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IGN/Penny Arcade Videogame Hall of Fame
Rehab
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
UPDATE: See the second post for making our own forum specific Videogame Hall of Fame to battle IGN.
IGN's Gaming Hall of Fame
This is a cool little feature that IGN now just started seeking to find the best of the best in gaming. They have set up a list of criteria that each game must make and they go through a process that sounds somewhat like a band getting inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. Looking at the criteria, the main things that stand out are that the game cannot have a release date after 1997 (10 years old minimum), the factors considered for each game, the actual voting process, and only one title per series can be inducted each time around. All of the different criteria that they are using is described below in detail. Right now, they just went through the first of four rounds and during each round, they select five games that have the chance of ultimately making it into the Videogame Hall of Game. The actual site launches in April and in the six months from that launch, they will take the 20 possible nominees, and condense them down to 10 finalists. From the sound of it there are going to be multiple periods in which 10 more games will be chosen, but they don't actually say if there is a set limit for games that will eventually make it. Anyway, I thought this was an interesting idea because there are a lot of people are saying that gaming doesn't have its Citizen Kane (or whatever) yet, but these titles are looking to challenge that very notion as they are being compiled as games that simply everyone should experience. So far I think its off to a good start and it will be interesting to see how it goes in the long run.
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IGN's Videogame Hall of Fame Criteria:
Games that have been inducted so far:
Game Details: (in order of appearance)
With all of this, here are some things I thought we could do with this thread.
I have some ideas for how we could do this which I will include in my next post. Until then, feel free to make any suggestions on how you think we could go about doing this the best and discuss the new feature.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
IGN's Gaming Hall of Fame
This is a cool little feature that IGN now just started seeking to find the best of the best in gaming. They have set up a list of criteria that each game must make and they go through a process that sounds somewhat like a band getting inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. Looking at the criteria, the main things that stand out are that the game cannot have a release date after 1997 (10 years old minimum), the factors considered for each game, the actual voting process, and only one title per series can be inducted each time around. All of the different criteria that they are using is described below in detail. Right now, they just went through the first of four rounds and during each round, they select five games that have the chance of ultimately making it into the Videogame Hall of Game. The actual site launches in April and in the six months from that launch, they will take the 20 possible nominees, and condense them down to 10 finalists. From the sound of it there are going to be multiple periods in which 10 more games will be chosen, but they don't actually say if there is a set limit for games that will eventually make it. Anyway, I thought this was an interesting idea because there are a lot of people are saying that gaming doesn't have its Citizen Kane (or whatever) yet, but these titles are looking to challenge that very notion as they are being compiled as games that simply everyone should experience. So far I think its off to a good start and it will be interesting to see how it goes in the long run.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
IGN's Videogame Hall of Fame Criteria:
- All games considered for the Hall of Fame must have been out for at least 10 years at the time of induction.
- During each induction period, every videogame editor submits a list of five titles they believe deserve to be considered for the Videogame Hall of Fame. Each title must be supported by at least four other editors to be considered for the final nominee list.
- Nominees are based on a variety of factors, including how well they were designed as compared to other games at the time, how entertaining they were at the time of release, how influential they were to future releases, and how well they stand up over the long haul.
- Final voting is done by silent ballot where the editors may vote "for," "against," or "abstain" for each title in question. Editors are encouraged to abstain from voting if they do not feel knowledgeable enough about a title to make an informed decision either way.
- To be inducted, at least half of the editorial team casting ballots must vote either "for" or against" the title in question (eg. a choice other than "abstain"). In addition, at least 75% of those votes must be "for" allowing the title into the Hall of Fame.
- 20 titles will be selected for induction during the initial launch of the Videogame Hall of Fame in April 2007. After launch, a maximum of 10 games can be inducted in each six-month period. If more than 10 titles meet the criteria, those with the highest percentages of "for" votes will be foremost considered for induction."
- To limit franchise flood, only one title per series will be inducted per period.
Games that have been inducted so far:
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Chrono Trigger New!
- Civilization
- Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty New!
- Pirates! New!
- SimCity New!
- Street Fighter 2
- Super Mario Bros
- The Legend of Zelda New!
- Ultima
Game Details: (in order of appearance)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
PLATFORM: Playstation
RELEASE DATE: 1997
GENRE: Action Adventure
PUBLISHED BY: Konami
DEVELOPED BY: Konami
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the pinnacle of 2D adventure gaming. As a healthy mix of action, adventure, role-playing, and platforming. While its progressive 2D adventure formula had been seen countless times before in games like Super Metroid, Blaster Master, and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Symphony of the Night blended a beautiful mix of inspired level design, tons of items, character development, and optional side quests to deliver a game that acted not as an imitation of previous designs, but as a true celebration of gaming's traditional methods.
The unforgettable soundtrack -- composed by Michiru Yamane -- followed in the Castlevania tradition, blending a heavy mix of gothic music with a more modern approach, mixing orchestral and vocals with background guitar riffs, layering the music with as many sound effects as it had instruments.
The game still plays amazing to this day, its formula is still being duplicated on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS (though still never surpassed by any of its sequels), and while visual standards have increased over the years the core gameplay is still unrivaled in its category. Simply put, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the top games in its genre, and one of the greatest games of all time.
PLATFORM: Playstation
RELEASE DATE: 1997
GENRE: Action Adventure
PUBLISHED BY: Konami
DEVELOPED BY: Konami
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the pinnacle of 2D adventure gaming. As a healthy mix of action, adventure, role-playing, and platforming. While its progressive 2D adventure formula had been seen countless times before in games like Super Metroid, Blaster Master, and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Symphony of the Night blended a beautiful mix of inspired level design, tons of items, character development, and optional side quests to deliver a game that acted not as an imitation of previous designs, but as a true celebration of gaming's traditional methods.
The unforgettable soundtrack -- composed by Michiru Yamane -- followed in the Castlevania tradition, blending a heavy mix of gothic music with a more modern approach, mixing orchestral and vocals with background guitar riffs, layering the music with as many sound effects as it had instruments.
The game still plays amazing to this day, its formula is still being duplicated on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS (though still never surpassed by any of its sequels), and while visual standards have increased over the years the core gameplay is still unrivaled in its category. Simply put, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the top games in its genre, and one of the greatest games of all time.
Chrono Trigger
PLATFORM: SNES
RELEASE DATE: 1995
GENRE: RPG
PUBLISHED BY: Square
DEVELOPED BY: Square
It should come as no surprise to find Chrono Trigger inducted into IGN.com's Videogame Hall of Fame. After all, Square's classic RPG boasts one of the most impressive creative teams ever assembled. Collaborating on one of the most popular and well-regarded RPGs of all time were Final Fantasy vets Hironobu Sakaguchi and Kazuhiko Aoki, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, Dragon Quest creator Yuuji Horii and famed composers Yasunori Mitsuda and Nobuo Uematsu. They were called the " Dream Team " -- and it was no exaggeration.
Chrono Trigger followed a group of adventurers who discover that the world is destined to be destroyed in the distant future. Only by traveling through time, collecting other noble warriors, and defeating the enemies threatening the timeline could they hope to avert disaster. While unlikely heroes struggling against impossible odds to stop Armageddon was nothing new for an RPG, even in 1995 Chrono Trigger separated itself with a distinct art style and unforgettable characters. Chrono Trigger introduced us to the frog warrior Toad and prehistoric cavewoman Ayla who join lead character Crono in a journey to seven different eras in time.
Two gameplay elements aided in making Chrono Trigger stand out over its RPG peers. Combat in Chrono Trigger uses Active Time Battle, which was one of the first combat systems to set characters' action on an individual timer. While the battles remained turn-based, the fact that characters were able to act at different times throughout a round created a more fluid combat experience. But the combat system paled in comparison to Chrono Triggers' greatest innovation: multiple endings. After beating the game, players had the choice to replay Chrono Trigger with their characters retaining their levels and items. Depending on when gamers chose to battle the final boss they could enjoy any one of the thirteen unique endings. It's one thing for a developer to give us one memorable story, but thirteen variations is uncommon even to this day.
PLATFORM: SNES
RELEASE DATE: 1995
GENRE: RPG
PUBLISHED BY: Square
DEVELOPED BY: Square
It should come as no surprise to find Chrono Trigger inducted into IGN.com's Videogame Hall of Fame. After all, Square's classic RPG boasts one of the most impressive creative teams ever assembled. Collaborating on one of the most popular and well-regarded RPGs of all time were Final Fantasy vets Hironobu Sakaguchi and Kazuhiko Aoki, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, Dragon Quest creator Yuuji Horii and famed composers Yasunori Mitsuda and Nobuo Uematsu. They were called the " Dream Team " -- and it was no exaggeration.
Chrono Trigger followed a group of adventurers who discover that the world is destined to be destroyed in the distant future. Only by traveling through time, collecting other noble warriors, and defeating the enemies threatening the timeline could they hope to avert disaster. While unlikely heroes struggling against impossible odds to stop Armageddon was nothing new for an RPG, even in 1995 Chrono Trigger separated itself with a distinct art style and unforgettable characters. Chrono Trigger introduced us to the frog warrior Toad and prehistoric cavewoman Ayla who join lead character Crono in a journey to seven different eras in time.
Two gameplay elements aided in making Chrono Trigger stand out over its RPG peers. Combat in Chrono Trigger uses Active Time Battle, which was one of the first combat systems to set characters' action on an individual timer. While the battles remained turn-based, the fact that characters were able to act at different times throughout a round created a more fluid combat experience. But the combat system paled in comparison to Chrono Triggers' greatest innovation: multiple endings. After beating the game, players had the choice to replay Chrono Trigger with their characters retaining their levels and items. Depending on when gamers chose to battle the final boss they could enjoy any one of the thirteen unique endings. It's one thing for a developer to give us one memorable story, but thirteen variations is uncommon even to this day.
Civlization
PLATFORM: PC
RELEASE DATE: 1991
GENRE: Strategy
PUBLISHED BY: Microprose Software
DEVELOPED BY: Microprose Software
Civilization is, beyond a doubt, the ultimate empire-building game. What other game combines the Pyramids, Elvis and nuclear warfare? Beginning over 6,000 years ago as the various tribes of humanity are creating the first cities and reaching all the way into the near future where humanity sends its first colonists to Alpha Centauri, Civilization gave gamers a playground as big as all of human history. Gamers were instantly hooked once they found themselves in charge of an entire civilization's destiny, from the creation of the wheel to the discovery of fusion power. Though this sort of scale seems normal these days, Civilization was the first strategy game that popularized the 4X model -- explore, expand, exploit and exterminate.
Players had a variety of strategies available to them. Would you decide to develop as an economic powerhouse, in hopes of dominating your rivals through finance? Maybe you'd rely on your nation's industrial capacity or military might to overwhelm your opponents. You might even have relied on scientific supremacy or astute diplomacy to gain a less direct edge on your neighbors. The best thing about Civilization is that it required players to balance all these strategies while at the same time rewarding focused attention on one strategy over the others.
The wonderful balance and variety among these strategies combined with the historical setting make Civilization one of the most addictive games we've ever played. No other game represents the "just one more turn" addiction better than Civilization, and it's simply impossible to overestimate the staggering amount of sleep, work, and school we've all missed out on thanks to this early Sid Meier and Bruce Shelley classic. Though other games have vastly expanded and refined the core principles of the 4X genre, they all owe their inspiration to this one.
PLATFORM: PC
RELEASE DATE: 1991
GENRE: Strategy
PUBLISHED BY: Microprose Software
DEVELOPED BY: Microprose Software
Civilization is, beyond a doubt, the ultimate empire-building game. What other game combines the Pyramids, Elvis and nuclear warfare? Beginning over 6,000 years ago as the various tribes of humanity are creating the first cities and reaching all the way into the near future where humanity sends its first colonists to Alpha Centauri, Civilization gave gamers a playground as big as all of human history. Gamers were instantly hooked once they found themselves in charge of an entire civilization's destiny, from the creation of the wheel to the discovery of fusion power. Though this sort of scale seems normal these days, Civilization was the first strategy game that popularized the 4X model -- explore, expand, exploit and exterminate.
Players had a variety of strategies available to them. Would you decide to develop as an economic powerhouse, in hopes of dominating your rivals through finance? Maybe you'd rely on your nation's industrial capacity or military might to overwhelm your opponents. You might even have relied on scientific supremacy or astute diplomacy to gain a less direct edge on your neighbors. The best thing about Civilization is that it required players to balance all these strategies while at the same time rewarding focused attention on one strategy over the others.
The wonderful balance and variety among these strategies combined with the historical setting make Civilization one of the most addictive games we've ever played. No other game represents the "just one more turn" addiction better than Civilization, and it's simply impossible to overestimate the staggering amount of sleep, work, and school we've all missed out on thanks to this early Sid Meier and Bruce Shelley classic. Though other games have vastly expanded and refined the core principles of the 4X genre, they all owe their inspiration to this one.
Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
PLATFORM: Amiga, PC
RELEASE DATE: 1992
GENRE: Real-Time Strategy
PUBLISHED BY: Virgin Interactive
DEVELOPED BY: Westwood Studios
While games like Super Mario Bros. tend to get more attention from most gamers, Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty kick started one of the most prolific genres in PC gaming. Nearly every basic convention of real-time warfare has come from this game and nearly all new innovations are descendants of the original framework that Dune II laid out.
Technically Dune II wasn't the first game to incorporate real-time strategic elements, but it did introduce ideas like fog of war, mini-map, and special weapons strikes. More importantly, it introduced the idea of harvesting resources to run your war machine. The juggernaut of destruction combined tactical unit combat with the planning and construction of bases, sometimes on very limited pieces of land. This near puzzle-like aspect of military and economy balance helped players want to revisit the game and refine their combat techniques as well as strategize on which structures and units were more important with the limited amounts of cash.
Dune II also introduced three factions, each with advantages, disadvantages, special units, and special abilities. You may go for the brutal power of the Harkonnen, the sly confusing tactics of the Ordos, or the balanced righteous path of Atreides. It didn't matter because each faction was a viable option even if balance wasn't as big an issue without the ability for online multiplayer which wasn't introduced in RTS games until Warcraft II hit store shelves.
If you step back into the fight for Arrakis today, you'll see just how much your favorite real-time strategy games like StarCraft, Homeworld, or Supreme Commander really owe to Westwood and the introduction of Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty.
PLATFORM: Amiga, PC
RELEASE DATE: 1992
GENRE: Real-Time Strategy
PUBLISHED BY: Virgin Interactive
DEVELOPED BY: Westwood Studios
While games like Super Mario Bros. tend to get more attention from most gamers, Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty kick started one of the most prolific genres in PC gaming. Nearly every basic convention of real-time warfare has come from this game and nearly all new innovations are descendants of the original framework that Dune II laid out.
Technically Dune II wasn't the first game to incorporate real-time strategic elements, but it did introduce ideas like fog of war, mini-map, and special weapons strikes. More importantly, it introduced the idea of harvesting resources to run your war machine. The juggernaut of destruction combined tactical unit combat with the planning and construction of bases, sometimes on very limited pieces of land. This near puzzle-like aspect of military and economy balance helped players want to revisit the game and refine their combat techniques as well as strategize on which structures and units were more important with the limited amounts of cash.
Dune II also introduced three factions, each with advantages, disadvantages, special units, and special abilities. You may go for the brutal power of the Harkonnen, the sly confusing tactics of the Ordos, or the balanced righteous path of Atreides. It didn't matter because each faction was a viable option even if balance wasn't as big an issue without the ability for online multiplayer which wasn't introduced in RTS games until Warcraft II hit store shelves.
If you step back into the fight for Arrakis today, you'll see just how much your favorite real-time strategy games like StarCraft, Homeworld, or Supreme Commander really owe to Westwood and the introduction of Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty.
Pirates!
PLATFORM: PC
RELEASE DATE: 1987
GENRE: Action Adventure
PUBLISHED BY: Microprose
DEVELOPED BY: Microprose
Sid Meier's resume reads like a Hall of Fame list in and of itself, and Pirates! is easily one of his best. Putting gamers on the deck of a sloop somewhere between the 16th to 18th centuries, Pirates! gave players the freedom to play the game however they wanted. From living it up as a fat merchant whose wares could be found from shore to shore to a bloodthirsty pirate who sinks any vessel that crosses his wake, Pirates! allowed you to write your own story and tell the tale of your pirate alter-ego in your own way.
Each aspect of the game, be it the ship battles, hunting for treasure, or negotiating with island mayors, were all small, quick and simplistically designed. Anyone could easily sit down and play the game without much training, but it also allowed for plenty of depth and strategy. Would you take an extra ship for cargo space, necessitating that you divide your crew, or would you leave it behind and sink its cargo? Would you sneak into an enemy town and risk imprisonment, or would you sail to more friendly shores? Would you live a life of evil, good, or somewhere in-between?
As a testament to just how timeless Pirates! really is, the past few years have seen re-releases on the PC, Xbox and PSP. Though a few new pieces were added, the gameplay was largely the same as it was 20 years ago. Very, very few games could get away with that, and yet Pirates! is able to do so with ease.
Sid Meier's Pirates! is a classic in the truest sense of the word, and easily earns a spot in our Hall of Fame.
PLATFORM: PC
RELEASE DATE: 1987
GENRE: Action Adventure
PUBLISHED BY: Microprose
DEVELOPED BY: Microprose
Sid Meier's resume reads like a Hall of Fame list in and of itself, and Pirates! is easily one of his best. Putting gamers on the deck of a sloop somewhere between the 16th to 18th centuries, Pirates! gave players the freedom to play the game however they wanted. From living it up as a fat merchant whose wares could be found from shore to shore to a bloodthirsty pirate who sinks any vessel that crosses his wake, Pirates! allowed you to write your own story and tell the tale of your pirate alter-ego in your own way.
Each aspect of the game, be it the ship battles, hunting for treasure, or negotiating with island mayors, were all small, quick and simplistically designed. Anyone could easily sit down and play the game without much training, but it also allowed for plenty of depth and strategy. Would you take an extra ship for cargo space, necessitating that you divide your crew, or would you leave it behind and sink its cargo? Would you sneak into an enemy town and risk imprisonment, or would you sail to more friendly shores? Would you live a life of evil, good, or somewhere in-between?
As a testament to just how timeless Pirates! really is, the past few years have seen re-releases on the PC, Xbox and PSP. Though a few new pieces were added, the gameplay was largely the same as it was 20 years ago. Very, very few games could get away with that, and yet Pirates! is able to do so with ease.
Sid Meier's Pirates! is a classic in the truest sense of the word, and easily earns a spot in our Hall of Fame.
Sim City
PLATFORM: Amiga, C64, Mac, PC
RELEASE DATE: 1989
GENRE: Economic Simulation
PUBLISHED BY: Broderbund
DEVELOPED BY: Maxis
The brain child of famed videogame designer Will Wright, SimCity kicked off the " Sim " sation that led the charge of the popular Sim-branded titles developer Maxis is best known for. One of the early so-called " sandbox " games, SimCity took a different approach than found in most videogames at the time and offered players open-ended gameplay with no set ending.
Wright has said that he originally got the idea for SimCity while messing around with the map creator of his first game, Raid on Bungeling Bay, which he said was more intriguing and entertaining for him than playing the actual game. As the name implies, SimCity is a city-building simulation. As the mayor, it is your sole responsibility to not only design your own digital metropolis, but also keep the denizens happy while managing the city's coffers. While the main game has no set goals or objectives, SimCity also includes a set of scenarios where players can attempt to save various cities from different urban disasters including floods, traffic, tornadoes, crime waves, fires, earthquakes, and even a Godzilla attack.
SimCity helped provide a base for players to educate themselves on the inner-workings of a functioning city while combating the maladies faced by many real-world cities. Will Wright's city-building title proved that creating industrial, commercial, and residential zones, building transportation networks, and managing community taxes could be informative as well as incredibly fun and addictive. Many a gamer found that, after playing SimCity, they never looked at their own city the same way again.
PLATFORM: Amiga, C64, Mac, PC
RELEASE DATE: 1989
GENRE: Economic Simulation
PUBLISHED BY: Broderbund
DEVELOPED BY: Maxis
The brain child of famed videogame designer Will Wright, SimCity kicked off the " Sim " sation that led the charge of the popular Sim-branded titles developer Maxis is best known for. One of the early so-called " sandbox " games, SimCity took a different approach than found in most videogames at the time and offered players open-ended gameplay with no set ending.
Wright has said that he originally got the idea for SimCity while messing around with the map creator of his first game, Raid on Bungeling Bay, which he said was more intriguing and entertaining for him than playing the actual game. As the name implies, SimCity is a city-building simulation. As the mayor, it is your sole responsibility to not only design your own digital metropolis, but also keep the denizens happy while managing the city's coffers. While the main game has no set goals or objectives, SimCity also includes a set of scenarios where players can attempt to save various cities from different urban disasters including floods, traffic, tornadoes, crime waves, fires, earthquakes, and even a Godzilla attack.
SimCity helped provide a base for players to educate themselves on the inner-workings of a functioning city while combating the maladies faced by many real-world cities. Will Wright's city-building title proved that creating industrial, commercial, and residential zones, building transportation networks, and managing community taxes could be informative as well as incredibly fun and addictive. Many a gamer found that, after playing SimCity, they never looked at their own city the same way again.
Street Fighter II
PLATFORM: Arcade
RELEASE DATE: 1991
GENRE: Fighting
PUBLISHED BY: Capcom
DEVELOPED BY: Capcom
It wasn't the first fighting game (or even the first Street Fighter), but Street Fighter II is rightfully credited for kick starting the genre. Released in arcades in 1991, Street Fighter II molded what's arguably the last golden era of American arcades. Its design influenced a host of a knock-offs that that dominated arcades throughout the 1990s, and highlighted the competitive atmosphere of the scene by fostering tournaments and personal challenges. Street Fighter II birthed communities of players and a culture of strategic combat development within the simple premise of a one-on-one street fight.
That simplicity helped establish Street Fighter II as one of the most popular games of its era. There's little to be explained to virgin players: just punch your opponent and go from there. That said, dedicated players discovered and developed a peerless level of depth. Accidental mechanics were discovered and later emphasized in sequels and competing franchises. Mechanics such as the two-in-one, tick throwing, and the always-imitated combo are as much creations of the Street Fighter II community as they are creations of developer Capcom.
And while we remember Street Fighter II for its ingenuity and influence, perhaps the game’s greatest distinction is its dogged timelessness. Street Fighter II, and its innumerable variations, remains an exemplary execution of the genre. As a testament to that claim, note this: Street Fighter II sees daily play in the IGN office, an environment obsessed with everything new in the videogame industry. Even more impressive is the game's persistent presence in international tournaments, where dedicated players still manage surprises.
Few games as ground-breaking as Street Fighter II stand the test of time after release. That's why we rank Street Fighter II among the few in IGN's Videogame Hall of Fame.
PLATFORM: Arcade
RELEASE DATE: 1991
GENRE: Fighting
PUBLISHED BY: Capcom
DEVELOPED BY: Capcom
It wasn't the first fighting game (or even the first Street Fighter), but Street Fighter II is rightfully credited for kick starting the genre. Released in arcades in 1991, Street Fighter II molded what's arguably the last golden era of American arcades. Its design influenced a host of a knock-offs that that dominated arcades throughout the 1990s, and highlighted the competitive atmosphere of the scene by fostering tournaments and personal challenges. Street Fighter II birthed communities of players and a culture of strategic combat development within the simple premise of a one-on-one street fight.
That simplicity helped establish Street Fighter II as one of the most popular games of its era. There's little to be explained to virgin players: just punch your opponent and go from there. That said, dedicated players discovered and developed a peerless level of depth. Accidental mechanics were discovered and later emphasized in sequels and competing franchises. Mechanics such as the two-in-one, tick throwing, and the always-imitated combo are as much creations of the Street Fighter II community as they are creations of developer Capcom.
And while we remember Street Fighter II for its ingenuity and influence, perhaps the game’s greatest distinction is its dogged timelessness. Street Fighter II, and its innumerable variations, remains an exemplary execution of the genre. As a testament to that claim, note this: Street Fighter II sees daily play in the IGN office, an environment obsessed with everything new in the videogame industry. Even more impressive is the game's persistent presence in international tournaments, where dedicated players still manage surprises.
Few games as ground-breaking as Street Fighter II stand the test of time after release. That's why we rank Street Fighter II among the few in IGN's Videogame Hall of Fame.
Super Mario Bros.
PLATFORM: NES
RELEASE DATE: 1985
GENRE: Platformer
PUBLISHED BY: Nintendo
DEVELOPED BY: Nintendo
After the crash of the videogame industry in 1983, it would take something truly incredible to get people interested in games again. Nothing short of perfection in design and control would be needed to convince consumers that videogames weren't just a fad that died with the seventies. Luckily for all of us, Nintendo had something special with Super Mario Bros..
This is the title that showed us games were capable of more than simulating ping pong and blasting endless waves of invaders. In one 8-bit cartridge, Nintendo packed great-looking visuals, fluid controls, colorful characters, clever levels, and layers of depth. The scope of the game was larger than anything we had experienced at the time. It was a sprawling adventure which spanned night and day, and took gamers over green hills, through deep dungeons, under the sea, over the clouds, and into Bowser's molten lair.
The world Shigeru Miyamoto created was so impactful it continues to be Nintendo's bread and butter to this day. The game was also a giant leap forward for videogame music. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone, gamer or not, who doesn't recognize the catchy Mario theme songs. If this game didn't quite invent the scrolling 2D platformer, it certainly perfected it, and set the standard for what would be the most popular gaming genre for the next decade.
There is a lot of talk in the industry today about making games for everyone, but Nintendo has been doing it since 1985. Super Mario Bros. is arguably the reason you're playing videogames today, and the reason everyone here at IGN has a job.
PLATFORM: NES
RELEASE DATE: 1985
GENRE: Platformer
PUBLISHED BY: Nintendo
DEVELOPED BY: Nintendo
After the crash of the videogame industry in 1983, it would take something truly incredible to get people interested in games again. Nothing short of perfection in design and control would be needed to convince consumers that videogames weren't just a fad that died with the seventies. Luckily for all of us, Nintendo had something special with Super Mario Bros..
This is the title that showed us games were capable of more than simulating ping pong and blasting endless waves of invaders. In one 8-bit cartridge, Nintendo packed great-looking visuals, fluid controls, colorful characters, clever levels, and layers of depth. The scope of the game was larger than anything we had experienced at the time. It was a sprawling adventure which spanned night and day, and took gamers over green hills, through deep dungeons, under the sea, over the clouds, and into Bowser's molten lair.
The world Shigeru Miyamoto created was so impactful it continues to be Nintendo's bread and butter to this day. The game was also a giant leap forward for videogame music. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone, gamer or not, who doesn't recognize the catchy Mario theme songs. If this game didn't quite invent the scrolling 2D platformer, it certainly perfected it, and set the standard for what would be the most popular gaming genre for the next decade.
There is a lot of talk in the industry today about making games for everyone, but Nintendo has been doing it since 1985. Super Mario Bros. is arguably the reason you're playing videogames today, and the reason everyone here at IGN has a job.
The Legend of Zelda
PLATFORM: NES
RELEASE DATE: 1987
GENRE: Action Adventure
PUBLISHED BY: Nintendo
DEVELOPED BY: Nintendo
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most influential videogames ever created, and it's also the originator of Nintendo's beloved action adventure franchise. The title arrived in 1987 amidst a sea of games that copied one another's side-scrolling nature, and it brought several innovations to the home console arena. Zelda was the first release to offer a battery-powered save function, a feature necessary for the epic make-up of the project. The Shigeru Miyamoto-helmed adventure thrust players into an expansive world complete with a deep storyline, non-linear level designs, and the ability to collect items and upgrade weapons -- inclusions that set the series apart from other games at the time.
As compared to most other releases in the late '80s, Zelda was a very challenging game. Not only did the title start players off without a weapon, but the game didn't hold the hands of the player leading them around and telling them what to do next. Rather, adventurers were left to explore the project's massive world and unearth its countless secrets as they upgraded the now-famous hero of the story: Link. Despite employing a top-down view, the game's graphics were impressive for the era. Zelda even came on a gold-plated cartridge, a marketing tactic that has been utilized time and time again by Nintendo.
Zelda earns its spot in our Hall of Fame because it still stands up today. Its go anywhere play style and solid graphical presentation combine for an adventure that remains wholly enjoyable.
PLATFORM: NES
RELEASE DATE: 1987
GENRE: Action Adventure
PUBLISHED BY: Nintendo
DEVELOPED BY: Nintendo
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most influential videogames ever created, and it's also the originator of Nintendo's beloved action adventure franchise. The title arrived in 1987 amidst a sea of games that copied one another's side-scrolling nature, and it brought several innovations to the home console arena. Zelda was the first release to offer a battery-powered save function, a feature necessary for the epic make-up of the project. The Shigeru Miyamoto-helmed adventure thrust players into an expansive world complete with a deep storyline, non-linear level designs, and the ability to collect items and upgrade weapons -- inclusions that set the series apart from other games at the time.
As compared to most other releases in the late '80s, Zelda was a very challenging game. Not only did the title start players off without a weapon, but the game didn't hold the hands of the player leading them around and telling them what to do next. Rather, adventurers were left to explore the project's massive world and unearth its countless secrets as they upgraded the now-famous hero of the story: Link. Despite employing a top-down view, the game's graphics were impressive for the era. Zelda even came on a gold-plated cartridge, a marketing tactic that has been utilized time and time again by Nintendo.
Zelda earns its spot in our Hall of Fame because it still stands up today. Its go anywhere play style and solid graphical presentation combine for an adventure that remains wholly enjoyable.
Ultima
PLATFORM: Apple II
RELEASE DATE: 1980
GENRE: RPG
PUBLISHED BY: California Pacific Computer Co.
DEVELOPED BY: Richard Garriott
Richard Garriott, who would become known worldwide as Lord British, established the Ultima gaming franchise on an Apple II and immediately made gaming history. Not only was Ultima one of the first computer RPGs available, it was one of the first games to use tiles to represent various environments.
In the lands of Sosaria, an evil wizard known as Mondain has acquired the Gem of Immortality. Using its power to become invincible, Mondain unleashes an army of monsters that tears through the countryside, destroying anything in their path. The fate of the realm rests in the hands of a stranger to conquer both time and space to defeat the sorcerer.
Ultima I also established numerous benchmarks at the time, many of which have been used by every RPG that followed it. For example, Ultima provided a surprising amount of flexibility for players when it came to creating their personal hero, with four different races and classes available, each with their own advantages and weaknesses. While you could strengthen your character by killing monsters, the best way to gain abilities was by traveling to various signposts positioned around the world. Not only did this system evolve into the Buddhist-inspired Eight Virtues and Avatar system that future Ultima titles used as a yardstick for character morality, its influences can be seen in more recent epic role-playing games such as Baldur's Gate and Oblivion.
Ultima was also one of the first computer games that created randomly-generated dungeons for players to explore. Every time you made a new character, you received a completely new set of dungeon maps, which kept gameplay fresh and unique. Countless RPGs have used this feature since, such as Champions of Norrath, Dark Cloud, and Diablo. Clearly, Ultima was a visionary title for its time and its place in history is reconfirmed with almost every single RPG release.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________PLATFORM: Apple II
RELEASE DATE: 1980
GENRE: RPG
PUBLISHED BY: California Pacific Computer Co.
DEVELOPED BY: Richard Garriott
Richard Garriott, who would become known worldwide as Lord British, established the Ultima gaming franchise on an Apple II and immediately made gaming history. Not only was Ultima one of the first computer RPGs available, it was one of the first games to use tiles to represent various environments.
In the lands of Sosaria, an evil wizard known as Mondain has acquired the Gem of Immortality. Using its power to become invincible, Mondain unleashes an army of monsters that tears through the countryside, destroying anything in their path. The fate of the realm rests in the hands of a stranger to conquer both time and space to defeat the sorcerer.
Ultima I also established numerous benchmarks at the time, many of which have been used by every RPG that followed it. For example, Ultima provided a surprising amount of flexibility for players when it came to creating their personal hero, with four different races and classes available, each with their own advantages and weaknesses. While you could strengthen your character by killing monsters, the best way to gain abilities was by traveling to various signposts positioned around the world. Not only did this system evolve into the Buddhist-inspired Eight Virtues and Avatar system that future Ultima titles used as a yardstick for character morality, its influences can be seen in more recent epic role-playing games such as Baldur's Gate and Oblivion.
Ultima was also one of the first computer games that created randomly-generated dungeons for players to explore. Every time you made a new character, you received a completely new set of dungeon maps, which kept gameplay fresh and unique. Countless RPGs have used this feature since, such as Champions of Norrath, Dark Cloud, and Diablo. Clearly, Ultima was a visionary title for its time and its place in history is reconfirmed with almost every single RPG release.
With all of this, here are some things I thought we could do with this thread.
- Discuss the validity of the inductees and why you think they were a good or bad choice for this.
- Comment on the description of the games that get inducted. For instance: are they putting too much emphasis on this titles influence?
- Predict what future inductees will be and why we think they will make it.
and/or if we can get something like this organized. - Make our own list of inductees for a Penny Arcade Videogame Hall of Fame.
I have some ideas for how we could do this which I will include in my next post. Until then, feel free to make any suggestions on how you think we could go about doing this the best and discuss the new feature.
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NNID: Rehab0
Rehab on
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Posts
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Forumers that will be voting during each period (this will be done on a first come first serve basis in this thread and there will be five forumers voting per period. No one can be involved in voting for multiple periods including myself, unless there are still spots open by the time the next voting period [the time in between periods is still undetermined] starts. Simply post that you would like to vote on games for this thread and you will be moved into the list we are currently on as we make our way through them.):
Period 1 list:
Rehab
deadonthestreet
3-5 still open
Period 2 list:
Completely open
Period 3 list:
Completely open
Period 4 list:
Completely open
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Things that are still undetermined that you may give input on:
And that is about it. You may start making posts saying that you want to vote in this thread now if thats something you would like.
If you're asking why I reserved a space there, its because I thought we could have our own list for the forum and it would be better to keep it separate.
No, I meant why are they doing this? what do the intend to acheive?
see, things like this, they are never going to compile a list that is "the ultimate best games ever list" or whatever it is they are trying to do, because games are so subjective. Which is why I hate these type of lists, any that try to be objectively definitive are bound to fail. Much better would be an editorial which was "here are some games I love, and why" or "ten really influential games"
Oh, well I think they basically want to make a Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame for gaming. Something that you could point to and say "these are the games you should be playing or should have experienced, because they are timeless, awesome, etc."
And gneGne, it lacks Starcraft so far but I bet they will add it eventually (you can already tell what some of the inductees will probably be just by looking at the characters present in the site actually).
98 doofus
you're clearly not a true fan
That is a valid argument and I agree with you to an extent too actually. However, something like this cannot really be an editorial because this actually involves a number of editors weighing in their own opinions and voting. And of course it won't be completely objective, but having more people to weigh in on the matter helps and gets a better "sample" population to go from. Plus its not like you have to agree with it in the end and I think they would even have to agree that it is entirely open to opinion, because it is. But I think what they are doing is pretty cool and the way they are going about it is actually rather strict and democratic. If you want to look at it as "this is what IGN thinks are some of the greatest all time games are but I have my own opinions and here is what they are" then that is cool too. If nothing else I think it makes for something more interesting and discussion worthy than a game of the year type of thing. These people are much more educated on the subject at hand then something like Spike TV as well because they are editors for an actual gaming website.
You are right in saying that there will never be a list that everyone can completely agree on, but I don't think that because of that no one should make an effort to try and compile such a list. Or going back to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame thing, maybe these are games that they simply wanted to honor as being great games. Sure they will probably eventually be ranked according to how people voted, but you can still look at all of this as simply being a list of games that should be recognized as classics even with that.
Oh hey, good point there.
It's called Ocarina of Time
The same could be said for Citizen Kane.
Citizen Kane would make a great game. PRESS A TO SAY "ROSEBUD"
no voice acting and shoddy production values.
no way?
I played it in senior year, and I graduated in 97
hmmmm
edit: a demo or something perhaps?
I played it at a LAN center hehe (I miss the Digital Arena)
My first thought too, otherwise it would've been a shoe-in...
More proof that IGN is dumb.
Of course, that could largely be because there's little argument as to the best classic Castlevania title, and there's plenty of debate as to the best classic Zelda or FF title.
If I had to choose, I'd go with Link to the Past and Final Fantasy 6. Although, Ocarina of Time and FF7 may have been more "famous" and "mainstream".
No, seriously. This was like Space invaders, but bigger.
Is it heresy to suggest that Castlevania might be a more famous and widely known series than Metroid?
I definitely agree that Super Metroid deserves a place in there, though.
To put it on there ahead of Zelda is just a concession to needing more current, non-Nintendo, hard core cred for the list. Considering that countless games built upon the foundations built by LoZ (one designer even has called GTA3 a "Zelda ripoff"), it belongs on the list of first ballot inductees.
I'd also make a case for Tetris, Myst, Wing Commander, FF/DW(Q) games, Gran Tursimo #x, GTA3, Metroid (take your pick), Pac Man, Space Invaders, Defender, Sim City, Metal Gear Solid, Tecmo Bowl, Kings Quest, and others arguably belonging in the first run ahead of one or more of those chosen.
Also, pretty sure GTA3 came out way after 97.
Way, way after. Like 5 years after.
I agree, putting SotN in over any of those titles is ridiculous, although I might argue Madden vs Tecmo Bowl. How in the world was SotN more influential than Tetris or Space Invaders or Pong? I don't even know that it was more influential than Tony Hawk's Pro Skater or Falcon 3.0.
Doom is a must. Aside from critical praise and popular acceptance, you have massive popularization of the FPS subgenre and online gaming along with it, in addition to user created mods that will eventually spawn the likes of Counterstrike. You also have the video game violence debate starting, and even now many people still refer to Doom when attacking game content.
Wing Commander was one of the first games to offer an expansion pack, and the first to do it so successfully that it became commonplace. Myst was one of the first games that brought in the non-traditional gamers who are a huge share of today's market. Aside from their own individual merits as games - which rank right up there with SotN - these are titles whose impact goes beyond genre influencing/defining and into changing the entire industry.
SotN is like Mickey Mantle. They were both excellent at what they did, and deserve to be in a HoF. Just not ahead of a Babe Ruth or Jackie Robinson who changed the entire industry.
I remember being at the Rock and Roll hall of fame and being surrounded by people wondering who many of the artists there were. The funniest being the Virgin Prunes who were listed on an ad for a U2 concert. The Edge (ugh) and one of the guys in Virgin Prunes are brothers. Anyhow....
I'm sure the classic games that many of us older gamers have played and still appreciate will get in there and there will be a lot of people that have never even heard of the game. And we'll complain about why game X isn't in there just like people complain about band x not being in the Rock and Roll hall of fame.
But yeah, Doom, Half-Life (when it can be), Tetris, Space Invaders, Sim City, Contra, oh yeah, and E.T.
PSN : Bolthorn
That's why this isn't the "Most influential games ever" list. SoTN is clearly a better game than both Space Invaders or Pong, even if it wasn't as revolutionary. I mean, have you ever PLAYED pong, for fuck's sake? It becomes mind-numbingly boring after about 20 minutes.
They might not be impressive now, but you have to compare them in terms of when they came out. Pong was a great game in its time in addition to being massively influential. That's why I wrote it instead of Computer Space or Lunar Lander. Although I don't know of any 70s-era reviews, the game was massively popular. Pong was the dominant game of its era (the closest competitors are probably Zork and Oregon Trail), whereas I don't even know if SotN was the best game of 1997 - arguments can probably be made for Goldeneye, Mario 64, Final Fantasy Tactics, or Fallout.
Not at all. According to wikipedia, there is 22 Castlevania games with Castlevania in the title, even more without, on a wide variety of consoles.
Metroid didn't become famous until Super Metroid, and imo popular with Metroid Prime.
Though I agree, Super Metroid is a defining moment in video game history.
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