The Strong National Museum of Play has announced this year’s World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees.
The Nintendo 64 classic The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time joins Ms. Pac-Man, Dance Dance Revolution, and Sid Meier’s Civilization as World Video Game Hall of Fame 2022 inductees.
Finalists that didn’t make the cut include Assassin’s Creed, Candy Crush Saga, Minesweeper, NBA Jam, PaRappa the Rapper, Resident Evil, Rogue, and Words with Friends.
Speaking about the legacy of Ocarina of Time, Andrew Borman, digital games curator at The Strong National Museum of Play, says:
“Even today, developers throughout the world credit The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as influencing the way they create games. The game’s sprawling 3D world, fluid combat, complex puzzles, and time-shifting story combined to inspire a wonder in players that they have never forgotten.”
It’s deserved recognition for an all-time great.
We’re also pleased to see Ms. Pac-Man inducted. The game’s cultural impact cannot be overstated, and the story of its development – covered comprehensively in Pac-Man – Birth of an Icon – is fascinating.
Speaking about the game’s importance, senior archivist Julia Novakovic says:
“Ms. Pac-Man promoted and signaled the broadening of game play across the genders. There was nothing inherently gendered about early video games, but the coin-op industry certainly advertised them that way. By offering the first widely recognized female video game character, Ms. Pac-Man represented a turn in the cultural conversation about women’s place in the arcade as well as in society at large.”
Previous Hall of Fame inductees include The Legend of Zelda, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Kart, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, and StarCraft.
For more information about the World Video Game Hall of Fame, visit the Strong National Museum of Play, either in person or online.
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