Adventure Games

Adventure games are specialist types of video game. These games work by allowing the player to take on the role of a specific character in the storyline of the game -- this will usually be the main character, hero or anti-hero. They then play the game in the guise of the character often by going on a quest or taking part in a specific adventure. Their own actions will dictate what will happen and how successful they are at playing the game as they progress through individual game levels.

Adventure games are thought to have started in earnest in the 1970s and the game ‘Adventure’ from that period is considered by many people to have been the starting point of this genre as a whole. These games are not usually action games per se and do not involve as much fighting or combat situations as other games -- they are more geared to exploration and problem solving. The game play here is all about progressing through game levels by moving around the landscape, finding routes, solving puzzles, collecting objects and accessing tips and power options.

Adventure games can be played in various ways. They remain a popular product within the games console sector, for example, both in terms of TV based consoles such as the PlayStation and Xbox and in smaller hand-held consoles such as those offered by Nintendo. Many players will play adventures games on their computer as well. They may, for example, simply buy a PC or MAC based game and load it up to play on their computer. In some cases they may prefer to play their games online where they will join an adventure game community and play that way.

One of the most well-known adventure games of all time is Myst. This game broke many sales records after its initial launch and is held to have been one of the first games that encouraged adults to play video games simply because it offered different elements to the popular and standard action games of the time.

As with many popular games genres adventure games are extremely popular with many people all over the world. They have spawned an extremely popular industry that goes beyond the sale of just games. Players can, for example, often buy books, video tie-ins, comics and toys and accessories that are related to their favourite games and most popular games will have their own online communities into the bargain where players can talk about the games and their playing experience