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Grand Theft Auto and the biggest moments in video game history

Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA V) made headlines as the biggest video game release of all time, selling more than $1 billion worth of copies in three days. But GTA V didn't get to this landmark moment by itself. Find out more moments that changed the course of video game history in this list, from most recent to the beginning of (video game) time.

6. Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64 make games 3D

Nintendo/PRNewsFoto
Nintendo's Super Mario Galaxy game for its Wii is pictured here. Super Mario 64 moved games into the 3-D era and solidified Mario as a character for years to come.

Many video gamers imagine there are two eras to video games: pre-3-D games and post-3-D games. This turning point was marked by two iconic video game systems: the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64.

Sony came first, releasing the PlayStation 1 in Japan in 1994 and in the United States in 1995. Sony's 32-bit processor, which ran on the new CD-ROM technology, gave unprecedented depth to games with 3-D graphics and extensive multimedia abilities: The audio, graphics, and movement made games like Doom and Ridge Racer a more immersive experience than ever before. Plus, PlayStation spent extra time revamping the handheld controller, adding extra buttons and extended grips for better control of the new 3-D characters, an innovation that changed controllers forever. For a time, PlayStation was the clear standout in the video game industry.

At least until 1996 when Nintendo released its Nintendo 64. Heralded as the first video game console equipped with a 64-bit processor, the Nintendo 64 took 3-D gaming to new heights. The iconic Super Mario 64 game had players adventuring with the titular plumber in a clearer and more controlled way than ever before. The Nintendo 64 also included a key addition to the controller, the analog stick, which provided 360-degree control of character movement. The gaming console was released to huge hype and sales, and helped popularize a new era of 3-D gaming that changed the industry forever.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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