Computer games are games played against or on a computer. A game is defined as “an amusement or pastime”.http://www.thefreedictionary.com/computer+game Computer games are available for almost all ages. These games can be educational, just for fun or some of both.

There are a number of types of computer games available. Some of the main categories are:

• Action games in general has physical challenges that would include hand-eye coordination and reaction-time.http://www4.shopping.com/xPP-computer_games--genre__mining__action
• Adventure computer games often include exploring and puzzle solving in a story form.http://www4.shopping.com/xPP-computer_games--9436_adventure
• Role-playing games evolved from pen-and-paper role-playing games. In these games, players control one or several characters and fulfill quests.http://www4.shopping.com/xPP-computer_games--genre__mining__role_playing
• Simulation computer games can closely simulate facets of real life such as cities, construction and everyday life.http://www4.shopping.com/xPP-computer_games--simulation
• Sport games are based on everyday sports activities.http://www4.shopping.com/xPP-computer_games?AT=genre__mining__sports&ST=or
• Strategy games focus on planning and thinking ahead in order to complete the game.
• Multiplayer and multiplayer online computer games are played by a number of players. Player can gather at one location to play or play by using the Internet.

Considered the first computer game, Spacewar was developed in 1962. This game ran on a computer as big as a large car and the graphics were primitive. For the consumer, the first video game was Pong. Pong was made in 1973 and was followed by Space Invaders in 1977. Multiplayer games first became available in 1933 with the introduction of Doom. This game allowed several computers to be hooked together so many people could play together.

The first adventure games were text based. The first one offered was Adventure in 1977. Players communicated with the computer by typing commands. The computer would tell the player through text what was happening in the game. Interactive fiction became popular with the game Myst, which was released in 1993. This was one of the first games with a purely graphical interface.http://www.jesperjuul.net/thesis/2-historyofthecomputergame.html