Why do we like some types of games more than others? How much do the games we have played in the past influence the games we will play in the future? To find out, I decided to create a “Family Tree” of my own gaming influences.

As you will see, there are a few notable holes in my gaming history–namely RPG, and Turn-Based\Real-Time Strategy games. I feel like I have missed out on a huge part of gaming just from those categories alone. I was lucky to get an NES in 1989, and a Sega Genesis in 1996. I never even had an SNES, and my first “gameboy” was a Nintendo DS I acquired just recently. Needless to say I’ve primarily been a PC gamer, playing whatever I could get my hands on that didn’t strain my family’s ramen-budget.

I absolutely love RPGs. Some of them can be intimidating, but the gameplay and story elements make for a compelling experience. Unfortunately, I had no idea that they existed, save for that lone Dragon Warrior game I played one time while staying at a friend’s house. Phantasy Star, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, all were lost to me. On the PC, I did eventually find the expansive Baldur’s Gate, which claimed every spare minute of my time while I was playing it.

Graeme and others have tried to get me into Turn-Based-Strategy-type games. They all have experiences going all the way back to SimCity. Something about those games cause my mind to recoil in horror. I’m bad enough at multitasking as it is, and now I have to tend to an entire civilization and their religions, politics, armies, and technology? They seem like a lot of fun at the macro level, but I always feel like I have jump in a raging river and swim upstream as all the possibilities swarm me. Time will tell.

My strongpoint is in narrative-driven or action-type games. I love a good story, and I love action–if you combine the two, I’m in heaven. One of the most excellent games to achieve this fusion is Beyond Good & Evil. There is still a part of me that clings to the hope that they will make a sequel.

I would love to go on and on about each game on my list, but I’ve already spent enough time on this feature as it is, so without further ado I present my Gaming Family Tree:

Travis Discovers Gaming

  • PC: Ace of Aces
    • PC: Microsoft Flight Simulator
    • PC: Mach 3
    • ARCADE: Space Invaders
      • ARCADE: Galaga
        • TI86: Phoenix
      • PC: Tyrian
        • PC: Fire Fight
          • PC: Mindrover
  • PC: Test Drive
    • ARCADE: Outrun
      • ARCADE: Daytona USA
    • GEN: Road Rash 3
    • N64: San Francisco Rush
      • GCUBE: Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
  • PC: Artillery
    • PC: Gorillas.BAS
      • PC: Worms Armageddon
        • PC: Gunbound
        • N64: Worms Armageddon
    • PC: Gearheads
  • PC: Wolfenstein 3D
    • PC: DOOM
      • PC: DOOM II
        • PC: Quake I
          • PC: Quake II
            • PC: Unreal
              • PC: Unreal Tournament
                • PC: Quake III
                • PC: UT 2004
              • N64: 007 - Goldeneye
                • GCUBE: Metroid Prime
                  • GCUBE\PC: Beyond Good & Evil
                  • PC: Deus Ex
            • PC: Soldier of Fortune
              • PC: Call of Duty
          • PC: QuakeWorld
            • PC: Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory
            • PC: Team Fortress 2
        • PC: Duke Nukem 3D
          • N64: Duke Nukem 3D
            • PC: MDK
              • PC: Prey
                • PC: Portal
        • PC: Necrodome
      • PC: Chex Quest (!)
  • VIC20: Pirate Cove (Text Adventure)
    • PC: Zork Adventure Series
      • PC: Various MOO/MUDs
        • PC: Gemstone III
          • PC: Ragnarok Online
            • PC: World of Warcraft
        • PC: Alphaworld
          • PC: There.com
            • PC: Second Life
    • PC: Leisure Suit Larry 1
      • PC: Leisure Suit Larry 3
      • PC: Maniac Mansion
        • PC: Day of the Tentacle
          • PC: Normality
            • PC: Syberia (I & II)
              • PC: Still Life
              • PC: Paradise
      • PC: Myst
        • PC: Riven - The Sequel to Myst
          • PC: Myst III - Exile
            • PC: Myst IV - Revelation
              • PC: Myst V - End of Ages
              • Uru: Ages Beyond Myst
  • NES: The Legend of Zelda
    • NES: Dragon Warrior IV
      • NES: Shadowrun
        • PC: Baldur’s Gate
          • PC: Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
      • GEN: Star Control II
        • PC: FreeSpace 2
    • N64: Zelda - The Ocarina of Time
      • WII: Zelda - Twilight Princess
  • NES: Donkey Kong Jr.
    • SNES: Donkey Kong Country
      • GCUBE: DK Jungle Beat
  • NES: Ninja Gaiden
    • NES: Double Dragon II
      • GEN: Mortal Kombat
        • ARCADE: Street Fighter II
    • NES: Ikari Warriors
      • NES: Contra
      • NES: Super C
  • NES: World Class Track Meet
    • ARCADE: Dance Dance Revolution
  • PC: Alley Cat
    • PC: Mario Brothers
      • NES: Super Mario Bros.
        • NES: Super Mario Bros. 2
          • NES: Super Mario Bros. 3
            • SNES: Super Mario World
              • N64: Mario 64
                • N64: Mischief Makers
                • GCUBE: Super Mario Sunshine
                  • WII: Super Mario Galaxies
                • N64: Super Smash Bros.
                  • GCUBE: Super Smash Bros. Melee
                    • WII: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
        • TI86: SQRXZ
        • GEN: Toejam & Earl
          • GEN: Toejam & Earl 2 - Panic on Funkatron
        • NES: Metal Storm
          • NES: NES: Metal Mech
          • NES: Kabuki Quantum Fighter