Christian video games
Encyclopedia
Christian video games were first marketed successfully by BibleBytes in the early 1980s on several different microcomputer platforms and in the late 1980s for the Nintendo Entertainment System
(NES) by Wisdom Tree
. Now they are made by many different developers. Most of these new developers meet yearly at the "Christian Games Developers Conference" and build support through the Christian Game Developers Foundation.
, a Christian-themed rhythm game
, to the shooter game
Catechumen
. Some Christian-games with an evangelical purpose can be thought of as serious game
s, but most Christian games are simply entertainment for players who are already Christians.
in 1982. The “Bible Computer Games” were then released on the Timex Sinclair
and Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
computer platforms in 1983. The Bible Computer Games Series was then released on the Apple IIe
, Commodore 64
, Commodore VIC-20
, and the Kaypro
CP/M computer platforms in 1984. An MS-DOS
version of the Bible Computer Games was released in 1986 by PC Enterprises.
Several Christian themed computer programming books, based on the original "Bible Computer Games" source code, were also written by the Conrods. The first BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games", included the BASIC source code for the Timex/Sinclair, Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer, and Texas Instruments Tl-99 computer systems. The first programming book was written in the Fall of 1983 and published by Ac'cent Books on January 1, 1984.. These beginner computer programming books were designed to teach students how to write BASIC Bible Computer Games on their own personal computer. Randall Warren reviewed the first "Computer Bible Games" book in the July 1984 issue of Christian Bookseller Magazine and stated, "Computer Bible Games is one of the first of what will no doubt will be a long line of programs and ideas for using a home computer for Christian education and recreation."
The second BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games - Book 2", included the Bible Computer Games source code for Applesoft, Commodore, and CP/M MBasic. The second programming book was published July 1, 1984 by Ac'cent Books. The second book received two reviews on its back cover by leaders in the Christian Education and Christian computer industry. Don Dengerink, a Christian Education and Media Consultant, stated "In this age of technology we are seeing an explosion of knowledge in the area of computer science. The possibilities of growth and development with the use of computers in Christian Education are staggering and Conrod's book is a step in the right direction. Conrod's use of games to introduce and reinforce Biblical truth makes learning fun for both children and adults." . Douglas Vos, President, Christian Computer Users Association, stated that Computer Bible Games Book 2 was "A useful supplementary text for Christian school computer classes. Great for beginning programmers. This book is a wonderful start in an area much neglected by thinking Christians. It is hoped that this book is only the pioneer in what will become an earth-shaking Christian software industry." The third BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games - Book 3" was published on the Internet and included the Microsoft GW-BASIC and QBASIC source code for the original Bible Computer games plus a dozen new Computer Bible Games. Since then BibleByte Books has published several "Computer Bible Games" programming books for Microsoft Small Basic, Visual Basic, Visual C# annd Java. All of these Christian themed programming books were designed for Christian Middle-School and High-School students in addition to Homeschool Computer Science students. The computer programming tutorials can be used by children ages 12+ and by beginning adults at home. No prior programming experience is necessary to start using these self-study tutorials. BibleByte Books also produces a Christian College computer science curriculum using Microsoft Visual Basic and Microsoft Visual C#.
Another Christian video game pioneer was Bernard K. Bangley, who wrote "Bible BASIC : Bible Games for Personal Computers" with his son, David Bangley. Bible BASIC was published by Harper & Row in December, 1983. His book included type-in BASIC programs to create Bible games. The programs were intended to work in any version of BASIC, but the book included tips for adapting the programs for the Apple II
, Atari 400/800, Commodore VIC-20
/64, and TRS-80
, as well as extending and customising the programs to make them more interesting.
Music Machine by Sparrow Records
, for the Atari 2600, was the first Atari 2600 Christian videogame. However, it does not appear to have been a market success.
Starting in the late 1980s the unlicensed game developer
Color Dreams
using the name of Wisdom Tree, developed the first Christian
video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System
, called Bible Adventures
. It featured Bible accounts such as Noah's Ark, Baby Moses, and David and Goliath. It was released in 1991 to Christian bookstores.
Many Christian game developers have come together to form the Association Of Christian Entertainment
In 2011 Christgaming.com was released. A website where people can play small Christian games online.
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(NES) by Wisdom Tree
Wisdom Tree
Wisdom Tree is an American manufacturer and distributor of unlicensed Christian video games for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, PC, Mac, and Sega Genesis, headquartered in unincorporated Pima County, Tucson, Arizona, United States...
. Now they are made by many different developers. Most of these new developers meet yearly at the "Christian Games Developers Conference" and build support through the Christian Game Developers Foundation.
Definition
Christian video games are any game with Christian themes. Although this is sometimes mistakenly called a game genre, Christian games can follow the gameplay of many different genres. This ranges from Guitar PraiseGuitar Praise
Guitar Praise is a Christian rhythm video game for PC. Published by Digital Praise, it uses contemporary Christian music with gameplay akin to that of the Guitar Hero and Rock Band games, although it is only compatible with its own wired and cordless USB guitar controllers. A second guitar can be...
, a Christian-themed rhythm game
Rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to press buttons in a sequence dictated on the screen...
, to the shooter game
Shooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
Catechumen
Catechumen
In ecclesiology, a catechumen , “‘down’” + ἠχή , “‘sound’”) is one receiving instruction from a catechist in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism...
. Some Christian-games with an evangelical purpose can be thought of as serious game
Serious game
A serious game is a game designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment. The "serious" adjective is generally prepended to refer to products used by industries like defense, education, scientific exploration, health care, emergency management, city planning, engineering, religion,...
s, but most Christian games are simply entertainment for players who are already Christians.
History
One of the first Christian Video Games was the “Bible Computer Games” series written and published by John and Philip Conrod of BibleBytes for the TRS-80 Color ComputerTRS-80 Color Computer
The Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer was a home computer launched in 1980. It was one of the earliest of the first generation of computers marketed for home use in English-speaking markets...
in 1982. The “Bible Computer Games” were then released on the Timex Sinclair
Timex Sinclair
Timex Sinclair was a joint venture between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly-growing early-1980s home computer market in the United States...
and Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
The Texas Instruments TI-99/4A was an early home computer, released in June 1981, originally at a price of USD $525. It was an enhanced version of the less-successful—and quite rare—TI-99/4 model, which was released in late 1979 at a price of $1,150...
computer platforms in 1983. The Bible Computer Games Series was then released on the Apple IIe
Apple IIe
The Apple IIe is the third model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The e in the name stands for enhanced, referring to the fact that several popular features were now built-in that were only available as upgrades and add-ons in earlier models...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Commodore VIC-20
Commodore VIC-20
The VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET...
, and the Kaypro
Kaypro
Kaypro Corporation, commonly called Kaypro, was an American home/personal computer manufacturer of the 1980s. The company was founded by Non-Linear Systems to develop computers to compete with the then-popular Osborne 1 portable microcomputer...
CP/M computer platforms in 1984. An MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
version of the Bible Computer Games was released in 1986 by PC Enterprises.
Several Christian themed computer programming books, based on the original "Bible Computer Games" source code, were also written by the Conrods. The first BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games", included the BASIC source code for the Timex/Sinclair, Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer, and Texas Instruments Tl-99 computer systems. The first programming book was written in the Fall of 1983 and published by Ac'cent Books on January 1, 1984.. These beginner computer programming books were designed to teach students how to write BASIC Bible Computer Games on their own personal computer. Randall Warren reviewed the first "Computer Bible Games" book in the July 1984 issue of Christian Bookseller Magazine and stated, "Computer Bible Games is one of the first of what will no doubt will be a long line of programs and ideas for using a home computer for Christian education and recreation."
The second BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games - Book 2", included the Bible Computer Games source code for Applesoft, Commodore, and CP/M MBasic. The second programming book was published July 1, 1984 by Ac'cent Books. The second book received two reviews on its back cover by leaders in the Christian Education and Christian computer industry. Don Dengerink, a Christian Education and Media Consultant, stated "In this age of technology we are seeing an explosion of knowledge in the area of computer science. The possibilities of growth and development with the use of computers in Christian Education are staggering and Conrod's book is a step in the right direction. Conrod's use of games to introduce and reinforce Biblical truth makes learning fun for both children and adults." . Douglas Vos, President, Christian Computer Users Association, stated that Computer Bible Games Book 2 was "A useful supplementary text for Christian school computer classes. Great for beginning programmers. This book is a wonderful start in an area much neglected by thinking Christians. It is hoped that this book is only the pioneer in what will become an earth-shaking Christian software industry." The third BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games - Book 3" was published on the Internet and included the Microsoft GW-BASIC and QBASIC source code for the original Bible Computer games plus a dozen new Computer Bible Games. Since then BibleByte Books has published several "Computer Bible Games" programming books for Microsoft Small Basic, Visual Basic, Visual C# annd Java. All of these Christian themed programming books were designed for Christian Middle-School and High-School students in addition to Homeschool Computer Science students. The computer programming tutorials can be used by children ages 12+ and by beginning adults at home. No prior programming experience is necessary to start using these self-study tutorials. BibleByte Books also produces a Christian College computer science curriculum using Microsoft Visual Basic and Microsoft Visual C#.
Another Christian video game pioneer was Bernard K. Bangley, who wrote "Bible BASIC : Bible Games for Personal Computers" with his son, David Bangley. Bible BASIC was published by Harper & Row in December, 1983. His book included type-in BASIC programs to create Bible games. The programs were intended to work in any version of BASIC, but the book included tips for adapting the programs for the Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
, Atari 400/800, Commodore VIC-20
Commodore VIC-20
The VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET...
/64, and TRS-80
TRS-80
TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...
, as well as extending and customising the programs to make them more interesting.
Music Machine by Sparrow Records
Sparrow Records
-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
, for the Atari 2600, was the first Atari 2600 Christian videogame. However, it does not appear to have been a market success.
Starting in the late 1980s the unlicensed game developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
Color Dreams
Color Dreams
Color Dreams was a company that developed video games for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System . While most companies that developed NES games obtained an official license from Nintendo to produce game cartridges, Color Dreams was unusual in that it developed NES games without an official license...
using the name of Wisdom Tree, developed the first Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, called Bible Adventures
Bible Adventures
Bible Adventures is a Christian video game by Wisdom Tree and not sold through video game retailers, first released in 1991 for the NES, and re-released in 1995 for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis. It contains three different games: Noah's Ark, Baby Moses, and David and Goliath, all of which are...
. It featured Bible accounts such as Noah's Ark, Baby Moses, and David and Goliath. It was released in 1991 to Christian bookstores.
Many Christian game developers have come together to form the Association Of Christian Entertainment
In 2011 Christgaming.com was released. A website where people can play small Christian games online.
Games
- Adam's VentureAdam's VentureAdam's Venture is an episodic PC adventure game developed by Vertigo Digital Entertainment/Vertigo Games, a Dutch Indy developer located in the Netherlands.-Release:...
- The Axys Adventures: Truth Seeker Battle Against the LiesThe Axys Adventures: Truth SeekerThe Axys Adventures: Truth Seeker is a Christian video game created by Rebel Planet Creations released exclusively in North America. The game won the Christian Game of the year award for 2007 at the Christian Game Developers Conference.- Story :...
- Bible AdventuresBible AdventuresBible Adventures is a Christian video game by Wisdom Tree and not sold through video game retailers, first released in 1991 for the NES, and re-released in 1995 for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis. It contains three different games: Noah's Ark, Baby Moses, and David and Goliath, all of which are...
- Bible BuilderBible BuilderBible Builder is a Christian video game for DOS produced by Everbright Software in 1992. Gameplay consists of answering questions on the Old and New Testaments, popular hymns, and the geography of biblical events. Correct answers are rewarded with a fragment of a Bible verse while incorrect answers...
- Break-Out The BibleBreak-Out The BibleBreak-Out The Bible is a Christian video game developed by DivineGames.net, released in April 2009. It's a Break-Out style video game where you have to knock out all the bricks bouncing a ball with a Bible base. There are 57 Bible themed levels and three difficulties that impact the speed of the...
- Captain Bible in Dome of DarknessCaptain Bible in Dome of DarknessCaptain Bible in Dome of Darkness was a Christian video game title released by Bridgestone Multimedia Group in 1994. The main focus of the game is scripture memorization but action video game elements can also play a significant role depending on options selected during setup.While the original...
- Computer Bible Games
- Dance PraiseDance PraiseDance Praise is a series of dance video games developed by Christian video game developer Digital Praise, with a particular emphasis on Contemporary Christian music. Peter Fokos, CTO of Digital Praise, started the Dance Praise series after his daughter asked him to create a dance game with...
- Dance Praise 2: The ReMixDance Praise 2: The ReMixDance Praise 2: The ReMix is the sequel to the award-winning Dance Praise dancing video game. Up to 4 players can play, and this game now includes a variety of colorful 3D backgrounds and dancing characters...
- Exodus: Journey to the Promised LandExodus (video game)Exodus is a video game that was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Color Dreams through its Wisdom Tree label in 1991. Like all Wisdom Tree games, Exodus was not officially licensed by Nintendo....
- King of KingsKing of Kings: The Early YearsThe King of Kings is an unlicensed NES video game game published in 1991 by Wisdom Tree, the creators of Bible Adventures.-Gameplay:Gameplay was split into 3 games, each illustrating a Bible story relating to the early years of Jesus...
- Left Behind: Eternal ForcesLeft Behind: Eternal ForcesLeft Behind: Eternal Forces is a Christian real-time strategy game developed and published by Inspired Media Entertainment for Microsoft Windows. It was released on November 7, 2006...
(with sequels Left Behind: Tribulation Forces and Left Behind 3: Rise of the Antichrist) - Music Machine
- Noah's Ark (computer game)Noah's Ark (game)Noah's Ark is a computer game developed by PopCap Games and programmed by Richard Cresswell, where the object is to clear as many animals as you can, two-by-two, from the screen. Two animals that look alike and can be reached without touching other animals can be cleared...
- Original Dance PraiseOriginal Dance PraiseDance Praise is a Christian dance video game developed and published by Digital Praise.-Development:...
- Pop & Rock Hits
- Spiritual Warfare
- Sunday FundaySunday FundaySunday Funday is a Christian video game that was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Wisdom Tree, formerly a subsidiary label of Color Dreams, in 1995. The game was the last to be released by any company for the American NES...
- Super Noah's Ark 3DSuper 3D Noah's ArkSuper Noah's Ark 3D is an unlicensed video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and for DOS. It was released by the biblical video game producer Wisdom Tree in 1994, and was the only commercial SNES game that was not officially sanctioned by Nintendo...
- The Bible GameThe Bible GameThe Bible Game is a Christian-themed party game developed by Crave Entertainment. It is aimed at Christians and is "family-friendly". There are a variety of trivia questions related to the Old Testament. The main two modes are "TV Game Show" and "Challenge Games"...