Electronic Games, Types of

Technical Platforms and Terms

One hardware platform for electronic games is the computer designed only for games, the so-called console. Equipped with a special computer chip to allow vivid audiovisual presentation, the console connects to a television set, which enables game playing in the living room. Sony (Playstation 3), Microsoft (Xbox 360), and Nintendo (Revolution) have dominated the market in 2006. Games played on consoles are typically called video games.

The second major platform for electronic games is the personal computer (PC). Special hardware is available for PCs to improve the richness of multimedia presentations. Games played on PCs are typically called computer games, although the terms video game and computer game are often used synonymously.

Mobile Gaming Devices

In 1989, home electronics manufacturer Nintendo launched the first mobile gaming device. The Game Boy was essentially a portable, battery-run game console that allowed play at any location. For years, the Game Boy was extremely popular among children all over the world. More recently, improved models have been developed (Game Boy Advance, Micro) to include better graphics and more complex interactivity. In 2005, Sony launched the Playstation Portable, which is technically the most sophisticated mobile gaming console today; it allows movie viewing and other multimedia functions. In addition to portable consoles, which are primarily dedicated to gaming, electronic games are also available for other mobile devices, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, and laptop computers (which can run the same games as stationary PCs). Early games designed for mobile playing display comparatively simple task structures (discussed shortly) and require significant dexterity. For instance, players of the Mario games for the Game Boy must make the protagonist jump from platform to platform (“jump and run”) and must have good timing to avoid traps and obstacles. More recent mobile games are very similar to products sold for stationary use on home consoles and PCs.

Offline and Online Games

Another important distinction in types of electronic games refers to their possible use of the Internet. Early electronic games were played by single individuals offline (single-player mode). Users would play with or against the “artificial intelligence” of the game software that controls dynamic forces in the game world, thus creating challenge and meaningful interaction. The conventional multiplayer mode of video game consoles connects up to four players offline—that is, players use the same console and sit in front of the same screen. PC-based games were eventually programmed to allow for multiplayer use within local area networks (LANs). More recently, PC-based as well as console-based electronic games have begun to include optional connectivity to other players via the Internet. Game manufacturers run Internet platforms to bring players together, hosting a large community of users and enabling multiplayer matches any time, anywhere. For some online games, teams (“clans”) have emerged that compete against each other regularly.

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