PC Games From the 1980s That Were Way Ahead of Their Time

Video games have come a long way since their early days, and it's fascinating to look back at the titles that paved the way for the ones we enjoy today. These classic games have had a lasting impact on the industry and continue to captivate players even today.

Though the impact of early video games is undeniable, board games have also had an influence on the gaming world. An example of a very influential classic board game is Candy Land, created in the 1940s and still remains popular today. Despite being almost 80 years old, the game's enduring appeal can be attributed to its simple yet addictive gameplay and colorful, whimsical design. Candy Land has inspired numerous modern variations, including Sweet Bonanza Candy Land, proving that even the oldest games can continue to spark creativity and imagination in new generations of players.

In this article, we'll look closely at some of the most influential early video game titles that have inspired the world of gaming for years.

Populous: The Birth of the God Game Genre

Populous was a game that changed everything. As the first "God game," it allowed players to control everything in the game world - from the terrain to the people living on it. Released in the late '80s, Populous was a revelation that broke new ground in strategy gaming. Players could raise and lower the land to shape the landscape, control the weather to affect their followers, and even summon natural disasters to wreak havoc on their enemies.

The game's success spawned numerous imitators and influenced the development of PC games for the next decade. Populous was a game that dared to ask what if the player could control everything, and in doing so, created a genre that would captivate gamers for years to come.

Wasteland: The Original Post-Apocalyptic RPG

Long before the desolate wastelands of the Fallout series captured gamers' imaginations, there was Wasteland. Developed by Interplay in 1988, this groundbreaking RPG was the first game to truly explore the post-apocalyptic genre. Set in the aftermath of a global nuclear war, players were tasked with navigating a dangerous and unforgiving world where every decision could mean the difference between life and death.

NetHack: The Deceptively Simple Classic

At first glance, NetHack seems like just another "roguelike" game - the player navigates a dungeon, battles monsters, and collects loot. But the brilliance of NetHack lies in its intricate details and subtle humour. The game has a seemingly endless array of weapons, armour, and magic items, each with their own unique properties and uses. And the game mechanics themselves are full of surprises - where else can you write spells with a magic marker or remove the alcohol from a potion of booze by dipping an amethyst in it?

 

Habitat: The Surprising First MMO

In a world where the internet was still in its infancy, LucasArts took a bold step and created the first massively multiplayer online game: Habitat. The game allowed players to create their own avatars and interact with each other in a persistent online world, something that had never been done before.

The early days of Habitat were chaotic, as players killed and stole from each other with reckless abandon. To prevent the game from devolving into a lawless wasteland, LucasArts banned weapons from working in towns, a lesson that other MMOs would soon learn as well. Although it only ran for two years and attracted a relatively small player base, Habitat was a prophetic experiment that paved the way for the online worlds of today.

Innovation in the gaming industry has led to the creation of countless memorable games over the years, and the ones we mentioned above are just a few. These games broke new ground, spawned entire genres, and continue to inspire developers and players alike.