My favorite video games...EVER!
I am of that lucky generation that grew up playing videogames. I've seen it all, done it all. I can say "I was there." My love affair with video games hasn't let up since I snuck down in the basement that Christmas to search for the Atario 2600 I knew my parents had bought me. I've played hundreds of games but a few have definitely left a lasting impression. Let's take a look at my favorite video games ever! Starting in no particular order...
Zelda: A Link to the Past
Zelda: A Link to the Past (Super Nintendo) Sadly, my first Zelda experience was A Link to the Past. I didn’t have a Nintendo until much later so I didn’t get to play the original Zelda when it was first released. Which made those old 80s commercials for the game all the more droolworthy: “P-P-P-Peahats!” Luckily there’s Gameboy Advance SP’s Classic Library to dig into. But A Link to the Past was stuck in my SNES for weeks at a time. What’s even crazier is that it is currently in my GBA:SP.
Tetris
Tetris (Gameboy) Back in the day there wasn’t a kid alive who owned a Gameboy and didn’t own Tetris. I’m pretty sure my Gameboy came shipped with Tetris. Remember the days when consoles came with a game? I played this game for hours at a stretch. By the end of it I would start Game A on Level 10 and could beat Game B Level 5 everytime. I haven’t played it since high school except occasionally but I still consider myself a Tetris Grandmaster and welcome anyone’s challenge.
M.U.L.E
M.U.L.E. (Commodore 64) What I wouldn’t give for a copy of M.U.L.E (complete with manual), a C64, and an Epyx single button controller. A friend first showed me this game at his apartment. I ran right out and bought it and have been thinking about it ever since. I wish I could remember more about this game. I remember that M.U.L.E stood for Multi Use Labor Element and that there were three types of resources to collect. I also remember frequent trips to the Assayer’s Office. Oh, and I definitely remember catching the Wampus!
Contra
Contra (Nintendo) This game is no joke. 5 men, 10 men, 30 men. It doesn't matter. You won't beat this game. I personally only know of one person who has done it. Goodness knows how hard I've tried. No matter how serious you get, no matter how focused you are, it's a Herculean task. But despite that, the Contra games are somehow top 5 when it comes to Fun Factor. You don't need to worry about running out of ammo or finding health packs; ammo is unlimited and there are no health packs. And name another game where you can battle your buddy in a posedown?
Swiss Family Robinson
Swiss Family Robinson (Commodore 64) Put this game in front of me and I bet I can still beat it. I’d run right into that cave, grab the matches from the wreck, start a fire, kill the snake, make snake steaks, have the monkey throw the coconuts down from the tree, set the signal fire in the nest up on the rock, and be off that island before the first day had ended.
F-Zero
F-Zero (Super Nintendo) I'm pretty sure this was my first ever rental for SNES (Or was it Pilot Wings?) At any rate I adored this game and have loved every title that has come out in this franchise right up to F-Zero GX. This was the original futuristic, high speed racer that has since spawned everything from Wipeout to XG3. There is no feeling in the world like cutting a corner or crossing the finish line all lit up like a cop car. The only problem with this title was you couldn't play 2 players. But it more than made up for it in speed, gameplay, and immersion.
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (Commodore 64) I first played this game in Grade 7 in school. It was also the first game I bought when I received a Commodore 64 for Christmas that year. It was also the only game which had a television show based on it that was any good. Whatever happened to Rockapella? I can still remember getting this game home, ripping off the plastic and sliding that 5.25 floppy in my 1541. Load "*",8,1.
Donkey Konga
Donkey Konga (Gamecube) Samba De Amigo is a game that I wish had made this list. Unfortunately, I bought my Dreamcast long after its release and copies sell for an arm and a leg on eBay. Happily, Shigeru Miyamoto was also intrigued by Samba De Amigo and he decided to create his own rhythm game bundled with musical instrument controllers. This game has the power to make anyone smile. You can’t help laughing playing this game. Do’-key Ko’ga!
Wing Commander
Wing Commander (PC) The game that got me hooked on aerial and space combat games and developed my situational awareness that has convinced me I'd make a good fighter pilot. I also remember being intrigued by the forking story lines. Do well and the war goes well. Do badly and watch the Kilrathi kill your family in front of your eyes. I failed some missions on purpose just to see what might happen.
Doom
Doom (PC) Doom hasn’t held up at all for me (unlike say Sim City 2000) but at the time there was no game I was more addicted to. Once we figured out how to get the null modem cable to work in my dorm room the marathon sessions of death match began. We’d play for 24 hours at a stretch. Doom singlehandedly caused me to flunk out of university. My final exam had an essay question asking to explain cultural differences between the Japanese and Canadians. My one sentence answer: "A Japanese kid would have studied for this exam; I was up playing Doom all night." I wish I was joking.
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario Kart (Super Nintendo) You; me; Ghost House. You pick the cars. Kart is the best racer of any kind even though it defined the cart racing genre all by its lonesome. Remember the pretenders to the throne of cart racing that came out after the release of Kart? Neither do I.
Bomberman
Bomberman (Super Nintendo) The best multiplayer experience for any console. There is no debate. The balance is perfect. The gameplay is perfect. The graphics are perfect. The intensity of this game is incomparable. It’ll have you at the throats of your friends in half the time of Monopoly. Golden Bomber!
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing (Gamecube) If pulling weeds, writing letters, running around picking up shells, and selling apples to the store so you can pay your $100K mortgage doesn’t sound like it should make for a fun videogame then you better get your ears checked because you’re dead wrong. This game is video crack. And since it's played in 100% real time you'll find yourself changing your real life schedule just so you can be sure to be at the fountain at 8pm to meet Mayor Turtle. Peachy no-no!
Super Mario World
Super Mario World (Super Nintendo) This game almost ruined me in high school. I remember Freeze calling me one night before a test: “Bone, have you studied?” I didn’t need to reply. The Mario theme song playing in the background was all the answer he needed. This is the game where my sisters and I would share 2 controllers and take turns playing. While you waiting you were pressing the buttons on the other controller playing along while simultaneously jinxing the other person so your turn would come sooner.
Civilization
Civilization (PC) Not A Call to Power, not even Civ III. I’m talking the original Civilization. I was playing this as recently as last year. It was the first RTS I ever played. I remember letting this game run nights so I could accumulate enough money to fund my science programs so I could build nuclear weapons. My old strategy was to nuke a city to one unit and roll in a tank on a nearby railroad. I conquered more nations that way. Sure, the map was black by the time I was finished and that little sun icon was on fire but so what? I won didn’t I?
Sim City 2000
Sim City 2000 (PC) The summer I had this game my daily routine consisted of waking up at 6am and playing Sim City until about midnight. I even let my machine run all night so I could accumulate the taxes. My first encounter with Sim City was on the SNES but this is the one I remember; the one that hooked me with its level of detail and superior graphics.
Crazy Taxi
Crazy Taxi (Dreamcast) The reason I bought the Dreamcast in the first place. Punk rock and driving a customized cab through the streets of San Francisco. Pure arcade style mayhem. Hop in! I can take you there!
Gauntlet
Gauntlet (Arcade) The first multiplayer co-operative game I can remember other than Double Dragon which was 2 players only. This game blew me away. Four friends playing at once exploring a dungeon? Wizard needs food badly!
Afterburner
Afterburner (Arcade) Who doesn’t remember when Sega started dropping those huge Afterburner cabinets in their local arcade complete with moving seat and throttle control? How many games did I lose just because I wanted to pull up and feel the seat move back even though I was pulling right into the enemy’s line of fire? About $100 bucks worth. Up, down, fire a missile, turn real hard, repeat. I can still picture those old school Sega missile trails and explosions. You know those hinged circles of fire? You know this game was hot because when it was released for the Sega Master System it was a "Four Mega Cartridge!"
The Top Three
Up until now the list has been in no particular order. They're all great games. What follows however are my top three games of all time in order.
Zelda: The Wind Waker
Zelda: The Wind Waker (Gamecube) Zelda: The Wind Waker was and still is the best looking video game I’ve ever played. The stylized waves and wisps of smoke are incredible. This game is the graphic designer’s dream. But forget all that because this is Zelda and it wouldn’t matter if the graphics were 8 bit. How does it play? It’s quite simply the most enjoyable video game experience I’ve ever had. The tasks were the perfect difficulty for me. And although the quest was a bit linear it made it satisfying to complete and did allow for exploration.
Jet Grind Radio
Jet Grind Radio (Dreamcast) I remember reading a review for this game and thinking “Sounds dumb.” But how could I resist it when it was on for $9.99 on Toys R Us? After all is said and done Jet Grind Radio became my third favorite game of all time. The cell shaded graphics were a first for me and I’ve been hooked ever since. The gameplay was so unusual: using your jet powered rollerblades to tag Mega Tokyo without getting nailed by the cops. The hip hop soundtrack was just gravy. This was also an extremely frustrating game. Normally when a game is this hard I give it up but it’s a testament to how much I enjoyed the gameplay that I didn’t. I beat it which was a rare feat if you believe the online forums dedicated to the game. It was also a handkiller. The Dreamcast controller never quite fit my hands right and playing this game nearly caused my hands to break off I was pushing the triggers so hard and fast. I will never sell my Dreamcast and it’s because of this game alone.
My #1 favorite game of all time:
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (PC) I love this game more than all the rest combined. I’ve logged more hours playing this then I have eating hot suppers. It’s also, surprisingly, the first game I’ve ever played online against other people except for Yahoo! Chess. I lived and breathed this game. I was so hooked I remember peeking around corners before I walked around them in real life so I wouldn’t get hit by a sniper. I’ve discharged more virtual rounds than actual rounds fired in all of World War II. Starting off on an Objective match with a dozen guys all wearing the same uniform trying to kill Nazis; there’s no feeling like it in the world. Except maybe donning an SS uniform and trying to prevent the Allies from getting off that beach. Add in the single player game which was beautifully done--including a training mission featuring Dale Dye!--and you’ve got a video game masterpiece that may never be topped for me. I actually had to uninstall it because I couldn't stop playing it, obsessing over it, thinking about it. It's really had a hold on me that I've had to try to break. Squad, hold this position!
Of course I can't list and review every one of my favorite games. So here are some games that deserve at least an honorable mention:
River Raid, Tutankhamen, Operation Wolf, Double Dragon, Sea Wolf, Ice Hockey, River City Ransom, Punchout!, Excitebike, Utopia, Shinobi, Duke Nukem, Ghostbusters, Jumpman Junior, Rise of Nations, Below the Root, Saturday Night Slam Masters, Space Shuttle, Police Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, Maniac Mansion, Wonderboy, Wolfenstein, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, River Raid, The Bard’s Tale, Morrowind, Pikmin, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Black and White, Mario Paint, Strike Commander, Darklands, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Typer Shark, APB, Civilization III, Galaga, Lemmings, Pirates!, Sam ‘n Max, The Adventures of Willy Beamish, Sea Quest, Lemonade Stand, Rampart, Archon, Metroid Prime...the list goes on...