Score (video games)

Instead, playing to beat a "high score" set by the game program, another player or oneself becomes an extra challenge, adding replay value.

In fighting games, scoring a very high number of points could result in unlockable players or modes.

The concept of a high score first achieved cultural significance with the rise in popularity of pinball machines and electro-mechanical arcade games.

Players who achieve a high score are often greeted with a congratulatory message and are able to enter their initials or name into the machine.

This has declined in popularity in recent years, as players are often allowed to play for as long as they can without losing, but not given free games even if they achieve a high score.

The game saved the highest score achieved on the cabinet, but could be reset by a player at any time by pressing a button on the machine.

Some games include default "high scores" that do not actually represent real players, but are displayed whenever the machine's memory is reset, often with generic initials such as "AAA."

The high score's prominence in video game culture and even mainstream society has led to various pieces of art and entertainment.

[citation needed] In an episode of the TV series Seinfeld, George is astonished to find that the Frogger machine he played as a teen still retains his high score.

On September 24, 2005, Twin Galaxies issued Poster #59, which publicized a $1,000 prize to the first gamer who could break George Costanza's fictitious Frogger high score of 863,050 points.

[5] On August 1, 1982, the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard issued a colorful poster that listed the world record high scores for more than two dozen arcade video games.

[6][needs update] In an episode of Friends, Chandler Bing puts in dirty words on all the high score positions on a Ms. Pac-Man machine.

)[citation needed] According to the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard, "high-score" attempts enjoyed as much press coverage as any other video game–related topic reported in the media during the 1982–1985 period.