History Main / PacmanFever

* One episode of ''The Creator/TyraBanks Show'' features a married couple having a falling out because of the husband's ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' addiction. The "solution" to this? Have the husband take the ''[=WoW=]'' CD and put it through an extra-strength shredder! Except the CD only installs the game, and ''World of Warcraft'' runs on a monthly subscription system; to really cut himself off from the game he'd also have to uninstall it from his PC and cancel his subscription. And even if shredding the CD prevents him from reinstalling the game, nothing is stopping him from simply buying another one. Also a case of TechnologyMarchesOn, as the most common way of installing ''[=WoW=]'' nowadays is just downloading the game off of Blizzard's website.

* ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode [[{{Recap/TheXFilesS05E03UnusualSuspects}} "Unusual Suspects"]], which takes place in 1989, has Byers's boss [[https://xfilesarchive.com/gallery/UnusualSuspectsBR45.jpg playing]] VideoGame/DigDug at the FCC booth. It's admirable that the game's reproduced perfectly, sound effects and all, but there weren't any [[{{Main/ArcadePerfectPort}} arcade-perfect ports]] of ''Dig Dug'' for [=PCs=] like the [[{{UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer}} IBM-compatible]] shown until 1996's ''Microsoft Return of Arcade'' for [[{{UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows}} Windows]]. It's likely the production used the port in [[{{VideoGame/NamcoMuseum}} Namco Museum Vol. 3]] hooked up to the CRT.

* ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode [[{{Recap/TheXFilesS05E03UnusualSuspects}} "Unusual Suspects"]], that takes place in 1989, has Byers's boss [[https://xfilesarchive.com/gallery/UnusualSuspectsBR45.jpg playing]] VideoGame/DigDug at the FCC booth. It's admirable that the game's reproduced perfectly, sound effects and all, but there weren't any [[{{Main/ArcadePerfectPort}} arcade-perfect ports]] of ''Dig Dug'' for [=PCs=] like the [[{{UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer}} IBM-compatible]] shown until 1996's ''Microsoft Return of Arcade'' for [[{{UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows}} Windows]]. It's likely the production used the port in [[{{VideoGame/NamcoMuseum}} Namco Museum Vol. 3]] hooked up to the CRT.

* ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode [[{{Recap/TheXFilesS05E03UnusualSuspects}} "Unusual Suspects"]], that takes place in 1989, has Byers's boss [[https://xfilesarchive.com/gallery/UnusualSuspectsBR45.jpg playing]] VideoGame/DigDug at the FCC booth. It's admirable that the game's reproduced perfectly, sound effects and all, but there weren't any [[{{Main/ArcadePerfectPort}} arcade-perfect ports]] of Dig-Dug for [=PCs=] like the [[{{UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer}} IBM compatible]] shown until 1996's ''Microsoft Return of Arcade''. It's likely the production used the port in [[{{VideoGame/NamcoMuseum}} Namco Museum Vol. 3]].

* Despite being released in the early 90s, ''Series/ParkerLewisCantLose'' was brilliantly in-touch with video games. This was mostly relegated to cameos (Mario games, mentioning ''VideoGame/AlteredBeast'', showing Sega and Nintendo logos in shops), but one episode focused a lot more on them dealing with Jerry's addiction to video games. While still having a lot of humor, it took on the issue sensibly and intelligently, and ended in a way that showed that the writers had more insight into what video games were about then the vast majority of TV creators, then or since.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'', which features fusion-powered cars, hovering robots and synthetic humans indistinguishable from the real thing, apparently the paragon of video gaming after a century of development were greenscreen text adventures, ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders'', ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'', and ''VideoGame/MissileCommand''.

* Look no further than the box cover of the AK Rocker gamer chair for a prime example of this: A family of three (dad, son, daughter) are all on the eponymous chairs playing a game together... with an UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} or UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, Nintendo 64, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} controller, respectively, and the dad appears to be holding the controller backwards. It also depicts another family playing games cosplaying as ''Vikings'', so take that as you will. [[http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2006/06/marketinggonebadcqh.jpg Here's a pic.]]

%%* ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'', oddly, has [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/memberimages/100502.jpg Atari-style joystick]] ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}''.

* ''Animation/BreadBarbershop'': In "Cheeserella", the mobile game Cheese helps Cake Princess to beat makes 8-bit sounds, despite its graphics being in-line with a mobile game.

* In some of the ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' games, 9-Volt's and 18-Volt's stages take on an 8-bit look. When they do, they use only NES chiptune instruments in their background music. This is due to their being [[NoFourthWall Nintendo fans]], NES fans in particular, who also happen to be game designers.

* A good half of arcades in the US have little to nothing beyond the sixth generation of video games. (This also applies to games found in bars, pizza places, roller rinks, bowling alleys, kart speedways, minigolf places, and non-major-chain family entertainment centers; this is because arcades are primarily the side attraction to the venues, so it means less emphasis is put on the arcade games and more on the main attraction.) This may be because many 7th and 8th gen arcade games are extremely expensive 4D rides usually costing around $20,000 and being maintainance-heavy, whereas old games from the second through sixth gen have very few advanced features and usually cost $3,000.

Other reasons could include copyright. While it wouldn't be hard to toss in some footage and sound from a modern game, it may cost quite a bit to get the rights to do so. Lastly, pixelated game graphics can serve as a visual cue in animation (including modern video games), telling the audience that the character is playing a video game in-universe, just to differentiate it from the prevalent art style. It can also be implied that the characters are playing on a modern console with modern graphics even if what we see doesn't look like it.

Other reasons could include copyright. While it wouldn't be hard to toss in some footage and sound from a modern game, it may cost quite a bit to get the rights to do so. Lastly, primitive game graphics and/or sounds can be a shorthand for "video game" in animation, even if the work is a video game itself, just to differentiate it from the prevalent art style. It could also be implied that the characters are playing on a modern console even if what we see doesn't look like it.

Other reasons could include copyright. While it wouldn't be hard to toss in some footage and sound from a modern game, it may cost quite a bit to get the rights to do so. Thirdly, primitive game graphics can be a visual shorthand for "not real" in cartoons, which are already moving, simplified graphics; and, more generally, this can be done to avoid having the sounds and voices from a video game become confused with actual events onscreen, since modern real-world video games are designed to sound realistic.

* {{Discussed|Trope}} and spoofed in this [[https://www.tiktok.com/@jakeciccone/video/6826482668566236422 TikTok]], claiming that occurrences of this trope in movies is the result of [[TwoDecadesBehind out of touch middle aged writers knowledge when it comes to video games.]]

* {{Discussed|Trope}} and spoofed in this [[https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJH36DKe/ TikTok]], claiming that occurrences of this trope in movies is the result of [[TwoDecadesBehind out of touch middle aged writers knowledge when it comes to video games.]]

* In the 2006 film adaptation of ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' Mike Teavee is an addict to violent video games. During his introduction he is seen playing a First-Person Shooter game with graphics that are on par for the era, but the game is being played on an Atari 2600. Given the many other examples of bizarrely anachronistic technology in the movie it's almost certainly intentional.

* {{Inverted|Trope}} in ''Ultimate Nightmare'': [[ComicBook/UltimateXMen Bobby]] is shown playing what looks like a current gen game on a regular old UsefulNotes/GameBoy.
* An issue of ''ComicBook/TeenTitansGo'' clearly has Robin and Raven playing a Nintendo 64 game. While not the newest of consoles it was just a few years old at the time

** The episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft" revolves around the real-life [=MMORPG=] ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', complete with plenty of gameplay footage (part of it was {{Machinima}}). Blizzard lent a lot of assistance to make the episode (they're apparently big ''South Park'' fans) The episode, however, has many intentional inconsistencies compared to the real game -- although, in a [[{{Defictionalization}} reverse example]], Blizzard actually put [[http://www.wowpedia.org/Slayer_of_the_Lifeless some]] of the content from the episode into the game after the episode aired. The fact that the gameplay footage is considerably more sophisticated than the ''South Park'' animation adds to the fun. And their teacher is trying to teach them about computers using a lesson plan from the '80s.

** The ''VideoGame/GuitarHero''-themed episode depicts Stan and Kyle as being the first ever to reach "one million points!" Viacom appears ashamed of this clip.
** Episode 1214, "The Ungroundable", had the kids playing the PC version of the recently released ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty: World At War''. It also included a reference to the "Flak Jacket Glitch", where a player using the Flak Jacket perk, which normally reduces damage taken from explosives, could not be insta-killed with either the combat knife or bayonet.
** In "Whale Whores", the boys are seen playing Music/LadyGaga's "Poker Face" on ''VideoGame/RockBand''. At the time, the song was not available as DLC. In March 2010, four Lady Gaga tracks were released: not only including Poker Face, but a version with Cartman on vocals for DLC.

** Jessie also plays ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' with Brock. It could only count as a bad scene for the game's [[ObviousBeta Obvious Beta]] status. Though many thought the footage was edited to make the game look like it has a two-player mode, the game actually ''does'' have split-screen multiplayer.

* ''Literature/GuinnessWorldRecords'' has a dedicated section for video games, but even that falls into this trope sometimes. One notable example is that ''VideoGame/{{beatmania}}'' held the world record for best-selling DJ game in editions around 2000 ([[OverlyNarrowSuperlative when very few such games existed at the time]]), and was described as being controlled with "two turntables and an effector" button. This is incorrect for several reasons:
** Both turntables are operated with one player only when playing in Double mode, which is much less-played than Single mode due to its higher skill floor and, until later versions of ''beatmania IIDX'', costing twice as many credits.
** The Effector button exists, but it is not mandatory when playing songs. It just adds audio filters like echo and reverb.
** The turntable is used for one specific type of note; the game also has 5 keys per player (or 7 in ''IIDX'').

** The Effector button exists, but it has no gameplay effect. It just adds audio filters like echo and reverb.

** Both turntables are operated with one player only when playing in Double mode, which is much less-played than Single mode due to its higher skill floor and, until later versions of ''beatmania IIDX'', cost twice as many credits.

* ''Literature/GuinessWorldRecords'' has a dedicated section for video games, but even that falls into this trope sometimes. One notable example is that ''VideoGame/{{beatmania}}'' held the world record for best-selling DJ game in editions around 2000 ([[OverlyNarrowSuperlative when very few such games existed at the time]]), and was described as being controlled with "two turntables and an effector" button. This is incorrect for several reasons:

* A 2022 "Consumers Protection Law" [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_4999.jpeg ad on Facebook]] advertised a possible class action settlement payout for parents of children who made in-app purchases on the open-world action-adventure game ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact''. The stock photo for the ad features a child with a headset and a UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 controller, and ''Genshin Impact'' is available on [=PS4=]...but the screen in the photo depicts an unnamed FightingGame.

* A 2022 "Consumers Protection Law" ad on Facebook advertised a possible class action settlement payout for parents of children who made in-app purchases on the open-world action-adventure game ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact''. The stock photo for the ad features a child with a headset and a UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 controller, and ''Genshin Impact'' is available on [=PS4=]...but the screen in the photo depicts an unnamed FightingGame.