Gaming's Universal symbol

[IceColdPillow]

Let's say we had to basically sum up videogames to some different civilization unaware of what it is. Now, which character or symbol would you show them? For example, i would show them Mario, while not my favorite, the cultural impact Mario has had, I think he would be gamings symbol. He shows all thats good in gaming. Don't think personal favorite or whatever, think general impact.

Now, I scoured the forum for this and found nothing[I hope not].

[Lavos]

Something to represent all video games...hm. I would have said a joystick, but the Adult rated games thrown in there to...

Probably a screen shot of Pong. Pong was the original (other than that huge machine, Tennis for Two) and every gamer alive knows about it.

[Xanatos]

I would show them Pac-Man. I mean Pac-Man is a classic game character and because of that I think he would be a great game symbol.

[ZantetsukeN]

I'd show them Space Invaders or Tetris. Two classic games that a lot of people love playing, even now (plus I wanted to go for something different to what everone has said so far ).

[MILK]

would show a picture of pong next too a next gen game to show advances...would be pretty cool

[RagnaToad]

Not an easy question to answer.

Luckily, we don't have to find a simple answer like that to a complex question.

In my opinion, the gaming culture, as most cultures in our society, is way too complex to be represented by one single symbol.

But I would have to go for a PS controller or something. Some fight/platform game, cause those are the most basic ones.

and yeah, showing a pioneer game like pac-man, tetris, space invaders,... and comparing it to a next gen game is a good idea.

[T.G. Oskar]

Umm...let's face it. The universal symbol of gaming is the joystick or controller. I mean, just like the NBA and MLB have a b-ball player on a lay-up, and a batter ready to deal a hit, MLB has the controller. It should be a guy playing with a controller (or two, and the other being a girl).

That is more of a gaming symbol than anything else. If you wanna add more, Pong for being the first, the first MUD for the first RPG, and the first games per each genre.

Or, the most recognized games of the genre. Though, that one can be debatable: Americans would say Final Fantasy for RPGs, while Japanese may say Dragon Quest instead. The FPS would divide between the Halo school and the Doom/Quake academy, with the few who studied a master's degree in Wolfenstein pointing out to their primacy.

But really, summing things in one symbol? Guy and gal playing with controllers. Or simply one person playing with a controller.

[Furore]

An Atari joystick.
You can all say what you want, but it was the Atari that first showed us how kickass console gaming could be.

That or a pic of an old skool arcade cabinet if you really want to get back to your gaming roots.

[T.G. Oskar]

That or a pic of an old skool arcade cabinet if you really want to get back to your gaming roots.

Make that a Pac-Man table console.

Or an air hockey table. Only new sucky arcade places don't have them.