The best (most influencial) games ever

[Draggar]

OK, I've put together a list of what I think are the most influencial games are. Now, I'm not going by what was most popular, what got the highest ratings with PC gamer and other magazines. I'm going by which games pioneered new technology and set the standard for all future games.

The top games are

Doom / Catacomb
It is hard to say which one deserves this honor. While Doom had the funding and promoting that made it extremely popular, Catacomb did come out first, just didn't get promoted too well. Both are virtualy the same game, except Doom is more modern, while Catacomb was more medievel.
This first person shooter style was one of the first for the PC system that used the high resolution graphics that maxed out our systems. Friends of mine went out and bought top of the line computers, with all out surround sound systems just for their Doom enjoyment. They thought the best thing was looking down the barrel of your own shotgun while you tookout the enemy troops.

Donkey Kong
Yes, that old Atari 2600 / Coleco game. Not that the game itself pioneered anything, but the sequals did. Super Mario Brothers was Nintendo's first big hit. Yoshi's island was a big hit for the Super Nintendo. Super Mario cart was a big one for the N64. How much longer will it last? I can't think of any game that still has direct sequals coming out almost 25 years later. Can you?

Ultima
When Origin software came out with Ultima, it didn't do too well. They released 2, 3, 4, and 5. None did well either. They did good enough to keep them alive, and the engine it ran off of was very good, but the graphics wasn't there. They revamped the while project, and released it for Nintendo (Ultima Underworld) and also released Ultima 6 - The False Profit. New engine, great graphics (for what was available then). Origin was able to pump out 2 more Ultima games, and 2 online games before scraping the project. Not only that, after Ultima Underworld was released for Nintendo, another company came out with a very similar game, called Final Fantasy. There was no doubt, Ultima Underworld was a main influence with it.

Honorable Mentions
Sim City / Civilization
These two games, very similar yet very different, set the standard for Sim games. I've seen countless games based on the same concept.

Pong
How could I leave out the game that started it all?

Combat
That game we got for "free" with our Atari 2600s. The first game that you tried to kill your opponent. Used either tanks, bi-planes or jets. And with options such as bounce shots and invisibility, you couldn't beat it.

Test Drive
I feel this game, when it came out for the Commodore 64, set the standard for all future car racing games.


What do you all think? Agree? Disagree? Have additions? Think I'm smoking some serious crack?

[Outcoded]

Think you'll find Wolfenstein 3D came out first.

[Matridom]

[quote]Originally posted by Draggar:
<strong>
Doom / Catacomb
It is hard to say which one deserves this honor. While Doom had the funding and promoting that made it extremely popular, Catacomb did come out first, just didn't get promoted too well. Both are virtualy the same game, except Doom is more modern, while Catacomb was more medievel.
This first person shooter style was one of the first for the PC system that used the high resolution graphics that maxed out our systems. Friends of mine went out and bought top of the line computers, with all out surround sound systems just for their Doom enjoyment. They thought the best thing was looking down the barrel of your own shotgun while you tookout the enemy troops.

</strong><hr></blockquote>

This should actualy be castle wolfenstein, it's the game that launched first person shooters.

My game of choice are console style RPG games.. Final Fantasy comes to mind for that..

[korpse]

Don't forget Zelda...

[Draggar]

[quote]Originally posted by Matridom:
<strong>

This should actualy be castle wolfenstein, it's the game that launched first person shooters.

My game of choice are console style RPG games.. Final Fantasy comes to mind for that..</strong><hr></blockquote>

Oh, yeah, not what I think about it, I remember having that on my C=64, side A Commie, side B Apple...

Final Fantasy is great, but the original one was way too much like the Ultima games. A lot of fantasy RPG games used a similar interface.

Zelda - forgot that one, but really hasn't spawned much, just a binch of sequals, and has only been around what, 15 years? Donkey Kong takes the cake at over 25 years.

[Sowulo]

I think King's Quest (the original) which shipped bundled with Tandy computers in the '80s might have been responsible for introducing the most home PC enthusiasts to gaming beyond the simple arcade stuff....

[TrackMan]

i remember reading in a computer gaming magazine that there was a pong-like game that that started the whole thing, the idea for pong was taken from it. the same guy who invented this was the guy who invented the gaming light gun.

[Gollo]

Can't forget Myst

[gxavier]

Duke Nukem 3d.

It brought the idea that FPShooters shouldn't just be mindless slaughter, but mindless slaugher with a twist of humour.

Half Life

relatively modern, but it definately brought about a new type of FPS, one with an actual story. Ill never forget playing Halflife. Ever.

Warcraft

set the stage for real time strategy. Set into motion one of the greatest and most prosperous game series ever. Brought about StarCraft which is still in the top 5 best selling games each week, when its over 2 years old.

Command & Conquer

same as above.

[EvilCabbage]

Way of the exploding fist.

Bomberman

Bombjack

Street Fighter

Pacman

Joust

[Stalemate]

<a href="http://agents.www.media.mit.edu/groups/el/projects/spacewar/" target="_blank">Space War</a> - I believe this was created even before Pong.

<a href="http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/arcade/ag1176.php" target="_blank">Zaxxon</a> - Got the ball rolling for "3D" action.

[MacGyver]

Space invaders and ZORK

[Lycia]

You guys are forgetting Wizardry for RPGs and X-Wing and Tie Fighter for PC..X-wing brought back the Space Sim and Tie Fighter made it fun to be the bad guy!

[EvilCabbage]

[quote]Originally posted by Lycia:
<strong>You guys are forgetting Wizardry for RPGs and X-Wing and Tie Fighter for PC..X-wing brought back the Space Sim and Tie Fighter made it fun to be the bad guy!</strong><hr></blockquote>

W00t!!! Tie Fighter still rocks my world

Its a little scary when I add up all the time Ive spent playing games over the years... heh..

[AlleyCat]

King's Quest on 5.25!