Millennial Gamers, get nostalgic: the Class of 2025 has officially been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York and the lineup is legendary.
Each of these titles was selected from a group of 12 iconic finalists, including Frogger, Angry Birds, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, NBA 2K, and Harvest Moon. The Hall of Fame recognizes video games across console, arcade, mobile, handheld, and PC that have had a lasting cultural impact and helped move the industry forward.
GoldenEye 007, the Nintendo 64 classic that revolutionized multiplayer gaming, headlines this year’s inductees. Also honored were Defender, the 1981 arcade hit that separated the casuals from the hardcore; Tamagotchi, the beloved digital pet that became a global craze; and Quake, the gritty first-person shooter whose 3D engine helped shape modern gaming as we know it.
A Bond Classic That Changed Multiplayer Forever
Released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64, GoldenEye 007 brought the world of James Bond to gamers and introduced a four-player split-screen mode that changed the way we experienced first-person shooters. It quickly became one of the N64’s all-time bestsellers, trailing only Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64.
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Experts at the Hall of Fame credit the game’s innovative multiplayer mode as the blueprint for games in the future, influencing everything from Halo to Call of Duty.
Quake: The Shooter That Shaped a Genre
Quake, launched in 1996 by id Software, took the foundation laid by Doom and leveled it up with a powerful 3D engine and a built-in programming language that still influences games today.
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Defender: The Arcade Game That Wasn’t Afraid to Be Hard
Long before consoles and cheat codes, arcade gamers lined up for a shot at Defender, the 1981 side-scrolling shooter that was fast, flashy, and brutally difficult. With complex controls and intense action, it became a proving ground for competitive players.
Tamagotchi: The Digital Pet That Took the World by Storm
Before there were smartphones, there was Tamagotchi, a palm-sized electronic egg that let kids (and adults) raise a virtual pet from cradle to grave. Introduced in 1996, it captured hearts worldwide and laid the foundation for future pet sims like Nintendogs, Neopets, and modern mobile apps.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame is housed inside the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, which is a must-visit destination for gamers and families. Each year, anyone can nominate a game for induction. The museum then narrows the field to 12 finalists, and both expert judges and fans vote on the final honorees.
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If you’ve ever stayed up all night with a controller (or a digital pet), this Hall of Fame is your kind of history.
’90s Toys That Spark Instant Childhood Memories
This ’90s nostalgia is sure to make you feel like a kid again.
Gallery Credit: Danielle Kootman
6 Places Loud Kids Definitely Shouldn’t Be Allowed
Let’s be real—kids are adorable, but sometimes their volume can rival a rock concert. Sure, we love their enthusiasm, but there are a few places where we kind of wish they could hit “mute” just for a little while. So, here are the top places, according to Texans, where loud kids really shouldn’t be allowed (unless, of course, they come with a built-in noise-canceling feature).
Gallery Credit: CANVA
LOOK: How Many of These Classic Summer Toys Do You Remember?
If you grew up in the Wild West of the ’60s, ’70s, or ’80s, summer toys were a lifeline because many of us were locked outside (until the street lights came on). Inside was no place for a kid! Check out these classic summer toys that kept us cool, kept us busy, and always seemed to add a dash of danger.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
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