New Home Games

Online Games – The Evolution
Now we see thousands of people playing online games such as tetris, ping pong, mario bros, super mario etc for free but despite its history dating back to 1970s, for most people online gaming began with the explosion of Internet in 1993 and with the advent of Doom and Warcraft sometime in 1994 or 1995. This got further boost with publishers starting to add Internet connectivity to computer games in 1994-95.

The media, in fact, have themselves been ignorant about online games history. As far as they are concerned, online gaming just coincidentally happened when their advertisers started producing Internet-capable games. But it isn’t so…

Early Years of development

In early 1950’s a college student created a game much like Tic-Tac-Toe for a class project to be played on dinosaur computers of those days complete with cathode ray tubes for the screen display. The 1960’s had MIT students programming a game called “Space war” that could be played with two people over a primitive network. The late 1960’s brought the first “real” video games like table tennis and shooter games.

The 70s – the game begins

Serious online gaming began with the first interactive online game called ADVENT. In fact networked gaming got conceptualized with ADVENT. Networked gaming had users playing against each other within an online fantasy world. The first networked game was called Mazewar, a game which involved networked players traveling through a maze and attempting to kill one another.

Next came the interpersonal interaction in a multi-player environment. The first such game was called DUNGEN. DUNGEN had players competing against one another to complete a series of quests. DUNGEN provided with new settings and players each time the user logged on.

The late 1970’s saw the start of video game craze with more and more households getting computer savvy. As a natural corollary, people started writing their own games for the home computers. These programming hobbyists traded and sold these home-grown games in local markets.

Other changes in the 1970’s were home gaming consoles which used game cartridges. That meant the people could collect games cartridges for one base unit instead of having bulky game console systems.

The 80s – some pause before the storm
1980’s saw growing craze for the video and computer game craze, but online gaming wasn’t on the horizon yet. New games with better sound and graphics were introduced and gained popularity. Pole Position and Pac-man were two that achieved big popularity. It was during 1980’s when Nintendo introduced its first gaming system.

The 90s – revolution begins

The 1990’s saw the phenomenal growth in both popularity and technology mostly because of the rise of 3-D and multimedia.

Myst, the intellectual adventure game introduced gaming on the CD-ROM format. Fancier 3-D graphics hardware made FPS (first person shooter) games such as Quake possible.

The late 1990’s saw the exponential growth of the Internet, MUDs (multi-user dungeons) which made online games wildly popular. New and improved graphical interfaces had people all over the world playing against each other not only in FPS games but also in real time strategy games (RTS games) as well as third person games like Grand Theft Auto.

This was also the period when websites started offering online games such as tetris, ping pong, mario bros, super Mario, and other free online flash games and non-flash based games free for playing after registering with them. This really pushed online gaming into the popular psyche.

The 21st Century – world is just a playground

Early years of the 21st century were dominated by the DVD-CD-ROM. It has changed the way online games are played. The latest gaming systems such as Sony’s play station and Microsoft’s X-box have networking capabilities to enable people play with each other in real time from all over the world. Exponentially growing broadband internet services have made playing these online games possible in true sense of the word.

The only drawback to the constantly evolving technology for online games is that what you buy today might become obsolete by the next year. Luckily, for the serious gamers, the resale industry for these online games is huge. This resale industry is just another element to the ever-changing history of online game.

About the Author:

Susie is a game developer advocating to play online games free. Visit www.Play-Online-Games-Free.com to play tetris online for free.

Buying a game table for your family game room can be a daunting task. But after reading this article you’ll be up to that task!

Let’s talk about the tables and features and which table or combination of tables would be perfect for some good old fashioned, family fun!

Air Hockey Game

An Air Hockey Game gives you what every sports fan wants, high-speed and intense competition. It’s arguably the fastest table game played even more so than table tennis. But is it the right choice for your family?

There was a “basic” air hockey tabletop game in my home growing up. It did get some use and it was fun for short periods of time. Needless to say during get-togethers the table was put away to play pool and not seen again for weeks at a time. Though if we had a standalone air hockey table then I’m sure it would have been used more often.

Each manufacturer offers something a little different in their tables. One example would be the width, is it 2-player or 4-player. Also the tabletop colors and designs vary. Usually they’re blue or white and the table may or may not be painted to look like a real ice rink. Another fun feature is electronic scoring. Some cheer and boo while others only tell the score and have overtime play features.

In my opinion air hockey game tables are a plus to any game room. But they are not good enough to be the “only” game if you’ll be having a lot of large get-togethers.

Billiard Table

Billiard Tables in recent years have improved. The designs and colors can be custom made to suit your desires and to match your home game room.

I grew up having a pool table in our home game room. It was a basic 7-foot bar room sized green felt table. Nothing too fancy but it didn’t matter because it was used often especially on the weekends.

Some billiard features are really neat. For example some manufactures will let you decide the color felt you’d like. If that’s not enough you can also get a table that has a University Logo, MLB Team Logo or NFL Team Logo in the middle and you can get matching billiard balls.

When it comes to designs you can find solid wood tables, laminate tables and other contemporary table designs. There are indoor and outdoor styles available also. If you want something really different you can buy a black light pool table, a Harley Davidson themed table or even a NASCAR themed table among others.

But they’re not just about looks they’re also about family fun. With a pool table you can play a wide variety of games. Also children learn how to make cuts and bank shots. And there’s a thought process involved with every shot that only Shuffleboard comes close too. It’s a strategy game that’s fun for the whole family.

In my opinion pool tables are a game for the whole family. They can also be the only game in your game room. Because of the skills involved and the variety of games that can be played, a pool table is a great choice for good old family fun get-togethers.

Foosball Game Table

Foosball Game Tables are great for kids of all ages. Not quite as fast as air hockey or as strategic as billiards, foosball is still a great game. It does however have a speed value that billiards doesn’t have. It basically has a bit of everything in it.

I never had a foosball table but a friend of mine did. We’d play for hours and the good part was that it was big enough for 4 players at a time. You can be the goalie/defense or the front scoring line or both if playing by yourself. You really need quick reflexes to be tops in this game.

What does a foosball table offer you? The quality of the wood or player colors can be changed but you basically just have your four legs and the table. Some tables are oval instead of rectangular and this makes it safer for young children. Also look for tables that have raised corners on the playing surface so the ball won’t get stuck like in the older versions.

Are they great family fun? In my opinion it depends on the age of the players. For older kids and adults they can be a lot of fun but definitely not for younger children. It’s too hard to switch handles and younger children need something to stand on to play. It’s easier to swing at a puck or hit pool balls. If you’re children are older then a game room sized foosball table would be a great addition. If you have a pool table already then foosball would be a great second game.

Shuffleboard Game Table

Now here’s a game table that has been overlooked for years. So let me be one to say that shuffleboard is a game for everyone.

When it comes to the designs and colors of shuffleboard games there are only a few differences. One difference is table length ranging from 9 to 22 feet. There are also features like bumper rails, which make the game easier to play for children. Plus depending on the table you may have a triangle scoring zone or a basic 3 or 4 line, scoring zone. This game does have some nice family friendly features.

The playing of the game offers up strategy. You can use your pucks to block shots, score points or to knock opponents pucks off the table. Also you can play one on one or with teams.

In my opinion this is the only other stand alone game for a home game room besides a billiard table. It’s similar to pool in that strategy is used to win. Also it’s easy to play for all ages, although adults seem to enjoy this game more than kids. Kids tend to get bored from the slow action. Definitely find a place to try this game out with your family before purchasing.

Table Tennis / Ping Pong Tables

A Ping Pong Tables is great fun. Adults love to play, kids love to hit the balls around and everyone has a laugh. But is it the best table game for your family? No.

I don’t hate the game of ping-pong. We had a tabletop version in our home growing up. We played it more in our teenage years but as children we’d just end up chasing the ping-pong balls. If you’re a professional player then you’ll disagree with me but for the average family player it’s a game for older children and adults.

The features are all pretty much the same including the size of each game. You do however have a choice of tabletop colors, (green, black or tournament blue). And you can buy fold up tables to give your room more space when not using the table. Also paddles can be different colors and balls come in many colors and fun designs but that’s about it.

In my opinion ping-pong is a challenging and fun game. It can be a very fast game for more advanced players and it definitely takes a lot of good hand-eye coordination. Is it a good stand alone game for your game room? Obviously I think not but it is a great third game. Wait until the children are older before adding one of these unless it’s your game of choice.

In closing a combination of a billiard table or shuffleboard table, air hockey or foosball and ping-pong would work well. You’d have a nice selection of games to please everyone. Also the skills needed to play each game are different, from making bank shots and using strategy to using quick thinking and reflexes you’ll get a bit of each with a combination of games.

If you’re still undecided have a look at “combination game tables”. Just remember that no matter which you choose you’ll have hours of fun and game tables only add and never take away from your home game room!

Visit http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com/game-tables.html to find more useful information on selecting a family fun game table.

Or visit the http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com home page to get started on creating the ultimate home game room.

About the Author:

Joe Schmieder is the Webmaster of www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com

He created his website to help people create fun home game rooms and to use those game rooms to keep family and friends close together and share fun times all year round.

My parents created a home game room for our family to have fun but sometimes arguments arose and growing up I saw just about every argument that can happen in a home game room. . To minimize the arguments we implemented a few good but simple ways to keep everyone happy. I say minimize because no matter what you do there will always be an argument or two, that’s life. But if you can stop just one from happening then your home game room will be that much better!

1 - Who’s Next

One argument that always comes up is the question of “Who’s Next”. Yes a ridiculous argument but one that can get out of hand for no reason. An easy solution for this problem is to have a pen and paper on hand in your game room. It’s a “Who Plays Next” list. Make sure you write your name down on the paper that way you know who plays next and no he said, she said can happen. If you want something better then a small white board does the trick. Using a “who’s next” list works great especially if you have a lot of people over for the holidays.

2 - Using Cards

Keep a deck of cards in your game room for choosing teams and more. This way you can separate teams randomly. If you have six people over then take out 3 pairs of cards, mix them up and each person picks one. Pairs are teams, no ifs, ands or buts. If you have an odd number just add a joker and that person sits out the first game. The first losing team will pick cards and whoever gets the lowest card sits out and the highest card and waiting player make a new team. This is a simple yet effective way to keep the peace in your home game room.

3 - Change Partners

Another fun way to keep everything fun and even is to “Change Partners”. Sometimes if the best two pool players get on the same team they’ll win all night and some people may start to get upset. To stop that from happening, have a “change partners” rule. One of the best ways to do this is to have a winning team split up after 5 consecutive wins or 3 consecutive wins when you have a lot of friends and family over.

Basically what happens is that after a team wins 5 consecutive games everyone re-picks cards to arrange new teams. And make sure it’s a rule that the highest two pairs play first and then the next highest pairs play the winners. If by chance the winning team is paired up again then so be it, let them play as partners again because teams will split up eventually once more. The important thing here is that you have everyone’s name on the white board and when then get a win they get a check mark. This way no matter who are partners they’ll be trying to win to get a check mark. And at the end of the night you’ll see who has the most wins and it won’t matter who their partner was.

4 - Keep Records

This is probably one of the biggest arguments that happens in a home game room yet it’s paid little attention. I’m talking about keeping records. I can’t recall how many times someone said they had a higher score than I did on the pinball game. Well a quick reference to our “Game Room Record Book” took care of that argument quickly. From who had the longest winning streak in pool to the highest score in pinball a record book stops arguments. Plus you can get creative with the different types of records you keep and those are always fun to look at especially years down the road.

5 - Home Rules

The fourth way was one of the biggest; well the fifth way is the biggest way to avoid arguments. Simply said, “Home Rules”. Yes have a list of home rules for your game room. Other friends and family members may have pool tables also and they play by different rules. If you don’t specify which rules you play by in your game room then you’re in for a big surprise when friends start fighting over who’s right. When in actuality they’re probably both right but since they’re at your home you make the rules so have a rule board up.

Playing pool in my home I’ve seen friends and family argue over whether you lose the game on a scratch. I’ve seen some people say that after a scratch you’re in the kitchen while others say it’s ball in hand and you can place the cue ball anywhere on the table. Still others have told me I lost because I didn’t call the 8-ball pocket when the 8-ball was an inch away from the pocket and it was obvious where it was going. Also do you need to call the pocket for every ball or just the 8-ball. Man have I seen some great arguments over these simple little things. But you know what took care of the fights, “Home Rules”!

These rules are all about making your game room a better place for family and friends to enjoy and have fun together. And these really aren’t rules as they are ways to keep the peace. Let’s face it, during the holidays you may have a party or two and people may be drinking and playing games in your game room. If you implement these 5 simple ways to avoid arguments in your game room you’ll be assured to have stopped most unneeded arguments before they even arise.

Yes other arguments may come up but stopping just one in its tracks is good news. So if you add a few rules today you’ll stop an argument tomorrow!

About the Author:

Find some great ideas for adding fun to your home game room at www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com.

Also find fun Posters and Pictures to add to your game room today.

Whether you already have a home game room or you’re thinking of adding one to your home there are some “essential things” you’ll need to make your game room “Ultimate”. It’s true you may not need every single one of these items or you may not have the time, space or money to add every single one. But if you do have the time, space and or money and want an “Ultimate” Home Game Room then check out the top 6 items (in order of importance) that you’ll need for your game room to achieve ultimate “game room friendly” status.

#1 Game Table

Since you’re creating a home game room the number one must-have is the game table. Now which game table or tables you have is of course a personal choice. The two best game tables for home game rooms are billiard tables and shuffleboard tables. They’re the best because of multi-player use, the skill of the game and the fun competition each one brings to your home.

If your game room is big enough it’s always fun to have a combination of two different game tables. The best combo idea would be to have a billiard or shuffleboard table plus either an air hockey, foosball or ping-pong table. They say “Variety Is The Spice Of Life” and that is especially true for a home game room.

#2 Three More Great Games

The second must-haves are more great games. Again this is a home game room and to be “Ultimate” you’ll need at least three more great games. These are games that will compliment your table games and add even more variety. The types of games that fit into this category are: arcade games, indoor basketball games, bowling games, crane games, dart games, pinball machines, football games, golf games, pachinko/pachislo games and slot machines.

There are other games you could add but this is a good list to get you started on the right track to creating a fun family game room. These three additional great games are just enough to keep everyone happy. Any less and you could lose that ultimate status, any more and your home game room could become cluttered. A home game room that’s cluttered with games will lose its uniqueness!

#3 - Jukebox

So now that you have the games and everyone is having a blast you’ll want to add some music. The best way to add music is with a jukebox. Stereo systems are good also but they don’t give you that “Ultimate” game room look and feel that a jukebox does.

Don’t worry there is a large assortment of jukeboxes available. Personally I prefer a jukebox from the 1940s. The old songs from the 1920s-1940s are great for all ages and they’re a nice change from the norm. There are some really catchy tunes from those years!

But if you’re not an oldies fan then there are other jukeboxes, like the ones that play 45rpm records. If those are still too old for you then a CD jukebox will do the trick. Some hold a hundred CDs giving you the ability to add a large assortment of music that would be perfect for any occasion. Also the jukeboxes look vintage 1940-ish. Finally if you love technology there are digital jukeboxes. They don’t look so much like a traditional jukebox but you can download music right to them using various methods like from a home computer.

# 4 Game Room TV

The fourth item you’ll need is a Game Room TV. It’s great to have a jukebox and music but when the big game is on New Year’s Day you’ll want your Game Room TV. Whether it’s a 13inch TV attached to your ceiling or wall or a large plasma TV doesn’t matter. It’s having the TV that bumps your game room up to the “Ultimate” level.

Now one of the best TVs to have in a home game room if you have the room is the projector TV with a movie screen. Having one of those is like having your own mini theatre in your home and they’re great for watching sports. It’s probably not a good idea to use one of these TVs for everyday use as the projector bulbs have a limited lifetime. You can however buy a replacement bulb but they can get expensive on some models. The bulbs usually last around 3000 hours and that is plenty for home game room use.

#5 - Refrigerator

The fifth must-have is the refrigerator. The reason being that if you’re creating an ultimate game room then you’re most likely planning on having parties with family and friends. A refrigerator that holds a couple cases of your favorite drink is perfect. You don’t need something large and fancy.

The reason these are good is that you won’t have everyone trouncing into your kitchen all day and night to get a drink. Also it helps keep the party in your game room not to mention your kitchen floors clean. On top of that they’re great for storing extra food for everyday use if your main refrigerator if full.

#6 Game Room Bathroom

The last must-have item on our list is a Game Room Bathroom. Like the refrigerator above it keeps the foot traffic to a minimum throughout the house if you have a bathroom in your game room. Plus adding that additional bathroom to your home is great if you have parties because someone always needs to “go” when your one bathroom is occupied.

Besides the added benefit during parties, adding another bathroom to a home usually increases a homes value. That is always a good thing and it’s just another reason why a bathroom in the game room is the number six must-have item.

There are many more items that can be added to your home game room. For example neon signs, clocks, pictures, posters, pub lights and so on. But this is a list of must-haves to push your game room up to the ultimate level.

Of course not everyone has the room or the money to add a bathroom to the game room. Or has the space to add so many different games. That’s ok because game rooms aren’t about having the biggest and best things. They’re about having fun with family and friends. Also creating the “Ultimate Game Room” isn’t done overnight. It takes time and that is part of the fun in bringing your game room to life. Set a budget if you need to and take as much time as you like in adding your favorite game room items. In the meantime have fun using your game room with family and friends as much as possible. And never forget that “Families That Play Together, Stay Together”.

About the Author:

Find more fun Rec Room Decorating Ideas and more visit www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com.

Have a look at our Juke Box, Music Pages and more to learn more about fun ways to add music to your home game room.

Creating the “Ultimate Home Game Room” isn’t as hard as you may think. “Ultimate” doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive game room either. It just means it’s ultimate for you, your family and your friends.

The basics for every game room include “games & signs”. That’s all it takes to create your game room. Of course some organization is also needed, you don’t want a mess of posters, pub signs and neon signs taking up your walls.

Creating Your “Ultimate Home Game Room”

To do this you start with the wall colors. The best looking game rooms have two-toned wall color schemes. This means a top border around the room that’s 12-24 inches in width. Then paint the rest of the room a complimentary color.

It’s fun choosing a color scheme. Use your favorite sports team, your high school / university colors, the colors of your home country or a favorite painting or place you’ve visited. If those colors aren’t good just select Two Great compatible colors. It’s usually best to make the darker color your border color and the lighter color as your main wall color. This brightens up the room and helps your cool signs and posters to display better.

Next comes the flooring. There is a variety of floors that can be put into game rooms. A few examples would be hardwood, vinyl, cork, bamboo, carpet tiling, ceramic tiling, area rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting. If your game room is located in a basement that eliminates most if not all hardwoods because of moisture problems in basements.

So what’s best? Checkered tiling is what “Ultimate Game Rooms” are all about. Match the tiles up with your wall color for the ultimate effect. Whether you use 6×6, 8×8 or 12×12 tiling squares it’s a checkered floor that makes your game room “Ultimate”.

Now comes the “FUN PART”. You can either theme your game room or create a general all out fun game room.

Let’s start with furniture. If you’re creating a theme then your furniture must match. For example if you want a “Beach or Hawaiian Theme” then the best pub tables, pub chairs and accessories would be made of wicker or rattan. If you’re creating a Green Bay Packer’s Theme then you’d want chrome bar stools with green or yellow vinyl cushion covers to match. Otherwise if you just want a great game room make sure you bar stools and pub tables match.

The next thing to consider is the lighting. If you have a theme, say a sports theme, then find pub lamps, swag lights and floor lamps that have your favorite sport or team’s name on them. For an Asian theme you’d want bamboo lamps and hanging lanterns. For general game rooms, bar lights with your favorite drink or food would be perfect!

Now you’re ready to decorate your walls! Posters, Tin Signs, Neon Signs, Clocks and more are what you’ll need to get started. Have a movie theme then find some great movie posters online to fill up your room. Actually it’s best to have an assortment of each. Leave gaps and spread all your cool stuff out. You want them to be noticed and admired not lost in a mess of other posters and signs. Remember you just spent a few days painting your game room so don’t cover it up. With a general game room theme vintage tin signs are always a big hit. Plus one or two neon signs add atmosphere. Don’t overdue the neon though just choose a few favorites.

Now it’s time to find the best TABLE GAMES. Besides the cost it’s room size that determines which games to include in your game room. By far every “Ultimate Game Room” needs a billiard table. Now days you can get a variety of fabric colors besides green. Also you can find themed billiard tables like NASCAR and more. Two other great additions are foosball and air hockey. Easy to play fast paced games. They also come in a variety of sizes and fun designs. Table Tennis is a fun game but not everyone knows how to play and they take a lot of space if they don’t fold up so you may want to add other games first. One game that is overlooked too much is Shuffleboard. It’s GREAT for the whole family and it’s easy and fun to play.

Think about “Other Game Room Games”. For example if you have a 1950’s Theme then an Elvis Pinball Machine fits right in. Also a retro slot machine would be fun to have. A Pachinko Game or Pachislo is a great family game from Japan worth mentioning. And “Dart Boards & Poker Tables” are in high demand these days and there is such a large variety out there you’ll have no problem finding one for your game room.

A variety of games, some for the adults and some for the kids are what you need. Games can get a little expensive so don’t buy new, buy second hand from an online auction site or look in your local paper for used games. It’s not how new they are it’s how FUN they are! Don’t have enough space? Then try a “Combination Game Table”. They have combos from 3 in 1 to 15 in 1 game tables.

It’s time to liven things up with “Music”. You can’t have an ultimate game room without music. A Juke Box is best when it comes to game room music. Whether it’s a 1946 Rockola or a retro looking CD Juke Box it doesn’t matter. It’s having a jukebox that counts most. Yes a 400 CD changer with a nice surround sound stereo system works even better but looks mean a lot when creating a game room. Just hide your CD or stereo in the corner.

Finally to create the “Ultimate Game Room” you need a TV. One should be mounted on the wall in the vicinity of the pool table / poker table and the other in a sitting area for kids to play video games. This is a must. No game room is complete without a TV or two for the big game.

Now you have all the ingredients you need for creating the “Ultimate Home Game Room”. There are always fun and different accessories you can add to spice it up even more but with the basics covered you’re ready to start having the best parties and get-togethers on the block!

You’ll find information on other decorating themes like Western and Hawaiian themes and much more at http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com/game-room-themes.html .

To view game room posters go directly to http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com/picture-and-poster.html

About the Author:

Joe Schmieder is the Webmaster of www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com

He created his website to help people create fun home game rooms and to use those game rooms to keep family and friends close together and share fun times all year round.

Buying a pinball game for your home game room is no little task. Yes you want a fun pinball machine and yes you want one both family and friends will enjoy. So does that mean you go right out and buy the first “cool” looking pinball machine you see? Nope, No Way, Never!

Although a “FUN” pinball game is what every home game room or rec room needs, you must consider a couple of things. One consideration is whether you’d like a single player or multi-player game? Of course most of the games now days are multi player so if you’re looking for a modern pinball game that is single player they’re hard to find unless it’s a children sized pinball game. The antique / vintage pinball machines made in the early 1950s and before are the single player pinball machines.

So not only do you have a choice between single player and multi-player but now you must choose between a vintage pinball machine and a more modern pinball machine. And of course each one has its good points and features so let’s go into a little more detail.

Single Player Pinball Machine

Considering most of the single player pinball games date back some 50 years or so a good point in having one of these is its uniqueness. They’re rare, they have a lot of neat “vintage” bells and whistles for those times and they’re actually very challenging yet simple to play for kids of all ages from 3 to 103.

Because of their uniqueness they also tend to be a big conversation piece and everyone wants to take a turn to play. It’s not often you get a chance to play an original pinball game from the 1930s, 40s, 50s or 60s. Growing up, in my parents game room they had two antique pinball games from the late 1930s/early 1940s era. One was called “Miss Annabel” and the other was called “Catalina”. They didn’t have electronic graphics or digital score keeping, they were one-player games and they were quite old. But those two antique pinball games were more fun than a lot of the newer electronic pinball games with all the graphics, sounds, bonus games and all the other high tech stuff they have on them now days. You see it wasn’t how “new” or how “advanced” the game was that made it fun, it was the skill involved and the uniqueness of the game that made it fun!

Both family and friends enjoyed those games for many years during all the holiday parties. We had tournaments, kept high scores and more. So you see single player games do have some advantages over the newer multi player pinball games. Also it seems that with the vintage pinball machines it was you against the machine, not other people. But with multi-player games you seem to concentrate more on beating your competition than beating the game.

Multi Player Pinball Game

Modern era pinball games have a lot to say for themselves. You’d think I’d favor the antique single player games because I grew up with them but that’s not true. As time went on my parents replaced one of the antique games with a 4-player electronic pinball game. I was a little upset at first but grew to like the 4-player game.

First of all it had all the bells and whistles that most of the pinball games have now days. Like bonus games, extra balls, two-ball play and more. Those were features I only encountered in arcade game rooms. But suddenly we had one in our own home. And you know what, I loved all those features. Plus since it was a 4-player game more people could play during the family get-togethers and holiday parties. Also it kept the high score so no need to have a piece of paper and pen nearby. And the winner could put in their initials by using the flipper buttons.

So what are some of the basic features you get with a modern pinball machine? You get the multi-player feature, high score memory, name memory, computer graphic screens, multi-ball play, ball capture, bonus games, talking games, stereo music and some even have two levels of pinball action. There are more features besides these too. Mainly because there are so many different modern machines available you’ll come across a lot of features we haven’t mentioned. If you come across an arcade game room go in and check out the cool features on some of the newest pinball games available, you’ll be amazed.

One other really neat thing about modern pinball games is that you can find “Theme Pinball Games”. From the Simpson’s and Adams Family to Star Trek and NASCAR there and many different and fun themed pinball games that would fit right into a home game room theme. You may just find one for your home that you never knew existed.

So after playing pinball games for 30 years both modern and antique I’ve come to a conclusion. No matter which you choose they’re a great addition or I should say a “MUST” addition to any ultimate home game room! The best scenario would be to have one of each if possible. I love the uniqueness of the vintage pinball machines and I love all the high tech features of modern pinball machines too. Of course everyone has their own reasoning behind which is better and some games just work better for some people than others. But before going with one over the other make sure to give them both a try. You never know which one you’ll love more and you may be surprised which one you decide to add to your home game room.

About the Author:

Visit http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com to find fun and interesting information on creating a Family Game Room in your home.

Visit http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com/fun-pinball-machines.html to learn more about adding fun pinball machines into your home game room.

We see thousands of people playing online games such as tetris, ping pong, mario bros, super mario etc for free but despite its history dating back to 1970s, for most people online gaming began with the explosion of Internet in 1993 and with the advent of Doom and Warcraft sometime in 1994 or 1995. This got further boost with publishers starting to add Internet connectivity to computer games in 1994-95.

The media, in fact, have themselves been ignorant about online games history. As far as they are concerned, online gaming just coincidentally happened when their advertisers started producing Internet-capable games.

Serious online gaming began with the first interactive online game called ADVENT. In fact networked gaming got conceptualized with ADVENT. Networked gaming had users playing against each other within an online fantasy world. The first networked game was called Mazewar, a game which involved networked players traveling through a maze and attempting to kill one another.

Next came the interpersonal interaction in a multi-player environment. The first such game was called DUNGEN. DUNGEN had players competing against one another to complete a series of quests. DUNGEN provided with new settings and players each time the user logged on.

The late 1970’s saw the start of video game craze with more and more households getting computer savvy. As a natural corollary, people started writing their own games for the home computers. These programming hobbyists traded and sold these home-grown games in local markets.

Other changes in the 1970’s were home gaming consoles which used game cartridges. That meant the people could collect games cartridges for one base unit instead of having bulky game console systems.

The 80s - some pause before the storm 1980’s saw growing craze for the video and computer game craze, but online gaming wasn’t on the horizon yet. New games with better sound and graphics were introduced and gained popularity. Pole Position and Pac-man were two that achieved big popularity. It was during 1980’s when Nintendo introduced its first gaming system.

The 1990’s saw the phenomenal growth in both popularity and technology mostly because of the rise of 3-D and multimedia.

The late 1990’s saw the exponential growth of the Internet, MUDs (multi-user dungeons) which made online games wildly popular. New and improved graphical interfaces had people all over the world playing against each other not only in FPS games but also in real time strategy games (RTS games) as well as third person games like Grand Theft Auto.

This was also the period when websites started offering online games such as tetris, ping pong, mario bros, super Mario, and other free online flash games and non-flash based games free for playing after registering with them. This really pushed online gaming into the popular psyche.

Early years of the 21st century were dominated by the DVD-CD-ROM. It has changed the way online games are played. The latest gaming systems such as Sony’s play station and Microsoft’s X-box have networking capabilities to enable people play with each other in real time from all over the world. Exponentially growing broadband internet services have made playing these online games possible in true sense of the word.

About the Author:
Jon Caldwell is a Boggle Addict. Much of his pastime games can be seen at http://www.boggle-web.com/boggle-webcat/boggle-weblists.php