History Main / FirstTown

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'': Lookout Landing. Similar to Kakariko Village in ''Breath of the Wild'', you neither start there nor ''have'' to visit it first, but you are nudged to go there first since it's where you'll get more details about the Upheaval and the various crises effecting the other towns.

%% Needs Context * Kamiki Village in ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}''.

%% This is a zero-context example! * Lumbridge in ''VideoGame/RuneScape''.

*** Whiterun might be a better fit overall, being the first hold the player likely goes to, and likely being the first place the player will become a Thane in addition to having the cheapest player home.

* Vale in the first ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' game.
* Traverse Town in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'' (with Destiny Islands as the DoomedHometown).
%%* Twilight Town in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''.

** Mother's Day/Podunk in ''VideoGame/MOTHER1''.
** The aptly named Onett in ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994''. The name is even lampshaded: the first four cities are called Onett, Twoson, Threed and Fourside. A sign in Twoson even says "we got that name because we weren't first".
** ''VideoGame/MOTHER3'' has Tazmily, which is an interesting example as it is essentially the ''only'' town in the game, save for a location in the final chapter of the game.

* Kamiki Village in ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}''.

** Rogueport in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor''.
** Flipside [[spoiler:and Flopside]] in ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario.''
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pallet Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver New Bark Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Littleroot Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Twinleaf Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Nuvema Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonXAndY Vaniville Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Iki Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield Postwick]], and [[VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet Cabo Poco]]. The general design for the ''Pokémon'' variant of the First Town is Hero's home, Rival's home, Pokémon Lab, and Professor's home (sometimes the same as the Rival's). Typically, the other towns will have at least five buildings. Also, for some reason, the First Towns each have a resident fat guy who raves about [[TechnologyMarchesOn technology]].

* The first ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' has Fyrestone, a sleepy, isolated backwater. Its population seems to consist of... Dr. Zed, Claptrap, and Marcus' voice. Still, it has a bounty board (where you acquire missions), a low-level shield/health vendor, a basic ammunition vendor, and a low-level gun vendor. While it definitely isn't much, it suffices until you find the later town of New Haven and the various bounty boards available beyond that.

* The planet Taris in the video game ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' is essentially a [[{{Planetville}} big version]] of this trope.

* In ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'', the "First Town" is a village on the outskirts of the character's destination city; it's cursed, corrupt, fraught with more danger than the city, and it's left in ruins by the player character. The sleepy pastoral village comes later halfway through the game.
* ''Videogame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'' has White Orchard, the village that the game starts off in. It's comparatively better off than the one above, but Geralt will still have a fair amount to deal with before he can leave.

** Twilight Town in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''.

* Resolution Road in ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' is a town area, even though it is the second world of the game.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pallet Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver New Bark Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Littleroot Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Twinleaf Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Nuvema Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonXAndY Vaniville Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Iki Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield Postwick]], and [[PokemonScarletAndViolet Cabo Poco]]. The general design for the ''Pokémon'' variant of the First Town is Hero's home, Rival's home, Pokémon Lab, and Professor's home (sometimes the same as the Rival's). Typically, the other towns will have at least five buildings. Also, for some reason, the First Towns each have a resident fat guy who raves about [[TechnologyMarchesOn technology]].

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pallet Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver New Bark Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Littleroot Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Twinleaf Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Nuvema Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonXAndY Vaniville Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Iki Town]], and [[VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield Postwick]]. The general design for the ''Pokémon'' variant of the First Town is Hero's home, Rival's home, Pokémon Lab, and Professor's home (sometimes the same as the Rival's). Typically, the other towns will have at least five buildings. Also, for some reason, the First Towns each have a resident fat guy who raves about [[TechnologyMarchesOn technology]].

* ''VideoGame/CaveStory'': Mimiga village contains the PlayerHeadquarters and has most of the important [=NPCs=] [[spoiler:before they get kidnapped]].
* ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'': Lampshaded. The first town you visit is actually called "That First Town."

%%* ''VideoGame/AgeOfTime'' has Port Town, which doubles as a PortTown.
* ''VideoGame/{{Alundra}}'': Inoa Village, which is also the only proper town in the game.

* Firstep Village in ''[[VideoGame/{{Something}} Something Else]]''. Luigi will meet with friendly [=NPCs=] and mooks of the Evil Guy while he explores this level.

* Mafia Town in ''VideoGame/AHatInTime.'' It's actually one of the least dangerous areas and has several places where you can test hat powers and items you acquire much later in the game as well.

* Werites Beacon in ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia'', which in fact serves as the sole city, and most important location, on the Legacy itself. The player can return directly to Werites Beacon from nearly any point on the Legacy by using 'ducts' located throughout the island/ship.
* Mother's Day/Podunk in ''VideoGame/MOTHER1''.
* The aptly named Onett in ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994''. The name is even lampshaded: the first four cities are called Onett, Twoson, Threed and Fourside. A sign in Twoson even says "we got that name because we weren't first".
* ''VideoGame/MOTHER3'' has Tazmily, which is an interesting example as it is essentially the ''only'' town in the game, save for a location in the final chapter of the game.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pallet Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver New Bark Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Littleroot Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Twinleaf Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Nuvema Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonXAndY Vaniville Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Iki Town]], and [[VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield Postwick]]. The general design for the ''Pokémon'' variant of the First Town is Hero's home, Rival's home, Pokémon Lab, and Professor's home (sometimes the same as the Rival's). Typically, the other towns will have at least five buildings. Also, for some reason, the First Towns each have a resident fat guy who raves about [[TechnologyMarchesOn technology]].
** ''VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2'' subverts this: for the first time ever, the starting town, Aspertia City, is actually a ''city'', and quite a large one at that. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Oh, and it actually has a Pokémon Center.]] It's also the first starting town with a Gym.
* Vale in the first ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' game.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' has the return of Toad Town (although it's not explicitly called that) as its very first area that you explore.
* Athlum is this in ''VideoGame/TheLastRemnant'' and it's also the base of operations as the ruler of Athlum, David is one of the main characters, as well as his four generals.
* The village of Tenuto in ''VideoGame/EternalSonata''. Talk about sleepy pastoral villages! The narrator in one of the opening [[CutScene cutscenes]] informs us that it's also called "The Village of Flowers". Although gameplay doesn't start there, it ''does'' start on the path to Tenuto. You leave it fairly early and don't return for a while, though.

* Kamiki Village in ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}''.
* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' averts the idyllic utopia somewhat when you find out its law enforcement is corrupt and prone to executing people without trial...[[spoiler:though this is later revealed to be the work of a monster out for revenge against your party, and it's ultimately unclear if the kingdom was at all like this without his influence]].
* Played with in ''VideoGame/MyWorldMyWay''. The big castle the princess lives in is actually ''named'' "First Town", but you don't get to do any sort of interaction there (other than traveling between lands and the occasional cutscene wherein the princess ''doesn't'' get her way). The actual First Town that fits the trope is called "Grass Town".
* Jirinaar in ''VideoGame/{{Albion}}'' is pretty much your starting town in Albion, if we ignore the prologue. It's also the most iconic place in the game, due to its unique architecture and friendly locals.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Faria}}'', the player begins in Ehdo, "the biggest town in the Kingdom of Faria."
* The ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'' series has Minea (''Ys I''), Barbado (''Ys I'' remake), Lance Village (''Ys II''), Redmont (''Ys III''/''[[VideoGame/YsTheOathInFelghana The Oath in Felghana]]''), Promarock (both versions of ''Ys IV'', though ''Dawn of Ys'' precedes it with a sequence in Minea which is more like a glorified prologue), Xandria Port (''Ys V''), Rehdan Village (''Ys VI''), Altago City (''VideoGame/YsSeven'').
* Star City in ''VideoGame/MonsterRacers.'' Despite being a globetrotting adventure, this town is the one you always return to--presumably because it's the only one that deals in all the monster racing equipment you need, and also because it's where your home monster racing headquarters are.
* Tokione in ''VideoGame/{{Opoona}}.'' Although every single city in the game is ''gigantic,'' Tokione is explicitly recognized as the biggest, and you return to it several times throughout the game because of the various functions it offers. Interestingly, the second city, Lifeborn, becomes more of your "home base," though Tokione fits the other criteria better (as well as actually being first).

* Each game in the ''VideoGame/{{Lufia}}'' series has one: [[VideoGame/LufiaAndTheFortressOfDoom Alekia]], [[VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals El]][[VideoGame/LufiaCurseOfTheSinistrals cid]], [[VideoGame/LufiaTheLegendReturns Patos]], and [[VideoGame/LufiaTheRuinsOfLore Parcelyte]].
* The Sphere in ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm''. It’s where the story starts, and while nothing plot-related ever happens there, you’ll be visiting frequently, at least between chapters. The main accessory shop is located there, and so is the Inbox, which is where most of the game’s [[LoadsAndLoadsOfSidequests many sidequests]] are picked up.
* ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' series

* ''VideoGame/UltimaIV'' has eight major towns, and which one of them becomes your First Town depends on your main Virtue [[MultipleGameOpenings at the start of the game]] (just as your class does): for instance, Bards start near Castle Britannia, while Paladins being near Trinsic.
* ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant'' features several First Towns, depending on whether the player starts a new game or imports from the previous game, including Nyctalinth, Ukpyr, and Dionyceus. However, New City arguably fits this trope best, as it contains more stationary friendly NPC's than the rest of the world combined.
* Harmondale in ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic VII''. Most of the other settlements are larger, but it does have a convenient number of amenities closely bunched together, it is the first town after [[NoobCave 'Noob Island']], it is your home base, it is most important in the first half of the game, and it is larger relative to the implied ''actual'' size than most of the other settlements.
* ''VideoGame/TaskMaker'' and ''Tomb of the [=TaskMaker=]'' both have Castle Hall, which is loaded with friendly [=NPCs=], shops for just about everything you will need on your journey, and treasures. Almost all of the monsters are hidden in catacombs that are (mostly) inaccessible until the final task.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'':
** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'' had Shady Sands. It grows into the [[TheFederation New California Republic]] by the second game.
** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' starts you off in your home village of Arroyo before getting referred to the town of Klamath.
** Megaton in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' - not the ''first'' settlement, but the first major one after you GetOnTheBoat. In a twist, you can nuke the place twenty minutes into the game, [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential taking many major quest NPCs with it,]] in which case its "central hub" status is delegated to Rivet City and/or Tenpenny Tower.
** Goodsprings in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. The town is based off a real town with the same name.
** ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' has Diamond City which, like Megaton, isn't where you start so much as it's the first town that the game directs you to.

* This happens in about half the Infinity Engine games.
** In ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'', the town of Beregost is likely to be this, too: It has some of the best stores early on, and more quests than any other early area until you get to the titular metropolis. Alternatively, Candlekeep also qualifies.
** In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', Sigil is not just the First Town but also where you find the portal to the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon, despite traipsing all over the planes since starting, and is easily the largest area in the game. More specifically, the Hive serves as the First Town in Sigil.
** ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'' has Athkatla, a big city that for as much as half the game will serve as your base of operations.
** ''VideoGame/IcewindDale II'' features the walled city of Targos, which you defend from an attack, and then venture from, and then return to; it makes up at least the first third of the game.
* Averted in ''VideoGame/ArcanumOfSteamworksAndMagickObscura''. Shrouded Hills is the first settlement you come across, but it's tiny compared to virtually every other town in the game.

* The planet Taris in the video game ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' is essentially a [[{{Planetville}} big version]] of this trope.
* The Citadel in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' is used as a First Town right after the initial mission to Eden Prime. It remains relevant throughout the story, right up to the final battle. [[spoiler: In ''Mass Effect 3''.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'', the "First Town" is a village on the outskirts of the character's destination city; it's cursed, corrupt, fraught with more danger than the city, and it's left in ruins by the player character. The sleepy pastoral village comes later halfway through the game.
* ''Videogame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'' has White Orchard, the village that the game starts off in. It's comparatively better off than the one above, but Geralt will still have a fair amount to deal with before he can leave.

* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** Lothering in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. After the battle, it is the very first place you travel and is has a couple vendors, two companions, and a cluster of relatively simple side quests within the town. It is a useful stop but cannot be returned to as it becomes overrun with darkspawn, killing everyone left in the village and burning it to the ground. Denerim succeeds it as the hub after that.
** Haven in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' is the first settlement you end up in after the intro sequence and become the title organization's first base of operations. It also becomes a DoomedHometown at the end of Act I.
* The first ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' has Fyrestone, a sleepy, isolated backwater. Its population seems to consist of... Dr. Zed, Claptrap, and Marcus' voice. Still, it has a bounty board (where you acquire missions), a low-level shield/health vendor, a basic ammunition vendor, and a low-level gun vendor. While it definitely isn't much, it suffices until you find the later town of New Haven and the various bounty boards available beyond that.

*** Riverwood fits the classic version. Its a small sleepy village with a minor quests available and, depending on how you got there, an NPC who will hook you up with some free starting gear.

* The aptly named Onett in ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}''. The name is even lampshaded: the first four cities are called Onett, Twoson, Threed and Fourside. A sign in Twoson even says "we got that name because we weren't first".

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'': Clock Town, is the largest town in the game, and situated in the center of the world map. Also doubles as the HubLevel.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Wynncraft}}'', Ragni is the first city that the player visits, located in the northwest of the Wynn Province.

* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', there's the First Town for each race (some quests, class trainers, an inn, etc.) and then there's the capital for each race, which is meant to be the hub.

* Lumbridge in ''VideoGame/RuneScape''.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' splits the class-specific First Planets from the faction-specific hubs: separating Force-sensitive and {{Badass Normal}}s of each faction, (Tython for the Jedi, Ord Mantell for smugglers and troopers, Korriban for the Sith, and Hutta for bounty hunters and Imperial agents), which is either a Academy for Jedi and Sith, a relatively small and low-level location on the outskirts of the on-going hostilities between the Empire and the Republic for the normals. The hubs are then the respective factions' capitals (Coruscant for the Republic, Dromund Kaas for the Empire) and fleets, although you cannot access the latter before clearing all story missions on the former.

%%* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
%%** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'': Kokiri Forest, which is also a HiddenElfVillage.
%%** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'': Clock Town, which doubles as the HubLevel.
%%** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'': Ordon Village.
%%** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'': Skyloft. It also acts as a sort of HubLevel, because it is right in the center of the map and can be teleported back to any time you need.
%%** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes'': Hytopia Castle Town.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': Kakariko Village. While you don't start off there as with the previous examples, nor do you even ''have'' to visit it before other towns, it's still the first place you're directed to go toward after the opening Great Plateau section, and you also get more clarification there on what you need to do to defeat Calamity Ganon and restore the Sheikah Slate's functions.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** Ordon Village in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''.
** Clock Town in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' which doubles as the HubLevel.
** Skyloft in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword''. It also acts as a sort of HubLevel, because it is right in the center of the map and can be teleported back to any time you need.
** Kokiri Forest in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' which is also a HiddenElfVillage.
** Hytopia Castle Town in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes''.
** Kakariko Village in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild''. While you don't start off there as with the previous examples, nor do you even ''have'' to visit it before other towns, it's still the first place you're directed to go toward after the opening Great Plateau section, and you also get more clarification there on what you need to do to defeat Calamity Ganon and restore the Sheikah Slate's functions.
* Scuttle Town in ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'' is the same size as other towns, but during the game's opening, it's not only a hub, but a level.
* Mimiga Village in ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', which contains the PlayerHeadquarters and has most of the important [=NPCs=] [[spoiler:before they get kidnapped]].
* Lampshaded in ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'', where the first town you visit is actually called "That First Town."
* Coralcola in ''VideoGame/StarTropics''.
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfTime'' has Port Town, which doubles as a PortTown.
* ''VideoGame/{{Alundra}}'''s Inoa Village, which is also the only proper town in the game.

** ''Fallout4'' has Diamond City which, like Megaton, isn't where you start so much as it's the first town that the game directs you to.

* Colony 9 in ''[[{{VideoGame/Xenoblade}} Xenoblade Chronicles]]'', with a few caveats: it's a bustling metropolis instead of a sleepy town, there's overarching sidequests that will keep you coming back for half the game to turn them in, there are level 30+ monsters in the area that will effortlessly tear your rookie party a new one if you go too far off the beaten track, and despite being [[DoomedHometown raided by Mechon]] early on, the colony [[DefiedTrope only takes a beating and pulls itself together during a brief timeskip]].
* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' has Argentum, a dense trade hub. The player doesn't spend very long there at once, as the area actually doesn't have an open field to explore, but for much of the game it's the most reliable way to access many different stores at once.

* ''{{VideoGame/Xenoblade}}''
** Colony 9 in ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', with a few caveats: it's a bustling metropolis instead of a sleepy town, there's overarching sidequests that will keep you coming back for half the game to turn them in, there are level 30+ monsters in the area that will effortlessly tear your rookie party a new one if you go too far off the beaten track, and despite being [[DoomedHometown raided by Mechon]] early on, the colony [[DefiedTrope only takes a beating and pulls itself together during a brief timeskip]].

* Toad Town in ''VideoGame/PaperMario''. Sure, you don't get to explore it much the first time you're there, as you automatically go right to the castle, but after you return, it's pretty much the hub to all other locations.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'' series has Minea (''Ys I''), Barbado (''Ys I'' remake), Lance Village (''Ys II''), Redmont (''Ys III''/''[[VideoGame/YsTheOathInFelghana The Oath in Felghana]]''), Promarock (both versions of ''Ys IV'', though ''Dawn of Ys'' precedes it with a sequence in Minea which is more like a glorified prologue), Xandria Port (''Ys V''), Rehdan Village (''Ys VI''), Altago City (''VideoGame/YsSeven'').

* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChonicles2'' has Argentum, a dense trade hub. The player doesn't spend very long there at once, as the area actually doesn't have an open field to explore, but for much of the game it's the most reliable way to access many different stores at once.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pallet Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver New Bark Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Littleroot Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Twinleaf Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Nuvema Town]], [[VideoGame/PokemonXAndY Vaniville Town]], and [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Iki Town]]. The general design for the ''Pokémon'' variant of the First Town is Hero's home, Rival's home, Pokémon Lab, and Professor's home (sometimes the same as the Rival's). Typically, the other towns will have at least five buildings. Also, for some reason, the First Towns each have a resident fat guy who raves about [[TechnologyMarchesOn technology]].

* Traverse Town in ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'' (with Destiny Islands as the DoomedHometown).
* Twilight Town in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''.