Topic: Nominations Open For The 2017 Hall Of Fame Class

[Shaymin]

If you think we should enshrine Space Station Silicon Valley, we want to hear from you.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/45212/nominations-open-for-the-2017-hall-of-fame-class

(Originally posted on our Patreon.)

Now that the first class of the NWR Hall of Fame has been duly enshrined, it's time to determine the next class.

Nominations are now being accepted by email at hof@nintendoworldreport.com for this year's class. These should be the best of the best of the best. Games that you'd tell people to play if they asked what are the Nintendo games they absolutely MUST play. Masterpieces filled with brilliance layered with innovation and topped with magnificence, etc. etc. The only limitations are: limit your total list of games to 10 and the games have to be more than 5 years old (rough cut-off date is nothing released in North America/Europe after October 1, 2012). Remember: do not nominate the 8 games already in the Hall of Fame (Super Mario Bros, Tetris, The Legend of Zelda; Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Super Mario 64, Pokémon Red/Blue, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Wii Sports). The deadline for nominations is September 8.

After that, we'll take that list to the Voting Board (NWR staff and Patrons at the $5+/month tier). Each member of the Voting Board will select 15 games from the nominee list. The votes will be tallied and we'll come up with 15 games that will be eligible for the next wave of NWR Hall of Fame entries.

Each member of the Voting Board will then vote yay/nay on each game. An 80%+ approval rate is required for a chance to enter the Hall of Fame. A minimum of 4 games and a maximum of 8 games will be inducted.

All you need to do is send in a list of 10 games released prior to October 1, 2012 that aren't already in the Hall of Fame to hof@nintendoworldreport.com - or leave them in the Talkback thread below.

The nomination deadline is September 8.

[Khushrenada]

My list of 10:

10 - Yoshi
9 - Yoshi's Story
8 - Yoshi Touch & Go
7 - Mario is Missing
6 - Yoshi's Island DS
5 - Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
4 - Mario's Time Machine
3 - Yoshi's Cookie
2 - Metroid: Other M
1 - Yoshi's Safari

[NWR_insanolord]

Hey now, Yoshi Touch & Go is an excellent score attack game. They really need to rerelease it on a platform that can do online leaderboards.

[Khushrenada]

I agree. That's why I've nominated it.

[Phil]

My list:


Metroid Prime
Super Mario Galaxy
The Legend of Zelda
Super Mario World
Star Fox 64
Animal Crossing
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Xenoblade Chronicles
F-Zero GX
Kirby Super Star


I didn't know if we could do third-party games (published by a third-party. that is) and I also didn't want to overwhelm the list with one series of games. There's always another round, right?

[Khushrenada]

Tsk tsk. Not a single Yoshi game. Someone is not a Nintendo gamer...... 

[ShyGuy]

Third Party List:

Contra
Bubble Bobble
Rad Racer
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Ikaruga
Beyond Good and Evil
Resident Evil 4
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney
Red Steel 2
Deus Ex Human Revolution

[BeautifulShy]

Oh this is a nice idea. Really helps with community interaction.   I'll probably email my list soon since there is lots I would nominate.

[BeautifulShy]

There goes my list to NWR. Kinda heavy on Wii games but a good bunch of games.

[Khushrenada]

Oh this is a nice idea. Really helps with community interaction.   I'll probably email my list soon since there is lots I would nominate.

Not if you secretly e-mail your selections so that none of us can judge them and tell you how you're wrong!

The rules state that you can just post your selections in the Talkback thread to count. They don't have to be e-mailed.

All you need to do is send in a list of 10 games released prior to October 1, 2012 that aren't already in the Hall of Fame to hof@nintendoworldreport.com - or leave them in the Talkback thread below.

[Khushrenada]

On further reflection, I've decided to play your game NWR and, although I'd like to see if I could create some alliances and political partnerships to get the voters to put in classics like Disaster: Day of Crisis or Star Fox Command, I'm going to submit a list of what I think would make the best editions to this project. At this point, there are a lot of other obvious choices that could (and most likely will) be in the hall: Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Metroid Prime, Link’s Awakening DX, etc. I've been mulling this over and thinking about what other titles are out there would be worthy yet may be under people's gaming radar. There have been a lot of "Best Nintendo Game" or "Best (Insert Nintendo System) Game" and certain titles always rise to the top.

I'd rather vote and put in some choices that would probably get in at some point but may be a bit down the list. In this way, it could make for some interesting discussion and keep this project interesting because what more is there to be said about Super Mario Bros. or Ocarina of Time at this point? Plus, if the Hall of Fame is to be about games other people SHOULD PLAY, I think it should have a broad selection and representation of different game styles and franchises rather than create the impression Nintendo games are a lot of Zelda and Mario. After all, if you've played one Pokémon game, haven't you played them all? Rather than just give a quick list, I took care to go my customary extra mile and provide a bit of a blurb for each game in the hopes of possible swaying others into including these choices on their lists and sway future voters for when the time comes to debate what to induct.

Let's begin!

[Khushrenada]

I'm going to put these in order of chronological release and not by any personal preference except for my last entry.

1. Duck Hunt - For many people, this game was synonymous with the NES as it often came in a Mario Bros/Duck Hunt combo cartridge. One of the very first examples of Nintendo using a different peripheral and control scheme for a game besides the traditional controller. Yet, it's such an absolutely intuitive thing. Pick it up, aim at the TV and pull the trigger. That zapper was so appealing to me growing up. If someone had it then I had to play a few rounds of Duck Hunt in effort to hunt them all and silence that darned dog! Even now, Duck Hunt will appeal to any gamer of any age and, I feel, has proven to be a timeless classic. The legacy and appeal of the zapper and Duck Hunt are partially what led to Nintendo releasing the Super Scope on the SNES and Link’s Crossbow Training with the Wii Zapper peripheral. The game has stayed in the mindset of video gamers for over 3 decades now. Maybe because every gamer has been upset at their failure to successfully shoot that laughing dog.

[Khushrenada]

2. Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars - While I didn't want to include another Mario platformer again so early into the Hall, I've nothing against a different style of play like an RPG. At the time of its release, SMR was a high point of graphical capability and while it may seem a bit outdated now, it gives the game a special art style that no Mario game has been able to imitate or mimic since. This was my first introduction to the RPG genre. There were times where boss battles seemed impossible as I had to learn how to prepare for battles with items to replenish HP or FP and how to plan and counter attacks. In time, I learned the strategy but was always a bit disappointed when playing other RPG's that didn't allow for further action in attacks. Being able to jump on an enemy and, if you time it right, keep jumping on an enemy to build up the damage down or press the right button to block and minimize damage kept every battle engaging. The game was a revelation in storytelling. I'd never played such a narrative heavy game nor had I played one that made me LAUGH SO MUCH! This game showed me how much humor was possible in a game. The world you travelled is varied full of wonderfully strange creatures to constantly delight and surprise players along with the occasional homage or classic Mario reference thrown in as well. To top it all off, the game has one of the most complete and strongest OST's ever released in a game.

This game represents a great what-if in gaming history with as Square parted company with Nintendo to put their primary focus on Sony systems after. One wonders what more could have been done in the future had the two companies stayed on good terms. Even though Nintendo has released some really good Mario RPG's since then nothing has been able to match the magical alchemy created in this game of the blending of design by Nintendo and Square. The 16 bit console war may have been pretty close in terms of sales but with games like Super Mario RPG, it's always felt like Nintendo dominated that generation. A lasting reminder of the mastery of gaming Nintendo and Square had acquired in making games up to this point before the upcoming 3D revolution caused everyone to start rethinking their approach to game design in a true 3D space.

[Khushrenada]

3. Kirby Super Star - Although Kirby was already putting together a solid library of titles before release, this game lived up to its title and made Kirby a superstar to me. Showing how Kirby could play and succeed in different gameplay styles and objectives keeps gives each game in this compilation its own unique flavor and may have been a reason why the pink puff has had many games with different gameplay styles since after showing off how malleable he can be here. The 8 games in 1 aren't very long on their own which keeps any of them from overstaying their welcome and, while the latter unlockable games may be stronger than the first few available, I've always found every part of this game enjoyable. Further, the AI helpers in this game (which allowed for an optional second player) were programmed very well and I've always found them useful when playing even if they don't seem to care about the damage they take. But I can always kiss them to make them better from time to time.

Of course, I'd be remiss not to mention the OST for this game. There are a bunch of tunes and themes that were in the early games but KSS seemed to create the definitive version for them. It pretty much crystalized what makes up the Kirby sound for a Kirby game and set a standard of great music which has been carried out through most Kirby games since. KSS is a high point in the Kirby franchise but it cast a long shadow and, despite some titles that came close, I'd say it wasn't until Kirby Epic Yarn that a game finally surpassed it and the franchise has now put out a few more releases from that point that equal its genius.

[Khushrenada]

4. GoldenEye 64 – Mario 64 and OoT are already in the hall. However, along with those two games, I’d say there is one more that truly defined the N64 for a majority of gamers and that is Goldeneye 64. While Mario and Zelda were superb single player experiences, Goldeneye 64 was the definitive multiplayer game for most of the consoles lifespan and was the gold standard of a console FPS for years until pretty much Halo. Sure, Perfect Dark and Jet Force Gemini have their defenders but they came a bit too late in the 64’s lifespan to make as big an impact as Goldeneye. Even now, people keep hoping for a possible port of it to current console’s Virtual catalogues. The name holds cache with gamers that Nintendo tried to come up with a successor of it on the Wii with GoldenEye 007.

A few weeks ago, the AV Club discussed the game and why it was such a big hit but the question of longevity does arise with it. For some, the control scheme is out-dated and hard to understand due to the evolution of gaming but others who learnt it at the time have no problem diving back into it. Despite that bit of divisiveness, by showing that a licenced title could actually make for a masterpiece game and making Nintendo synonymous with quality FPS gaming, I’d say GoldenEye deserves entry on those 2 historical facts alone.

[Khushrenada]

5. Super Smash Bros. Melee – I know Melee probably isn't an overlooked title as I mention my list being more about. Chances are that it is already getting plenty of nominations. However, sometimes the obvious choice is obvious for a reason. The Smash series represents a unique type of game in Nintendo's library and Melee is the best entry eligible to be inducted in it. I doubt I really need to write up much about this game. There’s a good chance it gets inducted in on the next round of voting coming up. It was the multiplayer game of the GameCube and turned Smash Bros. into a huge competitive gaming presence.

While I think the recent 3DS/Wii U Smash Bros games are pretty much equal in comparison to Melee, there’s just something unique to this game. When I play Adventure mode, I still sometimes sense that potential of the series being able to blend all these different franchises into one. This idea of it or the series being able to create a great crossover of these characters with all their different styles of gameplay and formulas. It sparked a greater interest and awareness of Nintendo and its properties that I hadn’t developed until after playing it. It has that power to make one more curious to seek out the games the stages are from, where the fighters come from or from tidbits one care read in the trophy descriptions. Ultimately, I’ve had fun with this game as a single-player experience collecting trophies and unlocking characters and stages as well as a multiplayer experience battling wits against my friends with my favorite characters. With all the stages, move sets, items and rule changes possible, you can play 1,000,000 matches and still encounter plenty of different and new outcomes. Thanks to that replayability, the game's popularity has continued 15 years strong since its release.

[Khushrenada]

6. Metroid: Zero Mission – Yeah, Metroid Prime is probably going to get a big push in the nominations and there’s a good chance that if another Metroid game is added into the hall, it will be Prime. Likewise, I know this may seem to be a derivative choice when I said I was trying to avoid that. But I question how many people actually would be or are including Zero Mission on their list of nominations. I think this title may actually belong in the overlooked category. If it were up to me, though, Zero Mission would be next Metroid game in the hall.

It might be seen as being similar to Super Metroid but Zero Mission is a bit different from Super Metroid for a few reasons. ZM is fast. I know there are speed runs that can be done with Super Metroid but ZM is probably the naturally fastest Metroid created and the speediest that Samus has ever felt. It’s the most finessed and polished 2D Metroid and has what I think is the best pacing of any Metroid game released. It just flows so smoothly. There is one notable difference near the end of the game in the Zero Suit Samus portion but that is also another point in its favor of how it differs from Super Metroid. Plus, it shows what Nintendo can do in remaking a game. Zero Mission is a remake of the original NES Metroid but Nintendo doesn’t just keep the same game and map and updates the whole thing with newer and fancier sprites. They rethink the game a bit and add in new enemies, story details and gameplay elements recreating it with modern game design and building on what has been done in the franchise since its original release. It basically obsoletes the original game. There is really no incentive to play it at all now unless you want the very hard challenge it represents or as a way to experience some historical gaming perspective. I’ve tried playing the original Metroid since it is unlockable with this game but I couldn’t get very far in it. I couldn’t take the way it handles and plays after playing this updated version. The difference is so great that you hope Nintendo will remake a lot of other games in their library that may not be aging as well either. It’s why I’m jumping into Samus Returns 3DS on Day 1 of release and hoping it meets my high level of expectations.

Zero Mission is so far weathering the test of time much better than the original (and I dare say, better than Prime 1 as well) and, to me, is the second best entry in the whole Metroid franchise and one of three, if not the, best games to own for the GBA. From the moment I booted it up until the time I finally tore myself away from it after beating and completing the game for the 17th or 18th time in a row in an effort to see all the Samus ending pictures, I knew I was playing a masterpiece and it is still a special experience for anyone who seek to play it.

[Khushrenada]

7. Warioware: Twisted – The original WarioWare game is actually a worthy contender to enter the Hall itself. This microgame / quick reaction subgenre that the series created is very compelling and having played the original a few times over, I've got much respect for it. Yet, of the various entries I’ve played in the WarioWare series, WarioWare: Twisted has been the best and so I must nominate it first. What makes it the best? The fact that it added a little bit of gyroscope tilting into the control mix. You’re still going to be pressing buttons but you also need to mind which way you are holding the handheld device. The difference may not seem like much but if you've played the original then you'll realize it is a game changer. 

It's a game that has been pretty much locked to the system it was released on, the only way to play Twisted is on the GBA family or possibly a DS with GBA capability. Due to this fact, it hasn't had much in the way of a re-release to allow others to play the game for themselves could limit its chances of being included any time soon. Of the various tilt games Nintendo released on handhelds, Twisted is my favorite of those entries. The way it starts slow and amps up the action while you try to react as quick as you can while not knowing what the next quick test will be is a brilliant little gimmick that kept me playing for many hours. It’s a simple idea but Twisted shows how much Nintendo can riff on a simple idea and how much mileage they can get out of it. To me, if there is a “Nintendo course” that one would take to get a full perspective of the company and the appeal of the games it makes, Twisted would be on that program along with these other titles.

[Khushrenada]

8. Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat – Again, I’m going mostly for games with unique playstyles to give the broadest perspective of what Nintendo can do with this medium. While it may not be that inventive to make a rhythm game around a bongo controller like the Donkey Konga games, being able to take that bongo controller and make a successful platformer with it shows a great spark of brilliance. Considering the amount of buttons and control schemes being put into controllers at this time, there’s something appealing about EAD Tokyo taking a controller with minimal input methods and making a game that not only works, it can feel like a platforming revolution.

As soon as I played it for the first time, I wanted to show this game off to everyone I knew. Everyone needed to play this game and know how great it is. Slapping the bongos seemed to give the action on the screen a more tactile feel, especially during boss battles when hammering away at your opponent helped create the illusion of making you feel like you were the one wailing away at the enemy. Replaying levels to find more and more ways to combo up and increase my high score was a pleasure while adding to one’s appreciation of how well this game was crafted. I’ve never tried the Wii remake but, from all accounts, it was a lesser product by losing the bongos. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience and there’s really only one way to play it and that is with Bongo style. Because of that, like WarioWare: Twisted, there's a good chance a lot of gamers have missed out on this so I'd love to see it in the Hall for gamers to not forget about it and know that it is worth seeking out.

[Khushrenada]

9. Mario Kart DS – Mario Kart is going to be an interesting challenge for the Hall. All Nintendo players pretty much like the franchise. The problem is that people seem divided as to what is the best entry or entries in it. I know we’ve had some discussions on it before and I was surprised to see some of the rankings created by other users on it. Because of this division, it might be a bit of time before any one entry gets in if some don’t want that version to be the first in or think it isn’t as good as another entry. Maybe it will go to the original Kart on the SNES but I’d hope that isn’t the case as a lot in the series has changed since its inception and I don’t think the original holds up as well.

To me, Mario Kart DS has almost become the original in a way. Since its release, the Mario Kart games that have been created since MKDS have followed its pattern with new and retro courses. Being able to select any kart (or kart parts) to be used with any character you wanted with the character's attributes changing up the statistics a bit of that kart. No more karts limited to certain characters. It was Nintendo’s first major foray into online gaming and, as such, it’s online gaming component has stayed quite robust ever since and could be seen as Nintendo’s online gaming flagship title. Not only does MKDS have a strong multiplayer component with one of the better battle selections (hello Block Fort’s return) but it also tried to do something more with the single player aspect and the Mission Mode it provides with different tasks and challenges. It even had bosses!

I may be a bit biased since I really do like this entry but I think MKDS also succeeds by having some of the best original tracks in an MK game. At this point, a lot of them have shown up as retro tracks in other games so they may not seem as original now but Delfino Square, Peach Gardens, Waluigi Pinball, Tick-Tock Clock, Airship Fortress are just some of the classic and all-time great courses to be found in it. I also really liked its version of Rainbow Road. It even had Baby Park as one of its retro courses! The people behind MKDS seemed to understand what makes MK great and delivered one heck of a complete package. While there is nothing stopping other Mario Kart games from joining the hall in later years, I think Mario Kart DS makes for the best representation of what the series gameplay and appeal is all about and would make for the best entry at the moment as I try to spread the Hall of Fame love around to other series.

[Khushrenada]

And now we come to the last one. This one is just a personal choice. According to the rules, a minimum 4 to a maximum of 8 titles will be inducted in later this year. With 9 stellar entries already given, my list of nominations is already one too many. Better luck next year Duck Hunt, am I right? Recognizing this fact, I thought I'd just throw out a vote to a game that appeals to me even if it may not be the absolute pinnacle of game design.

I though about giving Kirby some extra love with Kirby's Epic Yarn or including a Mario Party entry in here. I was very close to just making it F-Zero GX which is another fave but I'll let MKDS act as my lone racing game selection for now. Since the Hall is just beginning, I'd rather limit my choices to older games since there are a lot of those that deserve to be in the Hall right now which is why I've done nothing with the Wii or 3DS. 2005 seems to be my limit year and my number 10 entry falls on that time frame.

10. Chibi-Robo: Plug into Adventure - Graphically, it is not the most polished game. Control-wise, it may not be the most precise either. It may not be trying to re-invent the wheel, as it were, with a new control scheme or any type of special game play abilities. What the game does succeed in, though, is appealing to your heart. Awwwwww. It's narrative may not be the most flashy or cutting edge but it still works to make you care about all the different characters you meet and that will push you to keep playing through to see how you can help them and where it all leads. I enjoyed some of its trippy aspects you encounter, it feels satisfying to clean up the house you are in (even if it is disappointing to see new messes in areas you completely cleaned) and, despite the setting being a "regular" home, there was much excitement in trying to explore it as a tiny robot. The game successfully navigates between joyful moments and sorrowful encounters in its story beats. I think it is an over-looked gem that I still want to recommend 10 years after playing it because the experience has still stayed with me over that span of time and when a game can do that then it has done something right.

[Khushrenada]

So, to sum up and make it easer for Shaymin or whoever else has to come and collect the nominations in this thread, here is my list of noms:

1. Duck Hunt
2. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
3. Kirby Super Star
4. GoldenEye 64
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee
6. Metroid: Zero Mission
7. WarioWare: Twisted
8. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (GC with Bongos only! No Wii versions allowed!)
9. Mario Kart DS
10. Chibi-Robo: Plug into Adventure

I encourage all fellow users to follow my lead and nominate these same games. I also encourage the voting committee to go with those choices. I've practically done the write-up for all these games anyways so you can relax since the work is already done for you when you vote them in.

[Khushrenada]

I am curious, though, since the topic of third party games came up and Shaymin mention Space Station Silicon Valley in the bolded title teaser section, are third party games eligible as long as they are on a Nintendo system? According to the rules,

The only limitations are: limit your total list of games to 10 and the games have to be more than 5 years old (rough cut-off date is nothing released in North America/Europe after October 1, 2012).

It says nothing about limiting the games to Nintendo-developed titles only. Is, say, Chrono Trigger eligible?

Likewise, if a game is inducted, is it for a certain version of that game or would all versions be included? What if I think OoT 3D is better than the original? Does OoT's induction count for all versions? Can compilations count? Could the Hall theoretically induct Metroid Prime as well as the Metroid Prime Trilogy as separate inductees? Kirby Super Star and Kirby's 25th Anniversary Collection and Kirby Super Star Ultra? If Twilight Princess were inducted, would it be for both GameCube and Wii or would the different control methods mean the games are too different to be included together under the same title? Hence Twilight Princess HD would include the GC version as both follow traditional button inputs but the Wii version is left in the cold? Or are all 3 considered the same game and it doesn't matter which one is played?

Enquiring minds want to know!

[Khushrenada]

Third Party List:

Contra
Bubble Bobble
Rad Racer
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Ikaruga
Beyond Good and Evil
Resident Evil 4
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney
Red Steel 2
Deus Ex Human Revolution

I suppose but I think you are really overlooking a lot of great Wii U third party games with that list.

[Shaymin]

Third party titles are eligible: Mega Man 2 and Chrono Trigger were in the final vote last year.