Chapter 9 Video Games
Chapter 9: Video Games
1. The first electric pinball game was invented by
a. David Gottlieb.
b. Harry Williams.
c. Steven Baxter.
d. Charles Nelson Riley.
2. The first home video game system, Odyssey, was marketed by Magnavox in what year?
a. 1972
b. 1965
c. 1981
d. 1984
3. The first video game imported into the United States was
a. Pong.
b. Space Invaders.
c. Missile Attack.
d. Gunfight.
4. LED stands for
a. Loose Electronic Device.
b. Light Emitting Diode.
c. Light Enhancing Diode.
d. Light Enhancing Device.
5. The first first-person perspective shooter game was
a. Doom.
b. Grand Theft Auto.
c. Myst.
d. Pong.
6. MUD stands for
a. Multi-user device.
b. Multi-user dimension.
c. Media User download.
d. Multi-user download.
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whole or part.
7. A video game designed to encourage strenuous physical activity is a(n) __________.
a. physogame
b. gyrogame
c. exergame
d. combat game
8. Classic games most often played in spurts that have become a staple on small screen devices
such as smartphones are ______________ games.
a. escape
b. adventure
c. platform
d. casual
9. What percentage of U.S. households own a dedicated game console?
a. 25%
b. 51%
c. 62%
d. 10%
10. What percentage of gamers’ parents play with their kids?
a. 25%
b. 38%
c. 62%
d. 42%
11. In 2006_______ was introduced, designed specifically to attract new, non-traditional gamers.
a. Nintendo’s Wii
b. X-Box 360
c. PSP2
d. Game Boy Advance
12. According to the Entertainment Software Association, what is the percentage of parents who
think that video games encourage family time?
a. 85%
b. 55%
c. 5%
d. 25%
13. Which of the following is not a game console?
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Baran: Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, 9e TB-9 | 3
whole or part.
a. PlayStation2
b. Game Boy
c. Xbox
d. Game-Cube
14. Companies that create games for existing systems are called
a. third-party publishers.
b. content providers.
c. affiliates.
d. designers.
15. Games are particularly attractive to advertisers because they are ____, that is, players stay
with them for long stretches at a time.
a. addictive
b. engrossing
c. sticky
d. petulant
16. Outsourcing to an online network of people for cooperative problem-solving is
a. advergaming.
b. crowdsourcing.
c. gamification.
d. brainstorming.
17. Games that offer in-game virtual currency for various activities or sometimes for watching a
commercial before playing are called
a. Sticky games.
b. advergames.
c. freemium games.
d. bankable games.
18. _________ patented the first interactive video game.
a. Ralph Baer
b. Nolan Bushnell
c. Manny Fernandez
d. David Gottlieb
19. Introduced in 1986, __________ was the first game to offer open structure play; that is, play
that let players go where they wished and offered multiple routes to winning.
a. Legend of Zelda
b. Tomb Raiders
c. Madden Football
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Baran: Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, 9e TB-9 | 4
whole or part.
d. Call to Duty
20. According to industry research, approximately what percentage of American youth who play
video games show a signs of behavioral addiction?
a. 10
b. 8
c. 66
d. 50
21. Humpty Dumpty and subsequent games of skill were created to get around
a. ESRB ratings.
b. gambling laws.
d. age restrictions.
22. Brands that have become games are referred to as
a. product placements.
b. brand-o-matics.
c. Trojan Horse games.
d. advergames.
23. Advocacy games are
a. used primarily by manufacturers of high-end consumer products.
b. virtually absent from Web-based games.
c. Web games containing non-commercial, persuasive messages.
d. favorites among young males.
24. ESRB stands for
a. Entertainment Standards Ratings Board.
b. Entertainment Software Ratings Board.
c. Ethical Software Ratings Board.
d. Ethical Standards Ratings Board.
25. Which of the following is not an ESRB game rating?
a. M
b. TO
c. EC
d. AO
26. LCD stands for
a. liquid crystal display.
Chapter 9 Video Games
b. light capture display.
c. liquid crystal device.
d. light creation device.
27. Games played as though seen from the gamers’ view are called.
a. first-person perspective games.
b. shooting games.
c. multiuser dimensions.
d. virtual worlds games.
28. Games are the single largest category of mobile apps, accounting for ______ of all apps
downloaded from the Apple store.
a. 75%
b. 100%
c. 93%
d. 85%
29. Wii was introduced in the 2000s specifically to attract
a. non-traditional game players.
b. teen boys.
c. teen girls.
d. those interested in exercise.
30. LAN stands for
a. Leader Among Newbie.
b. Local Area Network.
c. Legally Accessible Network.
d. Log-on Access Needed.
31. Computer Space, released in 1971, was designed by
a. Ralph Baer.
b. Ted Turner.
c. Nolan Bushnell.
d. Steve Russell.
32. Atari was incorporated by
a. Ralph Baer.
b. Ted Turner.
c. Nolan Bushnell.
d. Steve Russell.
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© 2017 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or
distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in
whole or part.
33. Spacewar, the first interactive computer game, was designed by
a. Ralph Baer.
b. Ted Turner.
c. Nolan Bushnell.
d. Steve Russell.
34. Harry Williams’ game innovations were electronic scoring and
a. ball return.
b. flippers.
c. flashing lights.
d. ceramic balls.
35. The spark that set off the game revolution was ______, a game from Atari.
a. Doom
b. Myst
c. Space Invaders
d. Pong
36. In 1977, Mattell brought true electronic games to handheld devices with
a. Doom.
b. Super Mario.
c. Missile Attack.
d. Space Invaders.
37. Using video game skills and conventions to solve real-world problems is known as
a. gamification.
b. crowdsource.
c. advergaming.
d. advocacy gaming.
38. Much, if not most, of today’s mobile gaming takes the form of ______ games.
a. advocacy
b. casual
c. freemium
d. virtual worlds
39. Video game industry revenues have not yet quite matched those of the movie industry.
Baran: Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, 9e TB-9 | 7
© 2017 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or
distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in
whole or part.
40. Games are an expression of creativity and are often treated as an art form.
41. The first electric pinball game was Contact.
42. More than half of all Americans play video games.
43. Video games can help develop children’s motor skills.
44. In 2001 the average game cost $10 million to produce.
45. Two of the fastest-growing media companies are video game companies.
46. Over 90 percent of smartphone and tablet owners play video games at least once a week
using these devices.
47. Unlike the movie industry, cross-promotion has yet to reach the game business.
48. The gender gap among gamers is being closed, in part because of games on social
networking sites.
49. Nintendo introduced Wii in 2006 in order to claim a bigger share of the handheld game device
market.
50. The issue of addiction to games has been settled to just about everyone’s satisfaction; there
is little to be concerned about.
51. What are the major platforms on which games are played?
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whole or part.
52. What were the contributions to gaming of Harry Williams and David Gottlieb?
53. What were the contributions to gaming of Ralph Baer, Steven Russell, and Nolan Bushnell?
54. Draw a distinction between advergaming and advocacy games. How are they similar?
55. What are the major handheld systems and how do they differ?
56. Differentiate between product placement and cross-promotion in video games.
57. What are some of the benefits of product placements in games, according to their
proponents?
58. In what ways has hypercommercialism come to gaming?
59. In what ways have the Internet and smartphones altered the gaming industry?
60. List the ESRB ratings designations and tell what each means.
61. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the ESRB ratings system? Do you think industry
self-regulation is sufficient to protect young people from inappropriate content? Speculate on
the relative effectiveness of the game and movie ratings.
Chapter 9 Video Games
Baran: Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, 9e TB-9 | 9
© 2017 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or
distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in
whole or part.
Answer: Answers will vary
Bloom’s level: Evaluate
62. Discuss the positive and negative effects of video games. How can the more positive aspects
of gaming be magnified and the more negative ones minimized?
63. Discuss the ways in which convergence has shaped the development of the video game
industry. How will is further affect the medium’s development?
64. What are the arguments for and against video games as being productive and “good”? Can
you think of any other arguments for either side? Which side do you agree with? Explain.