There have been a lot of great games over the decades. Many, many of them! For as many games as we’ve seen released since the beginning of time there have been certain ones released that truly take the game to the next level (haha, gaming pun) in comparison to the other ones. That’s not to say the other games aren’t any good, it’s just that some truly were innovative for one reason or the other. And I can bet that just about most games have at least a person or two that can justify why it is innovative, maybe even more so than the ones that are the most popular on the list. We all have those games that we think stand out. But legitimately there are some that do stand above the rest. Here’s a list of 5 that I think truly stand out!
Final Fantasy VII
I could sum this up with two words and it would suffice: Aerith’s Death. Of course, we had stunning for the time graphics, an engaging story, incredible characters, and etc. All of them make a compelling argument for this game. But Aerith’s death taught us that a game can make us cry and feel very deep the pain of which the main cast feels, in a way no game quite had to that point.
Super Mario 64
This game was Super Mario’s first 3D game and it was a phenomenal success. Levels were massive, you had more control of what you could do and what order, and it was just plain fun. Mario’s first outing in 3D was just incredible and led us to other incredible 3D Mario games. He was a strong part of why gaming kept going after the Gaming Crash so seeing him enter this new, awe-inspiring form of gaming was just all the more incredible for him and the genre.
Wii Sports
Though not a meaty game, this game was the pack in for the Wii, the first *major* motion control game console. This showed us what the motion controls could do. you wanted to swing the tennis racket? Swing for it just like reality! Wanna bowl? Set up your approach like you’re bowling! This game was responsible for many millions of people getting and keeping a Wii.
Halo Combat Evolved
This game was massive because it proved that shooters not only belonged on home consoles but that they could truly thrive. FPS games before Halo arrived weren’t really all that good. They had horrible controls and were just not enjoyable. Console wise having a shooter game prior to Halo was basically a joke. Halo refined the genre with tight controls, great graphics, an engaging story, and life. The genre truly gained life on consoles thanks to Halo. Oh, and that doesn’t even include the incredibly popular multiplayer mode. Halo changed things for an entire genre.
Grand Theft Auto 3
Because it gave you a huge open map and let you choose what you’d do and when you’d do it. No main story that kept you in certain limits, no clear point that you must follow. Not so here. You were in a huge city and had no levels and rules. Anything was possible as a player. That’s pretty normal now but back in 2001 that wasn’t the norm at all. It helped push the PS2 to a high level of dominance and GTA has only looked up ever since. This was the type of game where you could blow off the main story and just goof around if you wanted and still have a blast, similarly to how I play Skyrim to be honest. A lot of the gaming world as is owing a nod and a beer to GTA 3.
