The 21st Bafta Games Awards are approaching in April, and the institution is conducting a public survey to determine the most influential video game of all time. This open-ended question has led to a variety of responses, with early titles like Space Invaders and Pong being mentioned alongside games that had a personal impact on individuals. Game designers, film directors, writers, and musicians have all been inspired by specific games that shaped their creative endeavors.
In response to Bafta’s survey, individuals from the gaming and cultural industries shared their most influential games, each with a unique perspective. From Metal Gear Solid 2 to PT, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Tomb Raider, and QWOP, these games have left a lasting impact on their lives and careers. Doom, recognized as the father of FPS games, continues to be a standout title for its influence on the gaming industry. Doom revolutionized the first-person shooter genre and brought deathmatch and online multiplayer to a wide audience. The DNA of all FPS games can be traced back to Doom, which was designed to be moddable and still has an active community nearly 32 years later. The game was a cultural shift that took the gaming world by storm, inspiring countless developers and shaping the future of game design.
On a personal note, Iain Cook, a musician and producer, reminisces about his video game addiction and the hours spent playing Mario Kart during downtime on tour. The intense competition and focus required to master the game brought him closer to his bandmates and other friends in the industry.
Super Mario Bros, released in 1985, set the standard for platformer games and showcased the importance of masterful execution in game design. Shuhei Yoshida, former head of PlayStation Studios, praises the emotional impact of Journey, a game that proved video games could evoke deep emotions similar to movies and novels.
Meghna Jayanth, a writer and narrative designer, highlights the Princess Maker series as a groundbreaking social simulation game that influenced a wide range of narrative-driven games in the industry. The game’s focus on raising a fairy princess and navigating social and political trials resonated with players and inspired other developers to explore similar themes in their work. Dies ist ein Spiel, das ich wünschte, wäre noch einflussreicher gewesen.
Keith Stuart, Guardian Videospielkorrespondent
Weirdly therapeutisch … Paperboy Photograph: Atari
In den frühen 1980er Jahren waren die meisten Spiele, die ich gespielt habe, extrem abstrakt: Du warst ein Raumschiff, das gegen Aliens kämpfte, oder du warst ein hungriger gelber Kreis, der von Geistern gejagt wurde. Aber 1985 brachte Atari Paperboy heraus, ein Spiel, in dem du ein Junge warst, der Zeitungen austrug. Nicht nur war dieser Arcade-Klassiker revolutionär, weil er einen realen Job zeigte, sondern er präsentierte auch eine Welt, die voller Details und Experimente war, in der Spieler aktiv belohnt wurden, wenn sie herumspielten. Was passierte, wenn du eine Zeitung gegen ein Fenster oder einen Passanten warfst? Du bekamst Feedback. Fenster gingen kaputt, Leute jagten dich. Als Schuljunge mit einer tatsächlichen Zeitungsrunde fühlte es sich seltsam therapeutisch an, die Arbeit schlecht zu machen, aber in Bezug auf das Spieldesign lehrte es auch eine Generation von Schöpfern, dass die alltägliche Welt ein aufregender, amüsanter und herausfordernder Ort ist, um ein Videospiel anzusiedeln. Und als Spiel, das Unfug belohnte, war es GTA zwölf Jahre zu früh.