First Game Ever to Use Upgrades

[Rakewell]

I'm trying to remember.

Does anybody know the first game ever to start using upgrades, ie weapon & character upgrades in gameplay?

We're so used to Fallouts, Batmans, etc. that have us getting 'em through combat and problem solving.

Speak.

Rakewell

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Define 'upgrade'. As implied in your post, this could qualify.

 

[Craig234]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_(computer_game)

 

[Rifter]

yeah im going to go with DND from 75 as well, first one i recall anyways.

 

[BFG10K]

This would be one of the earliest: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akalabeth

 

[Zenoth]

This reminded me (for some reason) of Blaster Master for the NES, there were upgrades for the character and the vehicle (and man the game-play was great for its time, but the guy who made the story smoked some really good weed).

 

[shortylickens]

This reminded me (for some reason) of Blaster Master for the NES, there were upgrades for the character and the vehicle (and man the game-play was great for its time, but the guy who made the story smoked some really good weed).

I would have enjoyed it more if there were passwords and/or saves.
Wanted so badly to like that game cuz it had good concepts and fun equipment.

They were supposed to do a sequel on the SNES but it got cancelled.

 

[Zenoth]

I would have enjoyed it more if there were passwords and/or saves.
Wanted so badly to like that game cuz it had good concepts and fun equipment.

They were supposed to do a sequel on the SNES but it got cancelled.

Ah yes, but it does exist! Blaster Master 2 was developed for the Sega Genesis only, but I myself never played it. I read the article for it on Wikipedia, it was supposedly scored to around 7/10 at the time, and from the pictures on the article it looks like it was quite a similar game and does pick up where the story of the NA release left off in the first (since the story of the Japanese version is so drastically different and much better than the NA's).

 

[Modular]

On the topic of NES games - BaseWars had upgrades and it was an amazingly fun game.