Your top 10 games of all time

[SNIFIT]

And why. (doesn't have to be in order)

[Spore]

And why. (doesn't have to be in order)

My list from a TF2 forum that is more lenient with swearing so it is censored for your viewing pleasure.

Spore's Top 10 Games
Your opinions are WRONG
10: Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2) - I got this just recently and it was the first Metal Gear Solid game I have ever played. It was epic. The graphics are some of the best for the PS2. I mean, how does it do this?! The Metal Gear Solid theme originally from MGS2 is now on of my favorite videogame themes of all time. Also, the battle against The End and The Shagohad are some of the most epic. EVER. ):<
9: Half-Life 2: Episode 2 (PC,PS3,360) - The best Half-Life the whole way through.
8: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - So when this came out people said it was too different from Ocarina of Time. When Twilight Princess came out people said it was too similar to Ocarina of Time. "Poop" you, people. This game is great and an awesome addition to the series. There is no other game like this and everything is executed so perfectly. This game is awesome.
7: Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) - This game is stunning in every single way. The musical score is incredible, the huge world is vast and lonely creating a sense of scale I haven't witness in a video game ever and of course, the colossi are amazing beasts. There has never been a game like this attempted and it was great to see a studio with the balls to make something truly unique and beautiful.
6: Super Mario World (SNES) - So one day I walk downstairs and I see my dad playing one of those new fangled Super Nintendo's with Super Mario World. Thus began my first console game. The grpahics are great and lively, the gameplay is the most perfected 2D Mario title in every way and the music is awesome.
5: Team Fortress 2 (PC and PS3/360 (but who gives a "poop" about those)) - BONK!
4: Cave Story (Doukutsu Monogatari) (PC/Mac) - Yeah, it is indie and yeah, it is awesome. I shouldn't need to explain why this game is here to anybody who has played it and all I need to say to anybody who hasn't is get it (http://homepage2.nifty.com/rochet/storage/dou_1006.zip). Also, english translation patch (http://agtp.romhack.net/download.php?id=cavestory).
3: Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) - I know it is cliche to have this on a "best games list" but "poop" you it deserves it.
2: Kirby Superstar (SNES) - This is by far my favorite SNES game ever made. If you haven't played it you are going to Hell. It says so right on the 11 commandments. Commandment 11, "Thou shalt play Kirby Superstar". Straight from God, to Moses, to Wikipedia, to you. The game has some of the best sprites and animations on the SNES and the music, sounds and of course gameplay are all equally amazing. Not to mention 2 Player Coop throughout the whole game. Save your souls from Hell with a buddy!
1: Zelda: Link's Awakening (GB) - It is incredibly annoying that this is one of the more overlooked Zelda games. This Zelda game got pretty much everything right. The characters were varied and funny, the dungeons were challenging, the end boss was incredible for a Gameboy of the time and the game just played out perfectly. Oh, you could also steal from the store. The game had secrets, great graphics, awesome handheld music, the first Zelda fishing game, and a real sense of that Nintendo magic that only continues to diminish as more "poopy" party games and shovelware get shat into Nintendo's market. When Nintendo has the balls to make a good 2D Zelda again, gimme a call.


I wish I had room for Earthworm Jim, Unreal Tournament 2004 and Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl.

[Shortay]

My list (not in any order whatsoever):

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - I enjoyed the previous two games, but MGS4 really transformed the series into perfection. Perfect mix of stealth and phenomenal battlefield-esque shooting sections. The amount of work put into creating the game is genuinely amazing, with huge incentive for replayability (about to start my 4th playthrough).

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Simply fantastic. Great balance between the dungeon crawling and general exploring throughout Hyrule with loads of sidequests.

Super Mario World - My favourite side-scrolling platformer not because of the great graphics and music, but the because the 2D Mario gameplay was perfected in SMW.

Call of Duty 4 - I've never spent more time playing online multiplayer than in CoD4, even though it might not be close to the amount some have. The perks add fantastic longevity and the campaign is one of the best I've ever played in an FPS.

BioShock - I love FPS', and so BioShock's fantastic storytelling and inventive weapons make it one of my favourite games. The lengthy campaign was just fun the whole way through and was only let down by a disappointingly generic final boss.

Banjo Kazzoie - Just a fantastic 3D platformer with extremely enjoyable gameplay that built upon SM64's core mechanics. The variation in level design was just pure fun.

The Orange Box - Simply the best value you'll ever get in gaming. All 5 of the packages' games are brilliant and The OB is just an FPS fantatic's dream. What's best is how the gameplay of HL2 is reflected in both Portal and TF2.

Resident Evil 4 - Absolutley perfect balance of survival horror and top-notch 3rd-person shooting. For me RE4 redefined the Resident Evil series and brought it to a new level.

Super Mario 64 - I still enjoy SM64 as much as I did the first time I played it on my N64. Apart from the sometimes-annoying camera, everything in the game is just fantastic with near-flawless 3D platforming.

Pokémon Silver/Gold - My favourite game of the Pokémon series because of the addition of the 8 extra badges, and the extended range of Pokémon made it feel as fresh as the series as felt since the first games. One of the few RPGs I've played (as well as the other PKM games of course), but it shows me why the genre is loved.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Well, here is a list off the top of my head. This is subject to change at any and all times. :) But it's the games that I think are great right now.

10. Tetris (GB) — The ultimate addictive portable game.

9. Romance of the Three Kingdoms III (SNES) — VERY different from RTKII, so it's not just a rehash. The new battle screens are excellent, and some battles become quite epic and interesting. Neat music that's certainly quite unique. New gameplay features such as ranks for generals and asking for gifts from the AI opponents make the game hilarious. As always, great multiplayer game.

8. Chrono Trigger (SNES) — Yeah, yeah. It's here for a reason. Interesting characterization, well-executed concept (they didn't try to make it too complicated), lots of side-work to do, and at base a good solid RPG.

7. Worms Armageddon/World Party (PC) — Superaddictive awesomely fun multiplayer gameplay, locally or online.

6. Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI (PS2) — Super-deep 3D gameplay, all action takes place on same map, semi-turn-based. Great graphics. All kinds of interesting war dynamics. Excellent enemy AI! One of the best newish strategy games.

5. Final Fantasy XII (PS2) — The new active battle system works well. The gambit system works really well—encourages you to use a lot of deep strategy to execute some really neat stuff. Excellent storyline, and perhaps the best characterization in any FF game (maybe excepting FF VIII). Licence board is not too bad—may be better in the International version.

4. Final Fantasy IV (SNES) — Quality "old-school" RPG which features a hard-coded party (can't swap out members, can't change classes, etc.). Memorable characters, great music, straightforward gameplay.

3. Secret of Mana (SNES) — Excellent music. Excellent gameplay. Excellent bright graphics. One of the most fun, enthralling action/RPGs ever.

2. Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (SNES) — Simple gameplay, great map, doesn't get bogged down with overly complex diplomatic stuff, and the game is different every time you play. Very fun. Very fun multiplayer.

1. Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1) — Fantastic plot (if you play through the game enough times to understand it), well-developed characters (to the point that some of them can really get under your skin), and the best version of the job system to date.

[theUndead_feature]

Top 10 games IN ORDER
10. Duke Nukem 3-D (PC/PSX) - Undeniably one of the best FPSs of all time, if only for the title character. There's a lot of movie references in it, and I'm a sucker for films, so it gets brownie points. I've always admired a game that can be modified into something completely different.
9. The House of the Dead 2 (Arcade/Wii) - The most fun you'll ever have shooting zombies. I was introduced to this series through Pinball of the Dead on the GBA and was amazed at the detail SEGA carried over on the 3 tables. HOTD2 has crappy voice acting, bad plot, and dodgy graphics. I wouldn't have it any other way.
8. The King of Fighters 2001 (Arcade) - The only KOF game that features my dream team (Angel, Mai, King, and Vanessa). The animation is flawless and the backdrops gorgeous. There's a level of depth that few other fighting games can match.*
7. Resident Evil (Gamecube) - A beautiful and haunting game. I love the cinematic feel it carries throughout the game. Besides, I've always been a sucker for zombies and giant spiders. While I prefer the remake, the original does make for a good DS game.
6. Splatterhouse (Arcade) - Somewhere there's a great plot under this game. The music is great, the levels are awesome, and Rick is just a plain badass. The arcade version is ten times better than the TG16 port.
5. Doom (PC) - Perhaps the scariest game I've ever played, mainly because you don't have the SSG yet. All you've got is that damn regular shotgun and demons are rediculously hard in numbers. The replay value of this game is nigh endless. I love whippin through it when I got a few hours to kill.
4. Earthworm Jim (Genesis) - More often than not, I appreciate a game for its overall style. Jim oozes style and has substance to back it up. There's plenty of secrets to find and the difficulty level is ramped up quite a bit towards the end. The boss battles are epic and the soundtrack is full of win. EWJ is just too cool.
3. Vectorman (Genesis) - For some reason I just can't get enough of this game. Maybe it's the flawless animation, the magnificent sprites, or the fantastic levels. Maybe it's because this is the perfect side scrolling shoot 'em up. I'd go for both.
2. Super Mario Bros. (NES) - This game makes me feel smart. I love knowing all the tricks and secrets of every level (course, lots of people do). If I've got 15 minutes to burn I'll speedrun through this game.
1. Doom II (PC) - The perfect game. There's puzzles, there's insane combat, and there's the SSG. How badass is ripping through Hell because they just happen to pick the wrong town to set up a stronghold in? The monsters are gruesome and the levels are works of art. Besides all that, this game can be customized to no end, effectively neutralizing any staleness that may come from it. Really, who could get sick of Doom II anyway?


honorable mentions:
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Devil's Crush
Splatterhouse 3
Earthworm Jim 2
Clay Fighter 63 1/3
Killer Instinct Gold
Pinball of the Dead
War of the Monsters
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
Sinistar
Max Payne

*Actually I just like Angel a lot. To hell with the rest of the game.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/theUndead_feature/Angel_2k1Pose.gif

[nibon]

10. Warcraft III: Frozen Throne (PC) Oh how many hours haven't I spent with this game? too many I think. I used to play this all the frickin time a year ago, I don't really know why I stopped, but I don't dare to install it again. battle.net is just awesome as long as you find nice people, which luckily for me: I did.
9. Super smash bros. Brawl (Wii) I still haven't played this online, don't know why really... I guess I just need to pull out my hand and plug in the LAN-cable to the adapter (Yes I'm lazy), SSE was fun for a while, got a bit frustrating though in the great maze, still a damn good game, I've tasted a little of the level editor and this game is real fun together with a few friends.
8. Geometry wars: Galaxies (Wii) THIS IS CRACK FOR MY WIIWII! The ligtning from the geometrical "ships" combined with the background being manipulated when I shoot just makes me sit and stare at the screen as I play without even thinking about that I'm playing. I'm the kind of person who never sits still, I always move my legs, "drum" with my fingers or something but when I play this I just sit there and stare. All that combined with good gameplay and challenges to get the gold medals makes it a damn good game.
7. Resident evil 4 (Wii) A game with a good mix of scary moments and action, I really dont like the little girl though. *SPOILER* I'm at the mansion place and the is locked-up against the wall with some sort of metal bars. She kept screaming and I couldn't take it anymore after 20 minutes of trying to find out what to do so I shot her... damn that felt good. Oh well, gotta love the boss battles, though the "boss" of the Village was waay to easy.
6. Rock'n'roll racing (SNES) Here is my first racing game! Again with an awesome soundtrack. I've had the sound of the intro from Paranoid in my head for many years now, calling it "that rock'n'roll racing song", but last year I watched a movie and literally jumped up from my bed yelling out "ROCK'N'ROLL RACING!!" when I heard the song, looked up the soundtrack of the movie and found out that it was Black sabbath's Paranoid
5. F-Zero X (N64) Aah, this game is just so awesome. I've spent many hours playing this game with my friends, we used to sit like zombies in front of the screen, really REALLY into the game. I still love it today and play it now and then on the VC.
4. Red Alert(PC) My first RTS game. really enjoyed this, though I've never ever played the campaign. skirmishes only was the **** back in the days.
3. Doom (PC) One of the first games I played here aswell, I remember getting real scared of the red fat demons but nothing could kill me when I came running with my shotgun yelling BOOM*next-one*BOOM! (at least not after my brother helped me get into god mode)
2. Settlers II (PC) This game was the first thing to ruin my "time-rythm", I sat 'till 6 in the morning on my old 133mhz computer amazed by this piece of art not caring about how much my butt was hurt from sitting on a wooden chair for 9 hours.
1. Duck Hunt (NES) aah the nostalgia... This was the very first game I played. Damn I was good at shooting those ducks. I've had many hours of fun with this game, though I personally never owned it :P


Nostalgia <3

[Tides of Chaos]

My list is not necessarily a top 10, but more of a random assortment of my favorite games.

Age of Empires II: Gold Edition (PC): Without the expansion, this game is awesome. With it, it's one of the greatest games (and the greatest RTS) of all time. I don't even have to play the story mode or online in order to have fun, I usually just play with a random map or make my own and completely crush the computer with the most interesting cheats I've ever used (don't worry, I do play without them too). This game never gets old, and I don't think it ever will judging by how different AoE:III was.

Paper Mario (N64): While the two sequels are very good games, they could never compare to what this game brought me. I have so many memories of playing this game for hours on end and I think it even got in the way of homework too, although I never handed in a late assignment! ;) The game's sense of humor, great cast of characters, inventive battle system and great art style make it a game that will stand the test of time.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64): How could a top 10 not have this? Ocarina of Time was the first real 3D experience I had on the N64 considering I never got Super Mario 64 and didn't get Banjo until later. Ocarina will always stay in my mind because of it's fantastic musical score, ground-breaking Hyrule Field, interesting time skip mechanic and the ability to ride a horse. You have to admit, going horseback is just plain awesome.

Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN): Melee is quite possibly the greatest sequel ever made. It took the original N64 game's idea, which took every major Nintendo character and pitted them against each other in battle, and gave it the fast paced combat we all know and love today. Not only could you unlock a massive amount of trophies, play on 29 stages (including ones from the original game), select 26 characters and play through an all new adventure mode, but up to 3 buddies could join you for one of the best multiplayer games of all time.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (WII): Why didn't you just merge the two Smash Bros. together you may ask? Well, because they are very different games. While Brawl is technically a sequel with better graphics, the ability to make your own stages, a humoungous story mode, and even more characters, the game plays very differently. True, all the moves aside from the Final Smash are played out exactly the same, but Brawl is a much slower, strategic type of game wheras Melee was a fast-paced do whatever you want kind of game. (not to mention the annoying ability to trip over yourself in Brawl) I'm still not sure which one I would rank higher, but I'm sure after a few years, I'll know.

Pokemon Silver/Gold/Crystal (GBC): This was a tough one. While I know Red/Yellow hold very high places in my heart, Silver/Gold/Crystal are really the better games. Gold and Silver are still the biggest games in the series to date with 2 continenents, 16 badges, and twice the amount of towns. The night/day feature was really implemented the best in these games with the bug tourney only on weekend mornings and pokemon like Hoot-Hoot only coming out at night. (plus, the game looked it's best at night, graphic-wise and style-wise) While Crystal is very different from Silver/Gold, it still ranks about the same and deserves a spot on here, mainly for it's terrific Pokemon animations which the makers of Emerald and Pearl/Diamond should take a hint from. These animations acutally follow the Pokemons cry and look realistic, rather than just bouncing all around the screen looking like little hyper freaks. >_>

Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii: Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 (NDS): How do you kids say it these day? This game is full of WIN. PERIOD. While the set list is quite small compared to games like Guitar Hero (19), this games takes what made EBA great and multiplied it by two. It's that good. The song's are all good, although I do like playing some (Samurai Blue) more than others (Bambina). Since we won't ever get this game over here, everyone go out and buy Elite Beat Agents right now so we can get a sequel that's just as awesome as the Japanese one! Even with playing the same songs over and over, these games do not get old, especially with dancing guys in the background and crazy anime scenes on the top screen.

Animal Crossing (GCN): While the DS version improves upon the aspects of customization, you can't beat the Gamecubes 4 house structure, the ability to make as many towns as memory cards you have and the ability to collect 18 NES games (although an Action Replay is required for some). This is the perfect game to just chill out with and not have to save the world or really do anything!

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (NDS): The greatest game in the Ace Attorney series is the only one I don't have, but I have played it all the way through when I rented it. Even though this game isn't a true law sim, it still makes you feel like a real Defense Attorney with the pressure it puts on you to not screw up. The music in this game is perfect. The characters in this game are perfect. The gameplay in this game is great and the storyline in these games are great. Even the length of the game is superb since it has an epic fourth case that ended the original GBA version and it has an extra epic 5th case made specifically for the DS version. The only thing that this game truly does wrong is the fact that it has no real replay value in the sense that nothing new can happen. If you have a DS but none of the games from this series, you need to go change that right now.

Super Mario Bros 3 (NES): This game is chock full of nostaglia. While I never owned an NES, I used to play my friend's dad's old one and it had this, Super Mario Bros. 1 and Duck Hunt on it; all classics. It was hard to leave out the other two but this game is really the superior one. It took the original Mario Bros. and added a map screen, better graphics and the coolest power up ever, the Tunooki suit. I really need to buy the NES version of this, because the GBA one just isn't the same.

That took a long time to write!

Well, I guess that's it. Honorable mentions include:
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (WII)
Guitar Hero II (PS2)
Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire (GBA)
Pokemon Red/Blue (GB)
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
The Orange Box (PC)
Lemmings (PC)

[Joxe]

These are in no order since they are different genres and it's hard to differ them from each other, but these are the 10 games that have given me the best gameplay and will stay in my memory forever.

Ikaruga - GCN Treasure
I've said it a lot of times on this forum that this is one of my absolute favorites and also the best Shoot Ém Up game that there is. Everything is so well balanced where you can go from the first frame to the last in every stage and do it in one chain of killing, every enemy position is so well calculated so this is almost the most liniear game in the world. But Shmups are like that, they strive for perfection by the gamer and should instantly strike down whoever does a mistake without delay. Ikaruga does just that.
Ico - PS2 Team Ico
I want to clarify things with this one, this game is one of few that touch the genre of "Art". Just because of this Ico is one of the really best, you could practically take every frame in the game and turn it into a painting (not really, but you get my point) and this is one of few games that I call "beautiful". If you wouldn't see to the art factor in Ico you would get a game with not a perfect control, lack of music and also too short. But Ico doesn't need that to be perfect, play this one, you'll know.
Shadow of the Colossus - PS2 Team Ico
This one's just like Ico in the matter of art, so I won't go into that. On the other hand, this is the best graphical experience you can have if you compare to what platform you're using. SotC simply slaughtered the PS2 with great graphics, monsterous sound and great detail. This is more a game compared to Ico and also have some more flaws than Ico like the slow camera, sometimes wierd control and things like that. But all that can be forgiven when the rest of the game is like it is, also with a story that can touch even the coldest of hearts (I should become a poet).
Metal Gear Solid - PS1/GCN - Konami
Metal Gear Solid is a hard one, compared to Ico and SotC it really is a game. It was before Hideo Kojima had the console power to do everything in bullet time and making a movie out of it. Even because of this it told one of the best stories in the gaming universe with characters that felt really real. Even today I keep the voice acting in MGS as one of the best. Gamewise it was great, great control, great sound, great graphics (for the time of course) so great that I today have played it trough over 10 times, it was worth it all the times.
Okami - PS2/Wii Clover Studio
Maybe I shouldn't talk about this one since I honestly haven't played it trough entirely yet, but I think my 25 hours of gameplay will do, so here goes. This was one of the games that you buy for the graphics when they are released, you know like Crysis and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the difference is that Okami succeeds to be a Zelda game better than any Zelda game has ever been. The reason I say Zelda game is that there's no real genre name for this kind of game, adventure game is already taken and it's not by far a RPG. You always explain this game like a "Zelda game" and everyone knows what you mean. I hope that will change someday, but nevermind. Okami is a great game with almost no downsides (sometimes the game doesn't recognize what you're drawing) and a more adult (read: japanese adult) humor and dialog that makes this a better game than most of the Zeldas...maybe except Majora's Mask.
But it for the graphics, love it for what's underneath.
Metroid Prime - GCN Retro Studios
I must honestly say that this were the first Metroid game that I ever played, I had no expertations for this one at all. But damn! It's good, it's better, it's maybe the best. Everything was so perfectly executed, the graphics, the control, the sound and the music, everything made Metroid Prime to the best GCN game. After this one I've played trough every Metroid except Metroid II: Return of Samus and Hunters on DS, so this has instantly become my favorite series and will be my main reason to buy Nintendo's next console. I must say that Metroid Prime 3: Corruption could've just aswell been here, but since Metroid Prime was first with the 3D Metroids it's a bit better, also it got a bit more "Metroid feeling".
Final Fantasy IX - PS1 Squaresoft
Yes, you read right, the ninth game, not the seventh. The differenses are small but I see the ninth one as the better one, simply because of the world that the ninth one is in. The story was also a bit better and I liked the characters more (Cloud and Aeris was the ones interesting in the seventh). Also the gameplay was smoother and the graphics/sound were better because is was a late game for the PS1, after this one I really think that the Final Fantasy genre is going backwards. I thought the 12th one were the worst one I've played, but that's just personal opinion I guess, I could probably make a thread twice as big as this one arguing for that.
Half-Life 2 - PC Valve
Not much to say what's already been said, Half-Life is one of the best games ever on the PC and both the first and second installment has created a entire scene of mods to follow. I started with the Half-Life games pretty late as I bought The Orange Box just after last christmas. For just being played for one half of a year it's pretty impressive that a game series have gone to the top 10 list, and yes, I've played trough the first one aswell and I relize its impact on PC FPS gaming since the standard still stands today. But I value the second game a lot more since for a game released in 2004 it's very, very impressive, not just graphically but also story telling. Shortly; this game rocks.
Super Metroid - SNES Nintendo
Second Metroid game on my list, this shows that I like the series. I first played it trough entirely when it was released on VC and found out why people love it so much. Even though I've already had Metroid Prime on my list and that the games are pretty similar in how they play, but the step from 2D to 3D is still pretty big so I think I can have this one on the list aswell. This game also created a new genre when it comes to gaming; speedrunning. Even today people speedrun Super Metroid and it wasn't many months ago when a new record was sat which shows that this is one of the most open game that there is.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - N64 Nintendo
Yes, I've said it a lot of times, Majora's Mask is better than Ocarina of Time. It's just because that it stands out from the surrounding games, while ALttP, OoT and TWW (and partly TP) is following the same standard. Majora's Mask is perfectly designed for miniquests and retrying since you simply go back in time if you fail and everyone except you is resetted to normal. I keep wondering while no one else have used this formula since it's perfect for minigames and miniquests and inspires the player to keep mixing with how you should do the miniquests. I think it's a great formula that the Zelda games should use again at least, OoT used it a bit since you could warp 7 years and use the seeds you planted when you were young, but I want more of those things. Well, to end it all, Majora's Mask is the best Zelda game and one of the best of all time, period.

Honorable Mentions
Metroid Fusion
Zelda Ocarina of Time
Final Fantasy VII
Prince of Persia (new ones)
Formula 1 '97
Gran Turismo 4
Diablo II
Dungeon Keeper (got to find that one again)
Transport Tycoon

Long post :/

[Admiral_Awesome06]

-Contact (DS) because it's just a really well put together portable RPG which has interesting ideas and a really mysterious plot. It was pretty unappreciated by critics and players, though.

-Sam & Max: Hit the Road (PC) because it's the funniest game I've ever played. Sure, it's not much of a "game" per-say since you're just clicking on stuff until you find something that moves the "plot" along... but I don't care! It's fraking hilarious! *Protip: Click on something Sam cannot pick up over and over again for a surprise!*

-Metal Gear Solid (PSX) because it is awesome. Not only did it have an outrageous plot which, normally, would only fit within the world of comic books or anime, but it also has some pretty solid gameplay (for the time) as well as the most cinematic feel ever. I played this game when it first came out and it changed my whole perception of what video games could be. It also messed with my head a bit. You don't know how many times I tried the cheat which supposedly enabled a sex scene between Snake and Meryl.

-World of Warcraft (PC) because of everything. It's a nice solid western RPG with a fairly interesting "story" which covers the world. Then it also has levels of customization, an huuuuuge element of exploration, a large social playerbase, and excellent customer support.

-Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) because of the creative worlds. Mario was always a really solid platformer but SMG took it to, literally, another galaxy. As well, the music, the graphics, and the gameplay are fraking solid. Awesome. Oh, and all the secrets. Awesome.

-Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) because, godammit, this is art! The subtle way of telling the story, the excellent orchestrated soundtrack, and the sweet sweet grip meter gameplay mechanic. While this game is a bit short, it's completely satisfying and totally replayable. I have yet to play its predecessor, Ico, but I am actively looking for a copy every time I go to a retail outlet. *Protip: Those little shrines you find around the world are save points!*

-God of War 2 (PS2) You can make a fraking minotaur eat a sword, have a three-way as a mini game, and fight the colossus of rhodes. Nothing more to say here!

-Megaman 2 (NES) I know, everyone loves this game. Fear not, though, I don't like it just to be part of the masses. I actually found this game in a game store when I was younger and remembered enjoying the original Megaman on an emulator at a friends house. I picked it up and, while I still haven't completely beaten it, I still have fun playing it every once in a while. For an NES game its got some of the beat controls and graphics around, as well as a kick ass soundtrack! I cannot wait for Megaman 9!

-Metroid Prime (GC) This game is what really got me into Metroid. Previously, I had only played Metroid II on my gameboy pocket and found it to be rather...confusing. Little did I know that not all Metroid games are, at all, like this. Metroid Prime used interesting story telling methods (scanning screens for info) and had awesome gameplay which brought the Metroid experience into 3D.

Honorable Mentions:
-Patapon
-Katamari Damacy
-Animal Crossing: Wild World
-Team Fortress 2
-Half-life series
-Diablo series
-Loco Roco
-Sim City
-MGS3: Snake Eater

[Klatrymadon]

Super Metroid (SNES) - I've written hundreds of veritable treatises on this game over the years, and won't bore you with one today. As a throw-away comment, though, let's just say that it represents an entirely uncompromised and untainted artistic vision actually making it onto the shop shelves. http://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/images/smilies/tonguey.gif

Contra III (SNES) - I still play through this on Hard mode about once a week even now. I've yet to discover another title that manages to cram so much frenetic run-'n'-gun action and so many incredible set-pieces into 20 minutes of gameplay. Totally wears its influences on its sleeve, too, referencing Alien, Blade Runner, Predator and all sorts. How could you not love it?

Gradius Gaiden (Playstation) - This is the apex of the series, for me. Not as long or as thematically samey as 5, and much, much more balanced and learnable than 3 (arcade ver.) and 4, whilst still posing a real challenge on the second loop (which features an extra boss on level eight). Loads of character and heart, to boot, and a fantastic soundtrack.

X-Multiply (Arcade) - I love this one because it's basically a much more biologically-themed R-Type. Organic stages make me happy in my trousers. It's a fair bit more hectic than most of the R-Types, too.

Parodius Da! (Arcade) - Most people prefer Sexy Parodius, but I think this one's still the best. Let's hope Otomedius does 'em justice!

Super Castlevania IV (SNES) - I could happily waffle about this one all bloody day like a broken record, too, but I will say that in concentrating on moaning about its stiff controls, many people miss the point of CV4. In fact, I think it's probably the last CV game to do anything remotely artistically interesting. Just play it with your eyes open and your ears switched to 'ON' and you can't possibly have an unpleasant experience. Total baroque majesty!

Under Defeat (Arcade/Dreamcast) - Probably the best shmup ever made, if I stop fellating Konami's ghost for a second.

Metal Black (Arcade)
Darius Gaiden (Arcade/Saturn)
G-Darius (Arcade/PS1) - The three games Taito should be famous for. All of them have incredibly immersive worlds, for shooters; they're the only ones for which I'd argue that the visuals and music are as important as the gameplay. They're just very unique and memorable experiences.

As with any list I do, this may have looked dramatically different if I'd have read the thread 5 minutes earlier/later. :p

[coire]

Here's my list:

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

10: Super Mario Allstars - SNES - Nintendo
The first console game I ever owned, came packed in with my SNES. A brilliant collection of the NES Mario games and I believe I had the version which also included Super Mario World in the pack.

9: Pokémon Sapphire - Gameboy Advance - Gamefreaks/Nintendo
The same old Poké-story span another Poké-time. And I still bought it. And loved it. It is only now with Diamond and Pearl that I no longer feverously play the newest Poké-incarnation with rigour matching that of a sugar addicted child opening a Pixie-stick. I caught the 3 Regis, learning Braille in the process and I beat the game 6 ways from Sunday. I have very fond memories of this game. And I have a better Secret Base than you.

8: Slime Soccer - Java - Quinn Pendragon
This is a shocker, but this game is brilliant. It's been around quite a while, and while not the most technologically advanced game, I must say that it is definently worthy of a place on my Top 10, if not only for how much I have played of it.

7: WWE Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth - PS2 - Yukes/THQ
This is the game where the Smackdown series really jumped the shark... INTO AWESOMENESS! The Hell in a Cell match was revamped, as were many other matches, the story mode lasted 'two years' with many great plots. And, for the first time in the series; moves I didn't even know existed were added to the game! Unfortunately, most of those moves have been cut own of subsequent releases, and the series has seen great dilution over the past couple of years, to the point that selling points of the original Smackdown game on the Playstation have been cut.

6: Bonk's Andventure - Wii VC/TG16 - RED/Hudson
This game is probably one of the most overlooked games there is. Everyone knows Mario and Sonic, but fewer know Bonk. I actually only discovered this game through the VC and prior to that had no knowledge of Bonk. I urge everyone to download this game, as it is platforming brilliance.

5: WWF Smackdown 2: Know Your Role - Playstation - Yukes/THQ
A huge game with great improvements over its predecessor, including a bigger roster, more 'hardcore' fighting areas and even a better story mode which mimicked actual WWF storylines. I feel that now Smackdown game has matched the level that this game has set in either quality or originalty, and I hope with a cringed expression that Smackdown VS Raw can change that.

4: Tony Hawk's Underground 2 REMIX - PSP - Shaba/Neversoft
Partly the reason I bought a PSP, and a worthy one at that. THUG 2 on the PS2 was a great game despite what purist Skate-game fans think, and this PORTABLE version added so much while taking away so little - graphics included. A brilliant game, in my eyes, the highlight of the long running series, and unmatched by the Tony Hawk Tripe that has been seeping out of Neversoft recently. Although I disagree with the direction that the series has taken recently, this game still holds a place with me.

3: Pokémon Blue - GameBoy - Gamefreaks/Nintendo
(Literally) Sitting at my right hand at the moment, this is the first game I got for my Gameboy Color and it was amazing. It introduced me to the RPG genre and even though some RPG Elitists look down on it, I say that no other RPG has captured what the Pokémon series innovated. For one, it brought said genre into millions of children's hands, including my own and is unmatched so far in the genre.

2: San Andreas - PS2 - Rockstar North
This game is one of, if not the greatest game ever made, despite what those goldfish-brained voters in that GAME poll think. This is the first game I ever saw get a midnight launch, an event that has become common over here. Although it might not be my number one choice, it definently is one of my favourite games. The biggest game in sheer size I have ever seen and huge in substance. Many people complain that this game is too big, but then again, many people are spoilt for choice. If you haven't played this game before, go out and get it now. I'll wait.

Since your reading this, I don't have to wait for squat and so the list continues.

1: Pokémon Gold - Gameboy Color - Gamefreaks/Nintendo
When this game was announced, I was absolutely dumbfounded at it. It looked amazing. The new Pokémon, the new region, the 'new' story. As you can imagine by now, these routine additions to the Poké-formula no longer excite me, but when Gold and Silver arrived they sure did. A brilliant game, and the best example of an RPG bar none, and because this is my list and not yours, I don't have to listen to your Squeenix loving crap. 8 new badges and the ability to go up against the Pokémon league to gain acces to 8 more badges? The ability to go up against ASH and his level 83 Pikachu as the very last, most se-car-etest-est battle ever? Now that's good gaming. The inclusion of the original Kanto region was a while layer of icing on this great portable cake and I have many fond memories of playing it. Oh, and I caught Ho-Oh and Lugia. And I have a Mew.

Childish bragging aside, this game was, and still is a masterpiece.

[Jazzem]

Right, in no order (Although Super Mario Galaxy *may* be no.1):

Super Mario Kart: A true example of Nintendo's game design wizardry at work here. The controls, the track design, the weapons, it's all put together so brilliantly and remains an absolute joy to play after all these years. Plus the two player is an absolute blast, delivering some of the most enjoyable multiplayer in gaming to this day. And if you're a single player? Time trials are addictive and deliver that constant belief that you can do better to deliver an addictive and compelling experience.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2: My most replayed game by a country mile. Every now and then I'll get the urge to fire up this classic, and every time I do I have an absolute blast. I do have fond memories with this one so that may be partially why, but it speaks wonders for a game when after all these playthroughs I'm still discovering secrets and routes I've never seen before. And unlike later Sonic games, it really lets you take it at your own pace, and keeps the strong sense of momentum that's sadly lacking in later games.

Cave Story: Have to second Spore on this one, a game that's so perfectly crafted and seemingly faultless is rare in games at retail, yet one that's freeware and developed entirely by one person! The gameplay is incredibly challenging and fun, the style of the game is incredibly appealing and the story is sad, sweet and very engaging.

Super Mario Galaxy: As I popped this badboy into Christmas last year, having high expectations. It was the next Mario game, the next installment of my favourite video game franchise. How could I not be excited! Yet the game completely blew me away, surpassed those expectations and delivered some of the most enjoyable gameplay I've ever experienced. I tend to gravitate towards older games for my favourites but Galaxy has to rank up there for me. An absolute joy, and the only game I was sad finishing, I didn't want it to end!

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening: It still amazes me to this day how complete this is as a Game Boy title. The gameplay is incredibly sophisticated despite the hardware limitations, with a long, engaging quest that's coupled with some brilliant design, both in the overworld and the dungeons. The story is also surprisingly affecting, with characters that feel very developed despite the small amounts of dialogue. It has nostalgia on its side, but this is my personal favourite Zelda title.

Super Mario World: It's hard picking between this or Super Mario Bros. 3, but World ranks just above for its incredibly spot on controls and the addition of Yoshi! I've played this game to death and yet still come back to it to replay levels. Mario's finest 2D hour.

Ossu! Tatake! Ouendan: Last year, I'd remembered a game I had wanted to try out for the DS. This quirky, unusual rhythm game that fans had been raving about. Deciding I wanted to be in on the fun, I imported the game and received it for my birthday. My semi-high expectations were blown away as I fell in love with one of the strangest games I'd ever played. Fresh, inventive and downright kooky, Ouendan is an utter joy to play, and for me lead to many sleepless nights! The sequels did wonders with the formula, but it's the first title that I rekindle most fondly.

Street Fighter II': Hadouken! As with Ouendan, Street Fighter was a game I had heard great things about but only recently did I actually delve into the phenomenon. Receiving an unexpected Plug-in-and-play of the Mega Drive version Christmas '06, I was too addicted to my newfound love, the Wii, to notice. But eventually I had to give in to curiosity and fired it up. I liked it, sure, but that was all. Over time however I found myself picking the unit up and playing it over and over again...slowly I began to pick up strategies, gameplay tactics and all these little nuances that make the Street Fighter experince so deep and engaging. And now? I'm a huge fan of the fighting game genre, and to this day still regularly play Capcom's classic.

Super Mario 64: As one of the few 90s kids who went for an N64 over a PSone, this is one of the games that made me glad I did. An absolute masterpiece, but in the way it's the game that ruined many other 3D games for me! Because of '64 my standards are so high that a 3D game with poor controls or level design just can't hold my interest. 64 gets everything right by focusing entirely on the most important ingredient of games: fun. The controls are fun, the levels are fun, the characters, just everything boils down to an immensely enjoyable game. Galaxy may be better, but it certainly hasn't made this N64 classic redundant.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Possibly the most memorable game ever made. Just a single one-note sound effect or a six note melody has to be played for countless memories to run through my mind. Just an utterly superb, enjoyable and compelling game. The scene on the bridge with Saria still gets me to this day *Sniff*

Honourable Mentions:
Pokémon Blue
Tetris (Game Boy)
Lemmings
Sonic the Hedgehog
Streets of Rage II
Gunstar Heroes
Alien Soldier
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Moreo! Nekuttsu! Rhythm! Damashii! Ossu! Tatake! Ouendan 2
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 3
Yoshi's Island
Super Metroid
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Seasons
Fire Emblem (GBA)
Lufia II
Mega Man 2
Breath of Fire 1/2

I'm sure there's countless others I've criminally left out, but ah well that should do.

[Turbo D]

Just to qualify, I don't really like RPGs or RTS games.
So no Starcraft / Final Fantasy...

In no order:

Super Mario 3 = It's all about the jumps... The perfect side-scroller. Expertly tuned, infinitely replayable, perfect difficulty, killer music... What makes Mario games (and especially this one) so great? Those moments when you take a leap of faith and your whole body tenses up.

Shadow of the Collossus = Not a perfect game by any means... the controls could be tightened, the graphics pop and change resolution on you, the overworld feels empty... but man... what an experience! Epic to the end, this game gave me goosebumps from beginning to end. One of the few games I've ever owned where upon finishing, I immediately started up a new game.

Resident Evil 4 = My favourite horror game ( a genre I love). Feels perfectly balanced and innovative. One of those games that just feels right and is tons of fun. Loved it so much I played through it 3 times on the GC then bought the Wii version.

Diablo 2 = The closest I've ever let myself get to MMO. For about a year I became one with my online avatar, building him up, collecting everything, doing Bane runs... good times! Eventually it wore me out, but definitely one of the best PC gaming experiences I've ever had.

Carcassonne = The 360 arcade game is my favourite strategy game of all time. Easy to learn but takes a lifetime to master. Between me and my wife, we've played over 1500 matches and still has a great online community so I'll always have good competition to play against.

Civilization 2 (PC) = Countless evenings were spent (not wasted... spent) playing this wonderful and deep strategy game. This game was life-changing for me, sparking a love of world history.

Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble (SNES) = Most people think Tetris is the best puzzle game but I think the Bustamove series is better. The SNES version feels the best to me. The version on Taito Legends 2 is easily the worst...

Orange Box (HL2 more specifically) = Half Life 2 rocked my world when released on PC and rocked it again on Orange Box. Episode 1 was crap but Episode 2 made me want more.

Street Fighter 2 series = Hard to pick just one but I know I got my money's worth out of SF2-Turbo on SNES. Put any 2 players together of similar skill and you've got an instant 2-3 hours of joy.

Castlevania SOTN = The game that got me hooked on the Metroidvania genre. Best game released on PS1 and still plays great today.

10 more games that almost made the list: Paper Mario, Katamari Demacy, Doom, Bubble Bobble, Devil's Crush, Pac Man, Super Mario 64, Waverace 64, Nights Into Dreams, Ratchet and Clank UYA,

[Yasume]

Allright, first of all I need to say that I own 97 games and didn't regret buying any of them.

That said, here comes my top 10:


10. Wave Race 64 (N64)
I purchased this game only 3 weeks ago on the VC, but I love it so much already it just needs a place in my top 10. This game is almost perfect in my eyes, the speed, the waves & the tracks are 10/10 IMO. The only thing that lacks is the amount of racers (6-8 would have been better) and a multiplayer mode in the Championship.

9. Medabots RPG: Metabee Version/Rokusho Version (GBA)
Although this game doesn't score higher than a 5 or a 6 on most sites, I love it with all my heart. I appreciate the high amount of parts, the humor and the length of the game. It's underrated IMO and that's too bad.

8. Pokémon Red/Blue (GB)
Oh boy, the hours that I spend with this game. It was just so good and everyone had the games, so we were like battling and trading all the time. I have such good memories with that generation it had to be in my top 10. Even though the generations afer it are better...

7. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (NGC)
I love Fire Emblem games and this is one of the best. The story is awesome, the weapon system is balanced and I like the new added skills. The only thing that's missing is Dark Magic. I have Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn for the Wii a few weeks now, but haven't beat it yet. I'm enjoying it, but I don't like the fact that you're forced to use different characters everytime.

6. Animal Crossing (NGC)
I don't have much to say about this game, but just that it's so relaxing and a game that you can play at any time. My goal was to obtain every furniture/fish/insect/clothes etc. but I never succeeded. I definitely get back to it someday and finish it.

5. Pokémon Gold/Silver (GBC)
Just like Pokémon Red/Blue did everyone had a copy of this game at school. The gameplay, graphics and story were much better in comparison with the first generation. The new Pokémon were still original and there were nice additives. Definitely one of the best Pokémon games ever.

4. Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA)
Best Fire Emblem IMO. I always liked that you can level your characters between the chapters after chapter 10 or so. Also the Trial Maps in this game were quite nice, it was pretty fun to unlock a bunch of secret characters after you beat the game. I hope I can get my hands on Fire Emblem (US/EU) in the future, because I've heard nothing but good things of it.

3. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (GB)
40 awesome levels in 7 worlds, fun bosses, sweet secrets & great music made this game a masterpiece and the best Wario game ever. All the Wario games I've played after this were fun, but definitely not as good. I hope a remake will be made in the future.

2. Pokémon Diamond/Pearl (NDS)
Wifi, GTS, more Pokémon and a better balanced system made this game the best Pokémon game ever. Of every game I own I have put the most hours in this one (960+ hours). I'm taking a break now (haven't touched it in 3 months), but I definitely get back to it soon.

1. Banjo-Tooie (N64)
This is it. My favourite game ever. Brilliant characters, a huge world to explore and lots of collectibles...it's the perfect game. No other game that I've played came even close to this. Now you probably noticed that there is no Banjo-Kazooie on my top 10, but that's because I don't own it. I played a few levels at someone elses place a few years ago and loved it, so I'll get a copy of the game soon for sure. Or if a miracle happens and it shows up on the VC, but I don't see that happen =(

[Mickeymac]

Okay, I have to explain why? I choose the games on my list because I think back to them and get a nice, funny feeling. It not somethink that can be described with mere words, but I'll try.



#10 Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
#9 Sly 3: Band of Thieves
#8 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
#7 Meteos
#6 Pikmin 2
#5 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
#4 Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Swords
#3 Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

#2 Okami - There's so much personality in there, and I always get a good feeling whenever I get happy points. The Celestial Brush is really creative and fun to use, and the battles are pretty fun once you get used to the controls. It has a very large and interesting world to explore, with plenty of interesting things to be found. It doesn't have the most perplexing puzzles, or the most elaborate dungeons, but what it does, it does great, and it's one of the few adventure games I loved more than Zelda, and it's considered a clone.

#1 Tie: Metroid Prime/Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - MP was my first Metroid game and it was the most immersive game I've ever played. I actually felt like I was exploring a hostile alien planet! MP3 fixed the controls and expanded the worlds you explore, but took away the incredible immersion I felt in a fuly connected world, but thankfully it didn't take away from the sence of mystery I get whenever I play a Metroid game, and it has a lot more replayability due to it being just plain fun, and puts itself right next to Metroid Prime as the greatest game I've ever played.

Special Mentions:

Kingdom Hearts - for drawing me back to RPGs, and proving to me that a story doesn't have to make a lick of sense to be good

Tales of Symphonia - for sticking me to it[RPGs], and for having the funnest battle system an action-RPG can

Rogue Galaxy - for having a drunken cybernetic bulldog who carries a battle axe and a gatling gun!

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - for having the funnest battle system in turn-based RPG

Sonic & Knuckles - for being the best Sonic game I've ever played

Pokemon Gold - for being the only game I clocked 369 hours with

Wipeout Pure - The only game that I ever "got in the zone" with

Super Mario Galaxy - For being the best and most creative Mario game yet!

Paper Mario - for being my first RPG, plain and simple.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - by proving to me that doing things wrong can be just as fun as doing things right. Here's to cartwheels!

Devil May Cry 3 - Proving to me that a 3D action game can be both fast-paced and fun, and that a guy can be a total bada** and still be funny.

Shadow of the Colossus - taught me to appreciate and love the ability to climb all over stuff, as well as giving me the one of the biggest worlds that's just begging to be explored and climbed on. And the battle were pretty epic too.

Metroid: Zero Mission - for being what a remake should be - improved in every way over it's predecessor

I know I need an explenation for why I chose the ones I did, but I can't I'm sorry. It's as if putting those memories on paper would somehow decrease their significance. No matter how much I try, I can't write down those reasons. I'll try again later, when I can better collect my thoughts, and overcome my fears. But for right now, I just need to get this list out there, while I'm even ab;e to do that.

[Jiggy37]

Note: I heavily, heavily, heavily favor games that I'll play for 100+ hours one way or another. <_< This will probably become very obvious. :P



Runner-up: Super Smash Bros. Melee (HAL)
It once reigned supreme at the top of my list, but after Brawl I simply can't go back. (Brawl itself isn't in my top ten, but its smoother controls, larger roster, and drastically-expanded soundtrack kind of ruin Melee for me.) Still, in its time Melee was a perfect storm of infinite longevity.



* = Has an upcoming DS or PSP remake that may or may not become a superior version and replace the original.


10. Super Metroid (Nintendo)
A technically flawless adventure. Among what I lovingly call the SNES Quintet of Sidescrolling Awesomeness (SQoSA), which consists of this game, Yoshi's Island, Donkey Kong Country 2, DoReMi Fantasy, and my #9 game, Super Metroid represents the greatest single-player experience. With controls, gameplay, and music that are all of a superb quality, Super Metroid won over even someone like me who doesn't want games to take on too much of a serious nature.


9. Kirby Super Star* (HAL)
Where should I even begin with praise for this game? The responsive controls? The phenomenal soundtrack? The crisp and colorful graphics? Personally, I admire Kirby Super Star for its fantastic diversity. Sakurai really demonstrated stylistic multiplicity here: whether you're playing an action-based game in Revenge of Meta Knight, an exploration-based game in The Great Cave Offensive, or a time-based game in Gourmet Race and The Arena, it's executed outstandingly. And, as with Grand Theft Auto (the only favorable comparison I ever make to GTA), Kirby has so many potential moves to do away with the same enemies that I never ran out of new attack patterns to try no matter how many times I came back. Co-op pushes it to my top slot in the SQoSA, naturally. ^_^


8. Advance Wars: Dual Strike (Intelligent Systems)
Extraordinarily addictive strategy gameplay, infinite replayability and customization, marvelous music. Characters who were ludicrously shameless in all the right ways. Advance Wars 2 before it had single-handedly changed my mind on turn-based strategy games (non-RPGs, that is), and Dual Strike only went up from there by most standards that I cared about.


7. WWF No Mercy (AKI)
This and the other N64 games by AKI provide far and away the most flexible wrestling system I've encountered: perfectly capable of three-minute matches and sixty-minute matches within the same ruleset. The logic and pacing of selling damage reign supreme in a way that no two matches will ever feel identical, and an amazing degree of customization in the create-a-character feature contributed to that as well. Personally, I stuck to my created characters basically 100% of the time and had great fun that way. Go, my anime rejects! <_<


6. Final Fantasy VI (Squaresoft)
I have no particular explanation. Really.


5. Chrono Trigger* (Squaresoft)
An immaculately-balanced RPG with all of its charming characters perfectly viable. Its replayability and soundtrack are also off the charts, but the gameplay and a sweet spot for game length truly seal the deal for this classic.


4. Tales of Symphonia (Namco Tales Studio)
Battle system. Colette.


3. Star Ocean: The Second Story* (tri-Ace)
I could say much more, but let's just stick to this. For single-player gaming, nothing has ever topped the feeling I get when I have multiple characters surrounding a large boss like a school of sentient-yet-deranged piranha, screaming and blasting away with anime-style special attacks all while the miserable, helpless beast can't respond to the assault of four-digit numbers and the screen shakes wildly as if moved by the willpower of the beast's inexorable frustration and despair.


2. Pokemon Emerald (GameFreak)
1. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl* (GameFreak)

Double review. In terms of multiplayer (and when I talk about this series, multiplayer is the only thing I'm talking about), the third generation finally brought Pokemon in the direction that I thought it had always been aiming for. Natures and, especially, abilities and EVs brought in a more realistic dynamic that further differentiated Pokemon from each other and added entirely new levels of strategy to think about. Battles had already been rather multi-faceted, but the number of possibilities was reaching into absurd territory and frankly I loved it. :D Great Pokemon matches are the most serious business I've ever had in terms of strictly thought-based gaming because there are so many dozens of variables to account for.

Diamond/Pearl cut battle speed by about 65% or so, which frankly sucks. It really, really, really sucks. :/ Despite that, what can I say? If you add online play, 107 more characters, tens of new moves, and a handful of extra items, and effectively double the number of attack types by letting them all be both physical or special, things can only possibly get deeper and more awesome.

[timp29]

Tekken Tag Tournament (arcade) - I've spent more money on this game than anything else in my gaming history. There is something amazing about playing fighters competitively and the lightning quick reflexes required. Add to the fray the ability to counter attacks and even counter counter-attacks and you have an epic fighter.

Diablo I & II (PC) - Why both? They were both brilliant in their time, but I spent at least 1 or 2 years on diablo II killing zombies on battle.net. From playing for the USWest ladder (with horrible 300 ping from australia) to endless cow runs etc, these two games copped some serious play time.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein (PC) - Another game I spent serious time on. FPS are loads of fun, but this one rewarded skill a fair bit more than some of the randomness of counter strike. Add on the fantastic team based action, and HUGE explosion from guys calling in air strikes, medics to revive teammates, this game made team/clan matches a dream to play. Almost like you were in world war II. The only sequel I would like to see more than Diablo III.

The Last Ninja I & II (C64) - What can I say? I used to finish rugby when I was 6 and then spend the rest of the weekend playing this with the kid from down the road. Epic music, amazing gameplay and... you got to be a ninja!! I never got the pirate thing, ninjas were always the coolest when I was growing up.

Mario Kart 64 (N64) - When I was 18 this was the game me and my friends played. Combine with alcohol and it was great times. If you played donkey kong's course with 3 players it was like super turbo mayhem. Ahh the fun of killing friends with shells and the general ruckus of this mad game.

The Legend of Zelda - II (NES), Ocarina of Time (N64) - The Zelda series had me hook line and sinker. Never really liked the original, but I got the second one when I was like 10 and I played that game for like 2 years straight. Sucked at it, never managed to kill the thunderbird thing at the end til years later, but Zelda II meant I would religiously play any other zelda game I could get my hands on. A link to the past had an epic storyline but the realisation of Zelda in 3D through ocarina was a masterpiece and I would consider perhaps my favourite game of all time. Do you remember when you first got the hookshot? I just sat in town going from rooftop to rooftop. It was that amazing!

Contra III/Super Probotector (SNES) - I used to play the original contra a lot on the C64 and never realised the connection between these games until years later. The levels and landscapes were awesome, with cutscenes with jets firing missiles and massive ships flying past you, to brilliant bosses and - for goodness sake - how many games have you fighting bosses while hopping amongst an armada of missiles detonating on its side!! Cooperative play for a console game was also brilliant. The only game on a console that came close for cooperative play (for me) would have been double dragon II on the NES.

Street Fighter II (SNES) - For me this game gave birth to one on one fighters. Sure I'd played final fight to death in the arcade as a kid, but toe to toe fighting was awesome. Another game me and many friends competed at fiercely. I'll never forget one cocky friend dieing in two uppercuts done on him during a blanka roll - the first video game rage I've ever seen, a controller was hurled at the screen... lucky it was one of those old crt screens with like 1 inch thick glass... still chipped the glass though...

DOOM (PC) - The birth of the FPS. Sure wolfenstein was good, but the graphics of wolfenstein were almost comical, while Doom put you on mars and creeped the hell out of you. I remember reading the game's storyline to a friend before they ever played or saw Doom, and they were already itching to play depsite having never seen a FPS in their life.

SUPER MARIO BROS (NES), MARIO 64 (N64) - Brilliance. Played Super Mario Bros at a friends 10th birthday and had to have a nintendo after that. After two weeks of nagging, I think my mum caved. Mario on the SNES was just as epic, but, just like zelda, it was the progression of the game into 3D that was absolutely amazing and revolutionary. mario is nintendo... that how good this series of games is. Even though I would play zelda over mario any day of the week, you can't deny what this game series has done for nintendo.

Honourable Mention -
Goldeneye (N64) the graphics of this game wowed me as well as the various hitboxes on enemies and the dying animations. How many times did you play through the snow level using only the sniper rifle? How mad was the rush to finish the second level in the rediculous time to unlock all guns or whatever it was? If I didn't have heaps of FPS in there already, goldeneye would make it.
Ninja Gaiden I & II (NES) What can I say? Some of the most intense single player action I've encountered. However, I always wished for the coin op version of ninja gaiden. :P

[mechanix]

Off the top of my head:

Secret of Mana
The first rpg I ever played, and I never looked back


WWF: No Mercy
For the countless hours I spent having Iron man matches. Beautiful.


Final Fantasy 7
Because I almost dropped out of college to play it.


Zelda: A Link to the Past
The first game I bought for my SNES, the first game for my GBA, the first game for VC. The perfect Zelda.


Street Fighter 2 Turbo
Becuase if I had the time back I've spent on this, I could've written my novel.

Pikmin 2
I loved Pikmin, but it was broken. The best example of a sequel putting right the flaws of its predecessor.


Resident Evil 4
For proving me wrong when I thought anything labelled Resident Evil was not for me.


Wipeout 2097
The only racing game I've ever loved.


Shadow of the Colossus
The game that made my fiancée cry.


Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Before this I thought 3D platformers were hideously unforgiving. This proved me wrong.

honourable mentions:

Rogue Trooper
Link's Awakening, Twilight Princess, Minish Cap, Majora's Mask
Animal Crossing
Super Mario Galaxy
Final Fantasy 6 & 12
Doom
Chrono Trigger
Mario RPG

[Tull]

Not 100% sure on this list, but whateva man.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Somuch unexpected goodness happening in this sequel.

Mega Man 2
My first non bundled game. And boy did it "bring smiles to my face".

The Legend of Zelda
Freedom, exploration, secrets(love the sound) and dungeons.

Super Mario Bros./DuckHunt
Getting killed by the first goomba and laughed at by a nameless dog on the same cart, madness!

Civilization
civanon.org

Diablo
Grinding, power leveling and phat lewt.

Silent Service II
Great satisfaction sinking Yamato, or just standing on the deck and cannoning down defenceless ships :P

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
I love the combo system.

Grand Theft Auto
All about the mayhem.

Doom
I used to love FPS's what happend?

[Yossarian]

Super Mario World

Superb platformer with so much to do, great level designs and best of all Ghost Houses. I prefer it over SMB3 because the levels feel more varied and I never really went in for the whole costume thing.

Sonic (SMS)

This was one of the first console games I owned and I loved this game to pieces. It was harder than the Megadrive version and had its own distinctive feel as well as my favourite version of the Sonic sprite.

Lucky Dime Caper (SMS)

A fantastic Disney platformer that appeared at the tail end of the SMS life cycle. Beautiful graphics, some great levels and bosses.

Donkey Kong 64

I know this game is loathed by some but I liked the replay value of this. It was also a game that ate a week of my girlfriend's and my life over a Christmas break.

Micro Machines 2 (MD)

A great little racer with fun multiplayer options. The VC needs this game.

Okami (Wii)

A great game with charm, humour and so much packed in it. I thought I'd reached the end at the 25 hour mark but no! There was another 25 hours. Beautiful artwork and fights using the Celestial Brush were great fun.

Grandia (PS1)

An underrated RPG which made me smile and curse in equal measures. The combat system felt more involved than typical turn based RPG combats and after slogging through FF the ability to avoid battles by sneaking past the monsters was highly welcome.

Killer 7 (GC)

I had no idea how much was in this game. Not just in terms of gameplay but all the multiple levels that the storyline and characters work. For such a self consciously weird game it seems that nothing is really random and that each element has its own peverse logic and place.

Silent Hill series (PS1 / PS2)

This is where gaming went beyond games and infiltrated my life. It was the first survival horror I played where the horror actually got under my skin and changed the way I looked at things.

It was influenced by so many different things yet has managed to successfully create its own mythos and develop it with each game (bar SH3...). The soundtracks make this series and elevate it above the standard Hammer Horror strings soundtracks so beloved of the genre.

[Iam Canadian]

My list is always changing, but here's the most recent version of the list as it stands in my top ten games document.

1. Earthbound: Beyond a shadow of a doubt. Earthbound is my favourite game of all time, as well as the first RPG I ever played. I absolutely love every aspect of this game: its charmingly simple yet stylish graphics, the sublime music, the clever writing, the well-balanced gameplay...I find no flaws in this game. Earthbound has been my favourite game since I played it and has maintained that position since. I don't see any game ever dethroning it, ever.

Except maybe Mother 3...

2. Super Metroid: Barring the occasional missteps like Hunters, I'm extremely fond of the entire Metroid series. However, Super Metroid was not only the game to define the Metroid formula, but to perfect it. Super Metroid beautifully combines strong atmosphere with great gameplay. The sombre environments and quiet, ambient music create a tense mood of isolation that's unmatched, even by the franchise's 3D incarnations. Samus is one of the most graceful characters I've ever had the pleasure of controlling; she doesn't so much jump as glide and her abilities make the game a joy to play. I also appreciate that you can play the game slowly, absorb the atmosphere...or blitz through as fast as you can, using every exploit in the book. Super Metroid does both equally well and it excels as a result.

3. Super Mario Bros. 3: It's quite possibly my favourite platform game. Super Mario Bros. 3 is to this day the apex of the Mario series. The controls were perfected; you weren't a slave to your own momentum like in the first game, but nor did you have impossibly good control over your jumps like in Super Mario World. The level design was challenging, but balanced. The graphics were bright and coloruful, some of the best on the NES. It was also one of the lengthiest games on the old console, and it holds up over time perfectly.

4. Chrono Trigger: If Earthbound didn't exist, this game would be my favourite RPG. Featuring a likeable cast of characters, a unique time-travelling gimmick, comical animations, and a wonderful soundtrack, Chrono Trigger is a masterpiece of a game. Its major flaw: it's criminally short. Still, what is there is excellence.

5. Kirby Super Star: Not only is this game the pinnacle of co-op gaming, but it's a perfectly fun single-player adventure. While it's rather light on the difficulty, as all Kirby games are, Super Star nonetheless is one of those games that's just fun to play. Utilizing dozens of different powers to lay waste to overly cute enemies just never gets old. Ever.

6. Gunstar Heroes: Treasure are geniuses of action game design. While it's not much more than a run and gun shooter like Contra, the sheer creativity that radiates from Gunstar is nothing short of astounding. While the game is short, no two levels - indeed, no two sections - are the same. Gunstar has a relentless, manic pace that's unmatched. It's also home to some of the finest boss battles in gaming history.

7. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: Zelda games have come and went before and after this one, but the third title is still my favourite. It's an action-adventure title that's nothing short of epic - with two worlds, a dozen dungeons, and tons of items, there's a lot of game here.

8. Final Fantasy VI: Truly the greatest Final Fantasy, FFVI is a game fully worthy of the superlative term "epic". While the game offers you so many opportunities to make your characters into unstoppable death machines that can annihilate the final boss in a single round, the game is entertaining regardless and the Esper system offers a lot of flexibility as to how you're going to develop your party. I also really like the extremely non-linear second half of the game.

9. Mega Man 3: I had to fit the Mega Man series in here, as it's one near and dear to my gaming heart. While the third NES title is probably my favourite in the series, consider this entry in the list a cipher, if you will, for the entire Mega Man franchise, as the Mega Man games are some of the finest action games I've ever played.

Except for EXE and Star Force, that is. Those games can go burn.

10. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow: Again, like the Mega Man 3 entry, this is probably my favourite entry in the series, but this entry can very well be applied to the majority of the Castlevania titles, terrible 3D games aside. The hard part was picking a Castlevania game to take this place. The first game is, to paraphrase Thomas Hobbes, nasty, brutish, and short, so I didn't pick it. The third NES game is nastier, more brutish, and long. Super Castlevania IV and Castlevania Bloodlines are fine titles in their own right, but on the whole, I prefer the Metroidvanias and Dawn of Sorrow is my favourite variation on the Metroidvania format.