10 Most Important Video Games Ever Made

5. The Legend Of Zelda

The Legend Of Zelda could be considered a forerunner in the role playing game (RPG) genre although it did lack a key features of the RPG element such as experience points. While the series didn't share traits like stat points or experience with its distant cousin, Zelda did provide an influence in the form of non-linear map exploration as seen in games like Final Fantasy IX.

Who would have thought that the common features it shared with that of RPGs which would later become the template for future games.

Zelda's fantasy setting, musical style and action & adventure gameplay have been adopted into many RPGs. Due to its commercial success The Legend Of Zelda helped in laying the groundwork for many non-linear games that had a fantasy RPG setting such as, Crystalis, Soul Blazer, Seiken Densetsu series, Alundra and Brave Fencer Musashi.

Zelda was largely responsible for the surge of action-oriented computer RPGs released since the late 1980s, such as the Origin Systems game Times of Lore. The Legend of Zelda series would continue to exert an influence on the transition of both console and computer RPGs from stat-heavy turn-based combat towards real-time action combat in the following decades.