1UP.com's 50 essential video games

albionmoonlight · 02-21-2005, 07:47 AM

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3116290

Pretty detailed writeups on all of these games. Lots of fodder for debate among the video game crowd.

Blackadar · 02-21-2005, 07:56 AM

Sorry, any list that doesn't have Civilization as one of the top 50 games automatically eliminates itself from being considered.

Northwood_DK · 02-21-2005, 07:58 AM

This game deserves a place on the list.

cthomer5000 · 02-21-2005, 08:16 AM

no Tecmo Super Bowl? get the fuck out of here.

Dutch · 02-21-2005, 10:50 AM

As far as video games go, I guess. I don't really know. Pong was good, no doubt. But I'm guessing my interests would lean more towards a top 50 PC Games write up.

BrianD · 02-21-2005, 10:57 AM

Keep in mind, these aren't supposed to be the 50 best games. These are just the 50 most influential games. I'm only on number 11, but I can't disagree with much I have read so far. The top 10 games did truly set the path for the future of video games.

Of course, making a top-50 like this is pretty much going to read like a history report. Obviously the early games are going to be more influential than later games since the early games helped create the video game market.

Chubby · 02-21-2005, 10:59 AM

no TSB or Zelda (original) pffffffffffffffffft

Dutch · 02-21-2005, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianD

Keep in mind, these aren't supposed to be the 50 best games.
These are just the 50 most influential games.

Good point.

Tempest56 · 02-21-2005, 11:18 AM

So, wait. They include Faceball 2000, E.T. and a 'game' that isn't even a game (The Mac), but there's no mention of Civilization, any of the Metroid games, Marathon, X-Com... gimme a break. I'm sorry, but I can't accept that Faceball 2000 is the 25th most influential game of all time.

Maple Leafs · 02-21-2005, 11:28 AM

Surprised not to see Dungeon Master or Earl Weaver on there.

Good choice with Populous, though. It really helped creat the genre that Civ then perfected.

Yossarian · 02-21-2005, 11:37 AM

E.T. was a massively influential game.

It burst (and is representative of the larger burst in) so many myths about how much money could be made from gaming. It was a monumental failure and the gaming landscape changed as a result.

rkmsuf · 02-21-2005, 11:38 AM

I had ET!

JeeberD · 02-21-2005, 11:44 AM

Me too!

I always fell down the hole, though. It was a bitch to get out of...

BrianD · 02-21-2005, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tempest56

So, wait. They include Faceball 2000, E.T. and a 'game' that isn't even a game (The Mac), but there's no mention of Civilization, any of the Metroid games, Marathon, X-Com... gimme a break. I'm sorry, but I can't accept that Faceball 2000 is the 25th most influential game of all time.

Faceball was one of the first games to introduce a 16-player matchup. I'd call that influential.

rkmsuf · 02-21-2005, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Me too!

I always fell down the hole, though. It was a bitch to get out of...

I'm not sure I played it long enough to experience that. I couldn't really figure out what I was supposed to do.

Greyroofoo · 02-21-2005, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianD

Faceball was one of the first games to introduce a 16-player matchup. I'd call that influential.

right, nobody would've ever thought of a 16 player matchup w/o faceball

JeeberD · 02-21-2005, 12:04 PM

I'm pretty sure that my big brother beat the game once or twice, but considering that I was five or six when I played it I never really did much of anything...

sterlingice · 02-21-2005, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tempest56

So, wait. They include Faceball 2000, E.T. and a 'game' that isn't even a game (The Mac), but there's no mention of Civilization, any of the Metroid games, Marathon, X-Com... gimme a break. I'm sorry, but I can't accept that Faceball 2000 is the 25th most influential game of all time.

They're ranked chronologically not by importance.

While there are a few missing off of their list, they hit a heck of a lot of big ones. They missed a couple of genres, tho, like RTS and turn based strategy (Warcraft, Starcraft, Civ). And, even moreso than Civ, I really think SimCity has to be on practically any list because of its completely revolutionary engine.

I think they did a pretty good job overall and didn't fall into the trap of picking any recent game that's highly hyped and only picked the ones that looked very influential. To be honest, this generation has been really underwhelming in terms of innovation and this list tends to reflect that.

SI

Maple Leafs · 02-21-2005, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterlingice

And, even moreso than Civ, I really think SimCity has to be on practically any list because of its completely revolutionary engine.

Maybe they felt that having both Sim City and The Sims would be overkill. Although they do mention Sim City in the Populous writeup.

sterlingice · 02-21-2005, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Maybe they felt that having both Sim City and The Sims would be overkill. Although they do mention Sim City in the Populous writeup.

I dunno- I can see what you're saying but I disagree as it's akin to leaving, say, Warcraft off the list because Diablo is on it since both were made by Blizzard. Never mind that comparing the games is like comparing apples and... I dunno, folding chairs- not even in the same league as apples and oranges.

SI

MJ4H · 02-21-2005, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterlingice

They're ranked chronologically not by importance.

While there are a few missing off of their list, they hit a heck of a lot of big ones. They missed a couple of genres, tho, like RTS and turn based strategy (Warcraft, Starcraft, Civ). And, even moreso than Civ, I really think SimCity has to be on practically any list because of its completely revolutionary engine.

I think they did a pretty good job overall and didn't fall into the trap of picking any recent game that's highly hyped and only picked the ones that looked very influential. To be honest, this generation has been really underwhelming in terms of innovation and this list tends to reflect that.

SI

Didn't notice the turn based, but RTS is covered by Herzog Zwei (#31)

Klinglerware · 02-21-2005, 01:34 PM

I thought they did a good job. Keep in mind they were not going after the best games, but games that had an impact on the industry. I'm glad that did put E.T. in there, that clunker spelled doom for Atari and rightfully so.

Speaking of Atari, Pong definitely deserves to be on the list. I read an article in an old early 70s magazine that I dug up with an article on Atari. It was quite revolutionary at the time--they put the games in places like bars that never had gaming entertainment before. It was immensely popular, and was the first time regular people (and not just collegiate computer science types) got to see a video game.

02-21-2005, 11:28 AM	#10
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	Surprised not to see Dungeon Master or Earl Weaver on there. Good choice with Populous, though. It really helped creat the genre that Civ then perfected. __________________ Down Goes Brown: Toronto Maple Leafs Humor and Analysis

02-21-2005, 11:38 AM	#12
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	I had ET! __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

02-21-2005, 11:44 AM	#13
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	Me too! I always fell down the hole, though. It was a bitch to get out of... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

02-21-2005, 12:04 PM	#17
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	I'm pretty sure that my big brother beat the game once or twice, but considering that I was five or six when I played it I never really did much of anything... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

02-21-2005, 07:56 AM	#2
Blackadar Retired Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Fantasyland	Sorry, any list that doesn't have Civilization as one of the top 50 games automatically eliminates itself from being considered.

02-21-2005, 07:58 AM	#3
Northwood_DK College Benchwarmer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Back in Norway	This game deserves a place on the list.

02-21-2005, 10:50 AM	#5
Dutch "Dutch" Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Tampa, FL	As far as video games go, I guess. I don't really know. Pong was good, no doubt. But I'm guessing my interests would lean more towards a top 50 PC Games write up.

02-21-2005, 10:57 AM	#6
BrianD Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Appleton, WI	Keep in mind, these aren't supposed to be the 50 best games. These are just the 50 most influential games. I'm only on number 11, but I can't disagree with much I have read so far. The top 10 games did truly set the path for the future of video games. Of course, making a top-50 like this is pretty much going to read like a history report. Obviously the early games are going to be more influential than later games since the early games helped create the video game market.

02-21-2005, 10:59 AM	#7
Chubby Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Syracuse, NY	no TSB or Zelda (original) pffffffffffffffffft

02-21-2005, 11:18 AM	#9
Tempest56 n00b Join Date: Jan 2005	So, wait. They include Faceball 2000, E.T. and a 'game' that isn't even a game (The Mac), but there's no mention of Civilization, any of the Metroid games, Marathon, X-Com... gimme a break. I'm sorry, but I can't accept that Faceball 2000 is the 25th most influential game of all time.

02-21-2005, 11:37 AM	#11
Yossarian High School Varsity Join Date: Jul 2003	E.T. was a massively influential game. It burst (and is representative of the larger burst in) so many myths about how much money could be made from gaming. It was a monumental failure and the gaming landscape changed as a result.

02-21-2005, 01:34 PM	#22
Klinglerware College Starter Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: The DMV	I thought they did a good job. Keep in mind they were not going after the best games, but games that had an impact on the industry. I'm glad that did put E.T. in there, that clunker spelled doom for Atari and rightfully so. Speaking of Atari, Pong definitely deserves to be on the list. I read an article in an old early 70s magazine that I dug up with an article on Atari. It was quite revolutionary at the time--they put the games in places like bars that never had gaming entertainment before. It was immensely popular, and was the first time regular people (and not just collegiate computer science types) got to see a video game.

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