History and Development of Representation in Games

1970- 2016

My choice of important characters from each decade:

1970's
The Space Invaders are very iconic characters. It can be initially assumed that the cannon laser would stand out more as it represents that player but the player actually only looks at the aliens the entire game to try and shoot them. This game revolutionised the industry and is considered a great inspiration for many game developers.

1980's
Donkey Kong was the most complex game at the time of its release. It features multiple stages and is the first platform game that allows the character to jump. His design is also very iconic and even inspired tv and movie characters like Wreck it Ralph.

1990's

Chrono Trigger was an innovation when it came out. It features include as being able to control more than one character, multiple endings and sidequests. It also has an expansive and great narrative, which in my opinion is one of the most important part of a game. The characters were also developed through sidequests which was a first in gaming history.

2000's

League of Legends  out MOBAs on the gaming map. It was well received when it was released but since then has changed esports drastically. Its world championships had the biggest prize pool in the history of esports. Although it's free to play, people spend hundred of dollars to buy skins that don't even affect the gameplay. I think it's astounding that players would pay for aesthetics even though it wouldn't make them better players. This shows the amount of  influence the champions on this game has on the gaming industry.

2010's

Portal 2 is a sequel and yet it probably has surpassed its predecessor. It's been praised for its narrative, dark humour and great learning curve. Chell is, in my opinion, one of the most important  game character in this decade. The game is not in third person and with a non sexualised design, Chell is a great step towards gender equality in gaming. She doesn't talk and is rarely seen but still has a lot of impact in the game  which I think makes Portal an amazing game built upon great foundations of strong narrative and character development. 

Taito,. Space Invaders. 2010. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

Nintendo,. Donkey Kong. 2009. Web. 2 Oct 2015.

Disney,. Wreck-It Ralph 2014. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

Square Enix,. Chrono. 2008. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

Valve,. Chell. 2011. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

Riot,. What does it take to build a League of Legends Champion?. 2015. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.