10 Video Games That REVOLUTIONIZED Genres

[@nahuelma97]

SimCity almost singlehandedly created the city building genre and it also gave rise to The Sims series, which is also its own genre. I legitimately don't know if there are any other gaming series that on its own created two game genres

[@CowmanUK]

Very good point, and I still play them both to this day.

[@matthewtaylor2040]

Although it would be under the umbrella of 'Tycoon' (so many spin off simulators) but Roller Coaster Tycoon created a genre IMO

[@GamerbyDesign]

@@Epic_Gamer79 Aren't those 2 the same?

[@GamerbyDesign]

@@matthewtaylor2040 I don't think so with the sims. You can't control your customers in the tycoon games. Sim city maybe is closer to a tycoon but the point is not to make the most money.

[@marksims3904]

YES!! Simcity on the Amiga ruled my life for a massive portion of 1989 and 1990, tremendous fun building your own metropolis and then destroying it with a tornado. Still got the original disks somewhere (I didnt pirate it, one of the only games I didnt at the time.........)

[@RICHIEV333]

People don't remember this as much, but the genre wasn't originally called 'first-person shooter' originally the genre was called 'Doom Clone'

[@dimitri877]

I don't fully agree. With Doom clones I think of the term "Shoot 'em Up". FPS was mostly used for multiplayer shoot em ups like Unreal Tournament and Quake Arena.

[@mfauz96]

@@dimitri877I don’t think you understand. Doom almost pioneered the whole “first person shooter” genre. Before doom there wasn’t first person shooter games.

[@dimitri877]

@@mfauz96 really? I remember Wolfenstein 3D as the pioneer back when I played it. I was 16 at the time. I also remember Doom for it was created by the same devs over a year later.. In a sense, Doom was a clone in and of itself.. ..my understanding of games and game mechanics stem from back when Atari did not yet encounter 1983.. Commodore 64 was cutting edge when this happened.. I turned 1 the year the Atari 2600 saw the day of light.. Pitfall and all..

[@Diablo_Himself]

@@mfauz96 Wolfenstein was the first though. The games should have been called "Wolfenstein Clones". What I miss is Arena Shooters like Unreal Tournament. Sick of crap like Fortnite/Overwatch.

[@brandonklerck3580]

Gameranx revolutionised my KZbin experience

[@darkvador6437]

'Faut pas non plus exagérer, hein...

[@alexjames2264]

Were they your first "list"?

[@dawsonboyd7229]

💯 true

[@brandonklerck3580]

@@alexjames2264 watchmojo gateway to gameranx

[@athanpanayotou6557]

Fr fr

[@pizza6464]

Re4 is the reason over the shoulder third person shooters exist. It influenced so many things from game mechanics like inventory, quick time events, shooting. It’s a shame that it is not on this list.

[@kgoodfarms]

Exactly my thought. That was a game I lost so much sleep over because I was so enthralled.

[@ChayMiddleton]

Just wrote the same thing then scrolled down to see yours lol. Obviously I totally agree.

[@GwenActually]

but games had inventory and QTE for many years before RE4 came out?

[@lilyofthe4lley]

It was influential but the inventory management was already there in system shock more than 10 years before

[@shandilesmanahidayat7131]

Agree

[@nicksanchez8294]

The original Gran Turismo was a revolution in racing games. It was realistic, there were so many cars, and it inspired realistic racing sims ever since. Great list!

[@macchxero]

I spent more time to get licenses in this game than getting my driver license IRL

[@smokeyandtheassbandit]

The licenses were awesome

[@Razmoudah]

@@macchxero I'm reasonably sure that all of us who played it did, unless they used a cheat device. Heck, even for those who did use a cheat device they probably used it BECAUSE they'd already spent more time trying to earn those licenses than they did getting their IRL driver's license, I'm certainly in this camp myself.

[@tiagokang639]

We are proud of you, Nick. The game I spent and spend the most time playing in my life.

[@DefinitelyNotBender]

Hell yea!! GT was definitely ground breaking not only in racing games but in graphics too. It was a miracle it ran on the first PlayStation.

[@GamePath]

Half-Life 1 was the game that made people realize that FPS games can be cinematic and have a compelling story. And Half-Life 2 had ridiculously good graphics for the time that the graphics still held up after a whole decade and a half.

[@urazsoktay5275]

It still holds up even today. And Half Life 2 revolutionized in game physics use. Half Life 2's story was incredible, atmosphere is amazing. It's music and sound effects are brilliant. Graphics still looking really good. Facial animations are amazing. Half Life 2 revolutionized fps games and games in general and it's widely recognized as the best fps game ever. And it's also the best game ever.

[@GamePath]

@urazsoktay5275 Haha, ya, it's graphics are better than a lot of modern games these days.

[@nicholastuttle2445]

@@GamePath looking at it, the graphics aren't as good as most modern games. But somehow they feel more real, idk how to describe it beyond that. Fallout 3 is newer yet feels older for instance.

[@urazsoktay5275]

@@GamePath Lol somehow Half Life 2 still looks amazing really. It's the art desing and direction i guess.

[@surosch]

@@nicholastuttle2445 Yes, but the graphics aged extremely well, especially when you compare it to other games of that year (e.g. Far Cry which was thought of being just as revolutionary back then)

[@RolandsSh]

Portal revolutionized the 3D puzzle genre, and there are tons of well-regarded puzzle games that are clearly heavily inspired by it. The Talos Principle, Antichamber, The Turing Test, Q.U.B.E., The Entropy Center, Desordre to name a few.

[@vashsonic]

Portal came from half life 2

[@k90v85]

@@vashsonic half life 2 came from pong

[@ClassicalPan]

I'd like to add Quantum Conundrum to the list.

[@anigah]

​@@k90v85Pong came from Ping

[@FlareToga76]

added some of them to my wishlist. thanks 😊

[@Erinski]

The original Legend of Zelda. I remember it the first open world game I played, where you could explore the whole world immediately. The inventory screen, to assign an item to the not-sword button, seemed very novel at the time too.

[@Highostrich]

Re4 should've been on this list aswell.

[@Link.ispada]

this list has no zelda game meaning it's tottaly wrong

[@whitewolf3051]

No mention of Dragon Quest? Until the first DQ game, most rpgs were in style of Wizardry and had complex mechanics, DQ streamlined those. Then there’s DQ VIII, which brought rpgs to 3D.

[@ShiggyMiyamo]

@@Link.ispada Zelda games have arguably done it a few times now. lol

[@Link.ispada]

@@ShiggyMiyamo each zelda REVOLUTIONIZED Games in general zelda 1 - open world games in consoles zelda 2 - first game to make gamers break controllers zelda ALTP - first game with save files zelda OOT - first 3D adventure game that litteraly created all the 3D TPP rules

[@MrBentham22]

Max Payne with Bullet Time, I had never seen it done before that, and they did it very well.

[@GwenActually]

bullet time definitely deserves a spot on the list, lots of games do it now but it all started with Max Payne

[@k.hasantuncag3991]

It was not the ARMA, it was “Operation Flashpoint” who revolutionized the army simulation. But perfected in ARMA. For the second list; Alone in the Dark, Zack McKraken, Test Drive, Another World, Privateer, Command and Conquer, Fallout, UFO Enemy Unknown and Pirates could be on the list.

[@SIeipner]

Operation Flashpoint is Arma. Same developer. Bohemian Interactive parted ways with the publisher Code master. Code Master retained the IP "Operation Flashpoint" but Bohemian Interactive kept the game and the engine. Bohemian Interactive then re-released Operation Flashpoint as Arma: Cold War Assault. All the other Operation Flashpoint games after the first one was no where near as good as the first Operation Flashpoint (Arma: Cold War Assault) or the other ARMA games released after when Bohemian Interactive became an independent developer.

[@47KRoman]

​@@SIeipnerIt should still be called Operation Flashpoint because it's the original name and the re-release as Arma Cold War Crisis was after release of first reboot under new ARMA brand.

[@seanmahoney-e6e]

I don’t think I’ve ever been as wowed by a game as I was by GTA3 back in 2002. It was a game changer in so many ways. It changed everything. It’ll always have a place in my heart.

[@ModestPavement]

Made me love video games.

[@bml2007]

Same here! Loved the original trilogy.

[@olli.romunen]

I remember playing GTA 3, Battlefield 1942, Morrowind & Hitman 2 silent assassin in 2002 what a great year of gaming.

[@bml2007]

@@olli.romunen Hitman 2 Silent Assassin doesn’t get enough credit. I felt like at the time it was a revolution in stealth games. So many different and creative ways to assassinate your target. Morrowind definitely paved the way for the elder scrolls, fallout 3s and diablos of the world. That was a special time in gaming. PS2/Xbox - PS3/Xbox 360 was gaming at its peak. All the new age gamers seem to care about now is graphics and frame rate lol

[@olli.romunen]

@@bml2007 I agree. Hitman 2 is still my top 5 game of all time and always will be. I really miss those times in gaming.

[@Darconee]

I can't believe Goldeneye for the N64 wasn't on this list. It was a revolutionary FPS.

[@game-sheriff]

Pretty ridiculous considering the fact that half-life one was basically scrapped until they saw gameplay footage of Goldeneye and started it over.

[@lov.2.g]

Nope...it was good but meh....not like doom or half life ...

[@Martel4]

Halo perfected it way better than Goldeneye and I loved the late night gaming sessions of Goldeneye. Halo just did it better.

[@swampssa]

Goldeneye didn’t really do anything revolutionary at all. Was it good? Yes. Did it reinvent the genre in ways? Far from it.

[@Darconee]

@swampssa without Goldeneye we wouldn't have had the other games we had. It pioneered and paved the way for future titles like Halo.

[@Curt_Randall]

Super thumbs up for not forgetting about Thief. It and Looking Glass Studios often go unrecognized or forgotten as revolutionizing stealth games. No it was not the first game that had stealth. But it was the first game built explicitly for stealth and introduced mechanics that stealth games still use today. I am talking about the use of shadows and sound as stealth elements. The sound propagation still to this day was the best a game has ever had.

[@gameranxTV]

👆🏻

[@alyssabaerne9508]

Without thief and the team at lookinh glass we wouldn't have dishonored and the prey reboot (og prey was also great but wholly different)

[@Riszu]

I replayed the original Thief like 1 to 2 years back and I must say, this game has so many unique levels that are simply fun to explore and find stuff in. I mean come on, caves leading through castles, catacombs like environments with zombies, a kind of holy order that goes to the extreme... and this game knew how to present itself with a variety of fantasy elements. And not to forget the silly dialogues you can eavesdrop to when sneaking around. It definitely wont be the last time I've played this game 😅

[@MrReivn]

Thief was the first game to use realistic surround sound if I recall right a documentary made of the game. It was really advanced for the time. Great atmosphere, very well thought out lore and city, that felt like they reached far beyond from what we saw as players. I replay these games regularly every few years, on hardest difficulty and fan made "self limitations / challenges". They are just too immersive compared to 99% of modern games :D

[@alyssabaerne9508]

@@MrReivn yeah from the NoClip documentary. Surround type utilization and surface specific as well which was what made it sp hard to make for them.

[@richdelaney9500]

Batman: Arkham Asylum is on my list because it really made "superhero" games a lot of fun!! The combination of an incredible story and animations, this gem gave us a great combat, puzzle, and stealth systems. Also, this was the very first game that I had played that caught me off guard with the epically surreal Scarecrow missions (which Far Cry 3 also did a great job on constructing trippy environmental animations). Mercenaries also because of the destruction physics!! I just wish that we had more games like Mercenaries, Red Faction and Just Cause to utilize the great destruction physics that these game had.

[@kevinmckenna5682]

Arkham Asylum also spawned it's own subgenre of Arkham-clones, like Shadow Of Mordor, Mad Max, and Marvel's Spider-Man.

[@user-op6kt8pg9y]

The fact it's not in the list while halo is is just straight up bullshit

[@chrisnicholson5974]

I'm very happy to see Thief get the recognition it deserves! We don't often see criminal anti-hero games that have you save the world/city without a focus on combat.

[@gameranxTV]

👍🏼

[@drgonzo123]

I’ll never forget Christmas morning, 1996, when I opened my new N64 and put Mario 64 on for the first time. My parents were there of course, and this was the only time I ever heard my dad say “wow” about a video game. It really was a huge jump in technology to be able to roam freely around a 3D environment.

[@derricktiffin]

So, where I was living back then, there was this video rental place called "Hollywood Video Biz" (yeah) and they would let you play the N64 like, right when it came out, for like 15 minutes for a dollar. (thinking back, not sure if that was legal or... lol) Anyway, me and my brother were fucking FLOORED. Oh and they advertised it with a sign that said, "Play new 64 bit Super Nintendo!" lol.

[@derricktiffin]

My bro and me did end up getting one for Christmas though. And oh lord we 120 star'ed that thing and found Yoshi and oh man, memories.

[@drgonzo123]

@@derricktiffin hell yeah man I platinumed the shit out of that game way before trophies or gamer scores. Lol I know it’s always easy to feel nostalgic about your childhood, but man things just felt like they were a lot better back then. A more simple time.

[@drgonzo123]

@@derricktiffin oh and there was a chain called Hollywood Video, but I’m sure you’re referring to a local ma and pop shop. I miss those too. Adventure Video was my local place. It was in walking distance. I went there almost everyday.

[@Atrus999]

I remember when Doom came out it was the greatest thing I had ever seen. The only games I had seen up to that point were maybe a few NES games like the original Mario Bros. My friend had Doom on his parent's computer when we were kids but he never wanted to play it while I was visiting him at his house so I only got to see it in short bursts which was frustrating. 😂

[@victormulby2406]

Similar experience for me

[@Beer_Wolf]

Half-Life 1&2 are easily the GOAT for me, they had infinite replayability due to the modding scene that lead to many stand alone games being developed from later. And to a lesser extent, Starcraft 1&2 for similar reasons with the Custom maps.

[@skraxel]

and the fact that HL2's artstyle still holds up to this day

[@McGeezle]

Entropy Zero

[@Disturbed420420]

Agreed Half Life 2, was truly a historic game for me and my buddy Dave.. so much so that the main reason I clicked this video was the thumbnail of Alex's ass🤷..

[@GwenActually]

SC1 having storytelling within the missions, with individual characters you could control, where missions had objectives that weren't just "create 10 warriors" or "conquer the map" it really changed the game for RTS storytelling

[@EarthPoweredHippie]

HL 2 was amazing on release, the graphics and physics were amazing for the time period of games.

[@Crushenator500]

There was really nothing else even close. Even the E3 tech demo trailer they just completely blew us all away.

[@Ford-wt8rn]

I would put Ocarina of Time on this list considering it started 3rd person melee combat with a targeting system.

[@teixeira6132]

agreed. I guess the target-lock was created in this game (despite the annoying Navi during the combat, lol).

[@Ford-wt8rn]

@@teixeira6132 not a huge fan of remakes but an Ocarina of Time full remake on Switch 2 would incredible

[@ItsHooDie]

@@teixeira6132arma

[@ItsHooDie]

@@Ford-wt8rnduckiwochbotiamwaaisshakemysperemrworldwide

[@SknowingWolf]

Came here to say this, and when you look closely you can still see the impact it makes today. Was a huge milestone in vg history

[@AnotherAlexR]

Awesome video!!! I seriously dig these video game history type videos. It’s cool to learn about the games I’ve missed over the years

[@lorenzopignagnoli2268]

Castlevania Symphony of the night was revolutionary for ita franchise, It brought itself to next level approaching Metroid fare. Dont forget that OST, never heard before.

[@gameranxTV]

👆🏻

[@LuriTV]

nah I think this crown belongs to Super Metroid

[@basseman4239]

@@LuriTV symphony of the night was the first metroidvania.. it took the metroid aproaches and added a lvl system basically.

[@Yew_chube]

@@gameranxTVwhere’s my “before you buy super Mario rpg?”

[@zachtwilightwindwaker596]

@@basseman4239 Super Metroid came out before that. Heck even the original Metroid is not the first of it's kind. Below the Root and Brain Breaker did it first.

[@SquallLeonhartlo]

Final fantasy set the bar for RPG stories for many years, whether it's FFIV and FFVI's complex narrative, FFVII and FFVIII's introduction of 3D graphics and cutscenes, or FFX's introduction of voice acting (for every character) on console, and further games have made other great leaps. There's a case to be made for the franchise revolutionizing games, but it's tough to nail down just one game that did it.

[@acerimmer8338]

Even though FF 4-6 were brilliant (and my favorites), FF7 was the revolution. It completely changed the narrative around JRPGs, from being for nerds to mainstream cool.

[@GwenActually]

as a teen when 7 launched.. no you were still a nerd back then lol

[@FabianWadnesse]

Two gameranx videos make me want to revolutionize that upload schedule ❤❤❤

[@SnakeMajor]

Take a shot of alcohol every time he says "Crack the code, figure it out"

[@tylerbenrich]

Mass Effect 1-3 changed my whole gaming outlook.

[@EaglePicking]

Especially ME2 was just fantastic. A true masterpiece.

[@AzraelDarkness64Gaming]

​@@EaglePickingagree ME2 great game

[@acerimmer8338]

I was late to the party which let me play 1-3 sequentially. What an amazing experience! Last time I was blown away by a game. Felt like a true Space Commander by the end.

[@tylerbenrich]

@@acerimmer8338 My ex left me and I didn't even care that's how invested I was. 🤣😂

[@rg_888]

Need For Speed: Underground (PS2) revolutionized the arcade racer genre. It absolutely crushed every arcaderacer that came before, with way more customization, an open world (inspired by GTA, as you mentioned), and even a decent story (which most racing games prior didn't even bother with). Even visually, it looked amazing for the time. It's one of those rare games which was so good that to this day people still use it as the genre benchmark (along with Midnight Club).

[@Jarmen_Kell1]

he doesnt care about racer games

[@Thomas-fb5tf]

Midnight Club 1 and 2 were released before the first Need for Speed Underground (had to look it up haha). i love all those games and Smugglers Run as well. I think Midnight Club 3 is the best arcade racer of all time. Underground 2 had better customization and I guess story, but the actual racing/driving in 3 has not been recreated to this day.

[@ben-jerry-dover8363]

HL2 definitely had great butt physics

[@gameranxTV]

👍🏼

[@dustinyoshimura5612]

Love the channel and these lists are fun to have on in the background as I play games. You can tell though that these guys tend to play more first person/third person games, and not so many strategy games. Starcraft 1 could have easily been the number one spot on this list. It wasn't the first RTS, but it was the first game to become a major e-sport and that lasted for decades. It also insofar as I know introduced map editors to RTSs, which allowed for people to start creating custom maps and game modes. This feature going forward is what gave rise to the MOBA which has taken over the esports scene.

[@taoofjester4113]

It still blows my mind how popular of an esport it was in Korea. I played the hell out of that game. Actually had a hilarious moment playing online with my brother against two randos. Just as we were about to launch our attack, I through my back out. I remember laying on the ground trying to reach the keyboard to keep my army moving. I refused to lose rank because of a silly thing like not being able to sit or stand.

[@jermu9607]

Age of empires should take RTS throne IMO it was hugely popular back in the days. Allso civilization should take turn based strategy genre throne. Gran turismo is the GOAT racing game.

[@Thomas-fb5tf]

oh man I forgot about Starcraft. awesome game.

[@happyman6102]

Can't help but make two nominations for part 2 of this: Pilotwings for SNES, just blew me away and made me skip a few days of work/sleep in fascination and obsession in its day. Also Assassin's Creed 2, the historical education and exploration/immersion was a revelation for me. Great job as always!

[@MrJordwalk]

Assassin's Creed 2 (including Brotherhood and Revelations, as I feel The Ezio Trilogy is a single game they released in 3 parts), is my favourite game of all time! Seeing the Renaissance versions of Florence, Tuscany/Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Venice, and Rome recreated in a game engine BLEW MY FREAKING MIND because I spent most of 2009 on an exchange in Florence as part of pursuing a Bachelor of Design in Illustration and went to all those places among others whenever I had the opportunity.

[@happyman6102]

A formal education that helps you appreciate the the details of the simulations with the addition of personal experience nice!@@MrJordwalk

[@richdelaney9500]

Pilotwings was awesome!!

[@captainbooney]

Civilization. Their 4x style is everywhere. The tech trees even speeads to other genres. Assassin's Creed. Stealth, story and open world elements are found in almost every game nowadays. Medal of Honor. This was everything. The split screen multiplaye, the dramatic story, and the gameplay. So many all nighters with friends playing these. Without its success COD and Battlefield wouldnt be what they are. Shadows of the Colossus. The insane huge boss battles done right with platforming. Awesome list guys. Those are a few games thst have had major impact of my life and the games i play.

[@OddballEddie]

There are a lot of other games that revolutionised gaming, on the stealth side, Tenchu was up there with MGS and Thief, criminally underrated nowdays but also came out in the same year. Also no mention of Street Fighter 2 or Virtua Fighter? Those set the molds for 2D and 3D fighting games. This could be taken further with the original Resident Evil which took the concept of Alone in the Dark, made it flow better and worked great as a horror game. Like I said, there's A LOT to unravel on this topic.

[@Windmelodie]

Yeah, was hoping for some more variety, rather than mainly shooter type games. Be it for fighting games, stealth horror like Amnesia, rogue like games, obviously Metroidvania (how is that NOT on the list, 2 iconic games that defined an entire genre... but MGS is on there for its cutscenes?) and much more.

[@TheGreatTave]

I feel like FF7 and The Sims deserve to be on a part 2 list of these types of games. Also props for mentioning Halo. I think a lot of people forget before Halo controls on an FPS were awful on controllers. The systems used in Halo are still used to this day on every shooter. And before Halo 2 we had to look through lists of servers to find people playing the game mode we wanted to play. Halo 2 was like "nah, you want to play team snipers, just click right here and we'll put you on a team against another team and start the match." That shit was awesome.

[@dolan_plz]

I don't know how many here remember HL2, but let me tell you.. When it launched on Nov 16 2004 (19 year anniversary!), we were floored by it. We haven't seen anything like that before!

[@Elwaves2925]

I still say it has/had one of the best sets of enemy npcs ever.

[@TeddyKrimsony]

the unseen before quality also meant that the maps are very small and a loading screen pops every 5-10 minutes

[@Mutantgamer]

Was hoping Resident Evil 4 was on the list. That game's 3rd person over the shoulder view worked so well which aided the story, atmosphere, presentation, aiming mechanics, everything. So many great new games like God of War, Dead Space or Last of Us cited that game as an influence.

[@mitchh5596]

💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@lizzyrose6178]

Genuine question (as I don’t really know my gaming history) but would you say that the RE franchise in general also revolutionised survival horror (especially inventory management)?

[@mitchh5596]

@lizzyrose6178 yeah I would agree with you, totally

[@Mutantgamer]

@@lizzyrose6178 it definitely had great ideas other games could use. Inventory management doesn’t just add tension on its own, it also makes players run back and forth to retrieve/deposit items therefore encountering the game’s dangers again.

[@lizzyrose6178]

@@Mutantgamer Absolutely, it adds both tension with balancing your inventory AND a strategical element by prioritising it in battle.

[@RICHIEV333]

World of Warcraft: Everquest is the reason there is an MMO genre, but Wow changed the genre. (For good and for bad) After Wow every MMO had to be World of Warcraft. Wow almost became too revolutionary because MMOs have become so influenced by Wow that they are now formulaic. So many just follow the 'Wow' formula.

[@Joreel]

WoW was great at the time, but it's been so overrated and outdated for the past 8-10 years.

[@antihero_antics]

So happy you mentioned Thief I was waiting for that one. Splinter Cell, Syphon Filter piggybacked off of its stealth concept while adding more killkillkill unlike Thief but man. You nailed it. Wish people would create more strictly stealth games.

[@falcontitaniumniloy7722]

of course include Resident Evil games. It is not only revolutionary but also it has styles, arts and amazing characters of its own. The og characters can never be forgotten.

[@arniejolt]

Street Fighter II For starters, Capcom figured out how to make fighting controls work with the six-button and joystick layout control, a vast improvement over Street Fighter. Then there were different playable fighters with their own unique fighting styles. It also made pvp very accessible for fighting games.

[@alexfarrell3250]

Borderlands taking the Diablo formula and applying that to a first person shooter was insane. If they didn't invent the looter shooter then they were definitely the first ones to bring it to that level. Nowadays the looter shooter can be overdone but it was mind-blowing when BL1 came out

[@Thomas-fb5tf]

I wonder if borderlands would have been a smash hit without the cell-shading

[@DarshUK1]

GTA3 should’ve been number 1. Every game is open world now (to the point where it’s kinda a bad thing) and GTA3 is the reason. Mario 64 is iconic, but I don’t know if it had the same impact as GTA3. Great vid either way

[@bigred15981]

I remember being at the hospital when I was kid cause my baby brother had a rare form of cancer. While he was going through treatment there was a game room nearby that had a Nintendo 64 with(you guessed it)Super Mario 64. Ever since I’ve played video games, not only because they’re extremely fun. I started playing them cause they were a great distraction from all the hardships and drama happening around me. It was something I could get lost in and I could always try again if I failed. You guys bringing up Super Mario 64 gave me a lot of nostalgia, thank you Gameranx!

[@wildbill9681]

It’s amazing to think back to the time we played these games as a kid and not realizing just how influential to the industry they were.

[@saviordream]

Street Fighter 2 was a revolution when it hit the arcade scene back in the 90s. Growing up during that time period I remember vividly how popular, and ultimately how influential that game was. I was seriously shocked not to see this one on your list, as it arguably not only created a whole genre, but was influential for many, many years following, all the way up until present day. If/when you do a part 2 to this list, this is one title that definitely needs to be on there.

[@ApharmdCX]

Gran Turismo and Street Fighter 2 revolutionized their respective genres

[@Neopulse00]

13:00 - Thank you for showing love to Jumping Flash. It definitely was ahead of its time.

[@Non-Negotiable]

Doom ( or Quake) and Unreal Tournament were the two head to head competition at its time. Both really great games. UT99 GOTY edition is still active to this day with players online. Can't count the hours I've spent on that game and designing multiplayer maps for the community.

[@ErebosGR]

You mean Quake and UT. Doom was way past its prime at that point.

[@starlace6570]

​@@ErebosGRI remember Lan Quake and UT parties. Some of the most fun I've had. I'm not sure gaming will ever have something quite like it again.

[@Non-Negotiable]

@ErebosGR yes Quake.... I couldn't remember, but either way, they are all great games....it's been a long time, lolol

[@GwenActually]

hell I remember being blown away in Quake 2 when I could look up and down lol

[@pedrolantyer]

Doom was also the reason Windows became the go to for PC Gaming, Microsoft had just released DirectX in 1995 and after ID Software refused a purchase offer from Microsoft, Microsoft developed a port of Doom for the PC with the project being spearheaded by none other than Gabe Newell, the success of DirectX made developers jump to Windows

[@skister82]

Racing games that changed the genre for me were GranTurismo and Colin McRae Rally. Zelda Ocarina of Time changed the 3D RPG genre and the game still holds its own today. Tomb Raider was huge when it first released, it mixed 3D platformer, RPG and action all into one and i loved it.

[@cecilcottongin8452]

Dude I love that you use always sunny references. It’s one of my favorite shows of all time. ❤❤

[@Paradox.117]

Forgot to mention that with Halo 2, they invented the lobby/ party system where you can take your friends between customs and matchmaking without having to disband when switching modes. Which Bungie also was the first to implement sbmm and ranked matchmaking in a video game.

[@kemosobe]

They 1000% were not. There were XBLive launch games, like Fusion Frenzy and MechAssault, which were already doing matchmaking and lobbies. Halo 2 simply continued what other games were already doing in that regard.

[@Paradox.117]

@@kemosobe You sound like you're great to invite to parties. Trying to correct people without doing research. Well Akshewalleee Go and edit the Wikipedia page on Halo2 then, where its mentioned at least half a dozen times........ with sources Fuzion frenzy 1 did not even have an online element to it. Mech assault 1 was one of he 1st for xbl but it did not have a lobby system. Yes you could play matchmaking (no sbmm or ranked at all like halo2) but you had no lobby system. To play a custom you had to start one and invite a friend. Oh now you want to play MM, queue up and re invite same friend. 🤡

[@SWOTHDRA]

​@@kemosobe not true

[@kemosobe]

@@SWOTHDRA Well, seeing as he edited his comment, doesn't matter anymore cause it's not what I was replying to. But either way, it's still wrong since ranked matchmaking also still already existed in games before Halo 2. They didn't invent ranks.

[@user-op6kt8pg9y]

Halo fans try not to lie and make halo seem like a better game than it actually is challenge

[@the_fate_of_all_fools]

Street Fighter 2 not being on this list is criminal activity. It literally revolutionized the fighting game genre.

[@HaohmaruHL]

Muricans only know mortal kombat so they've no idea what a fighting game genre really is

[@PlazDreamweaver]

Not just the fighting game genre, but all real-time combat games. Imagine what gaming would be like if the developers didn't embrace the glitch and we didn't get combos back then. Maybe we'd get more JRPGs today... Now I'm convincing myself to go back in time and sabotage sf2.

[@EaglePicking]

Fighting games are a small sub-genre, though.

[@the_fate_of_all_fools]

​@@EaglePickingthey're not as prominent as they used to be, sure, but they're more prominent than cover-shooters, for the most part.

[@MatthewAshworth]

There are so many more games that can go on this list, such as: - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and the way it revolutionised metroidvania genre (sure, Super Metroid did it first, but SOTN took it a whole new level) - The original Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy for the JRPG genre - XCOM: Enemy Unknown for the isometric turn-based tactics games - The original Deus Ex for the immersive sim genre that encouraged multiple different approaches to overcoming challenges. Again, a few games such as System Shock did it first, but Deus Ex really took it next level while introducing a killer story full of memorable characters. - Darkest Dungeon for the way it showed us that dungeon crawling doesn't have to involve nameless badasses, but rather flawed heroes who can get ill, stressed or insane. And also the way it did it with its unique art style that still gets used as inspiration in many other similar games. But there are good choices in this video. To me what makes Half Life 2 so fun is not only in its great physics and setting/story, but also its cinematic approach to how it builds tension and climax.

[@MrBeetsGaming]

I honestly don't know the history but I'm surprised no MMO made the list considering how big they are now. The first one I played was Phantasy Star online on Dreamcast but I know stuff like Ultima came well before that, just don't know which one was first or any of the history really. Got fully addicted to wow when it came out though.

[@Joreel]

The first one I really got into was Meridian 59. Never got into Evercrack as I was too busy with school and the Navy at that point LoL.

[@Mos41f]

Most people aren't aware that Sony's 'The Getaway' preceded GTA3 in the open world genre. It was actually planned to be the launch title for the Playstation 2 in 2000, but was delayed instead.

[@alterego634]

What game is it with nuns? 0:10

[@MTTango]

Hitman absolution - it’s a trailer

[@samisaker7008]

IMO. you should've expanded the top by adding games such as : - Quake (Full 3D fast FPS) - Myst (Unique story with intimidating puzzles) - Blood Omen ( the lore, voice acting and being a shameless boilerplate for anti-hero games) - Red Faction ( Full destruction) - Silent Hill 1 (Atmosphere) - Super Castlevania 4 (The precursor of what an anthology is supposed to be) - Tomb Raider (It speaks of itself) Great video

[@leebolton910]

Surprised that Tomb Raider is not on the list. Years ahead of its time, ground breaking action adventure game with a female protagonist. The very definition of revolutionary.

[@PeterVanDerPan]

Exactly

[@Steve_1401]

Came looking for this suggestion - I knew it would be here :)

[@Black7apex23]

Might as well have put pong in first place... "GeEz, Ya ThiNk PoNg iS An InFluEnCiAl GaMe??"

[@Jacev_]

I was 17/18 when the original Demon's Souls came out (I know that the vid is talking about Dark Souls) but I can't help but think about the conversations taking place at the time when Demon's Souls came out. It was virtually the only RPG everyone talked about at the time and I remember how older generations were complaining that games were getting easier - only for Demon's Souls to come out and kick everyone's ass. Also, I have to give you much respect for mentioning Killswitch. I remember seeing the trailers for that game and always wanted to buy it (but couldn't since I was like 14 at the time). It looked so cool and refreshing compared to what I was used to from other 3rd person shooters. That game definitely doesn't get enough love.

[@kunimitsune177]

No one was talking about demons souls because no one eben knew about it. Souls didn't take off until dark souls.

[@VariousMethod5]

​@@kunimitsune177Demons Souls was an award winning and popular game.

[@patches2221]

​@@VariousMethod5award winning from gamespot 😂

[@OtonielCotto]

Great video. I love the Chanel guys. Keep it up. I watch it every day

[@JediMindTrick1748]

Deus Ex has to be in this conversation. Until I played the original Deus Ex I never realized how much RPG leveling, skill, and inventory systems belonged with FPS action and cinematic storytelling. This one was a big game-changer for me.

[@domagojkersun9630]

System Shock 2 also does an awesome job in the things you mentioned.

[@Pmccaff2009]

This is the best channel on this platform. By a mile.

[@ajelliott9923]

I'm surprised quake from round the time doom and Duke nukem came out in the mid to late 90s doesn't get more love. Also, as a fps time splitters 2 was such a wicked single and multiplayer game

[@EaglePicking]

Yeah Quake's engine was just wild for the time. It was the first true 3D shooter. I never liked the setting and characters, though.

[@Simulonix]

watched a few vids now and 100% agree with everything you say. Been playing games since 1986 on C64/ and everything since. Subscribed.

[@Ryan_1905]

The original Resident Evil 4 popularised the "over-the-shoulder" camera angle and revolutionised third person shooter genre.

[@SWOTHDRA]

Facts

[@kunimitsune177]

'popularised'? You mean gave us that horrible curse of janky movement & tank controls? I'd happily delete that game from history to make every subsequent over the shoulder game a standard TPS

[@GuyVeto]

8:56 - Not sure Jake realises he called himself a 'big sweaty butt' 🤣

[@igortolstov487]

I remember playing Driver 2 as a kid, and fantasizing about thing that would be cool to be able to do in the game. Then GTA3 dropped. Kids today won’t experience this kind of gaming magic

[@taoofjester4113]

The magic I think kids will never experience until full immersion VR would be connecting to the internet for the first time. Either to play video games or chat with people. Like that shit was heroin. The sound of the modem handshake and suddenly I am talking to a dozen people, all at the same time, scattered around the State I lived in. Then the BBS connected to another one in another State and I was floored. I could talk to someone out of State for free?! Holy shit! And then life went way downhill because getting addicted to the internet isn't very healthy and 16/17 year olds don't make great decisions when it comes to who they chat with. None the less, that first time...holy fuck. Being able to tell what speed I connected at based on the sound the modem made was a nest party trick. If I ever went to a party. That had a computer with a modem. And people wanted to use it.

[@spars2425]

Thanks a lot for Mentioning KillSwitch. As a run & Cover fan, we owe the whole gameplay idea to this game

[@aNapTownLegend]

Demon's Souls revolutionized gaming, the fact that they have a genre called "Souls like" should qualify them for this list alone.

[@Speedur_]

I am most definitely NOT getting tired of these ‘souls like’ games considering just how good Lies of P was, please keep them comin.

[@foxmind2490]

Final Fantasy 7 revolutionized JRPGs. The cutscenes, the ATB system, characters and dialogue. There is a reason that game is being remade into a brand new trilogy

[@carlosfmh131]

There is a reason why we play JRPGs in America and FF7 is that reason

[@jordanvanderkeyl642]

This was such a good video. I think about this all the time and feel like I could have made this right with you.

[@paradsecar]

I think Myst also revolutionized the puzzle genre, pulling it into a first-person perspective that utilized visual and audio clues into solving its sometimes obtuse puzzles. Games like The Witness, The Talos Principle, and even Portal owe their style of puzzles to that equal parts frustrating and rewarding gen of the early 90's.

[@Mr.Ditkovich.]

Devil May Cry revolutionized the action Hack and Slash genre or whatever other people call that genre ( Basically 3D games with fast combat and variety of combos).

[@cygnata]

Neverwinter Nights should be on this list as well. While Baldurs Gate came first, including the toolset with NWN, and even having a strategy guide for it brought modding to the masses.

[@anchorface9671]

Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The game that kick started an absolute behemoth, getting everyone on-line

[@chrisescue6555]

Gta 3 melted my mind when I first played it, can't think of another game that has ever made such a giant leap forward from the rest like that did.

[@chrisnadon7715]

Street Fighter 2 set a new standard for fighting games in the 90’s

[@Custer_X]

What about Final Fantasy Vii? It paved the way for Turn Based Rpgs.

[@thegame346]

No it didn't. Turn based jrpgs were already established well before VII hit store shelves

[@Custer_X]

@@thegame346 it made turn based rpgs popular though in the USA though right?

[@Ford-wt8rn]

FF7 and Ocarina of Time should be on this list

[@DaakkuuYRS]

FF7 popularized the genre in the west, but it didn't create anything new as there were tons of JRPGs before it. Turn based JRPGs are more based around DQ than FF.

[@timmyp6297]

@@Custer_X It fooled much of the USA by implying prerendered videos were gameplay graphics (this is where most of its initial sales came from). This is something that most certainly happened on a national scale, but you wont hear many of us talk about it because its so unrealistic. Truth tho, coming from someone inside US. I would imagine it did make them more popular, because I imagine because more people played it even if they were fooled, some of them would have picked up on it that it was a great game.

[@sheltongolden4394]

Great list! There are many other games that could potentially be included in future entries. *The Legend of Zelda* (open-world adventure) *Mario Kart* (cart racing) *Harvest Moon* (farming/life-sim) *Castlevania: Symphony of the Night* (metroidvania) *Civilization* (turn-based strategy) *Age of Empires* (real-time strategy) *UFO: Enemy Unknown* (tactics) *Tony Hawk's Pro Skater* (extreme sports) Just a few of many, I'm sure!

[@jimmythegamer2231]

I think DOTA deserves a mention here, as it basically revolutionized the MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) genre of games, and led to the creation of massive games like League of Legends.

[@kulkan1]

DOTA isnt a video game, though, it is a mod

[@mac-ec8do]

DOTA is perfect example though. Sure it started as a mod, maybe a subgenre of RTS but it evolved to becoming its own genre when League of Legends and Heroes of Newerth came out. Then we got DOTA2 which now has the highest earning esports event ever.

[@turismofoegaming8806]

Metal Gear Solid in Christmas of 98 was so absolutely unforgettable, I don’t think an Action Game has had as big an impact since?! It was so Amazing, totally blew all of us away back then because nothing had ever been that close to Big Budget Movies!! The introduction, I remember it like it was yesterday.. the music grabs you and pulls you in and it is just such an amazing experience all around!

[@GridicA]

Also Morrowind was a huge leap to me, in the sandbox open world genre with complex story content, which was optional.

[@peecee1384]

When I saw that trailer for Morrowind, it blew my mind. And the beginning, waking up in a boat… choosing a name and race. That was new.

[@badscientist42069]

8:58 "Just a big, sweaty... BUTT!" XD

[@JGKingCrusher]

Good video. Seeing all these just brings back so many memories!

[@anthoniosmith4562]

Gameranx thanks for putting out quality videos everytime you guys rock🎉

[@Yothlan]

I was expecting to see World of Warcraft and League of Legends to get a spot here. I don't think they invented something unheard of before, but it seems to me they're the one who "cracked the formula"

[@GwenActually]

Thief and especially Thief 2 were amazing for me because they weren't just "a stealth level" in an otherwise "normal" FPS. I don't consider there being a worthy replacement until Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory - because for the most part, in either game, if you got caught, you could either run away to re-hide, or you could go HAM. So many games between those two demanded you be 100% stealthy and getting seen was usually game over. I was never so disappointed as playing the more recent Thief game, as it felt like a lot less than what it should have been. I'd actually call Dishonored more like the original Thief 2, if you ignore the fantasy spells and stuff

[@edgarjoel1289]

Loved the video! For the part 2, I think that street fighter 2 should be on the list for the fighting game genre. Thanks to this game we have the half circle motions and charging inputs that are being used until this day.

[@BC_Animus]

The Ultima games I would argue were what made RPGs into the genre it is today. The single player games were years ahead of their time, giving us non linear open world games with full day/night cycles and NPCs that had their own lives and schedules.

[@darthmamdouh]

Fun way to end up in the ER: take a shot every time Jake says "They cracked the code, they figured it out."

[@CinderFallenAngel]

I was surprised to not see a mention to Portal, but I guess I just love the series, the writing and the puzzles.

[@daokoxd1145]

Shadow of the Colossus with its Boss fight and World Building. It also was credited for acknowledging Video games as an art form

[@user-op6kt8pg9y]

There is literally 0 world building in shadow of the collusus

[@Wolfy3352]

Gameranx drinking game. Every time Jake says "cracked the code" or "figured it out" take a shot. 😂

[@LlamaDuck2211]

Video idea suggestion: games that perfected other games' ideas and 10 genre-defining games and 10 extinct genres of games and 10 games that created a new genre

[@rohitkrishnan2269]

NFSUG2 and MW 2005 also revolutionized story based fun racing games with a story. They made racing games popular and known within the gaming community.

[@arne842]

Hey gameranx I'm very curious about what you think and your feelings of a game that really hook me in to video games when I was still at a young age and still love it today on the xbox console and that game is the original game of Unreal and the Unreal Championship series through the the 2000's till it seems to go with all the new sisimilar styles of games like it! Just was really wondering how you thought and if you think it shaped today's type of game? Much respect to you and everyone and gameranx! 😊

[@EtherOdyssey]

DMC 1 revolutionized the hack n slash genre

[@Twigg4075]

I love how Demon's Souls wasn't "mainstream" because it was "only on PS3". You realize the PS3 ended up selling more units than the 360? And that was with so many customers re-buying 360's after their consoles broke...again. No, the 'Soulslike' phenomena began with Demon's Souls. Period. Theresa a reason is was remade for PS5. Props for including Killswitch. That game is crazy underrated. As for Thief, I think you were on the right track when you mentioned in the original Metal Gear games on MSX. Those games REVOLUTIONIZED stealth. Thief refined it. MG was so revolutionary that when those games came to the NES, I had no idea wtf was going on. They were so far ahead of their time. Looking back, I realize how amazing and fresh they were. MGS was indeed revolutionary. I was absolutely blown away playing that game on PS1. Halo 1 was so much fun playing the co-op campaign, and Halo 2 was truly revolutionary for online multiplayer.