Article is a contributed piece from iBUYPOWER

Games play such a huge part of, if not define, childhood. And when you catch a glimpse of Prince of Persia, you can’t help but feel nostalgic and, at the same time, be awed by the thought of how games have come along, entertaining and educating people through the decades.

The most noticeable change is the graphics. Developers are one-upping themselves to come up with games that give off believability, that sense of reality in the most artificial environments. As top video-game franchises become more graphics-intensive, so do computers, whose specs have to keep up with the times.

As you may have realized, a regular computer won’t do justice to the visuals of the latest Battlefield or Final Fantasy XV. You need a powerful gaming computer whose graphics card will push the boundaries of the art and science of playing games.

Gameplay is another defining quality of video games. The term tends to have no singular definition but generally refers to the interaction between the player and the game. The rules, plot twists, and challenges contribute to the overall experience.

You can measure gameplay by the pleasure you derive from it, as well as the emotions that the game evokes. The learning curve is also at work as you immerse yourself in the game’s objectives and mechanics. Because experience is subjective, every player has their favorite title that provides the ultimate gameplay.

Life in Video Games

A Brief Timeline of Video Games Over the Years / A Quick Lookback at PC Games Over the Decade Gaming today has become big a part of many people's lives-as a hobby, as a form of entertainment, and for the most skilled, as a source of pride and income.

While video games look like glossy, time-intensive, expensive hobbies that have no place in the real world, think again. Playing them teaches you a lot about things and helps you develop skills that you can use in your everyday life.

For instance, you learn to think outside the box, adapt to changes, and make decisions, whether calculated or not. You also stimulate areas of your brain that control attention, focus, and memory. As you become better at what you do, multitasking becomes less forced and more effortless. Plus, your arms, hands, fingers, and eyes get some exercise.

After all, you play a game because it appeals to your senses, elicits an emotional response, and inspires you to be better in general.