Game On: The Nostalgic Art of Video Games

Game On begins with the first arcade games Spacewar!, Computer Space, Pong, and Space Invaders. Pong was developed by Allan Alcorn (Atari’s first employee) and was a two-player simulation of ping pong. 

To test the prototype, a Pong cabinet was installed at a tavern in Sunnyvale, California. After just two days, the game broke, because the cash box had overflowed and jammed the machine. In 1974, Pong was the first video game to have a home version that reached millions of people in North America, Japan, and Europe. 

Home gaming quickly became popular and Nintendo— a Japanese company founded in 1889 that initially produced gaming cards— took over the market as the leader for gaming consoles. In 1980, Nintendo created the first handheld game system, the Game & Watch. Nine years later, the Game Boy was released and with it a series of games that are now iconic: Tetris, Mario and its spins-off, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon. 

Walking around the exhibition, it is clear no game is left unplayed. Most of them are set up side by side, arcade style, with a transparent window that allows for the console to be seen. Sound is unfortunately not available for every game, but visitors are not put off. 

In the 1990s section, a couple in their 40s plays Sonic the Hedgehog on an old Sega console. He hums the background music by heart; she provides the action sounds. Looking back at older games, some of the visuals now look very antiquated. Despite this, the magic is not lost. Sound, however, is a more crucial component of any gaming experience. 

Why is sound so essential? Giacomo Frega, audio designer at Klei Entertainment, explains that sound in video games serves two main purposes: the first is to create “a sense of implied reality that helps the player to be transported into the fictitious world of the game.” The second purpose is informative. 

Frega notes that sound is there to “provide feedback to the player about their actions and the actions of other players or other virtual entities in the game. Without a good use of auditory feedback, some games would be more difficult to play and master, others even outright boring.” Sound is, therefore, what makes the experience complete. 

Game on ends with an immersive experience available through Oculus Quest, Meta’s VR headset. Through a wearable headset and two hand controllers, players enter a 3D world where visuals and audio envelop them. Even in this scenario, audio is at the core of the experience.

"Spatial audio is crucial for VR because it complements the immersive visuals by providing directional sound cues that match the virtual environment,” clarifies Varun Nair, former head of AR/VR audio software at Meta. “It enhances the user's sense of presence and makes the experience feel more realistic and believable."

Ultimately, the secret behind a game’s success lies in multiple factors, not just one. Some have strong, well-executed game ideas, but don’t focus much on presentation. Others, such as the recently rediscovered The Last of Us, rely on a compelling storyline, but are not particularly innovative in terms of gameplay. What makes a good game a great game is a matter of preference mixed with well-executed technicalities. 

Over the years, the contribution of Scottish game makers to the industry has been exceptional— Lemmings, Grand Theft Auto, and Viewfinder, to name a few. It feels therefore appropriate to walk the streets of Edinburgh, reach the National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street, and lose ourselves in all these digital adventures. 

Game On is on show at the National Museum of Scotland until November 3rd, 2024. Relaxed evening visits are also available for those with sensory or additional support needs.