Enduring Icons of Gaming History
Video game franchises that survive decades prove their timeless appeal through innovation, nostalgia, and cultural staying power. From humble arcade beginnings to modern blockbusters, these series have weathered tech revolutions, market crashes, and shifting tastes. Spanning over 45 years in some cases, they represent gaming's most resilient legacies, with millions of fans across generations eagerly awaiting new entries. Here are the 20 longest-running video game franchises of all time.
1. Space Invaders
Taito's Space Invaders exploded onto arcades in 1978, popularizing the shoot 'em up genre and kickstarting Japan's gaming boom. Players defended Earth from descending alien hordes in addictive waves that drained quarters worldwide. Over 40 years later, releases like Space Invaders Forever for Switch keep the invasion alive with remasters and VR twists, proving simple mechanics endure eternally.
2. Pac-Man
Namco unleashed Pac-Man in 1980, revolutionizing arcades with its maze-chase gameplay and iconic chomping hero. Ms. Pac-Man and endless variants followed, embedding the yellow puck in pop culture from cartoons to cereals.
Bandai Namco Entertainment America on Wikimedia
3. Donkey Kong
This video game debuted in 1981, introducing Mario (then Jumpman) in barrel-dodging platforming glory. The ape's rampage evolved into spin-offs and full series entries across every console. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD teases future adventures, cementing 45 years of jungle romps, mine carts, and tie-wearing primates that influenced countless platformers.
4. Mario
Super Mario exploded with Super Mario Bros., defining side-scrolling jumps and power-ups. Over 200 million sales later, entries like Super Mario Bros. Wonder innovate with elephant transformations and wonder flowers. Mario's plumbing pipes connect childhoods worldwide, from kart racers to RPGs, in gaming's ultimate evergreen empire.
5. The Oregon Trail
MECC's educational classic The Oregon Trail taught dysentery and wagon management to schoolkids everywhere. Dozens of reboots, including the 2022 Switch remake, updated pioneer perils with modern graphics. Its ox-pulling simulation has sold millions, blending history lessons with darkly humorous "you have died of dysentery" permanence.
6. Frogger
Konami's Frogger tasked players with dodging traffic and logs to reach safety, birthing endless traffic-crossing clones. Over three dozen games culminated in Frogger and the Rumbling Ruins on Apple Arcade. The amphibian's leaps symbolize arcade simplicity that hops across platforms unbroken for 45 years.
7. Galaxian / Galaga
Namco's Galaxian refined Space Invaders with diving formations, evolving into Galaga and hybrids. Galaga Revenge marked 40 years with polished shooters. This squadron-blaster dynasty influenced dogfight games forever, thriving on nostalgia cabinets and mobile ports.
8. Tekken
Bandai Namco's 3D fighter launched in 1994 arcades, pitting Mishima family drama against global brawlers. 18 million sales across eight mainline games prove its franchise legacy. Tekken 8 delivers heat blasts and esports dominance, keeping the devil gene raging strong.
Geoff Parsons from Portsmouth, VA on Wikimedia
9. Pokémon
Game Freak's Pokémon Red/Green sparked a monster-collecting phenomenon with 150 critters and badges. Over 1,000 Pokémon and a $150 billion empire later, Pokémon Legends: Z-A looms. Gotta catch 'em all evolved from Game Boy links to Scarlet/Violet open worlds and TCG billions.
10. Final Fantasy
Square's Final Fantasy saved the company with epic JRPG tales of crystals and summons. 100+ million sales span FFXVI action epics to pixel remasters. Job systems, airships, and emotional stories like Cloud's saga define console role-playing's gold standard.
11. Street Fighter
Capcom's Street Fighter birthed competitive fighting characters, like Ryu and Chun-Li hadoukens. Street Fighter 6 boasts 40 million sales and World Tour mode. Quarter-circle forwards revolutionized esports from arcades to Drive Rush metagames.
12. Mega Man
Capcom's blue bomber dashed in Mega Man, a robot master hopping with charge shots. Collections like Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 keep this classic alive among its legion of fans. Zero's saber legacy endures despite gaps, inspiring indie robot run-'n-guns everywhere.
Pikawil from Laval, Canada on Wikimedia
13. Castlevania
Konami's vampire whip-cracker launched in 1986, blending platforming with gothic horror. Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls mobile entry followed the fame it received from its acclaimed Netflix series.
Sergey Galyonkin from Raleigh, USA on Wikimedia
14. The Legend of Zelda
Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda pioneered open-world dungeons with Link's Ocarina quests. Tears of the Kingdom sold 20 million, an unimpeachable feat. Hyrule's timeline branches from top-down adventures to Breath of the Wild freedoms.
15. Dragon Quest
Enix's Dragon Quest defined RPGs with slime-slaying heroes and Erdrick legends. Dragon Quest XII brews as the series hits 85 million sales. Akira Toriyama's designs continue to feed Japan's gaming soul.
16. Doom
Doom invented fast-paced FPS with demons and shotguns. Doom Eternal's glory kills have created a generation of fans that eagerly anticipate introducing the franchise to newcomers.
17. Resident Evil
Capcom's survival horror Resident Evil terrified PS1 players. Then came Resident Evil Village, which hit roughly150 million sales. Raccoon City's outbreaks evolve from fixed cams to RE Engine spectacles, and fans have never looked back.
18. Tomb Raider
Core Design's Lara Croft raided tombs in 1996, pioneering 3D adventures with pistols akimbo. Tomb Raider Reloaded was a mobile reboot that pushed 95 million units. Croft's reboots from survival horror to cinematic action keep the franchise rolling along.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hagerman/ on Wikimedia
19. Silent Hill
Konami's fog-shrouded Silent Hill and its psychological terror lured pyramid heads in droves. The Silent Hill 2 remake reintroduced gamers and diehard fans to cult nurse dances and rusty horrors.
Antonio Fucito from Terni, Italia on Wikimedia
20. Dynasty Warriors
Koei's musou hack-fest Dynasty Warriors lets one warrior mow thousands. One-vs-army button-mashing has satisfied gamers endlessly, resulting in one of the industry's most enduring franchises.
