An influential game is much more than the inclusion a new gameplay feature that then is duplicated in future games. An influential game must establish a paradigm that reforms entire genres or sets a precedent that is so advanced that future game developers are forced to follow it. When considering games that have been released within the last few years, it is important to separate those that were a novelty or only influenced a small sector of the video games industry from those that truly revolutionized and influenced all games.

With these prerequisites in mind, Pong is undoubtedly the most influential of all video games. It brought video games into the home for the first time and also established video games as a viable form of entertainment. Pong is the obvious first choice and therefore we've decided not to include it in our Top 15 list. You will find that our shortlist is composed primarily of older or pioneering games that were birthed in the arcades and whose concepts have withstood the test of time. There are countless modern games that will undoubtedly make the list a few years from now, but it's impossible to predict if features that we've found innovative in recent years will ever catch on with the mass market.

For example, NFL 2K1 is revolutionary for its online gameplay, but questions still remain as to whether online console gaming is a viable business strategy on the whole. Both the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox will bypass narrowband connections in favor of bandwidth-enriched broadband adapters, which isolate more than 90 percent of those online. If the world doesn't become enamored with DSL and cable modems in the next year or so, Microsoft and Sony's online strategies--as well as the future of online console gaming--could be left twisting in the wind.

The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series is a certified genre buster, but you won't find it on our list of the 15 most influential games. Thus far it has only had an impact on the niche extreme-sports market, and only time will tell if its game-design principles will spill over into other genres. Seaman for the Dreamcast broke some serious ground when it was released last year, but its disappointing sales have seriously stifled hopes that voice-recognition games will somehow break into the mainstream. If voice recognition does manage to become a mainstay in video games, you can be sure that Seaman will one day get its due. With its revolutionary Z lock function, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time could make our hot list at a later date. But for now, there just haven't been enough games released that use the feature for it to crack the Top 15.

So here they are--our picks for the 15 most influential games of all time organized by date of release. Fret not if you disagree with our choices. You'll have your day in the sun in the next couple of weeks when you'll be able to pick your own favorites. For now, find out if our picks mirror your own sentiments and start sorting out your choices.