The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly For The 2018 Video Game Hall of Fame Nominees

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Calling all gamers to help pick World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees. Twelve finalists were named Tuesday for the class of 2018, pitting “Ms. Pac-Man” against “John Madden Football.” 

Also in the running are: “Asteroids,” “Call of Duty,” “Dance Dance Revolution,” “Final Fantasy VII,” “Half-Life,” “King’s Quest,” “Metroid,” “Minecraft,” “Spacewar!” and “Tomb Raider.”

New this year, the hall is inviting gamers to weigh in on inductees. Online balloting closes April 4. A panel of experts will vote as well.

The winners will be inducted May 3.

2017 Inductions:

Donkey Kong
Halo
Combat Evolved
Pokemon Red and Green
Street Fighter II

Last years inductions featured a good mix of new and old. From an OG Classic like DK, to the greatest fighting game of all time Street Fighter II, to one of the most popular new age first person shooters in Halo. A solid list of some worthy Hall members. This year’s nominees feature even more prominent video game titans. Lets break it down:

The Good

Madden – Ahem. Excuse me. “John Madden Football.” The original Madden was in 1988. It was released on the Apple IIe and the fucking Commodore 64. But what we’re talking about is the 1990 reboot on Sega and SNES. Its the game that launched the most important and successful sports franchise in video game history. 100 million copies over the course of almost 30 years. E A Sports, ITS IN THE GAME. Its a no brainer first ballot unanimous HOFer.

Metroid – One of the OG Nintendo games and one of the hardest goddam video games of all time. If it wasnt for the Justin Bailey code I dont think I’d even have made it past like the 3rd level. I was just rollin around shooting those bubble doors with no idea what the fuck I was doing. But let me just say this, when you found out that Samus was a girl? When you took the helmet off and her hair fell down? That was a HUGE moment for feminism.

Final Fantasy VII – Me personally, I’m an old school Final Fantasy guy. I checked out after Final Fantasy 3 I think. Cruising around on that Airship with Cecil and Cid was unreal. Eventually they made it customizable so you could change the characters names and I made everyone NBA players since that was the point in life I wanted to be a black dude. I was playing Final Fantasy trying to gain XPs for Reggie and Alonzo and shit like that. Anyway I never played the new age Playstation games but I recognize that FF7 was the one that changed the game. I vividly remember that cover:

I think they’re on like FF 30 now but I know that VII was the game changer for the more modern RPGs.

Tomb Raider

Listen I’ll just call a spade a spade, this game was all about tits. I mean it was a cool game. It was a fun adventure game with artifacts and puzzles and fighting. It was like a female Indiana Jones type of vibe. But the most important mark Tomb Raider left on this world was Lara Croft and her 3D, polygon titties. It spawned movies still coming today. From Angelina to Alicia, Lara Croft and Tomb Raider deserves to be in the Hall

My personal Favorite from this crop:

Kings Quest

I’m not sure if we’re talking King’s Quest I or the entire series of 7…but no matter what, King’s Quest needs to be in the Hall of Fame. Let me say this loud and clear – King’s Quest III was one of the best, most difficult, and most satisfying computer games of all time. Escaping from Manannan was the most fun I’ve ever had playing computer games (Note: Thats because Civ 2 is not fun. Civ 2 is BUSINESS) But sneaking around and casting spells trying to turn Manannan into a cat all while that creepy motherfucker might magically appear and catch you was as nerve wracking as it gets. Even after you turned him into a cat you might just fall off the fucking cliff trying to escape! Being a stowaway in that ship and saving the princess only to find out Gwydion was actually related to the Princess and King Graham and the Royal Family was fucking incredible.

Sorry, I just blacked out for a moment there. Went full nerd on you.

Call of Duty

Don’t need to say much here. Its the greatest war time game series of all time. I judge the more modern games based on how much they grab my attention. For example even after I had checked out of video gaming, I still paid attention to a few series of games. Grand Theft Auto. Resident Evil. And Call of Duty was one of those. They type of game you consider getting a new console and playing it and then never playing any other games at all. COD speaks for itself.

The Bad

Asteroids – I respect all the OGs of the game. Atari paved the way for every game that came after it. In 1979 this was the most revolutionary thing ever on a screen. In arcades, its considered a timeless classic. But at the end of the day you’re just a computer cursor shooting bubbles over and over again. Meh.

Minecraft - This shit gets nominated every year. I still dont think I know what the fuck it is. Just a giant puzzle game, right? That shit is for NERDS. Give me Gwydion saving Daventry from pedophile wizards! Not Puzzles!

Half Life –   I dont know this game well. If I was playing first person shooter violence shit, I was playing Doom and Wolfenstein. I dunno Half Life.

Ms. Pac Man – I respect the Pac Man franchise. Its an all timer. For sure hall of fame worthy. Most memorable arcade game of all time. But Ms. Pac Man? This feminist bullshit? Get outta here. Why did we need to throw a bow on Pac Man’s head? This nomination is strictly some Me too shit.

The Ugly –

Dance Dance Revolution – Video games are not about physical activity. They are about sitting in front of a TV screen, melting into your couch, doing drugs and eating snacks until your eyeballs start bleeding. Getting up and dancing at the arcade? No fucking thank you. This is for weirdo Asians and people who like activity. Not my video games.

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Spacewar! – Some nerds at MIT invented this shit in 1962.

This game fucking sucks. Makes Asteroids look like the most advanced technology of all time. I’d rather play with an Etch a Sketch than play this video game. I’d rather play with like rocks and sticks outside than play this. 1962 give me a break. Anything pre-1980s get get LAWST.