There are video games inspired by almost every conceivable topic and, whilst they may not always be the most well-known or most popular, they do still exist. For example, the 2002 title Binman was inspired by the refuse collectors that help to keep our homes and streets free from trash, while Job Simulator is a satirical take on what life is like working in an office for a big conglomerate.
Other sources of inspiration include real-world sports like football, movies, space, business, and the environment.
A popular choice for video game creators is history. Given the age of human civilisation, this certain gives them a lot to work with, and work with it they have. There are thousands of titles that have borrowed from notable points in the past to create content that players love to play over and over again.
While some of these games can be a bit repetitive and unoriginal, others are unique and create a novel playing experience.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
When you think of Grand Theft Auto, “history” is probably the last thing that’s on your mind.
But while it may pain some of us to think about it, the 1980s were four decades ago. So, with several generations between then and now, GTA Vice City is most certainly a game inspired by history.
Its inspiration comes from a very specific point in time (and space) – mid-1980s Florida.
The game, which itself is now a piece of history having been released back in 2002 for the PlayStation 2, is like a cartoon recreation of a satirical time capsule of that era. It achieves this by combining 1980s fashion with some of the best tracks released during the decade, several of the most iconic cars from that time, and some very obvious nods to movies released and/or set back then too.
Put it all together and you get a real sense that you are driving a Lamborghini Countach along the Miami Strip, wearing a Hawaiin shirt, and listening to Video Killed the Radio Star by Buggles.
9 Masks of Fire
Online casinos have looked to history for many of their video slot games, with Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Aztecs becoming popular choices for game developers.
In the case of the 9 Masks of Fire slot, the creators looked to an entirely different continent. This 5×3 video slot is heavily inspired by the traditions of African tribes, with iconic tribal masks appearing on the reels and forming the basis for some of the exciting animations.
9 Masks of Fire mixes this African tribal imagery with some of the classic symbols and features you’d expect, including the traditional cherries, BARs, and bells.
As you spin the reels, you’ll be treated to a symphony of traditional African tribal music that is incredibly rare in almost any form of video game.
Red Dead Redemption
While Grand Theft Auto might have pioneered the open-world format of video games, there have been plenty of titles that have followed in its footsteps. Everything from Saints Row to Simpsons Hit and Run contain the puzzle pieces pioneered in GTA.
But the creators of Grand Theft Auto have, perhaps, created the best copycat game of all. Turning to a period of human history that has been covered in detail by Hollywood but mostly ignored by the gaming industry, Rockstar Games created Red Dead Redemption.
Sometimes described as “GTA on horseback”, it is an open-world title set during the days of the Wild West.
It’s much more than that though; it is a very detailed depiction of what life during that era was like. The sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, took this to another level by covering the late 19th century when American outlaws were finding their world slowly collapsing as civilisation spread across the USA.
It captures the dynamics between the members of gangs at the time and the sorts of activities (ilicit and otherwise) that they’d get up to in settlements and out in the dusty deserts.
