10 Original Instalments In Iconic Video Game Franchises You Must Play

Know your roots.

zelda sonic arkham asylum iconic video games
Rocksteady/Nintendo/Sega

After over three decades of landmark, generation-defining releases played by ever-maturing audiences, it's safe to say gaming has a comfortable element of legacy embedded within its rise to better rendering power.

What was once primitive and 2D is now bursting with voluptuous HDR charm, and whilst franchises like The Legend of Zelda and Metal Gear have aged with grace, others such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Castlevania and to some degree, Final Fantasy, have attempted to stay relevant through a number of design changes that ultimately only fractured their player base along the way.

To that degree, how much do you factor in a game's history when playing the newest instalment in any franchise? Should you seek out something from 30 years ago, just to see how it all started?

I'm saying yes, as especially in retrospect, oftentimes it's pretty damn amazing just how much developers were able to accomplish with the minimum of technical flourish. Which original instalments in iconic franchises are absolutely essential for all gamers?

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Gaming Editor
Gaming Editor

WhatCulture's Head of Gaming.