All of them. In the Museum of All Video Games
what video game deserves to be in a museum?
Submitted 3 weeks ago by Abraxas@feddit.uk to games@lemmy.world
https://feddit.uk/pictrs/image/39cbcabf-faf1-4993-8b01-c489c556daa7.webp
Comments
kat_angstrom@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
cosmo@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
This. All of them needs to be preserved.
Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
I came here to say this exact same thing. Videogames are an art form, and the history of that art should be preserved, both the successes and the failures. People should be able to look back on what was a hit and what was flop, on the ideas that worked and the ones that didn’t, on the well made games and the badly made games. All of it matters, all of it is part of the same story.
Strider@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Exactly. There is no selection of which deserves it.
fxomt@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
Outer wilds
kwarg@mander.xyz 3 weeks ago
imho, this is the most correct answer
codexarcanum@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
Doom
I could write an essay significantly larger than the game itself and it wouldn’t be as powerful of an argument as just saying the name with the weight of legacy it commands.
Fredselfish@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Already a great book on Doom. Called Masters of Doom by David Kushner. Have the audiobook highly recommend.
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
a more tech oriented book about doom.
great read for anyone who is into programming.
x00z@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
g00@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Also my first thought. Specifically the first one.
x00z@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
mechoman444@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
So many people in this thread just listing games they like and don’t know what museums are for.
rimu@piefed.social 3 weeks ago
To get the obvious out of the way: Pacman, Doom 2, Starcraft, Simcity 2000, Civ 3. All genre-defining milestones.
Total Annihilation. They're still making sequels today (Supreme Commander, Beyond all Reason).
ramenshaman@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Fuck yes Total Annihilation. BAR is already amazing and last time I played it it was still in alpha.
ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Civ 3? Outside of introducing strategic resources, it is difficult to think of what innovation Civ3 brought to the franchise. Civ 2? Absolutely. Civ 4? I can totally see it. What makes Civ 3 stand out?
If anything, Civ1 should be the milestone for creating a genre.
rimu@piefed.social 3 weeks ago
Civ 3 was the first one I played so it sticks in my mind the most, that's all. Any of the Civs would be fine.
I do feel like Civ 3 was a big step up in visual effects, though.
MojoMcJojo@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Dwarf Fortress, obviously.
FatTony@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
“It’s the best game you’re not playing.”
ArsonButCute@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
All of them.
Art is art is art.
otp@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Not every single piece of art goes into a museum
ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
All glory to Hareraiser!
christian@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
I clicked your link not expecting to watch more than thirty seconds but watched the full thing, that was a great lecture.
Tattorack@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Hmm… Good question… They’ll have to be the kind of videogame that was the first to do something, or set the standard for something, or has had a huge, long lasting cultural impact that can still be felt today.
So in that hypothetical museum I’d nominate:
- Pong.
- Tetris.
- Donkey Kong arcade game.
- Super Mario.
- Super Mario 64.
- Crash Bandicoot
- Metroid (the first one).
- Castlevania (the original one).
- Hollow Knight.
- Mario Kart.
- The Legend of Zelda (the first one).
- TES III Morrowind.
- TES V Skyrim.
- Doom (the original one).
- Half Life.
- Counter Strike (the original one).
- Ultima.
- Ultima Online.
- Dune (the RTS game).
- Warcraft.
- World of Warcraft.
- Age of Empires II, perhaps alongside the Definitive Edition.
- Sid Meier’s Civilisation (the first one).
- Final Fantasy (the first one).
- Chrono Trigger.
- Minecraft (as much as I hate it).
- Elite (the first one).
- Wing Commander Privateer Gold.
- 3D Space Cadet Pinball.
mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
I would actually include both the original Castlevania and Metroid then follow it up with Symphony of the Night. Show the original Castlevania game to establish the series, then show Metroid which has the exploration and backtracking with new abilities. Then show SOTN, which shows the combination of the two (effectively establishing the entire Metroidvania genre). Then show a game like Hollow Knight or Ori and the Blind Forest, which goes on to embody the genre several decades after it has been established.
Zelda is a good one, and I’d follow it up with something like Okami, which follows the same dungeon formula in a radically different setting and art style. Again, showing the genre’s establishment, then showing how it can be adapted.
For Final Fantasy, I’d also include FFX, which follows a very similar turn-based playstyle. Maybe include a Dragon Quest game somewhere in there too, as that series tends to stick to the same basic gameplay formula. Then I’d take it in a different direction and show something like Bravely Default, which is still technically turn-based, but also has additional elements layered on top.
I’d chase Super Mario 64 with something like A Hat In Time. Again, showing the establishment of the 3D platformer, then showing the elements in use elsewhere.
You have Ultima on here, which I agree with. But I’d probably break the display for it into two different halves: For the RPG half, I would include some more tabletop-inspired games here too, as the early game devs were largely tabletop game fans who were simply adapting their favorite games into digital settings. Games like Fallout 1/2, or Baldurs Gate.
For Ultima’s one-point-perspective dungeon-crawling, following it up with something like Persona Q or SMT: Strange Journey could be impactful to show how it was adapted to more modern games.
aesthelete@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I think some representative of mobile gaming should be on this list (as much as I hate them). Probably either Candy Crush or Angry Birds.
There should also be a motion gamer entry somewhere on here like Wii Sports or something.
And maybe a casual gamer entry…like the Sims maybe (the first one).
Relatedly, I think we’re still waiting for a VR or AR game that anyone gives a real shit about.
abigscaryhobo@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Most of these I get, but idk about hollow knight unless it’s a part of the “Metroid/Castlevania” exhibit. It’s a good game but idk if it’s quite “museum” status.
Tattorack@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
It would be part of the Metroidvania section, because it’s probably one of the best modern takes on it, and it has and currently is spawning quite a number of copy-cats.
dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
On the home-gamer gameplay side, this is a solid list. On the technology side, I think there’s even more that makes sense for a curated museum tour. There were big leaps made in arcade tech through the 80’s and 90’s that were pushing all manner of graphics and sound, head-and-shoulders above the previous generation.
Sega’s “super scaler” boards come to mind, allowing for games like Hang-on, Outrun, and After Burner. Digitized sound samples started with Sinistar and Tempest. Dragon’s Lair amazed everyone with an interactive LaserDisc experience. There were also notable forays into AR with Time Traveler, and VR with Virutality. Lastly, we have the fully-enclosed and immersive cockpit of early Battletech simulators.
pcrazee@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
Could make a museum for Doom alone. With all the systems it run on.
puppinstuff@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
anxiously checks that Chrono Trigger made the big list
Okay then, carry on.
huxley75@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Gestures broadly: en.wikipedia.org/…/World_Video_Game_Hall_of_Fame
RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
All of them.
jewbacca117@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Rogue Warrior?
RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I said all of them, so yes.
LordWiggle@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
EA games deserve to be in a museum.
Because everyone needs to remember how a company can exploit their customer base with money grab schemes like loot boxes, pay to win junk and empty unplayable shells which need loads of expensive dlc’s to make it even a little playable.
There should also be an entire wing for never finished bug simulators.
The area with actual proper games would be tiny. But it should include the old age of empires 2, city skylines 1, Kerbal space program 1 and everything from Larian studios.
SereneSadie@lemmy.myserv.one 3 weeks ago
Age 2 is actually in a museum now. Larian’s games are overhyped, and even KSP went bad the moment Squad sold out to Tencent.
LordWiggle@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I’ve finished BG3 6 times now, had a lot of fun playing Divinity 2 and am now playing divinity 1 couch coop with a friend. Their games are actually properly built, with loads of well written storylines.
The reason why it became so over hyped is because people got angry at all the other studios because Larian actually delivered properly built games worth their money. Same with Schedule 1. The game is fun but should be average compared to other games. But it isn’t average, the rest is just complete money-grab bug simulator junk.
GeneralEmergency@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
The ICO trilogy
BigDaddySlim@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Bioshock
Halo: Combat Evolved
Fallout New Vegas
Also, cynical answer is also whatever current mobile game is making a bazillion dollars right now because ✨capitalism✨
Manzas@lemdro.id 3 weeks ago
Half-life, or any source game along with minecraft.
drasglaf@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
One that comes to mind is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
Zukial@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Limbo.
I really like the atmosphere. They created so much with such an minimalistic graphic style.
Factorio.
I don’t know where to start. Overall a great example that some people like to optimize and put way more effort into this game than their job. Zeitgeist?
Onyxonblack@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Well it’s certainly not Elden Ring, and it doesn’t matter how pretty the Thumbnail is. No DLSS or any of the other options is frankly just laughable.
Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 weeks ago
Objects in museums don’t have to be there because of the art, but also cultural/historical significance. Elden Ring and the rest of Fromsoft’s Soulsborne games definitely deserve to be in the video game museum.
prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
Do you think “art” only means “pretty pictures”?
Waryle@jlai.lu 3 weeks ago
What a bad take. Do you also think the Seven Samurai movie shouldn’t be in a museum because it’s not IMAX?
Twinklebreeze@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
And there’s no CGI.
skulblaka@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Dwarf Fortress is, in fact, in a museum.
Ashiette@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
For me, it has got to be tetris. It is still thriving, even today. Anyone can understand the base concept and play it : it’s simple and enjoyable, anywhen. Plus, it runs on remotely anything.
starman2112@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
This is a more complex question than just “what is your favorite video game,” or “what games do you consider works of art?”
If I’m putting a game in a museum, it’s because there’s something about it that warrants preservation on a greater level than other games. To that end, my candidates are
- Pong (1972)
The first commercially successful video game.
- Tetris (1985)
Arguably the most influential game of all time
- Rollercoaster Tycoon (1999)
Handcrafted in assembly, serves as a lesson both in optimization and harnessing the players’ penchant for finding intrinsic value in simplistic game mechanics
Newsteinleo@midwest.social 3 weeks ago
Mario 3 Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Minecraft Portal The original DOTA that was built on Warcraft 3 World of Warcraft
I choose these games not because they are good but because they had massive impacts on video games. Except for Mario 3, that ones just the GOAT.
b161@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
Tomb Raider.
Saleh@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
There is video game museums already:
Thoath@leminal.space 3 weeks ago
E.T. for Atari
tamal3@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Ocarina
fartsparkles@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.
Also what’s the game in the screenshot?
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
My then-girlfriend-now-wife and I went to a temporary video game exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image. A lot of the mainstays you’d expect were there, particularly from the arcade era, including ground-breaking titles like Dragon’s Lair (which is fascinatingly beautiful and a bad video game at the same time). At one point, one of the signs mentioned moving on from vector graphics, which my wife had no idea what that meant, so I immediately looked around for an Asteroids machine. You don’t really get how one of those games looks unless you’re playing on the genuine article. That’s the kind of thing that probably ought to be in a museum most.
I recently went to Galloping Ghost in Illinois, which is now the world’s largest arcade. It’s got nearly every arcade game you can think of, and they do a good job fixing them up. They have an F-Zero AX machine. I’ve always wanted to play one of those. I went to Galloping Ghost two years in a row, and it was broken both times. Turns out they’re having trouble sourcing the displays. As you go around the place, most machines are working, but even only a year later, more of them had display problems. I imagine even just getting regular old CRTs is going to make this kind of thing way harder as time goes on, and a good CRT does affect how these old games look, because they were designed for them. This is the kind of burden I’d expect a museum to take on.
P1k1e@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Black and White
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
tetris, because it is tetris
pong, and probaly other examples of early home console games
wolfenstein3d, doom, quake, quake3, doom3 because all of them were technical milestones, had lasting impact on the industry and they show the rapid advancement of pc gaming in the 90s and 2000s
the elder scrolls series, as a simmiliar showcase.
final fantasy 1, 6 and 7, as a showcase of jrpgs through various generations and the fmv of 7 and onwards were imho precursors of 3d rendered movies.
half-life, because of the impact of it’s scripted set pieces and its level design
counter-strike and starcraft, as the games that probably gave us professional e-sport.
dota, because its for mobas what doom is for first person shooters.
deus ex and thief, pioneered the “immersive sim” and they are great showcases of the interactive nature of games
Pokémon, cultural impact can’t be denied and the trading aspect is a great example of a non traditional multiplayer experience
various Mario Games, but definitely Mario Bros. Super Mario World and Mario 64 and probably Galaxy as a showcase of the evolution of plattformers in 2d and 3d, maybe throw a spyro or banjo kazooie in there.
Grim Fandango, Kings Quest, Monkey Island, point and click adventures are there very own beast and often feature actual memorable characters. I definitely think more often about Manny Calavera than i do about Gordon Freeman or any Morrowind NPC, even though i played half-life and Morrowind much more than Grim Fandango
Minecraft
super meat boy, fez, hollow knight… lots of interesting indie games and they show how much more accessible game development has become.
Prince of Persia and karateka, the way they were animated alone would be enough, but they also featured an actual story, they were interested in showing and featured music used simmiliar to a movies soundtrack.
probably much more
games that are a product of a very localized culture (gothic could not have been made anywhere else but the ruhrarea for example)
the whole military complex is missing (from Mil Sims like Operation Flashpoint to actual recruitment vehicles like Americas Army)
more modern games, which i just don’t know or that have not been rattling around in my brain for long enough, but baldurs gate 3, the last of us, or alan wake would probably end up on my list in a couple of years.
ramenshaman@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Great list!
I would add KSP, Guitar Hero and/or DDR, and Beat Saber.
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
Kerbal Space Program is awesome :)
Videogames are still a young medium, very diverse and changing so rapidly, that i feel like there is no established canon of ‘classics’ or ‘high impact’ works. We’ll probably end up with dozens of lists like this in such a topic, and might end up without a single game that made it onto all of them, besides tetris.
if a simmiliar question was asked in a movies community i’d bet any list with more than 10 entries would include metropolis, nosferatu, citizen kane and star wars, just because those are widely agreed upon movies that had an impact.
jawa21@piefed.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
I would add Rogue for sure.
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
oh, absolutely, rogue and nethack, they are the foundation of crpgs and dungeon crawlers.
i just fear we’d need increased security to break up the fight between groups with various definitions what ‘roguelike’ means.
Dremor@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Shadow of the Colossus should be in there too. It has pioneered orchestral music in video games and gad a huge impact on them as a whole.
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
shadow of the colossus seems like a great game, but i’ve never heard its music referenced as pioneer work, what did it different in that department?
knight_alva@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I would add the OG Mortal Combat gave us the MSRP rating system.
anomnom@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Probably shouldadd Mike Tyson’s Punchout, Tekken 2, and Marvel vs Capcom.
Double dragon, Street Fighter, the original Simpsons arcade game.
kurcatovium@piefed.social 3 weeks ago
Amazing list. I personally would add couple games, that defined my "gaming hobby":
- XCOM/UFO: Enemy Unknown - not sure how this fits in the list, but it was ground breaking for me: perfect blend of micro- and macro management, strategical decisions, tactical battles, what a great game and so much memories of it (and I'd put honorable mention of Jagged Alliance 1&2 here, 'cause they are very similar concept)
- Civilization - genius idea, one of the 4X pioneers, easy to pick up, hard to master, and so much replay value; its overall depth is quite a feat, especially given it's from 1991, no wonder the franchise is still alive and well now
- Fallout - esp. 1 & 2 might not be the best gameplay-wise, but their world building, characters and atmosphere are excellent... and everyone knows the legendary intro "War, war never changes..."
- Planescape: Torment - similar to above, amazing world, unbelievable story, one of a kind game
- Gothic - mainly 1&2 were simply awesome, there are no barriers (ahem), the world is your to explore, but it's deadly so you have to plan your progress, nothing is streamlined for you; I can't remember different game with such a vibe (other than piranha bytes later production)
- VtM: Bloodlines - kind of similar to Deus Ex, but also taking from the table top; and in my book it has THE best atmosphere of all the games I've played
- Witcher - this might be just European thing, but playing especially W1 felt kind of like folklore fairy tale from childhood turned into pretty grim adult game
- Disco Elysium - this is probably the only "sort of new" game that I've played and which definitely deserves a place in the list, great characters, amazing story and writing
there are plenty of others too, but my brain farts
Whitebrow@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Good list.
Vampire the masquerade bloodlines also deserves a honourable mention
anomnom@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Maniac Mansion was the OG in the category, at least with graphics.
Must deserves a place for is graphics too, even if it was mostly static renderings.
makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
Awesome effort.
PacMan@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Missing Space Invaders it started a coin shortage in Japan.
Others I can think of off the top of my head:
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
yes, arcade stuff is lacking on my list. The few i have played where mostly on an atari 2600 and simmiliar home consoles way after the fact and the only arcade i’ve ever seen was in a holiday resort thingy :D
Zelda: yep, was surprised there was no mention of it after i looked over my “finished” list, original Zelda and ocarina of time should probably be there, maybe a link to the past. did not play breath of the wild, so don’t have an opinion on it. But zelda -> atlp -> ocarina of time is a nice showcase of 2d games transitioning to 3d, and the item based exploration and progression is found in a lot of games.
halo: i am not a console shooter guy and on pc it felt like a very good game, but atleast to me not ground breaking. through the lense of console shooters it’s probably a huge milestone.
unreal tournament: if i’d be listing my favourite games it would be there. but it did not have the impact on e-sport cs or the quakes had so it would be another technical showcase. the unreal engines became very important however.
sonic: yes, at the very least to show another take on plattformers.
gta: yeah, 3 onwards as blockbuster movie equivalents. don’t ask me why they are not on the list, no idea.
gran turismo: if we include simulators, we should also list a bunch of microprose work, richard burns rally, the microsoft flight simulators and so on. Definitely an interesting section of gaming, but not one iam part of so hard to tell what to include for it.
chrono trigger: yeah, my list lacks non western games and chrono trigger deserves to be there simply because of its ambitious scale and the fact that its one of the greatest games i’ve ever played, what was i thinking?
earthbound: never played it :(
castlevania: the early metroids and later castlevanias for what we know as “metroidvanias” today. I’ve played castlevania 1 and 2 and there is not much of what makes metroidvanias in them. fun games though.