Decoding the Charm of Japanese Video Games (Part One)

Pac-Man (1980, Namco [now Namco Bandai]) In this smash-hit arcade game, players must eat up all of the 240 dots placed in a maze while evading monsters.

Space Invaders (1978, Taito) A shooting game in which players aim to destroy the invading aliens. It helped spark the enormous popularity of arcade games.

Super Mario Bros. (1985, Nintendo) This game sparked an enormous boom in the popularity of home video game consoles. It is registered in the Guinness World Records as the world’s top-selling game software.

The Legend of Zelda (1986, Nintendo) This game placed a strong focus on unraveling mysteries, in contrast to action-packed outings like Super Mario Bros. It earned a strong fan base, particularly in North America.

Dragon Quest (first version 1986, Enix [now Square Enix])The first full-fledged RPG for a home console. Players assume the role of the game’s hero, who solves riddles in seeking to topple an evil lord and rescue an imprisoned princess.