Video Game Hall of Fame: which six games made the first cut?

Tetris, Pac-Man and Super Mario Bros are among the first games to be inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, established by The Strong museum in New York.

The Hall of Fame class of 2015 was selected by a panel of judges comprised of journalists, scholars and other experts on the history and impact of video games, reports The Guardian.

The museum is known for its preservation of historical toys and artefacts and already houses the [2]International Centre for the History of Electronic Games.

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Here are the six titles the judges chose for video game immortality:

Pong

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If there was one certainty for the Hall of Fame, it was Pong. Helping to launch the video game industry, the 1972 title pitted two players against each other, batting back and forth a virtual white ball with white paddles. Its simple yet satisfying gameplay is said to have marked the beginning of the coin-operated video arcade era.

Pac-Man

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If Pong helped invent the video game industry, Pac-Man turned it into a cultural phenomenon. The incredibly addictive maze game coupled with psychedelic visuals meant Pac-Man became the video game industry's global ambassador. Despite being released in 1980, Pac-Man had a Super Bowl advert this year, proving its enduring legacy.

Tetris

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The Tetris theme song pervaded the global public consciousness when it was released on PC in 1987 – but the game is more than just a catchy tune. With simple shape-fitting gameplay and fiendishly difficult higher levels, it has become a timeless game in almost every corner of the world.

Super Mario Bros

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Italian plumber Mario is one of the most memorable video game characters of all time. With 260 million games sold worldwide, the video game franchise has become the most popular of all time and the scrolling platformer Super Mario Bros remains a classic title.

Doom

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Before Grand Theft Auto, there was Doom. On release in 1993, the game garnered controversy and acclaim in equal measure. Following the Columbine High School shootings it was found that the gunmen had played Doom and questions were raised about the violent content in video games. Doom is widely seen as the first mass-market "first person shooter" game and has spawned a number of incredibly successful titles since.

World of Warcraft

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The online multiplayer game that is played by millions of people every day has revolutionised online gaming. Players work together to complete tasks and move higher up the ranks. In 2010 the game had 12 million subscribers, and it has been referenced multiple times in popular culture from T-Shirts to television, with South Park dedicating a whole episode to the franchise.