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==History== When the [[video game industry]] began in the early 1970s, following the success of ''[[Pong]]'', the majority of early [[arcade game|arcade games]] were [[sports video games|sports games]] that attempted to [[Simulation|simulate]] real sports, especially ''Pong'' clones and occasionally [[racing video games|racing games]].<ref name="1UP-50"/> While some action games began gaining popularity around the mid-1970s, with releases such as ''[[Gun Fight]]'' in 1975<ref name="Steinberg">{{Cite book|title=Boy Culture: An Encyclopedia|volume=1|author=Shirley R. Steinberg|editor=Shirley R. Steinberg, Michael Kehler, Lindsay Cornish|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2010|rl=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XRGEIqzv5rsC|accessdate=2011-04-02|page=451}}, ISBN 0313350809</ref><ref name="Kent">Steve L. Kent (2001), ''The ultimate history of video games: from Pong to PokΓ©mon and beyond : the story behind the craze that touched our lives and changed the world'', p. 64, Prima, ISBN 0761536434</ref> and ''[[Sea Wolf]]'' in 1976,<ref>{{Cite book|title=The first quarter: a 25-year history of video games|author=Steven L. Kent|publisher=BWD Press|year=2000|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ny-CAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-09|page=83|quote=Sea Wolf, which was another creation of Dave Nutting, did solid business, selling more than 10,000 machines. (A later color version sold an additional 4000 units.)}}</ref> the industry was still largely dominated by sports games,<ref name="1UP-50"/> though the flood of ''Pong'' clones eventually led to the video game crash of 1977.<ref name="Whittaker-122">{{Cite book|title=The cyberspace handbook|author=Jason Whittaker|publisher=Routledge|year=2004|page=122}}, ISBN 041516835X</ref> A major turning point for action games came with the 1978 release of the [[shoot 'em up]] game ''[[Space Invaders]]'',<ref name="1UP-50"/> which marked an end to the 1977 crash and the beginning of the golden age of arcade games.<ref name="Whittaker-122">{{Cite book|title=The cyberspace handbook|author=Jason Whittaker|publisher=Routledge|year=2004|page=122}}, ISBN 041516835X</ref> As a result of ''Space Invaders'' mainstream success, the industry came to be dominated by action games,<ref name="1UP-50"/> which have remained the most dominant genre in the [[arcades]] and on [[Video game console|game consoles]] through to the present day.<ref>{{Citation|title=The cyberspace handbook|author=Jason Whittaker|publisher=Routledge|year=2004|page=129}}, ISBN 041516835X</ref> Along with ''Space Invaders'',<ref name="GS-SI-Hall">{{Cite web| url=http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/spaceinvaders.shtm| title=The Gamespy Hall of Fame: Space Invaders| publisher=[[GameSpy]]| author=Kevin Bowen| accessdate=2009-02-17}}</ref> ''[[Asteroids Deluxe]]'' from 1979<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/838/838642p1.html | title = Asteroids Deluxe Review | author = Nate Ahearn | publisher = IGN | date = 2007-11-29 | accessdate = 2009-02-17 }}</ref> and ''[[Pac-Man]]'' from 1980<ref name="bandainamco">{{Cite web | url = http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/bnours/hotnews/index.php?id=21 | title = Bandai Namco press release for 25th Anniversary Edition |language = Japanese | quote = {{Lang|ja|2005εΉ΄5ζ22ζ₯γ§ηθͺ25ε¨εΉ΄γθΏγγγγγγ―γγ³γγ}} ("Pac-Man celebrates his 25th anniversary on May 22, 2005", seen in image caption) | author = Namco Bandai Games Inc. | publisher = bandainamcogames.co.jp/ | date = 2005-06-02 |accessdate = 2007-10-10 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071230012914/http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/bnours/hotnews/index.php?id=21 |archivedate = 2007-12-30}}</ref> have also become iconic examples from the action genre.<ref name="fundamentals"/> ''[[Robotron: 2084]]'', released in arcades in 1982, also became a classic in the shooter subgenre.<ref name="fundamentals"/> In much the same` way ''Space Invaders'' set the template for the [[shooter video games|shooter]] video game genre,<ref name="1UP-50">{{Cite web|title=Essential 50: Space Invaders|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|url=http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-space-invaders|accessdate=2011-03-26}}</ref><ref name="1UP-10things">{{Cite web| url = http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3168373| title = Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Space Invaders| publisher = [[1UP.com]]| author = Edwards, Benj| accessdate = 2008-07-11}}</ref> ''[[Donkey Kong]]'' did the same for the [[platform game]] subgenre when it released in 1981.<ref name="GRadar">{{Cite web|title=Gaming's most important evolutions|publisher=GamesRadar|date=October 8, 2010|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/f/gamings-most-important-evolutions/a-20101008102331322035|accessdate=2011-03-31}}</ref> ''[[Paperboy (Arcade)|Paperboy]]'', released in 1984,<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/paperboy/news.html?sid=6165784 | title = Paperboy gets tossed this week | author = Tim Surette | publisher = GameSpot | date = 2007-02-12 | accessdate = 2009-02-17 }}</ref> managed to turn the task of delivering newspapers into an action game, thus demonstrating the versatility of the genre.<ref name="fundamentals"/> That same year saw the emergence of martial arts themed games, with ''[[Karate Champ]]'' establishing the one-on-one [[fighting game]] subgenre,<ref name="games.ign.com">{{Cite web | url = http://games.ign.com/articles/840/840621p1.html | title = IGN's Top 10 Most Influential Games | publisher = IGN | author = Ryan Geddes & Daemon Hatfield | date = 2007-12-10 | accessdate = 2009-04-14 }}</ref> and ''[[Kung-Fu Master]]'' laying the foundations for the [[Side-scrolling|side-scrolling]] [[beat 'em up]] subgenre.<ref name="tao1">Spencer, Spanner, [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-tao-of-beat-em-ups-article?page=2 The Tao of Beat-'em-ups], ''Eurogamer'', Feb 6, 2008, Accessed Mar 18, 2009</ref><ref name = "CGW">Kunkel, Bill; Worley, Joyce; Katz, Arnie, "The Furious Fists of Sega!", ''Computer Gaming World'', Oct 1988, pp. 48-49</ref> Although ''[[DOOM]]'', released in 1994, was not the earliest [[first-person shooter]], it became a worldwide classic for its emotional tone, and for breaking away from rectangular rooms and flat floors.<ref name="fundamentals"/> [[Third-person shooter]]s have also gained popularity in recent years, due to innovations such as the lock-on targeting introduced in 1998's ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'', the [[cover ]] system introduced in 1999's ''[[WinBack]]'', and over-the-shoulder aiming introduced in 2005's ''[[Resident Evil 4]]''.<ref name="GRadar"/>
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