Gen X got to play some legendary games that went on to set the standard for video games in the decades that followed.
Before the time of Generation X, video games were mostly just toys that were kept in the closet with the rest of the kids’ things, if they even existed. Between 1965 and 1981, video games became very popular. Generation X was also the right age to see the rise of Nintendo in the early 1980s.
Most boomers were too old to get hooked on video games in the 1970s and 1980s, when cable TV and VHS were the cool new things for adults. But the Atari was always in the background, and when the console wars started the next decade, the digital genie was out of the bottle and could never be put back.
Duck Hunt (1984)
In the 1990s, one of the most popular types of video games was the first-person shooter, but it all started with Duck Hunt. Back in the day, many of the first Nintendo game consoles came with a light gun, so most Boomers bought this for their Gen X kids by accident.
What came next was a surprise hit that made fun of hunting games in a satirical way. Even on the hardest setting, the game was easy, and almost all Gen Xers will recognize the sound of that dog laughing.
Super Mario Bros. (1983)
The kids who had a copy of Duck Hunt that included the light gun, Rob the Robot, and two more games, one of which was Super Mario Bros. Older Gen Xers would have known that this was a follow-up to Mario Bros, which was a popular two-player arcade game, and that it had some of the same features. One important difference is that you didn’t have to have a second player.
This strange, exciting, and colorful video game made Nintendo a household name and brought new words into the English language, like “sidescroller” and “2D platformer.”
Ghosts N’ Goblins (1985)
Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins was one of the first horror games, and it set the stage for later games like Castlevania. Most players were surprised by how hard it was, how simple but exciting the story was, and how scary the design and setting were.
For those who noticed or cared about the plot, it was about how brave Sir Arthur fought his way through a hellscape full of zombies, demons, ghosts, and other monsters to reach Astaroth, also known as Satan or Lucifer. Another interesting fact is that once the player beats the boss at the end, they are sent back to the beginning because the first run was a “illusion.” That’s a real story that really happened.
Asteroids (1979)
When it came to video games, Gen X got the best of both worlds. There were consoles and home games like Pong, but there were also games in the arcade. This was a holdover from the Baby Boomer era, when video games were something you did outside the house.
Asteroids was one of the games that was brought to the Atari home consoles. It was the kind of game that didn’t need a story, a main character, a soundtrack, or even different colors. It was easy to get hooked on, and the idea of a fixed point that needs to be defended instead of an offensive position would be used in other games like Galaga and Happy Wheels.
The Legend Of Zelda (1986)
The Legend of Zelda is the game that most MMORPGs and stand-alone fantasy video games are based on, and Generation X was the first to play it. It had some RPG elements, but mostly it was an adventure game. It worked so well that it grew into a huge franchise with books, maps, and a whole library of Zelda and Link’s adventures.
Not only did players find themselves with little or no backstory when they collected weapons and gear or explored the vast, mysterious forest. Players who read the rather thick manual learned some of the history and lore of Hyrule, as well as the meanings and stories behind some of the strange names and places in the forest.
Castle Wolfenstein (1981)
Most people think that Castle Wolfenstein came before Doom, but that’s only true when it comes to the story. Both games are about sneaking into Nazi strongholds and stealing or finding powerful artifacts, but one is a pure FPS and the other is a stealth game.
One of the first stealth games was the original Castle Wolfenstein. For players who were used to space shooters or point-and-click adventure games, it was a big change. Other games that had stealth as a part of the gameplay would carry on its legacy.
Hero’s Quest (1989)
Computer games were catching up to their console counterparts, and with a few exceptions, PC gamers were the ones playing puzzle, stealth, and point-and-click adventure games. These games would become much more complicated over time, like the Elder Scrolls series, with professions, crafting, and other ways to make each character unique.
Hero’s Quest was based on the early versions of Dungeons & Dragons, where players could choose between the Fighter, Mage, or Thief classes. The main character’s class determined their skills and abilities, and it also affected how the story went.
Final Fantasy (1987)
Even though it is old and has a simple design, fans of this popular series still look for ways to play the first game in its original form. There are many remastered versions of old games, and some of them were never released in North America, but everyone who owned a NES in 1987 got to play the very first one.
Final Fantasy was the start of what has become one of the biggest and most profitable franchises in the media world. It was one of the first turn-based RPG games where players could make their own characters, and it came out late enough that some Millennials also got to play it.
