Many people look back at gaming's early years with rose-tinted shades, claiming that today's gaming scene doesn't hold a candle to that of yesteryear. Sure, playing games like 'Streets of Rage' was fun, but there are many reasons to celebrate modern gaming.

Here are our top ten technical innovations in gaming.

1. Online play

Back in the 16-bit era, side-scrolling beat-'em-ups were all the rage, with 'Golden Axe' and 'Streets of Rage' leading the charge. Inviting a buddy over to help take on hoodlums and monsters was par for the course. Little did we know that in the future we wouldn't have to invite old Jeremy over to enjoy a multiplayer game ? which became a reality with the Sega Dreamcast and its pioneering online play.

2. Game saves

Your uncle always trumpets 'Super Mario Bros' as the greatest game of all time, claiming that nothing today holds a candle to it. And he's not even the only one ? it appears on more than a few lists claiming it as such. While it was a landmark title, playing world 1-1 time after time because you couldn't save your progress got old ? fast. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) era saw the rise in popularity of battery back-up, thanks to great games like 'Super Metroid' and 'Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'. But nothing compares to the convenience of having your games auto-saved.

3. The analogue stick

In 1996 Nintendo released its Nintendo 64, complete with analogue stick. Designed with 'Super Mario 64' in mind, the analogue stick kick-started a new era for gaming. In fact, Sony was forced to make revisions to its D-pad-only PlayStation control pad (remember those?)

4. Mods

Ah the humble game modification... An oft-overlooked innovation in the world of gaming. Popularised by 'Doom's' use of WAD files, the mod scene exploded when a group of enterprising youngsters created a little mod for 'Half-Life' called 'Counterstrike'.

5. Storage media

Innovated during the 80s, never has the advantage of disc-based media been more apparent than the mid-90s. Boasting more storage space and cheaper to produce, many developers preferred it to the more expensive, though faster loading cartridge media. This was a big reason behind Square's decision to bring 'Final Fantasy 7' and other games to Sony's PlayStation, ditching Nintendo and its cartridge-based N64.

6. Vibration/Force feedback

It's hard for anyone to imagine playing games without vibration these days. First seen on the N64, vibration was later incorporated into the PlayStation controllers. Whether it be merely used for immersion or as an integral part of gameplay ('Metal Gear Solid' anyone?), vibration is simply crucial these days ? as Sony soon discovered when it launched the PlayStation 3 without vibration in its controllers. The clamour of gamers soon had them rethink that move and a vibration-capable controller once more graced the scene.

7. Real-time clock

Though underutilised in recent years, the real-time clock is another innovation worth noting. Quite a few games, such as 'Metal Gear Solid 3', made use of consoles' internal clocks in an attempt to innovate; though arguably its greatest implementation came in Nintendo's 'Animal Crossing' series, where it was central to the gameplay, with fellow villagers sleeping at night and certain characters visiting on specific days. Among the current generation games, 'Fable 2' toyed with the idea, but we have yet to see it fully embraced.

8. Shoulder buttons

Can you imagine gaming without your shoulder triggers/buttons? Go on, imagine hammering a face button to kill someone in a FPS... It's a terrible thought isn't it? First popularised by the SNES in 1991, shoulder buttons have since been adopted as an industry standard.

9. Hard Disk Drives

Once the domain of PC enthusiasts, hard drives have made a long-overdue leap to the console world. Fears that consoles would become "PCs in a box" thanks to hard drives were allayed when the Xbox was launched. Not only have hard drives provided us with a huge amount of storage but they've also been used to ramp up the performance of games thanks to disk caching.

10. Motion-sensing controllers

Motion-sensing controllers are a big deal these days thanks to the Nintendo Wii, but it wasn't always that way. Sega had experimented with motion-control with its poorly-received Activator controller, and it was not uncommon to see magazine ads for similar peripherals for the PlayStation. Nintendo decided to take this route when brainstorming its 'Revolution' console (which would later be rechristened the 'Wii') and combined it with games aimed at casual gamers ? and the sales sky-rocketed.