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00:00Welcome to Mojo Plays and today we are looking at the ones that started it all. These are 10
00:12video games that started new genres. Video games adapt and move, they change and they progress,
00:18but when oil is struck, everyone wants a taste of that oil. 10 is not enough entries so we're
00:23just gonna pick out some of the highlights, but let us know yours in the comments below. Let's go.
00:28Before we continue, we publish content all week long so be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to
00:34get notified of our latest videos. Video games. Now, we promised that the other entries on this
00:40list are for actual established and interesting genres, but we couldn't begin without at least
00:44acknowledging the game that started it all, well before video games could be diced up into genres.
00:49Simulating a tennis court from the side, the game came decades before Atari, being played on an
00:54oscilloscope with two aluminum controllers. The game was displayed during a 3-day exhibition,
00:59which saw massive lines forming during almost the entirety of its display time. In 1958 if
01:05you whipped this thing out for people to play, you may as well have been performing real genuine
01:08magic because it blew minds. I would have crushed those noobs. Walking simulator.
01:20Sure, walking simulators aren't everybody's cup of tea, but they did show developers that
01:36there is a keen interest in the gaming world for narrative driven experiences,
01:39with rich and interesting plots. The emotional narrative of Dear Esther at the time was
01:44uniquely tackled through interactive gameplay and yes, despite its minimalist mechanics,
01:47it turned out to be a hit. This artistic and understated game design approach has influenced
01:52a whole heap of titles, including Journey, What Remains of Edith Finch and a bunch more,
01:57but I've only got 7 words left for this entry. Game. Good. Make good genre. Let's continue.
02:04Monster Collection. Who would have thought captivity could be this much damn fun?
02:21Launched on the Gameboy in 1996, the initial Pokemon games pioneered the monster collection
02:27genre, allowing players to assemble a team of captured creatures to battle and advance
02:32as master collectors. And battle, we did. Battle, trade, show, share, this game brought
02:37gamers together in a way we hadn't seen in a long time. It was like a Tamagotchi on crack.
02:41The Pokemon series has since inspired titles such as Temtem, Nexamon, Extinction and even
02:47Ni No Kuni. It also inspired shows like Digimon which now have their own games,
02:51so sure they took the scenic route, but nonetheless, the evidence is striking.
02:57Farming Simulator. Released this same year as Pokemon is the Farming Simulator inspired title,
03:15Harvest Moon, known in Japan, funnily enough, as Farm Story. Now I know you've enjoyed a good
03:21chunk of hours in Stardew Valley, but without this game there would be no Stardew Valley,
03:25which I guess is the point of this whole list. Anyways, although some early simulation games
03:30included farming elements with their gameplay, none could be accurately classified as Farming
03:35Simulators. The first game to truly earn this designation was the seminal farming RPG Harvest
03:41F***ing Moon baby. First Person Shooter. When it comes to video game genres, there are big
03:59genres like RPGs, subgenres like JRPGs and sub subgenres like virtual reality JRPGs,
04:05but there's no denying that the First Person Shooter holds a prominent place as one of the
04:09big main page genres, and that all started with a little game by the name of Wolfenstein 3D.
04:15You probably haven't heard of it. Since the launch of Wolfenstein 3D in 1992,
04:20the First Person Shooter genre has soared in popularity, becoming one of the most recognisable
04:25and lucrative genres in gaming. The Wolfenstein and Doom series continue to thrive, while
04:30franchises like Call of Duty, Battlefield and Halo have generated enormous revenues in the gaming
04:36industry. Roguelike. Just this morning I was playing the immaculate and intense roguelike
04:47game Returnal, and thinking to myself, what an ingenious game design this is. Well, guess what
04:53Matt from the past, you stupid chubby little twat, it all began with the aptly titled video
04:57game Rogue. With titles like Hades, Dead Cells and the recently released Rogue Legacy 2 achieving
05:03commercial and critical acclaim, it's hard to argue that the roguelike genre isn't flourishing
05:07as an enjoyable and continually growing game genre. Roguelike games are characterised by
05:12their randomly generated, procedurally created levels and a permadeath system that erases all
05:17progress when a player is defeated. When I was a kid, we just called this not having a memory card
05:21for your PS1. Soulslike. Damn you demon souls you high blood pressure inducing piece of absolute
05:39magic. If you've ever found yourself taking 5 steps back from your playstation before you kick
05:45its chest through its back, chances are you were playing a souls game. With the success of the Dark
05:49Souls series, the genre has exploded with games like Bloodborne, Sekiro Shadows Die Twice and
05:55Elden Ring, but it all started with the recently remade masterpiece Demon's Souls. The soulslike
06:00genre is distinguished by its environmental storytelling, challenging difficulty, interconnected
06:05areas and focus on boss battles. Also, an inexplicable higher rate of broken controllers.
06:10Metroidvania
06:29It's no surprise that the aptly named Metroidvania genre was inspired by Metroid and Castlevania,
06:35both released in 1986 just a month apart. These games collectively established the genre's
06:40foundations. The Metroidvania genre is characterised by expansive, interconnected world
06:45maps with initially inaccessible areas that become explorable as players acquire new abilities such
06:51as double jumping or underwater swimming. Think Wizards and Warriors 3. Think Hollow Knight. Think
06:56about the fact that your tongue is too big and your skin is itchy. Battle Royale
07:05Technically, the Battle Royale genre began as mods for games like Minecraft, inspired by films such
07:22as Battle Royale and The Hunger Games. However, PUBG was the first dedicated Battle Royale game,
07:27propelling the genre to its current widespread popularity. Without PUBG,
07:32there would be no Fortnite. Yeah, got your attention now, huh? The Battle Royale genre
07:37has players collectively entering a designated area that shrinks in size as the game continues,
07:42forcing players to move towards a smaller and smaller location. All equipment is collected
07:47during the match, allowing players to start with the same parameters. It's 8 part skill,
07:522 part luck and a whole lot of sweat, fear and fun.
07:54Platformers
08:07While the 1978 action game Frogger was the first to feature a jumping mechanic,
08:18a fundamental aspect of platformers, Donkey Kong was the first true platformer. This game
08:23not only established the platforming genre, but also introduced two of its most iconic characters,
08:28Mario and Donkey Kong, right from the start. Donkey Kong walked so Crash Bandicoot could run,
08:33and for that, we thank it deeply. He's bigger, faster and stronger too.
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