The best-selling video games of all time are a mixture of genres including racing, shooting, adventure, and role playing. Other genres that people play are casino games, sports games, and fighting games just to name a few. The best-selling games are ones where gamers adopt a character, an avatar, and live that avatar’s life. Whether the person is playing a soldier or driving a car, video games allow that person to engage in a highly interactive fantasy world, complete with vivid graphics, music, and sound effects. Video games are widely popular and the industry is big business, with conventions and websites devoted to encouraging and celebrating video games and players. Games are played individually, with partners in the same room, or with other gamers via the Internet. Some games require a subscription to play, while others are sold individually through electronic stores, department stores, and online sites like eBay. People can also rent games at rental stores and rental services. When buying video games, gamers should know about some of the best-selling video games of all time, their genres, and storylines.
Best Selling Video Games
Video games are played on computers and televisions with consoles, joysticks, keyboards, and mice. Small handheld games use buttons to input game actions. Previously, before modern video games achieved prominence, arcade games were popular. Following is a chart that lists the top three best-selling video games, their genres, and sales figures.
Video Game |
Genre |
Sales |
|---|---|---|
|
World of Warcraft, 2004 |
Role Playing; Adventure |
$10 Billion |
|
Call of Duty: Black Ops, 2010 |
First-person Shooter (FPS) |
$1.5 Billion |
|
Mario Kart for Wii, 2008 |
Racing |
$1.4 Billion |
As the chart shows, World of Warcraft, 2004 sales outnumber the others by 10-to-1. However, new games are constantly being deployed for gamers hungry for new action and new stories, so those leading games and their sales figures will change over time. Following are the top selling games.
World of Warcraft, 2004
World of Warcraft is set in an adventure world with various mythical and fantasy settings, creatures, and characters. Players sign up for the game with a subscription and adopt an avatar, which makes it a role playing game. Players choose a profession or trade and conduct missions or quests. During those quests, they explore different locations and meet other avatars and beings. Some of the quests are group missions and the players work together to solve challenges. The game also has a banking system and the players buy and sell goods and services. They also have messaging services to send other players messages or objects during gameplay.
Call of Duty: Black Ops, 2010
A first-person shooter game, Call of Duty : Black Ops is an action game where the players use weapons and complete challenges. The setting is in the last middle century and the black ops are the CIA’s clandestine missions. The camera angle is from the viewpoint of the character, so the game player sees through the avatar’s eyes. The avatar is a soldier with all kinds of weapons including some real ones and some imaginary ones. Players like this type of game because with a controller, the player can increase skills in the avatar motions and weapon accuracy over time. During the game, a player can adopt other avatars and further increase the challenge.
Mario Kart for Wii, 2008
Mario Kart is a racing game that comes packaged with a steering wheel. The Wii controller fits into the steering wheel, and this design allows the player to feel that they are actually driving and steering. The steering wheel accessory is not necessary, however, and the controller can be used without it. The game allows the player to choose from a wide variety of racing vehicles, tracks, and environments. Gamers can also compete with other players in the online version of the game. The game includes has challenges for the drivers; as they race, they run over objects and score points. Mario Kart features special sound effects that simulate the racing environment, and it also uses live voice actors for dialogue.
Grand Theft Auto 4, 2008
In this game, gamers play criminals that operate in a fictional city somewhat like New York City. In gritty action sequences and car rides, players engage in chases with the police, have shootouts, and meet unsavory characters. The gameplay in Grand Theft Auto 4 is an open world, with the character free to engage in any activity at will. Possible actions include running and jumping, stealing vehicles, and solving challenges to move ahead in the game. In addition, the game creators inserted morality tests that the player must meet, and depending on the choice, the gameplay changes.
Wii Play, 2006
Wii Play is an action-oriented game with mini games for two players to play together, but one player can play with a computer avatar. Players use different controllers depending on the game selection. Some games are shooting games where players target and shoot objects like balloons. Another game features a scavenger hunt of sorts, as the player is finding avatars that are missing, hiding, or in a group of people. Playing laser hockey is the objective of another game. Others include fishing and billiards.
Gran Turismo 3, 2001
The point of Gran Turismo 3 is to complete the whole game and earn the satisfaction of winning races and passing tests. Prizes for successfully completed levels are new cars. Game creators included many different types of cars and auto enthusiasts enjoy the technical specifications of their cars like the number of cylinders. Races can be short or very long endurance and road rallies. This game won a wide audience and is a best-seller.
Modern Warfare 2, 2009
This game is a first-person shooter game where the player takes on a different avatar and various functions as the game escalates to its conclusion. When the avatars are hurt in Modern Warfare 2, they lose blood but can restore health over time. Missions are military oriented with objectives like targeting and attacking enemy hideouts. The avatar goes on the missions with confederates but they are computer generated and do not respond to the avatar’s requests or demands. The gamer receives feedback on skills and missions by statistics on the number of kills and levels completed.
The Sims, 2000
In a simulation of reality, players live a regular life in a house. Players start out with a budget, purchase homes, and renovate their homes. Players get to customize the architecture with features of their own choosing, although there are some rules. The gamer also instructs his or her avatar to go to work, exercise, and invite houseguests. The objects in the game are enabled to receive actions from the player. Like real life, when the player fails to perform some actions such as paying the bills or eating, the avatar suffers. Other consequences can include death and a house fire. However, positive actions are rewarded, like earning a promotion at work and increasing income. There is no system in the game that earns the gamer any claim to win, as the game is just simply a life experience. A player can play The Sims multiple times as there is no ending, and expansion packs are available to extend play.
Buying Video Games on eBay
To get the action going, head over to the Entertainment portal on eBay. Choose Consoles , Games and Accessories then Games. Use the refinement filters to select your gaming system and the genre. Parents may want to use the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating filter to find appropriate content for children. To buy video systems, select Consoles. Strategy guides and cheats are also available, as are prepaid gaming cards.
You can also take advantage of bundled items like batteries, cables, chargers, controllers, and memory cards. Use eBay’s refinement filters to look for top-rated sellers with good customer feedback or input which seller you are looking for. Many sellers offer free shipping and provide reasonable return and exchange policies. You also might want to investigate local sellers, so you can see or test the games and consoles, and also take quick delivery.
Conclusion
Games are played alone, with friends together, or with gaming buddies around the world using the Internet. Players buy, rent, and trade games from merchants both online and at stores. Gamers also subscribe to gaming services. Modern games are high thrill adventures with stunning graphics and players work hard at increasing their skills. They also go to conventions, participate in online forums, and build friendships in the gaming communities. Game development is a big market and best-video games sell many copies, build a franchise, and earn loyal fans. While the best-selling video games have sold at least a million copies and sometimes 10 times that amount, no one can tell what the future holds and what will become popular. Arcade games were once popular, but now people can play games in their homes and with friends. It is very easy to pick up games, consoles, and controllers at sites like eBay, where specific searches and bundled packages make it easy for consumers to purchase exactly what they need to engage in hours of gaming entertainment.
