What year was the best for video games?

The Introduction to the Gaming Odyssey

Oh, the thrill of video games! Look, here's the thing: I was there, right at the beginning. Yes, I was there when the first consoles came about. Back then, we weren't playing for streams or likes; we were just a bunch of kids entranced by this magic box that brought such burst of colors and adventures right into our bedrooms. Now, sitting here decades later, controller still in hand, I find myself thinking - What year was the best for video games? It's a question that's simmered on my mind for a while, and there's no better time than now to explore this enchanting gaming odyssey.

Nostalgic Trip Down 80's Lane

Let's wind back the clock and take a nostalgic trip down the 80's lane. Ah, the 1980s, the era of grand hairdos, the birth of heavy metal and who can forget Marty McFly! But for us gaming geeks, it was the birth of Nintendo's Game Boy and frankly, nothing ever stayed the same. The release of groundbreaking titles like Super Mario Land and Tetris revolutionised the industry. And Tetris? Well, let's just say it was a perfect inspiration for my studio apartment arrangements. The cascade of geometric shapes had a profound impact on the way I viewed the world. Triangles, squares, lines – they all took on new meanings. The 1980s were a veritable revolution in the gaming world and shaped the scene for what was to come in the future.

90's - The Decade of Versatility and Vibrance

Speaking of the future, let's scale our time machine a decade forward to the 90's, the decade of versatility and vibrance in gaming. It was a grand time when the Sega Mega Drive was vying for our attention and PlayStation was just joining the fray. The 90's truly were a veritable playground of innovation, and titles like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, GoldenEye 007, and Final Fantasy VII broke the molds of what games could be. Ever attempted a headshot on GoldenEye 007 on your fifteen-inch CRT TV? I can tell you, it was no small feat. The games of the 90's didn't just try to be fun, they redefined the parameters of storytelling, gameplay, and technology, making this era a serious contender for the best year in video games.

The Millennial Resurgence

Let’s hit the fast forward button to the turn of the century. Welcome to the 2000s or, as I affectionately call it, the millennial resurgence of gaming. It was the year we got a taste of a ragtag group of intergalactic misfits meeting on a space station (Mass Effect, anyone?), the year we gasped in horror as a monstrous cyclops descended upon us in God of War, and the year we pondered morality after sacrificing a Little Sister in Bioshock. This was a decade that saw gaming mature and evolve from a niche hobby to a mainstream pastime. And with the emergence of online multiplayers, the scale of gaming ballooned. The once solitary venture became a social one. Guilds were formed, friendships were forged and rivalries were born. The universe of gaming extended far beyond our living rooms, it was now a part of the global ecosystem.

The Enthralling Present and Exciting Future

Today, as I sit behind the screen in the year 2023, I can't help but marvel at how far we’ve travelled in this gaming journey. Games are no longer confined to consoles or PCs, they’ve spilled over to our smartphones, cloud platforms, even our watches! VR and AR technologies have expanded the horizons of interactive entertainment. The likes of Half-Life: Alyx, Beat Saber and Pokémon Go have allowed us to step into the world of games quite literally. Beyond the platform and technology, the narratives and nature of games have also evolved. Game designers and developers are taking bold steps when it comes to addressing social issues and pushing boundaries, delivering a richer, more immersive and responsible gaming experience. We're scripting our tales, building our worlds, and creating our adventures like never before.

So, after swimming around in the vast ocean of game history, what's the final verdict – what year was the best for video games? I don't think there's a definitive answer. It’s not just about the games that were released, but it's about where we were. The games were there to accompany us through our journey, offering support, education and an escape. And to that, all I can say is – the best year for video games? It's every year that we press start.