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6 Things to do in survival Minecraft when you're bored.

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6 Things to do in survival Minecraft when you're bored.

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First you can make a big city. second you can make a big map. third you can find villages. forth you can find ship wrecks fifth you can find a treasure map sixth find the buried treasure.

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20 Fun Things To Do in Survival Minecraft if You're Bored

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first you will need a phone. and a laptop and an iPad and a computer.

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first you gather. the stuff you need then. you make. a story then you create. the world then you create. the main character then you create all of the character then you customize.

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first you have to test. the video game then you need a publisher. a publisher is someone. who publish the game then the publisher will make adds.

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Roblox is a game that you can play with your friends. you can be. anything in Roblox.

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Minecraft is a game. that you can craft and mine and build and fight with your friends and monsters.  

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the arcade is a place. that you can play video games. 

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This article might show you. When the first video game was made.

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Video games - glossary of video game terms.

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Video games - glossary of video game terms.

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This article helps. You know. About the glossary of video game terms.

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Beta, boss, G.U.I., and more

by Mark Hughes

accelerometer (noun)

This device measures the vibration and motion of the player. It is an integral part of the Wii remote.

action (noun)

Game genre that requires the player to have quick reflexes.

adventure (noun)

Game genre in which the player follows a story, solves puzzles, interacts with non-player characters, and explores the "world".

advergame (noun)

Type of game that has been created solely to promote a product, such as a movie.

analog control (noun)

A type of controller that is sensitive to the degree in which a button or joystick is pushed.

anime (noun)

A style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark, colorful graphics. Numerous videogames have environments and characters influenced by anime.

arcade game (noun)

A stand-alone game for use in a public space, commonly seen in the 1980s and early 1990s.

A.I. (artificial intelligence) (noun)

the capability of a game to imitate intelligent human behavior.

backward compatible (aka downward compatible) (noun or adjective)

A gaming system (console, PC, etc.) that supports games that were made for the previous version of the system.

beta (noun)

a nearly complete prototype of a game. Users often test beta versions to alert developers of bugs or problems.

boss (noun)

a powerful character that a player will face and must defeat at the end of a level.

bundling (verb)

to sell a package containing a videogame and a piece of hardware. A common example is often seen when games are included with the purchase of a new gaming system.

cheat code (noun)

Some games have the option of entering codes that effect game play, such as the ability to have unlimited ammunition or to never receive damage.

C.G. (computer graphics) (noun)

Graphics created and displayed on a computer.

console (noun)

A hardware device that is connected to a television set for the purpose of playing a videogame.

cut-scene (noun)

A animation technique that continues the storyline between game segments. The player cannot interact with this animation.

demo (noun)

A sample playable demonstration of a game that is intended to entice the player to purchase the full version.

downwardly compatible (also backward compatible) (noun or adjective)

A gaming system (console, PC, etc.) that supports games that were made for the previous version of a system.

educational game (noun)

A game genre that is intended to teach younger players.

edutainment (noun)

A game genre that is intended to entertain as well as be educational.

end user (noun)

a person who buys and plays a game.

end user (noun)

a person who buys and plays a game.

E.S.R.B. (Entertainment Software Ratings Board)

An industry organization that has developed a rating system for computer and videogames.

first-person (noun)

A perspective in which the events in a game are viewed as if seen through the eyes of the main character.

gamer (noun)

a person who plays games.

genre (noun)

a category characterized by a particular style, form, or content. Common genres are action, adventure, role-play, strategy, and so on.

G.U.I. (Graphical User Interface) (noun)

Graphical interface for the gamer to interact with the computer program onscreen.

M.M.O.G. (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) (noun)

Refers to online games that can be played simultaneously with other gamers throughout the world. Poptropica is an example of a M.M.O.G.

M.M.O.R.P.G. (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) (noun)

Similar to an MMOG, but in which the gamer takes the part of a character. World of Warcraft is an example of a M.M.O.R.P.G.

N.P.C. (Non-Player Character) (noun)

a game character under the control of the A.I.

recoil (intransitive verb)

Spring-back effect from the force that is created when firing a weapon, this action can impact the player's aim on a target.

resolution (noun)

This refers to the ratio of dots per inch on a display, which impacts the degree of sharpness or fineness of the images.

R.P.G. (Role-Playing Game) (noun)

A game in which the gamer takes on the part of a character.

RTS (Real Time Strategy Games) (noun)

The player has a high degree of control over armies and individual units, as well as building bases, gathering resources, and developing technology. Age of Empires III is an example of an RTS game.

sandbox (noun)

A game in which the player ignores the game's objectives so as to explore the game's environment. Sandbox games are also referred to as nonlinear or open-ended. The Grand Theft Auto series allows for open-ended play.

shoulder buttons (noun)

These buttons are positioned at the top of a game controller and are designed to be easily accessible to a player's index or middle fingers. This contrasts with the main buttons on the controller which are intended for the player's thumbs.

simulation game (noun)

Refers to games that attempt to accurately depict situations and experiences one might have in the real world.

spoiler (noun)

These are details about a game that might ruin a player's enjoyment, such as information about the ending of the game's story.

stealth (noun or verb)

A type of game in which remaining undetected is one of the main features. Metal Gear Solid is a series of games involving stealth.

suppression fire (adjective)

This refers to the strategy of using overwhelming fire power to prevent enemies from firing their weapons and forcing them to take cover.

tactical (noun and adjective)

A type of game in which the player must use tactics and strategies to survive and complete the game's objectives.

third-person (noun)

A perspective in which the player has an overhead view of the characters and events within the game.

unlimited ammo (noun)

This is a feature in many games that must be unlocked with a cheat code. The code allows the player's character to have limitless ammunition.

Beta, boss, G.U.I., and more

by Mark Hughes

accelerometer (noun)

This device measures the vibration and motion of the player. It is an integral part of the Wii remote.

action (noun)

Game genre that requires the player to have quick reflexes.

adventure (noun)

Game genre in which the player follows a story, solves puzzles, interacts with non-player characters, and explores the "world".

advergame (noun)

Type of game that has been created solely to promote a product, such as a movie.

analog control (noun)

A type of controller that is sensitive to the degree in which a button or joystick is pushed.

anime (noun)

A style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark, colorful graphics. Numerous videogames have environments and characters influenced by anime.

arcade game (noun)

A stand-alone game for use in a public space, commonly seen in the 1980s and early 1990s.

A.I. (artificial intelligence) (noun)

the capability of a game to imitate intelligent human behavior.

backward compatible (aka downward compatible) (noun or adjective)

A gaming system (console, PC, etc.) that supports games that were made for the previous version of the system.

beta (noun)

a nearly complete prototype of a game. Users often test beta versions to alert developers of bugs or problems.

boss (noun)

a powerful character that a player will face and must defeat at the end of a level.

bundling (verb)

to sell a package containing a videogame and a piece of hardware. A common example is often seen when games are included with the purchase of a new gaming system.

cheat code (noun)

Some games have the option of entering codes that effect game play, such as the ability to have unlimited ammunition or to never receive damage.

C.G. (computer graphics) (noun)

Graphics created and displayed on a computer.

console (noun)

A hardware device that is connected to a television set for the purpose of playing a videogame.

cut-scene (noun)

A animation technique that continues the storyline between game segments. The player cannot interact with this animation.

demo (noun)

A sample playable demonstration of a game that is intended to entice the player to purchase the full version.

downwardly compatible (also backward compatible) (noun or adjective)

A gaming system (console, PC, etc.) that supports games that were made for the previous version of a system.

educational game (noun)

A game genre that is intended to teach younger players.

edutainment (noun)

A game genre that is intended to entertain as well as be educational.

end user (noun)

a person who buys and plays a game.

end user (noun)

a person who buys and plays a game.

E.S.R.B. (Entertainment Software Ratings Board)

An industry organization that has developed a rating system for computer and videogames.

first-person (noun)

A perspective in which the events in a game are viewed as if seen through the eyes of the main character.

gamer (noun)

a person who plays games.

genre (noun)

a category characterized by a particular style, form, or content. Common genres are action, adventure, role-play, strategy, and so on.

G.U.I. (Graphical User Interface) (noun)

Graphical interface for the gamer to interact with the computer program onscreen.

M.M.O.G. (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) (noun)

Refers to online games that can be played simultaneously with other gamers throughout the world. Poptropica is an example of a M.M.O.G.

M.M.O.R.P.G. (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) (noun)

Similar to an MMOG, but in which the gamer takes the part of a character. World of Warcraft is an example of a M.M.O.R.P.G.

N.P.C. (Non-Player Character) (noun)

a game character under the control of the A.I.

recoil (intransitive verb)

Spring-back effect from the force that is created when firing a weapon, this action can impact the player's aim on a target.

resolution (noun)

This refers to the ratio of dots per inch on a display, which impacts the degree of sharpness or fineness of the images.

R.P.G. (Role-Playing Game) (noun)

A game in which the gamer takes on the part of a character.

RTS (Real Time Strategy Games) (noun)

The player has a high degree of control over armies and individual units, as well as building bases, gathering resources, and developing technology. Age of Empires III is an example of an RTS game.

sandbox (noun)

A game in which the player ignores the game's objectives so as to explore the game's environment. Sandbox games are also referred to as nonlinear or open-ended. The Grand Theft Auto series allows for open-ended play.

shoulder buttons (noun)

These buttons are positioned at the top of a game controller and are designed to be easily accessible to a player's index or middle fingers. This contrasts with the main buttons on the controller which are intended for the player's thumbs.

simulation game (noun)

Refers to games that attempt to accurately depict situations and experiences one might have in the real world.

spoiler (noun)

These are details about a game that might ruin a player's enjoyment, such as information about the ending of the game's story.

stealth (noun or verb)

A type of game in which remaining undetected is one of the main features. Metal Gear Solid is a series of games involving stealth.

suppression fire (adjective)

This refers to the strategy of using overwhelming fire power to prevent enemies from firing their weapons and forcing them to take cover.

tactical (noun and adjective)

A type of game in which the player must use tactics and strategies to survive and complete the game's objectives.

third-person (noun)

A perspective in which the player has an overhead view of the characters and events within the game.

unlimited ammo (noun)

This is a feature in many games that must be unlocked with a cheat code. The code allows the player's character to have limitless ammunition.

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Video Games - Glossary of Video Game Terms

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by Mark Hughes accelerometer (noun) This device measures the vibration and motion of the player. It is an integral part of the Wii remote. action (noun) Game genre that requires the player to have quick reflexes. adventure (noun) Game genre in which the player follows a story, solves puzzles, interacts with non-player characters, and explores the "world".

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You will need a phone and an iPad and a laptop. And a computer to make a video game. First you make a story.  then you gather material then you will have to build the main character then you have to build the world then you can customize your character and your world and then you can publish your new video game

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Play | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

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Learn about NASA space and Earth science with our educational games for kids

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After a long day of school and an after-school club, you finally get home. You tackle your homework while you gobble down a healthy dinner. When you finally have some free time to , you grab a controller and get ready to go for a virtual drive or defend a planet from an invasion.

Playing video games is a popular for kids of all ages. For most kids, the video game journey begins at the video game store and ends at the . But have you ever given any thought to all the work that goes into creating the video games you love?

Some people see video games as simple electronic toys that do not take long to produce. In reality, though, the most popular modern video games are productions that the biggest summer blockbusters created by Hollywood movie studios. Video games can take a year or longer to be made!

Video games might have started out as chasing around a moving dot across a black screen, but today's modern games are interactive marvels that resemble movies and allow for game play across a wide variety of settings.

Every modern video game begins with a story. Whether it's a simulation of a historical or role-playing in a future fantasy world, the story drives the action of the video game and creates a strong between the player and the characters in the game.

Writers, artists, designers, and programmers must collaborate to create all the parts of the story, including the characters, the settings, the music and other sounds, and the possible paths the story can take. Unlike movies, which contain a single , video games must account for all the potential paths intense gameplay can take.

Today's gamers expect life-like video games with the best graphics possible. Characters are expected to move like real people would and objects are usually expected to loosely follow the laws of physics. Settings must look like the real world...or whatever fake world exists in the video game. The level of detail that artists and designers must achieve is challenging. That's why it could take over a hundred people to develop a single video game!

Once all the elements of the video game have been designed, it's up to computer experts to put it all together to make it work effectively as a video game. All the characters, settings, sounds, and gameplay elements must be programmed to work together seamlessly.

Computer programmers must write millions of lines of computer language instructions - called code - that control all aspects of the game. Code can be written in a variety of different computer languages, such as C++, Python, Visual Basic, and Perl.

If you think about controlling a particular in a game, there's a seemingly endless variety of things you can do with that . Code must be written to account for all the possible choices you can make with your . Each move you make leads to changes in the setting, as well as a whole new set of options for your next move. computer code controls all these factors and makes playing the game a seamless experience for the user.

Once a video game is nearly finished, it enters the testing phase, where players test every element of the game in order to find and fix any errors - called bugs - before the game is released. Upon release, the game is marketed to the general public and you get to enjoy the fruits of the thousands upon thousands of hours that went into making the game!

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We hope all you crafty miners will answer the call of duty and join us for today's Wonder of the Day!

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Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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1. Roblox has been around since 2006

Roblox has been around since 2006 - making it 15-years-old!

2. Roblox was created by David Baszucki

Roblox was created by David Baszucki, the idea came from a 2D physics simulator he made.

3. The game was originally called Dynablocks

The game was originally called Dynablocks! We think Roblox is a much better name!

4. The currency in Roblox is called Robux

The currency in Roblox is called Robux.

Currency is something you use to buy things with, for example in the UK we use the Great British Pound (£) to purchase things from shops etc - but in the world of Roblox they use Robux (R$).

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5. Roblox is free to play

Roblox is free to play. Unlike some games where you have to pay to play, you can enjoy Roblox for free.

6. You can make your games on Roblox

You can make your games on Roblox. The most popular games are played by up to 100,000 people simultaneously!

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7. Nearly a quarter of British children play Roblox

Nearly a quarter of children play Roblox! An annual survey of 20,000 British children, suggested that 24% of 10- to 12-year-olds played Roblox.

8. Pet Simulator Adopt Me! Is the most popular Roblox game of all time

Pet simulator Adopt Me! Is the most popular Roblox game of all time, with over 23.78 billion visits as of July 2021!

That's 3 times the population of the whole entire world!

9. There's a Roblox University

There's a Roblox University!

For children who are serious about building games and various elements inside, Roblox has published a series of videos on YouTube which they have dubbed Roblox University.

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10. You can use Roblox on multiple platforms

You can use Roblox on multiple platforms. Roblox is available on iOS, Android, Amazon's App Store, Xbox One, and Windows 10, and Mac.

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Top 10 Facts About Roblox - Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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Roblox has been around since 2006 - making it 15-years-old! Roblox was created by David Baszucki, the idea came from a 2D physics simulator he made. The game was originally called Dynablocks! We think Roblox is a much better name! The currency in Roblox is called Robux.

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Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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Welcome to the world of Minecraft! Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time and it's a great way to have fun and explore your creativity. Let's take a look at the top 10 facts about Minecraft. From the game's innovative building mechanics to its history, there's plenty to explore in the world of Minecraft.

1. Minecraft was initially released 10 years ago

Minecraft was initially released 10 years ago, on the 18th November 2011.

2. The game was created by Markus "Notch" Persson

The game was created by Markus "Notch" Persson, and was developed by the Swedish video game developer, Mojang Studios.

3. There are five different 'game modes' in Minecraft

There are five different 'game modes' in Minecraft. They are: Survival Mode, Hardcore Mode, Creative Mode, Adventure Mode, and Spectator Mode.

4. Minecraft has been taught at school

Minecraft has been taught at school! In 2013, a Swedish school named the Viktor Rydberg Secondary School introduced Minecraft as a mandatory part of its curriculum for all of its 13-year-old students. A teacher explained that students: "learn about city planning, environmental issues, getting things done, and even how to plan for the future." How about double Minecraft to finish a long day at school?!

5. Minecraft is the biggest selling video game of all time

Minecraft is the biggest selling video game of all time! It has sold 238,000,000 copies - that's enough for the entire population of the UK to have more than FOUR copies EACH!

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6. The Rarest item in Minecraft is the Dragon Egg

The Rarest item in Minecraft is the Dragon Egg. It only appears when the Ender Dragon has been defeated, at which point, the Dragon Egg will appear on the exit portal!

7. One day in Minecraft is 20 minutes in real-time

One day in Minecraft is 20 minutes in real-time. Imagine if our days were that short...a year would take just over 5 days!

8. Minecraft was nearly called something else

Minecraft was nearly called something else...it was originally nicknamed 'Cave Game' before the creator decided on Minecraft.

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9. Every 1 in 10,000 times you play Minecraft, the main menu will display a typo of the game's title

Every 1 in 10,000 times you play Minecraft, the main menu will display a typo of the game's title, saying "Minceraft" instead of " Minecraft."

10. Each block is considered 1 cubic metre

Each block is considered 1 cubic metre. That means that the size of a chicken in Minecraft is approximately 3 feet. I don't know about you - but a 3 foot tall chicken sounds scary!

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Top 10 Facts About Minecraft! - Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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Welcome to the world of Minecraft! Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time and it's a great way to have fun and explore your creativity. Let's take a look at the top 10 facts about Minecraft. From the game's innovative building mechanics to its history, there's plenty to explore in the world of Minecraft.

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Video games are electronic games played on a video screen (normally a television, a built-in screen when played on a handheld machine, or a computer).

There are many types, or genres, of these games: role-playing games; shooters, first-person shooters, side-scrollers, and platformers are just a few.

Video games usually come on CDs, DVDs or digital download. Many games used to come on cartridges. A specialised device used to play a video game at home is called a console. There have been many types of consoles and home computers used to play video games. Some of the first were the Atari 2600, the Sega Master System and Nintendo Entertainment System in the 1980s. Newer video game consoles are the Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Wii U. The best selling video game console of all time is the PlayStation 2, made by Sony.

People can also use PCs to play games, which are sometimes called PC games. The older consoles do not have new games developed for them often, although console games are emulated for PCs (see emulator). This means that new computers can play many old console games along with games made just for new computers. Older games are often more popular emulated than when they were first on sale, because of the ease of download.

People can play portable video games anywhere. Mobile devices (running operating systems such as iOS or Android) also can download games, making them portable game machines. Mobile phones have many games, some of them using a mobile emulator for games from consoles.

Competitions of video game players are called electronic sports.

History of video games

The first video game ever is often said to be a computer game called . In fact, some ideas of video games can be found before people made Spacewar!.

In the 1950s, when the first computers began to be made, three people had some ideas to create the basis of actual video games. In 1951, Ralph Baer, an American engineer of Loral Electronics, tried to create "the best television", proposing to add a gaming module, but his employer did not like his idea. Even if his idea was never realized, he is the first man to have thought of the idea of video games, later creating the first video game console, the Odyssey. Later, in 1952, A.S Douglas, of the Cambridge University in the UK, made a video game on a computer in order to illustrate one of his speeches. The game, called , was a tic-tac-toe game, with two players (the person itself and the opponent, the computer) .In 1953, Willy Higinbotham made a game called Tennis For Two, similar to the later , to entertain visitors to Brookhaven National Laboratory.

One of the most famous and one of the earliest video games ever is called Space Invaders. Space Invaders was made in 1978 as a coin operated arcade game but a version has been made for almost every game console and home computer ever available.

Components of a video game

To distinguish from electronic games, a video game is generally considered to require a platform, the hardware which contains computing elements, to process player interaction from some type of input device and displays the results to a video output display.

Video games require a platform, a specific combination of electronic components or computer hardware and associated software, to operate. The term system is also commonly used. Games are typically designed to be played on one or a limited number of platforms, and exclusivity to a platform is used as a competitive edge in the video game market. However, games may be developed for alternative platforms than intended, which are described as ports; these also may be remasters - where most of the original game's source code is reused while art assets, models, and game levels are updated for modern systems - and remakes, where in addition to asset improvements, significant reworking of the original game and possibly from scratch is performed.

The list below is not exhaustive and excludes other electronic devices capable of playing video games such as PDAs and graphing calculators.

Computer game

Most computer games are PC games, referring to those that involve a player interacting with a personal computer (PC) connected to a video monitor. Personal computers are not dedicated game platforms, so there may be differences running the same game on different hardware. Also, the openness allows some features to developers like reduced software cost, increased flexibility, increased innovation, emulation, creation of modifications or mods, open hosting for online gaming (in which a person plays a video game with people who are in a different household) and others. A gaming computer is a PC or laptop intended specifically for gaming, typically using high-performance, high-cost components. In additional to personal computer gaming, there also exist games that work on mainframe computers and other similarly shared systems, with users logging in remotely to use the computer.

Home console

A console game is played on a home console, a specialized electronic device that connects to a common television set or composite video monitor. Home consoles are specifically designed to play games using a dedicated hardware environment, giving developers a concrete hardware target for development and assurances of what features will be available, simplifying development compared to PC game development. Usually consoles only run games developed for it, or games from other platform made by the same company, but never games developed by its direct competitor, even if the same game is available on different platforms. It often comes with a specific game controller. Major console platforms include Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo.

Handheld console

A handheld gaming device is a small, self-contained electronic device that is portable and can be held in a user's hands. It features the console, a small screen, speakers and buttons, joystick or other game controllers in a single unit. Like consoles, handhelds are dedicated platforms, and share almost the same characteristics. Handheld hardware usually is less powerful than PC or console hardware. Some handheld games from the late 1970s and early 1980s could only play one game. In the 1990s and 2000s, a number of handheld games used cartridges, which enabled them to be used to play many different games. The handheld console has waned in the 2010s as mobile device gaming has become a more dominant factor.

Arcade video game

An arcade video game generally refers to a game played on an even more specialized type of electronic device that is typically designed to play only one game and is encased in a special, large coin-operated cabinet which has one built-in console, controllers (joystick, buttons, etc.), a CRT screen, and audio amplifier and speakers. Arcade games often have brightly painted logos and images relating to the theme of the game. While most arcade games are housed in a vertical cabinet, which the user typically stands in front of to play, some arcade games use a tabletop approach, in which the display screen is housed in a table-style cabinet with a see-through table top. With table-top games, the users typically sit to play. In the 1990s and 2000s, some arcade games offered players a choice of multiple games. In the 1980s, video arcades were businesses in which game players could use a number of arcade video games. In the 2010s, there are far fewer video arcades, but some movie theaters and family entertainment centers still have them.

Browser game

A browser game takes advantages of standardizations of technologies for the functionality of web browsers across multiple devices providing a cross-platform environment. These games may be identified based on the website that they appear, such as with Miniclip games. Others are named based on the programming platform used to develop them, such as Java and Flash games.

Mobile game

With the introduction of smartphones and tablet computers standardized on the iOS and Android operating systems, mobile gaming has become a significant platform. These games may utilize unique features of mobile devices that are not necessary present on other platforms, such as accelerometers, global positing information and camera devices to support augmented reality gameplay.

Cloud gaming

Cloud gaming requires a minimal hardware device, such as a basic computer, console, laptop, mobile phone or even a dedicated hardware device connected to a display with good Internet connectivity that connects to hardware systems by the cloud gaming provider. The game is computed and rendered on the remote hardware, using a number of predictive methods to reduce the network latency between player input and output on their display device. For example, the Xbox Cloud Gaming and PlayStation Now platforms use dedicated custom server blade hardware in cloud computing centers.

Virtual reality

Virtual reality (VR) games generally require players to use a special head-mounted unit that provides stereoscopic screens and motion tracking to immerse a player within virtual environment that responds to their head movements. Some VR systems include control units for the player's hands as to provide a direct way to interact with the virtual world. VR systems generally require a separate computer, console, or other processing device that couples with the head-mounted unit.

Emulation

An emulator enables games from a console or otherwise different system to be run in a type of virtual machine on a modern system, simulating the hardware of the original and allows old games to be played. While emulators themselves have been found to be legal in United States case law, the act of obtaining the game software that one does not already own may violate copyrights. However, there are some official releases of emulated software from game manufacturers, such as Nintendo with its Virtual Console or Nintendo Switch Online offerings.

Backward compatibility

Backward compatibility is similar in nature to emulation in that older games can be played on newer platforms, but typically directly though hardware and build-in software within the platform. For example, the PlayStation 2 is capable of playing original PlayStation games simply by inserting the original game media into the newer console, while Nintendo's Wii could play Nintendo GameCube titles as well in the same manner.

Early arcade games, home consoles, and handheld games were dedicated hardware units with the game's logic built into the electronic componentry of the hardware. Since then, most video game platforms are considered programmable, having means to read and play multiple games distributed on different types of media or formats. Physical formats include ROM cartridges, magnetic storage including magnetic tape data storage and floppy discs, optical media formats including CD-ROM and DVDs, and flash memory cards. Furthermore digital distribution over the Internet or other communication methods as well as cloud gaming alleviate the need for any physical media. In some cases, the media serves as the direct read-only memory for the game, or it may be the form of installation media that is used to write the main assets to the player's platform's local storage for faster loading periods and later updates.

Games can be extended with new content and software patches through either expansion packs which are typically available as physical media, or as downloadable content nominally available via digital distribution. These can be offered freely or can be used to monetize a game following its initial release. Several games offer players the ability to create user-generated content to share with others to play. Other games, mostly those on personal computers, can be extended with user-created modifications or mods that alter or add onto the game; these often are unofficial and were developed by players from reverse engineering of the game, but other games provide official support for modding the game.

Input device

Video game can use several types of input devices to translate human actions to a game. Most common are the use of game controllers like gamepads and joysticks for most consoles, and as accessories for personal computer systems along keyboard and mouse controls. Common controls on the most recent controllers include face buttons, shoulder triggers, analog sticks, and directional pads ("d-pads"). Similar control sets are built into handheld consoles and onto arcade cabinets. Newer technology improvements have incorporated additional technology into the controller or the game platform, such as touchscreens and motion detection sensors that give more options for how the player interacts with the game. Specialized controllers may be used for certain genres of games, including racing wheels, light guns and dance pads. Digital cameras and motion detection can capture movements of the player as input into the game, which can, in some cases, effectively eliminate the control, while on other systems such as virtual reality, are used to enhance immersion into the game.

Display and output

By definition, all video games are intended to output graphics to an external video display, such as cathode-ray tube televisions, newer liquid-crystal display (LCD) televisions and built-in screens, projectors or computer monitors, depending on the type of platform the game is played on. Features such as color depth, refresh rate, frame rate, and screen resolution are a combination of the limitations of the game platform and display device and the program efficiency of the game itself. The game's output can range from fixed displays using LED or LCD elements, text-based games, two-dimensional and three-dimensional graphics, and augmented reality displays.

The game's graphics are often accompanied by sound produced by internal speakers on the game platform or external speakers attached to the platform, as directed by the game's programming. This often will include sound effects tied to the player's actions to provide audio feedback, as well as background music for the game.

Some platforms support additional feedback mechanics to the player that a game can take advantage of. This is most commonly haptic technology built into the game controller, such as causing the controller to shake in the player's hands to simulate a shaking earthquake occurring in game.

Related pages

Images for kids

After Pong, the Atari 2600 was the first game console to achieve widespread success and awareness.

A typical ESRB rating label, listing the rating and specific content descriptors for Rabbids Go Home.

Spacewar! is credited as the first widely available and influential computer game.

Pong was the first arcade game to ever receive universal acclaim.

The on-screen instructions from Will Crowther's 1976 game Colossal Cave Adventure.

Space Invaders was a popular game during the golden age. The game introduced many elements which would become standard in video games.

In Spanish: Videojuego para niños