Topic: The Ultimate Good Games List!

[GoldShadow]

The idea of this topic is that each person will list a good game, and write a quick summary of what makes it so good.  Each person should list only one game, and nobody repeat a game that's been posted before.

To start off, the obvious choice... undoubtedly one of the greatest games of all time:  Zelda 64.

Game:  Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
System:  Nintendo 64/GameCube
Release: 1998

Ocarina of Time was a simply stunning game.  Not only was it revolutionary in design, but it was simply very fun and epic.  Some of it's innovations include z-targeting, auto-jumping, horseback riding, and a huge, interconnected, fully 3D world.  The designs of all of the dungeons are incredible, they are a joy to go through even after beating them before.  The game has great pacing, a catchy soundtrack, and an intrigueing storyline.  Few games have left such an impression on me, with so many memorable moments - the Sheik cut-scenes, the Forest Temple, little Link drawing his sword against Ganondorf in that great cut-scene, the battle with Ganon...  in 2003, some games may be better than OoT.  Few, however, will ever be as original.

[ShanD]

Game: Super Mario Brothers 3
System: NES
Date: 1989 i think

This game brought platforming to a whole new level. The levels are still among the best designed levels ever in videogame history, the powerups were extremely creative for the time, and many are still creative today. The levels were packed full of secrets, and all this is presented with a pretty good diffuculty. You must play this game.

[RickPowers]

EXCELLENT POST.  So close to a poll, but not.  This is a very good example of how to get information like this and keep it constructive.  Nicely done.

Game: Metroid Prime
System: Nintendo GameCube
Release: 2002

Metroid Prime is the rookie effort of Retro Studios (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nintendo), and a perfect example of how to take a two-dimensional game and bring it into a 3D universe.  The gameplay is entirely new and different, but retains much of the same feel as the rest of the games in the series.  The music does an outstanding job of establishing mood, and the game delivers tension in spades.  More than anything, there is a focus on minutia in Prime that has never been seen before.  Metroid Prime was every Nintendo site's candidate for Game of the Year for 2002, and with good reason.  The game is a testament to good development technique and incredible attention to art detail.

[baberg]

First, a shout-out to the posts above me.  Three terrific games.

Game: Final Fantasy 6 (Final Fantasy 3 in the US)
System: SNES
Release: 1994

An epic role playing game by the masters at Squaresoft, FF6 didn't make too many innovations.  Real-time battles were already implemented in Final Fantasy 4 (released in the US as Final Fantasy 2).  Perhaps the use of Mode-7 graphics for pseudo-3D flight was innovative.  But FF6 doesn't need innovation.  It has a solid storyline, rememberable characters, villans that you grow to hate, and difficult boss battles.  Plus, cutscenes were sparce and fit in with the plot (a common criticism of later Final Fantasies is that it's a movie, not a game).  Though FF7 for the Playstation may be the most remembered, FF6 is all that and more.  It's extremely rare, though, so good luck finding a copy to play through.  But it's worth it for the RPG enthusiast.

[Grey Ninja]

Hmmm... I thought this thread was going to be closed because of that weird no poll rule, but I guess it's safe.  

Game:  Xenogears
System:  PSX
Year:  1995 (I think?)

I may be a very loyal Nintendo fan, but I know quality when I see it.  This game just did absolutely everything right.  Very little FMV, but more story than you can believe, extremely deep characters, excellent game mechanics, challenging gameplay, and I cannot possibly think of a more captivating and addictive game.  It is truly the best RPG (if not game) that I have ever played.  I searched for the game for 3 years based on the word of mouth that the game ruled.  When I finally got it and booted up a PSX emulator, I found that the stories did not exaggerate its greatness.  It was all that and more.  It truly deserves a place in any great games list.

[GoldShadow]

Oh, by the way, games from any system are welcome - from Atari to your 3.2 GHz PC.

Game:  Advance Wars
System:  GameBoy Advance
Release: 2001

Advance Wars is an amazing game, especially considering that it's on a handheld.  It's a turn-based strategy game on a grid, with each unit occupying one square, like chess.  Aside from its many options and extras, the core career mode is very entertaining.  Some are designed as typical strategy game levels, but others are very unique and can be solved almost as puzzles.  Each level is different - some have you planning naval warfare, with islands serving as building and supply centers.  Another might be an uphill battle in the snow, with you slowly making progress.  Each has specific strategies involved.

The game is very, very involving.  I recall having to painfully pull the game away as my computer opponent crushed me during particularly hard levels.  The individual units have more importance than in other strategy games (the fights are always one-on-one), so the destruction of that single helicopter transporting your men to  the front line can make you cringe.  But every time I lost, I knew that I could win if I played smarter... and I did.  The battles rely on strategy, and the right strategy can turn an impossible battle into an easy one.  It's a classic, and anyone who owns a GBA who is even slightly interested in strategy games should pick it up.

[Rancid Planet]

Okay...I feel like going to the RARE pile, but old school.


Cobra Triangle. This game came out around 1988. It was another stunning Rare game from that time period. They always made really good simulations of 3-D in their games. Like R.C. Pro Am and Marble Madness. But nothing messes with Cobra Triangle. It's a really good jet boat/shooter/battle the sea monster kinda game. They just don't make games like this enough anymore. This game is totally on my top 5 NES games of all time. You know, a sequel to Cobra Triangle would be really good.


Anyway, if you ever see this game at a yard sale or pawn shop GET IT!

[Ian Sane]

Ocarina's not the only awesome Zelda game.

Game: Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
System: Gameboy/Gameboy Color (DX version)
Release: 1993/1998

Before Pokemon came out this was the reason to own a Gameboy.  When I first saw this title on shelves I assumed it was, like most Gameboy games, an inferior portable cash-in on a popular franchise and would in no way be able to match the brilliance of A Link to the Past.  Boy was I wrong.  Not only does this titles match LttP but it actually improves on it in many ways making it a true Zelda game despite it's portable roots.  To this day I consider it not only my favourite Zelda game but my favourite game PERIOD.  It also remains the only game I have beaten more than once.  A perfect example of how, with the right amount of effort, a portable title can easily be as good as a console one.  If you have any sort of Gameboy you must buy this game.

[Chasefox]

It looks like Zelda is doing pretty well.

Game: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
System: SNES

Definately one of my favorite games of all time.  It retains all of the original zelda sweetness and adds new bonuses to the different levels.  Light and Dark world? Genius.  This game was pure genius and shows true ingenuity.  I never owned the game.  I played it at my cousins whenever I got a chance.  This game is a classic, and you know it as soon as you hear the first musical note that it is a true Zelda classic.

[manunited4eva22]

Title: Donkey Kong
Year: 1981?
Arcade

The game that took endless quarters from me that later went on to produce our favorite brooklyn/italian plumber, mario. While lacking depth gameplay was infinitely more fun than anything in my local arcade. One of the oldest games in the arcade today, but none the less played nearly the most.

[ReiTheZer0]

Gonna go for the obvious choice here after all of my other favorite games were chosen...

Chrono Trigger
System: SNES
Year: Sometime between 1994-1996?

One of the best RPG's ever with a battle system unlike any other. One draw back however was little character development. However, over 15 different endings and a wide variety of spells kept you playing this game over and over to unlock all of the endings and see all of the spells and attacks in action,

[yrrab436]

Edit:  Chrono Trigger was definitely 1995.

Game:  Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2)
System: SNES (Super Famicom)
Release: 1993

This game is perfection, in my opinion.  It was my first RPG ever, and the 436 in my name is a backwards 634.  If you've played the game, you know where it's from. Anyway...

Granted, it just has the typical "save the world from evil empire" story, but it's done well!  Some things are different from the norm though.  For example, finally a girl is out to save a guy in this game!  Excellent music and graphics (for the time) help to bring the vibrant world to life.  The battle system is phenominal.  It's like the merging of the ATB (Active Time Battle) system of Final Fantasy with the combat of Zelda.  Most games with non-menu battles turn magic into simple projectile or radius abilities.  That's not the case with Secret of Mana, as magic is done with the menus just like in many other RPGs.  You progress in weapon and magic levels by actually using the weapons and spells.  Each of the three characters can use all of the eight weapons, and two of the characters can use spells.   How could I forget the multiplayer!  This is a multiplayer RPG!  And, if you don't have anyone to play with, the AI isn't completely moronic.  Granted, it's not bright, but it could have been far worse.

I'll say it many times, I believe this is an excellent game.

And just for the record, Mana is pronounced "mah-na" not "man-a."

I couldn't decide whether to do this or Seiken Densetsu 3 (would have been Secret of Mana 2), but I like the weapons and magic system in SD2 better.  

[Attrox]

Game: Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
System: Nintendo 64
Release: 2000

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, is a sequal to quite possible the best game ever, the Ocarina of Time. The graphics were great at the time of release, on the Nintendo 64, and had the same gameplay style as the Ocarina of Time. It made a great addition to the legendary Zelda series, and overall was a great game. If you played the Ocarina of Time, and enjoyed it (which I'm guessing you did), this is a must play game for you. With 72 hours to defeat Majora's Mask, you travel through time and save Hyrule.

[keitarou]

Game: Tetris Attack
System: SNES
Year:  1992?  I'm not entirely sure...

This game follows the perfect scheme for an ideal puzzle game: simple to learn, extremely hard to master!!  The simple concept of just matching 3 similar shapes using a 2-piece cursor to flip tiles boils down to fast-paced movement and a race to the goal!  I just can't describe the satisfaction you get when your brain clicks and you clear a lot of blocks at once.  When you get the general idea of it, there are tutorials that describe to you in detail about the many combos you can do, which completely blew my mind!!  Why?  It's because of the fact that you had to literally race against the clearing of the blocks to set up your next combo!  All this equals to a feverish mad dash to demolish your opponent!!  As ingenious as the puzzle was, the attacks they deliver to your opponent are just as clever, with the larger blocks and the gray blocks...PLUS the fact that you must clear blocks adjacent to them to clear them up!

And that was only the beginning.  The story mode was pleasant, offering tougher (and more) bosses and challenges with each difficulty setting, and the number of different tiles increase as you progress further along the story mode.  The time trial and puzzle modes offer other variety modes of play.  And of course, one cannot forget the 2-player option.  Lots of homework time was lost between my girlfriend and I over many, many rounds.

The most challenging aspect?  All the pieces are laid out for you!  Just simple moving and matching makes the gameplay really fast!

Needless to say, I'd get that Nintendo Puzzle Collection in a heartbeat when it comes to the US.  4-player action?  Oh man, I can't wait for that....

[Paul_IQ164]

Hey, I was going to register just to talk about how damn great Tetris Attack was. But I see it's already been done. It was great when you got such a big combo at the same time as your opponent and it slowed the SNES down. Aaahhh.

Anyway, I'll choose...

Super Mario Sunshine
GameCube
2002

Noone seemed to go that mad about it, and (travesty of justice) Eternal Darkness bet it to 2nd place behind Metroid in IGN's GCN game of 2002 poll. But it was just so much fun. The spraying... and the stuff. Especially just the carefree larking around in Delfino Plaza. It improved in SM64 in every conceivable way. The joy of discovering a new mini-game or something. Even those goddamned impossible-to-find blue coins. And a final boss battle in a hot tub! Genius! Oh yes.

[Smadte]

Game: Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
System: SNES
Year: 1991 (I think)

I'd have to go with Zelda: A link to the Past for the greatest game of all time (as stated above), but Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts is overlooked by way too many people. I really can't pinpoint why this game is so addictive, yet insanely difficult. I love the music and graphics (even to this day) and the gameplay is brilliant. It's the type of game that doesn't take itself seriously, and can be downright hilarious in places you least expect it. This game, in my opinion, is definately among Conami's top 5, and the SNES's top 10.  

[GoldShadow]

While we're doing puzzle games...

Game:  Wetrix
System:  Nintendo 64

Wetrix is a very unique puzzle game.  It has a great premise that made me interested since the first time I heard about it:  You must keep the rain from overflowing using Tetris-style blocks as walls to dam up the sides of a square landscape.   If you lose too much water off of the of your landscape, you lose.  The game is one of the few puzzle games to really take advantage of 3D - the depth of the water is very important, and there is a lot of strategy in how to build up your walls.  If you build too high, there may be an earthquake (a VERY bad thing).  If you build to low, rainfall will cause the water to overflow.  The game is very balanced.  There are also power-ups thrown in like a fireball that dries up water or destroys landscape.  The game isn't for everybody and is neither as easy to learn or as fast-paced as Tetris Attack, but it is very relaxing  and suprisingly strategic.  I just wish there was more variety in the gameplay.

[Rancid Planet]

Yeah GoldShadow...Wetrix, totally underated game I feel. How about this one?


Tetris for Gameboy. Seriously one of the games ever, or easily most addicting. Try asking anybody you know, even those who haven't played games in years or barely play at all.  Everybody has a good "I played Tetris on my Gameboy for 12 hours last night!" story.  

[cubeless]

I can't believe this hasn't been mentioned yet!

Game: Super Metroid
System: Super NES

Words cannot describe the sheer amazement that this game brings, the elysian ectasy. Starting as a short vaunt into the abyssal depths of an eerie space station, soon enough the player is immersed into a world of challenge, mystery, nostalgia, and above all, blasting the crap out of stuff. One of the many masterpieces of a gaming genius and legend, the late, unparalleled Gumpei Yokoi. It took the basis for the successful prior two games and enhanced it beyond all compare. Play control is unequalled, without question. Graphics are 32-bit-esque, especially considering the age of the game (currently in its 9th year of existence). Sound? No comment, just go listen to it yourself. Above all lies the entire experience. Timing, item collection, beating the game with insanely low amounts of energy, it's all there. If you are one of the seven people who have not enjoyed this game, get a Super NES, and spend an afternoon with it. You will be sure not to regret it.

[Game_Freak]

Game: Pokemon Silver
System: Gameboy

Ok, let me start by saying that in my currert Pokemon Silver file, i have played for over 300 hours. A truly innovative RPG blends traditional leveling up with a brand new blend of RPGness. From catching Pokemon in pokeballs to burning a Bellsprout with flamethrower, this game is as fun as an RPG can get. I can safely say that i have played this game more than any other game, its so addictive and fresh and it never gets boring. From the moment you leave New Bark Town on your quest to the moment you beat the elite four, Pokemon Silver is just a dream to play and incredibly addicting. An excellent game that deserved every sale it made!

[GoldShadow]

Indeed, Super Metroid is awesome - one of my favorite games of all time.  

Game:  Perfect Dark
System: Nintendo 64
Release:  2000

Perfect Dark was, and is, an excellent game.  Some still seem to prefer GoldenEye, but Perfect Dark will always be better in my eye.  The first few levels are all brilliant - it's not that great after the Air Force One levels, though, and the alien levels are lame (Skedar are just not any fun to kill - they're short, ugly, and not even bloody.  They should've gone the Jet Force Gemini method and made swarms of huge, disgusting aliens that you can splatter all over the place.), but the multiplayer more than makes up for it.  Upon a recent playing, I can honestly say I enjoyed Perfect Dark more than TimeSplitters 2.  The level designs are great, and the weapons are very cool.  There is just so much stuff to do - challenges to beat, cheats to earn, perfect agent levels to wade through... I still haven't been able to beat anything past the second Area 51 level on PA.  Some of the other PA levels took me dozens of tries to beat, but it was fun each time.  There's nothing quite like tossing a grenade into a sniper tower and watching two bodies fly out the window!

[Segnit BGS]

I would personally like to thank everyone for not choosing Goldeneye
GoldShadow, no doubt a great post of Metroid Proportions!

Game: GoldenEye (GE)
System: Nintendo 64
Release: 1997

My older brother, two of his friends and I, had a true all-nighter with this inflammatory gem… Sun, Moon, Sun… Even in ones dreams, bounds of the Universe are indiscernible, so too the essence of fun in this jewel. To this day, GE’s vigorous core comprises of one lasting element, its foundation… the multiplayer; a component so novel that it will forever retain its reputation as a king without a crown. The play mechanics are so stupendously deep that no one in this world can claim to have mastered it all. The strategy of eliminating foes through walls via remote mines; those dummy exit reactions; those vulnerable and tense moments of weapon reloading; the importance of backing away at key moments; and most importantly being awarded most dishonorable for employing devious battle tactics. Many since have improved the formula, but not with as big a leap as GoldenEye did… gargantuan landmark from any perspective. Iced behind the multiplayer is the single player, considered by a dedicated few to be the last accurate recreation of our beloved secret agent. It had everything from the Music and the actual locations of the movie to Pierce Brosnan. The game turned everyone who played it into James Bond. A genuine something else… a magical supernova.

Oh and Basil and Slava

[telaris]

Game: EarthBound
System: SNES
Release Date: 1995

On June 1, 1995, Ape and Nintendo released one of the greatest games of all time, Earthbound. It used to be my favorite game until I played Final Fantasy III. Before Earthbound, RPGs meant dungeons, swords, castles, and everything medieval. Earthbound changed all that. It had important role play game elements, such as leveling up, turned base fighting, and bosses. But how many games do you know have ATM machines, trout flavored yogurt, and a village that worships blue? Not many. Earthbound was the most unique game of its time. Other than unique, Earthbound is also extremely fun. Today, Earthbound has been sadly forgotten by most people. But for those who want to get a taste of reality in their RPG's, this is for you.

(I wanted to do Super Metroid, but thatw as already taken.)

[Uglydot]

Game:Everquest
System: PC
Date:1999

Everquest was my first introduction to the OMMRPG scene.  And I have yet to find another to top it.  The open-ended quest system that allowed you to quest all over Norrath was amazing.  You could simply walk out of town and never come back.  You could choose to fight in the Karanas, or make armor in Kelethin(SP?).   I enjoyed hunting the undead the most, and spent many a night doing so.  At any time, there were plenty of people to talk to, or to adventure with, whatever you desired.  And many times, these activities intertwind as so many a bard song.  Even though I cancelled my account in summer 2001, I still feel the urge to head down to the Karanas from time to time.

Awaiting everquest 2...  

[bmcg69]

Alright, since I'm an old guy, I'm gonna go old school:

Game: Space Invaders
System: Arcade
Date: 1977

This is the game that really started the arcade revolution.  I think what made it so great was the easy control.  Three buttons, one to move the ship left, one to move the ship right, and one to fire.  There also was the sound.  Bum, bum, bum, bum...  Bum, bum, bum, bum... going slightly faster and faster as you destroyed more aliens.  I shutter to think how many quarters I pumped into that game, and the countless hours I spent in those dark, smelly, hot arcades.  Ahhh, memories.  Good times, good times...