Snake is an action video game sub-genre where players control a growing line, resembling a snake, and navigate it through obstacles. The gameplay involves avoiding collisions with both obstacles and the snake itself, becoming more challenging as the snake grows longer. Originating from the 1976 arcade game Blockade, initially a two-player survival competition, it later transformed into a single-player format where the snake elongates with each consumed piece of food. The simplicity and minimal technical demands of snake games have led to numerous adaptations across various platforms, often featuring the terms "snake" or "worm" in their titles.
Gameplay
Players, controlling snakes from a top-down perspective, navigate them to avoid walls and the opponent's snake while continuously growing longer. The goal is survival, with the player lasting the longest declared the winner. Single-player versions, less common, feature computer-controlled snakes, akin to the light cycles in the 1982 Tron arcade game. In these single-player games, the player's snake, of a fixed length, grows longer with each item consumed, such as apples in Snake Byte or abstract objects in Nibbler's maze.
History
The Snake game originated with the 1976 arcade title Blockade, which was later cloned as Bigfoot Bonkers. Atari released Blockade-inspired games, including Dominos and Surround. Various versions appeared on different platforms, with Peter Trefonas creating the first known home computer version, Worm, in 1978. Snake Byte and Nibbler introduced single-player variations, while the concept continued with games like Nibbles and Rattler Race in the 1990s, with Nibbles being included with MS-DOS as a QBasic sample program in 1991.
Fun Facts
- Arcade Roots: Snake originated as an arcade game called Blockade in 1976.
- Nokia Fame: The game gained widespread popularity when featured on Nokia phones, notably on the Nokia 6110 in 1997 and the iconic Nokia 3310 in 2000.
- Evolution: The game has evolved with different versions on modern Nokia phones, such as "Snake Xenzia" and adventure-style versions on Nokia 2660 Flip and Nokia 2720 Flip.
- Online Play: Snake can be played online, with Google offering various quirky game modes like teleporting fruit and walls made of the snake's body.
- World Snake Day: Celebrated on July 16th, World Snake Day recognizes the enduring appeal and impact of the Snake game.
- Customizable Modes: Google's Snake game features modes where players can adjust settings like speed and grid size or choose random combinations for diverse challenges.
- Continued Nostalgia: Snake remains a nostalgic classic, with its simplicity and addictive gameplay earning it a special place in gaming history.
