10 RPGs that changed gaming forever
by Grasshopper 101 ~ January 20th, 2009.Filed under: Features.
With a new president entering the oval office, we here at The Blogging Gamers have been thinking about what changes will be coming with this new president. Just like those leftovers fruit cakes in my freezer, it hit me recently that many RPGs have changed the way we play our genre, for better or worse. With this in mind, and bandage in hand, I present to you, 10 RPGs that altered gaming forever. Cue Music.
Final Fantasy VII
The influential & popular JRPG invading the West with awesome 3D graphics at the time
As much as I despise FFVII, the game was very important in popularizing RPGs in the West. To this day, many gamers still think of VII as the best RPG/FF game ever created. Although to be fair, many cite Final Fantasy VII as the first FF they ever played. And yes, *SPOILER* it is pretty cool when you kill Sephiroth. Go Cloud!
Chrono Trigger
The RPG with multiple endings and still the reference today for a RPG
Chrono Trigger did everything right when it came to RPGs. The game had interesting characters, a gripping story, and managed to avoid the usual follies of RPGs. What made Chrono Trigger special was how well everything just clicked. The game changed my personal scope of what an RPG could be. It set my personal bar for how good a game can be. The endings were really cool too. Nu knows it to be true.
Dragonstomper
The RPG that sets the path to many others
Warning: Video has a very boring narrator.
The first console RPG, Dragonstomper for the Atari 2600 paved the way for every RPG since. It remains one of the most popular Atari game to date. Also, one of the most dated games I have ever seen. You have to slay a dragon in the game and reclaim a stolen magical amulet. It’s a typical mission for a RPG but it’s still great!
Pokemon Series
The addictive RPG that trade data between consoles
Gotta Catch’em all. Those three words sparked an international craze that still lasts today. The surprising thing is that many of us are still fans. Pokemon did what no other RPG before it could do: trade data in the form of monsters. More importantly, it hit a cord with young gamers and older gamers alike. Something about training your hand picked team to take on the best the world has to offer really speaks to us as people. I expect that Pokemon will live on for a long time to come.
Dragon Quest Series
The classic RPG that is always solid with each installment
While Final Fantasy is always changing with each game, Dragon Quest has remained fairly consistent with each installment. DQ has remained the example of every classically designed RPG. Good or bad, DQ is the essential RPG experience that shouldn’t be missed.
Ultima Series
The RPG that sets the rules for the others
While Dragon Quest set the standard for RPGs, Ultima did one thing better: Set the rules. Both Final Fantasy And Dragon Quest borrowed heavily from Ultima. Ultima online was one of the first successful MMORPGs, opening the door for games such as World of Warcraft. So when you offer your prayers to the game gods, make sure you mention Ultima.
Mother Series
The RPG that is unique and has an awesome soundtrack
While most RPGs were set in the past or the future, Mother(known as Earthbound in North America) dared to be different. Jazz music, a guy who would deliver pizza to you, and random singing groups, are just a few of the odd happenings you will find in this series. Few games dare to be different out of fear of low sales, but every once in awile, we find rare gems. This is why the Mother series belongs on every RPG fan’s list.
Kingdom Hearts Series
The RPG that mix franchises very well
If you were to tell me back in 2000 that Mickey and Squall would be in the same game, I would have laughed at you. Square Enix proved that just about any two (or more) franchises could be mixed with good results. Well..maybe not any franchise..
Disgaea series
The RPG that went over the top
Disgaea asked the simple question, “why do characters have to stop leveling at 99?” So, they went to 9999 with attacks going up to millions of damage. Add in some crazy characters, a dark theme, and item leveling, and you have a great Turn Based RPG (or SRPG for others).
Xenosaga series
The RPG that defined cut scenes
While most RPGs had actual battles, Xenosaga proved that watching in game movies were more fun then ACTUALLY PLAYING the game in the first place. I’m lying of course. Xenosaga taught game designers that gamers want actual gameplay and not just fancy movies. Hmm..Final Fantasy XIII seems to be repeating Xenosaga’s fallacies. Anyone seen any gameplay fottage yet? I digress…
Every few years, special games surface that change the way we game. While some are mearly good games in the genre, others are true gems that other games strive to follow. What games in 2009 do you think will alter the way we game? Pass me a line at grasshopper101@theblogginggamers.com
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January 20th, 2009 at 12:12 PM
These games were really bad choices for what he wanted to represent. Obviously he doesn’t know much about jrpg… In what way the Kingdom Hearts, Xenosaga, Earthbound and Disgaea changed the way we play video games today is beyond me.
He didn’t even mentioned the first jrpg that had a 3-D real-time action battle system that worked, it is called Grandia II. What about the first online jrpg on consoles? Phantasy Star Online. The Tales series innovated with its 2-D real-time action oriented battle system for its time when every jrpg was turn-based or a copy of Zelda but with a deeper story(Secret of Mana, Terranigma and Illusion of Gaia would be great examples of this). Don’t forget about Parasite Eve that tried to make a new genre of jrpg mixed with horror with an hybrid of turn-based and a real-time battle system with guns.
So many great games that really contributed to the change like Xenogears or Valkyrie Profile and this guy mentions Kingdom Hearts, Xenosaga, Earthbound and Disgaea…. OMG… = \
January 20th, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Frankly, I didn’t even own a Sony console until a few years ago. I had a Genesis instead of an SNES as well. Yet, your points are valid. However, discrediting the Mother series is disrespectful. Mother is unique and special. It was on of the first games in our niche genre to try to be creative and whimsical. In the world of RPGs, especially JRPS, anything unique is a plus. I suggest checking out retronaut’s latest podcast on 1up for a more informative look on the series as a whole. It must also be noted that Square Enix actually attempting something new was rare a few years ago. Not every RPG can(or should) be a DQ/FF game.
It should also be noted that PC gaming is(and was) where many important games came out that proceeded many console games by several years. Games like Ultima and Everquest predate Phantasy Star by something like a decade(Star came out in 2000, ironically on the dreamcast; a console that died only after two years). As for the Tales Series: while I am a fan, tales has always played second fiddle to FF/DQ. I might as well have put Star Ocean on the list. Which, despite the fan base, has remained a rather niche series.
The goal of my list was to find shining stars that have greatly impacted the genre, not just niche titles and franchises that are merely “good.” Xenosaga was more of an example of what not to do with RPGs. Perhaps I was at fault for not making my point clear, but I guess not many people remember the hype that Xenosaga carried. Honestly, I could go on, but I think you get my point. Before complaining, you many want to do a little research first. You may learn something. Oh, and for the record: Disgaea lets you beat up politicians. Monster ones. I could think of the few politicians I wouldn’t mind slapping around.