1) Phantom Dust
2) Animal Crossing
3) Super Mario Brothers 3
4) Shadow of the Colossus
5) Pikmin 2
6) Super Metroid
7) Super Mario Galaxy
8) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
9) Dragon Quest VIII
10) LittleBigPlanet

bdizzle said:

End of discussion

Click to expand...

You need 9 more games.

1. Super Mario Bros 3 (NES)
2. Banjo Kazooie (N64)
3. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
4. Banjo Tooie (N64)
5. Super Mario World (SNES)
6. Majora's Mask (N64)
7. A Link To The Past (SNES)
8. Theme Hospital (PC)
9. Super Metroid (SNES)
10. Red Alert 2 (PC)

something like that, probably not entirely accurate, it's hard to make lists like these.

could make it in: Wario Land 2 (GB), Red Alert 1 (PC), F-Zero GX (GC), Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES), Diddy Kong Racing (N64), Mega Man X (SNES), Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (PC)

1. Super Mario 64
2. Super Mario Bros 3
3. Shadow of the Colossus
4. Tetris
5. Super Metroid
6. Half-Life 2
7. Super Mario Galaxy
8. Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
9. Metroid Prime
10. Resident Evil 4

Looks like everyone is doing the 1-10 list so I guess I'll do it too.

1. Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - (PS2) To this day nothing (out of my top 10 heh) has come close in delivering such a satisfying experience. The fast paced and rewarding gameplay, fast paced story, art style, the character and mechanical designs, music, the length, the difficulty(ies), the re-playability. This game has it all. A huge problem I have with video games is how much they tend to drag. That is not a problem with this game. ZoE2 is one fast paced experience that I will never forget and never get tired of replaying. There aren't any pretentious gimmicks or anything like that. Just a damn fun game with a little bit of everything.

2. .hack//Infection Mutation Outbreak Quarantine - (PS2) A mix of nostalgia, good old dungeon crawling, attention to detail and neat premise earned this franchise the #2 spot. Another series of games I've yet to get tired of replaying. The most rewarding experiences often come from the most unexpected places. I will always love .hack// and it's spin offs no matter how silly they may get.


3. Dark Cloud 2 - (PS2) Diablo 2 opened my eyes to the world of dungeon crawlers and DC2 (along with .hack..) was probably the main reason why I fell in love with them.

4. Devil May Cry 3 - (PS2) Not much to say. There are the Ninja Gaidens, God of Wars, Bayonettas(lol) and then there's DMC3!

5. Demon's Souls - (PS3) Best game this gen. I remember watching the first couple of vids that surfaced and thinking it looked like shit. Couple of years later and I've dropped pretty much every current gen game to play this.

6. Ragnarok Online - (PC) I've been playing this 2D/3D MMO since 2003 and it is filled with problems and bad design. Yet I still come back to it out of sheer nostalgia. Best music out of any MMO. For sure.

7. Super Mario World (SNES)

8. Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting (SNES)

9. Pokemon Silver - (GBC) Although I can't stand the sight of any new pokemon game, I have some extremely fond memories of this one. Definitely one of the greatest handheld games.

10. Half Life 2 - (PC) The game is very atmospheric and had me on my toes almost the entire time. What almost killed it for me was the zombie town part. It felt out of place and just killed my interest in the game for a while. Other than that, amazing experience. RPGs that boast about being story centric blah blah blah shitty writting gimmick blah blah can only hope to have 1/2 of this game's atmosphere and narrative. Too many games boast about being completely open and leave the choice to the player, in the end it always ends up being some shitty gimmick that half asses the game. I give Valve much respect for making a world that feels like a world and at the same time have an engaging story.

Well that's a lot more words than I intended it to be.. oh well.

Like many here I finished Uncharted 2 and loved it. However seeing it crack this many top ten lists kinda makes me wonder just how well it would have done had this question been posed a year from now.

1. Super Mario Galaxy
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Pokemon Silver
4. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
5. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
6. Super Mario World
7. Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
8. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
9. Duke Nukem 3D
10. Animal Crossing

Really wanted to add a House of the Dead or Guitar Hero to list list, but they're simply not substantial enough to be a "best game ever," by my standard at least. Overkill and GH5 deserve super-props though. Also honorable mentions to Megaman X (the music <3) and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (the music <3)

Really this thread should happen at the end of next year when the sequel to my top game is out and the remake of my third game is too. Ah well.

I had a hard time deciding between the top two, Link to the Past has been my favorite ever since I was able to decide on a "favorite" - the game excels at everything it does. However, I had to let that habit die hard, as Super Mario Galaxy simply outperforms it by a large margin.

I gotta say, I'm surprisingly shocked by how many times I'm seeing Sonic 3 & Knuckles name-checked. In the best possible way, of course.

1. The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
2. Super Metroid
3. Shenmue II
4. Resident Evil
5. Halo
6. Phantasy Star Online
7. Deus Ex
8. Half-Life
9. Super Mario 64
10. Metal gear Solid

Absolutely impossible for me to limit my list to ten and then to order them in a way that would make me 100% happy but I gave it a go. All I know is Ocarina will likely remain my favourite birthday present for ever, cheers maw!

1. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
2. Shadow of the Colossus
3. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
4. God Hand
5. Out of This World
6. Pokemon
7. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
8. Ninja Gaiden Black
9. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
10. Princess Maker 2

I AM JOHN! said:

I gotta say, I'm surprisingly shocked by how many times I'm seeing Sonic 3 & Knuckles name-checked. In the best possible way, of course.

Click to expand...

Same, but for Link to the Past. It's not getting many #1 votes but it's getting a ton of #5+'s.

1. Super Metroid
2. Super Mario World
3. LOZ: OOT
4. LOZ: MM
5. Shenmue
6. LOZ: ALTTP
8. Metroid
9. Shenmue II
10. Street Fighter II

1) Chrono Trigger


2) Chrono Cross


3) Resident Evil 2 Dual Shock Edition


4) Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney


5) Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition


6) Streets of Rage 3


7) Final Fantasy 8


8) God Hand


9) Metal Gear Online (MGS4ver)


10) Sonic 3 & Knuckles

1. Super Metroid
2. OoT
3. MGS3
4. Metroid Prime
5. Half Life
6. Chrono Trigger
7. Super Mario Galaxy
8. ICO
9. GTA:SA
10. RE4

I'm really surprised at how many games that were released in the last few months are making people's lists. There's nothing wrong with it, of course, but I'd be worried that they haven't yet had a chance to stand the test of time.

I'm also happy to see how many other people are also listing KOTOR. I figured I'd be the lone nut putting it up there.

1. Ocarina of Time
2. Chrono Trigger
3. Earthbound
4. Shadow of the Colossus
5. Super Smash Bros.
6. Banjo-Kazooie
7. Phantasy Star IV
8. ICO
9. Psychonauts
10. Metroid Prime

1. Icewind Dale (PC)
2. Diablo II (PC)
3. Baldur's Gate 2 (PC)
4. The Sims (PC)
5. Civilization (PC)
6. Heroes of Might and Magic 3 (PC)
7. Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox)
8. Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition (PS2)
9. Last Remnant (360)
10. Prince of Persia (PC)

1) Super Metroid
2) Resident Evil 4
3) Metroid Prime
4) Mario 64
5) Ocarina of Time
6) Shadow of the Colossus
7) Twilight Princess
8) Smash Bros Brawl (best of the three)
9) Mario Galaxy
10) FFXII

Uncharted 2 makes a serious case. The gunplay is so awesome, forget the platforming. Game is amazing. The Ratchet and Clank series is also up there when it comes to pure fun, particularly Going Commando. I could also list anything vintage Nintendo up there and be satisfied with the list, but whatever. Gets sketchy after the top 5.

1. Super Mario Galaxy
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
3. Metroid Prime
4. Deus Ex
5. Resident Evil 4
6. Marathon Trilogy (released in too quick of a succession and too linked together to be considered separate, but if this doesn't work count this as a vote for whichever Marathon game gets the most points)
7. Yoshi's Island
8. Super Mario 64
9. Alpha Centauri
10. F-Zero GX

1) Final Fantasy Tactics
2) Final Fantasy VI
3) Vagrant Story
4) Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
5) Super Mario World
6) Mega Man 3
7) The Longest Journey
8) Grim Fandango
9) Gran Turismo 3
10) TIE Fighter

01. Super Mario Bros. 3
02. Baldurs Gate II
03. Chrono Trigger
04. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
05. Final Fantasy Tactics
06. Half Life
07. Pokemon R/B/Y
08. Thief II
09. Deus Ex
10. Ridge Racer Type&#8237; &#8236;4

1. Okami
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Super Metroid
4. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
5. Metroid Prime
6. Chrono Cross
7. Chrono Trigger
8. Half-Life 2
9. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
10. Machinarium

Yeah...

EDIT: Just made some changes.

Best is kind of a loaded word. I’ll just say these are my favorites. there are gaps in my gameplaying history, of course, so some gaf favorites may not show up here. and, yes, most of these games are newer ones. I don’t have super fond nostalgic memories of games I played when I was ten… with rare exception.

systems listed are where I played the game, not all the systems where it can be found

1. Grim Fandango (PC)

My memory of it all is slightly hazy all these years later, but this is the one game to have any strong emotional effect on me. I was truly sad to see the game end — I wanted to spend more time with these characters. wonderfully written with sharp puzzles that confounded me for days.

2. Portal (Xbox 360)

I never fell in love with Half Life or its sequel but Portal grabbed me and never let go. It is, in my mind, a flawless game. Every element comes together in perfect harmony to create a wonderful blend of mind bending gameplay, subtle humor and mounting tension.

3. Bioshock (Xbox 360)

I know the formula has been used before, but I never played SS2 to spoil my appreciation for this game. It’s not perfect, to be sure, but it excels in creating an atmosphere and history to its world that is peerless. It doesn’t hurt that the weapons feel meaty and powerful, the Big Daddy confrontations are terrifying and the plot twist in the middle is as good as they come.

4. Rock Band 2 (Xbox 360)

The music game: perfected. I’m a sucker for these games and RB2 does it better than anything else. The Beatles version is a close second but the breadth of variety available in the mainline Rock Band franchise wins out over vocal harmonies and the inclusion of the best song ever written (I’ve Got A Feeling, FYI).

5. Super Mario World (SNES)

The first game that I ever beat to absolute completion, earning the funky masks on the koopas after discovering all 96 exits. It remains my greatest (lol, I know) gaming achievement. I know some people prefer SMB3 but I always preferred the longer levels of SMW with multiple exits plus the addition of the cape and Yoshi.

6. Uncharted 2 (PS3)

Better than the original in every way. Better weapons, better setpieces, better control and more combat options. It’s a big, noisy blockbuster of a game that succeeds brilliantly at what it attempts.

7. Crackdown (Xbox 360)

ping… ping.. ping… must… find… next... orb.

8. Mass Effect (Xbox 360)

I had a hard time choosing between this and KOTOR but, ultimately I went with Mass Effect as it delivers the kind of sci-fi role playing experience I’ve always wanted and I appreciate how much harder it is to do this without the hook of the Star Wars license. It has real flaws (cough mako cough), but I kept playing to find out what happens next and to lift fools up in the air with stasis effect and then blow their hapless bodies away with a shotgun.

9. Osu Tatake Ouendan 2 (NDS)

It refined the gameplay of the first and it remains my favorite DS game, bar none. A simple concept executed perfectly. Catchy tunes, too.

10. Halo (Xbox)

wort wort wort. There have been larger battles and prettier graphics in the sequels but nothing matches that sense of loneliness and mystery of the original. The large open spaces that allowed you to approach battles any number of ways instead of having a simple shooting gallery to deal with plus the wonderful mix of melee attacks, grenades and weapons made the gameplay something special.

1. SOCOM II (PS2)
2. GoldenEye 007 (N64)
3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2)
4. Pokemon Red/Blue (GB)
5. Super Stardust HD (PS3)
6. Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)
7. Gran Turismo 3 (PS2)
8. Mario Kart 64 (N64)
9. Halo 2 (Xbox)
10. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)


That was much harder than I thought actually

One of my major deciding factors ended up being time played. I also tried to award originality without penalizing sequels, if that makes any sense.. Partly why an original like Pokemon scored so high because it was unlike anything else, but SOCOM II and GTA:VC also scored very high because while not original, they expanded on their originals so well that it launched the sequel into a whole new realm of amazing.

A suggestion to whoever's keeping track: I would suggest to merge the votes for Pokemon Red and Blue, Gold and Silver, Ruby and Sapphire (lol), FireRed and LeafGreen (are there any?), and Diamond and Pearl.

1. Super Metroid
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Chrono Trigger
4. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
5. Donkey Kong (the gameboy game from 94)
6. Metal Gear Solid
7. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
8. Resident Evil 4
9. Psychonauts
10. Batman: Arkham Asylum

I'm sad about the lack of music games. I expected at least one mention of Parappa, a Bemani game (DDR, Guitarfreaks, Drum Mania), Rez, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Ouendan, or Rhythm Tengoku/Heaven/Paradise... I might have missed a couple of posts, though.

Andrex said:

A suggestion to whoever's keeping track: I would suggest to merge the votes for Pokemon Red and Blue, Gold and Silver, Ruby and Sapphire (lol), FireRed and LeafGreen (are there any?), and Diamond and Pearl.

Click to expand...

Not Yellow/Crystal/Everald/Platinum?
Personally, I say I like Yellow better than Red/Blue, but content-wise, they're very similar, and I'd lump them together.

It also brings me to the question of ports. What about the Mario Advance games? I saw at least one person mention GBA Yoshi's Island, and the only gameplay difference between the SNES and GBA ones are a few bonus levels.

Why would you do that? said:

I'm sad about the lack of music games. I expected at least one mention of Parappa, a Bemani game (DDR, Guitarfreaks, Drum Mania), Rez, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Ouendan, or Rhythm Tengoku/Heaven/Paradise... I might have missed a couple of posts, though.

Click to expand...

look right above you I got two of those covered.

Machado said:

5) Baseball (NES)

Spoiler

probably just for nostalgia but it's a hell of a good game

Click to expand...

poping up to the catcher, and the ball gets as big as the screen was the mind blowing event of my childhood. especially after the crappy atari 2600 baseball we had been used to playing.

01. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
02. Shenmue
03. Shenmue 2
04. Final Fantasy X
05. Metal Gear Solid
06. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
07. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
08. Kingdom Hearts
09. Silent Hill 2
10. Resident Evil 2

Note: Always subject to change

Why would you do that? said:

I'm sad about the lack of music games. I expected at least one mention of Parappa, a Bemani game (DDR, Guitarfreaks, Drum Mania), Rez, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Ouendan, or Rhythm Tengoku/Heaven/Paradise... I might have missed a couple of posts, though.


Not Yellow/Crystal/Everald/Platinum?
Personally, I say I like Yellow better than Red/Blue, but content-wise, they're very similar, and I'd lump them together.

It also brings me to the question of ports. What about the Mario Advance games? I saw at least one person mention GBA Yoshi's Island, and the only gameplay difference between the SNES and GBA ones are a few bonus levels.

Click to expand...

Lack of room more than lack of love. I considered listing GH2 (The pinnacle of the series imo) but it just can't fit.

LCfiner said:

look right above you I got two of those covered.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I took way too long to type what I did. :lol

1. Star Control 2
2. Final Fantasy IV
3. Legend of Zelda a Link to the Past
4. Starcraft
5. Final Fantasy IX
6. Halo 3
7. Ultima VII
8. Diablo 2
9. Grand Theft Auto Vice City
10. Super Mario World

1) Metal Gear Solid (PS1)
2) Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
3) Half-Life 2 (PC)
4) God of War (PS2)
5) Deus Ex (PC)
6) Killzone 2 (PS3)
7) Resident Evil 2 (PS1)
8) Uncharted 2 (PS3)
9) Counter-Strike (PC)
10) Mario64 (N64)

Just missed out:
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (PS2)
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (PS1)
Chronicles of Riddick: EFBB (Xbox)
Final Fantasy VIII (PS1)
Metal Gear Solid 3, 4 (PS2/3)
ICO (PS2)
REmake, RE 4 (Gamecube)
God of War II (PS2)

My list is primarily focused on multiplayer.

1. Counterstrike
Old as dirt, and yet still as enjoyable as the day I first played it. No other shooter comes close in the perfect that is CS. It may only be a competitive multiplayer game, but it does it so well, that its one of the few games that have made playing singleplayer games a hard thing to do anymore.
2.Final Fantasy 7
The characters. None more memorable in gaming, for me. Also one of a handful of jrpgs I've ever actually enjoyed.
3. Asheron's Call
In its prime, it was infinitely more fun than any other MMO in existance. The never ending world, the best customization, the best experience/leveling system, and the best 'class' system ever to be made. Its also one of the few that never relied on quests. There wasn't a moment in the game that was dull or not full of some kind of adventure. Everything was satisfying.
4. Left 4 Dead
This only barely beats TF2. Yeah the first game is lacking in content, has exploits aplenty, and a pretty rough community, but it also has one of the most addictive, adrenaline inducing game designs in gaming. Keep in mind I'm primarily speaking of VS. The thrill of landing 25dmg pounces, or timing anything with your teammates, or just barely making it to the SH easily makes it one of my favorite games ever. Oh yeah, and Zombies.
5. Uncharted 2
Not much to be said here, and I'm listing this mostly based on the single player. Every generation has a few games that stand above the rest for doing something that turns heads and, no matter what your preferences are, makes you say 'WOW'. This game is that and more, and imo is the best gaming series since Half-life 1/2.
6. Team Fortress 2
Its the CS of team-based multiplayer that successfully combines classes and guns. Its extremely balanced, addictive, and wholly satisfying. To have never played TF2 would be a crime, gamer or not.
7. Twisted Metal 2
This game was one of the first that made me realize how much fun multiplayer is, and I've been hooked since. Its over the top, ridiculous, and entirely full of awesome. And while the genre is currently dead, I think with a focus on competitive multiplayer features, it could be even better than TM2. The game only opened the door, and no one ever really took advantage.
8. Resident Evil 1
Don't care what version. The mansion. The first zombie. Everything about this game was jaw dropping, and it was the first time I was fully introduced to the ever great Zombie. And while 2 and 4 are also great games, 1 remains the best.
9. Half-Life 2
It had some tedium. But the overall experience is rarely matched in gaming. And there are particular moments that were truly amazing.
10. Tomb Raider
Because of this game, I will forever search every tiny corner of every single player game I touch. The environments always appeared random, and things weren't always obvious. The exploration is still unmatched in single player games. Even with it being a linear game. The world and atmosphere helped in this as well. Sadly the series only got worse over time, and while there have been a couple of good attempts, the series seems to have lost its touch for good.


Runnerups:
Killzone2
Uncharted
Demon's Souls (I only just got this, but I see myself playing this for a long, long time)
Assassin's Creed
Infamous
LittleBigPlanet
Dark Age of Camelot
Diablo2
Day of Defeat

From the future:
Assassin's Creed 2
Left 4 Dead 2
God of War 3

1. Tetris
2. Starcraft
3. Doom
4. Final Fantasy Tactics
5. God of War
6. Diablo II
7. Uncharted 2
8. Vagrant Story
9. Half-Life
10. Final Fantasy XII

Others
Goldeneye
Super Smash Bros.
Super Mario III
Sonic the Hedgehog
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Prince of Persia
Puzzle Bobble (Bust-A-Move)
Bubble Bobble
Halo
Street Fighter II Turbo
Streets of Rage
Gran Turismo 3
Grand Theft Auto 3

1. World of Warcraft (PC)
2. Counter-Strike 1.6 (PC)
3. Metal Gear Solid (PSX)
4. Grand Theft Auto III (PC)
5. Warcraft 3 (PC)
6. Age of Empires I (PC)
7. Quake III Arena (PC)
8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
9. Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
10. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)

This was hard, especially for someone who has spent such little time in gaming. Anyway, here it is:

1) Fallout 3
2) Final Fantasy VII
3) World of Warcraft
4) Diablo II
5) Super Mario Bros. 3
6) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
7) Bioshock
8) Shadow of the Colossus
9) Katamari Damacy
10) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

I always have trouble with these things... I've got a good list, but it's one I made years ago when I didn't have many consoles, so it's pretty much PC only. I know there are lots of great console games too, I've played a lot of them now... but I have trouble changing my list because I like it so much that I can't bear to remove any of the games on it because they all deserve to be there. But some console games do as well... Hence the issue.

Here's that list of PC games. Numbers 1 and 2 are set for sure, but 3-5 and 6-10 seem to shift around often. The orders of those groups seem to be different almost every time I make the list, just because it's so hard to decide with games that great.

1. Starcraft (with Brood War addon)
2. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (with The Frozen Throne addon)
3. Civilization II (Multiplayer Gold Edition install played with the Fantastic Worlds CD because it is the only one with all the music on it)
4. Planescape: Torment
5. Star Wars: TIE Fighter (CD-ROM Collection, DOS or Win95 versions)
6. Grim Fandango
7. Star Wars: Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight (with Mysteries of the Sith addon)
8. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (with Throne of Bhaal addon)
9. Guild Wars (all four parts -- Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall, and Eye of the North)
10. Warcraft II Battle.Net Edition

Honorable Mentions: Too many games to count, but I've got to mention Quest for Glory I: So You Want To Be A Hero (VGA), Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness, SimCity 2000, Baldur's Gate I, The Curse of Monkey Island, and plenty more.

To supposedly turn it into a list that includes consoles too, pretty much I try to figure out which game to drop to make room for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which goes into third place behind only SC and WC3. That's not really fair to consoles though, hence the problem. And unlike PCs I don't really have a good console list, I haven't seriously tried in years and any old lists I did would be very out of date now (they were pretty much GB/GBC, N64, and GC only). There are too many good games out there to decide which I like the most... can't I just do separate lists for each console? That'd be much easier.

So uhh... how about I make my final list the above one, but with Ocarina of Time in third, everything else shifted down one, and Warcraft II BNE dropped off the list. Good enough.

Hm, my top series looks incredibly different from my favorite single games (and the NES/SNES generations bury the others), but that’s why people make these topics, I suppose. I feel like my top 50 or 100 or 200 are really interesting (we're talking Strider 2 to Inazuma 11 2: Threat Of The Invaders to Famicom Fairytales: New Island Of Oni to Twinkle Star Sprites 2 to Darkstalkers Collection, English language and non-, and OHMYGODIAMSUCHANINTERESTINGPERSON), but my top 10 are kind of predictable, giving my genre preferences.

From bottom to top:

10


Galactic Civilizations II
It would diminish Stardock's achievement if I noted that a Final Fantasy Tactics with more variety or Advance with more varied jobs and A2 with more verticality or Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together with more jobs or The Knight Of Lodis with a better supporting cast or Fire Emblem: Mystery Of The Emblem with more character depth or what have you will usurp this someday, because they didn't falter at any point. They didn't endear the game to me, but they gave me a virtuous faction, an intimidating amount of possibililties, and an incredibly enjoyable world. The amazing AI and single-player was improved greatly with each expansion, and they've cemented the attention they earned with the 1st game.

9



Puzzle League Attack
That is, Panel De Pon 2. With apologies to Puyo Pop Anniversary and other stellar competing puzzle games, the Gamecube sequel does everything right: fun music, 3-d, puzzle, and 4-player versus modes, great art and new characters, and an extended single-player mode. It's the best version of the only puzzle game that stresses me out.

8


Bangai-O Spirits
Do you know how good this game has to be to surpass the austerity of Radiant Silvergun, the exhilaration of Terra Diver, the joyous squeals I emit when playing Parodius (Talk Show Live, specifically), the artfulness of Panzer Dragoon (Orta), the craft of Guwange, the claustrophobia of R-Type (Final), the candy-colored fun of (Pop'n) Twinbee, and the surrealism of Fantasy Zone (4)? Well, it is. I have a weakness for Section Z/Sidearms Hyperdyne/Forgotten Worlds-style shoot-'em-ups. That said, Bangai-O Spirits balances risk and reward perfectly while applying shoot-'em-up principles to puzzle, action, sports, and platformer genres. It's 1 of the most brilliant game ideas there's been, and 1 odd, odd sequel.

7


Ico
I've been hard on Team Ico recently, but that doesn't mean I'm not on the bandwagon. It's easy to forget how innovative and artful simple puzzles were in Ico after being barraged with hyperbole. How perfectly is that story told?

6


Castlevania: Order Of Ecclesia
Picking well-known games is a hazard, I think, since people can more easily dismiss opinions. I hold this to be the pinnacle of the Castlevania series, and I'm not ashamed. It has my favorite environments, my favorite level design, my favorite protagonist and story, a favorite boss or 2, and deflects nearly every criticism leveled at the handheld Castlevanias (unjustly, I think). The gameplay applies Circle Of The Moon's difficulty to Bloodlines' combat and Rondo Of Blood's environments with a dash of Simon's Quest's RPG elements. With few exceptions (couldn't it have the BEST soundtrack instead of a merely enthralling one?), this is the archetypal Castlevania.

5


The Last Blade 1 And 2
I prefer 3-d fighting games by a wide margin (go, Virtua Fighter!), but there are so many 2-d franchises that one's bound to have 1. gorgeous aesthetics 2. a brilliant 1-player mode 3. interesting play styles. A tragic, thoughtful tale set in sunset-of-an-age Japan with memorable characters, a fantastic contrast in fighting/play styles, and GORGEOUS music/visuals? Sorry, Eileen and company. The Last Blade games are tops.

4


Super Mario World
Here's a pair of perfectly pared-down characters. Here are amazing power-ups, including the best one in a Mario game (Yoshi, followed immediately by the Cape Feather). Here are the Koopa Kids, a perfect balance between platforming tests and exploratory joy, an endearing territory, and multiple brilliant takes on a classic Mario ditty. Oh, and the 3-Up Moon, folks. DEAL WITH IT.

3


Final Fantasy IX
You know what? This is merely the 2nd time I've ranked it my favorite Final Fantasy/RPG. It has my favorite Final Fantasy ability system. I think every single main party member is great. It may have my favorite Final Fantasy soundtrack. It has uncomparable bookends. It doesn't have a lot of things that Lunar, Grandia, Final Fantasy VI, and the rest have, but, come on, existentialism. Who'd have expected it?

2


King’s Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
Oh, LucasArts. Your games are (mostly) not funny, (mostly) not challenging, (mostly) not engrossing, and (mostly) quip delivery devices, not games where one must survive by one's wits and reflexes. Sure, I'll take Monkey Island and Sam And Max, but you can't touch King's Quest VI. It's the best Western adventure game yet made, you know.

1


Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
How good is this, the pinnacle of games-as-art? I love Team Ico, but I'm unable to read all of the "Ico" and "Shadow Of The Colossus" picks without thinking the vast majority are obligatory "art game" picks. Try the real thing, folks. Moon makes Ico look like Gears Of War.
You could read my essay here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=376513
or just play it if you like:
Team ICO’s philosophical approach
Games that make fun of RPGs
Games that celebrate RPGs
The Last Express' "real-time world"
In-game customizable soundtracks
Japanese, American, or European adventure games
Earthbound 3's tone
Watercolor
Dragon Quest III as the archetypal video game
Games that make fun of video games
Games that make fun of you for playing them
“Weird stuff” in Super Mario RPG, Incredible Crisis, or Grasshopper Manufacture’s work
Vanpool, Skip, and Punchline
Crying like a widdwe tyke
Games-as-art

I'm going to say it's EASILY the greatest game ever made. You should play it.

For the tabulator:
#01: Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
#02: King’s Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
#03: Final Fantasy IX
#04: Super Mario World
#05: The Last Blade 1 And 2 (that's a subseries, like Street Fighter 0 or 3 or what have you)
#06: Castlevania: Order Of Ecclesia
#07: Ico
#08: Bangai-O Spirits
#09: Puzzle League Attack (that's Puzzle League/Panel De Pon 2, Planet Puzzle League/Panel De Pon DS would be 3 and Tetris Attack/Panel De Pon would be 1)
#10: Galactic Civilizations II

I've just realized there's an unusual lack of Pacman in here. It wouldn't have cracked my Top 10, but it probably had a place on my Top 25. Oh well.

1) Half-Life (PC)
2) Metroid Prime (GC)
3) Legend of Zelda (NES)
4) Starcraft (PC)
5) Half-Life 2 (PC)
6) Halo (Xbox)
7) Super Mario World (SNES)
8) Resident Evil 4 (GC)
9) Portal (PC)
10) WarioWare (GBA)

Others that would be in the Top 25 are:
X-Com: UFO Defense (PC)
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
Bully: SE (Wii)
Prince of Persia: SoT (GC)
Prince of Persia (PC)
Legend of Zelda: OoT (N64)
Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (PC)
Super Monkey Ball (GC)
Mike Tyson's Punch Out (NES)
Contra (NES)
Super Metroid (SNES)
Advance Wars (GBA)
Mario vs Donkey Kong (GBA)
SSX3 (Xbox)

batbeg said:

I've just realized there's an unusual lack of Pacman in here. It wouldn't have cracked my Top 10, but it probably had a place on my Top 25. Oh well.

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Pac-Man is awesome! I had a standalone handheld as a kid.

1. Another World aka Out of this World
2. Super Metroid
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. Curse of Monkey Island
5. Civilization II
6. Final Fantasy VIII
7. Vagrant Story
8. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
9. Metal Gear Solid 2
10. Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition

I rejected these since they will get no other votes: Deadly Rooms of Death, The Fool's Errand, Riven

HUELEN10 said:

What version of those games are you referring to? I am just curious as Sonic CD had multiple versions with superior FMV opening and closing as well as 2 totally different OSTs. As far as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels goes, there were 2 version released under that name. The first was for the SNES in SMAS and it's physics were totally retooled, as was the version of SMB in the game. The Wii VC release is the real deal so to speak.

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American Sonic CD soundtrack is superior, and the version on Sonic Gems collection has the highest quality FMV sequences. I know my shit here.

As for Lost Levels, I prefer the NES version (I got it on virtual console), but the SNES version was the one I originally played. I don't like how you pop up through the breakable blocks instead of bouncing off of them in All-Stars. But the NES version is harder to beat because I don't think it saves on a level-by-level basis like the SNES version.

1. Fallout 3
2. Resident Evil 4
3. Metroid Prime
4. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
5. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES
7. Super Metroid
8. Resident Evil 2
9. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
10. Chrono Trigger


11. Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse
12. Castlevania: Order Of Ecclesia
13. Mega Man 5
14. Mega Man 9
15. REmake
16. Final Fantasy VI
17. Lufia II: Rise Of The Sinistrals
18. Devil May Cry 3
19. Saints Row 2
20. Super Castlevania IV

This was a hard list to make. But these are probably the best games I've ever played. Several more Castlevania games would follow this list. And Mega Man and RE games. But I guess no 21, would be Metal Gear Solid 4.

1. Team Fortress 2
2. Star Wars: Knigets of the Old Republic
3. Half-Life 2 + Episodes
4. Persona 4
5. Chrono Trigger
6. Call of Duty 4
7. Mass Effect
8. Tales of Vesperia
9. Resident Evil REmake
10. Left 4 Dead

I AM JOHN! said:

I gotta say, I'm surprisingly shocked by how many times I'm seeing Sonic 3 & Knuckles name-checked. In the best possible way, of course.

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Thing is, they keep mixing up "3 & Knuckles" up with "2".

Why would you do that? said:

I'm sad about the lack of music games. I expected at least one mention of Parappa, a Bemani game (DDR, Guitarfreaks, Drum Mania), Rez, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Ouendan, or Rhythm Tengoku/Heaven/Paradise... I might have missed a couple of posts, though.

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Also I really, really wanted to put GH5 in my list, but in addition to what I've said previously, it is a little early to make that decision. If this was a top 20 topic, it'd probably be on mine.

Why would you do that? said:

Not Yellow/Crystal/Everald/Platinum?
Personally, I say I like Yellow better than Red/Blue, but content-wise, they're very similar, and I'd lump them together.

It also brings me to the question of ports. What about the Mario Advance games? I saw at least one person mention GBA Yoshi's Island, and the only gameplay difference between the SNES and GBA ones are a few bonus levels.

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Yellow, Crystal, Emerald, and Platinum are different enough that people voting for them are doing so deliberately based on the different content in those games. I wouldn't count them, but I wouldn't hold it against anyone who did.

As for other collections/compilations/enhanced ports/etc., I would probably merge those as well, but it really does take a fine line - RE4 on GameCube is lacking compared to the PS2 and Wii versions, for instance. Whoever's tabulating all this is going to have a hell of a time with different SKUs.