Growing up, many of us have enjoyed playing video games. Whether we play them on video game consoles like the NES or Sega Genesis, played handheld gaming systems like the Game Boy or the tiger electronic LCD games, or even play them in arcades, video games have been an integral part of our childhood. But have you ever wondered how our favorite video games? Like how did Pac-Man become the arcade icon that we know today? Or how did the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game became so popular? We have always wondered about the history of our favorite video games, and there are tons of people out there who have shared the histories of these games. Take the YouTuber PatManQC, for example. He makes tons of videos about the history of iconic video games, such as Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, just to name a few. And today, I will be sharing six of his videos covering some of my favorite games. So without further Ado, let's-a go!

Popeye (1982)

Starting things off, we have an iconic arcade game starring an iconic cartoon character. Coming out in 1982, the Popeye arcade game has our favorite Sailor Man when the affection of his beloved Olive Oyl, well also trying to avoid the wrath of his arch rival, Bluto. Originally, Nintendo, the company that made the Popeye arcade game, originally wanted to make the game back in 1981, but couldn't acquire the rights for the character at the time, so they reworked the game into something that will all too familiar with: Donkey Kong! That's right! If it wasn't for Popeye, neither Mario nor Donkey Kong would even exist, and we wouldn't have such great games such as the original Super Mario Bros. on the NES or the Donkey Kong country trilogy on the SNES.

The Simpsons Arcade Game (1991)

For those who don't know me, I'm not really a big fan of The Simpsons. I just find the humor of the show a bit too crass for my taste. Granted, it's not as crass as other adult cartoon shows like Rick and Morty and Family Guy, but I still just don't like it. That said, just because I don't like the show, doesn't mean I don't like some of the video games they did. One particular video game that I like is The Simpsons arcade game by Konami, released in 1991. For those who haven't played it, it's a beat 'em up game where you play as Homer, his wife Marge, and their two kids, Bart and Lisa, who must rescue the baby of the family, Maggie, who has been kidnapped by Mr. Burns' henchman, Smithers, after Maggie gets a hold of a diamond. The game features levels based off some of the shows iconic locales, including Krustyland and the nuclear plant that Homer works at and that Mr. Burns owns. The game has since released on modern consoles, and yet, it still hasn't come to the Nintendo Switch. Again, I'm not a big fan of The Simpsons, but I would love another chance to play this game.

Ms. Pac-Man (1982)

Coming out in 1982, 2 years after her husband made his debut, Ms. Pac-Man came on to the arcade scene, courtesy of not Namco like her husband, but Midway. Like her husband's game, Ms. Pac-Man had to go around the maze eating Pac-Dots while avoiding the ghosts. Like her husband before, Ms. Pac-Man was a huge success, especially among female gamers. Eventually the game was brought over to consoles, and it is one of the many games included on Arcade1up's home arcade cabinets. I guess it is true what they say. Anything a guy can do, a girl can do just as good.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (1991)

Coming out in 1991, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time is the radical follow-up to the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, which came out 2 years before. This game is just like the original arcade game, will you play as Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo, but in this game, and as the title implies, the Turtles' Arch nemesis, the shredder, sends the heroes in a half shell through Time, and you have to fight through hordes of enemies to get back to the present and fight the shredder. Eventually, this game would make its way to consoles, including the Nintendo Switch, where it's part of the Cowabunga Collection. Shell yeah!

Mario Brothers (1983)

Coming out in 1983, 2 years after Donkey Kong came out, Mario Brothers not only sees the triumphant return of Mario, but also sees the debut of his brother, Luigi. In this game, the Bros are plumbers, who are trying to clear the sewers of shellcrawlers, sidesteppers and fighter flies. This game has received tons of conversions and ports. As good as a game this is, it still got overshadowed by Super Mario Bros, which came out 2 years later.

Dig Dug (1982)

Last but not least, we have an iconic arcade game from the creators of Pac-Man. Released in 1982, one year after Pac-Man came out, Dig Dug has you playing as Taizo Hori, whose job is to get rid of the monsters that are living on the ground, by inflating them until they pop like balloons. Which, when you think about it, is actually pretty gruesome in context. Gruesome or not, the game was so successful, that it not only got a sequel 3 years later, but also got several ports, including a miniature arcade cabinet from Quarter Arcades, which I actually own myself.

And those are just some of the videos that PatManQC has done. If you want to check out the other videos that he did, just click here.

I hope you guys enjoyed my article and the videos that I shared. I hope to do another one like this one very soon. Until then, catch you guys later!