16-Bit Gems #30 – Rise of the RPG: A History

Posted by Roo-CotGW on Thursday, March 15, 2012 · 63 Comments

Roo presents a retrospective on the rise of the Japanese/console RPG, running from D&D and the early PC RPGs up through Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, and discussing their impact on the genre as a whole.

Part 1: The West

Part 2: The East

kshade

Thank you for doing this right, Roo.
Anifanatic

“Hanson with music”. ಠ_ರೃ Quite.
Bruno Palacios0

I do really like the SNES, but it seems like Roo never liked the nintendo 64 in general . Just because it didn’t have that many RPG’S it doesn’t mean it was a bad console!
Ben1842

@22c12f7bd800fb19c9599cf7de711dd0:disqus While I don’t know Roo’s feelings on the N64 I think in general it was a transitional console and in many ways it hurt Nintendo. Early 3D games didn’t age well, much like early 2D games are very difficult to play now (like the aforementioned Ultima). The beginning of something new, while exciting, is often a test bed that doesn’t yield the best that medium has to offer.
Also I think in hindsight we can all agree that carts were expensive and held less memory, making them a bad choice.
That said there are still some good games on the system because Nintendo is and was one of the best developers of games and that much is hard to deny.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

True words. It’s not like I don’t like the N64 – it’s got some great games – but you have to admit it didn’t have the most expansive game library. And even less so when it comes to RPGs, which is the topic here.

Ben1842

Are you saying you didn’t enjoy Quest 64!? lol
camseyeview

Roo I agree. I wish there were more RPGs on the N64. the only real RPG i enjoy and love there is Paper Mario. i never played Orge Battle 64, but a couple people told me they didnt like it and well Quest 64 was just an unfortunate accident….

K10S

My god this series is good…
Wilson Huff

Awesome video as always Roo. You should be doing this for a living. I’m serious: the writing in your reviews is head and shoulders above a lot of so-called proffesional game sits (*cough* gametrailers *cough*)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sébastien-L-Fournier/550130369 Sébastien L. Fournier

Very well made Roo. Can’t wait for the next episode.
nomog

This was beautiful Roo: very informative, good humour and great writing! Cant wait for the next gem!
Peku

I’m not the biggest RPG-fan, but I found this video very interesting. Can’t wait for the next episode.

After all this RPG craziness, I would like to suggest Pocky & Rocky as for your next review. I really had fun with that game when I was a kid. Anyways, great job again on this retrospective. Greetings from Finland.
Rodrigomontesalvarez

the best episode, great job !!
SPac316

Great video Roo! While I somewhat had an idea with how the electronic RPG programs were influenced from,
Final Fantasy was great back then. Nowadays, I can’t stand what it has become. Final Fantasy went down hill after FFX, IMO. Final Fantasy VI will always be the best in the seires to me.
I haven’t played to much in the Dragon Quest series…or Dragon Warrior, so I couldn’t say much about it. I do enjoy DQ VIII however. I remember trying to play and Ultima and Wizardry game after playing Final Fantasy and I didn’t like them very much. Oh well…

I still have a soft spot for RPG’s though and I have dabbled a bit in table top rpg’s but didn’t get into them much. However, I’m not as much into them now as I was back then…I guess I’m burned out.

Ok, I’ll shut up now.
Haama

Awesome stuff as usual, perhaps even a tad more awesome. Looking forward to the next episode.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Devon-Dykes/100000273411294 Devon Dykes

xD I did let’s play’s of the super famicom Dragon Quests. English translated of course.
Skywatcher

Fantastic review of the RPG roots. I fondly remember both Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy on the NES.
Gost

Roo is the best you made me want to lern chinese lol .

http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Cairns/100000134061485 Mike Cairns

I hope you are trolling, I hope so effin bad you are trolling.

Nightshade

You made some progress in your japanese. I was amused when Derek ended up saying Uematsu’s quote in japanese.That was a great episode like always. Nice job.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002143491884 Kevin Mai

the name of the dragon quest character in the footage is aaaa. Great video by the way. not really 16 bit though.
Shulamana

Heh, Robert Woodhead is involved with the Council of Stellar Management for EVE Online these days (a representative group of players that are voted by the player base to present player issues to the game developer, CCP). It’s interesting to see video of him back in the day.
Garbageface

Pretty cool… can’t wait for the segments on North and South!
Earthbound_X

I’m one of the small group of Americans that likes the DQ series as a whole more then the FF series.

I think it’s like you said Roo, DQ is a rock we can always count on, while FF has changed quite a bit since FFVI.
Theklep

Roo you make solid videos, keep up the good work they are totally worth the wait.
MissAshley

Fuck yeah, Descendents of Erdrick! I was thinking about showing this to one of their guitarists while watching this, so hearing their medley during the credits freaked me out a little. XD

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

I’ve been a huge fan of theirs for over a year now (the name alone hooked me). I was able to get about half of their autographs on a CD at MAGFest, but missed out on the rest. Either way, I hope they don’t mind my using their music, but it just fit too well not too.
Everyone check them out – their rendition of Dave’s Theme (from Maniac Mansion) is amazing!

Also, thank you all for the kind words – I hope the wait was worth it!

http://twitter.com/AnimeAdam Adam Michael Szlamp

This a whole lot better then the last time, you tried talking about RPGs. And you made a few mistakes that I don’t wanna go into. You can’t say that it’s a sub genre of 2 different sides of the world because neither only make one type and though the designs between these 4 series are very different they all come from the same source and all perform the same tasks.
Rokogu

did you say DQ for SUPER Famicom?? itsnt it just on regular famicom?

cynic667

They remade them for the SuFami, DQ 1 and 2 bundeled on one cart and only 3 in an seperate release. Great remakes, comparable to the GBC Remakes that the HVGN made to the topic of a Game Quickie.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

At their core, the DQ 1&2 and 3 remakes for the GBC are exactly like the ones for the SFC… but I’ll get to that point.

You can get something of a preview by watching Derek’s Game Quickie on DQ1 for the GBC. It’s very well done.

Bob

This IS 16-bit gems after all, why would he review the famicom versions?

Vampiric

i was around right in the beginning in the micro computer days
Ted

Can I donate money to get you a decent haircut? I really love your videos and I think the appeal would be much greater if you didn’t have helmet hair. You should really be able to get a decent haircut at a salon for about $40. I’ll throw in $50 so you have money for tip, too. Can we work this out?

If you’re interested, contact the email address I used to post this comment. Really, this is not spam, just an honest offer.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

My wife loves you right now.

No donations necessary – I’ll see what I can do when I go in for my bi-yearly trim.

Mario Solis

Thank you and congratulations… what a great insight of the history of one of my favorite genre of games…
DeanWhipper

Good stuff Roo.

Always enjoy tuning in for some interesting insights and hideous shirts ahah
http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Hisey/100000752938015 Christopher Hisey

Great one.
http://www.facebook.com/foolio1990 Ryan Backlin

Love the Descendrants of Erdrick at the end, they are awesome!
Ben1842

I really enjoyed both these videos and I’m pretty sure that was Derek doing a little Japanese reading in there.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

Just a little. ;) And an awesome job at that.

http://profile.yahoo.com/MEUAJXWZ326RMDUN6GUWPGMDCU William Asbury

This is a great series (just like all your others, haha) that really tugs at my nostalgia strings while watching, being a fan of both DQ and FF. Very informative and well researched. Good job!

Don’t take this part the wrong way because I point this out with the deepest respect, but you forgot something. Maybe not, but just decided not to include it in the video. I just think you’d be remiss without mentioning a, very sadly, forgotten entry to the console RPG world that is, in fact (unless you want to argue that Adventure came first), the very first console RPG: Dragonstomper for the Atari 2600. Here’s a few info links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonstomper
http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/dragonstomper/dragonstomper.htm
http://www.atariage.com/software_page.html?SoftwareID=996

It is a game for a very popular system that needed a very forgotten accessory to run, but it’s a very ambitious title for a console that had just about everything. It’s too sad that it’s so forgotten as, I feel, that Stephen Landrum should be mentioned in the same breath as all the creators you’ve mentioned so far.

I completely mean no disrespect. Can’t wait to see the next part in the series!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

No disrespect taken – this is a topic that easily could have been a feature-length documentary. But for this format, I wanted to hit on the biggest and most influential points of the history. That includes D&D, of course, Ultima and Wizardry in the West, and DQ and FF in the East. But I’m glad you shared those links, so that more people will learn about the many other untold stories of how RPGs developed.

http://twitter.com/Leathco Chris Leathco

Also looking forward to part 3. My first RPG was Dragon Warrior. I played thru part of part 4 on the DS recently, but started over when I FINALLY got my hands on part 4 for the NES. Replaced the battery and loving it!
Sebasrs

I love your videos roo,they`re always amazing, you do a lot o research I really appreciate that, I´ve learn a lot from your stuff.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Johan-Eriksson/100000917375862 Johan Eriksson

What is the song when he first shows final fantasy 1?!?!??!?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

Pa-chow!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYJuwKlXmXQ

http://thebarkersound.com/ Alex Barker

I guess you were doing a little trolling of your own, Roo, when you said that Hanson personifies American music. . .

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the sound of MMMbop in my head.

http://www.facebook.com/billy.w.hudson Billy Hudson

mmm veggie burgers Peach tea and 16bit gems…..best combo ever
http://www.facebook.com/billy.w.hudson Billy Hudson

This is so good, it sooo good. The amount of work you had to put into this insane, and it shows. I bow to your awesome.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

Alllllright… (seriously, I can’t wait for the inevitable episode where you two meet Alright Guy yet again and he throttles you for the curse you’ve laid upon him)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001582780112 Roo Cotgw

I haven’t forgotten…

Dude Sweet

thank you

Fnord

Just a comment in regards to what is said about pen & paper RPGs in the first video: While level & class based systems are still relatively common, they are, at least across the pond, a clear minority. Most pen & paper RPGs have done away with this and instead offer a far more open ended system.

Still a great summary of the history of the genre. I’m not all that well versed in the JRPG side of things, but from what I can tell, the WRPG part was correct.
http://www.facebook.com/kawaiineru Amber Short

I remember playing Dungeons and Dragons text based games when I was small. It was rather interesting even though it’s was plain. Just had to use your imagination. x3 Never had the chance to really play anything major until I had my own Super Nintendo. I was in heaven. <3
Awesome documentary by the way. It ranks close to the Chrono Trigger one.
TheGreyProphet

Nice and informative and all, but didn’t you forget about Might and Magic? (That series was my first contact with western RPGs and will stay in a special, nostalgic place in my heart.)

I was a bit disapointed seeing only Ultima and Wizardry on the center stage for the west.
http://www.facebook.com/filijonken Alexander Filipsson

Very informative yet funny and interesting! Keep up the good work Roo.
http://twitter.com/FiftyQuid FiftyQuid

The is your best work to date Roo. I’ve watched all of your stuff, but I’ve never commented until now. Really, really fantastic work. I’m looking forward to more. Thank you for this!
Classicmetalfan22

This series is awesome! Keep it up Roo!
milky.mosaic

omg, you totally had the Happy Video Game Nerd read the Japanese. XD That was a pretty awesome cameo; and from another Japanese student, great job!
Loved the pair of videos as well, of course. Very in-depth and interesting, as well as funny at times. Great job yet again!
Menji

Great history lesson Roo. Love your videos. Hey, next time you need a westerner to read off some Japanese quotes…..give me a call. yeech.
BigPattyG

This is fantastic stuff. Exhaustively researched, engaging on a human level — pretty much exactly what I’d want in a video game history series (I do miss the Video Game Historian series on Retroware).

Also, Go Sox!!!

16-Bit Gems #30 – Rise of the RPG: A History

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