Video games have come a long way since Nolan Bushnell introduced the world to “Pong” in 1972. Once thought to be nothing more than a novelty for young people, games have exploded into a billion-dollar industry and have garnered a following of fans aged 8 to 80. As the technology grows more and more sophisticated, developers are capable of creating games that tell rich and complex stories, offer thrilling adventures and challenge a puzzler’s mind. In honor of Teen Tech Week and Newport Beach Library’s “Let’s Play Games!” program Saturday, this week’s Check It Out will present several video games that are fun to play.
“A Boy and his Blob” (Nintendo Wii): A remake of the original 1989 NES game, “A Boy and his Blob” is a delightful puzzle game that tells the story of a young boy who meets a blob-like alien who has come to Earth looking for help to free his planet from an evil tyrant. Teamwork is key, and in order to progress through the game’s 40-plus levels, you’ll feed Blob jelly beans which allow him to take on a form (such as a ladder, trampoline, rocket and more) needed to reach the next level. Rendered in a beautiful, hand-drawn animation style, “Blob” is a fun, family friendly adventure.
