Is It The Golden Age Of Gaming?
Video Gaming began in 1972 with the introduction of the instant classic Pong. Since then, the popularity and quality of video games has sky-rocketed. 40 years on and we can all but create reality. Gameplay, graphics and the entire production of games is better than ever. This is why the question stands - is this the Golden Age of video games? Most people have their own opinion on what this age was and really it comes down to what age you are. A gamer's age depicts which generations they have played through, and subsequently the games. Almost every gamer would believe it is the generation they played the most, be that 80s, 90s, 00s or whenever, that is the best. The 80s was a very distinct age for gaming. In 1983, Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and virtually spawned the gaming world as we know it. The 80s saw classic games like Super Mario Bros., Final Fantasy, The Legend Of Zelda and Metal Gear, to name only a few. Up until the 90s, Nintendo was the colossus in the gaming industry, only rivalled by Sega. In 1994 came the birth of Playstation. This new home console gave the gaming world a much needed rejuvenation. One big influence the Playstation created was the use of discs. Up until this consoles had used cartridges. The introduction of discs unveiled a world of new possibilities; the Playstation brought with it exciting new games like Medal Of Honour, Crash Bandicoot, Syphon Filter, Gran Turismo and Metal Gear Solid. The PS1 gave gaming a more mature option and inspired a new audience. Sony took the reigns and held them with little to no competition up until the seventh (current) generation. In 2005, Microsoft released the Xbox 360, their second home console. The Xbox became a popular seller and had a year's head start on the PS3. Despite the initial success of the 360, it was blown out of the water by the Nintendo Wii. By far the winner of the seventh generation, the Wii captivated gamers around the world with its motion-based technology. It gave the industry a new feather in its cap, and introduced a brand new audience; families and people of all ages. The PS3 was released in 2006 and despite being the most powerful of the consoles, it failed to rival the Wii and was losing substantially to the 360. However, one note-worthy thing Sony did in those early stages was create new franchises with Uncharted, InFamous, Resistance, Motorstorm and Little Big Planet. These new games have become paramount to the success of the PS3. Since the seventh generation began, it has been a one horse race for the Nintendo Wii, but most would argue that few memorable games have been produced by Nintendo. It has given us titles like Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Donkey Kong Country Returns; all of these games are sequels but really build upon what came before. Despite being sequels of games that debuted a long time ago, they are almost complete reinventions and therefore stand on their own. However, for me, the PS3 and 360 are the two powerhouses that have really defined seventh generation gaming. 
These two consoles churn out more and more impressive titles every year. They have given us countless experiences, whether its chain-sawing through that first Locust in Gears of War or climbing up a derelict train hanging from a cliff in Uncharted 2. These are the moments, for me, which I will remember when I look back on the seventh generation. 2013 has produced some very good games so far, including Dead Space 3, Crysis 3, Tomb Raider and Bioshock: Infinite and with games like the Last of Us, Grand Theft Auto 5, Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, Watch Dogs and Beyond Two Souls on their way later in the year, I think its safe to say that it is truly a great year for gaming. And thats not even mentioning the little unveiling of the Playstation 4. With the lacklustre response to the release of Nintendos new console, the Wii U, gamers around the world tuned in on February 20th to see Sony unveil their newest console. The Playstation 4 has so far been met with much excitement and promising pre-order sales. Having shown off their new online and sharing features, gamer-orientated plan and the impressive looking Killzone: Shadowfall, InFamous: Second Son and quirky Knack its not hard to see why. The world awaits Microsofts unveiling of their next effort. By E3 2013 we should know much more about the upcoming consoles. Games nowadays have virtually endless possibilities. Logically, to compare contemporary games to Space Invaders, Earthworm Jim etc. is just stupid. But theres no fun in just saying that. Plus, without the classics like Pong, there would be no Top Spin (to stick with the tennis theme). The only real reason we say the Nintendo 64 was a classic is for nostalgic reasons and because, at the time, it gave us truly classic experiences. Admittedly, when I think of my favourite games, my old favourite Resident Evil 4 no longer has a place in my top 10, and that saddens me but it is what it is. However, its unfair to judge old games to new ones because you have to give them time period credibility. Every generation of gaming brought something new to the fray and so each deserves acknowledgment. So whether you believe that the Golden Age of gaming was running side-to-side avoiding Donkey Kongs barrels, exploring your first cave as Lara Croft or gliding over the derelict streets of Arkham City as Batman, one thing is for sure; the future of gaming is looking brighter than ever.