The video game industry has reached heights which many did not think were possible. Indeed, for a long time video games were considered little more than children’s toys. However, over the course of the decades, video games have taken the world by storm. Today, adults, children, teens, and even the elderly enjoy video games without shame.
A part of the reason for this is the diversity in video game genres. But, where did these genres come from? In this article, we are going to take a look at the genesis of some of the most popular genres in video games, and explain how we got to where we are.
Online Slots
To start this off, we are going to take a look at a relatively new kind of gaming; online gambling. Online casinos are widely considered to be new; however, the truth is they’ve been around since the 1990s. In fact, the first ever online slot was released in 1994, developed by one of the pioneers of the iGaming world, Microgaming.
Today, most people are used to the graphically impressive and mechanically superb online slot games. Some may even be familiar exclusively with the crypto slots found at some of the best crypto casinos. However, these are a far cry from Microgaming’s first ever slot game, of which very little documentation remains. In fact, we don’t even have records of the name.
What we do know is that it was fairly rudimentary in nature. Apparently, it only had one row, with three reels. Certainly, the slot game would be unremarkable in today’s incredibly competitive iGaming industry. However, without Microgaming’s original slot, we would not have the foundation for the industry that we can enjoy today, where fans can play at Bitcoin casinos, and even enjoy a variety of table games.
Platformers
The platformer genre is one on which the video gaming industry was built on. Who knows if gaming would be as popular today if it weren’t for the Mario Brothers’ or Sonic the Hedgehog’s early success. Due to the immense popularity of the Mario games, many people believe that this was the first ever platformer. However, they are wrong.
Although, it wouldn’t be fair to say that they are completely misguided. After all, the red-clad plumber is tied to the genesis of the platformer genre. After all, he played a starring role in what is often considered the first ever platformer game – Donkey Kong; the classic climber inspired by King Kong.
In the game, an immense gorilla kidnaps a woman, and it is up to Mario to get her back. King Kong throws barrels along the stage, preventing Mario from reaching his missus. The goal is to climb up the stage, dodge the obstacles along the way, and retrieve the girl by defeating the gorilla.
Since 1981, when this game first released, technology has come a long way. From enhanced graphics and gameplay, to cloud computing and web development, some might think that the original Donkey Kong is passé. However, there is a lot of charm and a sense of quaint familiarity in this classic game. Long time gamers will almost certainly enjoy a go at it, as it is also surprisingly hard, even by modern standards.
First-Person Shooter
Those who don’t know much about video games, usually know at least a bit about the FPS genre. Counter-Strike, Half-Life, Call of Duty, Doom and more are staples of this genre, and they’ve been entertaining gamers, and casual fans for years. Many of the top-selling games of all time are in the FPS genre, and some of the most beloved multiplayers nowadays also fit the bill.
So, where did the FPS genre get its start? Unlike Donkey Kong, the first FPS game has gone largely forgotten. Today, it is quite hard, if not impossible to find and actually play. The title of the game is Maze War (or simply Maze), and it was developed in 1973 by Steve Colley, Greg Thompson, and Howard Palmer. What is most impressive is that the three were still in high school when they finished and released the game.
Set in a maze, the player must find a way out of the labyrinthine halls, and face off other players along the way. They could shoot at each other, making it the first example of an FPS game. Though it has been largely forgotten by the general public, the game had a huge influence on the world of tech and in academic circles around the 70s and 80s. It certainly deserves recognition for laying the foundations of the FPS genre.
Role-Playing Games
It is hard to define precisely what makes an RPG. Usually, the definition given is one where the player assumes the role of a character in a fictional setting. However, in terms of video games, this definition is lacking, as it could be applied to any video game genre. When it comes to electronic arts, the “RPG” moniker usually is used to refer to games whose gameplay is inspired by Dungeons & Dragons.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Dungeons & Dragons is the first role-playing game. Though not a video game, the pen & paper RPG has players craft a character with certain abilities, backstory, and alignment. They then role play as the character, and wonder through the world, controlled by another player, dubbed Dungeon Master.
In the realm of video games, the first RPG to attempt to translate D&D mechanics to video games was the 1979 game Akabaleth: World of Doom. Richard Garriott was the mind behind the game, who functions as the de facto Dungeon Master (nicknamed Lord British) of the game. He gives out different quests to the player, all of which get progressively harder.
Richard Garriott would use a lot of his ideas from Akabaleth: World of Doom, when designing his follow-up game, Ultima, which released in 1992. The Ultima franchise is considered by many to be the most important and influential game franchise in the realm of role-playing fantasy games, as it set many of the standards that game developers use to this day.
