10 Most Influential Video Games That You Can Still Play

Year after year, the gaming industry has given us many magnificent game titles. Some were the start of legendary sequels and trilogies, while others have even set modern standards that developers have had to follow. Wondering how you can enjoy some of the retro titles today? There is a trick to it. Getting retro games from Romspedia is not difficult at all, thanks to ROM/ISO emulation. To enjoy your favorite games, head over to a website that allows downloading classic titles, emulate them, and enjoy.

Whether you were there for the mechanics, the storytelling, or any other reason, these game titles changed and put a high impact on the framework and patterns of video games and life itself. 

1. Pac-man

Pac-Man was an arcade game whose influence on modern gaming cannot go unmentioned. This was the first arcade game to feature what was viewed as more of a defined character. Pac-Man may have been only a yellow chomper, but even so, he was better positioned than his competition. 

Before Pac-Man, cutscenes, power-ups, and fully controlled AI enemies did not even exist. Pac-Man was a groundbreaker. It was the most popular arcade game, and its mass appeal birthed a book, an individual cartoon, and hordes of merchandise.

2. Super Mario Bros

The game was thought of as a game that revolutionized gaming design. Super Mario Bros pioneered concepts such as different environmental physics, power-ups, sequential screen scrolling, and opposite secret paths. All these were employed in platform games that came afterward. 

It is the game that defined and popularized platform game side-scrolling. Back then, the game had superior graphics, and it was acclaimed for precision and responsiveness. Its character Mario remains to be a highly recognizable gaming symbol.

3. The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda was developed almost in conjunction with the Super Mario Bros. However, it was created with the ideas that were lacking in Mario. Zelda had a massive world, unlike Mario,whichwas linear. The dungeons were orderly, but you could cut off that progression as you preferred. This game felt like an actual adventure.

The Legend of Zelda is what we need to thank for game saving. To the fantasy setting, add the Second Quest that increased the difficulty, the unforgettable franchiseBreath of the Wild, and you will establish why it is considered an influential game.

4. The Sims

This was a SimCity series spin-off and the very first game to be released for the franchise. Critics acclaimed the game, and this enabled it to sell millions of copies. The Sims bagged many awards. What made it very impactful was its success. It resulted in other spin-off titles, platform games, and themed expansions packs; House Party, Super Star, Livin’ Large, Makin’ Magic, Hot Date, Unleashed, and Vacation. 

The game did exceptionally well as a PC entity, and from that, a console version was made. It is rendered in full 3D. The game’s focus has kept various sequels. The focus was and still is directing the lives of The Sims.

5. Tetris

Think about beauty in simplicity, and Tetris will come to mind.There is a reason this game cannot be forgotten. It was an addictive and highly impactful puzzle game, possibly, of all time. Any gaming enthusiast must have played it. Even those that are not into gaming must have heard of this block-building game.

Fitting the blocks (tetriminos) was what made this game intuitive for players and what kept them hooked for hours. It sold millions of copies and brought about the creation of other puzzle-solving and falling block subgenres.

6. Minecraft

This was the game that came close to competing with Tetris in terms of popularity and sales. The gameplay’s simplicity overpowered everything else, including the graphics. You only had to build. 

The game was highly defining and was dominated by creativity. It was the cutting edge that games are meant for everyone and that they can also be made into anything. 

Minecraft evolved over time, but the aspect of building statues and houses has remained intact. 

Think about games that involve crafting or customized creations, and you will think of Minecraft.

7. Grand Theft Auto III

Talk about a cultural sensation decade old. This was partly because of the controversies that surrounded this game’s sexual content and violence. This notoriety was, however, not the initiator of the popularity of Grand Theft Auto III. It wasthe universal praise granted by gamers worldwide.

With this game, you did not have to follow a linear path. You could take an adventure in an entire city. Players, therefore, felt as if they were in a real world. Its greatest strength was the fact that it had no rigid structure. The game stirred the existence of the sandbox games that followed.

8. Metal Gear Solid

The Metal Gear franchise disregarded the perception gamers had always known;legitimate gameplay blasted a character and killed enemies. They invented the idea of moving secretively but cautiously with previous titles like Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2, Solid Snake. Then came the legendary Metal Gear Solid, which brought about a 3D leap.

The nuclear warfare storyline was captivating, just like the lengthy scenes and distinctive voice acting, which blurred the boundarybetween film and video games; the plot made this game seem like a movie.

9. Mortal Combat

Gore and blood are what make this epic game part of our list.It featured digitized people that could punch, kick, and murder opponents with the help of different but formulated gory ways.

This made the game catch the attention of the wider world, and with it came the ESRB rating creation for games. Chief finishing moves like fatalities required particular input; hidden moves, undercover characters, and the Easter Eggs were a great obsession as you discovered the game’s mysteries.Many games withsecretive plotscame to be, thanks toMortal Kombat.

Remember Lara Croft, the First lady of gaming? She got into the landscape that masculine characters had previously nominated. She went ahead and knocked them out, and this made hera heroine in the action-adventure games. She became an icon and a true sensation in no time.

With her adventures, she went into different ends of the world; deserts, arctic waters, and tropical jungles. All through her sovereignty, she got different but excellent makeoversevident in the succeeding trilogies. 

Final Thoughts

Each of the games mentioned in our list came with unique thrills and techniques. Of more importance is the influence they had on people and the overall gaming industry. Whether big or small, their impact and authority cannot be forgotten.