From arcades, PCs, gaming consoles to the mobile games on the smartphones, video games are everywhere. Picking only 10 of the most influential games across all formats is thus a tough one, especially since we live in the age of fantastic gameplay, riveting plots and stunning graphics.
10 Unforgettable Video Games of All Time:
Pac-man (1980)
Departmental stores, laundries, arcades, pizza parlours, and bodegas all had a Pac-man installed to bring in more footfall back in the ‘80s. One of the most addictive games of all time, Pac-man became as much a part of pop culture as Mickey Mouse is. Pac-man themed merchandise and a playable Pac-man Google logo go a long way to show its popularity. An arcade game that totally outlived its era, Pac-man continues to win hearts across nations and playing formats even in the current times.
2. Tetris (1984)
Not many know that Tetris is the brainchild of Alexey Pajtinov, and he developed the game while working at the Moscow Academy of Science. Nintendo later decided to launch this shape-sorting puzzle game as a title with Gameboy, and struck a deal with the designer. Tetris’s meteoric rise from a barely accessible puzzle game to an almost overnight sensation is video game history, and it has inspired many puzzle titles ever since.
3. Super Mario Bros (1986)
An all-time Nintendo classic, Super Mario Bros totally took over the gaming sphere with cute mascots and challenging missions. You can still hear a few phones ringing to the iconic theme tune of Super Mario Bros, and it goes on to show the immense popularity of the video game till date. Excellent gameplay and improved graphics took it a few levels apart from its contemporaries. Super Mario Bros thus remains a hit with every gamer worth his console.
4. Mortal Kombat (1992)
A dominant video game among the critics and gamers alike, Mortal Kombat was a path breaker in the early ‘90s. One of the first-of-its-kind video games, it took the entire world by storm with gamers looking for cheat sheets to crack the challenging game. It has reached somewhat of a cult status for gamers the world over, and still remains one of the first mentions of a teenybopper from the ‘90s when recounting their gaming heydays.
5. CounterStrike CS (2000)
CS – Counterstrike firmly makes it place among this list due to its sheer demand in the market even now. It remains one of the most-played games on Steam, and dislodging it from the first place of dominant first-person shooter game seems to be quite an uphill task for most shooting game developers. Game designers of the current times keep referring to this game after almost two decades for it created quite a ripple right after its launch.
6. GTA 3 – Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
Of course, one of the most controversial yet popular games of all time simply had to make it to this list. While the violent plotline and adult content caused quite an uproar back in the day, Grand Theft Auto III managed to take the cake amid all lawsuits slapped at PlayStation from all quarters. It was rated the best video game of the year of its release, and remains one of the highest selling games ever. It has plenty of prequels and sequels, and can now be played on iOS and Android as well.
7. Resident Evil 4 (2005)
There were Resident Evil’s earlier versions, and then came Resident Evil 4. Nintendo Gamecube totally revolutionised the game with a third-person shooter angle, and had over-the-shoulder camera angles that made it one of the best games of that time. Moreover, the dual-character gameplay also made it fun for gamers to solve puzzles and to make their way through a medieval Spanish castle.
8. Assassin’s Creed (2007)
Ubisoft took to ruling the roost of the gaming industry with this hugely popular franchise. Avid Assassin’s Creed gamers are somewhat of a cult themselves, and form a large part of the game merchandise market. Assassin’s Creed-themed apparel has created ripples in the fashion industry as well, such is the far-reaching impact of this glorious action-adventure game series.
9. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
Modern Warfare is the most popular among all of CODs, and introduced some of the best single-player missions to the gaming world. Its endearing levelling up systems combined with stunning graphics and exciting gameplay has made it one of the most-loved games of all time.
10. Angry Birds (2009)
Cut to the era of mobile gaming when Red and his gang entirely bowled over the world with Angry Birds. Undeniably the most popular mobile game ever, looking forward to the Angry Birds remastered and evolved formats are what every gamer looks forward to each year. Sure, Candy Crush Sag has its own share of players, but one cannot simply beat the “on a mission to overthrow pig domination” enthusiasm that Angry Birds got in gamers.
