The Bard’s Tale

We've called many of the games on this list classics, but none of them go quite so far back as The Bard's Tale. It was one of the very first games to use 3D color graphics and released first for the Apple II. It came at a time when D&D was incredibly popular and offered a distinct experience. Players wouldn't have to roll dice or do calculations. Instead, they could boot up The Bard's Tale and just play. The plot in this RPG is quite simple and indicative of the time. You must overthrow a wizard and take back control of the city of Skara Brae. To get there, you'll have to take out his minions of increasing difficulty. Of course, you don't have to do it alone – you're joined by a party of five, with a choice of different races and classes. The gem of the trilogy, however, is the Bard. It's the first time such a character was introduced on the PC, and he can create magic with a simple song. It's not a complex game, but there's a classic charm to it and a difficulty that leads to many deaths but keeps you playing all the same. It may be a long way from the RPGs of today, but I encourage you to try it regardless.