The Most Popular Computer and Video Games in the USA

Popularity can be measured by the quantifiable component of number of copies sold or it can be measured by how many people thoroughly enjoy the game.

Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 sold 7 million copies in 1982. However, it makes a good example for the case that copies sold does not equate most popular. Despite the record breaking number of sales it was also returned in large quantities by unhappy consumers.

Historically popular games many gamers recall with nostalgia are iconic of the video game industry. Pong, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., Tetris, Dragon Warrior, Sonic the Hedgehog and Street Fighter are all original titles that were very popular. Many of these titles were later developed into a series or franchise.

Super Mario Bros. was originally a platform game. The flagship characters of Mario and Luigi have become iconic of Nintendo in the USA and globally. The strength of positive association for gamers to the icons of Super Mario Bros. has allowed the developer to successfully expand the characters into other game genres such as role playing, racing, puzzle games, party and sports. This long running game's main character, Mario, was first introduced to the market in 1981 via Donkey Kong. By 1985, the characters received enough focus to launch the original Super Mario Bros.

Other games notable for the strength of consumer and gamer response in the USA include: Pokémon, the Wii basic games, Call of Duty, the Sims, Grand Theft Auto, Tetris, Wii Sports, Final Fantasy franchise, FIFA and Need for Speed. Star Wars, Kirby, Counterstrike, God of War, Monster Hunter, Diablo, Frogger, Kingdom Hearts and Gears of War are also easily recognizable for popularity in the USA.

Sim City, StarCraft, Zuma, The Elder Scrolls, Half-Life, Myst, Civilization series, Adventure Island, The Lord of the Rings, World of Warcraft, Angry Birds, Minecraft, Bioshock, Doom, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, Guild Wars, and the Crono series are also immensely popular in the North American market. Consumers still play some of the older games today despite the advances in technology because the game was so enjoyable.

Video game popularity is determined by consumer response which is influenced by marketing. It is not enough to be an awesome game developer. Developers need relationships with entities possessing strong publishing power and the ability to showcase the game to the consumer market.