In a survival game, players are usually expected to take care of not just the basic survival of their character but also their character’s needs. One of the most important needs is hunger, which leads to the necessity of finding food. The game often reminds players of this in different ways—through dialogue or UI (User Interface) elements—so the character doesn’t starve.
Now, let’s switch genres and enter the magical world of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild. Anyone who has played it knows the frustration of seeing the green stamina wheel, which shows the hero’s energy, run out just before reaching the top of a cliff, causing them to fall. Stamina is also needed for running, and it can be temporarily restored by eating cooked meals or permanently increased by solving puzzles.
Both mechanics—hunger and stamina—are based on basic human needs and abilities, which is self-explanatory. But where do they originate in video game history? These gameplay mechanics are older than many people think. They date back to an era when video games already had a large audience but rarely featured graphical interfaces, or when graphics weren’t displayed on screens at all.
This brings us to the genre of Interactive Fiction or Text Adventures. These games, to quote Sheldon Cooper [1], run on the “most powerful graphics chip in the world—our brains.” Back then, before graphical interfaces like Windows, players were greeted with a simple screen explaining what they had started, who the developers were, and a blinking cursor waiting for input. There were no cinematic introductions or detailed character presentations—players had to figure everything out themselves using manuals that came with the game and by typing commands.
This genre started at MIT in the late 1970s. Before that, games like The Cave by William Crowther were created, which later evolved into Adventure or Colossal Cave Adventure. This game made its way to MIT—though exactly how remains unclear—and was further developed by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling, and other students. This eventually led to the release of Zork in 1980. [3]
Other games in this genre followed, and in 1983, Infocom released Planetfall, written by Steve Meretzky, which became a bestseller [Source]. Later, small graphical elements were added to these games to give players a better sense of the locations and events, a blending of text and graphics that continues today. A modern example is [I] doesn’t exist, a text adventure with animated graphics, available as a demo on Steam. [Link and info in sources]
Playing these games feels similar to reading a book, but with an interactive element. Players can make choices—within the limits of the game’s design—that lead to different outcomes. Everything is presented in text form, and commands to control the character must be typed. Early text adventures often displayed only text on the screen, with simple graphics added later. Key gameplay elements included action verbs and various types of interaction, depending on the game’s structure.
Like reading a book, players must imagine much of the game world, such as environments, character appearances, and traits not described in the game. This not only creates a deeper experience but also enhances immersion. By actively participating in and imagining the unfolding world, players experience a richer gaming adventure. While today’s technology—like VR headsets—offers incredibly immersive experiences, the imagination-driven immersion of text adventures shouldn’t be underestimated. Think of reading a good book and being able to interact with its story—it’s not so far-fetched.
The slightly dramatic title of this piece highlights how people often say that Pong was the first video game. That statement is incorrect—it was simply the first commercially successful video game. William Higinbotham [2], who created the first video game in 1958, might have something to say about that. After Pong, there’s often a gap in the timeline, which should be filled with text adventures, before moving on to games with graphical interfaces.
Why does this matter?
- Some mechanics mentioned earlier, like hunger and stamina, originated in text adventures and influenced later games.
- More importantly, text adventures laid the foundation for modern adventure games, which are hugely popular in Japan. From text adventures emerged visual novels, dating sims, and even franchises like The Legend of Zelda, Phantasy Star, and Final Fantasy.
- While text adventures were popular in the U.S. and Europe, they struggled in Japan due to the difficulty of displaying complex Japanese characters on low-resolution screens.
Looking at today’s global video game culture, we can see a form of global communication and mutual influence that reflects a shared gaming culture worldwide.
Conclusion
If you’re curious about how deep the rabbit hole goes, you should try exploring the genre of text adventures. Many options are available today (see a list below, including legal downloads). Who knows? You might discover more origins of mechanics we now take for granted.
Recommendations & Sources:
- Planetfall (One of the most successful examples of the genre)
Available in a bundle on GoG (Good Old Games). - Stationfall (Planetfall’s sequel, available as abandonware or playable online):
Download manual: https://www.myabandonware.com/download/4e1-stationfall
Play online: https://www.myabandonware.com/game/stationfall-1ny/play-1ny - Zork (Also known as Dungeon or Adventure. Challenging for beginners due to random room navigation):
Play online: https://www.myabandonware.com/game/zork-26j/play-26j - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Can be played on the BBC website and includes some graphical elements):
Introduction: https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml
Play: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1g84m0sXpnNCv84GpN2PLZG/the-game-30th-anniversary-edition - [I] doesn’t exist – a modern text adventure (With animated graphics, available as a demo on Steam):
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1943420/I_doesnt_exist__a_modern_text_adventure/
Some good sources to start with the topic:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_Fiction
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure#Textadventures
Disclaimer
This overview doesn’t claim to be comprehensive. It simply aims to show how interconnected video game origins are, the role of global communication, and how what we enjoy today has its roots in the past. It also encourages exploring older games to appreciate the experiences they offer in both historical and modern contexts. After all, games often reflect the zeitgeist of their time, connecting global themes to the gaming world.
[1] A character from the TV show The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by Jim Parsons. In the episode „The Irish Pub Formulation“ (Season 4, Episode 6), he plays Zork and tries to navigate the game’s complexities.
[2] Using a computer and an oscilloscope, William Higinbotham created the first video game in 1958. While there were earlier machines in the 1940s known as game machines or computer game machines, they don’t qualify as video games.
[3] PC Joker magazine, November 1996 issue, page 44: „Adventures Special Part I: How it all began.“
Accessed on February 7, 2023, via the Internet Archive.
Japanologie & Soziologie Student an der Goethe Uni Frankfurt. Geboren 1979 in eine Zeit die von Star Wars, Pixeln und Zeichentrick Serien geprägt war. Nerd mit Herz und Leidenschaft. Cineast, Comic Liebhaber mit einem Faible für spannende Erzählungen. Videospiel- und Serienjunkie, geformt in einer Zeit die heute als Retro bekannt ist. Ehemaliger Game Artist aber immer noch eine Affinität zur digitalen Kunst.
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