The World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester recently announced its 2022 inductees, and this year it's getting a bit of a feminine touch.

Ms. Pac-Man will headline the class of 2022, joining interactive arcade juggernaut Dance Dance Revolution, Nintendo 64 favorite The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and turn-based strategy game Civilization.

The World Video Game Hall of Fame, housed in Rochester's Strong Museum of Play, considers hundreds of titles each year for induction based on popularity, cultural footprint and influence on other games.

MS. PAC-MAN

Ms. Pac-Man, released in 1981, was originally developed by independent programmers as an enhancement kit called "Crazy Otto." These programmers found themselves embroiled in a lawsuit with Midway, the American distributors of Pac-Man, who wanted to ban all unlicensed enhancement kits. Rather than trash "Crazy Otto" entirely, they presented it to Midway, who were impressed with the finished product. Midway and the developers changed the playable sprite into a female Pac-Man and presented it to consumers as a sequel.

DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION

Dance Dance Revolution came to America from Japan in 1999 and took physically interactive gameplay to new heights. One of the last big titles to sweep through arcades before many of them went under, Dance Dance Revolution featured a platform where users hit the colored arrows with their feet in accordance to different musical pieces. While not the first interactive game, it was the first to gain massive popularity and helped influence other interactive musical titles such as Guitar Hero.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA - OCARINA OF TIME

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, released on the Nintendo 64 console in 1998, was the first Zelda game to feature 3D graphics. Previous Zelda games for older consoles - the original Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo and Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for Super Nintendo - were each immensely popular in their own right, and Ocarina of Time continued the franchise's positive reputation. It became a benchmark for 3D games that came after.

CIVILIZATION

Sid Meier's Civilization is a turn-based strategy video game with heavy board game influence. Players assume a different ancient empire, like Rome or Babylon, and attempt to achieve world domination through building and resource management. Sort of a "Risk on steroids," the addictive title is the very definition of "okay, just one more turn" gameplay. The original released in 1991 for home computers, and new, more in-depth sequels have been coming out ever since.

This year's inductees beat out several other finalists, including Assassin's Creed, Candy Crush Saga, NBA Jam, Minesweeper and Words with Friends.

The Strong Museum of Play is one of the treasures of Rochester, highly regarded as one of the best museums in the country. It houses both the World Video Game Hall of Fame and the National Toy Hall of Fame. Visitors to the museum can experience both of these with the price of admission.