Nolan Bushnell, considered the "Father of the Video Game Industry," is best known as the creator of Pong, the Atari Corporation and Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theater. In 1980 he founded Catalyst Technologies, an incubator that spawned more than 20 companies, including Etak, ACTV, Androbot, Axlon, Magnum Microwave, Irata and ByVideo. His current venture, uWink, Inc., develops and markets entertainment software and innovative systems for the amusement and gaming industries. Nolan holds several patents on some of the basic technologies for many of the early videogames developed and is also the inventor or co-inventor of numerous patents in various other fields and industries. With a passion for education, he frequently lectures at major universities and conferences throughout the United States, inspiring others with his views on entrepreneurship and innovation.

Shigeru Miyamoto was born in 1952 in a rural community near his present day home of Kyoto, Japan. As a child, he was full of imagination and an eagerness to explore. These qualities eventually led him to join Nintendo, then a toy company, in 1977 to create artwork for various toys. In 1980, he was asked to design the company's first video game, and Miyamoto created a game for the arcades starring Donkey Kong and Nintendo's future mascot, Mario. A short while later, he produced a plethora of imaginative and original games such as Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda, all of which became huge successes and are now global classics. He is still creating some of the most innovative and entertaining games to date, and many videogame enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting his future creations.

Link made his debut in "The Legend of Zelda," which was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. Since then, the series has produced the most popular role-playing game titles in history. "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" for the Super Nintendo is considered by many role-playing game fans to be the best game of all time. Link has solved mind-boggling puzzles, traveled to alternate worlds, and even traveled through time in order to rescue Princess Zelda of Hyrule from the evil grasps of Ganon. Whether Link is a kid or an adult, he has proven himself to be a hero of all time.

Halo is an action-packed, story-driven first person shooter, featuring vehicle combat, an immersive universe and a ton of excellent multiplayer options. Set on a mysterious ring-shaped alien artifact in deep space, Halo puts you in the role of the last Spartan - Master Chief - as he attempts to stop an alien race known as The Covenant from reaching Earth. Halo was released in November, 2001, and was created by Bungie and Microsoft Game Studios.

Mario is Nintendo's star video game icon. He started his career in 1981 in the arcades fighting Donkey Kong. Soon after, he landed his legendary role in Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System, where he meets his brother Luigi, rescues Princess Peach, and defeats his archrival Bowser. Since then, Mario has starred in countless other adventures and has even found the time to get an M.D., play golf, tennis, race go-karts, and throw huge parties. Mario is a star icon that appeals to all ages and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Sonic The Hedgehog, with his dose of attitude and cool appeal, grabbed fans as fast as he grabbed rings when the legendary Sega icon made his blazing debut in 1991 on the Sega Genesis. Since then, "The Blue Dude with the 'Tude" has gone on many adventures-- from high speed racing to battling the evil Dr. Robotnik along with Tails, Knuckles, and other friends this amiable hedgehog has made along the way. Sonic made a speedy dash to success and stardom, and he shows no sign of slowing.