Polygon has compiled a list of 13 of the most influential video games of the past 45 years, examining how seemingly simple games fundamentally shaped the entire medium:

– Pac-Man (1980): Demonstrated the power of mascot characters to attract players and inspire cultural relevance; remains a pop-culture icon across multiple platforms.
– Rogue: Pioneered the roguelike and roguelite genres by introducing permadeath and procedurally generated worlds, fundamentally changing how players approach resource management and risk.
– Zork: A text adventure that gave players unprecedented freedom to explore environments with sophisticated vocabulary and humour, paving the way for modern adventure games.
– Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord: Introduced the first-person RPG with party-based combat and character classes, establishing foundational mechanics for the entire JRPG genre.
– Tetris: Proved that even the simplest game concept—falling blocks—could create a lasting cultural legacy and appeal to a broad audience.