Video Game Hall of Fame reveals 2016 finalists

Classics old and new in "Minecraft," "Final Fantasy," "The Legend of Zelda" and "Pokémon Red" have been selected for the National Museum of Play's 15-title Video Game Hall of Fame shortlist for this year.

With its inductees to be announced on May 5, 15 games in all are up for consideration by the judging panel at the Strong National Museum of Play in New York, USA.

Many are well known, games of youth for generation after generation: "The Oregon Trail" was not only about pioneers--the 19th-century settlers crossing North America by wagon--but was a pioneer for video games as educational tools, a rite of passage for schoolchildren growing up in the 1970s and 80s.

"Pokémon Red" and Game Boy sibling "Pokémon Blue" were, for many, staples not of the classroom but of the schoolyard.

They made their Japanese debuts in 1996 and the blockbuster franchise this year celebrates its 20th anniversary.

And more recently "Minecraft," first a word-of-mouth phenomenon on Linux, Mac and PC, then omnipresent thanks to releases on consoles, smartphones and tablets, has been doubling down on its already established relevance as an educational tool with a proposed new 2016 build dubbed MinecraftEDU.

Others are more obscure, 1976 arcade cabinet "Nurburgring" an essential early entry to driving games.

Another Nintendo title celebrating its anniversary this year, 1986's "The Legend of Zelda," is also among the 2016 Hall of Fame nominees, as are the first entries to a number of other ongoing franchises in historical strategy game "Sid Meier's Civilization" (1991), micro-level life simulator "The Sims"(2000), Lara Croft's first archeological outing "Tomb Raider" (1996), and freeform, wireframe space trading experience "Elite" (1984).

Also up for consideration are the technically accomplished and often controversial "Grand Theft Auto III" (2001), 1988 action sports game "John Madden Football," Sega's introduction of its mascot (and answer to Nintendo's Mario) in 1991's "Sonic the Hedgehog," as well as "Space Invaders" (1978) and fighting game blueprint "Street Fighter II" (1991).

The World Video Game Hall of Fame's judges consider icon-status, longevity, geographical reach and influence when making their selections. Winners go on permanent view at The Strong in Rochester, New York.