Smithsonian gaming exhibit seeking voters

I am not very impressed with the list I saw. If these "journalists" were to pick the best 80 games, they should have selected by their innovation. One Super Mario game was enough since all the rest have been iterations based on the same principle. Just like Pacman was a break thorugh and Mrs and Junior Pacman are just expanisons of the priciple. Instead of going via the systems they should have included the arcade versions first: Pacman, Ikari Warriors, Afterburner, Galaga, Street Fighter, Out - Run, Hogans Alley, Super Mario Borthers, Mario Brothers, Marble Madness, Paperboy, Elevator Action, Altered Beast... After considering some of these, then based on the systems, Ninja Gaiden (NES), Prince of Persia (PC), Metal Gear Solid (PS), Uncharted 2(PS3, Gears of War (360), Halo (XB), CoD Modern Warfare, God of War (PS2), Zelda (NES), Braid (360), Mass Effect (360), Final Fantasy VII (PS), Gran Turismo (PS) these are some examples of games that established trends to follow. Maybe not all were thinking outside the box but they have established principles.

I really hope that Mass Effect 2 will be included... but it's going up against Oblivion. Honestly, ME2 is much more artistically viable than Oblivion, but a bunch of morons who think that Oblivion is the greatest RPG ever created will probably vote for it...

80 of the best can't wait to see what they are!

Anyhow, the most artistic game to me would be Flower, that game is pure art. I loved it!

Anyone else find that all the best choices are grouped together and the unheard of ones are grouped together? Final Fantasy X, Kingdom Hearts 2 and Okami are one example.

wth, they have Sonic CD under Sega Genesis? Anyways, Ocarina of Time, Chrono Trigger, Shadows of the Colossus, and FF7 got my vote.

I would vote for Battle city as my all-time favorite game!

@MrFreehuggs - where does it say that?

people better vote for the classics too and not just games from this era. PS their website is broken >:/

My prediction: The Halos win followed closely by CoD.

Wow, this made my day. I just hope that artistically worthy games are included and not just popular ones.

*insert reference to Roger Ebert here*

If they want to add games that look like art, I suggest they add games like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Okami, Viewtiful Joe, heck, even recent games like Street Fighter IV & the just released MvC3.

@hyttenhoof the site says "Vote for your favorite game now!" I think they are going off of popularity.

Fallout 3 with its post apocalyptic DC would be a grand choice!

@MooncalfReviews I agree about Dreamfall, although I think The Longest Journey not being there is much worse.

@marvel456 you're not supposed to pick the best game ever, but the most artistically worthy Personally, I think the selection is absolutely horrid, with games like friggin black ops and Mario. Mario is a great game, but there sure as hell is no art about the. Personally, I think Earthbound and Deus Ex are some of the better choices. my only worry is that a popular game wins because it is just that.

Guess they'll have to put this in a closed-off wing since apparently video games are so harmful to children.

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

Shaq-Fu> All video games, ever... I will not visit unless it makes it. That and any games ever released along side a movie. Oh, and Battlefield: Bad Company...

Shaq-Fu> All video

The Legend of Zelda HAS to be there! Certainly one of the best game ever!!

I've been telling many people that the creation of videogames is an artform since the SNES! Guess somebody finally listened. :P

hey, smithsonian Y U NO HANDHELD?!

THE ERAS DO LOAD, it just takes a really long time.

A higher percentage of the games need to be from recent years to show how rapidly gaming has grown and expanded.

Normally I'd be unhappy with one game getting so much attention. But this time: Mass Effect completely deserves it.

Also: they didn't include Dreamfall, RDR or Alan Wake on this. That is ... unforgivable. Those are three of the most artistic, moving, beautifully directed and scored games I've ever played.

invite roger ebert!

I have to choose between Shenmue 2, Indigo Prophecy and Fable 1?? You're MEAN Smitsonian!

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

I've always liked the Smithsonian, and now I think I love them. Recognition from such a well renowned institute that (some) video games are art, should be a big step in silencing the critics.

But you know what Roger Ebert is going to say: "Any title able to make it into that exhibit must be only semi-interactive and therefore isn't a game. Video games still aren't art." lol

SOTC, ICO, Braid, and Limbo are a few that pop out in my mind when I think of art in videogames. Other games may be more graphically enhanced, but these stick out as being different and what I consider art.

Eat this Roger Ebert!!!The war has been won!!!

I don't envy Chris Melissinos at all. selecting 80 out of thousands of games over 40 years? I'm sure he is going to be criticized no matter what games he ends up choosing. The only games I'm %100 sure are going to be featured are Mario, Pac-man and maybe World of Warcraft.

Mass Effect 2 IS a work of art.

As long as Heavy Rain and Kingdom Hearts 2 makes it, I'm happy! :)

Sweet! Now our descendants can view the glory of the Mass Effect series in the FUTURE!

Is anyone else having trouble accessing anything on their page? Nothing will load for me.

Shadow of the Colossus...I got nothing else to say.

E.T. for the 2600 all the way, peeps. Right next to an exhibit on the Red Ring.

I think i might have to take a trip to DC that day. This is great news.

FINALLY! Something in Washington D.C. thats not against the gaming industry!

[This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

Wait, why does it say to vote for games that are VISUALLY spectacular? Aren't they going to have the music, too? And yeah, they are going to have to require registration to vote. They're going to have enough trouble with people voting a dozen times even with registration.

The mecca of gaming temporarily moves from Akihabara to D.C :3

I haven't been the Smithsonian in years... I will definitely be visiting once this opens.

all of a sudden, I'm super glad I live in DC - I am so going to this...I wonder if they'll have any video game celebrities the day it opens...?

This is great news I will have to go see it when it is finished.