Thread over at the V: Most Influential Videogame Ever. Trying to avoid the feature I'm meant to be writing, so respond with this, off the top of my head. Worth repeating , as I never end up writing about videogames here.

SPACE WAR: Because it was first, and invented most of the tropes of the form - including two player games, joysticks and a science fiction setting.

PONG: Resolutely two player action. Also sports games. Also mass popularisation Pre-Space Invaders. Space-Invaders isn't included here, as most of its lessons were dealt with by either this or Space War.

PACMAN: First videogame with an actual character which you controlled. Anytime you see a videogame with a character on the Box, it comes directly from here. Noticeable for being the first game that appealed to women in any noticeable way. Admitedly, this last fact is hardly influential...

ADVENT: Invented the Adventure game and thus has influenced pretty much every single game in the world. Even action games feature adventure elements now.

ROGUE: Invented the RPG, and is responsible for all that's good and bad in the form. At the core level, there's few RPGs which are any different to this.

DONKEY KONG: Introduced Whimsy to a generally macho world and specifically Miyamoto and Mario. Without any of them, Videogames would be a different and infinitely more testosterone drenched place (Isn't it telling that the most acclaimed creator of videogames ever is such an utter wuss?).

SIM CITY: Popularised management as a concept, and pretty much invented everything connected to it. The rest can be placed at the feet of THEME PARK, which narrowly misses being included.

DOOM: Over Wolfenstein, as it was only here that the vast majority of the tropes of FPS gaming congealed. Wolfenstein was an odd and fast moving thing, like an Idiot cousin. Doom bears direct relation to the game proper. Also noticable for being the first game that was widely Modded.

DUNE 2: While it didn't actually *invent* RTS, as any Console geek will tell you, it's this which is most influential. While its relationship with its more successful sequel is similar to Wolfenstein and Doom, it managed to innovate more of the lasting elements of the form than Wolf dreamed of. In a real way, it's very similar to what people are still playing to this day. Add drag-and-click, and you've pretty much got it.

WIPEOUT: Invented videogames being sexy. Lifestyle cross-over. Dance culture. In a very real way, the most important Playstation game. Influences every single game with a modern band on its soundtrack and - culturally - things like GTA.

Thoughts on list: A little PC centric towards its arse end, but only because those two genres have dominated the PC ever since. I probably should have included the first MUD in there too, but fuck it. Have that as Number 11.