Few video game series are able to stand the test of time. Some start well and maybe even have a few good sequels. Eventually, though, the quality of the games or their sales numbers go down. It's understandable as nothing lasts forever, especially in a continually changing industry like gaming.

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However, there are a few series capable of continually keeping up with what consumers want. So much so that they've managed to maintain their popularity for many years. Several of them have been around since the 1980s when gaming was a very different industry. It's a credit to the publishers and developers that they've maintained some level of popularity for so long. Here is a collection of the most notable examples.

7 Wolfenstein

Wolfenstein The New Order Deathshead Cutscene

The Wolfenstein series began back in 1981 with Castle Wolfenstein. To say the series has changed a lot since would be a major understatement. After all, the original game wasn't even a first-person shooter. It was a 2D action-adventure title with stealth elements.

The series didn't change into an FPS until the 90s with Wolfenstein 3D. That influential game served as the first reboot of a series that has had a few of them. Bethesda's 2014 reboot still includes some elements of the 90s title as well as some stealth, like the original game.

6 Street Fighter

Chun-li prepares her Hoyokusen in a battle against Bison at his Temple Hideout. Street Fighter 5.

One of the most influential fighting series of all time debuted towards the end of the 80s. It made its initial debut as an arcade cabinet. Back in those days, player one controlled Ryu and had to beat a sequence of opponents in a martial arts tournament.

Since then, the series has changed a lot, starting with the ability to choose your character. And some of the other things the early instalments did, changed the fighting genre forever. Surprisingly, though, there hasn't been a significant amount of releases in the mainline series. Yet, there has been plenty of crossover games, most notably with Capcom.

5 Pac-Man

Pac-man Screenshot Of Starting Point

Despite being a very simple game in concept, Pac-Man has stood the test of time. So much so that ever since the initial release in 1980, the series hasn't changed too much. You still usually play as a little yellow fellow who eats things and tries to stay away from colorful ghosts.

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There have been a few variations on it over the years, and there have certainly been some visual alterations. But the core concept of the game remains the same in most instalments. Any attempt to stray from that concept has only been temporary.

4 Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy Remake 7. Cloud reaching for his weapon.

There has been a constant stream of Final Fantasy games since the first in 1987. The series is one of the most varied in history as there have been all sorts of different entries. Most of them fit into the fantasy or sci-fi RPG genres, but there have been a few MMOs, too. And the set of characters in each game usually changes as well.

The insatlments are so distinct that everyone has their own ideas of what they consider the best one. Something that is in almost every entry, though, is beautifully designed characters and engaging storytelling.

3 Madden NFL

Players with ball on field

One of the common criticisms about annual sports titles is that they don't change often enough each year. If EA Sports were committed to releasing a completely unique title every time, there would be no ideas left by this point, as the series has been going since 1988.

The first few games were just called John Madden Football as EA hadn't made an agreement with the NFL yet. Another difference about the early games is that they didn't come out every year, as Madden didn't become an annual title until the 90s. One thing that has remained the same from 88 to now is that Madden provides the most realistic virtual version of the sport, even if the early instalments don't seem too real by today's standards.

2 The Legend Of Zelda

A screenshot showing Young Link blowing the Ocarina in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Link's first adventure took place in 1986. In that game, the hero had to rescue Zelda from the evil Ganon, and the conflict occurred in Hyrule. Therefore, the basic premise of these games hasn't changed much. There are always variations to the story, as often it's Hyrule that Link has to save instead of Zelda, but Ganon is usually still involved.

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That's not to say that each game is the same, though. The series has continually evolved in terms of visuals and gameplay. Plus, there have been both 2D and 3D entries. But it's unlikely that the main staples and conventions of Legend of Zelda will ever change. And there's no reason to completely ditch the formula as there haven't been many duds over the years. In fact, it's one of the most consistent gaming series ever.

1 Super Mario

Mario throwing his cap on the streets of New Donk City in Super Mario Odyssey

Mario is one of the most recognizable characters in gaming history. That is why he is the face of several different gaming series, from Mario Kart to Smash Bros. But the main one he stars in is Super Mario, which began in 1985.

From then to the mid-90s, there was a constant stream of instalments in the series. Then Super Mario went on a bit of a break for a while as Super Mario Sunshine was the only release between 1997 and 2005. Things kicked on again in the late 2000s, though, and there have been constant entries since. The core of the games has mostly remained the same. The titular plumber needs to save Princess Peach by surviving all the platforming levels and defeating Bowser. Many instalments have made some variations to the formula with fresh ideas. But they've all managed to maintain the essence of Super Mario.

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