EMS Creative iMedia Cambridge Nationals

1. History of Games
Lesson 2

2. Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
Mario vs Sonic
 Think about the attributes of each character and describe the
similarities and differences between them both.

3.  Know important characters in video game history
 Understand key features of a platform game
 Be able to compare two popular video games
Lesson Goals
#character
#platform

4. What is a platform game?
Think about platform games that you are familiar with…
Understand video game features
Be able to play early video games
#gameplay
#control

5.  A platform game is on in which the player controls a character
jumping or climbing over surfaces and obstacles to progress:
Platform Games
Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
#gameplay
#control

6.  Donkey Kong was an early arcade
platform game in which the player
controlled Jump Man.
 Jump Man (later renamed Mario)
had to climb ladders and jump
from suspended platforms.
 While doing this the player had to
avoid barrels and other objects
thrown by Donkey Kong.
 The objective was to rescue his
girlfriend from Donkey Kong.
Platform Games
Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
#character
#platform

7. Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
Side Scrolling
Super Mario Bros
1985

8. Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
2nd Gen Scrolling
Sonic the Hedgehog
1990

9. Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
3D Platformer
Crash Bandicoot
1996

10. Mario vs Sonic
Why are Mario and Sonic such well known characters?
Understand video game features
Be able to play early video games
#gameplay
#control

11.  Mario first appeared in 1981 but
was originally given the name
Jump Man in the Donkey Kong
arcade game.
Mario
Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
#character
#platform
 The original character had a moustache so
that the designers didn’t have to make his
mouth move when animated.
 There have been various arcade, console
and hand held Mario games including:
 Super Mario Bros
 Mario Kart
 Super Smash Bros
 Mario Tennis

12. Sonic
Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
#character
#platform
 Sonic first appeared in 1991, a
full 10 years after Mario and was
credited for bringing platform
games into the 90s.
 Sonic actually made his debut in a game
called Rad Mobile as an air freshener
hanging from a car’s rear view mirror.
 There have been many games featuring
Sonic the Hedgehog including:
 Sonic the Hedgehog
 Sonic Dash
 Sonic Athletics
 Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

13.  The success of a video game can hinge
on the main character that the game
is based upon. Both Mario and Sonic
became iconic for their generation.
 Other notable characters include:
 Lara Croft - Tomb Raider
 Gordon Freeman - Half Life
 Ryu - Street Fighter
 Solid Snake - Metal Gear Solid
 Link - Legend of Zelda
 Pikachu - Pokemon Red
 Nathan Drake - Uncharted
Characters
Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
#character
#platform

14.  Go to freemario.org and freesonic.org and play both games.
Your Task
Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
#character
#platform
 Use the review template provided
to comment on the key gameplay
features and the key attributes of
Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog.
 You must identify:
 Similarities – Which features are
common between both Mario and
Sonic the hedgehog?
 Differences – What makes each of
the characters unique?

15. Keywords
 Character
 Platform
 The user acting as the player in a game or
others in the game such as enemies.
 A game where the player controls a character
jumping or climbing over surfaces.
Understand key platform features
Be able to compare video games
#character
#platform