You’d think Mario or Tetris would be the only things you need to talk about when discussing the greatest games ever made. But the World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, is actually way more selective than your average "Top 10" list on a fan forum. It's not just about what was "fun" or what sold ten million copies. It's about what changed the world.
Think about it.
Every year, thousands of people nominate their favorites. Only a handful make the cut. Since its inception in 2015, the Hall of Fame has become the definitive authority on which pieces of software actually shaped human culture. It’s a mix of arcade relics, PC staples, and mobile sensations. It’s weird, it’s prestigious, and honestly, it’s a bit controversial depending on who you ask.
How the World Video Game Hall of Fame Actually Works
Most people assume it’s just a popularity contest. It isn't. To get inducted, a game has to hit four very specific pillars: Icon-status, Longevity, Geographical Reach, and Influence.
The "Influence" part is usually where the drama happens. A game might be huge in the U.S. but if it didn't move the needle globally, the committee—which is made up of journalists, scholars, and industry heavyweights—might pass it over for years. We’re talking about people who look at games as historical artifacts.
Take Colossal Cave Adventure. Most Gen Z gamers have never heard of it. It’s a text-based game from the 70s. No graphics. Just words. But without it, we don't get Zork, we don't get Adventure on the Atari, and we probably don't get the modern RPG. It was inducted in 2019 because its DNA is in almost everything we play today. That’s the level of depth the World Video Game Hall of Fame looks for. It’s about the "ancestor" games.
The Class of 2024 and Why It Matters
The most recent inductions really highlight the diversity of the Hall's mission. You have Asteroids, Myst, Resident Evil, and SimCity.
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SimCity is a fascinating one. It’s a game about urban planning and taxes. On paper, that sounds like a miserable way to spend a Saturday. But Will Wright’s creation proved that "non-linear" play could be a massive commercial success. It paved the way for The Sims and basically every city-builder on the market. Then you have Resident Evil, which basically codified the survival horror genre. It wasn’t the first horror game—Alone in the Dark beat it to the punch—but it was the one that made "tank controls" and limited ammo a global phenomenon.
Why Some Legends Are Still Waiting in the Hallway
You might be asking: "Where is Final Fantasy VII?" or "How is GoldenEye 007 not in yet?"
Selection is slow. On purpose. The Hall of Fame usually only lets in four or five games a year. This creates a massive backlog of legendary titles. The committee often weighs whether a game was a "technical marvel" or a "cultural shift."
- Mortal Kombat (Class of 2019) got in not just because it was a great fighter, but because it literally triggered a U.S. Senate hearing on video game violence.
- It led to the creation of the ESRB rating system.
- That is "Influence" with a capital I.
StarCraft is another example of a game that had to wait its turn. It’s the national sport of South Korea, basically. Its impact on the world of esports is undeniable. But it didn't get the nod until 2021. Sometimes the board waits to see if a game's "Longevity" holds up. They don't want to induct a "flash in the pan" that everyone forgets in five years. They want the stuff that will be studied in 2126.
The Mobile and Social Media Shift
There was a lot of grumbling when Angry Birds and Candy Crush Saga were nominated. Hardcore gamers tend to look down on "match-three" games or physics puzzles you play while waiting for the bus.
But the World Video Game Hall of Fame doesn't care about "gamer cred."
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They care about reach. Candy Crush has been downloaded billions of times. It introduced demographics to gaming that had never touched a controller in their lives. Grandmas, suburban dads, people in developing countries with cheap smartphones—everyone played Candy Crush. In 2023, it was officially inducted. It’s hard to argue with those numbers. If the goal is to document the history of play, you can't ignore the games that reached the most humans.
Misconceptions About the Selection Process
A lot of folks think the public vote is the final word. It’s not. There is a "Player's Choice" ballot where fans can vote online. The top three games from the public vote form one single ballot that is cast alongside the ballots of the International Selection Advisory Committee.
Basically, the fans are just one voice in a room full of historians.
This is why Neopets or Wizard101 might win a fan poll but still not get into the Hall. The historians are looking for "Geographical Reach." Did the game impact Europe, Asia, and North America equally? Pokémon Red and Blue (2016) is the gold standard here. It was a total global takeover. It changed music, TV, and merchandise.
The Physical Museum Experience in Rochester
If you ever get the chance to go to The Strong National Museum of Play, do it. It’s not just a plaque on a wall. They have the "eGameRevolution" exhibit which is essentially a massive, playable history lesson.
You can see the original Pong cabinets. You can see how the graphics evolved from the Magnavox Odyssey to the PlayStation 5. It puts the World Video Game Hall of Fame into a physical context. Seeing a child today struggle to understand a rotary phone and then seeing them intuitively pick up a NES controller is a trip. It proves the design of these games was universal.
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The "Forgotten" Inductees
Everyone remembers The Legend of Zelda (2016) or Grand Theft Auto III (2016). But some of the most important entries are the ones that sound "boring."
- Microsoft Solitaire (Class of 2019): It was pre-installed on every Windows PC. It taught an entire generation how to use a mouse (specifically, how to drag and drop).
- The Oregon Trail (Class of 2016): It pioneered educational gaming. It’s why every American kid in the 80s and 90s knows what dysentery is.
- John Madden Football (Class of 2016): It changed how we watch actual sports. The "Madden View" became the standard camera angle for real-life NFL broadcasts.
How to Get Involved and What’s Next
The nomination process for the next class usually opens up late in the year. Anyone can submit a game through The Strong’s website. You just have to make a compelling case for why that game fits the four criteria.
If you want to understand the history of this medium, don't just look at the sales charts. Look at the Hall of Fame. It tells a story of human psychology and how we interact with machines.
Actionable Steps for Gaming History Enthusiasts:
- Visit the Archive: Check out the online database at The Strong National Museum of Play to see the full list of inductees and "finalists" from previous years. It’s a great way to find "hidden gems" you might have missed.
- Nominate Your Favorite: Keep an eye on the official announcement dates (usually around March for finalists and May for winners). If you think Half-Life 2 or Metal Gear Solid deserves more recognition, get the community to vote.
- Play the Classics: Many Hall of Fame entries are available on modern platforms through services like Nintendo Switch Online, Xbox Game Pass, or GOG.com. Playing Zork or the original Doom today gives you a whole new appreciation for how far we've come.
- Support Game Preservation: Digital rot is real. Many of these hall-of-fame-worthy games are disappearing because the hardware is dying. Support organizations like the Video Game History Foundation which work to keep these games playable for future generations.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame isn't just a trophy room. It's a reminder that these "toys" changed how we communicate, how we learn, and how we spend our lives. It gives legitimacy to an art form that was once dismissed as a fad. Whether your favorite game is in yet or not, the fact that this institution exists means the medium is finally getting the respect it earned.