A Look Into The Evolution of Card Games in Video Games

You don’t have to be a tech genius to have witnessed the evolution of graphics over the last decade. Video games are huge, and though it doesn’t seem long ago that we were playing the pixelated formation of Snake on our old-school Nokias – the world is now a technologically advanced place.

We’re not afraid to obsess over the super realistic visuals or the plethora of games being churned out, which is all thanks to the rapidly changing world of gaming. And it’s not just us indulging in our favourite card games on the web: there are actually 3.32 billion active video gamers worldwide, which has risen by over 1 billion in just eight years. The reason? The variety of games on offer.

In this blog, we are going to take a walk down memory lane and look into all things video game art when it comes to card and video games. From the key milestones in history to the advancements in various genres, here’s everything you need to know about the gaming industry as a whole.

The early days – Card simulations

Known for their simplicity and charm, pixel art-generated video games were the first of their kind. Flashback to the 1970s, for instance, and you’ll have seen video games such as Pong or Space Invaders. They were introduced into the digital age as a new form of entertainment set to make a splash. Both had elementary graphics, which relied on simple pixel art and sprites. This essentially meant that they were created using 2D images, which were all formulated through tiny squares on the screen.

Early card games were also pixelated, but the choices weren’t as vast. For the most part, we had Casino Royale and Blackjack ; these two titles took over the card game scene and appeared on people’s computers across Canada. The main focus of these games was most definitely the mechanics of the gameplay and not the visuals (which we care so much about today). Either way, Blackjack online was born, and it brought with it a huge industry just waiting to be tapped into.

The 16-bit console

The 16-bit console started to get churned out by the late ‘80s, and with them, we saw the birth of highly improved graphics and animation in the card game offerings. Many consoles had colourful selections in this era, which is why this period was known for being the golden age of gaming. Although it levelled up the processes and brought with it far more options on the market, the goal was still very clear: functionality over appearance.

3D gaming

The piece de resistance of the gaming world, card or not – 3D gaming is the hero behind the monumental growth in the market. This was all coming into the picture in the late ‘90s, and it changed the way games were played across the world. We welcomed Microsoft Casino and some of the greats from the most renowned names in this space, and they proceeded with an immersive experience like no other. It offered a lifelike way to enhance the gameplay – which is what catapulted gaming into what it is today.