13 Most Influential Games of All Time: Genre-Defining Video Games

Since its inception, the world of video games has come a long way. Video games have entertained and inspired millions of people all over the world from 32-bit graphics & simple gameplay to high-definition visuals and complex storylines.

But which games have truly made an impact on the industry and helped shape the future of gaming as we know it.

In this blog post, we will look at the most influential games of all time, highlighting the most innovative and genre-defining video games that have left an indelible mark on the gaming world. This post is a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of video games & to know the games that defined genres.

1. Pong (1972)

Pong-Most Influential Game of all time

Pong was one of the first video games ever created & when it was released in 1972, it became an instant hit. The game had two paddles and a ball that players had to hit back & forth across the screen. Pong despite its simplicity was extremely addictive & helped to pave the way for future video games. Pong truly changed the world of gaming!

2. Space Invaders (1978)

Another early video game that had a huge impact was Space Invaders. This 1978 game had a straightforward premise: players had to control a spaceship and shoot down waves of invading aliens. The game was extremely popular & it helped to establish the space-shooter genre which many other games would imitate in the future.

3. Pac-Man (1980)

Pac-Man was another hugely influential game that was released in 1980. In the game players had to control a little dot-eating character named Pac-Man as he navigated a maze eating dots & avoiding ghosts. The game was incredibly addictive & it helped to establish the maze-based game genre that would be copied by many other games in the future.

4. Donkey Kong (1981)

Donkey Kong was first introduced in 1981 in which Mario had to save his girlfriend from Donkey Kong a large amusing gorilla. The game was a huge success and inspired a shedload of follow-ups & spin-offs including the immensely popular Super Mario Bros. series.

5. Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Super Mario Bros. was released in 1985 and quickly became one of the most popular & influential video games in history. The game featured a plucky Italian plumber named Mario who had to navigate various levels and defeat enemies in order to save the Princess from the evil Bowser. The game was incredibly fun and addictive & it helped to establish the platformer genre.

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6. Tetris (1984)

After its 1984 introduction, Tetris swiftly rose to prominence as one of the most played games ever. Players had to rotate and arrange falling Tetris blocks in order to establish & clear lines in the game’s straightforward gameplay. The puzzle game genre which would later be imitated by numerous other games was established because to the game’s extreme addictiveness.

7. The Legend of Zelda (1986)

The Legend of Zelda debuted in 1986 and quickly became one of the most popular video games of all time. The game starred Link, a young hero who had to travel through a vast and dangerous world in order to save the Princess & defeat the evil Ganon. The game was incredibly fun and immersive & it helped to popularize the action-adventure genre. This game literally changed the gaming industry!

8. Street Fighter II (1991)

Street Fighter II was launched in 1991. The game featured a colorful cast of characters who engaged in one-on-one martial arts combat. The game was incredibly fun & competitive and it helped to grow & popularize the fighting game genre.

9. Doom (1993)

Doom made its debut in 1993 & the game was a first-person shooter with intense gameplay and fast-paced action. The game was incredibly immersive and brought a revolution in the gaming industry. Most of the successful First-Person shooters were inspired from this game, Doom is truly the pioneer of First-person shooter games genre.

10. Minecraft (2009)

Minecraft was released in 2009 & easily became one of the most popular and influential video games of all time. The game is an open-world sandbox that allows players to use blocks to explore, build & create their own world. The game is extremely creative and entertaining & it helped to establish the sandbox game genre.

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11. World of Warcraft (2004)

World of Warcraft was released in 2004. The game was a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set in a fantasy world and it featured complex gameplay and a vast immersive world to explore. The game was incredibly successful & it helped to establish the market of MMORPG genre leading to numerous other games in the genre.

12. Angry Birds (2009)

After its 2009 introduction, Angry Birds immediately rose to prominence as one of the most played and influential mobile games ever. Players have to launch furious birds at structures to topple them and defeat the pigs in this straightforward puzzle game. The highly addictive game paved the way for a plethora of spin-offs and sequels while also helping to build the mobile gaming industry.

13. PUBG: Battlegrounds (2017)

PUBG was released in March 2017 as the game was a battle royale in which players competed to be the last one standing on a shrinking map. The game was extremely enjoyable and competitive & it helped to establish the battle royale genre paving the way for games like Fortnite which was released in July 2017 & many other battle royale games.

In conclusion, these 13 video games are some of the most influential in history. From simple games like Pong and Space Invaders to more complex games like Super Mario Bros. and Minecraft, these games have helped to shape the video game industry and change the way we think about gaming.