The global video games industry houses more than its fair share of creative genius, with digitally-minded auteurs regularly masterminding titles that improve all of our existences on a daily basis.
But which incredible video games mean the most to individuals who make... incredible video games? Which three titles literally changed their life?
And where better to start than with Gabe Newell? As founder of both Valve and Steam, he is a man who has perhaps done more to change the face of gaming than any other individual in the last decade.
Newell's vision has led to a much-loved and community-driven digital download network that is the envy of the entire entertainment industry, and a company which attracts more customer loyalty than any other publisher out there.
And then, of course, there are the games. Half-Life, Team Fortress, Portal; lauded by the critics as modern classics, and cited by envious peers as moments of real inspiration.
But which three video games mean most to Gabe himself... and what are the reasons behind his affection for them?
1) [Star] Trek on a Burroughs mainframe when I was in High School
2) Doom (1993)
3) Mario 64 (1996)
Gabe and Valve's newest baby, Portal 2, will be hitting PS3, 360 and PC on April 19 in the US and three days later in Europe - and it's looking a touch special. Check out our latest impressions through here.
Look out for next week's Game Changers with Media Molecule's Mark Healey...
Comments
20 comments so far...
Imaduck on 4 Apr '11 said:
A wild hippo appears!
Nah Gabe's a legend and a smart, respectable dude
LordVonPS3 on 4 Apr '11 said:
I remember playing a conversion of that version of Trek on the ZX Spectrum. The graphics were not much more than asterisks, naughts and crosses but it was still fun... Sort of.
griffa94 on 4 Apr '11 said:
why does every post about Gabe Newell always have at least one comment about his weight ¬¬ ....
theaface on 4 Apr '11 said:
It never fails to amaze me how right Nintendo got it with their transition from 2D to 3D platforming. It was pretty much like first attempt = perfection. Job done. With the arguable exception of Ocarina of Time, no other game during that entire generation came close to bettering Mario 64.
Mogs on 4 Apr '11 said:
Gabe FTW!
corkscru74 on 4 Apr '11 said:
Agreed. Mario 64 is still in my top 5 games of all time, even 15 years down the line! I think the fact the controller was designed around the game played a big part in the game's success. Was also interesting to hear that my favourite feature, the multiple tasks on each level that could be completed in any order, was down to the memory restrictions of the console.
I love you Gabe!!!
A3RO_DYNAMIK on 4 Apr '11 said:
Heres a game that might change his life forever.....Wii Fit
Sorry had to do it.
BLARRG on 4 Apr '11 said:
they should bring that feature back
tmten on 4 Apr '11 said:
so true. it's a stunning achievement and probably still the game that i've been most impressed by on first playing it. it must be how people that grew up with black and white tv felt on viewing colour tv for the first time.
of course it wasn't the first 3d game ever made, and it wasn't the first 3d game that i'd ever seen (that's the old-school type of 3d; polygonal rasterisation, not your new fangled actual 3 dimensional 3d using 3d display tech and silly glasses), but nothing came close to that sense of freedom, and to the sheer, bursting, lucidity of it all. it was like playing a dream...*
*this is what mario 64 does to me. sorry for sounding like a pretentious t**t!
RandyTandy on 4 Apr '11 said:
If you're going to make a feature out of this kind of thing, you're going to need a longer response than that from the big guys.
Balladeer on 4 Apr '11 said:
they should bring that feature back
Too right, both of you. SM64 is still the best 3D Mario for me, and possibly the best game ever, for pretty much this reason. Also because of the Wing Cap and the Jolly Roger Bay music.
gilly83 on 5 Apr '11 said:
gabe and valve ftw!
Have to agree with Mario 64 its one of the only few games when i played it i was gobsmacked (zelda OoT and HL2 being the others)
boskersrevenge on 5 Apr '11 said:
Maybe because it's a distinguishing feature?
Potatoes potahtoes in this case as I like chunky men (and I am not the only one; gay/straight - men/women in whatever combination, so for a fair few of us it's a requirement and not something bad) and this'un is rich and has good taste in games. Somehow I think he'd find a great hairy bloke such as myself a little intimidating. Especially after that famed story of this gay muscle guy who was arrested while climbing over Steven Spielberg's wall - a known stalker of Spielberg with a bag filled with kinky equipment.
Makes me chuckle every time, that - he could have made a film about it
slimify d on 5 Apr '11 said:
mario has been a solid franchise all most for every title, nintendo may have let a few things slip but that little chubby plumber keeps ticking all the boxes and to echo it again that transition was seamless.
justforkicks101 on 5 Apr '11 said:
thats tickled me lol
muscle guy with a sport billy bag of fun.. scary
Very_Silver_Ownz on 5 Apr '11 said:
haha I knew Gabe would say Mario 64. Him and Mario have a lot of things in common * cough *
murph_77 on 5 Apr '11 said:
Very_Silver_Ownz on 5 Apr '11 said:
'' why does every post about Gabe Newell always have at least one comment about his weight ¬¬ ....Heres a game that might change his life forever.....Wii Fit Sorry had to do it. ''
I'm not sure about that. I'd bet he is so overweight that he would look up cheats for Wii Fit
SuperLuigiYoshi on 6 Apr '11 said:
Given that his favourite game of all time is a Nintendo game, I don't see why he hasn't put Portal on the Wii! From what I've seen on YouTube etc it's a great game, and the Wii control scheme suits it perfectly. Use the Wii Remote to point the ASHPD, use the Nunchuck analogue stick to move, press A to jump, B to fire a portal, and Z to pick up. You could also use the C button to switch between which portal you are closing to make a new one. It's a perfect fit, so please make it!
Imaduck on 6 Apr '11 said:
Because they'd need to nerf the s**t out of ever single visual element of the game dude, right down to the portal, to such a point that it'd be pointless. Nintendo have made some great stuff, but the Wii is seriously weak technically.