Multi-Genre or Hybrid Video Games

Question for you all. Does anyone know what is considered the first multi-genre video game? It seems like the late 80s is when these types of games were mostly experimented with. Games like Guardian Legend, Blaster Master and Xexyz. And into the 16-bit years with games like Actraiser. Now days almost every game you play could be considered multi-genre in one way or another, although it tends to be more subtle. However, games like Nier Automata are straight up multi-genre in your face, switching seamlessly from a 3rd person action game to a SHMUP (similar to The Guardian Legend in some ways). So the more "pure" multi-genre idea of the late 80s still seems to exist, in one form or another.

So, back to my question. Does anyone know of any early multi-genre games? Earlier than the late 80s. I've done research but I keep getting Guardian Legend and Blaster Master. Surely those two can't be the first... Anyone know of any others?

The Three Stooges predates those two. It's a collection of what now would be labeled mini-games. Beyond that, I suppose you can consider those Atari 2600 games which mixed platforming or shooting elements with adventure stuff such as the Swordquest series. Actually, a few arcade games like Jungle Hunt used a mix of play styles, and that's from '82. It's going to depend on how you wall off your genres.

Venture is a Commando/Gauntlet/Zelda overhead shooter/adventure arcade game released in 1981.

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Originally Posted by Black_Tiger

Venture is a Commando/Gauntlet/Zelda overhead shooter/adventure arcade game released in 1981.

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My mom and uncle had that one as kids for colecovisoin. I remember they had a lot of fun playing it emulated on my Wii a few years back.

It's a pretty fun and unique game. At one point I wanted to re-create it for the Genesis, but never really got anywhere.

Plenty of early action-adventures and action-sims mix genres but if we're limiting it to games where the different genres are on separate levels, then here are some more from before the late '80s:

TRON (1982) - shooter, light cycles, tank maze
Major Havoc (1983) - shooter and platformer levels
Archon (1983) - turn based strategy and action/shooter sections
Lazy Jones (1984) - various genres tied together in minigame form
Master of the Lamps (1985) - flying levels and music levels

Quest for the Rings (1981) and Conquest of the World (1981) mix video gaming with board gaming but I'm not sure they fit the thread.

There's probably something from the '70s I can't think of.

Combat (Atari 2600, 1977)

The tanks and planes seemed more like separate games on the same cartridge to me but I can see an argument for including it.

Beachhead II: You have one level where you're shooting at soldiers advancing towards your gun turret, another where you're throwing knives at each other, a level where you're shooting mortars at a compound and a final level where you are shooting at a mountain base.

Raid Over Moscow: Like Beachhead II , it has you doing multiple missions with a variety things like jets and guns.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! This will help a lot. I am working on a video with this topic in mind and I wanted some earlier examples. Glad to see there are MANY of them.

Does anyone know of the FIRST multi-genre game? Could Combat be considered that game? I'd like to have a starting point for it...

Also, what about early action games that implemented RPG elements? The Guardian Legend was the first action game I ever played that mixed RPG elements and leveling up into it. Although I'm sure there was a game that predated it... Any other feedback is appreciated as this topic has very little info around the net that I can find.

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Originally Posted by AggroSky

Does anyone know of the FIRST multi-genre game? Could Combat be considered that game? I'd like to have a starting point for it...

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Don't be that guy, I'd say. Why there's a need to claim that one particular game was THE FIRST one to do anything?
We simply don't have enough available information to claim such things IMO. Besides the subjectiveness of genre definitions, to begin with.

So, I'd suggest citing games such as Combat "one of the first" multi-genre games. This way you avoid some unnecessary revisionism IMHO.

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Originally Posted by AggroSky

Also, what about early action games that implemented RPG elements? The Guardian Legend was the first action game I ever played that mixed RPG elements and leveling up into it.

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I'd recommend you to have a look at old computer games. Things like leveling up characters made more sense in platforms where saving (of some sort) was possible - though, of course, there are exceptions.
And RPG elements are common to Japanese games. Maybe there's something for ancient platforms such as the Sharp MZ-80 which have RPG elements already.

Generally speaking, youtubers are very ignorant about Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MSX, PC-88, lesser known arcade games, etc. So, if you research in that direction you'll already be delivering premium content to your subscribers.

Well, here are some (sort of) examples:

Diamond (Sharp MZ-80) (1982/1983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffcPxyJQrQs

It seems to be one of those ancient "3D" Maze games with very little going on.
Now have a look at this one:

Minotaur's Cave (Sharp MZ-80) (1982/1983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5vdlL08Nms

This one allows you to save and load characters from cassette, has animation for attacks and your character skills evolve during gameplay.
Some people will say it's a 3D RPG but I can see it as a 3D maze action game with RPG elements. :p


And what about this one:
Tombs of Karnak (Sharp MZ-80) (1982)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyogQAIFFSM

Isn't this some sort of Amidar (ARC) (1981) with RPG elements? Action RPG?

Xain'd Sleena mixes shoot 'em up and run 'n gun, also you can freely select the stage order.

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Originally Posted by AggroSky

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! This will help a lot. I am working on a video with this topic in mind and I wanted some earlier examples. Glad to see there are MANY of them.

Does anyone know of the FIRST multi-genre game? Could Combat be considered that game? I'd like to have a starting point for it...

Also, what about early action games that implemented RPG elements? The Guardian Legend was the first action game I ever played that mixed RPG elements and leveling up into it. Although I'm sure there was a game that predated it... Any other feedback is appreciated as this topic has very little info around the net that I can find.

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The problem with stuff like Combat is that it blurs the line between multi-genre and compilation. Combat's box advertises them as separate games, and they're based on multiple arcade games. It's not much different than Fairchild's Videocart-01 (1976) which had Tic-Tac-Toe, Shooting Gallery, and Doodle on the same cartridge. They just fit a bit better together thematically in Combat.

What is first is difficult to determine and depends on one's definition. Does Maze War (1974) count as a maze/shooter hybrid or just an FPS? Does Spasim (1974) fall under one genre as a space sim or is it an action/strategy mix? Is Dungeons of Daggorath (1982) more of an RPG with action elements or an action game with RPG elements?

Yeah, Combat has "27 Video Games" noted on the box. They are each treated as a separate game.

I wouldn't consider Combat's different play modes as different games. The only thing which separates the planes from the tanks is constant acceleration. Otherwise, the gameplay is the same with tweaked variables. It'd be akin to saying SFIII: Third Strike is some ridiculous amount of games depending on the DIP settings.

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Originally Posted by gamevet

Yeah, Combat has "27 Video Games" noted on the box. They are each treated as a separate game.

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As far as the packaging text, "every" game from that era seemed to advertise it's different adjustments as separate games. Hell, Space Invaders advertises 112 video games on its box.