“Wolfenstein 3D” dropped in 1992 from id Software and basically rewrote the playbook for first-person shooters. You’re B.J. Blazkowicz, blasting your way through Nazi-packed corridors in a maze of pixelated 3D that felt mind-blowing back then. The original shareware release had the first episode free, and the full six-episode version followed, with “Spear of Destiny” hitting later that year as a prequel. It ran on DOS, and its smooth scrolling and fast gameplay were the reason kids started calling it “Doom’s dad” before Doom even existed in 1993. No cinematic cutscenes, no handholding—just you, your guns, secret rooms, and the rush of figuring out where the next key or boss fight was hiding. Wolfenstein 3D didn’t just hit—it made the blueprint.