Gestures broadly: en.wikipedia.org/…/World_Video_Game_Hall_of_Fame
what video game deserves to be in a museum?
Submitted 2 days ago by Abraxas@feddit.uk to games@lemmy.world
https://feddit.uk/pictrs/image/39cbcabf-faf1-4993-8b01-c489c556daa7.webp
Comments
huxley75@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
ChaoticEntropy@feddit.uk 6 hours ago
Gris.
5inister@reddthat.com 8 hours ago
The Museum of Modern Art in New York has some games in their permanent collection: (Games in MoMA)[en.wikipedia.org/…/List_of_video_games_in_the_Mus…]
JackbyDev@programming.dev 6 hours ago
Swap the () and []! 🩵
starman2112@sh.itjust.works 14 hours 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
Jeffool@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
These three plus Doom and Shadow of the Colossus are what was I thinking.
Dasus@lemmy.world 11 hours ago
“List all notable video game characters”
Oh cmon
Might as well ask someone to list the top songs of every year since the 80’s.
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 2 days 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.
PacMan@sh.itjust.works 5 hours ago
Missing Space Invaders it started a coin shortage in Japan.
Others I can think of off the top of my head:
- Donkey Kong
- pacman
- zelda
- Halo
- Unreal Tournament
- Sonic
- GTA
- Gran Turismo
- Chrono Trigger
- Earthbound
- Castlevanna
anomnom@sh.itjust.works 13 hours ago
- Grim Fandango, Kings Quest, Monkey Island, point and click adventures are there very own beast
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.
ramenshaman@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Great list!
I would add KSP, Guitar Hero and/or DDR, and Beat Saber.
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 2 days 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 1 day ago
I would add Rogue for sure.
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day ago
I would add the OG Mortal Combat gave us the MSRP rating system.
anomnom@sh.itjust.works 13 hours 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 2 days 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 writingthere are plenty of others too, but my brain farts
Whitebrow@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Good list.
Vampire the masquerade bloodlines also deserves a honourable mention
makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml 2 days ago
Awesome effort.
-
RedFrank24@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
It depends on what your museum is trying to convey. If it’s moments of gaming history and games and consoles of significance, I’d go with:
For the earliest video games, I’d show the Tennis for Two on the DuMont Lab Ocilloscope, released in 1958.
You should also include the life of Warren Robinett, because he was the first ever game programmer to receive in-game credit for a game he made, because Atari never gave their programmers credit, but he snuck one in as an easter egg. He then went on to found the Learning Company which made all those Reader Rabbit games.
For the Crash of 1983, you have to include ET for the Atari 2600 as the posterboy, but “Pitfall!” should also be included. Pitfall was a good game, but it was the breakout hit of Activision and therefore proof that third-party video games were viable, leading to the glut of video games which, in combination with ET being such a colossal failure, caused the crash.
For the resurgence after the crash, the Nintendo Entertainment System, but specifically the one that came with the little robot to help you play games. It’s essential that you convey that Nintendo intended to sell it as a toy rather than a games console because the games market in the US had completely died in the crash, but the toy market was very much alive.
utopiah@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
Half-life: Alyx
Kolanaki@pawb.social 9 hours ago
Burger King: Sneak King
But_my_mom_says_im_cool@lemmy.world 16 hours ago
Unpopular opinion, I played Elden ring for close to 10 hours and hated it. Ugly game, saw nothing but barren wastelands, got extremely annoyed with the style of fighting and the repetitiveness. I think it’s by far one of the worst games I’ve ever played
mechoman444@lemmy.world 1 day ago
So many people in this thread just listing games they like and don’t know what museums are for.
kat_angstrom@lemmy.world 2 days ago
All of them. In the Museum of All Video Games
cosmo@lemmy.world 2 days ago
This. All of them needs to be preserved.
Strider@lemmy.world 17 hours ago
Exactly. There is no selection of which deserves it.
Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 1 day 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.
Tattorack@lemmy.world 1 day 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.
abigscaryhobo@lemmy.world 16 hours 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 15 hours 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.
mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 day 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 1 day 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.
dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 21 hours 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 1 day ago
Could make a museum for Doom alone. With all the systems it run on.
puppinstuff@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
anxiously checks that Chrono Trigger made the big list
Okay then, carry on.
S_H_K@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 hours ago
As in history, all of them
As in art?
Blasphemous.
La puta madre que belleza de juego.MojoMcJojo@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Dwarf Fortress, obviously.
FatTony@lemmy.world 11 hours ago
“It’s the best game you’re not playing.”
mechoman444@lemmy.world 18 hours ago
Et for the Atari 2600
Doom OG
GTA 3
ArsonButCute@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 day ago
All of them.
Art is art is art.
otp@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Not every single piece of art goes into a museum
ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org 1 day ago
All glory to Hareraiser!
christian@lemmy.ml 20 hours ago
I clicked your link not expecting to watch more than thirty seconds but watched the full thing, that was a great lecture.
fxomt@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days ago
Outer wilds
kwarg@mander.xyz 7 hours ago
imho, this is the most correct answer
inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 16 hours ago
Pong, Pac-man, OXO, Mystery House, Super Mario, Battlezone, Wolfenstein, Doom.
The classic pioneers.
x00z@lemmy.world 1 day ago
g00@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Also my first thought. Specifically the first one.
x00z@lemmy.world 22 hours ago
ivanafterall@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
NFL 2K5. It would be a somber memorial, a pedestal bearing a single copy of the (Xbox version of) the game, with a single spotlight shining down on it from above as it rotated. An eternal flame, possibly several, burn nearby. The walls would be digital, montages of all the memories. There would be mournful orchestral music playing, heavy on the clarinets and oboes.
Jeffool@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
And a screen where it plays YouTubers comparing it to every version of Madden for a decade-plus after. Eventually finding Madden to look better, but always finding Madden lacking in features.
ivanafterall@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
100% guarantee there are probably still YouTubers doing that in 2025. And you might be surprised how good it can look upscaled to 4K, if you haven’t tried it.
Newsteinleo@midwest.social 1 day 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.
codexarcanum@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days 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 2 days ago
Already a great book on Doom. Called Masters of Doom by David Kushner. Have the audiobook highly recommend.
Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org 1 day ago
a more tech oriented book about doom.
great read for anyone who is into programming.
GeneralEmergency@lemmy.world 1 day ago
The ICO trilogy
rimu@piefed.social 2 days 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 2 days ago
Fuck yes Total Annihilation. BAR is already amazing and last time I played it it was still in alpha.
ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 2 days 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 2 days 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.
zanyllama52@infosec.pub 16 hours ago
Do only get to pick one?
If so, Prince of Persia.
mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Prince of Persia.
but which? og? which release? I liked it on Atari ST then hated it on PC lol… but only had access to a really bad pc.
LordWiggle@lemmy.world 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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.
lemmyknow@lemmy.today 17 hours ago
None. Video games are brainrot
BigDaddySlim@lemmy.world 1 day 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✨
JackbyDev@programming.dev 6 hours ago
All of them.