A Look at the Most Influential Video Games of All Time

Every now and then, a video game will come out that revolutionizes gaming. It could be an entirely new genre or make an important statement about society.

Games such as Pac-Man and Halo revolutionized first-person shooters by introducing mechanics never seen before in the genre. Furthermore, these titles established that shooting games should be enjoyable rather than tedious.

1. Atari’s Pong

At its release, Atari’s Pong revolutionized electronic gaming by featuring two paddles players could use to bounce a ball back and forth across a screen.

Pong may seem like a simple game, but it quickly rose to become one of the world’s most beloved titles. It launched Atari’s home console dynasty and laid the foundation for modern home video gaming systems that remain popular today.

The story of how Pong came to be is an inspiring one. It all began with Nolan Bushnell, the president of Atari, who wanted to create a training exercise for his employees.

He sought something easy for people to play, so he designed an arcade game based on the electronic ping-pong game included in Magnavox Odyssey machines.

It took Atari some time to develop a version for the home market, but they eventually managed to condense Alcorn’s original architecture into one chip that could connect directly to a television. The result was Home Pong, which sold like hotcakes when it debuted in 1975.

2. Tetris

Tetris is a beloved puzzle game enjoyed by millions around the globe. Players rotate and move falling blocks to clear away lines on the screen in an effort to score as many points as possible.

Alexey Pajitnov, a Russian software engineer working at the Computer Center of the Soviet Academy of Sciences in Moscow in 1984, created this simple game for an old calculator called Electronika 60 – which wasn’t nearly as powerful as modern computers at that time.

Vadim Gerasimov then port the game onto the IBM PC, which was more widely used in Western countries. The popularity of this addictive game spread quickly throughout Soviet Union, taking up time and leading many people to skip work in order to play it.

Tetris, born in the Soviet Union but now widely popular worldwide, has had an immense effect on video game culture – from gaming shows and architecture to dance music and beyond.

3. Wolfenstein 3D

In 1992, id Software released Wolfenstein 3D, ushering in an era of groundbreaking first-person shooters and introducing one of gaming’s most iconic concepts: Nazi zombies.

The game’s success can be attributed to several factors, including id Software’s previous hit title Commander Keen and Wolfenstein 3D being released using a shareware model. This allowed players to play up to half of the game for free before having to pay for everything else – an approach pioneered by Apogee Software with earlier games such as Kingdom of Kroz.

After the success of Wolfenstein 3D, id Software began considering ways to expand its franchise. They collaborated with FormGen on Spear of Destiny, released as a boxed retail product in September 1992 as an extension of Wolfenstein. One year later, DOOM followed suit – another groundbreaking FPS which built upon everything that had gone before.

4. Doom

Doom, released in 1993, marked a landmark first-person shooter that launched an entire gaming subculture and introduced many innovative gaming technologies. It was the first game to offer immersive 3D graphics, networked multiplayer mode, custom additions/modifications through packaged files known as WADs (Where is All the Data), plus support for custom additions/mods through packaged files known as DLCs (Device Loaders).

Doom was one of the most influential video games ever, popularizing first-person shooter genre and setting standards for future titles. Additionally, it introduced “deathmatch” into gaming jargon – now an essential aspect in both first-person shooters and multiplayer titles alike.

The Doom campaign is an intense and demanding adventure that thrusts you into increasingly dire scenarios inspired by metal’s raw energy. It may be straightforward and straightforward, but its purpose is to push you beyond your comfort zone with challenges you won’t soon forget.

5. Grand Theft Auto III

GTA III not only sold millions of copies and earned critical acclaim–it was an innovation in video games that revolutionized how we play them. It introduced the open world format now commonplace across all of today’s best-selling franchises and gave gamers their first taste of real freedom.

It also marked the dawn of an age of controversy that would forever alter how video games were viewed and enjoyed. It ushered in dark, mature-rated titles which wouldn’t have been acceptable in previous generations.

What’s more, it revolutionized the industry’s perception of “quality” games. For the first time ever, video games were seen as legitimate investments that could yield billions of dollars in returns.

Unfortunately, Grand Theft Auto III’s legacy also includes an unfortunate aspect. As one of the early games to feature such an expansive open world, developers were encouraged to create something huge and expansive which may not always be beneficial in the long run. This can make the experience feel bloated and tedious at times.

6. World of Warcraft

Blizzard Entertainment released World of Warcraft in 2004, revolutionizing how online gamers played. Based on the fantasy real-time strategy series Warcraft, this title marked the introduction of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), which would eventually revolutionize the gaming landscape.

Like any video game, MMORPGs rely on remote servers to deliver settings, non-player characters and other data to players’ computers. These updates are seamlessly coordinated by the game engine before visual and audio data is presented to each player’s display.

World of Warcraft has not only achieved great success in eSports, but it has also inspired numerous other titles within its genre – from tower defense games to multiplayer online battle arenas. Additionally, its influence has reached far beyond pop culture circles.

Next month marks World of Warcraft’s ten-year anniversary and we at io9 want to take a moment and thank the game for shaping how we play games today. It remains highly praised by gamers around the globe and has created some unforgettable memories that we will cherish for life.

7. Call of Duty 4

Call of Duty 4 was a game that had an immense effect on the industry. Not only did it cement Call of Duty as one of the greatest video game series ever, but it also set the bar for other major budget shooters like BioShock and Dead Space to introduce online multiplayer modes.

While the original Call of Duty games featured three country-specific campaign styles, Modern Warfare introduced an array of game play elements never seen before in the series. These included a more filmic plotline featuring interwoven story lines from Paul Jackson of United States Marines 1st Force Recon and “Soap” MacTavish of British 22nd SAS Regiment perspectives.

Modern Warfare boasted an impressive arsenal of weapons to accommodate players’ playstyles in single player campaign and multiplayer mode. Players could customize their experience according to their preferred weapon type in either close, mid, or long range settings for optimal enjoyment.

Call of Duty 4 has been remastered and released as a standalone version, providing fans with an opportunity to try this classic title for themselves. With its stunning visuals and stellar gameplay, there has never been a better time to give this beloved franchise a chance.

8. Pac-Man

Pac-Man is one of the most beloved video games ever, with millions playing it daily. Since 1980, this classic title has captivated gamers of all ages and still holds a place in gamers’ hearts today.

At its debut, Pac-Man was a groundbreaking game. Up until then, arcade games were mostly about shooting things. With Pac-Man however, players no longer needed to shoot things for enjoyment!

Japanese game designer Toru Iwatani set out to design a game that appealed to female gamers, creating an entirely new genre with simple yet addictive gameplay combined with classic characters and sound effects – this combination being Pac-Man. Needless to say, the success of this venture was undisputed;

Pac-Man introduced several innovations in gameplay and game design, such as the first “power-up” and cut scenes that featured Pac-Man being chased by ghosts. It also popularized maze-based gameplay – now a staple genre within gaming – for its time.