1. Nintendo's Wild Ride

From an obscure Japanese card manufacturer to the most recognizable gaming company worldwide, Nintendo's wild ride from family business to global gaming titan has lasted over 100 years, changing the game and the world.

2. Madden Scores Big

Electronic Arts collaborates with coach and sports commentator John Madden to create what would become a great football video game.

3. Atari Takes the Lead

Atari's launch of Pong in 1972 and the follow-up smash hit Pac-Man in 1980 created a whole new gaming industry -- until it all came crashing down.

4. When Duty Calls

The inception of Activision's mega-hit Call of Duty began in Hollywood, thanks to director Steven Spielberg -- but its success was due to the scrappy brilliance of a Tulsa, OK, video game company and a group of disgruntled gamers named the Gang of Four.

6. World of Warcraft Goes for Gold

Brave heroes join on a quest into the vast realms of World of Warcraft; following the journey of its wise warriors, aka game developers, as they face insurmountable obstacles to collecting their gold lots and lots of gold.

7. Sega Sics Nintendo

Sega joins forces with a blue hedgehog to launch their 16-bit Genesis console.

8. Minecraft Builds an Empire

Minecraft sets players free to create their own world in a colorful, pixelated sandbox, mining, surviving and even whacking the occasional zombie or two.