Minecraft
A child dressed as a character from Minecraft takes part in the Children's Halloween day parade at Washington Square Park in the Manhattan borough of New York October 31, 2015. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

The 12 finalists for the 2018 World Video Game Hall of Fame have been announced by The Strong museum in Rochester, New York. The games up for a spot include classics like “King’s Quest,” “Final Fantasy VII” and “Tomb Raider.”

More than 100 countries had submitted thousands of nominations up for consideration, according to a press release. For the first time, gamers are also invited to vote for their favourites. Voting for the “Player’s Choice” ballot happens on March 27 and ends on April 4 US time. The three titles with the most votes from the public will be included in other ballots up for consideration.

Twenty-seven other ballots will be “submitted by members of the International Selection Advisory Committee, which is made up of journalists and scholars familiar with the history of video games and their role in society,” according to the release.

Jon-Paul C. Dyson, the director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games, explained the criteria behind this year's choices. “These 12 World Video Game Hall of Fame finalists span decades, gaming platforms, and countries of origin—but what they all have in common is their undeniable impact on the world of gaming and popular culture.”

The final inductees will be revealed during a ceremony at The Strong museum. It will be held on May 3 US time.

Previous inductees in the World Video Game Hall of Fame are “Donkey Kong,” “DOOM,” “Grand Theft Auto III,” “Halo: Combat Evolved,” “The Legend of Zelda,” “The Oregon Trail,” “Pac-Man,” “Pokemon Red and Green,” “Pong,” “The Sims,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “Space Invaders,” “Street Fighter II,” “Super Mario Bros,” “Tetris” and “World of Warcraft.” These games are displayed permanently at The Strong museum in New York.

Here is the list of this year’s finalists:

  • Asteroids
  • Call of Duty
  • Dance Dance Revolution
  • Final Fantasy VII
  • Half-Life
  • John Madden Football
  • King's Quest
  • Metroid
  • Minecraft
  • Ms Pac-Man
  • Spacewar!
  • Tomb Raider
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