Pre-PS2 Discussion: Smithsonian Final Selections for 2012 Video Game Art Exhibit

[Nz17]

Full details of the exhibit, a list of the winners including screen-shots and runners-up by console (PDF), the announcement video, and a question session with the curator of this collection.

Those with art chosen for exhibition (pre-PlayStation 2) are:

1943: The Battle of Midway
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
After Burner
Attack of the Mutant Camels
ChuChu Rocket!
Combat®
Desert Commander
Diablo II
Donkey Kong™
DOOM II
Dune II: Battle for Arrakis
Earthworm Jim
Einhander
Fallout
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy VII
Goldeneye 007
Gradius V
Gunstar Heroes
Jumpman
Marble Madness
Metal Gear Solid
Pac-Man
Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star IV
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
Pitfall!
Rez
Shenmue
Sid Meier's Pirates!
SimCity
SimCity 2000
Sonic Adventure
Space Invaders
Spy vs Spy
Star Fox™
Star Strike
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
StarCraft
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Brothers 3
Super Mario World
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Tomb Raider
TRON: Maze-Atron
Utopia
Worms Armageddon
Zaxxon

(For those who are interested, the "modern" winners are:
Bioshock
Boom Blox
Brütal Legend
Fable
Fallout 3
flOw
Flower
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Halo 2
Heavy Rain
Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II
MassEffect 2
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metroid Prime 2: Echos
Minecraft
Okami
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Pikmin 2
Portal
Shadow of Colossus
Star Fox™: Assault
Super Mario Galaxy 2
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Walker
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure)

In addition, five playable games will be on display for use by visitors to the museum. These are Pac-Man, Super Mario Brothers, The Secret of Monkey Island, Myst, (and the more modern World of Warcraft). The "The Art of Video Games" exhibit will be on display at the 3rd floor North of the Smithsonian American Art Museum from March 16, 2012 through September 30, 2012.

Which of these classic games deserved to win, and which runners-up would you have chosen instead based on artistic merit? Personally, I find LUNAR and Grandia to be more artistic than Final Fantasy VII.

[Nz17]

I found this to be an interesting quote from the curator of the exhibit, Chris Melissinos: "Early on in the planning for this exhibition, I had to cut the list down from 25 systems to just 20 by removing the Apple II, TurboGrafx-16, 3DO, Atari Jaguar, and the Amiga 500. The most painful omission, personally, was the TG-16. I absolutely loved this system when it was released, it introduced the CD-ROM to game consoles, and it had many beautiful games. However, when selecting 20 systems to represent 5 eras, we were unable to include it over more widely identifiable systems of the same period."

[Gooch3008]

Einhander is on this list. I am pleased.

edit: This is also one of the few times I am grateful to live within driving distance of Washington DC.

[bcks007]

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell!, the first one?, its not that good.

[chrisbid]

interesting omission of 2D sonic the hedgehog

[maxlords]

Are they displaying the artwork from the game packaging? Or in-game shots and cinemas? Either way only maybe 3/4 of those REALLY make sense to me.

[calthaer]

Disappointed that Deus Ex wasn't voted in. No discussion of games as art is complete without it.

[Nz17]

Everyone should remember this isn't about "games as art." The Smithsonian exhibit is about games with a strong visual aesthetic and innovative use of new technology. Those chosen for the exhibit are supposed to have a strong showing in both.

[MASTERWEEDO]

Does that mean they arent using the 2600 version of Pac-Man?

[calthaer]

Everyone should remember this isn't about "games as art." The Smithsonian exhibit is about games with a strong visual aesthetic and innovative use of new technology. Those chosen for the exhibit are supposed to have a strong showing in both.

They left the choice of games up to a popular vote. This wasn't about visual aesthetics or anything - it was a popularity contest.

Also, the curator of the exhibit, in his interview:

"Basically, we plan to highlight games that reflect a specific period in time through social reflection, available technology, and artistic techniques, etc. The goal is to demonstrate to visitors that video games are more than what they seem to be at first glance. "

[InsaneDavid]

No Tass Times in Tonetown?? What gives, man?!?!

[sheath]

Well, I think it will be a good showing. Not sure what they can do that most of us can't do in our dank dark gaming rooms, but maybe that's the point.

[Nz17]

They left the choice of games up to a popular vote. This wasn't about visual aesthetics or anything - it was a popularity contest.

That's half right: the final vote was given to the public, but the initial selection of nominees to choose from was selected by hand-chosen members of the professional game development community, video game musicians, gaming press, video game historians, and the staff of the Smithsonian.

[Baloo]

When is this exhibit going up? Definitely have to get down to the Smithsonian now.

Disappointed that NiGHTS into Dreams... wasn't voted for Saturn here, that's one of the games that I really thought was a work of art when it comes to games in general. Nice to see Panzer Dragoon Saga though.

[Peonpiate]

The original Deus Ex for the PC is not on there ? Blasphemy! That game was artwork for its time, and its still a great game. It is probably the best of its sub-genre to this day imo.

[kafa111]

YUSS
I live very close to dc, and cant wait to see shenmue and earthworm jim art
too bad skies of arcadia didnt win

[Nz17]

When is this exhibit going up? Definitely have to get down to the Smithsonian now.

Time for reading glasses, Baloo? As per my original post:

The "The Art of Video Games" exhibit will be on display at the 3rd floor North of the Smithsonian American Art Museum from March 16, 2012 through September 30, 2012.

[Baloo]

Time for reading glasses, Baloo? As per my original post:

Thanks,, how did I not notice that the first time? Haha.

[Enigmus]

Sonic Adventure? How'd they skip over S3&K that easily?