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TOP 20 GAMES OF ALL TIME
Hello, fans! In case any of you mindless fruits forgot or missed the news, I recently entered my twentieth year of pain on this flying satellite of Hell we call Earth. Because no one liked me enough to throw me a birthday party, buy me any presents, or even refrain from treating me like total crap for a day, I am left with no choice but to egotistically masturbate on my webpage by writing this, my list for the top 20 games of all time.
This list isn't supposed to be based on nostalgia, even though that's probably unavoidable. What I wanted to do was list games that even today would still hold their own. Also note that the newest generation of systems (PS2, Gamecube, Dreamcast, GBA) were ineligible. In other words, these are the best games that have been around for awhile. If you disagree with my article, or find any of my selections sucky, please feel free to e-mail me, giving me the faint hope of communication with another human being, only for the purpose of tearing me down and restoring the absolute desolation which exists inside my black soul.
20. DOOM 64 (N64)
This is the game that got me into Doom. What I never liked about the series was the stupid tone prevalent in the PC releases- you were some teeth grittin' marine that fought demons to rock music in the background. It just seemed a bit too cartoony, especially amid the hype that this was the next step in virtual reality.
The N64 version provides an infinitely better presentation of the lone soldier's decent into hell. Rock music BGM was replaced with ambient sounds and disturbuing music, and there were new sound effects which added GREATLY to the mood. On top of that, the levels did not just seem grimy and gross in style, like the PC version, but they all seemed very cold and evil. The graphics in this game look amazing and inspiring even today. This game truly takes you into a new, fascinating world- something the PC game never did for me. On top of that, the control is simplistic yet works beautifully- Doom is pure action, and its nice to be able to mindlessly kill enemies without remembering which button looks up, jumps, swims, etc. There are even well placed secrets to find, and the last boss is absolutely awesome. Unfortunatly, it was released at the end of a major doom push when most of the world was sick of it, so it received a bad rap for being more of the same, instead of what it winds up being in history- the best version of one of the greatest games of all time.
19. NINJA GAIDEN 1 & 2 (NES)
Okay, this spot is shared illegally by two games, but Ninja Gaiden 1 & 2 are so similar in quality to me I didn't want to pick one or spare two spots. This ground breaking series was the first to bring a fascinating story (absolutely spell binding when you were nine) to a videogame through the use of well drawn cinema scenes. On top of the cool story the game was a blast, on par with Castlevania and other leaders of action games back in the day. Part 1 has suffered a bit with the passage of time, namely the fact that it has an unforgiving difficulty towards the end which makes you repeat three stages every time you die on one of the last three bosses. Besides that pukey factor (real men can beat it if they try anyway) the gameplay is tight and evolved even more in part two. A tough, satisfying experience with an ending that didn't disapoint. Its a shame Tecmo didn't ever follow this series up, for if its sequels had continued to evolve, it could be as popular as Castlevania today (and honestly maybe more people would remember it then). Unfortunatly, they screwed up by making some real bad moves in Ninja Gaiden III that ruined that game and ended the franchise.
18. DONKEY KONG (GAMEBOY)
Despite the fact that the Gameboy was one of the most popular (or frequently owned) systems of all time, you can't ignore the fact that most, if not all games for it sucked. But occasionally Nintendo would release a gem like this. The true successor to Nintendo's breakthrough hit in the early 80's, this game placed the emphasis where it should have been in a Donkey Kong game- on Mario. The game played out in single screens that didn't scroll too much and stayed true to the feel of the original arcade game- you even played the first four levels of the original when you started the game! Though the gameplay mechanics were similar in feeling, Mario was given a selection of moves that was unrivaled until Mario 64. The fact that the game didn't rely on heavy scrolling meant you could actually see it on the old Gameboy's blurry spinach colored screen. The idea of chasing Donkey Kong through a series of environments until you arrived at the shocking last level not only played out well but gave the game a sense of distance and travel, which went well with a portable system. On top of it all, the last ten levels and ending were amazing.
17. ZODA'S REVENGE - STAR TROPICS II (NES)
Most people have never even heard of this game, and that's a real shame. Star Tropics was released at the absolute butt end of the Nintendo's life, but it contained gameplay and overall quality that definitely stands the test of time and rivals even today's games. Its like if you mixed Zelda with an overhead shooter such as Contra and then added a third dimension to it all by letting the character jump. The mechanics of the Mike's wavy jump alone should earn it a spot on the list, but Star Tropics II was still an excellent game thanks to its vibrant graphics consisting of bright primary colors (a Nintendo staple) and excellent level and enemy design. This is a game that had some depth to it but even after beating it its still a a blast to replay. It redefined how I thought of overhead action games and its influence is felt on the cancelled Flipside videogame.
16. STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 2 (SATURN)
Everyone will balk at this one. I don't care. Street Fighter Alpha 2 is where it peaked for me. After the years Capcom spent revising Street Fighter 2, this game seemed to be the first huge improvement on that formula. The presentation was done at a time when I believe Capcom's character designs and art teams peaked (right before they moved all their emphasis on their newfangled series, like Resident Evil) and their 2D work really shined. Some of the characters drawn for this game have had their animations reused in about 257 Capcom fighting games which came after it. But here it was all new, here it all worked perfectly and the presentation blended flawlessly, keeping with it the spirit of Street Fighter (unlike Alpha 3 whose story made no sense and had a much colder presentation). Not as big or complex as its successors, but then again, how much Street Fighter do you need in a single game? This was big enough for me and I believe its quality in presentation and casual gameplay makes it my favorite.
15. KIRBY SUPER STAR (SNES)
I've yet to play the N64 game, but I believe this to be Kirby's peak. Made by the same director as Zelda 3 (and no, it was Miyamoto you pinheads!) Kirby screams quality at the top of his disgusting pink lungs. Despite being a platformer in the same vein as Mario, Kirby was much less passive in this game due to his ability to harness the powers of his foes and unleash very aggressive attacks. Kirby could also turn an enemy into his friend and have it run around with him killing things as well. Even better, you could have a second player control the helper, and suddenly you had a game with the quality of Mario but much quicker paced and action oriented that was also two player simultaneous. Despite the fact that I've beat it twenty times, this is still a great game to play with a friend in order to kill a few hours. In case you're wondering about the title, the game was divided into eight smaller games, but in reality they all played the same but just had different last bosses, intros and endings. The last "game" you could unlock was in reality the last level and the ending to it was phenomenal. Also, this was right before Kirby started having a major pastel fetish and the whole game was done with semi 3D graphics and not in the child like, less masculine vein of his more recent outings.
14. CONTRA III- THE ALIEN WARS (SNES)
This game rocks!! Its only six levels but every single second you spend playing this game (besides the two boring, almost frustrating overhead levels which seem to have been put in as punctuation, or to clear the palette for better levels) is done almost to perfection. The game simply never gets boring, from the first time you've played it the 137th. Perhaps because it was so short it allowed Konami to just create quality and allows it to be better than earlier or later games in the series. On top of being seriously hard, the game was two player simultanous so assuming you had a friend who was as tough as you the game could be a blast with company.
13. SUPER METROID (SNES)
Super Metroid is flawed in one way- it doesn't last forever, and the replay value isn't too high (unless you haven't seen it in a while) because the game places so much emphasis is placed on exploring. Still the game is a high water mark in quality of the 16 bit era, and controlling the main character was a breeze. The game also had great design to it, both in its main characters (Samus is one of the most recognizable characters in videogames) and the environment. Audio was done to strong marching like music when it wasn't replaced by ambient sounds. There was even some light rock thrown in. The game also had huge boss encounters, incredible special weapons and powers to obtain, and an amazing last battle. Another thing the game did well was that progress was based more on powers and abilities you obtained instead of simply finding some boring key (Metroid Fussion and Castlevania Harmony of Dissonance should've remembered this). A great game then and now.
12. GRADIUS GAIDEN (PSX) [japan only]
Even though those bastards at Konami of America didn't see fit to release this game state side it is still the best horizontal shooter of all time. Like Symphony of the Night, Gaiden takes everything great from the entire Gradius series and loses everything that isn't to create the one ideal instance of Gradius that actually plays like Gradius always should have. The ability to select from four different weapon configurations was nothing new, but here its done by selecting one of four unique ships, each of which is so well balanced that they all get equal use (rather than just having one over powered ship and three that go to waste). The game also succeeds in being insanely difficult without ever being cheap or frustrating- its design is simply genius. The overall effect is a satisfy, intense experience that never dissapoints. Also, the audio was done well and the graphics were Konami at their best.
11. RADIANT SILVERGUN
(SATURN) [japan only]
Higher up on the list than Gradius Gaiden, however, is the number on vertical shooter of all time, Radiant Silvergun. Why is this game so great that grown men spend upwards of two hundred dollars bidding for new copies of the thing on E-Bay? First off, its revolutionary in concept- you don't start off weak and gain weapons, instead you start off as powerful as you're going to be and stay that strong even after you die. Each button on the Saturn controller commands one of your six main weapons, all of which shoot in different directions and have different purposes, and this gives the game a lot of strategy. The game is very tough, sometimes unfairly so, and doesn't have the same intense feel that Gaiden's difficulty does, but its still a satisfying experience. This game also looks beautiful, and uses 2D hardware to create 3D scenes in a unique way that hasn't been seen since. On top of it all, its two players simulatenous. Oh, glorious day.
10. SUPER MARIO BROS 3 (NES)
I almost don't even want to talk about this game. Its SMB3, who on Earth hasn't heard of it or at least played it once or twice? Offered as a pack in with the Nintendo somewhat late in its life, SMB was the pinnacle of the series on the NES and arguably for all other systems as well. A huge leap in quality with gameplay that still stands strong today, SMBs strength comes in its diversity and length- the game defined how people think of Mario and the fruity world he lived in. The ability to turn into about six plus versions of Mario throughout the adventure really gave it some staying power and in some ways lets it one up Super Mario World. The game is pretty much timeless and perhaps that makes it boring, as everyone has already seen this game. Its only real flaws are a lack of a save option of some kind, meaning to go anywhere you always have to beat the opening levels of World 1. There's only so many times someone can play three levels in a game, but luckily they were designed so well it doesn't always feel like a chore. On top of that, when Super Mario All Stars came out with a remixed version of this game (although it has improved graphics which I thought worse than the bright cartoon colors of the original) it included a level select and save, and thus eliminated any problems the game had with replay value.
9. SUPER CASTLEVANIA IV (SNES)
Castlevania got hit the SNES running, and this is (almost embarrassingly) one of the most advanced games in the series despite the fact it was the fourth! Konami milked the SNES hardware for all they knew how during its early years, and the results are nice graphics and a killer soundtrack that is almost unrivaled in videogames. This was also the only game in which the protagonist could fire in eight directions, and other abilities such as swinging from a whip have yet to be duplicated. All of the levels are enjoyable, with maybe only one or two of them being less than exceptional. The style and presentation was Castlevania at its peak right before it started to have a stronger and stronger Anime influence. This is a game that you can still pick up and blast through even today, and I have to admit its one of the games I play most frequently even today despite having beaten it roughly 86 thousand times.
8. MEGAMAN X4 (SATURN)
This game is where Megaman peaked. Megaman X has always been one of the coolest action games in history, but it seems like Capcom never got it just right- until this game. Its like very improvement that should've happened with Megaman for years occurred here. This was before the bullcrap features meant to artificially lengthen Megaman games started showing up, meaning that the game was short and sweet like the old games. But the quality of this game was so overpowering that its absolutely replayable. The attention to detail is overwhelming- Capcom made this when I think there styles and production values peaked for their 2D products. There were cartoons in-between levels and actual English dubbing (what kind of nerd do you have to be to enjoy japanese audio in a Megaman game?). Some of it was cheesy, but still fun. This game was somewhat short- only 12 stages- but each stage was very well done and the characters seem to come alive through redrawn sprites and increased animation. Along with tight play control, it all turned into a beautiful package that was enjoyable to play over and over again. I must've replayed this game a billion times with Zero and half a billion times with X. Its goes by so fast but its so crammed with detail it almost reminds me of an animated feature. This was how Megaman should always have been. Unfortunatly, Capcom got cheap and dirty with the sequels which where not only uglier than this game but featured some of the worst level design in history and had long, unnessarcy and text driven plots which should've been chucked.
7. PANZER DRAGOON SAGA (SATURN)
Though it isn't often noted, Panzer Dragoon Saga might just be the most cinematic game in history. Despite the fact that it doesn't bill this point, the game sets up one of the most epic and gripping stories of any medium that really catches your attention and got to me in the end. I've never actually felt for characters in a game like I did for Edge in Saga, and the ending is very shocking. I love this game. But more than just the story, this game is done very well. Panzer Dragoon Saga envisions an alien world (or perhaps Earth in the super distant future) where an ancient civilization has genetically created monsters to change the eco-system and control the populace. The design of the landscapes you go through, the strange ambient music, and the super innovative RPG battle system makes this game one of the most memorable in history. It is truly a work of art, and absolutely inspired. Everyone should be able to play this game. Unfortunatly, right now it sells for just over one hundred dollars on E-Bay. Hopefully one day it will get the re-release it deserves on a newer system.
6. METAL GEAR SOLID
(PSX, DREAMCAST)
This was THE reason I got a PSX. Despite Sony's iron fist grip on the console market during the 32 and 64 bit era, nothing on the system called out to me (except Gradius Gaiden, but that was later) until this game. The story and style of Metal Gear makes it a winner, but in my opinion its not as unique or enduring as Panzer Dragoon Saga, a game which it should probably not be compared to. However, once you get past everything you're left with a very innovative game with an emphasis on not getting seen or caught rather than just all out fighting. Despite being old (and showing its age very well thanks to PSX's wavy graphics) the game still has its charm and a thick layer of polish that makes it a blast to play. And after you're done with it, the game rewards you with a second possible ending (its too bad only one of them are good) as well as other bonus which heighten replay value. And unlike Saga, the voice acting is in English (although subtitles worked for Saga, they would have been out of place here) and was so excellent it set the standard for voice acting in a video game.
5. SUPER MARIO WORLD (SNES)
This may seem a bit out of place, but Super Mario World was truly Mario at its best. It lost a lot to SMB3 due to its lack of super abilities (no suits) but it gained with Yoshi and a save system. This was also the first Mario game to have tons of levels featuring multiple paths, and included two entire worlds which were hidden and simply optional to play through. This is still a game for two players during a boring, lazy afternoon but definitely lacks the pizzazz of Contra or Kirby. The game's just so long (approximately 95 levels) and consistently fun that it stands the test of time. The last level and boss, as usual for vintage Nintendo, is interesting and memorable.
4. FINAL FANTASY III (SNES)
The highest ranking Final Fantasy on my personal list also had the best translation and much better game play elements. Forget having to load every two seconds as you move from screen to screen or battle to battle in order to load millions of dollars of pre-rendered backdrops, FFIII (or VI, as its known in nerd tongue) was spared from such unnecessary flash and in turn delivered a much better, more emotional story and game. The battle system scores my points in my book because it allows you to create super powered characters towards the end of the game who know all of the moves- which I would take over time wasting, frustrating "strategy" any day. The experience also lasted a very long time and was consistent in quality despite being such an old game. It was also a very deep game and had multiple optional subplots and a very open ended gaming experience at the end. The game also had no main character, but it instead employed a large cast who was all had interesting, or at least amusing, back story's. This was the first game where I realized how possible it was to use the medium to convey a narrative just as powerful as any book or movie. It also had the coolest evil villain of all time- Kefka.
3. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA-
LINK'S AWAKENING (GAMEBOY)
When I was in 5th grade I was convinced that this was the best game ever created. Zelda is cool, but it always wasn't quite what I wanted. Link's Awakening was, due to better control, much more complex and intriguing dungeons that were built on puzzles that made sense, and a story line that never took itself too seriously. The setting of the game allowed for a great deal of creativity, including some cameo appearances of characters like Kirby and the Goombas from Mario. It had nearly every significantly cool feature from the larger SNES game. The music fit the bill nicely, and the design of the overworld and the dungeons were excellent. The overlying story and the well done ending to the game made me feel very emotional and sad- the first time I'd ever felt anything of the sort in a game. Best of all, this game was portable, and I took it everywhere. I must've beat this game from scratch over thirty times- seriously. I got the new DX edition too, but unfortunately I don't think it does the game justice- the old world of black and white was much richer than the new one which employs a fairly bad color scheme that misses more often than it hits. I don't know, but I think the cheesy and half ass color conversion actually removed some of the games charm because the colors you are provided with don't match the ones I had in my imagination. Still, even today, you need to avoid the two new GB Zeldas (which are choreful messes) and get this one instead.
2. SUPER MARIO BROS 64
No 3D game in history had the impact that this one did. Super Mario's world was truly imagined in 3d form on its first outing. This is the game that made N64s sell like hot cakes when it debuted despite the fact it had almost zero follow up software. Mario 64 doesn't have the high polygon count of today's games, but it still looks good and its easier to see what you're doing then in many games that have followed in its vein since then (thanks to a high frame rate). In fact, looking back on things, its a wonder that nothings come close because this game gives other 3d platformers such an easy template to follow. Collecting the stars wasn't even a chore, since most of them had unique paths to take. This was easily one of the best games of all time.
1. CASTLEVANIA- SYMPHONY OF
THE NIGHT aka DRACULA X-
NOCTURNE IN THE MOONLIGHT
(SATURN & PSX)
This is my favorite game of all time, and left the most constant influence on me. Castlevania is contained within a large, nonlinear world and yet still has a very solid sense of action in it- the whole game is quick paced in a way the newer games have failed to be. This game took the big, nebulous mythos of the entire Castlevania franchise and poured it into this huge, monster of a game. The Playstation version had prettier graphics (due to a better resolution and transparencies) but the Saturn version had several gameplay incentives that made up for it. My own problem with the game today is that having played both versions to death I wind up missing the nonexistent features no matter which version I play, though I normally stick to the Saturn one. But in selecting this game as my personal favorite, several Saturn exclusive features figure in. There were three characters to use, and even though two of them had no real "quest" and could completely beat the game in thirty minutes, they were still very fun to use due to a wealth of special abilities. As Alucard, this game had some real meat to it, taking about 18 hours to beat if you took things slow (especially if you were reading Japanese and your native tongue was English). The difficulty started somewhat easy but escalated from there, and the areas at the end of the game could become frustratingly difficult, especially with Maria and Richter. But man, this game was awesome. It was larger than Super Metroid, had five endings, and the play control was tight. Just walking through the Castle and destroying enemies as you passed was as fun as it was in the old linear games, but the fact that this game was non-linear gave it more much longer play value. And the bosses were magnificent (although for as cool of a game as this was, the last boss should've been more interesting). Add to it beautiful graphics and an excellent orchestral score and you have my personal favorite game of all time.
BIBLIOGRAPHY?
I stole pictures from these places:
http://www.emunews.com/ninjagaiden/ - Best page on Ninja Gaiden
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/g/ZodasRevengeStarTropicsII-704291/overview.php -Had a page on Star Tropics II. Weirdos, go figure.
http://www.gameroom64.com/games/doom64.htm Doom64 pics
http://www.nintendoland.com/home2.htm?reviews/snes/kirby_superstar.htm Kirby stuff- but a good site on a bunch of old Nintendo games. Stole a TON of pictures from here.
http://www.classicgaming.com/contra/contra3/contra3.htm Contra 3 pics
http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/dungeon.htm Castlevania site is good
http://www.classicgaming.com/shmups/index2.htm Excellent site for shoot 'em ups (space ship games)
http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/panzerdragoon/index.html Videogames.com did a feature on the history of Panzer Dragoon, so I stole their pictures.
http://metalgearforever.homestead.com/mgf.html Metal Gear site
http://www.vgmuseum.com/end/nes/#z -has ending for games, and pics and stuff
-All material © 2007 Tim Simpson unless otherwise noted-
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