Firsts in video games

[Devyn]

Ah, but by that definition, it couldn't be Ms. Pac-Man, for the only things indicating her to be female were 1) the Ms., and 2) the bow on her head.

I meant the title of the first female lead, but apparently I forgot to say that. Oh well. What was the first to game to feature gratuitous amounts of blood?

Maybe Splatterhouse?

[whatfruit]

I think Bubsy did some stuff like this back in 1992 (knocking on the screen when you leave him idle), though I doubt either one was first. I'd have to think something beat them both by a long while.

when was silly putty released on the amiga? I always remember if you missed a jump a cat bursting out shouting "JUST MISSED IT"

[Zethzen]

I think Parappa the Rapper is considered the first rhythm game. If not then it's the first modern rhythm game.

Street Fighter is the first game to have a more complex button input system (pressure inputs for punch/kick power), which lead to Street Fighter 2. SF2 was the first game to have the 6 button input system (LP, MP, HP, LK, MK, HK), which was then adopted by almost every other studio out there when making fighting games. I think it was also the first game to have special moves and then super moves deriving from button combinations (for just the fighting genre that is).

[SoloGamer]

Street Fighter is the first game to have a more complex button input system (pressure inputs for punch/kick power), which lead to Street Fighter 2. SF2 was the first game to have the 6 button input system (LP, MP, HP, LK, MK, HK)

Actually, the pressure pads were only in the original location test versions. Capcom ditched the pressure pads due to abuse from players (one player apparently drop kicked it to try and get a high score in a test of strength bonus game) and went with the six button format.

[DarkClark]

Lego Starwars was the first lego game to get decent ratings!

mario rpg the first rpg with mario!

shadow the hedgehog was the first sonic game/spinoff that had cursing. It was kind of funny and weird to hear a hedgehog curse every time they got killed. No it wasn't hardcore stuff, but compared to the other sonic games this was quite naughty! Especially when they told Robotnik to go to hell... that kinda seemed out of place.

Super Paper Mario this first paper mario game that was too short and easy.

What was the first system to use disks!?

What was the first A-rated (or should have been) game? What was it about?

[The Author]

Kid, get better firsts, I mean, Kid Icarus was the first game to feature Pit!!!

It just doesn't work.

[Fray]

I think The Ancient Art of War is supposed to be the first RTS.

I think Catacomb 3D was the first game with texture mapped walls, followed very shortly by Wolfenstein 3D.

Was Defender the first side scrolling shooter?

The Magnavox Odyssey was the first game system to have exchangeable cartridges.

Did Narc come before Splatterhouse? Narc is the first really bloody game I remember seeing in arcades. Once again I'm sure some obscure C64 or Atari title did it earlier

Punch Out is the only arcade game I've ever seen that responds to you pulling the joystick up (i.e. as if you were yanking it out of the cabinet). Were there others?

Wikipedia claims centipede to be the first arcade game with a substantial female player base. That's kind of a fuzzy first, but not the first time I've heard the game was unusually popular with the ladies.

AFAIK Excitebike was the first NES game to offer a builtin level editor.

Night Trap is supposed to be the first game to use FMV with live actors (obviously Dragon's Lair had FMV long before, but it was animated -- not sure if it was the first one).

Final Fantasy 7 was the first RPG to be played by jocks.

TBH I think a lot of the firsts people are mentioning have been done ages before in games for PC, Commodore, Atari, etc., albeit in a much more crude way. I don't really think Harvest Moon or FF7 really offered many truly new gameplay features. The ones from the 80s - early 90s are a bit more believable.

Edit: I think one of the Phantasy Star games (I think III was the one that did it) was the first RPG to progress through multiple generations.

[linkspast]

MGS : First (and only) to refer back to the box to progress the game.

[Fray]

MGS : First (and only) to refer back to the box to progress the game.

Interesting...

In the golden age of copy protection, there were quite a few games that made you refer to the instruction booklet or a "journal" (like Pool of Radiance). But I've never heard of one making you use the actual box. I wonder if it was a copy protection attempt?

[Arek the Absolute]

Almost certain about this:

First fighting game to have a 3 v 3 team battle : King of Fighters 94.

[The Author]

Interesting...

In the golden age of copy protection, there were quite a few games that made you refer to the instruction booklet or a "journal" (like Pool of Radiance). But I've never heard of one making you use the actual box. I wonder if it was a copy protection attempt?

It was part of one of the puzzles, you needed a number there for radio frequency.

Which was also used by Star Tropic, dunno which came first. The answer was 747 in Star Tropic's case.

(you actually had to get the map wet to get the code)

[Fray]

Which was also used by Star Tropic, dunno which came first. The answer was 747 in Star Tropic's case.

(you actually had to get the map wet to get the code)

Is it just me, or was that game brutally hard?

[Brycepops]

Did Narc come before Splatterhouse? Narc is the first really bloody game I remember seeing in arcades. Once again I'm sure some obscure C64 or Atari title did it earlier

They came out the same year.

[Arek the Absolute]

Need sologamer or EasyP to confirm this, but:

First fighting game to incorporate a special that could only be used under special circumstances: Fatal Fury

POWAH GEYSAH

[AMT]

Jet Grind Radio - First cel shaded game? Parappa the Rapper could almost count, but that's not quite the same.

[SoloGamer]

Need sologamer or EasyP to confirm this, but:

First fighting game to incorporate a special that could only be used under special circumstances: Fatal Fury

I think so

Two more SNK firsts:

Fatal Fury - first fighting game to feature 2-on-1 matches

Art of Fighting - first fighting game to include taunting

[shikigami]

metroid - side scroller that forced you to move in an unthinkable direction: left

(you actually had to get the map wet to get the code)

you have no idea how many times i had to read that guy saying "dip dr. j's letter in water" until i finally realized you had to use the ACTUAL letter. it was exciting.

[The Pezman]

Too lazy to quote everyone:

Sam & Max Hit the Road - Don't chu try n tell me 'bout Sam'n Max! I played that shit when it first came out! (Really) Without sound! (Also really) But when I said "musical" I meant in the actual sense of a theatrical musical. Which also goes to whoever suggested other games. I mean... the first game to have an original song? As the OCRemix controversy over Space Invaders shows, the definition of a "song" can actually be pretty tricky.

The song I linked to was obviously done in the style of a stage musical, and when I said that this was the first game to do that I meant it in that context.

Bubsy - Oh my god, I loved this game. There were a couple of things on the box that had the character speaking about his own game, but one of the only in-game things I remember was during the introduction to the final level, where he says, "Whoa, you're still playing this thing?"

Manhole was the first game to use the CDROM media.

I agree about Samus... I don't think there's ever a love interest of any kind mentioned. This means she's not dependent upon a male to define her.

I believe Dragon's Lair was the first game to be released on Laserdisc and one of three in total, the other two being Space Ace and Dragon's Lair II.

I think Arc the Lad was the first Playstation game to use FMV.

And I think Toonstruck was the first game to combine live action and animation, Roger Rabbit style.

[Devyn]

StarTropics is an amazing game. The tropical setting, cool story, the Zelda-like gameplay, the letter (I fuckin' love it and I've used it 3 times or so), the music puzzle - Just a brilliant and innovative game that will never get enough respect. I would drink a bottle of hot sauce and/or buy beer in my underwear for a sequel.

Bubsy was a cool game as well, and it was rare that a game had so many screens per level. Those levels were both long and tall, and some had 3 or 4 routes at a time. The only thing that sucked about it was the one-hit death. That was extremely frustrating.

Dragon Warrior was my first RPG, and it came with my first issue of Nintendo power. I remember when my Dad got it for me for $15 bucks. I loved it.

MEMORRRRRIIIIIIEEEEES. LA LA.

[Shadowe]

Dunno if it's been mentioned yet but I'm pretty sure Rise of the Triad was the first FPS to feature true Level-over-level gameplay.

[Bahamut]

The first game to have a limit break system wasn't FF7. If I remember right, it was either Lufia 2 or FF6.

[shikigami]

i dont think it was ff6 so it was probably lufia 2.

via googling:

Final Fantasy VII's Limit Break system is similar to systems found in earlier games, such as Lufia II's IP Attacks and Wild Arms' Force Attacks.

moving on:

StarTropics is an amazing game. The tropical setting, cool story, the Zelda-like gameplay, the letter (I fuckin' love it and I've used it 3 times or so), the music puzzle - Just a brilliant and innovative game that will never get enough respect. I would drink a bottle of hot sauce and/or buy beer in my underwear for a sequel.

there already was a sequel, and its totally not worth it.

[Sir_NutS]

i dont think it was ff6 so it was probably lufia 2.

via googling:

moving on:

there already was a sequel, and its totally not worth it.

Final fantasy VI did have limit breaks. I know maybe you're not implying that but it might look like it.

[Neo Samus]

He (Shikigami) is right. The game was called Zoda's Revenge: Star Tropics II. It was the second to last game Nintendo released for the NES.

[Devyn]

I meant to say 'new' sequel. Yeah, StarTropics 2 was kinda missing the feel of the original. They took the 'Tropic' out of it and it just didn't have it, although the game play was good.

So, I would really like a modern take on the game.