History of Brazilian video games

Video games arrived in Brazil in the 1970s, at a time when electronic games were still a novelty on the world stage. The first experiences were based on imported consoles, with classic titles of the time that came mainly from the United States and Japan. Despite the difficulties of importing and the high prices, the Brazilian public began to take an interest in this new form of entertainment. It was in this scenario that, in 1983, Brazil witnessed the emergence of one of the first locally developed games. “Amazon“also known as “Jungle Adventures” in some versions, it was a creation of Renato Degiovani and marked the beginning of national game production. Unlike games with traditional graphics, this title was a text adventure, where the player used written commands to explore and survive in a jungle full of challenges and dangers, something quite innovative for the time.

The game was distributed on cassette tapes and floppy disks, which reflects the technology available in the 80s. The player had to use their imagination and follow the instructions to advance in the story, which made the experience engaging, even without graphics. This type of game, known as text adventure or interactive fictionwas quite popular in its early years, mainly due to its accessibility on personal computers of the time, such as the ZX Spectrum and MSX. “Amazônia” paved the way for other Brazilian developers, demonstrating that, despite technological and market limitations, it was possible to create creative and immersive games in Brazil.

Before AmazonDegiovani created the game Airport 83although it was not commercially distributed. Even so, it generated some interest at the time. In 1984, Degiovani was invited to found the first game creation course in Brazil.

In 1987, the Tectoy was founded and partnered with SEGA to distribute the Master System in Brazil. This video game was a huge success and was the only country where it surpassed the popularity of the 8-bit Nintendo.

Although Tectoy only imported games for the console most of the time, it was also a pioneer in translating and adapting many titles for the Brazilian public. A notable example is Monica's Gang at the Dragon Castlea modification of the Wonderboywhich is one of the most recognized Brazilian games.

When SEGA stopped supporting the Mega Drive and the Master System In the 90s, Tectoy began creating its own games. Among them were a version of Street Fighter II for the Master System and the Woody Woodpecker's Frustrated Vacationreleased for the Master System and Mega Drive.

In the 90s, the first game development teams emerged in Brazil. One example is Gustavinho in Riddle of the Sphinxa point-and-click classic that featured the actress Marisa Orth.

Another highlight was Guimoby Southlogic, launched in 1997 and distributed in Germany by Airsoft. In 2000, Continuum Interactive launched Outlivethe first Brazilian game to be distributed globally. In the same year, Million Dollar Showbased on Silvio Santos' program, also gained prominence, even though it is a simple game.

Evolution in the 2000s

In the 2000s, the Brazilian gaming industry grew significantly. In 2004, the Brazilian Independent Games Festival was released, and the Abragames was founded, mapping 55 companies in the sector.

Among the highlights of the decade are Trophy Hunter 2003the first national game developed for the foreign market; Futsim, Erinia, Taikodom and Weatherthe latter awarded with the Bronze Lion in Cannes.

In the 2010s, new titles emerged such as Knights of Pen and Paperwhich simulates a tabletop RPG session; Dungeonlanda cooperative action game with an isometric perspective; Onikena tribute to classic 8-bit platform games; and Torenan adventure game with a strong emphasis on narrative.

The game Heavenlyreleased in 2018, is an example of international collaboration. Produced by two Canadians, its art was created by the Brazilian studio MiniBosstaking the game to a higher level.

Brazilian games are increasingly gaining ground in the global market. With creativity and passion, they often overcome technical and financial limitations. This is a promising scenario for the gaming industry in Brazil.