Top 80 Video Games, According to the Smithsonian

 

Sephiroph from Final Fantasy VII

The Smithsonian American Art Museum has been soliciting gamer opinions for an exhibit. As a result of that research, it has selected 80 games from five different eras to be a part of its Art of Video Games exhibit.

The Art of Video Games exhibit will open in Washington, DC, on March 16, 2012, and will run through September 30, 2012.

After looking over the list, I think it seems about right to me. A lot of the games I would have personally included myself are there. I do think there’s a grave ommission of certain PC games, though: The Longest Journey, Half Life, Lands of Lore and the Kings Quest games to name a few.

So what do you think? Did the Smithsonian get it right? What would you have included or not included?

Here is the list of games that will be featured:

Era 1: Start!

Atari VCS
Pac-Man
Pitfall
Space Invaders
Combat

Colecovision
Donkey Kong
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
Zaxxon
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator

Mattel Intellivision
Tron: Maze-Atron
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Star Strike
Utopia

Era 2: 8-Bit

Commodore 64
Jumpman
The Bard’s Tale III: Thief of Fate
Attack of the Mutant Camels
Sid Meier’s Pirates!

Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Mario Bros.
The Legend of Zelda
1943: The Battle of Midway
Desert Commander

Sega Master System
Marble Madness
Phantasy Star
After Burner
Spy vs. Spy

Era 3: Bitwars!

Sega Genesis
Earthworm Jim
Phantasy Star IV
Gunstar Heroes
Dune II: Battle for Arrakis

Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Mario World
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Star Fox
SimCity

Era 4: Transition

DOS/Windows
Doom II
Fallout
Diablo II
StarCraft

Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Goldeneye 007
Worms Armageddon

Sega Dreamcast
Sonic Adventure
Shenmue
Rez
Chu Chu Rocket!

Sega Saturn
Tomb Raider
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei
Sim City 2000

Sony PlayStation
Metal Gear Solid
Final Fantasy VII
Einhander
Final Fantasy Tactics

Era 5: Next Generation

Microsoft Xbox
Halo 2
Fable
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell

Microsoft Xbox 360
BioShock
Mass Effect 2
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II

Modern Windows
Portal
Fallout 3
flOw
Minecraft

Nintendo GameCube
Metroid Prime 2: Echos
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Star Fox: Assault
Pikmin 2

Nintendo Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Boom Blox
Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

Sony PlayStation 2
Shadow of the Colossus
Okami
Gradius V
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Sony PlayStation 3
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Heavy Rain
Flower
Brutal Legend

Additional Games (available for short play in exhibit, not included in vote)
Pac-Man (Arcade)
Super Mario Bros.
The Secret of Monkey Island
Myst
World of Warcraft