1. Video games have been around since the 1950’s, with Super Mario Brothers just turning 25.  In order to commemorate the success of video games, this list has been compiled of the top 10 video games.  This will include games that have helped to shape the industry as whole, as well as redefine the genre where it belongs.

    Halo

    Halo was a game that redefined the first person shooter.  It provided the player with an amazing story that generated as well as some extremely fun game play.  With the vehicles that were offered, it allowed the player to enter the body of Master Chief, and kill the Covenant, an alien race at war with humans.  The game is full of twists and turns, which makes it an incredible game full of excitement.  The multiplayer was also substantial for its time, allowing four players to battle it out in death matches or capture the flag.  Halo managed to allow the Xbox to become a viable competitor in the console market.

    Mortal Kombat

    Mortal Kombat was a game released in 1992. Although it was released after Street Fighter, it created much more controversy.  With the amount of blood and the fatality movies, it started a movement that eventually left the video game industry with the rating system that is used today.  It spawned a series of games that has been on every console since it was first introduced, which was bought by many teens with uninformed parents.  It made the fighting genre popular, and enduring.

    Super Mario Brothers

    It can be said that this game saved the video game industry from certain death in the United States.  Packaged with the Nintendo Entertain System, Super Mario Brothers was in everyone’s home when they purchased the console.  Whether by itself or with Duck Hunt, Super Mario Brothers helped to make console gaming what it is today.  Thank you Mario, but our Princes is in another castle.

    Super Mario Brothers 3

    After the… interesting… game that was Super Mario Brothers 2, Super Mario Brothers 3 was a trip to a familiar place, the Mushroom Kingdom.  It allowed players to choose stages from a map rather than have to play a game beginning to end, which was quite the difference from the usual platform. It is a strategy still used today in some platformers, and has even gone across genres to puzzlers.  It also provided the best Mario suit of all time; the Tanooki Suit.

    Grand Theft Auto III

    Grand Theft Auto III was an incredibly controversial game, published by Rockstar (who, as it happens, is known for publishing controversial games).  It reignited the war on ratings, and debate continues to go back and forth between the gaming industry and gaming opponents are the effects of violence, as well as free speech in video games.  But it wasn’t all this debate that makes this one of the best 10 game of all time.  It was the innovative sandbox approach. Grand Theft Auto III let the player roam around the town doing what he pleased, killing innocent people, and not even needing to participate in missions.  Missions could be played in whatever order the player wanted, not in some linear fashion.  It revolutionized game play.

    The Legend of Zelda

    The Legend of Zelda has made over 32 installments on the Nintendo platforms.  It was the original, though, that started a cult following of the hit series.  The adventure game was full of weapons, puzzle solving, and exploring that is updated with each new platform.  The Legend of Zelda created one of the most recognized video game characters of all time, second only to Mario.

    Final Fantasy III

    The Final Fantasy series has brought the world Chocobos, moogles, and RPGs aplenty.  Although this was not the first RPG, it definitely helped to shape the genre.  Many of the ideals that are present in the game have migrated to other, such as World of Warcraft.  Professions are ideas that are used in many different games, thanks to the success of FFIII.  It also provided hours of fun, which was much more than many other games of the time.

    World of Goo

    Release by an independent studio, the World of Goo proved that independent studios were capable of providing excellent games.  This clever puzzler was released on the virtual console for the Wii, and astonished players and critics alike.  It is held in high esteem, and many independent gamer developer looks toward the 2D Boy for inspiration.  World of Goo proved that big budgets are not necessary to make awesome games.

    Guild Wars

    Many say that World of Warcraft is the best RPG produced.  I disagree.  Guild Wars, released by NCSoft, was a model that took the best of World of Warcraft and scrapped the worst.  There were no subscription fees.  Instanced play areas meant that they were no kill steals.  The PvP was separated, to keep high level players from beating up low level players.  There was a story.  There were chapter updates every 6 months.  Although there is currently no more chapters being released for Guild Wars, a second game is in the works.  They have at least on person that will be purchasing it.

    Gran Turismo

    Gran Turismo has been offered for many generations of gamers.  When it was first released, it helped to revolutionize the racing genre.  With the way cars handled, it played more like a simulator than a game.  Cars became damaged instead of invincible, making the amount of skill needed to complete races higher than playing a game of vehicle pinball.  Gran Turismo was released to great critical acclaim, leaving the standard for racing games high.

    Video games have changed since pong was first introduced to the public.  With no end in sight, and innovations continuing to occur in the industry, video games promise to be present for future generations to participate in for years to come.

Leave a Reply