Celebrate National Video Games Day

Today on the 501 on First Blog we are highlighting a fun holiday coming up this month on September 12th: National Video Games Day! Video games are one of the newest forms of art and entertainment in the world. While the earliest games were very simple representations of real-life games like table tennis and handball, video games have evolved into a vast variety of genres, game styles, stories, and avenues of artistic expression. We’ve compiled a list of a few popular video games for you to play!

BioShock

BioShock is an exploration-focused first-person shooter that makes streamlined, simplified use of some of its predecessors' mechanics, such as the use of audio logs as a storytelling device, a hacking minigame (reminiscent of the classic puzzler Pipe Dream), and special abilities.

Set in 1960, BioShock begins with a plane crash, with the player character, named Jack, being the only survivor. The player takes refuge in a lone lighthouse in the middle of the ocean. A bathysphere leads down into the bowels of the underwater city of Rapture.

Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy takes place in space, high above the Mushroom Kingdom. As Mario arrives at the centennial Star Festival, Bowser and his armada of airships attack, bringing destruction down upon the kingdom and physically lifting Peach's castle into the heavens. Mario attempts to rescue the Princess, only to lose track of her as he too is sent soaring into the universe.

Guitar Hero

The gameplay of Guitar Hero is based around a rhythm mechanic. The player uses a guitar-shaped controller with five buttons to hit color-coded notes, and a "strum bar" to simulate the picking of strings in time with the music. A "Rock Meter" on the side of the screen indicates the crowd's satisfaction with the performance. Hitting notes raises the meter, missing notes lowers it.

Overwatch

In Overwatch, you control one of several heroes in competitive 6-person team shooting matches. Battle over objectives, take down the other team, and achieve victory. As you play games of Overwatch, you’ll gain levels, unlocking new customization options to make your heroes look and sound unique!

What other games would you add to our list? Share your suggestions with the rest of our apartment community in the comments. Happy National Video Games Day!