hex65000 #1 Posted March 27, 2007 (edited) You know, I see all those top-NNN lists saying several games are the best games ever. While that's fun and all, I wanted to take a different tack and come up with a list of games that represent some of the best entertainment said industry has to offer. -- With a catch. It's too easy to quickly trot out those ultra-expensive titles and say 'THIS should be added' so I thought some criteria might make it a bit more interesting. The criteria: -- Uniqueness of play: While some would happily put the entire Grand Theft series, or Marios, etc. The idea is to pick a representative of that genre and/or series that stands apart. -- Accessability: How easy is it to pick up and play without the proverbial beatdown from the computer? -- Attainability: How easy is it to get everything you need to play said game for the average Joe? (IE: Panzer Dragoon Saga is not easy to attain, while a copy of Final Fantasy 7 is -- or at least it costs a hella lot less.) -- Quality of Implementation -- not all versions of the game are created equal wether that is because a platform has more processing power or whatever. -- Why you made the selections you did. Lists are fun, but reason it out a little there is no wrong answer in some cases, and it comes to preference and perhaps convincing others on the nuances of that preference. To kick this off, some of my favorites off the top of my head: Mr. Driller -- Dreamcast (PS1?) Katamari Damancy -- PS2 Animal Crossing -- Gamecube Pokemon (Leaf Green or Fire Red) -- GBA Mr. Driller and Katamari feel almost primal in their design. At the least, very Japanese. While I've enjoyed their respective sequels, the first versions showcase their unique concepts and feel less 'slick and polished' than the sequels giving the gamer the full impact of the game. Animal Crossing is in a way a Sim-life type game, and I chose the Gamecube version for the same reason as the above. The DS version is equally competent and adds network play to the mix. I also chose the Cube version because it is a greatest hits title making it easy to locate. There are acres of Pokemon titles, but the Leaf/Fire series is the most accessable of the bunch and improves on the graphics of the original Gameboy versions. It also does not have a system clock to punish the casual player with. The series gets a lot of greif, but the party combinations are staggering and is one of the strengths of the title. You get the idea... now, have at ye! Hex. [ hopes that we can do a good debate on Tetris for this too... ] Edited March 27, 2007 by hex65000 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PressureCooker2600 #2 Posted March 28, 2007 [ hopes that we can do a good debate on Tetris for this too... ] I prefer Columns. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandviewCoin #3 Posted March 28, 2007 GO GO COLUMNS III!! Way better in my opinion, and a cool pyramid adventure to boot! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PressureCooker2600 #4 Posted March 28, 2007 This one is hard....and I can't account for accessability so here I go... Looking for a brawler....look no further than Final Fight (SNES) Looking for a good FPS......look no further than Goldeneye (N64) or Killzone (PS2) Looking for a good RPG......go for Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1) or Fallout 1&2 (PC) Looking for a good RTS.....Starcraft (PC) or AOE2 (PC) Looking for good mindless entertainment.....GTA: San Andreas (PS2) Looking for a good music/sim.....Guitar Hero (PS2) Looking for a good sim.....SimCity (SNES) Looking for a great classic.....Ms. Pac-Man (2600) or Super Mario Bros. (NES) More mindless entertainment....Contra III (SNES) or Black Belt (SMS) Thriller..........Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (GC, PS2, X-Box) Great strategy/puzzler.....Super Puzzle Fighter II (PS1) Game just cause I had to list it........Pressure Cooker (2600) There are too many great games out there for tons of consoles and computers I would list but this is just a quick ass list. And it's just the tip of the iceberg of my top games. Too many more to list. Lists like this make me sad for the great games I didn't mention. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
superjudge3 #5 Posted March 28, 2007 A good arcade style mech game: Iron Soldier for the Atari Jaguar. The game is pure fun, no way around it. It's cheap (usually $10 used and $20 new), and a Jaguar can be found for as little as $30 if you look at enough places. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ewing92 #6 Posted March 28, 2007 (edited) Looking for a Modern RPG...........................................The Elder Scrolls IV:Oblivion Looking for a Modern Japanese RPG.............................Final Fantasy VII/Final Fantasy X Looking for a Classic RPG............................................Ultima IV Looking for a FPS........................................................Doom/GoldenEye/Halo 2 Looking for an Open-World Modern Action-Adventure......Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas Looking for a Fighter....................................................Street Fighter/Mortal Kombat/Virtua Fighter/Tekken Looking for a Life-Simulationer.....................................The Sims Looking for a Horror Strategy.......................................Resident Evil:Director's Cut/Silent Hill Looking for a MMORPG.................................................World of Warcraft Looking for a Hack 'n' Slash..........................................Baldur's Gate/Diablo Looking for a Brawler...................................................Streets of Rage/Final Fight Looking for a Puzzler...................................................Tetris/Columns Looking for a RTS........................................................Lord of the Rings:Battle for Middle-Earth Looking for a Racer......................................................Forza/Gran Turismo Looking for a game on the......... Atari 2600....................................................................Pitfall II/Adventure/Phoenix Nintendo Entertainment System......................................SMB3/Metroid/Legend of Zelda Super Nintendo Entertainment System............................Link to the Past/Super Mario World Sega Genesis................................................................Sonic 2/Shinobi III Playstation....................................................................Final Fantasy VII/Resident Evil:Driector's Cut/MGS Nintendo 64..................................................................Super Mario 64/Orcarina of Time/GoldenEye Dreamcast....................................................................Soul Caliber/Resident Evil:CV/Sonic Adventure Playstation 2.................................................................Devil May Cry/MGS2:SoL/Final Fantasy X/GTA:SA Xbox.............................................................................Halo 2/Fable/Ninja Gaiden Black Gamecube.....................................................................LoZ:Windwaker/RE4/ Xbox 360.......................................................................Elder Scrolls IV/Gears of War There is my list, for the RTS, i couldnt think of anything else, so i just chose LOTR:BFMEII Edited April 1, 2007 by ewing92 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shadow460 #7 Posted March 29, 2007 (edited) Hmmm... Platformer: Pitfall! or Pitfall II. FPS: First and foremost, Enemy Zero, then Thief, and Unreal Tournament Game of the Year Edition. Enemy Zero for the sound based tracking system (you cannot see your enemies at all), plus the challenge that can be found at every turn. Enemy Zero is an extremely suspenseful game that will keep you on your toes through the entire second half of play. Thief is nominated for the stealth aspect. Unreal Tournament is nominated for its high emphasis on multiplayer action, even if the AI is entirely made up of bots. Puzzle game: Klax (out there), Codebreaker (simple), and Pressure Cooker (further out there than Klax). Klax implements the traditional puzzle game in a very different way than Columns or Tetris does. Codebreaker features a classic board game mixed in with an original puzzle game. Pressure Cooker will stretch your hand eye coordination and your critical thinking skills to the max. It gets crazy. Unlike Tetris, there is no hard line for losing the game. Unlike some other puzzle games, however, PC does not give you lives. You gradually screw yourself over as time goes by until the point the game simply says, "Okay. That's enough." Strategy game: Power Mission or Pacific Battle, both of them far and away. Star Chess falls into this category as well. All three games take pieces with given movement ranges and add ranged weapons, plus the strength of your attacks decreases dramatically with each unit that is lost. Real Time Strategy (different category): Command & Conquer without a doubt. Pick any port of any version of it and play it senseless. You will quickly see why I suggested it. Next vote goes to Emperor: Battle for Dune, which brought 3D to Westwood's top notch RTS lineup. Shmup: Burai Fighter, Raiden II. Burai Fighter is a very easy to get R-Type style game complete with power up weapons. Raiden II was an upgrade to the massively popular Raiden title. Later, the Raiden Fighters would add the ability to choose jets into the mix of goodies. RPG: This is a difficult one... and I'd probably say Shining the Holy Ark or Final Fantasy 7. Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya is up there, too, since it gives its own system a good solid RPG title. BTW, final Fantasy 7 is not an easy title to get any more. I'd almost bet that Shining the Holy Ark is easier to come by nowdays since that "Advent Children" movie came out. I nominated both for bringing 3D into the RPG genre. Shining the Holy Ark was a little quicker to the 3D punch, and also brought back a first person perspective. The game blends sprites into the 3D atmosphere very well. Final Fantasy 7 had very polished 3D effects--perhaps the first to look as clean as it it did in full 3D. Racing (cars): Daytona USA, which polished up the 3D that Virtua Racing made so popular. Next vote: Gran Turismo 1, which added a decent workshop/garage to that 3D racing model. Racing (no wheels): wipEout, for the weapons added and the graphics. Hydro Thunder is good for the addition of a boost tank that you must manage and the addition of short cuts. Fighting Game: Virtual On. Yes, Virtual On is a fighting game, not a mech warrior game. It uses a large amount of ranged weapons combined with control combos, and all but the Saturn version have awesome special effects. Oh, more categories: Light Gun: Time Crisis (arcade version only). It gives rewards for accuracy, and mixes reloading in with ducking for cover. Sports: Worldwide Soccer: Victory Goal Edition. This game features the right mix of realism and arcade action so that no gamer will be bored with it. Flying game: Phaser Patrol. It's slick, simple, and fast. I know it's hard to get, but it is light years ahead of the very good Starmaster game. Those who want more in depth game play need Star Raiders on the 5200. Another good flying game is Star Wars: The Arcade Game. It does a good job of conveying what you'd see in a fighter cockpit, and it has a decent level of suspense. Edited March 29, 2007 by shadow460 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AussieAtari #8 Posted March 29, 2007 Go Klax go...... I can't put the time into a good response to this excellent forum at the moment but I did want to quickly throw in a game I've just started - Freedom Fighters (PC & GC), this seems to be very underrated and overlooked and I am certainly enjoying it even more than RE4. So for the GC that would be right up there IMHO. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shadow460 #9 Posted March 29, 2007 Now, for games on a particular system... Atari VCS: Yars' Revenge Atari 5200: Miner 2049er Atari 7800: Asteroids, Pac-Man Collection! Atari Lynx: RoadBlasters NES: Too many to list a single one...Wizards and Warriors, Castlevania 1 Game Boy: Any of the Final Fantasy games Saturn: Too many to list...Gex, Virtua Cop 2, Tempest 2000 PlayStation: Gran Turismo 1 (Dual Shock or neGcon needed to go with it) N64: Goldeneye Dreamcast: Crazy Taxi PS2: Final Fantasy X PC: Unreal Tournament, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Command & Conquer Apple II: Choplifter!, Miner 2049er Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zeropolis79 #10 Posted March 29, 2007 (edited) Ewing92 - sorry for nicking your list idea, but it's the best format for me to reply to the thread Looking for a Modern RPG...........................................The Elder Scrolls III:Morrowind (only one I've played) Looking for a Modern Japanese RPG.............................Final Fantasy VII - Final Fantasy XII (not including XI) Looking for a Classic RPG............................................Not sure Looking for a FPS........................................................Goldeneye Looking for an Open-World Modern Action-Adventure......Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas (only one I've played) Looking for a Fighter....................................................Street Fighter 2 (only one I've played) Looking for a Life-Simulationer.....................................The Sims 2 Looking for a Horror Strategy.......................................Resident Evil (again, only one I've played) Looking for a MMORPG.................................................Never played one Looking for a Hack 'n' Slash..........................................Baldur's Gate Looking for a Brawler...................................................Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles 2: The Coin-Op Looking for a Puzzler...................................................Lemmings Looking for a RTS........................................................Lord of the Rings:Battle for Middle-Earth Looking for a Racer......................................................Gran Turismo series/Star Wars: Episode 1 - Racer Looking for a game on the......... Atari 2600....................................................................PASS Nintendo Entertainment System......................................SMB3/Legend of Zelda Super Nintendo Entertainment System............................Link to the Past/Super Mario World (I have to agree there) Sega Genesis................................................................Not really sure Playstation....................................................................Final Fantasy VII & VIII/Driver 2 Nintendo 64..................................................................Super Mario 64/Orcarina of Time/GoldenEye (agree again) Dreamcast....................................................................PASS Playstation 2.................................................................Final Fantasy X/Sky Odysee (I can't spell) Xbox.............................................................................Halo 2 Gamecube.....................................................................LoZ:Windwaker + Twilight Princess/Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2 - Rebel Strike Xbox 360.......................................................................PASS Edited March 29, 2007 by zeropolis79 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
panamajoe #11 Posted March 29, 2007 Go Klax go...... I can't put the time into a good response to this excellent forum at the moment but I did want to quickly throw in a game I've just started - Freedom Fighters (PC & GC), this seems to be very underrated and overlooked and I am certainly enjoying it even more than RE4. So for the GC that would be right up there IMHO. Freedom Fighters really is great, but better than RE4...? no way... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ewing92 #12 Posted March 29, 2007 (edited) Ewing92 - sorry for nicking your list idea, but it's the best format for me to reply to the thread No problem I partially stole that list idea from PressureCooker Edited March 29, 2007 by ewing92 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flojomojo #13 Posted April 1, 2007 Hey, this *is* a great format! Looking for a Modern RPG...........................................The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, or Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Looking for a Classic RPG............................................Final Fantasy I&II (GBA) Looking for a FPS........................................................Halo Looking for an Open-World Modern Action-Adventure.....Crackdown Looking for a Fighter...................................................Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution Looking for a MMORPG.................................................save your time and money for something more productive! Looking for a Hack 'n' Slash..........................................Golden Axe 2 (Genesis) Looking for a Puzzler...................................................Lumines, Meteos Looking for a Racer......................................................Wipeout Pure Looking for a game on the......... Atari 2600....................................................................Anything by Activision (Enduro, Starmaster, Pitfall, so much more) Nintendo Entertainment System......................................Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Brothers Super Nintendo Entertainment System............................Super Mario World/All-Stars, F-Zero, StarFox Sega Genesis................................................................Vectorman, Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage Playstation....................................................................Wipeout XL, Ridge Racer, Tekken 3 Nintendo 64..................................................................Super Mario 64/Ocarina of Time/GoldenEye/F-Zero X/Star Wars Rogue Squadron Dreamcast....................................................................Virtua Fighter 3tb, Soul Calibur, Crazy Taxi, San Francisco Rush 2049 Playstation 2.................................................................Amplitude, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus Xbox.............................................................................Halo 2, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, Gamecube.....................................................................Resident Evil 4, Star Wars Rogue Leader Xbox 360.......................................................................Crackdown, Gears of War, Oblivion Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flojomojo #14 Posted April 1, 2007 Go Klax go...... I can't put the time into a good response to this excellent forum at the moment but I did want to quickly throw in a game I've just started - Freedom Fighters (PC & GC), this seems to be very underrated and overlooked and I am certainly enjoying it even more than RE4. So for the GC that would be right up there IMHO. Freedom Fighters really is great, but better than RE4...? no way... Yeah, especially the original O2 version. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
backinjag #15 Posted April 7, 2007 Comix Zone. This gets occasional love on the net, but not the respect it deserves, IMHO. It is incredibly original (the comic graphics, the jumping between frames, etc.), has very easy and intuitive controls (punch, kick and jump buttons, with the top 3 buttons are for accessing inventory), is very easily attainable (either on the Genesis or as part of the Genesis Collection for PS2 or PSP) and it just flat out fun to play. Of course, if you hate brawlers, this won't be the game for you, but everyone else should pick it up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PressureCooker2600 #16 Posted April 7, 2007 Comix Zone is indeed a good game....and now can be available to a wider audience (via the Wii VC) who couldn't experience it on the Genesis. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
backinjag #17 Posted April 8, 2007 I had forgotten about the Virtual Console. It's even easier to get than I thought! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AtticGamer #18 Posted April 8, 2007 Dynamite Headdy, Animal Crossing, Bomberman stand apart in my opinion. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Atarifever #19 Posted April 9, 2007 Animal Crossing This probably is the best game ever made that isn't part of the Galaxian series. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PressureCooker2600 #20 Posted April 9, 2007 Animal Crossing This probably is the best game ever made that isn't part of the Galaxian series. That was probably one of the coolest statements ever made. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Atarifever #21 Posted April 9, 2007 Animal Crossing This probably is the best game ever made that isn't part of the Galaxian series. That was probably one of the coolest statements ever made. Or the geekiest, depending on your point of view. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AtariJr #22 Posted April 9, 2007 (edited) Looking for a Modern RPG...........................................Disgaea (ps2) Looking for a Classic RPG............................................Final Fantasy Tactics (ps1) Looking for a FPS........................................................Star Wars BF II (xbox/ps2/pc) Unreal Tournament 2004 (pc) Looking for an Open-World Modern Action-Adventure.....Does the original Myst work? Looking for a Fighter...................................................Street Fighter Zero 3 (Saturn) Vampire Savior Chronicles (Dreamcast) Looking for a MMORPG.................................................Second Life (mac.... oh yea, pc too) Looking for a Hack 'n' Slash..........................................RocketKnight Adventure (genesis) Looking for a Puzzler...................................................Tetris (GB) Meteos (DS) Looking for a Racer......................................................Daytona USA (arcade/saturn) Looking for a Shooter...................................................Gunstar Heroes (genesis) Looking for Best Arcade Game to Console game.............Virtua Cop 2 (sat) Atari 2600....................................................................Empire Strikes Back, Stampede, Mario Bros, Defender II Nintendo Entertainment System......................................RoadBlasters, Duckhunt, Ski or Die Super Nintendo Entertainment System............................Bomberman, Mario Kart, Super Mario RPG, Kirby Superstar Sega Genesis................................................................Vectorman, Sonic and Knuckles Playstation....................................................................Star Ocean 2, FF Tactics, FF 7 and 9, Need For Speed II Nintendo 64..................................................................Rogue Squadron, Diddy Kong Racing, F-Zero X Dreamcast....................................................................Rez, Vampire Savior Chronicles, Marvel VS Capcom II, Jet Grind Radio Playstation 2.................................................................Disgaea, Twisted Metal Black, Kingdom Hearts I and II Xbox.............................................................................Battlefront II, Jet Set Future Gamecube.....................................................................Rogue Leader, Ikaruga 32 x..............................................................................Shadow Squadron, Star Wars Arcade Sega CD........................................................................Sonic CD, Silpheed, Soul Star Saturn..........................................................................Nights, Daytona USA, SF Zero 3, Gundam Side Story II and III Edited April 9, 2007 by AtariJr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kevincal #23 Posted April 9, 2007 This thread is a bit of an overload...How are you supposed to decide what game to play in here that you haven't played yet!? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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