The Games that made you the Gamer you are today

[Gooch]

The current gen is now so far beyond what many of us grew up with, were influenced by, and thought was capable that it almost does seem like a past life.

Obviously the games most influential to laying the foundation for making me the gamer I am today are the ones I grew up with. Most notably would be The Legend of Zelda. The sheer amount of time commitment and effort required hardened me to the demands of later games. This is probably the first game I drew maps for, called the Nintendo hotline over, and fought with friends over erased save files. However, the Sega Genesis and games like Phantasy Star II, Strider, Thunder Force II, Ghouls n' Ghosts, and Revenge of Shinobi rank as high as most other NES games. I would go over my buddies basements every day and we'd play Genesis games like it was our job. As a collective group, we'd own every console, even the TurboGraphx-16, which in our neighborhoods was unheard of.

In terms of arcade influences, games like Street Fighter II Champion Edition, Fatal Fury, Mortal Kombat 2, Samurai Showdown, and Killer Instinct got significant play time from me at the local pizza and hot dog joints, video stores, and the far as hell Enchanted Castle all the way out in Lombard. I fell in love with fighting games in this era. We'd bet on games even during those times.

[rama]

the legend of zelda
final fantasy
megaman
double dragon (arcade)
street fighter 2
ninja gaiden 2
gradius

[prosciutto]

Super Mario Bros.
Legend of Zelda
Street Fighter II the World Warrior
Metal Slug
Castlevania III
Super Metroid

I would say Final Fantasy III and Chrono Trigger but I don't play JRPG's anymore.

[Shooting Love]

Asteroids, Defender, 1942, Star Raiders, Countermeasure, Pole Position, Hang On, Super Monaco GP, Thunderforce III, Phantasy Star, Zelda II Adventures of Link, Zanac, Metroid, Guantlet, Assault, Daytona USA, Bangai-O

Jungle Hunt, Zaxon, River Raid, Spider Fighter, Aero Fighters series, Raiden II, Strikers 1945 Part II, Wonder Boy III, and Super Mario Kart all get honorable mentions (...among countless other arcade and Atari games).

[Shou]

Akumajo Dracula (FC)
Cosmic Fantasy 2 (PCE)
Final Fantasy (FC)
Final Fantasy IV (SFC)
God Slayer (FC)
The King of Fighters '97 (NEO)
The Legend of Zelda: Gods' Triforce (SFC)
Ninja Ryukenden (FC)
Phantasy Star II (MD)
Seiken Densetsu 2 (SFC)
Street Fighter II (AC)
Ultima VI (PC)
Virtua Fighter 4/Evolution/Final Tuned (AC/PS2)
Ys I & II (PC)

[bVork]

Akumajo Dracula (FC)
Final Fantasy IV (SFC)
God Slayer (FC)
The Legend of Zelda: Gods' Triforce (SFC)
Ninja Ryukenden (FC)
Seiken Densetsu 2 (SFC)

People who use moon language names for games that received domestic releases make me sad.

Ultima VI (PC)

Why 6 in particular?

[falloutboy33]

Double Dragons got me into console.
Wolfenstein 3D got me into FPS.
Battle of Britain and Chuck Yeager's Air Combat got me into PC combat flight sims.
Wing Commander II got me into space combat games.
SEAL Team and Space Hulkgot me into squad level combat games.

[Shou]

People who use moon language names for games that received domestic releases make me sad.

Why 6 in particular?

Some people are actually multilingual and played the originals.

Ultima VI was the first one I sat down and played on the PC, the level of freedom and the sheer scope of the game had an enormous impact on me.

[bbobb]

Ignore Shou... he's gay.

[Salsashark]

Super Mario Bros./Super Mario World
Zelda: ALTTP/ U.N. Squadron
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis/Sam and Max
Doom
Wing Commander 3/Under a Killing Moon
Mario 64
Final Fantasy 7/Final Fantasy 8/FFT
Ico