Without further ado, here are my top 10 most influential games in my life, and why they were influential.
10. Resident Evil
Resident Evil on Gamecube was my origin story for my interest in survival horror. This game single-handedly made Resident Evil one of my favorite series in gaming. The love has been lost since I dislike almost every game in the series after Resident Evil 4 but it had a good run. This was both my first Resident Evil game and my first survival horror game. While I haven't played many survival horrors in my life, this game at least made me interested in them. I've never liked being scared before this game. In fact, I was downright terrified the first time I played this game. However, for the first time I felt a rush from being scared while playing a game. I liked it and I wanted more of this. I went on to play Resident Evil Zero, 2, 3, and one of my all-time favorite games, Resident Evil 4. Not only that, I went on to play Silent Hill, Silent Hill 2, and Silent Hill 3. I'm still on the lookout for a survival horror that scared me as much as this one, but there probably will never be one. Playing the game now, I don't get scared anymore since I know what to expect, but I remember that first rush of fear that came over me, playing this game in the middle of the night with the lights off. I loved it.
Where would I be without this game? Well, I might never have gotten into the Resident Evil series or survival horror in general. That would be a shame since I might not have ever played Resident Evil 4, which, like I said, is one of my all-time favorites. It's possible that I would've gotten into the series by other means, but there's no way to know. I'm not even sure what initially attracted me to this game in the first place. I'll bet it was the fact that there really wasn't a whole lot on Gamecube at the time, I just wanted a new game, and this game just looked really cool in screenshots. In any event, my experience with this game is one of my memorable.
9. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
First, a little background story. Back in the Nintendo 64 days, my friend and I had an idea for a game we called "Life 64", which was basically an open world game with no clear objective where you could just run around, doing anything you wanted for fun. At the time, there was nothing like that. The Sims came out on PC in 1999 which was the closest thing to our idea, but not quite what we wanted. Animal Crossing on Gamecube was the next closest thing, and another fantastic game, but again not reallt what we were looking for. Enter Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, also known as the game that made me buy an Xbox. Prior to this game, I didn't want an Xbox, but the day my friend showed this game off to me, I knew I had to have it. It was the absolute closest thing I could imagine to our idea of "Life 64". You could go anywhere, do anything, be whoever you wanted to be - it was absolutely fantastic. This game realized that open world type game that I've been craving. Open world games are big nowadays but back then they were far and few between. I remember playing this game for hours into the night during my college years - often staying up until 5 in the morning every night. This game made me feel like an adventurer and opened my eyes to exploration and made me want to see other places both in-game and in real life. I learned the value of having true freedom and I came to love being able to do whatever I wanted at any given moment. This game turned me onto other games in the genre like Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Fallout 3, and even turned my interest towards MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, since the gameplay of the Elder Scrolls series was basically that of a single player MMORPG.
Where would I be without Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind? Well, I might have missed out on a ton of games. Had I not played Morrowind, I certainly wouldn't have bought an Xbox, thus never having played Fable. Not only that, I never would have bought a Playstation 3 just for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which was the game that made me want a PS3 in the first place. Prior to that game's announcement, I had zero interest in the PS3, even if it meant missing out on the next Resident Evil or Final Fantasy. I played a lot of good games on PS3 and without Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind introducing me to the series and to open world RPGs, I might not have ever bought a Playstation 3. On the positive side, I could've also saved myself a lot of money. But then I wouldn't have the wonderful memories of playing Morrowind or any other game in the series.
8. Pokemon Red
When Pokemon Red and Blue were released in 1998 in North America, no one could predict what a giant phenomenon this series would ultimately become. Along with Mario, this series has the highest selling games of any Nintendo series. I remember reading about Pokemon in Nintendo Power and thinking how cool battling, catching, and trading monsters would be. My friend was interested in it as well so it worked out that there would be two versions, one for each of us. When we rushed out the day of its release, he got the Blue version and I got the Red version. We were hooked from the get-go. We probably played over 200 hours apiece and by the time we were done with the games, we both had all 151 Pokemon. Our hype was so great for this game, I went out and bought a Game Boy Pocket just for this game. I previously had an original Game Boy but my dad convinced me Game Gear was better (it wasn't) and I traded in my Game Boy for that. Fast forward to 1998 and I am once again a Game Boy owner. Anyway, I digress. Pokemon was such an addicting concept and it clearly worked out well for Nintendo. Pokemon Red & Blue also came out at exactly the right time in my life. I was just starting high school and everyone in school had their Game Boys with them and played the game as well. I never got to battle or trade with any classmates but our mutual interests sparked conversations between myself and people I wouldn't have talked to otherwise. After my friend and I's hype died down once we finished the game, I figured there would never be another one. Eventually, Pokemon Gold and Silver were announced, and I was relatively uninterested. I figured it would be more of the same (and it was) but I didn't care enough to run out and buy it. Eventually I bought Pokemon Crystal for cheap and enjoyed it, and moved onto Pokemon Sapphire on Game Boy Advance, my interest was renewed and the rest is history.
Where would I be without Pokemon Red? Well, I'm willing to bet I'd have been introduced to Pokemon some other way. But my love for the series wouldn't be as deep as it is today. Had Pokemon Red come out years later, I don't know if I'd ever have gotten into it. It just happened to come out at the exact right time for me to fall in love with the series. I also give credit to Pokemon Sapphire since it was the game that brought me back to the series. Had I never picked that up, I probably would've just remembered Pokemon Red as "that game I played in high school" rather than the start of my love for the Pokemon series, which continues on to this very day.
7. Donkey Kong Country
Another one of my favorite games, Donkey Kong Country really pushed my interest in the Super Nintendo. Prior to this game, I only had played Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart, both which were highly influential, but without Donkey Kong Country, I might not have ever played the rest of the series, which is one of my favorites, and I also might not have ever had much interest in the Super Nintendo to begin with. I only bought Super Nintendo for Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart. When I got mine in 1994, the system was near the end of its life, and I missed out on most of its great games. My interest in games was strictly limited to platformers, puzzle games, and Super Mario Kart. A classmate convinced me to borrow his copy of Donkey Kong Country, which I actually initially hated, but eventually came to like it, and ended up buying my own copy. I then moved on to Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3, which are two of my all-time favorite games. Donkey Kong Country is one of those games I could literally play over and over and never get tired of it, just as I can with its sequels.
Where would I be without Donkey Kong Country? Well, for one, my interest in Super NIntendo and possibly even gaming itself, might have died off completely. Super Mario RPG might have revived my love for Super Nintendo some, but there would have been nothing between Super Mario Kart and Super Mario RPG for me, and I might have moved on to a totally different hobby. Donkey Kong Country and its sequels definitely kept my interest for a long time and it's hard to even imagine a past without them, seeing as the three Super Nintendo DKC games have been some of my absolute favorite games of all time. Had this game nor its sequels never come out, I might have missed out on Donkey Kong 64, Diddy Kong Racing, or any future Donkey Kong related release. I'd have one less series that I'd be passionate about, and my love for video games would probably be lessened overall. Donkey Kong Country is just one of those games that needed to exist and I'm certainly glad it did.
6. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
When I saw this game advertised on TV, I knew I wanted it because it was a Mario game. I had no idea what "RPG" meant but that didn't matter to me. I knew I would love it just because it had Mario in it. One day, my dad brought it home for me by complete surprise and I immediately dove right in - only to be very confused. I didn't understand why I could've just jump on a goomba to kill it. Why was this taking me to a different screen to choose my fight commands turn by turn? What was going on? The whole concept of an RPG was brand new to me - I've never played one before this and I was really put off at first. I kept playing and eventually came around to it. By mid-game I was completely hooked. I found this type of game to be very difficult for me but the more I played it the more I loved it. By the time I finally finished the game several months later, I was desperate for more RPGs. I was opened up to a new genre of game, during a time where I played primarily platformers and puzzle games. I went out to Blockbuster almost immediately after completing this game and found a game called Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals, which judging by the back of the box, looked like an RPG, and sure enough I was right! I didn't really get into it during the few days I played it initially, but I still wanted to keep looking for more. I went back to Blockbuster and found a game by the name of Earthbound. The rest is history.
Where would I be today without Super Mario RPG? Well, I'd probably have been introduced to RPGs eventually by different games, but most likely years after this. I might have never played Earthbound because of this game, or other Super Nintendo RPGs. Had this not been my first RPG, it's likely that Final Fantasy VII would've been, which I played several years after Super Mario RPG. I'd have been okay had this game never existed but I'm glad it did, because not only do I have the memory of playing this for the first time and remembering the origin of my RPG love, but I have the memory of quite possibly the biggest random surprise gift to me, since my dad bought it for me at complete random. So not only will I remember this game forever, I'll remember that moment my dad gave it to me, now and long after he's gone.
5. World of Warcraft
Love it or hate it, no one can deny the gigantic impact it had on gaming. If it wasn't for my college friends, I might never have played this game, which might've been a good thing. Not all games on this list have had a positive impact on me. This is an example of a game with a strong negative impact on my life. Sure it had some benefits but I mostly regret ever getting into this game in the first place. For one, I played this game for nearly a decade, off and on. I often neglected other games to play this game just because this game is a massive time sink. Not only that, I have paid well over $1000 over the course of 10 years just to play this game, between subscription fees, the price of the expansions, and any other digital content I may have purchased, such as character transfers or in-game content. This game made me come to hate a portion of the gaming community, as it felt like most people I was forced to play with in-game were nothing more than real life assholes. They say the internet brings out the worst in people and I mostly agree. This game is unplayable without other people and without being connected to the internet and by association, this game brings out the worst in people. It is sickening how much I have witnessed people going nuts over something as stupid as an in-game sword or other item, none of which has any effect on one's real life. However, this game is designed in a way that if you don't dedicate a large portion of your time, if you don't become one of those rabid people who fight over inconsequential items, and if you don't enjoy playing with large groups of random people who may or may not be complete douchebags in-game or in real life, then you're at a huge disadvantage while playing this game. Not only is your character much weaker because you don't have the best items, but you miss out on a ton of content that only the people with the most free time, the best stuff and highest tolerance for greedy douchebags get to see. How is this fair? It's really not. Why I put up with this game's rules for so long, I'll never know. Perhaps it was the drive to feel a part of a community. Perhaps it was simply out of boredom. Either way, this game took over my gaming life for the majority of the last decade.
On the bright side, this game opened me up to MMORPGs, even if I only played 4 of them in my life, and I will likely never play this or any other MMORPG again. Also, despite the fact that assholes ran rampant throughout the game, there was still a decent number of cool people I got to talk to and play with. When I played I tended to stick to my guild, which was comprised of people who wrote for a blog called WoW Insider, as well as fellow readers of the site. They had a strict no tolerance for BS which was the main draw for this guild. The people in it were very friendly and understanding, and never pressured me into anything. They even helped me see content I wouldn't have otherwise seen just out of good will. Unfortunately it took me a good 7 or 8 years to find them but once I did, I was in. Prior to that, I played with a few co-workers on a nightly basis, which was great because it helped me get to know them more and it made me feel like I was part of a group for a while, which I have rarely felt in my life. Eventually, one person in the group became addicted and far outleveled everyone else while the rest of the group grew tired of it and stopped playing, leaving me all by myself.
So you see, it's not all bad. Mostly bad, yes, but I did get enjoyment out the game while I was playing it, and did make a few friends because of it, both online and offline, though none of them stuck around. In any event, the game had a big influence on my life, for better or for worse. So where would I be without World of Warcraft? I'd probably have a lot more games in my collection, most of them completed, and more money saved. But I wouldn't have those memories of meeting new people and making friends.
4. Final Fantasy VII
Where Super Mario RPG got me started on RPGs, Final Fantasy VII put that love for the genre into high gear. This was my first Final Fantasy, and a game I became obsessed with for years. At the time, it was the game with my absolute favorite story and characters. I dreamt about being friends with the characters and being part of the game. I wrote my own sequel to the game, starring myself, and after admitting my draft was completely terrible, I moved on to actually writing my own stuff. Though I don't write fiction much anymore, writing was a secondary hobby I had for a good 12 years. I hope to get back into writing one day, but now is not the time. Final Fantasy VII single-handedly made Final Fantasy a favorite franchise of mine. Though I'm not in love with the series nearly as much nowadays, it was my favorite series for a long time, possibly longer than any other had been. I've gone on to love almost every Final Fantasy in the series, and other RPGs by association, and really just the story aspect in games in general. Prior to this game, I really had not cared about stories in video games. This was the game that showed me what an epic tale a game could tell. It was mostly about the gameplay for me prior to this. Final Fantasy VII was a complete game changer for myself and the entire gaming world. It is doubtful any game in the future would be as influential as this game or any other on this list
Where would I be without Final Fantasy VII? I might never have gotten into Final Fantasy games, my love for RPGs might have died off, and I would've never gotten a Playstation, or any Playstation afterwards. I only bought a Playstation for Final Fantasy IX, since I played FF7 and 8 on PC initially. Had I never played FF7 or 8, I wouldn't have played 9, and as such would've never gotten a Playstation. In effect, I wouldn't have wanted a Playstation 2, since Kingdom Hearts nor Final Fantasy X would have interested me, and then furthering the influence all the way to present day. Who knows what games I would've missed out on had this game never existed? This was, at one time, my absolute favorite game of all time. It's not quite at the top anymore, but I still hold it in high regards. I just can't argue about what a fantastic ride playing Final Fantasy VII for the first time was.
3. Earthbound
If you know me personally, not putting this game at #1 on this list might come as kind of a shock to you, since I am not shy about my love for this game. In terms of pure influence, this game pales in comparison to others on this list, but the fact that my feelings for this game go far beyond just the video game medium, is what keeps it on this list, and also my all-time favorite game. Opinions on this game are pretty divisive - some people tend to hate it, while others love it to the point of obsession. I am in the latter group. Though I am not quite as insane a fan as I once was, this game is still my all-time favorite and likely will continue to be so for the rest of my life. Few games were as memorable, as charming, and as heart-warming as this one, at least in my experience. Something about this game just really spoke to me. It came out at the exact right time for me to experience it at the perfect age of 13, the supposed same age as the characters you play as in the game. This game was as much about coming of age as it was saving the world. Age 13 is during puberty for most people and playing through Earthbound felt like I had almost graduated from being a child to a teenager. This game's personality also almost matched my own. If I could boil down every aspect of my personality and make a game based on it, this would be that game. There is no other game that is more "me" than Earthbound. I found out about this game simply by seeing the oversized display box in Blockbuster just after completing Super Mario RPG, when I was desperate for more RPGs. I remember reading the back of the box thinking "This looks like an RPG. I'll give this a try." Little did I know, I would be embarking on the journey of a lifetime. Moments before seeing that box in the store, I never even heard of the game. And for years I never knew anyone who had. The game has gained much popularity and recognition over the years but back then I felt I was the only one who loved or even knew about this game. That was okay by me, since it only heightened the sense that this game was made just for me. By no means is this game objectively perfect, but it was perfect for me. It is my video game soul mate. There has not been any other game that comes close to matching just how emotionally attached I am to this game.
Without this game, where would I be? I'd be a totally different person. I might never have found my one true video game love. I'd never have felt like anyone or anything understands me. Earthbound gets me. Even if most people don't, I can play Earthbound over and over and feel that there is a group of people out there who made this game, and one guy who wrote it, that gets me, even if they don't know me personally. Without Earthbound, I'd be lost as a gamer, playing games only because I enjoy them. There's nothing wrong with that, but Earthbound took my enjoyment to a whole different level, enabling me to see video games as an experience rather than just a piece of entertainment. The Earthbound experience is still one of my most memorable and cherished memories in my life.
1. Super Mario Bros.
It would be impossible to talk about my most influential games without mentioning Super Mario Bros. This game was not only one of the most influential games to me as a person, but one of the most influential games in the history of video games. This game single-handedly made me a gamer. I didn't know I would like it, nor did I even ask for it, but when I got this game, packed in with Duck Hunt and my first Nintendo Entertainment System, I was unknowingly at the very beginning of a very long journey through the world of video games. This game took me many years to actually beat, but despite being a horrible gamer as a kid, I still loved this game. This is where the whole thing began for me. My earliest memories of life started with this game. I barely remember anything in my life prior to first grade but playing Super Mario Bros. in my living room for the first time at the young age of 4 might just be my earliest memory ever.
Without Super Mario Bros, where would I be? I could be a totally different person than I am today. I could've become a jock or a drug addict. I could've been a business man or a doctor. Who can say? All I know is without this game, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I might never have become a gamer and in turn would've missed out on a lot of cherished memories I have associated with them. Super Mario Bros. not only changed my life, it downright defined it. There's almost no competing with that. Except for...
1. Super Mario 64
Finally, we have the game that is the single most influential game in my life. It may not be the best game on the list, nor my favorite, but if it wasn't for this game, I'd likely be a totally different person than I am today. Super Mario Bros. may have revived the gaming industry and got me hooked on video games, but somewhere around 1996/1997, my love for video games was dying. I had just gotten Super Nintendo only two years prior, barely had any games for it, and new games for it were far and few between with Nintendo 64 just around the corner. My first impression of the Nintendo 64 was a harshly negative one. I hated the way video games were becoming 3D as I was still stuck on sprite-based graphics. I hated the new controller and its analog stick, insisting that every game is better played with a digital pad. I remember very specifically saying that I had no interest in Nintendo 64 and that I never wanted another gaming system after Super Nintendo. I was very adamant about it, and I'm not really sure in what direction my life would've gone in had I not changed my mind about the system, but it's highly doubtful I would've ever been brought back to the video game scene. Super Mario 64 saved video games for me. Just when I was about to lose all hope and move onto something else, I saw Super Mario 64 in Blockbuster. I was immediately criticizing Mario's blocky head and how terrible the textured looked. I was still convinced that sprites were better, but I gave it a shot anyway. Within moments I was hooked. I couldn't believe how amazing playing Mario in 3D was. Running around the castle grounds and exploring the insides of the castle was like nothing I had experienced up until then. Within a good 20 minutes of standing there, playing the game, my mind was made up - I had to have Nintendo 64. I wanted Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64 more than I had every wanted any game or any system in my life, including those that came afterwards. I even rented a Nintendo 64 console just to play Super Mario 64. I then bought a Nintendo 64 with my birthday money in March of 1997, but wasn't able to buy any games for it. I then rented Super Mario 64 yet again, along with various other Nintendo 64 games along the way. Eventually I was able to buy Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 from Funcoland in September of that year, and continued to to enjoy what I felt was the greatest game of all time. I still think the game is near-perfect and one of the best games of all time. I still play the game every so often and it never ever gets old.
Without Super Mario 64, where would I be? Well, I probably wouldn't be a gamer. I'd never had owned a Nintendo 64. I'd probably not be a Nintendo fan even, since my original NES eventually broke and was thrown out and I probably would've sold my Super Nintendo and my games for it and when I would look back at the games I played, the list would be very short and would be relegated to something I did when I was a kid but grew out of. Super Mario 64 took what Super Mario Bros. did and blew all expectations for video games out of the water. Super Mario 64 redefined what a video game could be and what I could get out of one. It revived my interest in gaming which hasn't died yet, and hopefully never will. Without Super Mario 64, I would've never met a friend I had from middle school through college since we shared the same passion for the game, Nintendo 64, and gaming in general. My memories of playing Super Mario 64 are some of my strongest memories and I wouldn't trade them for the world. Without Super Mario 64, the person I am today would not exist.
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