Games that changed the Genre

[Rob Sharona]

Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie revolutionized the 3D platformer genre.

[sub]Though I still think Banjo-kazooie did it better...[/sub]

Mario 64 pretty much invented it!! Banjo Kazooie was massive fun, but the camera and the controls were very annoying, whereas even today SM64's are spot on.

Goldeneye was the first immersive and thoughtful FPS. It raised the bar for console FPSs, but also all FPSs in my opinion. Really made you feel involved in the story. All the missions were varied and I felt like a gave a crap about the characters. Fantastic. Only game that stepped it up another level was Half Life. I think if you look at FPSs now, they pretty much all want to be Half Life.
Halo, while it is good, i don't think it's revolutionary at all. It is a very competent, solid shooter. The world created is an interesting one, and the controls were very nice. That's it really.

Guitar Hero made music rhythm games cool! Parappa the Rapper was good and all, but I found it hard to sell an experience that involved a singing dog going "crack crack crack the eggs into the bowl" to my friends.

 

[YuheJi]

Gah, I cannot name the games that changed a genre because that is more an opinion. Example, CoD4 chaged FPS forever in my eyes, not everyones.

A game that changed a genre is hardly opinion. The OP is referring to games that changed a genre for other developers and games that followed. For example, Halo changed the genre for a lot of FPSes, being the first game that prominently featured recharging health (shields) and the ability to only carry a few weapons at a time. Call of Duty kinda took a lot of its ideas from that game.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie revolutionized the 3D platformer genre.

[sub]Though I still think Banjo-kazooie did it better...[/sub]

Agreed!

Goldeneye 64 showed that a FPS on a console would not only work, but excell (It also set the standard for split-screen deathmatch). Halo: CE came along and perfected it.

 

[blackfrancis567]

This seems like it will burst into flames entertaining flames but flames none the less

OT: In my opinion once a genre is made its not really changeable sure you can have a million gameplay elements but when its boiled down its still just a free roamer, FPS, RPG, driving or fighting game plain and simple

 

[elementsoul]

Quake

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie revolutionized the 3D platformer genre.

[sub]Though I still think Banjo-kazooie did it better...[/sub]

Everything you said here is true.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, hoping I don't get shot down, and say Gears of War. Seriously that game is addictive, and for a good reason. The cover system was revolutionary and extremely well done (not saying they invented it but they perfected it) this can be seen since when games, i.e. GTA IV, have things on their box "Gears of War style cover system."

 

[Tyburn Cross]

I say the Thief series is the only one that didn't mess up stealth and stealth combat.

 

[usgentleman2007]

I can't believe nobody's said this yet... Metal Gear for stealth.

 

[L3m0n_L1m3]

Gah, I cannot name the games that changed a genre because that is more an opinion. Example, CoD4 chaged FPS forever in my eyes, not everyones.

Agreed, it was the first online shooter I actually liked.

 

[Brickcups]

Starcraft for RTS just because of the sheer effort put into it to make it balanced.

 

[omega 616]

I'm going to go out on a limb here, hoping I don't get shot down, and say Gears of War. Seriously that game is addictive, and for a good reason. The cover system was revolutionary and extremely well done (not saying they invented it but they perfected it) this can be seen since when games, i.e. GTA IV, have things on their box "Gears of War style cover system."

I've never played GoW but I have seen it played and the cover system was loads of waist high objects that you could peer over and shoot, like hundreds of other games. Maybe GoW was the first were you could climb over the object?

On topic however, Max Payne for bullet time.

Haze for the irnoy.

 

[minoes]

Urm, well not quite OT but Guitar Hero invented a genre.
Not sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing though really.

That is not true. PaRappa the Rapper [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PaRappa_the_Rapper] was the first music rhythm game, and GuitarFreaks [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GuitarFreaks] was the first to use a guitar shaped controller.

As for games that changed their genres; Puyo Puyo added the competition element to puzzles games.

 

[Vromnir]

Halo changed FPS' in a bad way. With regenerative health, all shooters now are extremely easy.
Call Of Duty 4 also changed FPS' in a bad way. Now every online multiplayer is easy as hell to get kills.

COD 4 is supposed to be like that though with all the realism. After all, who would take a 50-cal to any part and live?

 

[FallenJellyDoughnut]

Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie revolutionized the 3D platformer genre.

[sub]Though I still think Banjo-kazooie did it better...[/sub]

FAAAAAN BOOOYY!!!!

Anyway I think Silent Hill really changed the Horror scene, using psychological effects instead of BLAH! AAAAAAAAH! popout scares.

 

[TPiddy]

I would add Wii Sports to the list as it was the first game released for the Wii, and the console itself revolutionized the way we can play and interact with games.

The problem with this is that not everyone has been exposed to every game ever, so some people will have differing opinions on what 'revolutionized' a genre or not. Really, I think in order for a game to revolutionize a genre it has to have been the first POPULAR title to do so, and not necessarily the FIRST title to do so, otherwise where's the revolution aspect of it?

People who did music rhythm games did not copy PaRappa the Rapper, because it sucked! They copied DDR.

 

[TPiddy]

Also, Starfox has to be on there at some point for the graphics alone. Virtua Fighter? Sim City?

 

[David_G]

I agree with a lot of people about Silent Hill, but I think that Resident Evil, really invented survival horror. It was not the best survival horror game, but I think it was the first one of its kind. Almost every survival horror game since then has similar camera angles, puzzles, and the same: Will you take _____? - Yes/No

But of course Silent Hill made the psychological horror games genre.
And also, any GTA game really set the bar for any free-roaming games.