Topic: Single games that got you into an entire genre

Pokémon - RPGs
999 - Visual Novels, but then I realized that none of them are nearly as good as 999 and its sequel, so I guess I don't completely like the genre after all.

Besides Zelda, I had written off puzzle games, but then I tried the first Ace Attorney and got hooked on that. Now I love puzzles.

While I had played a couple of others before, Halo is the entire reason I got into FPS. This is probably the most boring answer other than Pokemon.

Advance Wars with strategy games without a doubt.

Fire Emblem: Awakening is what got me into the SRPG genre. It's convinced me to try other games in the franchise, as well as other strategy franchises (Shining Force, for example).

@Trinexx Sorry to be that guy, but it's a TRPG, not an RTS. A Real Time Strategy game is like Dune or Starcraft.
It's hard to tell the difference between RTS and TRPGs until you play both series... I haven't really gotten that into RTS's myself. The difference between SRPG and TRPG however, I'll never know. I'm not even sure which one of the two Fire Emblem is.

Guilty Gear ISUKA is what got me into 2D fighters big time! Still playing it from time to time to keep my keyboard skills in shape, and Tales of Symphonia was my major gateway into the bizarre world of JRPG's! And, to my own surprise, Disgaea DS got me into tactical RPG's, which I was completely lost at before.

@-Godot, from my understanding, FE is a TRPG.

A strategy game involves not only commanding troops in battle (like tactics games), but also features resource gathering/management (gathering raw materials & regulating taxes) inbetween the battles, and stuff like that.

@RR529: Ah, okay. So... you got any examples of an SRPG? Like Civilization? I'm currently trying to get into the series, but I still don't know much about it.

@-Godot: Bwah! You're right! Thanks for the correction. I actually do know the difference, just typed that in a hurry and wasn't really paying attention to the terminology. ^_^' I corrected my previous post.

In terms of getting me into RPGs in general, that honor goes to Pokemon.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga got me into the rpg genre
Team Fortress 2 got me into FPS's
Fire Emblem got me into strategy games
Ace Attorney got me into visual novels and adventure games

After playing Pokemon Blue I got into Monster Raising/Battling games. My absolute favorite was Monster Rancher 2.
Others include:
-Dragon Warrior Monsters
-Jade Cocoon
-MonsterSeed
-Digimon World
-Robopon

Same for me! I'd become familiar with the genre thanks to Pokemon, but it wasn't until Tales of Symphonia on the Gamecube that I really gave the genre a chance, and it became one of my favourites.

I'm playing Xenoblade for the first time right now, and funnily enough, I'm not sure if it'll get me back into RPGs or ruin them for me. So far everything just seems to work so well that I may find it difficult to go back to some of the older JRPGs that I've played...

There's always a first. I'll generally enjoy bits and bobs of everything bar most sports sims but there have been a few games that have really got me in to certain genres.

I'd played Pokemon for years without really thinking about what genre it was, but the game that got me well and truly into RPGs was Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. I enjoyed it so much I started researching other games that were like it and got a PS2. Now it's my favourite genre.

One recent game that made me want to actively go and play more in its genre is Danganronpa.

Rhythm heaven fever got me into music/rhythm games.

Half Life got me to try more FPS games.

Final Fight is why I love arcade beat-em-ups

Pretty much Kingdom Hearts got me into the RPG genre.

Taiko no Tatsujin got me both into music games and introduced me to my favorite band.