Smithsonian Announces Art of Games Lineup

Several months ago, the Smithsonian Institute announced that a new exhibit called The Art of Video Games would pay homage to the classic pixels of our age. Seeking to present a comprehensive list of significant games, they invited people to vote on what should be included. Those votes have been counted, and the Smithsonian has presented the final list which covers many big titles and nearly four decades.

Recommended Videos

Among those listed, five special games were selected to be playable by the visitors to the exhibit. For a few minutes, patrons can enjoy Pac-Man (arcade), Super Mario Brothers, The Secret of Monkey Island, Myst, or World of Warcraft. The exhibits designers hope that giving people some hands-on experience with a sampling of games from different genres and time periods will help them to better understand the rest of the show.

When it opens in March of next year, it will include such classics as Space Invaders, Attack of the Mutant Camels, Earthworm Jim, Super Mario World, Goldeneye 007, Diablo II, Shenmue, Halo 2, Portal, Boom Blox, Shadow of the Colossus, and Brütal Legend. Frequent readers will also be pleased to note that Minecraft made the final cut as well. The full list is available as a PDF, but will surely strike some as incomplete. What titles do you think were unjustly ignored?

(The Smithsonian American Art Museum via Engadget)


The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Gotta Go Fast! The 10 Best Sonic Games, Ranked
Sonic and his friends leave motion blurs while running through the woods in "Sonic Colors"
Read Article The 10 Best Tomb Raider Games Ranked
Lara Croft overlooks rugged wilderness in "Rise of the Tomb Raider"
Read Article ‘World of Warcraft’ Cataclysm Classic Features Some Angry Dragons
A fiery dragon roams around a desolate world in "World of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic"
Read Article Raise Your Hand If You’ve Been Traumatized by Playing ‘Poppy Playtime’
A fuzzy monster smiles and waves in "Poppy Playtime"
Read Article The 10 Best ‘Metal Gear’ Games, Ranked
Solid Snake stands inside a snow covered military base in "Metal Gear Solid"
Related Content
Read Article Gotta Go Fast! The 10 Best Sonic Games, Ranked
Sonic and his friends leave motion blurs while running through the woods in "Sonic Colors"
Read Article The 10 Best Tomb Raider Games Ranked
Lara Croft overlooks rugged wilderness in "Rise of the Tomb Raider"
Read Article ‘World of Warcraft’ Cataclysm Classic Features Some Angry Dragons
A fiery dragon roams around a desolate world in "World of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic"
Read Article Raise Your Hand If You’ve Been Traumatized by Playing ‘Poppy Playtime’
A fuzzy monster smiles and waves in "Poppy Playtime"
Read Article The 10 Best ‘Metal Gear’ Games, Ranked
Solid Snake stands inside a snow covered military base in "Metal Gear Solid"
Author