Welcome Ruckateers (still working on a cool name) to the first issue of the official Game Ruckus “First of” series. This series will shed light on some of the old (but never forgotten) games that revolutionized the way we play today. In this particular issue, we will be discussing the earliest uses of an inventory system. Think of an actual video game that’s come out in the past twenty years that hasn’t had an inventory system that allows you to carry around items you pick up. Go ahead, I’ll wait…Back already? Well, even if you did think of one, you have to admit that there are very few games that do not let you carry around and use items. So where did it all begin? Brace yo’self for this…

*Duh Duh Duh Duh!!!* The Legend of Zelda (NES). I’m sure some of you saw this coming, but here’s why we give it credit as one of the earliest games to have an effective inventory system.

The Legend of Zelda was an adventure like no other when it was released in the US in 1987. Not only did it include a revolutionary inventory system, but it allowed you to navigate a huge world map, let you play the dungeons in the order of your choosing, and was also the first game to include internal battery-backed memory that allowed you to save your adventure at any time. Seriously, we could sit around all day and talk about how awesome this game was, but that isn’t the point.

With the inventory system, it became your duty not only to seek out the bad guy and destroy him, but also to find the essential weapons that would get the job done, which added an element of true adventure to the game. After all, Ganon ain’t going down just because you jumped on his head (no disrespect to Mario). Some of the weapons you had to find included the boomerang, bombs, and, of course, the legendary Master Sword. It’s always nice when you find a weapon to which a particular enemy has a weakness. It was also necessary to find many other items that aid you in your quest (go ahead and try to get to Dungeon #4 without the raft). Half of the fun of such adventure games is figuring out what items are necessary to complete a task.

So now on to the obvious part:

I’m sure you’re not asking yourself “so how has the inventory system benefited games since?” However, I’m going to pretend that you are asking that question so I have a legitimate reason to answer it.

Virtually every game since ‘87 has had some sort of inventory system and it has continued to evolve over many different genres of games. For example, in many MMO games you have to find items or weapons that are compatible with your character or your profession (in Guild Wars you cannot wear armor that was intended to belong to someone else). Also, many inventory systems have evolved in such a way that a trading game has become a fun, but lengthy side-quest in many games (most notably, later Zelda titles). Many inventory systems include items that cannot be used until you get to a particular time and/or place (usually referred to as key items). In any case, the inventory system has become a crucial piece of just about every role-playing game since it’s inception on in the dark and mysterious rooms of DnD players.

So there you have it; the first article of the “first of” series. Join us next time when we talk about…umm…something else!