Drew,

While I doubt it's possible to pick out all the games which had an influence on the industry, here's my list:

Pong: The granddaddy of them all. It wasn't the first computer game ever -- there was one played by some college students on old vac-tubes back in the '50s -- but it was the first "mainstream" video game. This was the game that showed everybody that a few images on a screen could be something you could have fun with.

Pac Man & Frogger: Two of the first games to really have wide appeal, and have something of a complex objective. You weren't just bouncing a ball back and forth anymore, you had to think a bit beyond mere reflexes. Pac Man is also notable for its use of sound -- even today, most of the time when you hear "video game sounds" on T.V. (except actual game commercials), it'll be something quite like the familiar sounds of Pac Man.

Adventure: The first dungeon crawl. Even modern games sometimes don't escape the repetitiveness first seen here. Notable because there was an actual *point* to playing; you weren't simply racking up a high score.

Zork: Text-only, but we probably wouldn't have the RPG genre if it wasn't for this one. Zork took the basic idea of Adventure -- that there should be a goal -- and threw in complex puzzles, and a rudimentary storyline. Sure, the storyline was mostly "try to get out of here", but it was there. It was, as far as I know, the first game to try and immerse a player in its world. It's certainly the earliest most people remember.

Super Mario Brothers: Sure, the platformer had been done before. Dozens of times before, to tell the truth. But SMB brought it into the limelight, and introduced many people to the concept of distinct levels, where there was a clear progression from a starting point to an ending point. The level changes in SMB were to whole new worlds, instead of mere increases in difficulty. This was a new thing, and it wasn't long before it started showing up elsewhere.

Final Fantasy & Dragon Warrior: These two series have influenced most of the modern RPG genre, so it seems only fitting to include the first of each series in this list.

Wolfenstein 3D: Introduced the first-person shooter, and was also the ancestor of the survival-horror genre.

FF7: A great game, but other than the advent of 3D graphics, it really shouldn't have been so influential on the genre. But we've all seen numerous clones of it, so I suppose it warrants its own mention on the list.

Ogre Battle: As I understand it, one of the first strategy-RPGs around. That sub-genre still isn't big, but it's growing ever-so-slightly.

Hmm... a pretty long list. And I've no doubt someone else will have different answers.

-Chaomancer Omega

Just thought I'd indicate the fact that some games can be totally revolutionary without being influential in any remarkable way. Take Myst, for instance... something unlike anything ever done before, but everything thereafter that was "Myst-inspired" was pretty inconsequential (I'd bet I'm the only one here who has played Labyrinth). Some even blame the game for killing the whole adventure genre by unleashing these clones. ICO is likewise inimitable, and I personally can't visualize anybody even trying to disprove that. You could even say the same thing about GTA3, because it's like it's so focused on being what it is that it'd be pretty hard to extend that essence to another game without that effort being nothing more than a pastiche. Which brings me to the aforementioned Twisted Metal Black. I'm not sure whether GTA actually came out before the original TM or not, but even if it hadn't, TM is still just a shoddy imitation. Being the strongest of the PSOne's launch titles is really nothing special, as every one of them was disgustingly forgettable. How well can anybody recall Jumping Flash, Toshinden, or Warhawk? Gadzooks.

-Peter Radosevic

I want to nominate Grand Theft Auto 3. This game is amazing. It might appear to be a Driver rip-off, but there's really sooo much more. I can't quit playing this game.

-Magatsu

*Hi-jacks a cop car to take to the street race*

Hello Drew:

Yes, I read the first letter in yesterday's column and yes, I read the mission statement. From what I've read on the GIA, you guys cover not only RPGs but also those seemingly "important" games -- games like Pikmin, ICO, Jet Grind Radio and the sort. And Drew you yourself have said that the GIA covers "adventure" games. Not only that, but I remember how much you praised one particular game that is questionably absent from GIA coverage: Grand Theft Auto III.

This game I believe, after being a long time reader and supporter of the GIA, is a game under that invisible "revolutionary" section of your coverage. Not to say it's as good as ICO or anything, but it features such amazing detail and incredible nonlinear gameplay, and I know those are two qualities that the GIA looks for in some games. Yes, I heard your answer to the other person supporting Twisted Metal Black which I agreed with you that it is outside the scope of the GIA. However, I truly believe that GTAIII deserves some form of coverage.

-mista tea.

"What, in your opinion, are the most revolutionary, influential titles ever made?" Well the most obvious one having to do with the GIA would be Dragon Quest I. DQ1 was arguably the first console RPG ever and inspired the style of the majority of RPGs out there on consoles today. DQ1 inspired Square to start making RPGs for example. Square's first game was a racing game or something else stupid that didn't do so well. DQ1 comes out, becomes a big hit, and bam, not too coincedentally we have Final Fantasy 1. Oh and before you cry out that certain PC ports hit the NES before DQ1 making it not the first console RPG I will say you are only half right. In America games like Ultima hit the NES first because it was three years before DQ1 came over here as DW1. DQ1 came out in Japan in 1986 and it didn't get sent over here as DW1 until 1989. Were it not for! DQ1 hot topics at the GIA would probably be Baldur's Gate, Diablo, and Ultima Online instead of FFX, Xenosaga and Golden Sun.

Pendy the DQ/DW guy

Hail to the Drew,

How about what I'm pretty sure would have been the first game ever to fall under the jurisdiction of the GIA? Everybody knows about Pong and the pioneering shooters like Galaga and Space Invaders, but not many people have heard of the world's first adventure game, a title appropriately named, well... "Adventure."

The objective of Adventure was to find the Holy Grail and return it to your castle. (Or maybe the sucker was IN a castle and you had to get it out. Well, something like that.) Anyway, the Grail was always locked in a room somewhere, so you had to find the necessary key. Further complicating matters was the fact that there was a TERRIBLE DRAGON somewhere in the level that would try to eat you. It actually would too. There'd be a funky noise and then you'd see your avatar (a solid, single-colored square) inside the dragon's belly. Also, the dragon kind of looked like a weird chicken, but I guess it was pretty cool back in 1980.

Adventure is further noteworthy as being the first game to have an "easter egg," in this case the programmer, Warren Robinett, hid his name behind one of the walls. It was hidden damn well, because I never found it, but I read about it later in a magazine. Back in those days none of the programmers got royalties, or even credit for their work. I guess that little number was Robinett's way of putting it to the man. (Not to be confused, of course, with The Man.)

El Cactuar

Drew-san,

I'd have to say, I find the most revolutionary, influential titles the ones that never make it out of Japan. Dating/relationship sims (such as Tokimeki Memorial), for example, which then influence games that do come to our fair shores. Even Final Fantasy VII had a few of the "dating" aspects... and the Princess Maker type, too, if you'd like to include being able to dress Cloud up either whorishly slutty or so awesomely gorgeous that people who are traveling with Cloud actually think that HE is a SHE. Thousand Arms is another interesting example of how the dating sim can invade a RPG. The concept was wonderful, it's a shame that the game itself was merely "decent". *Sigh* Talk about not living up to expectations...

All in all, my favorite series which has been influenced by the Date Sim is Harvest Moon. Now that's just a wacky game. A farming/dating/cooking game with Zelda styled gameplay.. which somehow manages to work really well. The latest installment, Save The Homeland, continues to amaze me with the continuous character development, especially where those cute girls are involved. There's something subtle going on, if you can read between the lines of what people are saying and watch what they are doing. It's much like watching an anime, where you can tell that "female character" and "male character" are in love about twenty episodes before they admit it to themselves.

Anyhow, I guess that's a wrap. I'll leave you to ponder.

~arc

Drew,

The most influential games ever made? That's quite a broad subject... But as it is quite subject to opinion, here's mine in no particular order:

Dragon Warrior: One of the first (I think Ultima: Exodus was _the_ first) console RPGs in history. I really don't think Enix or Nintendo knew what they would start with this one. Truly a groundbreaking and venturesome title. Thank the heavens that it worked!

Maniac Mansion: This was the game that turned me on to Point-and-click adventure games. Although the genre's pretty much dead, I have so many bits and pieces of nostalgia floating around from those days, and I have Maniac Mansion to thank for showing me how much fun those titles could be.

Alone in the Dark: The first ever survival horror game. What can I say? I would not be a RE freak today if it weren't for AITD.

Final Fantasy 7: Albeit not my personal favorite FF, 7 opened the floodgates for the RPG rush we are still seeing today. Thanks to its cinematic flair and likable characters (save Yuffie) FF7 could be _the most_ influential RPG ever created.

Metal Gear Solid: The reason I listed MGS instead of the original Metal Gear is because of MGS' more cinematic approach. MGS is one of those games that when looking back on video games as an entertainment medium 50-odd years from now, people can point to it and say "Right there was the beginning".

...That's all that comes to mind now. I hate working graves, turns my nodle to mush. Have a happy Hannukka.

-Pisces, sieve for brains.

Hey Drew,

There are many revolutionary/influential games out there, but there's one game in particular that I believe is still the best beat-'em-up of all time: River City Ransom.

Think about it. Did games like Final Fight ever have you walk into restaurants like Hack's Chicken Shack so you can buy food to not only restore your health, BUT also increase your kick power, speed, etc.? And how about those neat books that allowed you to learn new moves? How about the non-linear, level-free nature of the game? I can't get over how damn GOOD RCR is, even in the face of games like The Bouncer and Dynasty Warriors 3. RCR's even better with a friend.

I don't know why more beat-'em-ups are like this gem. This world is too cruel.

-Mike

DC,

Pretty much anything ever made by Shigeru Miyamoto. He is THE MAN.

-Red Raven

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