The video game industry has always revolved around building on top of what has come before. Certain developers take risks creating a new product and, after their success, others take pieces of their project and adapt it to their own. Looking back, we can trace entire franchises and gameplay styles back to certain moments in gaming history. With that in mind, these titles are responsible for changing the industry forever.
Final Fantasy VII (1997)
While many gamers consider Final Fantasy VII to be one of the top 10 videogames from the 90s, you could go so far as to say it is one of the best games ever made. This is a title that has been copied to death, as numerous other projects borrowed elements from the combat, characters and storyline. It has certainly been influential to say the least, as it set the standard for other RPGs especially.
Everything about this game was revolutionary for its time. The 3D modeling may look dated now, but at the time it was exceptional. The deep materia system was truly something special, and players are still finding new ways to exploit it even 30+ years later. However, it really is the world building, grand storyline, and interwoven characters that made this experience something special.
Doom (1993)
Doom is the godfather of all FPS games. During a time when all other shooters were bland and lifeless, Doom appeared with advanced texturing, lighting effects, and coloring. Aside from these details, it was the gameplay that truly set this title apart.
The rapid pace of this game was thrilling and kept gamers on the edge of their seats. Doom also started the LAN-only multiplayer system that was massively popular at the time. Today, the legacy of Doom lives on through its dedicated modding community that re-releases the core gameplay in amazing new settings.
Halo (2001)
Where Doom is the godfather of the FPS genre, Halo is essentially responsible for the modern versions. At the time it was released, Halo was an extraordinary title that gave players a beautiful, engaging, and groundbreaking experience. The physics of the gameplay and AI of the computer were elements that had not been seen in gaming up until that point.
Enemies learned from your style and adjusted their tactics to match yours. The shooting and movement were stunning and felt natural and responsive. In fact, everything about the game was smooth and optimized. This has been attributed to the fact that it was built from the ground up with consoles in mind, not PCs first like other FPS games of the time.
Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
While GTA III was certainly not a game your parents were likely happy about, it nonetheless broke sales records around the world and created a genre in the process. This was the beginning of the sandbox/open world style games that enabled players to traverse a massive, detailed city at their own pace. While the storyline progressed through missions, the rest of the time you were able to explore and wreak havoc as you wished, and players certainly did. The GTA series has since become one of the biggest franchises in gaming.
Super Mario Bros (1985)
If we go back far enough in the history of gaming, there are several classics that started the whole industry like Pong and Tetris. However, none deserve more praise, or are more worthy of a Hall of Fame induction, than the 1985 gaming masterpiece that is Super Mario Bros. It was influential to say the least, as you cannot imagine the gaming industry without it.
Super Marios Bros introduced so many gaming mechanics that it is difficult to even consider them all. The concepts of power-ups, the secret areas, the dynamic enemies and level progression are all mentioned, but few people consider the simple, foundational elements.
Super Marios Bros brought the platforming genre together, with responsive and intelligent movement and abilities that were unseen in gaming at the time. All of this, coupled with advanced design and sound made for a truly remarkable adventure. Unsurprisingly, Super Mario Bros was the best-selling game of all time for decades, with over 40 million units shipped worldwide.
I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.
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