might be a bit of a surprise entrant when all the other games have been console/PC behemoths, but there is increasing interest in the world of online casino gaming – and this is an excellent example.
Fishin’ Frenzy is a slot game, which means it is a casino game based entirely on random luck. You press a button, the wheels spin, and if you get the right symbols in the right place when it stops, you can win real cash.
Often the first game that new casino gamers will play, Fishin’ Frenzy has become an icon in the online casino world, offering players simplicity and the opportunity to win real cash, too.
