5 Games that Changed a Genre.
Every once and a while a game comes along that changes the way you perceive a genre and your very definition of what a game can be. A masterpiece that brings to the table incredible innovative ideas and creative concepts. Whether it’s a new approach to level design or a different way of incorporating story into our visual epics the ideas this game brought with it ideas that were fresh and new. A game that shaped the industry for years to come and in most cases become a lifetime favorite of gamers worldwide. We are here to remember the modern day classics that have graced our consoles and computers.
The following five games didn’t just just add new features to the existing formula, they reinvented it. These games were milestones in video game development spurring on a revolution that shook up the industry. Innovation is what gaming is really all about and it is worth taking the time, to have a look back and see what titles got us here today. These games are all inspirational works, like them or not, each and every title on this list deserves the respect of gamers everywhere.
Super Mario Bros.
Easily the most iconic title on our short list, Super Mario Bros effectively brought the platforming genre and gaming as a whole to the masses. Every gamer I know can vividly recall their experiences in the Mushroom Kingdom the characters, the music, the secrets. Yes anyone who calls themselves a gamer knows the location of the not so secret warp tubes and hidden 1ups.
Before it’s release gaming didn’t really appeal much to the layman. Most games were too difficult, too obscure or sometimes barely playable; sure there were some great titles even before Nintendo, many of which were highly popular, but the video game boom didn’t start until Mario walked onto the scene. It took a highly polished and, at the time, graphically superior title to really show people what gaming was all about. The difficulty curve was appropriate and the visuals inviting and pleasant. Platforming in Mario’s world was rock solid and balanced with the nimble plumber responding to each button press in a timely fashion. Super Mario Bros was one of the most polished games of it’s generation and that certainly meant something to gamers of that time.
Maybe it’s the music, the memorable tunes playing in the heads of gamers every time the game is mentioned that made it so popular. Each track was catchy and burrowed it’s way into the brain quicker than should be healthy for a young child. Over the years Nintendo has continued to impress in all it’s musical endeavors, releasing each and every game with a quality soundtrack. The number of Mario songs now numbers into the hundreds, and most gamers can probably badly hum half of them, impressive!
Perhaps the visuals helped put Mario Bros at the top of gamers’ wish-lists everywhere. The mushroom kingdom a vivid and colorful world, well developed and presented. It was an inviting place to explore, if not a wee bit weird if you actually gave your virtual surroundings too much thought. Looking back the graphics are archaic and plain ugly at times but if you compare it to other Nintendo titles it was gorgeous. From a performance standpoint Mario ran through the world smoothly the game devoid of any of the visual glitches ever present on the Nintendo.
No matter the reason Super Mario Bros was an indisputable success and it’s presence in our consoles brought the platforming genre to an entirely new level. Nintendo taught us what games should be featuring tight controls, power-ups and a memorable setting. Maybe our childhoods would have turned out a bit different had we not been seduced by Nintendo’s mascot. Despite all the spin-offs, sequels and other mess a classic is a classic and we are here to pay homage to that. So thank you Nintendo for bringing us such a game changing title.
Half-life
Before the release of Half-life FPS gaming was in a rut. Title after title of shooter games were released each with no direction other than point and kill. Wolfenstein, Doom those games only brought the genre so far where it stagnated for many years. It was the release of Valve’s baby, Half-life that really drove things forward for FPS.
So what was it about half-life that changed things? In a word: story, yes something so simple as a plot line was all it really took to promote some change in the genre. Half-life was highly polished and played like a dream but at the end of the day it was the story and the immersible world that flowed from said story that did it. Previous to it’s release there was nothing engaging about the first per shooter genre, they were simple shooting galleries just as the name implies.
Featuring one of the most memorable intros in gaming Half-life sets the scene in the first few minutes of play. Although hardly interactive the train ride into the sprawling and characterful Black Mesa facility spoke volumes about the game to come. Things were to be different for fans of FPS this time, gamers were in for a real treat! From the train ride to an on foot tour of Dr. Freeman’s workplace the player was spoken to and the situation explained, a slow building setup for the experience to come.
Crawling through the vents of Black Mesa players quickly get acquainted with the depth of the game. The secret facility appears to be a character itself; grand in scale and lovingly crafted by the folks at valve Black Mesa practically comes alive before the player. The populace of your ex-workplace show some real character as well most players beginning to sympathize for those thrust into the game’s disastrous situation with you. Half-life has some real twists and turns to throw at the player ones that will have you questioning the motives of all you meet.
Another major factor in half-life fame is it’s mod-ability. Valve’s classic is backed by a massive mod community that is still hard at work today and with well over 100 mods out there to explore the possibilities never run dry. Counter-Strike is the most well known mod for the Half-life platform. It has since become a retail game since been re-released completely redone under valve’s newer source engine. CS remains a highly competitive multiplayer experience and is still beloved by fans today.
Half-life and valve have done wonders for the first person genre. Their games continue to innovate today always bringing new ideas to a sometimes stagnant industry. We can’ forget the game that kicked off the legendary studio valve nor can we forget the game that brought such change to the genre. If you’ve never explored the creaking vents of Black Mesa or tangled with an electrifying alien slave I highly recommend that you do so next time you can’t find something new to play.
Wolfenstein 3D
Before there was Half-life there was Wolfenstein 3D, the game that really started it all for first person shooters. Sure there were similar games before but but none quite hit the sweet spot that the badass classic Wolfenstein did. This Nazi killer is the great granddaddy of them all, who knew a pixelated shooting gallery would one day spawn your Half-lifes your Halos and your COD4s.
The FPS genre has come a long way since Wolfenstien’s day so it is hard to imagine how this title could have innovated, however, it introduced gamers to everything a shooter should be. Bringing gruesome death to Nazis was a whole new ballgame for gamers and if Nazi killing were a genre all it’s own then Wolfenstien started that as well. Chainguns, medkits, secrets, gunning down Germans was never so much fun!
Offering little in the way of story players take on the role of an American soldier,Willian “B.J.” Blazkowicz, whom is determined to escape the Nazi stronghold, castle Wolfenstein, in which he has been imprisoned. Blasting their way through the game’s 3 main campaigns and multitude of levels B.J. encounters Nazi soldiers, attack dogs, and other scum marching under the flag of the fuhrer. Surviving on conveniently laid out meals and med packs our American hero eventually confronts Hitler himself in an inevitable but epic duel.
Due to the abundance of Nazi symbolism the game has encountered much controversy over the years. I feel this is more than befitting the game that shaped the FPS genre. First person shooters have always been violent games wrapped in adult themes, a combination that just doesn’t sit well with most parents. Titles calling this genre home have and always will incite controversy just as daddy Wolfenstein would have wanted.
Although the Wolfenstein 3D has not aged well it remains a priceless relic of gaming days past. It’s pseudo 3D visuals an iconic site to any gamer that loves the sound of gunfire in the morning. The game has spawned many ports and many sequels, however, none of them have lived up to the original. A pity that time hasn’t been to kind to the franchise, as the recent Wolfenstien games have not been well received by the community. Wolfenstein 3D, on the other hand, will always hold a special place in the hearts of those twitchy gamers that just love to blow stuff away.
Street Fighter II
Blazing the way for all fighting games to come Street fighter II marked a quantum leap in virtual brawls. The best fighting game ever released in the opinion of many gamers, Street Fighter II brought about the fighting game boom of the early 90s. With it’s intuitive controls and iconic characters any fighting game fan can pull off a hadouken with their eyes closed as quickly as they can call out a button masher for cheese.
Polish and balance are what made Street Fighter II truly shine; most previous titles of the genre were, while great in their own way, never able to pull together the multitude of disjointed ideas they had. Street Fighter II was the first to knock everything into place just right building a martial arts epic players followed. The type of gamer that indulges in these blood matches is more often than not highly competitive and hungry for challenge. Street Fighter II provided balance and challenge better than any other title in the genre, a game poised for great tournament play.
Even today Street Fighter II tournaments are popular and highly competitive venues. Players from around the world relish in the fight this game provides.The tournament scene that follows the fighting genre is a community all it’s own with it’s fair share of fanatics and legendary gaming gods. In fact, recently there was a web documentary released covering this sub community of gamers. “I got next” is well worth the watch if you have the time and are curious about the world of competitive virtual fighting.
With the game’s many many fans there is no debating the Street Fighter franchise has proved incredibly popular. The game isn’t just praised by the die hard fans however, casual gamers enjoy the series because it is easy to pick up, learn and enjoy with a group of friends. Yes Street Fighter is one of those rare gems that is easy to learn and hard to master. It appealed to the masses in a way that any game destined to incite change to a genre needs to.
Over the years plenty of games have been released into the fighting game genre, many of which are amazing titles on their own merits. Street Fighter ramains the king of the ring at the end of the day, the fighting champion and the rest are simply new challengers. Unlike some games on this list Street Fighter II’s successors have maintained the popularity it once garnered. With the release of Street Fighter IV earlier this year the franchise looks to be once again burning brightly in the public eye.
Metal Gear
Metal gear taught gamers it was alright to run away, it was ok to be sneaky and covert in your tactics. Envisioned with the simple premise that to survive sometimes you have to run away in mind Metal Gear quickly became a popular title. Proving to be the patriarch of pixelated espionage action it was the first time gamers felt the need to really run for their lives since pac-man. It was an ingenious idea unique in a sea of other titles that would have you play the guns blazing soldier or unstoppable ninja.
Headed by it’s designer Hideo Kojima the release and development of the game was a strange one particularly when it came to it’s western appearances. Mr. Kojima’s project never yielded much respect from his counterparts at Kojima in the days before the game’s release. Most thought his idea was silly and that no one would ever enjoy playing a game where you had to hide from the enemy. Upon the game’s release in Japan it became a smash hit proving wrong any whom had downplayed the famous developer.
Shortly after the Nintendo entertainment system was released and with it Metal Gear soon found a North American release. Unfortunately the western incarnation of the game was a heavily altered port very different from the MSX2 version. Still the title sold well and showed the western gaming community how enjoyable stealth action could be. It wasn’t until the release of Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence in 2006 that the original unaltered Metal Gear officially reached western shores.
Metal Gear follows the story of the codenamed operative: Solid Snake tasked with destroying a promient nuclear threat. Snake is sent into a solo infiltration mission deep in the fortified state of Outer Heaven. The story runs deep in Metal gear taking the player through a far flung adventure with strong real world references. It is a running theme in the series with game play in later titles taking a backseat to the narrative.
The game stands as a prime example of developers fighting for their ideas. Hideo Kojima like him or not is a game designer with original and far flung ideas. These concepts were not one’s that earned him much respect before his success but he didn’t let that discourage him. There have been many brilliant ideas over the years laughed out of company studios or actively turned down by the directors of large companies. The Metal Gear series stands as a testament to all those games that could have been.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
Thank you very much, glad to get some traffic here. Still in the process of editing the article though, haven’t started to attempt to bring people to my site yet.
This shit is STILL so whack.
Good Points
What about ping pong?