Before I start, my list is going to be very different than most for a multitude of reasons, which I'll just bullet below:
- I am not a fan of first-person shooters. I think that they are entertaining, but they are not phenomenal games by any standard. This means you can take your Call of Duty and Halo and shove it, because it's not on this list.
- I have not played any Metal Gear Solid game, and more often than not, Metal Gear Solid 3 or 4 is on a "Best Games Ever" list.
- I have not played any Final Fantasy game, and more often than not, Final Fantasy VI or VII is on a "Best Games Ever" list.
- There are a lot of games that are considered groundbreaking that I simply don't like for various reasons. You may see some of your favorite games missing just because I don't like them as much as everyone else does.
Now that all that's out of the way, here we go.
#15 - Persona 3 FES (PS2)
The best part about this one is that I have never played this game before.
Yup.
In fact, I have only seen this game through SuperJeenius' Let's Play of the game. By the first episode was done, however, I already had fallen in love with the game.
So here's how the game goes: You are a transfer student into Gekkoukan High School in Japan, and you move into a co-ed dorm. It turns out that the people who live in the dorm are part of a group called SEES, who hunt down and defeat mysterious shadow creatures that come during a hidden hour (The Dark Hour) between midnight and 12:01 AM from the high school you attend. The only way to defeat the Shadows is by way of a Persona, an inner "being" of sorts. You happen to have the unique ability to possess multiple Personas, and you become the leader of SEES, heading into the High School with three other members during the Dark Hour to reach the top, hoping to find a way to eliminate all Shadows forever.
While all of that is going on, you also get to partake in your social life, meeting new people, forming friendships, and even dating (although you don't get to see anything if you know what I mean). The power of the friendships / relationships allow you to fuse more powerful Personas. Every character has their own unique story, and it never gets dull. You also have to partake in school, which may sound boring, but luckily you have the ability to let the game do most of the work for you.
A unique RPG that combines a normal social life with an abnormal quest to deal with, Persona 3 FES is definitely the first game I am going to pick up when I return from my vacation.
#14 - Super Mario 64 (N64)
WHAT? IT'S ONLY NUMBER 14!?!?!?
Well, I could talk about what makes the game so great - the spot-on controls, the brilliant use of the analog stick, and the beautifully designed levels - but you probably aren't wondering why it's on the list. You are probably wondering why it's not higher.
Don't get me wrong here, it's just that it can't go higher on this list. This isn't the top 15 most innovative games of all time (and I can say right now that it would definitely be in the top 3 for that list) - it's my top 15 FAVORITE. And, while it is really fun, it's not as great as the games above it.
That's all I got to say about it, really.
#13 - DOOM (PC)
You know how I said that I don't like most first-person shooters as much as most people? Well this is completely different.
See, unlike the modern FPS games, this one consists of levels. Instead of standing behind a fallen truck and shooting at a bunch of dudes, this game requires more skill than aiming and shooting. In fact, the only skill with the weapon is knowing the fire key and the weapon switch keys.
In this game, each level is a maze. You have to find a way to the next area, which usually involves finding up to three key cards for corresponding doors, while shooting or avoiding aliens along the way. The real strategy isn't in the shooting, it's in the quick navigation of mazes and management of your limited ammunition (that's right, your ammo is limited OH MAH GAWD).
I have never beaten this game, so I'm not too much better at this game than I am at Call of Duty, but it a lot less repetitive and is always fresh.
#12 - Pac-Mania (arcade)
When looking at all the classic arcade-style games of the world, there are only two that I can go back to whenever and always have fun. I could be forced to play these games for a full day and I would enjoy every minute of it.
The gimmick in this game is that unlike every other Pac-Man arcade game, you get the ability to jump over ghosts. This comes in handy at first and makes the game a lot easier... until the ghosts start multiplying and learning the same skill. By the end of the game you have 10 ghosts chasing you with four of them having the ability to jump. It's a tough game, but i have conquered it multiple times. And every single time I have a sense of accomplishment I have with no other game.
For me, this is my Castlevania 1, if you catch my drift. And that's why I love it.
#11 - Tetris (GameBoy)
When looking at all the classic arcade-style games of the world, there are only two that I - wait...
Yup. This is the other one.
I first played Tetris on a game for the PS2 called Tetris Worlds, and that game was not that good. In fact, I only play that game to play the original Tetris.
One time I was on vacation and had a huge urge for Tetris. So I downloaded the ROM for the GameBoy version, and that is the only version of Tetris I play anymore.
Maybe it's the music. Maybe it's the way it looks. Maybe it's just because it's classic. Regardless, it is BY FAR the best Tetris game.
I don't own a 3DS, but if this version of Tetris is on the 3DS, I will certainly buy it because Nintendo deserves the money for this phenominal port of an arcade classic.
#10 - Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
I may be alone on this one, but I think that the new Donkey Kong Country game is the best of the bunch. Sure, Retro Studios removed the not-so-lovable evil crocodile, but they replaced it with some of the best level design in all of platform gaming.
This game is the definitive 2D platformer for the Wii. Even better, it's the definitive 2D platformer for the last three Nintendo console generations. The controls are smooth, the levels are all fun, the bosses are fun, and, most importantly, the Rocket Barrel Levels are f***ing AMAZING!!!!!
Therefore, it's #10 on this list.
#9 - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)
So what would half of the Zelda fans in the universe say when I said that Majora's Mask is my favorite Zelda game?
Yes, that means it's better than Ocarina of Time.
Yes, that means it's better than Link to the Past.
But before you explode with anger, let me explain why.
See, in almost every other Zelda game, you are told what to do but you have little to no motivation to do it. The only exceptions I can think of are Skyward Sword (which I haven't played) and Wind Waker (which I don't like for other reasons).
In Majora's Mask, if you want motivation, all you have to do is look up. That's when you see it. A giant moon, slowly heading towards the Earth, certainly destroying Termina. I don't know, but if I visited a land full of friendly people (all of which you can do things with, by the way) and I knew that in three days, it would be no more, I would do everything in my power to try and save the inhabitants of the land.
Luckily you are equipped with your Ocarina from the previous N64 game, which you can play a specific tune on to reset time to the 1st day. This gives you practically infinite time to find a way to save the town from its destined doom.
You don't have to be told to do this. Your human instincts kick in. You just HAVE to do something, and not because the game forced you to. THAT is what makes this game so great.
#8 - Psychonauts (PC)
This game is also available on the PS2 and XBOX, but I own the PC version. Either way it's a gem.
This not only is a phenomenal platformer, it also has a phenomenal story. Unlike most of the previous entries, I'm not going to explain the story at all. Instead, I'm just going to say that it is a fantastic game and you have to play it before you die. It may start a bit slow, but it picks up quickly, and you have to enjoy the game all the way to the end.
#7 - EarthBound (SNES)
Once upon a time, MML started a Blind Let's Play of EarthBound. Then, it became one of his favorite games of all time before he even got half-way through. The End.
I only have gotten to Twoson, and I already consider this to be one of the greats. It has a charm that no other RPG has made. It's quirky but in a good way. Battles are repetative but enemies are unique. Puzzles are confusing but still fun to solve.
Every second playing this game is a second I love. Even being lost and having no clue what to do or where to go is fun. Wandering around and talking to people is fun. Going around and fighting random enemies is fun. EVERYTHING is fun.
I haven't played Mother 3 yet, so I can't say whether that game is better or worse. But one thing is for sure, this game is a gem. And I can say that before I even finished it.
Also, Nintendo, put this on Virtual Console! I don't want to cheat you out of your well-earned money!
#6 - Portal 2 (PC)
Valve should go in the record books for making a fantastic game, and then, against all odds, making a sequel that makes the original look like absolute crap.
With only a cast of five characters, the game manages to still create a fantastic story. The love-to-hate GLaDOS, the hilarious idiot Weatley, a robotic announcer that provides besic testing information but yet still manages to make a bunch of hilarious jokes, and a character that is revealed mid-game that is crazy all on his own give the game a charm all on its own.
No game will ever be like Portal 2. Nobody can ever say, "This game is like Portal 2, but better" because that just isn't possible. Valve managed to take an already fantastic game, and just blow it out of the water. No other game company can do what Valve did, and that's it.
#5 - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA)
This is my favorite RPG of all time, and I don't see any other RPG ever taking its place. Featuring player integration into turn-based battles is probably the smartest thing Nintendo has ever done, no joke. Perfecting what Super Mario RPG started and adding a fantastic story with hilarious characters, Superstar Saga is just perfect.
There are four other games, however, that are better than perfect.
#4 - Super Mario Land 2 (GameBoy)
This game is by far the best main Super Mario 2D platformer in existence. It has a feel to it that no other Mario platformer has. It's different, but yet the same.
The other great thing about this game is that you can just power through it. It's the only Mario game that I can run through in one day and not stop. That's what makes it so fun.
I do have to make a confession, though. I do not own the original GameBoy, so I can only play this game through an emulator. As soon as I get a 3DS, I promise you that I will buy this game because Nintendo deserves every penny I haven't paid them by playing Super Mario Land 2 through an emulator. It's an underrated gem.
#3 - X-COM: UFO Defense / UFO: Enemy Unknown (MS-DOS)
This game was almost cancelled two times.
I almost forgot to put it on the list, but then I read that statement while searching for "Best Video Games Of All Time" and realized that I cannot imagine the world without X-COM: UFO Defense.
I first saw this game through Kikoskia's second LP of the game, and, when it got on sale on Steam, I immediately purchased it and fell in love. I did a Let's Play of it on my old LP channel that didn't do the game justice in the slightest.
Basically, you are the leader of X-COM, a military organization that hopes to stop an alien invasion. You have to build your base, raise an army, intercept alien ships, and learn as much as you can about the aliens to eventually find out where they are from and how to stop them.
I have never beaten the game (contrary to all the BS I said in my bad LP of the game), mostly because I can't stand losing soldiers (that are permadeath, by the way) and I constantly forget to save, but I always have fun with the game. It never gets boring and will always be a challenge. Maybe I'll get the Pac-Mania feeling when I beat this game, who knows. All I know now is that I love this game so much, and I play it to death.
Best three dollars I ever spent.
#2 - Super Mario All-Stars + World (SNES)
"But MML, that's not fair! It's five different games!"
Well, in my book, it's one cartrage, so it's one game.
You know how I said that Super Mario Land 2 is the best main Mario platformer? It still is, but it can't beat five of the other ones.
If I had to pick a favorite of the bunch, I'd have to say the USA Super Mario Bros. 2 because it is unique and different, but still enjoyable.
Super Mario Land 2 is still the best main Mario platformer, but Super Mario All-Stars + World contains five games that are great in their own right. You can't go wrong there!
#1 - Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island (GBA)
I know that I said that Super Mario Land 2 is my favorite Mario 2D platformer, but this is a Yoshi game, so suck it :P
I don't think that there is a soul in the world that agrees that this specific game is the best game ever made, but to me, it is.
It officially masters platforming. You can jump, but you also get a flutter to maintain control. You can swallow your enemies and turn them into eggs, which you can use as weapons.
You already have 48 levels, but if you get a high enough score by collecting items in the levels, you can unlock up to 6 more. And only in the GBA port do you get 6 more levels by beating the game.
I am no Yoshi's Island master - in fact, I still turn on the game every once in a while to try to get 100s on all the levels or beat Secret 6 (CURSE THAT STAGE!!!). Unlike any other game on the face of the earth, getting 100% everything is NEVER tedious or boring. All it does is give you an excuse to go back to your favorite levels and play through them again and again and again.
You know how I said that Super Mario Land 2 was the only game on the planet that I could play through in a day and enjoy every minute of it? The reason why this is better is because it takes more than a day to do everything you want to do in the game!
This game is the definition of a perfect video game. I was so disappointed when Yoshi's Island DS came out and SUCKED because I want someone to do this again so badly.
I have yet to find a game that beats Yoshi's Island. And even though there's a lot of games out there that I haven't played, I don't think that fact is going to change.
Here's some other games that I love, but can't make the list. In no particular order:
-Assassins' Creed II (X360)
-Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS)
-Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
-Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
-The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (X360)
-Terraria (PC)
-Kirby Super Star Ultra (DS)
-Pac-Man World 2 (PS2)
-Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
-Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64)
-Banjo-Tooie (N64)
-VVVVVV (PC)
-Team Fortress 2 (PC)
-Team Fortress 2 (PC)
-MML
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