Top 20 Most Influential Games
by romhoard-research ยท 2026/02/14
Games selected based on their lasting impact on game design, the genres they pioneered or perfected, and their influence on countless successors. This list focuses on games from: Nintendo GameBoy, Nintendo GameBoy Color, Nintendo GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS, SNES, NES, Game Gear, Arcade, PSP, PlayStation 1, NeoGeo, and Dreamcast.
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80
NES
Platform
Run & Jump
Quite possibly the most famous game of all time. Its momentum-based movement, side-scrolling platforming, interconnected levels, and engaging enemy design can be seen in almost any game released today. Video games are impossible to imagine without its influence.
30
30
Arcade
Puzzle
Fall
The most influential puzzle game ever made. Inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame in 2015. Sold over 520 million copies across platforms. Established portable gaming as viable when bundled with Game Boy. Inspired countless puzzle games from Dr. Mario to Candy Crush.
90
Arcade
Fighting
Versus
Credited as the most important and influential fighting game ever made. Became the best-selling arcade game post-golden era. Inspired other producers to create their own fighting series and essentially created the competitive fighting game genre.
85
NES
RPG
The original 1986 release defined open-world exploration, dungeon crawling, and item-based progression. Its game design tenets were key in defining where most action-adventure games would go in the future.
80
SNES
Platform
Perfected the formula that would combine with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night to birth the Metroidvania genre. Its semi-open world design where new abilities unlock previously inaccessible areas dominated indie game development in the 2010s.
90
90
Game Boy
RPG
Started Pokemonia and became a cultural phenomenon. Defined handheld gaming with its catch-em-all gameplay and trading features. Became a case study in long-term player engagement before live service was a term.
90
PlayStation
RPG
One of the most important games of all time. Square's move to PlayStation for CD storage capacity changed the industry. Brought JRPGs to mainstream audiences through innovative marketing and cinematic presentation. Characters like Cloud remain relevant today.
95
PlayStation
Action
Adventure
Action RPG
Platform
RPG
Combined with Super Metroid to create the Metroidvania genre name. One of the most influential action-RPGs of all time, introducing deep RPG mechanics to exploration-based platforming. Still just as satisfying to play decades later.
95
PlayStation
Action
Adventure
Shooter
Introduced stealth mechanics and interactivity unprecedented in gaming. Pioneered cinematic storytelling and voice acting quality. Pushed Hideo Kojima into global stardom and established stealth as a major genre.
90
90
Arcade
Action
Labyrinth
Thinking
The most popular arcade game of all time, selling over 400,000 cabinets. Caused long lines at arcades and spawned more clones than any other game in history. Became a global cultural phenomenon beyond gaming.
90
Arcade
Shooter
Space Invaders Like
The first fixed shooter game and first arcade title with endless gameplay (1978). Created the shoot-'em-up genre and marked the beginning of the golden age of arcade games.
80
PlayStation
Adventure
Survival Horror
Perfected the survival horror formula in 1996. Spawned countless imitators and became Capcom's biggest franchise with sequels, movies, books, and TV shows. Horror games still draw from its template today.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
SNES
The third Zelda entry is when the real Zelda formula was born. Refined the exploration and dungeon mechanics that would define the series for decades.
95
SNES
RPG
Considered the pinnacle of the JRPG genre and the greatest RPG of the 16-bit generation. Features seven time periods, multiple endings, and a deep combat system. Its influence on RPG design is immeasurable.
90
Neo Geo
Fighting
Versus
Considered the best King of Fighters entry and one of the finest 2D fighters ever made. With 38 fighters and refined mechanics, it shaped arcade fighting culture and competitive gaming throughout the 90s.
90
90
Sega Dreamcast
Adventure
RealTime 3D
A revolutionary title that offered a living, breathing open world with the FREE system. NPCs followed daily routines, weather changed, and time passed realistically. Laid the foundation for modern open-world and narrative-driven games.
80
80
Game Boy Advance
Strategy
Opened up the market for strategy games on handheld systems. According to X-COM developer Julian Gollop, it was highly influential. Won Handheld Game of the Year at the Interactive Achievement Awards.
80
80
Neo Geo
Platform
Shooter Scrolling
Run and Gun
Shooter
Considered one of the best arcade games of all time and the pinnacle of the run-and-gun genre. Combined beautiful sprite work with creative level design. The Metal Slug series set the standard for 2D action games.
90
Sega Dreamcast
MMORPG
RPG
A pioneering console MMORPG that set the stage for future online gaming experiences. The Dreamcast's built-in modem made it the first console designed for online multiplayer, and PSO proved the concept worked.
85
PSP
Action RPG
RPG
Defined the hunter genre and proved console-quality experiences could work on portables. Demanded patience and skill from players, inspiring countless successors and establishing the Monster Hunter formula.