10 Games That CHANGED Gameplay For The BETTER
10 Games That Changed Gameplay For The BETTER
Welcome to Mojoplays, and today we are looking at sequels to games that didn’t just improve things, they borderline changed genre, and we’re actually okay with it! These are 10 Games That Changed The Gameplay For The Better. And yes, I’m also doing 10 that changed for the worst, keep your eyes open for that vid! Let’s go!!
“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time“ (1998)
Before "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" arrived, the series was already packed with clever puzzles, memorable dungeons, and satisfying exploration, but everything happened from a top-down view. Translating that into full 3D sounded like a recipe for motion sickness and confused players running into walls. Instead, Nintendo somehow nailed it on the first attempt. Hyrule became a world that begged to be explored, while additions like Z-targeting made sword fights feel smooth instead of clumsy. Dungeon design also became far more immersive, with puzzles built around verticality and perspective. Rather than simply surviving the jump to 3D, "Ocarina of Time" completely redefined what a 3D action-adventure game could be. For a genre that usually felt clunk in the controls, the game still feels surprisingly smooth in 2026.
“Grand Theft Auto III” (2001)
The first two "Grand Theft Auto" games let players cause absolute mayhem, but they did it from a bird's-eye view that kept the chaos at arm's length. Then "Grand Theft Auto III" came along and tossed everyone directly into Liberty City. Suddenly you weren't guiding a tiny criminal around the map, you were the criminal. Driving through busy streets, stealing cars, escaping police, and listening to the radio all became part of one seamless open-world experience. It changed the game from funny school stories, to “come over to my house and watch me kill a prostitute”. The core idea hadn't changed, but moving to a fully 3D perspective made everything feel bigger, louder, and far more believable. Obviously, given how much we are all waiting for GTA6, this was the right decision.
“Yakuza: Like A Dragon” (2020)
By the time the "Yakuza" series really exploded around the world, it felt like everyone had suddenly discovered the secret Japan had been keeping for years. After spending ages as a niche favourite, it transformed into one of gaming's biggest success stories. A huge reason for that was its over-the-top brawling, where smashing thugs with bicycles, traffic cones, and basically anything not nailed down never seemed to lose its charm. So when Kiryu wrapped up his journey in "Yakuza 6", developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio decided to throw players a massive curveball. Instead of another fast-paced street fight, "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" embraced classic turn-based RPG combat. It was a bold gamble, borrowing the stylish strategy of games like "Persona 5", while somehow still feeling unmistakably like "Yakuza". It was great! But, we still welcome the classic style. Best of both worlds.
“Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night” (1997)
Looking back now, it's funny to think changing everything was exactly what "Castlevania" needed, like my Dad .. God, I’m so mean to my dad on such a public platform. Earlier entries on the NES had already earned legendary status thanks to their brutal challenge, incredible music, gorgeous pixel art, and carefully designed stages. Messing with that winning formula sounded like a terrible plan on paper. Thankfully, Konami ignored that idea. Rather than sending players through a string of linear levels, "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night" turned Dracula's castle into one enormous world begging to be explored. Inspired by "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest", the game encouraged backtracking, discovering new paths, and growing stronger over time. Even after Death strips Alucard of his gear at the start, every new ability makes returning to old areas worthwhile, creating an addictive adventure that helped define the Metroidvania genre for decades to come.
“Super Mario 64” (1996)
Making the leap from side-scrolling platforming to full 3D was one of gaming's biggest challenges, and poor Mario got volunteered first. Thankfully, "Super Mario 64" turned what could have been a disaster into one of Nintendo's greatest achievements, at least in my books, though my books are at a third grade reading level so .. Grain of salt. Rather than simply recreating the old formula with another dimension bolted on, the game redesigned movement from the ground up. Mario suddenly had long jumps, wall kicks, backflips, dives, and enough acrobatic tricks to make an Olympic gymnast jealous. Levels became giant playgrounds filled with secrets instead of straightforward obstacle courses. It was such a natural evolution that countless 3D platformers spent the next two decades borrowing ideas from it.
“Metroid Prime” (2002)
Speaking of! The original "Metroid" games helped create a style of game so influential that players eventually mashed its name together with another series to invent the term "Metroidvania." Exploring huge maps, collecting new upgrades, and returning to previously blocked paths became the franchise's signature. Then Nintendo decided to do something that sounded slightly terrifying: move everything into first person and full 3D. On paper, that could have gone spectacularly wrong. Instead, "Metroid Prime" proved the formula was far more flexible than anyone expected. The shooting was viewed through Samus' visor, but the real focus remained uncovering secrets, solving environmental puzzles, and hunting for new abilities. Somehow the series kept its identity intact, and the "Prime" games quickly became some of the most celebrated entries ever made.
“World of Warcraft” (2004)
Ask someone to name an MMO and there's a pretty good chance they'll blurt out "World of Warcraft" before you've even finished the question, try it, I’ll be silent for 4 seconds while you ask and then I’ll answer, here we go … WORLD OF WARCRAFT! Since launching in 2004, it's stayed relevant thanks to a mountain of expansions and a player base that just refuses to leave Azeroth behind. What's easy to forget is that the series didn't begin as an online role-playing game at all. The early "Warcraft" titles were classic real-time strategy games, where the day was spent harvesting resources, building armies, and flattening your opponent's base before they flattened yours. "World of Warcraft" flipped the entire concept on its head, letting players experience Azeroth firsthand in a huge 3D world instead of commanding the action from high above.
“Resident Evil 7: Biohazard” (2017)
After several sequels leaned heavily into explosions, oversized monsters, and enough ammunition to invade a small country, "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard" hit the brakes. The series abandoned its third-person action focus and switched to a first-person perspective, putting players directly inside the nightmare. This was a HUGE risk, the series was already heading towards death, so playing it safe would have been the move, but RE7 decided to take a risk and change everything, and it worked. Exploring the Baker family's home became a far more personal experience, with every creaking floorboard and slammed door feeling uncomfortably close. The slower pace also brought survival horror back to the forefront, making resources scarce and encounters genuinely stressful again. It was a dramatic shift from recent entries, but one that reminded everyone why "Resident Evil" became famous in the first place.
“Red Dead Redemption” (2010)
Not every gameplay revolution comes from changing genres. Before "Red Dead Redemption", Rockstar's western games mostly lived in the "Red Dead Revolver" era, offering a much more linear, mission-based experience. The sequel threw those restrictions out the saloon window by embracing a huge open world where the journey mattered just as much as the destination. Riding across the frontier, hunting wildlife, stumbling into random encounters, and choosing how to spend your time made the world feel alive in a way few games had managed before. It transformed the series from a straightforward western shooter into an immersive sandbox, proving that sometimes freedom is the biggest gameplay upgrade of all.
“Fallout 3” (2008)
If you’re under the age of 25, you might not know the first "Fallout" games looked nothing like the wasteland adventures most people picture today. Instead of wandering the world through your own eyes, players viewed everything from an overhead perspective, carefully building their character and talking, sneaking, or fighting their way through a huge number of choices. Then "Fallout 3" arrived and completely changed how the series played. Bethesda shifted the camera into first person, making every mutant encounter feel much more personal, sometimes a little too personal when a Super Mutant came sprinting your way. Despite the dramatic makeover, the heart of "Fallout" stayed the same, with meaningful choices, massive exploration, and branching stories, and we were VERY close to the series sticking with the isometric style, thank you Bethesda for taking a risk.
