Most big ideas can be summarized in one sentence.

http://www.google.com/search?q=video+game+canon

For those not familiar, a canon is a repertoire of great works that form the fundamental basis of the art. As an example, if we were studying classical music, you’d have to include Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart, at the very least.

Similarly, one could also have a canon of great works. For literature, you could perhaps start with the works of Shakespeare, or Homer, or some other canonized author. The list doesn’t have to be exact as to what’s what, but a canon should include things that most people can agree are worth attention.

So, a video game canon might include such works as Chrono Trigger, Civilization II, and whatever seems to be good, depending on the comments I get for this post. I would rather see what other people offer, instead of suggesting the entire list myself.

-Chris