| A video game is a game that involves
interaction with a user interface to generate visual
feedback on a video device. The word video in video game
traditionally referred to a raster display device.
However, with the popular use of the term "video game",
it now implies any type of display device. The
electronic systems used to play video games are known as
platforms; examples of these are personal computers and
video game consoles. These platforms are broad in range,
from large computers to small handheld devices.
Specialized video games such as arcade games, while
previously common, have gradually declined in use.
The input device normally used to manipulate video
games is called a game controller, which varies across
platforms. For instance, a dedicated console controller
might consist of only a button and a joystick, or
feature a dozen buttons and one or more joysticks. Early
personal computer based games historically relied on the
availability of a keyboard for gameplay, or more
commonly, required the user to purchase a separate
joystick with at least one button to play. Many modern
computer games allow the player to use a keyboard and
mouse simultaneously.
Beyond the common element of visual feedback, video
games have utilized other systems to provide interaction
and information to the player. Chief examples of these
are sound reproduction devices, such as speakers and
headphones, and an array of haptic peripherals, such as
vibration or force feedback. |
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