Wolfenstein 3D

The Good
It is mindlessly addictive and fun to play, even at 3 A.M. when you have a term paper due in 5 hours! (Just ask my college roommate!) The German-speaking baddies are still some of my favorite computer game characters to quote. Just remembering the levels where I knew I was in for big trouble from the vast number of "Gustappo!" calls I heard through the speakers brings back fond memories of the game that started the first-person shooter genre.

The Bad
I didn't particularly like the fact that when you got close to something, the graphics blurred. I always wanted to read the fine print on the Achtung! posters around the walls.

The Bottom Line
This game, the granddaddy of all first-person shooters and based on the original "Castle Wolfenstein" game I used to play on my high schools' 8088 Compaqs, has you looking down the barrel of your pistol, knife, or machine gun at Hitler's goons, and even Hitler himself. What you do after you line them up in your sights isn't pretty, but is sure is the best fun I ever had at the time. Sure the first-person "Shoot-em-up" genre has improved with graphics quality, difficulty, and even "addictability," but Wolfenstein 3-D is what started it all.... "Eva, auf wiedersehen!"