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Forums - Gaming Discussion - The 20 Most Innovative Games Ever Made

mike_intellivision on 10 June 2009

Let's see

Video games have been around since 1972, but only 2 of the top 20 most innovative games were released before 1995 (and none before 1991).

I guess the first two decades were just not innovative.

By the way, how many of those concepts listed in that article were patented?

Mike from Morgantown

Ralph Baer patented the idea of television-based gaming and had a working prototype of what became the Magnavox Odyssey in 1968.



      


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mike_intellivision on 10 June 2009
Esmoreit said:

Ok, I will try and make a top 20 list, but not in any particular order as I think these innovative games are all important in some aspect. Note, I have taken cues from this thread aswell:

1: Dune - first real RTS

2: Wolfenstein 3D - Hello shooters

3: The legend of Zelda - Open world exploring was done first here people!

4: Super Mario 64 - 3D done right

5: Pong - Goooooooood morning videogaming!

6: Populous - the true God-Game.

7: GoldenEye - Console FPS IS possible! with local Multi even!

8: Metal Gear Solid - the true father of stealth

9: Final Fantasy 4 - First JRPG to get everything right.

10: Wii Sports - I tend to be averse to too recent games in these sort of lists but motion controls seem to be the future and this game prooved that it is true.

11: Space Invaders - The start of the Shoot m up

12: Tetris - The first puzzle game, still played to this day.

13: Ultima online - This is the grandfather that occasionally smacks Word of Warcraft on it's head with a cane.

14: Quake - modding, online shootfests... still going on today!

15: GTA 3 - The first open world 3D game. I don't like it so much but it get's props for that.

16: Super Mario Bros - How long had we been stuck in 2D side-scrolling adventures up until SM64 was released?

17: Kung-Fu - The first one on one fighter, (though SF2 will always be more fun)

18: Shenmue - Engrossing story, unique setting and pacing... and let's not forget the - PRESS A TO DUCK NOW!! (Quick time event)

19: KoTor - If they can place Bioshock on the list for making right or wrong choices then KoTOR is far more deserving. Aswell as innovating in other fields.

20: The Ocarina of Time - Automatic jumping, Z-targeting, engrossing story and the first 3D adventure.

 

Games that just fell out of it in my humble opinion:

Wii Fit, Half Life, Mario Kart, Chrono Trigger, Micro-Machines, Alone in the Dark, Pokemon and Maniac Mansion

Atari 2600 Adventure -- objective rather than score based, intentional Easter egg.

Add that to Wii Fit, Mario Kart and a couple of others and I think we have a legit top 25.

(Through the list probably ought to have the Magnavox Odyssey rather than (Atari) Pong).

 

Mike from Morgantown



      


I am Mario.


I like to jump around, and would lead a fairly serene and aimless existence if it weren't for my friends always getting into trouble. I love to help out, even when it puts me at risk. I seem to make friends with people who just can't stay out of trouble.

Wii Friend Code: 1624 6601 1126 1492

NNID: Mike_INTV
twesterm on 10 June 2009
mike_intellivision said:
Let's see

Video games have been around since 1972, but only 2 of the top 20 most innovative games were released before 1995 (and none before 1991).

I guess the first two decades were just not innovative.

By the way, how many of those concepts listed in that article were patented?

Mike from Morgantown

Ralph Baer patented the idea of television-based gaming and had a working prototype of what became the Magnavox Odyssey in 1968.

You might want to check my thread out. 

As an added bonus you can probably double check my early yeras date/info since I'm sure I wrote something down wrong.



 

CDiablo on 10 June 2009

Dont agree with Resident Evil(Alone In The Dark was first), Bioshock(not innovative), Halo(not innovative, done 1000x over on PC and Bond 64 was the first hit console FPS), LBP(user created content was done on 1000 games 1000 times over) or Doom(Wolfenstein came first).



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Esmoreit on 10 June 2009
mike_intellivision said:
Esmoreit said:

Ok, I will try and make a top 20 list, but not in any particular order as I think these innovative games are all important in some aspect. Note, I have taken cues from this thread aswell:

1: Dune - first real RTS

2: Wolfenstein 3D - Hello shooters

3: The legend of Zelda - Open world exploring was done first here people!

4: Super Mario 64 - 3D done right

5: Pong - Goooooooood morning videogaming!

6: Populous - the true God-Game.

7: GoldenEye - Console FPS IS possible! with local Multi even!

8: Metal Gear Solid - the true father of stealth

9: Final Fantasy 4 - First JRPG to get everything right.

10: Wii Sports - I tend to be averse to too recent games in these sort of lists but motion controls seem to be the future and this game prooved that it is true.

11: Space Invaders - The start of the Shoot m up

12: Tetris - The first puzzle game, still played to this day.

13: Ultima online - This is the grandfather that occasionally smacks Word of Warcraft on it's head with a cane.

14: Quake - modding, online shootfests... still going on today!

15: GTA 3 - The first open world 3D game. I don't like it so much but it get's props for that.

16: Super Mario Bros - How long had we been stuck in 2D side-scrolling adventures up until SM64 was released?

17: Kung-Fu - The first one on one fighter, (though SF2 will always be more fun)

18: Shenmue - Engrossing story, unique setting and pacing... and let's not forget the - PRESS A TO DUCK NOW!! (Quick time event)

19: KoTor - If they can place Bioshock on the list for making right or wrong choices then KoTOR is far more deserving. Aswell as innovating in other fields.

20: The Ocarina of Time - Automatic jumping, Z-targeting, engrossing story and the first 3D adventure.

 

Games that just fell out of it in my humble opinion:

Wii Fit, Half Life, Mario Kart, Chrono Trigger, Micro-Machines, Alone in the Dark, Pokemon and Maniac Mansion

Atari 2600 Adventure -- objective rather than score based, intentional Easter egg.

Add that to Wii Fit, Mario Kart and a couple of others and I think we have a legit top 25.

(Through the list probably ought to have the Magnavox Odyssey rather than (Atari) Pong).

 

Mike from Morgantown

Mmm adding Adventure and Odyssey would make it a top 30 list with the already listed games. Which would be quite fitting of course!



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darthdevidem01 on 10 June 2009

how did FF7 lead SONY to domination when it sold 9 million & PS sold 105.67675 million?



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tehsage on 10 June 2009

I saw two Nintendo games on this list.

TWO.

phail list is phail



shio on 10 June 2009

I disagreee with numbers 17, 16, 14, 12, 11, 7, 6, 5 and 4. None of those were innovative.



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misterd on 10 June 2009
mike_intellivision said:
Esmoreit said:

Ok, I will try and make a top 20 list, but not in any particular order as I think these innovative games are all important in some aspect. Note, I have taken cues from this thread aswell:

1: Dune - first real RTS

2: Wolfenstein 3D - Hello shooters

3: The legend of Zelda - Open world exploring was done first here people!

4: Super Mario 64 - 3D done right

5: Pong - Goooooooood morning videogaming!

6: Populous - the true God-Game.

7: GoldenEye - Console FPS IS possible! with local Multi even!

8: Metal Gear Solid - the true father of stealth

9: Final Fantasy 4 - First JRPG to get everything right.

10: Wii Sports - I tend to be averse to too recent games in these sort of lists but motion controls seem to be the future and this game prooved that it is true.

11: Space Invaders - The start of the Shoot m up

12: Tetris - The first puzzle game, still played to this day.

13: Ultima online - This is the grandfather that occasionally smacks Word of Warcraft on it's head with a cane.

14: Quake - modding, online shootfests... still going on today!

15: GTA 3 - The first open world 3D game. I don't like it so much but it get's props for that.

16: Super Mario Bros - How long had we been stuck in 2D side-scrolling adventures up until SM64 was released?

17: Kung-Fu - The first one on one fighter, (though SF2 will always be more fun)

18: Shenmue - Engrossing story, unique setting and pacing... and let's not forget the - PRESS A TO DUCK NOW!! (Quick time event)

19: KoTor - If they can place Bioshock on the list for making right or wrong choices then KoTOR is far more deserving. Aswell as innovating in other fields.

20: The Ocarina of Time - Automatic jumping, Z-targeting, engrossing story and the first 3D adventure.

 

Games that just fell out of it in my humble opinion:

Wii Fit, Half Life, Mario Kart, Chrono Trigger, Micro-Machines, Alone in the Dark, Pokemon and Maniac Mansion

Atari 2600 Adventure -- objective rather than score based, intentional Easter egg.

Add that to Wii Fit, Mario Kart and a couple of others and I think we have a legit top 25.

(Through the list probably ought to have the Magnavox Odyssey rather than (Atari) Pong).

 

Mike from Morgantown

Guess it depends on what you mean by "innovative."

For example, shooting games aren't all that inventive, no more so than the first sports game or driving game. Its  fairly obvious application of the technology, where plaformers... are a little less obvious.

There are also true innovations that simply were never successful or hard to copy. Eternal Darkness' Sanity Meter springs to mind, or Tapper's bar-themed game. Very innovative ideas, just limited in application.

Wolfenstein was influential, but was it that big a leap from FP-vehicle shooters? (probably, and it probably would be on my top 20 list). Let's try a better argument.

Pong was hugely successful and influential, but it was not the first video game, or even the first video ping pong game (that goes to Magnavox).

Star Fox brought us the first "true" 3D gaming on a home console, but that was coming one way or another.

That said, I would like to officially nominate Scribblenauts to this list.

 

 

 



Pyramid Head on 11 June 2009

im only going with games that have been released

i think zork has a spot

its only a text based rpg, but it was one of the first rpgs

im old enough to have tried a text game, its insane.



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