The Universe of the Gaming Genres

A GUIDE TO THE GAMERS UNIVERSE Where Will 'You Go Play? It's strange out there in the gamers' universe,anetulous spacewherearossbred genres givebirth to brave newworlds. Populated with the caffeine fuelled imaginings of i developers, the worlds within the gamers' unverse continue to evohe, keeping pace with new technolopies. Ordered in the type ofenvironmentthe games are setin ratherthentheir genre, we tale akookatsomeof the weirdardwonderfulworkds in the garmers' universe, noting interesting sofincredblycreative game ggraphy dimenskon, incligenus lie formsand prixed artefacts. • PLATFORMWORLDS Fromtherhumble 2D originstotodays open immersive 3Denvironments, platformemes areresponsbie for someof the most fartastic and memorable gameworkisever to grace corsoles. Pitfall! (Atari VCS) Fitfal Harrymustcoilect 32 tressures with 3 ves in 20minutes Super Mario Bros (NES) The record time for completing the game is 18.52 (1.08 left on the dock) There are Sworldseach with 4 kvels, makinga totalof 32 playable levels A Pitfal features 256 kveks connected end to end, with a 114,000 perfect soore There are ako 11 bonusarees to be Hezerds include pits, quidsend, roling kogs, scorpions, crococies and fire discoverd throughout the game Super Mario Bros soldover 40 Treasures induce moneybags siker bers, gold bars and diamondrings The original TVad forPitfall! festureda 13 year old Jack Blackin his TVdebut milioncopies wordcwide There are nowmore then 200 games featuring Marko Mario games have soldover 200 milioncopies worldwide Mariowasone of thefirst incuctoes into the Walk Of GameinSan Frarsisoo . Sonic 2 (Mega Drive) Sonicmust pass through 10 levels and 7 special stapes in Sonk 2 Soric must colect 7 Cheos Emerakds to stop Dr Robotrik powering his Death Egg Super Mario (N64) + 50 rings mustbe found to enter the special stageand become Super Sonic Totulycomokte the game, Mario Intotal, the Scric series hes sold must colect 120 stars more than B0 milon copies Across all platforms, Sonichas appeared inover 160 pames, notincluding cameos TheBmancharactersare Marko, Toad, E Princess Toadstool, Lakitu, Koopa the Quick, Bob-Omb, Bowser and Yoshi Soric wasako aneof the firstinductees Mariohas anincredble 32 actions thanks to the analog stick into the Wakof Gamein San Francko There are 16 mainworlcsto explore, with an abundneof hicden keels Inthe main worlds there are an increcible 1972 coinsto find Merio64hasbeen relessed on the Wi console and Nrtendo DS handhekd Limbo (Xbox 360) Limbo's eerily dark story unickds over 24 chacters Little Big Planet 2 (PS3) Dengers include a pjant spider, brain burrowing maggots andi scores of traps There are 12 specialachievements to befound during yourquest Al downloadable content fromthe first game can be used forthe sequel The software for LAP2 puts garne developmentinto gamers'hands A team of 16 programesworked to bring Armt lenser'surique vision to fife More then 5 milongamer-orested kvelshave bexen uplooded to date To date, over 1 miloncoples of Limbo have been sold Gamers can evenareate their own Sackbot NPC's andcontrol their A There are arcund 223costumes cumertly aveikabiefor Sadiboy RPG WORLDS . Featuring elaborate world maps brimming with puzzles, enemies, treasures and adventure, RAGS have evolved with new hardware into epicquests popukted with urforgettabke characters. Phantasy Star (Master System) Setinthe Alacl StarSystem, the quest sprwisoer 3 planets Players can play as 4charaters Alis Landale, Myau, Odinand Noah The Legend Of Zelda: ALink To The Past (SNES) Intotal, there are 26main mapsto explore, incuding theareits dungeon a Players after achalengeshould try getting 65535 XPwithal4 characters This Zelda introcuced the concept of peralelworlds.continued in the series There have been 4 Phantasy Star games, plus 1 compikation and rerrekes Completing the gaTe in itsentirety takes skikd garmers 10-15 hours ALink To The Past has sold more than 4milion copies woridwide Link has appeared in 16 maingarmes and made manycameos Link was aboone of the fist incuctees intothe Welk of Game Elder Sarolls V: Oblivion (Xbox 360) Final Fantasy VI (PlayStation) Afeature of Oblivion is the ablityto create your character from 10 races Gamers can develop their characters using 21 predefined des Gemerscan pkayas 9dharacters, cach with unique persornaities and skils Cbinvion's game workd Cyrodi spars . TheActive Time Battle systemenabled • 3characters to engagen combatatonce animpressive 1foq mriks Altogether, Oolvion contains more than 200hoursof gameplay Ltitsing the extra CD storage, the games incorporate more than 40 mins of video The Ocker Scrolssaa has now reached 5chepters panning 17ycars Soread over 3 CDs, the game provides approximately 49hours of ameplay Tockate, Fral Fartasy V has soldi more than 10milioncopkes vorkdwide • SPACE WORLDS Computers and science fiction hveaways been inseperabke.Outer space and oyberspace has been astellar combination, creating a galay of games opening portalsto alen worics. Space Invaders (ATARI VCS) Thefirst official coin-apcoversion to Star Fox (NES) cartridge, itwastheoriginal kiler app One developer, Tomohiro Nishikado, The first Nintendo game to feature grounc-breaking 3D polygon graphks programedand designed it alone Setin the Lylat System, the game features 20arees and2 seret kevels Space Invaders kons arenow anommouswith gaming and retro The garne sold 1 miloncopies on Atari and quxirupled corsoke sakes The team iscomprised of Fox McCloud, Fako, Peppy Hare and Sippy Toad The game actualycaused a temporary Powerups induce Supoly Rirg, Power Shiekd, Twin Blaster, Extra Ship andmore Fox McCloud has appeared in 7games to date, includngSuper Smash Bros deficit in 100 yen coirs inJapan Metroid Prime (Gamecube) Metroid Prime wes the firstof the eries to go 3D o Samus van must colect the 12 Choo *tifacts to enter the Phazon impactaater Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox) Skikei gamers stil take 12-15 hours to firishthe gamecompletely Metroid Primehas sold morethan Mster Chkef has 8 wespos to use 6milioncopies worlchwice aginst the Covenant alien aliance The Metroid srkes currently consists of 11 games, seling 16 milkancapks Master Chief can use4vehides the Chost, Warthog. Scorpion & Benshee Experiencad gamers stil need 13-15 hours to finish Haloonhard mode hitotal the Halo series hes sold more than 40mlion copies woridwide The dodicated HaloWaypointske provides networking news & updates Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360) The are 58 systems in the Mass Effect 2unverse, containing 195planets Players have 19weaponsat their cisposal to combat thealen hordes Dead Space 2 (PS3) Thenamative is set on the Titan Station (The Sprawi) sparring 15 chapters Itcantake up to 40 hours to finishthe game and all itsside quests There isakot of DLC tor Mass Effect 2, cantinuing the story towards ME3 Gamers have 10dřferent weapons with which to battle Necromorphs The arribitious garmer shouki tryto winal 35 trophies andachievernents The Mass Effect seres has sokdover 7milioncoples woridwide Multiplayer lets gamers compete against eachotherin humanorNeoomorchteams Dead Space 2 vas o popukrit shipped 2 rrilioncopies in ts first week of rekse CRIME WORLDS • Ifyoulive by the gunyou oftenciebythe pun. At kast that's the lessontaught by manygames setin nalandimapinedgriminal underworkis. Gamers wilagree, being tad often feek good Spy Vs. Spy (NES) The two rivalspies arecharacters from acomic cartoonin MAD magazine GTA: San Andreas (PS2) Players must try andescace the Embassy by cokecting their suitae, koy pkne ticket, moneytag and passport whike attempting to assassinate your rival The best of the GTAseries, San Andr combinesshooting & diing dynamks Armed with adubor dagger the two spis anusea rang of ingenious booby traps tomurder their opponeit, including time bombs and kler springs The game features 3 areas; San Fierro, Las Venturas and Los Santos I Camers play as Carl "C Johrson, who istryngtoscve hismother's murder Side endeevoursin San Andrees nducke burglaryand pimping = To date, the GTA franchise has sold over 124 milioncoples worldwide Arkham City (PS3) Btman must battke his foes within the immense prison Arkham aty LA Noire (Xbox 360) Tofuly complete Arkham Ctywil O take amers arcund 25 hours • Over 100 Rocksteady staff worked to bring Arkham City to life Gamers take detective Cole Phelasinto the comupt LA crime scene in 1947 Gameckrments indude Holywoodcar chases, shoctoutsandinterrogtions There isa cast of over 50characters in To date, Aridham Chty has shippedover 4.6milionunits worktwide the LA Noire gmeworkds Vilainsin the game indude the lokr, Two-Face, Hugo Strange, Harley Quirn, the Aidcler, the Pergun, Cayface, Kler Croc, Deadshotand manymore LANcire contairs over 20 hours of character speech Team Bondi recreated 40's LAusing 110,000 aeriel period photographs Todate, more than4 millon copies of LANolre haveshipped • WAR WORLDS Just ike the real world, virtual worids are often in danger of goingupinsmoke bocause of the megalomariacal miitary regimes that belise might is alasas right. Grab your gurts. Cannon Fodder (Mega Drive) Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation) Gomersmust complete miitary goos with their plucky pkatoon of herces The MGS series camefrom Hideo Kojma a hugelyinfluential figure Thegame spans 5large mksions over terrain indudingjurges, snow &rivers MGS popularised thesteelth genre Your soiders are armed with machine gurs, grenades androckets and set the template for future games Whlethe average playthrough takes 4 to 6hours, the world record is ih55min Dengersinclude dlebris, traps, enemy freandquidsand MGSwasa commercialandaritical Amerroable feature is the tiny grave stoneswhich appear as deaths increase sucess, shipping 6milioncapies There have been 25 Metal Gear games across platfomms in the last 23 years Mercenaries: Playground Of Destruction (Xbox) Call Of Duty: Finest Hour (PS2) Gemerschoose to playas Chris Jacobs, Jenniker Muior Matthias Nisson Gamers play through helish WW1 combatinthe first console version Themercenarymust assassirate 52 targets withinthe N. Korean regime The 19 stages indude8onthe Eastem Firepower is not in short supply with anaruralof more than 30weapgns Front, 7 onthe Westemand4 in Africa Players control a tank agairet the Third Rech for arounda third of the game Operatives have more than 20vehides to use to complete theirmissions, induding tenis, cars, trucks, planes and There are mein 0OD instalments aalabk and roultiple oxpansion packs Intetal, the Cal Of Duty franchise has sold over 70mlioncopies worldwide telicopters Call Of Duty: Modem Warfare 3 (Xbox 360) MW3 features 3gamemodes including singlepaye, co-op and orline multiplayer Inarrpaign mode the ploturravdsaross England, Germany, France, India & Africa Battlefield 3 (PS3) Inthe USand the UK, MW3 sold 6.5 milioncopies on the dayof kunch Bttkefiekd 3sthe 11thirstalment inthe Battlefiekd franchise m Tostrengthen the orlinemukiplaye, L5 adedicated subscriction service has been launched called Call Of Duty Elte, which enables social networking integration and adkitional content to be downkoaced Thereareatotal of 22 vehicles to be Used, induding tanks and jets Thegame worldindudes mapsin Paris, Oman, Sarajevo, New York and more Ihthe Team Deathmatch mode 24 players can fight apainst each other Batkefiekd 3 said5milion copies workd wideinthe firstweekofrelease MOVIE WORLDS • Movetie-ins often vary in qualty, but when doneright computer games are the perfect medium to make move worids interactive and ofthedineme Goldeneye 007 (N64) Inducing Bond himself Goldeneye 007 contains 10maincharacters There are 2030 enironments to explore, Spideman 2 (PS2) encinginthe ESerhira Eryptian Temple Soderman 2 perfectly caughe the The games openervironmentandcontrol systemchanged FPS's forever exitement of the film Vilainsinthegame indude Rhino, Collectableweeporsindude the Golden Gun, Moonraker kserand Wather PPK Shocker, Doctor OctopAS and Calypso The realistic virtualworldincludes Goldeneye was a citialand commercial hit, selingover Bmilion coples workdwide famous New Yorklocations Spiderman 2 stars Tabey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Alfred Molina lent ther voices to the game • SPORT WORLDS Wecarrtall be topathietes, but computer games canenable players to speriencesportinggloryin + the comfort of theirhome Don't forget to stretch before picking up that.control pad. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out (NES) Little Macand Doc Lous must work SSX3 (PSZ) theirwayupto get ashotatthe title 13fighters stand between Little Mac ard Champion 'Iran' Mike Tyson The third instalment af the SX franchise adced an innovative anlne experknce Oneof the most popular NES pames, Gamers progress over 3 Race Peaks, 3 Freestyle Peals and3 Freeride Peaks Punch-Out sold over 2milioncopies Bobking and weszing before defvering his "Star Purch, Lte Macmust abo As players amass prizemoney theycan buynewcustom boards and accessories please Mario-thegames referee Runtypes incluce race, super pipe, big aiç, big country and slopestyle There are 5 main games in the serks, | with the 6th named SSX cue in 2012 . Wii Sports (Wi) Simple in design, WMiSparts was ground breaking due to the Wi remote control Playerscreate a custombedavatar to takė partinWi Sports, caleda Mi FIFA 12 (Xbox 360) Gamers competeinsports induding ternis, bowing, golf,bodngand more Contairs official licerses for al football leagues and players Wii Sports is offidalythe best-seling anme 1 ofaltime, oustingSuper Mario Bros FFA 12 offers gamers the most relktic foctbsal simulation to date Todate, cver B0 milion copies of Wi Sports have beensoldworldwide a hoedblephysics system continues to set the benchmark forsport games Hugdy popukr crlinermocde, as wel as orline leagues and tourmanents The FFA series (started in 93) has now soldover 100 milion units worlchwice • HORROR WORLDS Evoling the eerie atmoxphere of the most haunting horror filrs, somespinetingfrggares candelver real frights as you battleghastly ghouks whie hiding behind your sofa. Ghosts n Goblins (SNES) Despite being only 6leveks kong, the grneis farmed for itsciffiauty Resident Evil (PlayStation) Once completed, gamers are tokd to finshthegame aganforthe endrg Residert Evi drew from numerous horar filrs, setting the template for the genre Eerie eremies indude cydops, derron, cragons, ogres and 2ombies The bend-ofstage bosses, ranging from the unicom to Satan, represent a formidable chakergeand never seem to play far To date, the Resident Evl franchise has soldover 45 mlion copies voridwide There have been 4 Resident Evilfims so far, witha Sthduein 2012 Whlethe dinematic out soenes added to the eerie atmoxphere, Reskdert Evilis frned korhaning truly ciaboical dialogue throughout Devil May Cry 3 (PS2) To firishthe gme, 20grueling missions must be completed * There are atotal of 14 brutal bosses lying in vat for Dente F.EAR3 (PS3) On topof the mainmrissiors, there are 10secret miksions to findandfinsh The campagn modeofof FEAR3 The Devl May Cry serieshassold stretches over 8intervals more than 10 milion copies worldwide Dependng on the ciffiauty settirg it takes around 12 hours to complete There are currently 4 Dei May Cry games rekased, witha 5thcaled Dmc Devl Mayüydue in 2012 There are 14 weaporsand 2 Power Amours to helpyouinthecampaign FEAR3features a variety of Imultiplayer gamesand modes. Gamerschoose to playas FEAR operative Point Man, the main hero from FEAR2, or sinister Paxton Fettel, the antagonist fromFEAR2. The choiceaters the narative I ELTA