Gaming Hall of Fame welcomes 'Sonic,' 'Space Invaders,' 'Oregon Trail' and more

Video games are constantly getting bigger, better and weirder, but that doesn't stop the gaming community from indulging in nostalgia. 

The World Video Game Hall of Fame, based in Rochester, NY, honors beloved games that have undeniable influence and legacy among gamers. And as of this year, the Hall of Fame now includes Sonic the Hedgehog, The Legend of Zelda, The Oregon Trail, Grand Theft Auto III and The Sims.

The newly honored titles will be exhibited at the Strong Museum in Rochester, along with previous winners Doom, Pong, Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros, Tetris and World of Warcraft.

The inductees share cult status and longevity. The museum said they "all have significantly affected the video game industry, popular culture, and society in general."

"Although a handful of shooter games preceded Space Invaders, its runaway success, innovative features, compelling graphics, and elemental themes captured the public imagination, spurring many imitators and a craze for arcade games," said Jeremy Saucier, assistant director of The Strong's International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG).

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"Grand Theft Auto III renewed debates about the role of games and violence in society while it signaled video games aren't just for kids," Saucier said of the 2001 game.

ICHEG director Jon-Paul Dyson described another winner, The Sims, as having "universal appeal," noting that it made "adults as passionate about the game as children."

"By turning the computer into a toy to explore the complexity of the human experience, The Sims radically expanded the notion of what a game could be," Dyson said.

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