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NeoGAF Games of the Fifth Generation Awards

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Symphony of the Night is the first Metroid-inspired game, yes. Aria of Sorrow on GBA is known for being one of the best in the series as well, and it continues the SotN style. You can probably find that cheaper. The DS games are great too.

Thank you. I see there is a physical release of the 360 version via Konami Classics Volume 1, which seems to only have been released in the US. I guess I cannot play that on a european 360 due to region lock, right? Does anyone know? It's one of those XBLA compilation discs.
 

Wazzy

Banned
I know there's CTR vs MK64 but people are forgetting Diddy Kong Racing. :(
yours was the favorite one of mine i could find for fft. i was hoping others would agree and that some would check out your post. i didn't want to condense it down (which is something i did for some - omitting sentences and ending others earlier)

Haha don't worry about it, I'm happy one of my posts was picked and hopefully anyone who decided to read it go and see my huge VIII writeup. :D
 

AniHawk

Member
I thought GAF did a great job voting on the Gen 6 thread. I pretty much agreed with the entire list, but this one seems a bit all over the place. I think it might have something to do with a larger amount of games from this gen missing ports to current platforms.

Anyway, what is the next vote supposed to be? Backwards to Gen 4 or are we ready for a Gen 7?

the plan is for gen 4 next. that's the furthest back i will go, partially since one for the 80s already exists, and also because of the relative lack of interest in this one. voting will probably be three weeks instead of four, and it'll take place sometime next year.

after that, gen 7.
 

Eolz

Member
Thank you. I see there is a physical release of the 360 version via Konami Classics Volume 1, which seems to only have been released in the US. I guess I cannot play that on a european 360 due to region lock, right? Does anyone know? It's one of those XBLA compilation discs.

There is the XBLA version alone if you want. The PSP version (in Dracula X Chronicles) is alright too, and available on Vita digitally.

the plan is for gen 4 next. that's the furthest back i will go, partially since one for the 80s already exists, and also because of the relative lack of interest in this one. voting will probably be three weeks instead of four, and it'll take place sometime next year.

after that, gen 7.

Good to know. Yeah, still too soon for Gen 7 imo, and glad to see that Gen 4 wouldn't be this year.
 

Melchiah

Member
Haha don't worry about it, I'm happy one of my posts was picked and hopefully anyone who decided to read it go and see my huge VIII writeup. :D

I just did, and your thoughts on the game echo mine, only put to words better. The bolded part in particular captured my eyes, as I've noticed on FFVIII related threads that Squall is sometimes seen as a brooding brick, which dismisses how he changes and grows through the course of the game. Laguna's melancholic side story was also something that brought depth to the game.

For me VIII was a big step forward from VII, whereas IX was a step backwards.


Oh god both OST and this at once. Alright, time to write a huge post about VIII again.

alXaVCr.jpg

1. Final Fantasy VIII; Final Fantasy VIII was one of the first JRPG's I ever played and the one I have the most fond memories of. Following VII's lead was no easy task but it came out strong and determined to set it's own place in gaming history with it's groundbreaking visuals and FMV's. One of VIII's newest introductions was Junction, a system allowing you to equip magic to the desired stats of a character thus boosting them. What also came with that was a GF ability and Refine system introduced allowing players to refine items into magic thus achieving powerful spells much faster. VIII also brought in one of the most addicting minigames ever to exist in the Final Fantasy series, Triple Triad. Triple Triad was a card game where you would challenge NPC's to try and win using your hand of cards against there'a thus rewarding you a card of your choice. The game also implemented rules that could spread throughout regions of VIII either making TT easier or that much harder. Triple Triad also tied into the refine system where you could take your winning cards and refine them into powerful items or spells. VIII's new system allowed the player to decide the pace and how they wanted to play the game, much like a job system. The characters in the game are some of the most fun and endearing party you'll experience. You follow a trouble teenager who struggles to adapt to new situations with other people and the emotions that come with them. We experience his thoughts and growth throughout the entire game leaving him as one of the most developed protagonists in the Final Fantasy series. The game contrasts his character with that of Rinoa, a upbeat and forward young girl who pushes Squall to grow. She isn't without her flaws and growth as the game watches her fall and fail as she tries to adapt, much like Squall, to her new situations. The game is supported by a wonderful cast of different personalities with goofy Laguna and his tragic love stories or Cid's dark secrets that control the flow of the characters path.

We also can't forget VIII's beautiful prerendered towns and locals that are supported by a lively world that feels alive and connected with train systems running constantly as transportation and cities full of active people. VIII's OST is beastly with every sound perfectly fitting the mood of the current scene and making sure to bring out the desired emotions from the player.

Overall one of the greatest experiences I've ever had with a video game and still my number one to this day.
 

jerry1594

Member
Pretty expected list. Kind of funny the selected quotes read like publication review blurbs on boxes and stuff but overall cool. But Third Strike is 6th gen and Garou 4th and 6th gen (lol)?
 
Great job on the awards Anihawk!

Good list too. I would have liked to have seen Goldeneye place higher (it's for sure one of the 10 best games released that generation), but I can't complain otherwise.
 
the plan is for gen 4 next. that's the furthest back i will go, partially since one for the 80s already exists, and also because of the relative lack of interest in this one. voting will probably be three weeks instead of four, and it'll take place sometime next year.

after that, gen 7.

At least in gen 4 the winner shouldn't be that obvious. That gen has at least 5 games on the same level of legendary-tier, instead of a single title dominating the discourse as the allegedly best game ever for 2 decades.
 

AniHawk

Member
At least in gen 4 the winner shouldn't be that obvious. That gen has at least 5 games on the same level of legendary-tier, instead of a single title dominating the discourse as the allegedly best game ever for 2 decades.

i think super mario world, yoshi's island, a link to the past, and chrono trigger would be in the top five, with sonic 2 probably there as well.

the genesis will probably take more genre awards than anything, and the pc engine is probably going to only pop up within those lists as well. 1988-1993 was a revival for arcades so there will be a larger presence for those games as well.
 

Megatron

Member
I'd like to invite you to come over to experience a load of games (of the same genre) that are so blatantly obviously worse games than B-K that even a blind hater like you would have to see this. I'm talking the tier that games like Sonic 2006, Spyro the Dragon, Sonic & the Black Knight, Pocahontas for Game Boy.

Lol. One of these things is not like the other, one of things just doesn't belong...
 

Eolz

Member
At least in gen 4 the winner shouldn't be that obvious. That gen has at least 5 games on the same level of legendary-tier, instead of a single title dominating the discourse as the allegedly best game ever for 2 decades.

i think super mario world, yoshi's island, a link to the past, and chrono trigger would be in the top five, with sonic 2 probably there as well.

the genesis will probably take more genre awards than anything, and the pc engine is probably going to only pop up within those lists as well. 1988-1993 was a revival for arcades so there will be a larger presence for those games as well.

I'm hoping Super Metroid will be top 5, but knowing Gaf...
There will probably be some people mad that this a Nintendo dominated thread too :p

But yeah, a lot more surprises will be in this one.
 
PlayStation
1. Metal Gear Solid
2. Final Fantasy IX
3. Suikoden II
4. FInal Fantasy Tactics
5. Final Fantasy VIII
6. Silent Hill
7. Crash Bandicoot 2
8. Xenogears
9. Crash Team Racing
10. Gran Turismo 2

Basically need to find room for Half Life and that's my overall top 10. Also need to find room for Bushido Blade 2, and Twister Metal 2.....yeah.
 

GamerJM

Banned
I think the lack of Super Turbo votes comes from the fact that when people think of SF2, they think gen 4, not gen 5.
 

JCX

Member
I understand where you're coming from but I feel like this could just be applied to whatever someone's first game they played in the series was, so long as that game was played before the internet ruined "schoolyard secrets."

Also gen 1 had no unique Elite 4 theme. Neither did gen 2 for that matter.

Someone in a recent thread said "games are concerts, not albums." Think that applies here, where the experience of playing the game goes beyond the solo experience, especially for something like Pokemon

For myself I can name plenty of series where the first game was not my favorite, regardless of which entry I played first (Melee, MMBN3, Tales of Symphpnia, FFX-2, MK64, Civ IV and I could go on)

What makes Pokemon slightly different is that it was more a cultural experience than just a game, so by the time GSC came around, the cultural fad cooled. This probably colored my experience with GSC, but like I said, games are more than just all the content boxes they check, it's the all-around experience of (for lack of a better word) consuming the game.
 

Megatron

Member
I thought GAF did a great job voting on the Gen 6 thread. I pretty much agreed with the entire list, but this one seems a bit all over the place. I think it might have something to do with a larger amount of games from this gen missing ports to current platforms.

Anyway, what is the next vote supposed to be? Backwards to Gen 4 or are we ready for a Gen 7?

I'm not ready for gen 7. Please keep going backwards!
 

Megatron

Member
i think super mario world, yoshi's island, a link to the past, and chrono trigger would be in the top five, with sonic 2 probably there as well.

the genesis will probably take more genre awards than anything, and the pc engine is probably going to only pop up within those lists as well. 1988-1993 was a revival for arcades so there will be a larger presence for those games as well.

I don't think yoshi will be hat high. Super Metroid definitely will. Ff6, link's awakening, and mega man x will probably all be higher too.

The genesis will get dominated in the voting which will send people off in a rage, lol.
 

spekkeh

Banned
Great list, can't really fault it. Thanks for voting and compiling.

Some minor thoughts though:

  • I had to double check when Tie Fighter released, to me it is part of the gen before that. Playstation only released 1.5 years after that in the West, N64 more than 2
  • In my mind Blast Corps is more of a puzzle game than an action game
  • Gen exclusives made me do a double take too. Virtual console emulation is considered a port?
 

GamerJM

Banned
I don't think yoshi will be hat high. Super Metroid definitely will. Ff6, link's awakening, and mega man x will probably all be higher too.

The genesis will get dominated in the voting which will send people off in a rage, lol.

I'm guessing the top 5 will be Mario World, Super Metroid, a Link to the Past, Chrono Trigger, and FF6. Maybe in that order but it'll be close. Yoshi's Island and Sonic 2 and 3+K are guaranteed top 10s though.

[*]Gen exclusives made me do a double take too. Virtual console emulation is considered a port?
[/LIST]

I'm guessing the whole point of the "gen exclusives," section was that those are the games that you NEED to go out and buy the platforms they're on to play (unless you're a dirty unofficial emulator-user :p). Though in that case you could count PC rereleases on digital storefronts like Steam and GOG as non-gen exclusives, which means that the list could be shorter.
 

spekkeh

Banned
"WWF No Mercy is a better fighting game then super street fighter 2 turbo" - NeoGAF 2015

I mean technically SSF2T might be better, but by that time it was the 14103215 iteration of SF2, you can't fault people for going meh on the series by then.
 

Megatron

Member
the plan is for gen 4 next. that's the furthest back i will go, partially since one for the 80s already exists, and also because of the relative lack of interest in this one. voting will probably be three weeks instead of four, and it'll take place sometime next year.

after that, gen 7.

Oh come on, let's do gen 3 too! I want to see the meltdowns when Zelda 2 and super Mario 2 are in the top 5!
 

Eolz

Member
I think the lack of Super Turbo votes comes from the fact that when people think of SF2, they think gen 4, not gen 5.

Yep, that was that for me. Also limited myself with one fighting game only (smash bros was in my honorable mentions).
 
I'm hoping Super Metroid will be top 5, but knowing Gaf...

Uh yeah, Super Metroid would have been my Nr.1 guess actually.

Yeah, you never know. Conker didn't even make top ten here.

Well, that also was a pretty bad game no one would have cared for if it wasn't for the novelty factor of seeing juvenile trash humor on N64. Some of the game design... holy fuck. It's B&K gone completely wrong.
 

AniHawk

Member
Oh come on, let's do gen 3 too! I want to see the meltdowns when Zelda 2 and super Mario 2 are in the top 5!

thing about that era is it's basically 'what is your favorite nes game?' with an occasional pc game or mention of alex kidd or phantasy star. also, it's when a lot of people got started with gaming, so i don't know what conversations could be had about the era.
 

Melchiah

Member
thing about that era is it's basically 'what is your favorite nes game?' with an occasional pc game or mention of alex kidd or phantasy star. also, it's when a lot of people got started with gaming, so i don't know what conversations could be had about the era.

C64 am cry.

You're right though, there aren't much games I'd remember that vividly from the era to be able to discuss about them. Racing Destruction Set is one of the few.
 
I was the ONLY one who voted Tempest? Damn. Thought that one would get a few votes. Also realized I voted for not one, but two Jaguar games (Rayman) so that's interesting. And finally, UT99 needs way more votes!
 

Lothar

Banned
Uh yeah, Super Metroid would have been my Nr.1 guess actually.



Well, that also was a pretty bad game no one would have cared for if it wasn't for the novelty factor of seeing juvenile trash humor on N64. Some of the game design... holy fuck. It's B&K gone completely wrong.

It clearly objectively wasn't a bad game, that's laughable, but what didn't you like about the game design? I have no idea what you mean by that.
 
Nintendo reached a level of brilliance this generation that they'll never reach again because no one will ever reach it again. It was a once-in-a-lifetime level of creative genius from that company. They are a well-deserved #1 in this poll.
 
It clearly objectively wasn't a bad game, that's laughable, but what didn't you like about the game design? I have no idea what you mean by that.

Nothing is objective but numbers and bare fact sheets. Conker mostly consists of vastly different minigames and mini challenges, which is not bad in itself, but becomes problematic when almost all of them are poorly designed. From bad controls and camera (by standards back then even, things like the tower were always horrid), to confusing level design and shoddy trial & error. The disco has nightmare-inducingly bad gameplay, shit like the haystacks isn't even fun in concept. And in the most unimaginative way possible, you usually have to repeat the most boring tasks 3 times for no reason.

As a 12 year old, I also thought it was special and showed everyone the oh so funny game with the swearing squirrel. Going back only a couple of years later, with the novelty worn off, it was nothing but a chore. And if you're older than 12, the writing becomes equally terrible. Family Guy level. References, no actual joke. And things that usually shouldn't talk swear a bit.
 

AniHawk

Member
I was the ONLY one who voted Tempest? Damn. Thought that one would get a few votes. Also realized I voted for not one, but two Jaguar games (Rayman) so that's interesting. And finally, UT99 needs way more votes!

tempest 2000 had an honorable mention, and the psx port, tempest x3, had a mention too.
 

randomkid

Member
top ten games from my (disqualified) list that received 0 points

1. revelations: persona
2. persona 2: innocent sin
3. soul hackers
4. dezaemon kids
5. harmful park
6. boku no natsuyasumi (my summer vacation)
7. saga frontier 2
8. devil dice
9. l.s.d. dream simulator
10. saturn bomberman

i see you gaf voters, i see you
 

Anth0ny

Member
i would be shocked if the snes triforce (super mario world, lttp, super metroid) wasn't top 3 for the gen 4 vote. though the final order of those three games will be interesting.

I can see chrono trigger and ff6 coming close.
 

AniHawk

Member
here's what i'm thinking for gen 4:

pc and arcades: 1989-1993

consoles:
cd-i
laseractive
neo geo
sega genesis/mega drive
sega cd/mega drive cd
sega 32x
sega pico
super nintendo
turbografx-16/pc engine
turboduo/turbografx-cd/pc-engine duo/pc-engine cd

handhelds:
game gear
game boy (1989-1995)
lynx
turboexpress
 

AniHawk

Member
top ten games from my (disqualified) list that received 0 points

1. revelations: persona
2. persona 2: innocent sin
3. soul hackers
4. dezaemon kids
5. harmful park
6. boku no natsuyasumi (my summer vacation)
7. saga frontier 2
8. devil dice
9. l.s.d. dream simulator
10. saturn bomberman

i see you gaf voters, i see you

you knew it would receive zero points right. that's why you did that? normally i tell people to update their stuff but it seemed like you intentionally were doing things your own way so i left it alone.
 
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