Pinpointing the absolute first three-dimensional video game involves distinguishing between wireframe vector graphics and filled polygon rendering, but early academic and experimental mainframe projects like Spacewar! and SEGA's electro-mechanical arcade games laid early groundwork. Historically, titles like Maze War and Spasim developed in the early 1970s pioneered first-person 3D grid navigation, while arcade titles like Atari's Tempest later popularized vector-based three-dimensional perspective graphics for commercial audiences.