Hey folks!
So about 10 months ago I made a list of the Top 15 Best Video Games. I decided to update the list and extend it to 25 this time around. Maybe we can make this an annual thing, eh?
Here's the rules:
-Remakes are allowed.
-Only games I have played but not necessarily beaten.
-No more than one entry per game. Just because a game is better on one platform isn't an excuse to include it twice on the list.
-Compilations and collections are not allowed.
Now, let's go!
#25 - Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
One of the biggest problems with my old list was that I decided to include Super Mario 64 for no reason other than nostalgia. Ironically, I've rarely played the original game and have stuck to the DS remake for my Super Mario 64 craze.
The thing with Mario 64 is that it really isn't as good as people say it is. Some levels are well-made (Whomp's Fortress) when others simply aren't (Tiny-Huge Island). Going through the same areas over and over again to reach a star can get tiresome after a while, and I still have yet to 100% Super Mario 64 DS.
Super Mario Galaxy wasn't like that for me. It was a fun game and I really enjoyed it.
Once again, however, the entry can't be carried solely by nostalgia and I have to acknowledge that while Galaxy 1 is more memorable, Galaxy 2 is the better game. I've only played it at my friend's house, but I've played quite a lot of it and most of the levels are pretty fantastic. Sure it's unoriginal, but it is pretty damn solid.
#24 - Team Fortress 2 (PC)
I suck at first-person shooters. I do. But I still love this game.
The thing that makes TF2 so great is the fact that it doesn't do what every FPS does today. It has bright colors, unique class setups, incredible humor, and fantastic online play. When I'm bored and have 5 minutes to spare, I'll go get killed a few times in TF2, because it's fun and hilarious. That's what a multiplayer FPS should be. Fun and hilarious. Not 6-year-old-kid-rage-inducing.
#23 - Timesplitters 2 (PS2)
I don't even remember when I got this game and why I don't have it anymore, but I certainly remember that this game was the s**t.
It's the same reason I like TF2. It's fun and hilarious. Hell, you can play as a tree. I mean he's technically a Wood Golem but whatever... YOU CAN PLAY AS A TREE.
Hang on, did you hear correctly? I think not.
YOU CAN PLAY AS A TREE.
Point made.
#22 - Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA)
Back in 1994 a generic port of Donkey Kong was made for the Game Boy...
...or so we thought.
It turns out that whoever bought the game was in for over 100 levels of puzzle-platforming mayhem. People loved it, and the game was praised to death.
For me, however, I started out with a GBA and didn't have that experience. I got the sequel to that game, and it was damn good.
The level design in this game is simply fantastic, and there is so much content in this game I'm surprised it even fit on a GBA cart.
Now, with the series taking a direction even worse than where Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2 took it on the DS with this new game on the 3DS, I doubt Mario will see a great puzzle game like this GBA classic ever again.
#21 - Kirby's Adventure (NES)
Kirby's Adventure is the only game for the NES that I've beaten in it's original form and prefer it that way. All of the Mario games are better in their All-Stars form, and I've never really played any other NES game other than the short ones like Tetris and Marble Madness (both of which have seen better iterations on other platforms).
This game is just fantastic. The levels are extremely well-made, the copy abilities are all fun to use, the bosses are clever, and it was my favorite Kirby game for a really long time.
What's my favorite Kirby game now? You'll have to see later on...
#20 - Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64)
Sometimes, the craziest ideas work. In Rareware's case, their last N64 game was their second-best on that platform.
I think the thing that makes Conker so unique is that from a gameplay standpoint, the game is actually pretty terrible. This game could be considered the epitome of generic 3D platformer, lazily using "context-sensitive" platforms to integrate random gimmicks and completely changing the gameplay style towards the latter part of the game.
But do we care? Of course not! We're too busy pissing on people to care!
Despite the unoriginal gameplay, it's the way it was executed that makes Conker so great. Do we remember the fantastic level design? No, because it really sucked. But the entire time the adult British humor and charm oozes out of this game and so we can forget about all of the crappy bits (but remember one specific crappy bit, if you know what I'm saying).
From a technical standpoint, this game is pretty terrible. But games aren't technical, they're fun. Conker is fun.
#19 - Super Mario World (GBA)
Did you know that the original Super Mario World had a mistake?
It's true. It's actually impossible to collect 5 Dragon coins in every Bowser Valley level. It wasn't until the GBA port that it was fixed. Bet you didn't know that!
So everyone always talks about how great this game is and how it's one of the best, if not the best 2D Mario sidescroller, but I'd have to concur. Super Mario World is incredibly overrated. It was the second video game I ever played and even I can say that it's not as good as people say it is.
The game is fun, however. The levels are fantastically made, the secrets were clever and required you to think outside the box, and Yoshi eats everything. And the final boss was decent too, or at least better than Mario 1's final boss.
I'm not saying it's bad, but I am saying that it's not the best video game ever. In fact, there's 17 games that are better than this one. That's just all there is to it.
#18 - Super Mario Bros. 2 (GBA)
Right above Super Mario World we have the oddball in the original Mario games, Super Mario Bros. 2.
This game is simply genius on almost all accounts, and even though it isn't the Mario everyone knows today, it is still a great game worth playing.
The concept is simple. Instead of stomping on enemies to defeat them, you have to throw things at them. Occasionally you might want to throw enemies at each other. The idea was brilliant, and no one else had ever done something like it.
So before you complain that it isn't traditional Mario and therefore is bad, take the time to appreciate the innovation of this game.
I used to think that Super Mario World was better, but upon looking at both of the games, I like this one just a little bit more.
#17 - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)
Well my favorite Zelda game really stepped down from last year, didn't it?
I guess Zelda isn't my cup of tea, because I don't like Majora as much as I thought I did. From a story and entertainment standpoint, the Zelda series is one of the best, but I can't seem to get a grip on the gameplay itself. It's not a problem with any particular Zelda game but the whole formula in general. Dungeons are too confusing. Controls can be clunky. Objectives can be unclear.
It's these things that make the Zelda series one of my lesser favorites.
But this doesn't mean Majora's Mask isn't a great game, because it is. In fact, this game's attention to detail contines to surprise me, and the level of emotional appeal from just talking to people is simply staggering.
Perhaps why I like this game more than the other Zeldas is because there is a clear motivation for the player to do things in this one. In most other Zelda games you are told that you have to do something for no other reason but you are the chosen one. In Termina, there is no such legend. You are simply a boy looking for a friend and happen to stumble upon a town with a giant moon about to collapse on it, threatening the end of everything. You, the player, want to do something, and that makes it all the more important to do something.
#16 - Donkey Kong Country 3 (SNES)
Let's talk about what most people consider as Rareware's best SNES game, Donkey Kong Country 2. Its level design was phenomenal (with one exception - I'm talking to YOU, Gusty Glade!), its music was masterful, and its graphics were even better than the first game.
The GBA port, in some people's eyes, was a downgrade, and upon intense inspection, I have to agree. The GBA port did add one really neat boss and a few decent minigames, but the graphics look better and the music sounds better on the SNES, and it makes the game feel better as a result. The GBA graphics also seemed really bright for this game, and I don't really understand why. A lot of the dark eeriness was lost with the port to the GBA.
Overall, Donkey Kong Country 2 is a classic and I love it.
But I didn't pick that one, did I? No, I picked the third entry. Why?
Well we all know that the GBA port sucks, but the SNES game is really fantastic. I joke with this game and call the entire game a one-level gimmick, but that's the magic with it, really. Every level has something new and interesting to present, by doing that the game was able to do things that other games couldn't get away with.
Look, if you want to play a DKC game that isn't a one-level gimmick, then go and play the other two games. With this game, Rare went bats**t crazy and sent a love letter to the people who loved the first two games with this absolutely insane game.
Every level is memorable. Every single one. That's quite an accomplishment and even Donkey Kong Country 2 couldn't do that.
#15 - Tetris (GB)
The definition of pick-up-and-play can be attributed to this classic Russian game, but its port on the original GameBoy is the definitive version. It's not the perfect game like some people think, and it can get boring after a while, but for an arcade-style game, it's really fun and really addictive. Definitely go and try it out, but only on this console. The other versions don't even come close to this one.
#14 - Portal (PC)
This game was talked to the death about when it first came out. It was a little game in a little package of games called the Orange Box, and now it's one of the most influential games ever. While games like Half-Life introduced the method of introducing a detailed story through the game itself as opposed to cutscenes, it was Portal that did it best. And now, most games do it this way. Games like the new Tomb Raider and Heavy Rain owe it to Valve for inventing this concept.
Unlike Tomb Raider and Heavy Rain, however, the gameplay is also fun and challenging. Portal's puzzles can challenge the minds of even the most intuitive gamers and really require players to think outside of the box.
My only real complaint with the game was that it was too short and there seemed to be a lot of lost potential, but that's why a sequel was made, right?
#13 - VVVVVV (PC)
I really regretted not putting my favorite indie game on the old list.
VVVVVV is a fantastic game that combines retro elements with a unique gravity-flipping mechanic and hard-as-nails gameplay that doesn't get frustrating. The story is entertaining, the music is catchy as hell, and the graphics are charming.
The thing that really makes VVVVVV so great is its approach to difficulty. This game was released long before Super Meat Boy made its footprint on the modern revolution against a life counter but the ideals are present.
Some games are better with lives, as it requires players to do extra things to earn more as a fail-safe and encourages players to explore. With VVVVVV, however, you're either heading from here to there or there to here. There's no point in going out of your way as it would probably cost more than the reward. Instead, VVVVVV incorporates a variety of collectibles for players to test their skills out on over and over, determined to make it further and further every time until they finally accomplish their goal.
That's what VVVVVV is about, and that's why I love it so much.
#12 - Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)
Super Mario Bros. 3 is almost universally considered to be the best NES game, and I'd agree. It just so happens that its All-Stars port is even better, and its GBA remake even better than that.
I don't need to sing Super Mario Bros. 3's praises. If you haven't played it, then you simply don't know video games. Mario 3 is the definition of "classic game". That's why it's so high.
#11 - Pac-Mania (Arcade)
Pac-Mania is the magnum opus of arcade gaming. It may not be never-ending like Galaga or the original Pac-Man, but its finite structure allowed Namco to really flesh things out and develop something truly great.
The thing with this game was that Pac-Man had the ability to jump to dodge ghosts, but the ghosts came in more numbers and had some jumping varieties of their own. This reduced the amount of times I got cheaply cornered like in the original Pac-Man to practically never while still having an incredible challenge.
This game, to me, is the definition of overcoming an obstacle. Can you clear all of the dots with the set amount of lives? It took me a while, but I eventually succeeded.
#10 - Banjo-Kazooie (N64)
I've had this N64 emulator on my computer for the longest time, but I never really figured out how to play games on it very well. DK64 crashed on me in Angry Aztec countless times, Mario Party just didn't load at all, and Kirby 64 didn't control well with the controller I was using. I eventually bought most of these games on Virtual console later on.
The only game that I've gotten to work is Banjo-Kazooie, and man am I happy it does.
The game seems to grow on me with every playthrough. I used to think the game was decent, but now I've begun to really appreciate this game. The worlds are fun and immersive, the control is spot-on, and Grant Kirkhope's compositions are a banquet for my ears.
This game is far better than Mario 64 in just about every way, and it's genuinely hard to find things wrong with this game. It's not perfect, however, and there's till nine games that are better.
#9 - Psychonauts (PC / PS2 / XBOX)
As far as weird games go, this one takes the cake.
Double Fine is perhaps known best for the games they didn't make. Tim Schafer, head of Double Fine, worked at the recently-closed LucasArts until about 2000, when he set out on his own. Games such as Day of the Tentacle and Grim Fandango were certainly bizzare games, and while Day of the Tentacle may be a bit stranger, Schafer's first game with his new company is by far his best.
Psychonauts takes a kid by the name of Razputin on a quest through people's minds to learn the ways of being a Psychonaut and uncovering an evil plot headed by the people he wouldn't expect to commit such dastardly deeds.
Unlike most 3D platformers, Psychonauts chooses not to focus on action or platforming and instead chooses to focus on puzzle-solving, essentially taking the point-and-click formula and making it more accessible and less convoluted.
All of the worlds are incredibly imaginative and very few parts of the game feel dull. It's definitely an underrated masterpiece and it is one of the best 3D platformers out there.
#8 - Spongebob Squarepants: Battle For Bikini Bottom (PS2 / GCN / XBOX)
How can a licensed video game be good?
It always seems to be a curse within video gaming that liscenced games are an easy cash-in for video game companies and none of them really do anything special or even remotely decent. Some games, like Aladdin for the SNES and the Batman: Arkham games, manage to stand out and do something great, but none even come close to this masterpiece.
The thing that makes this even more surprising is that upon playing the game a bit more recently, I've determined that it is my favorite 3D platformer, moreso than any by Nintendo, Rare, or Naughty Dog. That is truly an accomplishment right there.
If you don't like Spongebob, it doesn't matter as this is still a fantastic game worth playing. If you do like Spongebob (or did, at least, before it started to suck), then you'd be pleased to know that the game looks, feels, sounds, and even is as funny as the show once was.
Just go play this game. Right now. GO!
#7 - Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
This past console generation was full of franchises making 2D reboots. The New Super Mario Bros. series was selling like hotcakes, Rayman Origins received major critical acclaim, but for my money, there were only two games that truly did it right.
While Donkey Kong Country Returns didn't have as great of a plot (stupid tikis) and emotional impact as the other 2D reboot on this list, Retro Studios still did a fantastic job taking the classic Donkey Kong Country series and making it even better than it already was.
People talk way too much about Metroid Prime and the way it reinvented the Metroid series. It clearly didn't reinvent the series as Metroid: Other M completely denies the Prime games' existence. Donkey Kong Country Returns is timeless and will always be regarded as one of the best pieces of evidence that the Wii was just as good as the technically superior consoles by focusing more on the game and using the hardware to its full potential. That's why I love it so much (other than the fact that the game's freakin' awesome).
#6 - Portal 2 (PC)
Making a sequel is hard.
The first game was amazing. Its plot was great, the puzzles were tricky, and GLaDOS is one of the greatest villains in all of gaming.
Then they made a sequel that's not only 5 times as long as the first, it's also more innovative, has a better plot, and a character even better than GLaDOS.
Portal 2 really blew my expectations out of the water. Even the music is phenomenal, something that you wouldn't expect from a game that primarily lacks music.
Just go on Steam right now and buy this game. It's something you won't regret and it's by far the best first-person game out there.
#5 - Kirby's Return to Dreamland (Wii)
A year ago, I still had not played this game. I wanted to, but I simply didn't have the time. I was too busy playing Donkey Kong Country Returns with all of the time I would have spent on this game because that game was so great.
I really missed out for a long time, however, because this game is the best Kirby game out there, and it's not for the reason you would think.
It's actually Return to Dreamland's story that puts it so high. Can you believe it?
Whenever people talk about story in a video game, eyes are usually drawn to the Final Fantasy games or maybe Mother 3, but for me simplicity is key in a story for a video game - after all, the focus should be on the game. The fact that this game's simple story managed to draw so much emotional appeal from me is simply startling.
It's not the cinematics or anything along that front. It's just the fact that it makes the player hate themselves so much, integrating the story into the game experience more than most other plots can.
I'm not going to spoil the story for you (even though I did on one of my past lists and you could watch my Let's Play of the game to find out), but you'd be surprised on how well it was executed.
#4 - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA)
The one thing that always bugged me about role-playing games was the luck-based elements in battle. Sure, you select an attack, but how much damage it deals, whether it's a critical hit or not, or whether the enemy will counter it and kill you is all up to chance. While Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario started to change that, it wasn't until Superstar Saga that I felt entirely in control of how battles played out. And that's why it's my favorite RPG, and the only one on this list.
And unlike most spin-offs, this game is actually really fantastic. The story is great, the humor is beyond words, and the areas you visit are engrossing and are always worth revisiting. I cannot emphasize enough how well-written Fawful's dialogue is. I simply cannot.
On a side note, CHUCKLEHUCK CHUCKLEHUCK CHUCKLEHUCK IT'S SO FUNNY.
#3 - Super Mario Land 2 (GB)
Sidescrolling Mario is simple. It's all just running and jumping. People say that Mario 3 or Mario World is the best at it, but the simplicity of Super Mario Land 2 is what makes it so wonderful. It's just Mario, 6 worlds full of great levels, and Wario's trap-filled castle with him waiting at the end.
There's only two powerups in this game, but they are both integral parts of the game experience and don't feel thrown in like a P-balloon or a Tanooki Suit. The enemies have more charm than ever, and it's an easy game to just pick up and play, which is essentially the entire reason behind Mario's success.
This game is great because it's simple and easy to understand. Mario is the epitome of simplicity and innovation, two things that are rarely paired together. In Super Mario Land 2, he masters both of these ideas.
#2 - X-Com: UFO Defense (MS-DOS / PC)
Micropose's decision to use music to engross the player in a riveting and almost terrifyingly horrifying game experience is one of the greatest decisions in video game history.
For a Nintendo guy like me, X-Com was one of my first real mature games. There wasn't any bright colors and catchy music - it was all atmosphere. Does that mean the game was completely grey and brown? No. Does it mean that there was no music? Hell no.
What it does mean is that every second of this game does exactly what it intends to do. The aliens are hidden within your world and you have no clue where they are. You are the commander of your soldiers and so you don't have control over how good they are at shooting or whether they know how to dodge. All you can do is give orders, sit back, and pray. It's stressful, but that's the point. It's scary, but that's the point.
It's so counter-intuitive when you think about it. I usually don't like games that use this mechanic. Most RPGs I don't like because of their primarily luck-based attacks and inability to really control characters in battle like you can in the Mario & Luigi games. X-Com, meanwhile is great because it does just that. What other game does that and doesn't suck? Other than its somewhat decent sequel and its supposedly amazing remake that I still can't play on my computer, I can't think of any.
#1 - Yoshi's Island (GBA)
I'll stand strong with my point and continue to insist that Yoshi's Island for the GBA is the only perfect video game in existence and I love it to death. No other game is as fair but challenging, relaxing but rewarding, happy but dark, and well-made but fun as this game is.
Every time I play this game, I always find something new that I never saw before. I never noticed that there's two exits to the hardest level in the game and the last secret level, Endless World of Yoshis, and that one of them ends with the tutorial level that you started the game playing. I never noticed that the ski lifts drop a little bit of snow when you jump on them. I never noticed that the Yoshi you play as on the final level of the game is the same Yoshi you played as when you played the first level of the game. All of these little things that they did to just add to the experience continues to amaze me.
The music is perfectly orchestrated. All of the sprites and graphics are perfectly made and look beautiful. All of the levels are perfectly designed and every level stands out. All of the enemies are perfectly unique and original. But is it really the technical prowess of Yoshi's Island that makes it perfect, or is it the fact that the game is simply the most enjoyable game I've ever played? Does a big investment in making a high-quality game that pushes the boundaries of the hardware it runs on make a game great, or is a game that is unique and innovative and doesn't involve shooting the same enemies over and over again the better game?
Yoshi's Island is perfect because it makes the gaming experience perfect. It isn't in HD 16:9 1080p widescreen, but is that important? No. What's really important is making it worth your time. And Yoshi's Island is more than worth your time.
***
Games that Left the List and Why
EarthBound
EarthBound looked very promising at first. Its story is intriguing and the game is freaking hilarious. The problem is the same problem I've had with most RPGs. Unlike the Mario RPGs there is a heavy reliance on luck and the only way to win is by fighting a lot of easy enemies and then going back to the tougher ones with increased stats. It's a very grindy game and the battles are too luck-based for my tastes. It's why I never got into Final Fantasy and it's why I can't seem to want to finish playing this game.
Persona 3 FES
So I've actually gotten the game since the last list and while it's still a great game, it is a very grindy game, moreso than EarthBound. It definitely pays off with a far more interesting story than EarthBound's, but it still isn't quite my cup of tea.
DOOM
I really wanted to squeeze this in but found out that I couldn't. DOOM is still a great game, but I soon found that the sequel was better, and when I tried to fit that in, I found that there were a lot of games that I neglected to mention in the old list that were simply better than DOOM and its sequel. It's not a bad game, but it's simply not good enough.
Super Mario 64
I mentioned at the start of this list that I wasn't really a fan of Mario 64 and I just included it on the old list for nostalgia. Besides, even if I did include Mario 64, I would have included the remake as it is the definitive version of the game despite how much the game was changed.
Super Mario All-Stars + World
I decided to exclude collections on this list, making this game unable to be an entrant. When I went back and thought about it, I realized that if I included collections, then I should have included the Zelda Collectors' Disk on Gamecube instead of Majora's Mask as it had Majora and three other Zelda games, and I could have included the Kirby Dream Collection that had all of the old-school Kirby games up to Kirby 64 except Super Star. It just simply wasn't fair to include a game collection like that so I decided to disqualify this game.
***
Thanks for reading this list!
No comments:
Post a Comment