Most Influential Video Games: The Ones That Changed Everything After Them

"Influential" and "best" are different things. An influential game changed what came after it. Some influential games haven't aged well. Some modern masterpieces aren't influential because they refined existing ideas rather than inventing new ones. This list is specifically about games that made the industry turn a corner — games where the before and after are visibly different.

As a game studio, we think about influence constantly. Every design choice we make in Granny's Rampage connects to a lineage of games that established the conventions we're either following or deliberately breaking. Understanding that lineage makes you a better developer and a more thoughtful player.

The genre creators

Doom (1993) — didn't invent the first-person shooter (Wolfenstein 3D came first) but defined the template every FPS followed for a decade. Movement speed, weapon switching, level design philosophy, multiplayer deathmatch. The modding community that grew around Doom established modding as a game development pipeline — John Carmack releasing the source code created an entire generation of game developers.

Super Mario Bros (1985) — defined side-scrolling platformer design. Level 1-1 is still used as a teaching example in game design courses because it teaches running, jumping, power-ups, enemies, and secrets through play rather than text. Every platformer since references Mario's design language.

The Legend of Zelda (1986) — invented the action-adventure genre. Non-linear exploration, item-gated progression, hidden secrets rewarding curiosity. Breath of the Wild (2017) reinvented the franchise's own formula 31 years later and influenced another generation of open-world games.

Street Fighter II (1991) — invented competitive fighting games. Character-specific movesets, special inputs, versus multiplayer as a spectator sport. The entire FGC (fighting game community) and esports culture traces back to SF2 arcades. The best fighting games post covers the modern landscape.

Rogue (1980) — a dungeon crawler with procedural generation and permadeath that created a genre named after itself. Every roguelike and roguelite — Hades, Dead Cells, Slay the Spire, Vampire Survivors — descends from Rogue's design philosophy. The best roguelike games post covers the genre.

The paradigm shifters

Dark Souls (2011) — didn't invent difficult games but codified a specific design philosophy: fair difficulty through readable attack telegraphs, interconnected world design that rewards exploration, and storytelling through environmental details rather than cutscenes. "Soulslike" became a genre descriptor applied to dozens of games annually. The best soulslike games and elden ring vs dark souls posts explore its legacy.

Half-Life (1998) — proved FPS games could tell stories without cutscenes. Everything happens from Gordon Freeman's perspective. No camera cuts, no text dumps. Environmental storytelling, scripted sequences that play out around you, and a narrative that trusts the player to pay attention. Every cinematic FPS since — Call of Duty, BioShock, Portal — follows Half-Life's template.

Grand Theft Auto III (2001) — the first 3D open-world game where you could go anywhere and do anything. Every open-world game since — Skyrim, Witcher 3, Elden Ring, Red Dead Redemption — exists because GTA III proved the format was commercially viable. The games like GTA post covers the modern space.

World of Warcraft (2004) — didn't invent MMOs but made them mainstream. At its peak, 12 million subscribers. WoW established the quest-hub structure, talent trees, raid progression, and guild dynamics that every online RPG still uses or deliberately rejects.

Minecraft (2011) — the best-selling game in history. Proved that player creativity could be the entire game. Sandbox building, survival crafting, procedural worlds, educational applications. Minecraft influenced game design, education policy, and an entire generation's relationship with digital creativity.

The mechanical innovators

Portal (2007) — proved that a single mechanic (portals) explored thoroughly is more compelling than a dozen mechanics explored shallowly. Two hours long, perfectly paced, with a villain (GLaDOS) who became a cultural icon. Portal's influence on puzzle game design and comedic writing in games is enormous.

Resident Evil 4 (2005) — invented the over-the-shoulder third-person shooter camera that every modern action game uses. Gears of War, The Last of Us, God of War (2018) — all use RE4's camera. One design choice that changed an entire industry's perspective (literally).

Wii Sports (2006) — sold motion controls to 100 million people. Expanded gaming's audience beyond the traditional "gamer" demographic permanently. Grandparents played Wii Bowling. That market expansion paved the way for mobile gaming's explosion.

Fortnite Battle Royale (2017) — didn't invent battle royale (PUBG did) but combined it with building, free-to-play, cross-platform play, and live events that turned a game into a cultural platform. Fortnite concerts, movie trailers premiering in-game, collaborative events. It proved games could be media platforms.

Vampire Survivors (2022) — a $3 game made by one person that created the "survivors-like" / bullet heaven genre. Dozens of games now follow its auto-attack, upgrade-selection, horde-survival template. As bullet heaven developers ourselves, we trace our design lineage directly through Vampire Survivors. The games like Vampire Survivors post has more.

The cultural touchstones

Tetris (1985) — the most universal game ever made. Playable by anyone, in any language, at any skill level. Tetris proved that games don't need characters, stories, or complex mechanics to be compelling. Just shapes and a desire to fit them together.

Pokémon Red/Blue (1996) — created the creature-collection genre and a media empire worth over $100 billion. "Gotta catch 'em all" is one of the most successful marketing phrases in history.

The Sims (2000) — life simulation for people who didn't consider themselves gamers. Massive female audience in an era when the industry marketed exclusively to young men. The Sims proved the market was bigger than anyone assumed.

What we make at Choost

Granny's Rampage sits in the bullet heaven lineage — Vampire Survivors proved the genre, and we're exploring where it can go next. Granny's Gambit descends from the deckbuilder roguelike tradition that Slay the Spire codified. Every game we make connects to the games on this list.

For more gaming history and culture content, the best video game soundtracks, best video game villains, and what is a metroidvania posts have more.

The shortest version

Genre creators: Doom (FPS), Mario (platformer), Zelda (action-adventure), Street Fighter II (fighting), Rogue (roguelike).

Paradigm shifters: Dark Souls (difficulty design), Half-Life (narrative FPS), GTA III (open world), Minecraft (sandbox creativity).

Mechanical innovators: Portal (single-mechanic mastery), RE4 (camera perspective), Vampire Survivors (bullet heaven).

Influence isn't about quality — it's about what changed afterward. These games didn't just succeed. They made everything that came after them different.