What got you into a genre of games?

[Snotnarok]

Many of us know what we like and don't like, but way back when many just looked for what sounded or looked cool. But there's that one game that got you into the genre and hooked you into it and may even hold a special place in your heart.

RPGs for me started with 4 classic games.
Phantasy Star IV, Shining Force 2, Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Tactics
I love these games and still enjoy playing them when I have time.

Shooters were really kicked into gear for me by:
Soldier of Fortune(PC) and Half Life 2
violant, bloody and very very fun soldier of fortune still warrants a play. HL2 speaks for itself.

Platformers are what got me into games with my first game ever
Sonic the Hedgehog, then other great titles like Earthworm Jim.

The system that got me into games was the Sega Genesis, since then I've started collecting systems and man there's a lot of great games on a lot of systems. So if ya want share what got you into a genre, it doesn't have to be a favorite game or whatever say what got you interested and such.

 

[ceyriot]

Hmm...This may seem silly...As I am a younger gamer, what got me into RPG's was actually Runescape...I've long since left that game by the wayside, but it gave me the basics I use in every RPG today.

For FPS's...I would have to say Serious Sam. The wacky, fast-paced action got me hooked on shooting people in the face, and gave me some intense reflexes.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

Shooters: Halo: CE
I've been a console player my whole life, just recently getting into PC gaming (Warcraft 3 and WoW, basically). Halo:CE was like a revelation in gaming for me. I've been a big FPS fan ever since.

RPG: Mass Effect
I have never been a fan of RPGs. JRPGs are always turn-based, anime themed, and I generally consider them to be a joke. Mass Effect really intertwined 2 of my favorite things in gaming: character customization and shooters.

RTS: Warcraft 3
When I bought WC3, I had no idea what an RTS even was. I really didn't know what to expect, but I'm really glad I took that leap of faith. One of the best games of all time if you ask me.

 

[Low Key]

FPS it was definately Goldeneye for N64. But FPS/TPS's didn't really exist on consoles until the early to mid 90s, otherwise I would have gotten into them sooner.

Aside from sports games, which I hardly play anymore, I'm not into much else as far as gaming goes. I did play Lords of the Realm 2 the other day though after digging it out of my forgotten PC game collection. That was a kick ass turn based strategy game.

 

[underscorenorm]

ahhh, good old HL. Everything a game should be IMO. I'm sure I'm not alone, but hey, whatever.

 

[Snotnarok]

FPS it was definately Goldeneye for N64. But FPS/TPS's didn't really exist on consoles until the early to mid 90s, otherwise I would have gotten into them sooner.

Aside from sports games, which I hardly play anymore, I'm not into much else as far as gaming goes. I did play Lords of the Realm 2 the other day though after digging it out of my forgotten PC game collection. That was a kick ass turn based strategy game.

I agree, I was a console kid and didn't get a PC till later, even then it was one of those "work only PCs". Till someone caved and got Soldier of Fortune, and that was a fun ride. Golden Eye was certainly a great game, and that team made cool games after that (Timesplitters Series)

 

[Gaming_Purist]

Quake III got me into online shooters.

The original Warcraft got me into RTS.

 

[NeutralDrow]

The Gold Box Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance CRPGs got me into RPGs in general, and are still pretty fun every once in a while.

I'd have to say Street Fighter 2 and Samurai Shodown got me into fighting games, though I've fallen out with the first series (except SFIII: 3rd Strike, that game's still fun).

I don't really have what I'd call an "affinity" for any other genres, though I like most of them just fine.

 

[Mad Maniac with axe-firing chainsaw]

Well, FFX got me back into RPGs, and Fable kept me there.

 

[hopeneverdies]

Pokemon got me into RPG's. Metroid got me into action/adventure games. Crash was my first good console game so it got me into that and platformers. Portal got me into FPS. Sonny got me into browser games.

 

[AmrasCalmacil]

RPG: Baldur's Gate
Shooter: Deus Ex
Platform: Super Mario World
RTS: If I recall correctly, it was Empire Earth.
I also loved Settlers II

 

[Ultress]

Pokemon got me into JRPGs but didn't love them till FF6 advanced and Super Mario World got me in Platformers. Cod2 got me into FPSes even though I rarly play games from that genere.

 

[super_smash_jesus]

LoZ: A Link to the Past got me into adventure games
Mario got me into platforms
goldeneye got me into FPS (kind of, it is my least sought after genre)
Warcraft 3 got me into RTS, where I was soon to find DotA
Mortal Kombat got me into fighting games
Grandia 2 got me into RPG's (JRPG i guess)

I started in the NES days, so thats why they are mostly Nintendo games.

 

[Vrex360]

Halo was the thing that got me into the FPS genre having always been a console gamer. I found it fun, epic and just a blast to play and with more then enough insentive to keep playing. The story sucked me in, the music was epic and the action was amazing. However it was that strange charming sensation that I always get and can ONLY get from playing a Halo game that kept me coming back and it is the reason I play other FPS's today.

Fable 1 was the first time I ever truly got into the RPG's. I never got wind of the hype so therefore I did not enter the game dissapointed and instead played it on it's terms and honestly had a lot of fun with it. Fable is the reason why I played other RPG's like Oblivion and Mass Effect.

Otogi: Myth of Demons was my first ever hack n' slash or at least the first that I actually liked. I was hooked by the art design, style and substance when I played it for the first time and it has grown on me intensly, I was ready to go for other combat games but then I saw what they comprised of i.e blood and tits and decided to stick with Otogi.

Portal opened up the world of puzzle gaming to me, the best thing about it being the satisfaction of working out the puzzles and using my head. It was really fun and challenging the first time and a truly unique experiance. After that I wanted more 'thinking games'.

 

[Crash486]

Doom and Duke Nukem3D paved the way into my FPS addiction, later championed by Half-life and TFC.

My first RTS were Warcraft 2 and Age of Empires, I loved those games to death, Starcraft really made the genre for me.

My first fighting title was street fighter 2 and mortal kombat on the SNES.

RPGs for me were strange because I didn't get into them until later. Sure I played Zelda, but I don't really consider that an RPG. I'm having a hard time remembering my first RPG, but I want to say it was Lunar:Silver Story or The Final Fantasy Legend.

I got into MMORPG through MUDs like Mythic's Darkness Falls. I'm yet to find one other person who played The 4th Coming, if anyone here ever did please speak up.

 

[SquirrelPants]

RTS: Warcraft 3
When I bought WC3, I had no idea what an RTS even was. I really didn't know what to expect, but I'm really glad I took that leap of faith. One of the best games of all time if you ask me.

^That. It got me hooked, and then I played AOE. Now I mostly play StarCraft, Warcraft III, and EndWar.

Shooters...Shadow Warrior. It was my first shooter, and a damned good introduction into the world of shooting games.

 

[Flying-Emu]

Hmm...This may seem silly...As I am a younger gamer, what got me into RPG's was actually Runescape...I've long since left that game by the wayside, but it gave me the basics I use in every RPG today.

This. As horrible as Runescape is, it gave me a basis to judge other MMOs on, and got me into playing them. Because of RS, I participated in SW:Galaxies, World of Warcraft, and am venturing into Lord of the Rings Online for the first time this week.

 

[SquirrelPants]

Oh, also, Anarchy Online got me into MMOs. That was quickly followed by WoW and Guild Wars.

 

[plastic_window]

Halo got me into shooters, and CoD on the PC got me into the multiplayer side of things.

Devil May Cry got me into hack 'n' slashers.

Tekken 3 was my first beat 'em up. Wierdly, the only game that ever topped that for me (in the genre) was Soul Calibur 2.

The Lion King on Sega Genesis got me into platformers.

KOTOR got me into RPGs.

Age of Empires 2 got me into RTS'.

That's really all I can think of now. There aren't that many other genres that I'm interested in.

 

[Altorin]

Bioshock got me back into shooters