My Mt. Rushmore Of Video Games
Written By Ethan Schneider
Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images
The Mt. Rushmore of video games. An arbitrary title given to a medium so subjective.
Like the founding of our great country, the video game industry has had many key figures throughout its history, each different, yet all leaving a lasting impression whose impact is still felt today.
Yet the question remains: What are the most influential games of all time? What games belong on the Mt. Rushmore of gaming?
Today, I answer that question by giving my top four entries that belong on gaming’s Mt. Rushmore. In no particular order.
Not clickbait.
#4 World of Warcraft
Wow, its WoW.
All hilariousness aside, World of Warcraft is arguably the most influential game of all time.
The quintessential MMO and with 3.4 million active players, it is not slowing down anytime soon. WoW deserves to be among gaming’s greats for not only being the flag bearer of a new genre of gaming, but also having a full South Park episode dedicated to it.
It doesn’t get much better than that.
#3 Call Of Duty
Though it’s seen more as a corporate shill rather than a beloved franchise as of late. The Call Of Duty series has defined the FPS genre for a decade.
From Call Of Duty 2 to COD 4 to the Black Ops Series, Call Of Duty has left its impact on the industry, whether we care to admit it or not.
#2 Super Mario Bros.
What more needs to be said here. The Super Mario Bros. series is the very definition of video games.
A gaming Mt. Rushmore would not be complete without Super Mario Bros. With a plethora of iconic games and spinoffs, the Super Mario Bros. series are more than just video games.
They’re a phenomenon that not only saved the game industry, but redefined what it means to be a video game.
Also the jumping is good.
#1 Pac-Man
When going through the history of video games, it is impossible to ignore just how impactful the arcades were to the gaming industry.
Though the early 80s were filled with iconic games and cabinets, the one that blew up and defines the era is Pac-Man.
What Mario as a brand is today, Pac-Man was back then.
Pac-Mania was running wild, brother, and from board games to TV shows; it showed no signs of slowing.
With its impact seen less and less today, Pac-Man and the many arcade games before it paved the way for the gaming industry to rise and become an art form we can’t put down.