Many games have shaped their genres. Some were so crucial that the entire genre was named after them. We present to you the 5 most important of these titles.
What was the list based on? In the history of video games, there have been many groundbreaking titles. Some of them redefined genres completely or led to the breakthrough of a new kind of game. Often, it is not so easy to define after the fact which game invented a genre, as frequently multiple games were crucial together.
In some genres, however, the influential impact of specific games is unmistakable. Namely, when the genre name can be traced back to a particular game. In the following list, we look at the five most important cases.
Musou Games
The start of this list features a perhaps lesser-known genre. Musou games are a Japanese subgenre of action games, where you fight as an overpowered hero against hordes of simple enemies. You use fast hack-and-slash attacks to wipe out entire groups of enemies. There’s no strategizing or dodging here; it’s all about the frenzy.
The originator of this genre is the video game series “Dynasty Warriors,” originally “Shin Sangokumusou.” From this, the term “Musou game” developed. Musou actually means “peerless” in Japanese, which summarizes the gameplay well.
Other representatives of the genre include Samurai Warriors, Fire Emblem Warriors, and One Piece: Pirate Warriors.
