12 VIDEO GAMES THAT HAVE SHAPED CURRENT GENERATION OF DEVELOPERS AND INSPIRED FUTURE CULT CLASSICS
Tumultuous and challenging years like 2020 often trigger us to seek comfort in what we perceive as safe and familiar. For many, that usually means taking a trip down the nostalgia lane and drifting to the childhood memories.
There are certain warmth and security in those distant experiences and feelings. And which one is more cheerful than reminiscing of playing video games in the coziness of our homes?
As we recall those sweet memories, we remember specific video games, how they made us feel, and why they still awake that inner child within us. But they aren’t just a remembrance. They are a source of inspiration we can see in games that we play today.
By implementing elements and vibes of an old classic, we get to revive and re-invent them. We can explain these retro sentiments and inclination with the fact that millennials are the most nostalgic generation. Therefore, it’s understandable that current game developers create video games that either remind them of their childhood or answer the growing evocative needs of gen Y gamers.
While the average video game developer is between 49 and 34 years old, the overall age of gamers is 33. Hence, generation X and millennials dominate the world of gaming. Video games of the last two decades of the 20th century and early ’00s are the ones that shaped these two generations of developers and gamers.
As we love all kinds of trips, we are joining the nostalgic one to revisit those cult classics that influenced those that are shaping the current gaming world. These are our top twelve choices.
1. PAC-MAN (1980)
There are not many people who are not familiar with this eating icon that initially wasn’t expected to become the most successful arcade game in history. Toru Iwatani, Pac-Man’s creator, was only 24 when he gave virtual life to the maze chase. Iwatani’s inspiration emerged as he was removing a slice from a pizza. That thought merged with his idea to offer something new — an escape from a myriad of violent arcade games about shooting aliens. Thus, his aim was to re- architect the environment of arcades, making it into women and couple-friendly places.
When Pac-Man debuted in Tokyo in 1980, the game’s name was PucMan, but the U.S. found that name inappropriate because the kids might change the “P” to an “F.” Once the game got the name we know today, it became an instant hit, starting its path of changing the world. — Soon, women and families were regular visitors in arcades, and Pac-Man and the doe-eyed ghosts became mascots.
The key to Pac-Man’s success is probably its simplicity and easy control system that relies on a single joystick. That simple formula leads to a historical accomplishment that reflects in Pac- Man merchandise, such as lunchboxes, T-shirts, and jukeboxes.
2. TETRIS (1984)
The world in which Tetris was born was quite different from the one we live in today. That might be the most entertaining fact about this addictive classic. The story of Tetris starts behind the Iron Curtain, and the creator, Alexey Pajitinov, was a software engineer at the Soviet Academy of Sciences. His actual goal was to test a new type of computer, but he decided to make it fun by creating a simple game. Unintentionally, that was the beginning of a game that will soon take over the world.
Just like with Pac-Man, simplicity is one of the principal reasons for the game’s success. The premise of this puzzle game is to place the falling “tetrominoes” geometrical shapes onto a playing field. The goal is to shape gapless lines. The first sign of its success was the fact that Pajitnov himself couldn’t stop playing the prototype version.
At first, everyone in the Soviet Union got hooked, but the historical success started when Tetris reached other Eastern bloc countries. Soon, Pajitnov got an offer to sell the game’s rights to a Western firm, which could have sent him to jail. Yet, Tetris found its way to the United States and the United Kingdom, and since then, it has set a world record by being released on over 65 platforms.
3. SUPER MARIO BROS. (1985)
Super Mario recently celebrated his 35th birthday, and during his lifetime, he managed to save the gaming industry. Due to the computer revolution in 1983, many didn’t consider video games viable products. Nintendo was a newbie in the arcade scene, and launching Super Mario was their breakthrough decision.
Only five years later, Mario became the most recognizable character in the world, surpassing Mouse’s Q. Thanks to that, many tried to follow the same formula and replicate that success or replace Super Mario.
4. STREET FIGHTER II (1991)
No other game revolutionized the one-on-one fighting genre as Street Fighter, making it relevant and fashionable. Soon, all other arcade games companies made their version, justifying the iconic position and enduring success of Capcom’s fighting game.
The possibility to choose between eight playable fighters with a unique set of strengths and weaknesses is one of the reasons why the game won so much popularity. Today the legacy of Street Fighter reflects in being the best-selling title since the golden age of arcade gaming and a franchise that continues to this date.
5. DOOM (1993)
The first PC gaming phenomenon started as shareware, but as soon as it spread through FTP servers, it changed history by creating the FPS (first-person shooter) genre. Today, the genre is among the most popular in gaming, which gives Doom an unprecedented position.
The premise follows a space marine who needs to shoot demons on the moon of Mars and in hell to free himself. Unlike most previous hits, Doom is quite complex, and it includes a few puzzles and a multitude of weapons. Another element that made him unique are its 3D graphics, texture- mapping, and lightning never seen before. Thus, the game’s creators provided players with a lot of free content, which still works as a business model in the gaming industry.
6. NEED FOR SPEED (1994)
There is so much pleasure, anxiety, and excitement that merges with iconic sports cars and cutting-edge driving in this classic. The original Need for Speed used then-revolutionary 3D graphics, and players immediately found it irresistible to race in high-end cars. That’s how the game turned into a successful franchise popular among multiple gaming generations.
7. RESIDENT EVIL (1996)
A multitude of amusement park attractions, restaurants, and Hollywood movies are living proof of Resident Evil enduring popularity and influence. Yet, due to Street Fighter’s success, the expectation bar wasn’t high within Capcom. That is why the company dedicated the creation of RE to young creators who struggled with a shortage of development tools. And although no one was optimistic about its release, horrors found within the game managed to fascinate players. There is a Hollywood-like tension, characters that turn clockwise and speak English.
The success spiraled from 200.000–300.000 sold units to one million in a year. There were no doubts about making a sequel, which paved a path to an on-going franchise.
8. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME (1998)
Despite a 20-years long franchise, Ocarina of Time is still the most revered one. What makes it stand out is luscious sceneries and video sequences, engaging and near-perfect gameplay, and a complex and modern action many try to reiterate. Therefore, even those who don’t know much about Zelda consider this entry to be a masterpiece.
9. THE SIMS (2000)
Not many games have that luck to become a global success without actual gameplay, goals, or a compound backstory. The Sims did it twenty years ago by allowing people to become a God and engage in social experiments of controlling virtual beings. Although it has drastically changed and evolved during the years, the formula stays the same, proving to stand the test of time. In 2020, the game sold 200 million copies on PC.
10. GRAND THEFT AUTO III (2001)
When PlayStation 2 was still fresh and novel, developers seized the chance by introducing the crime-driven action GTA III and immediately taking the spotlight. The open-world gameplay is addictive, and in 2001, it was still a new concept that helped the game turn into one of the best- selling franchises today.
11. LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER (2001)
Lara quickly reshaped the world of gaming by giving birth to a feminist icon and a ubiquitous lead character. The video game gave birth to Hollywood movies, and it even led to Lara being named as an ambassador for British scientific excellence. It’s safe to say that Lara Kroft’s popularity can rival James Bond, having sold 7.5 million units of the first Tomb Raider.
12. CALL OF DUTY (2003)
Set in the WWII era, this FPS game allows players to step on the other side and see various sides of the war. What brought Call of Duty global success are cinematic sceneries, multiple playable characters, and engaging players in the battlefield, which eliminated the typical elements of a “lone wolf” player. The on-going franchise also depicts modern warfare, making Call of Duty the biggest world’s shooter video game that influenced generations.
visit: www.gamefactory.tech
