Topic: Game of the Decade -- Vote After Listening to RFN 183!

[greybrick]

I agree, SMG isn't really that casual-friendly at all. My girlfriend would NEVER play SMG, but she insisted we get New Super Mario Bros. Wii on its release date.

I tried playing NSMB Wii with my dad and it was met with horrendous failure. My earliest memory is actually my dad handing me SMB for the Gameboy (the grey brick, if you will) and claiming that it would be far to difficult for me. He tried to demonstrate it but failed. More than twenty years later, Mario is as impenetrable to him as laplace transforms are to a remedial math student.

[gbuell]

Sadly, I can't forgive Capcom for the ps2 and wii ports.

What do you mean? The Wii port is wonderful.

[Gameboy Freak]

It's so hard to choose! 

I had to vote for Majora's Mask because that game is one of the greatest Zelda Video Games ever made. I loved how graphically similar it was to Ocarina of Time and how it had the same control scheme. I also really liked how different it was from any other game I played. I liked the different masks you could wear (especially the Zora Mask), the amount of NPC's that actually had intelligence and personality, the atmosphere, the story, the music, the Hookshot, Gilded Sword, Mirror Shield, the temples, the locations, Etc. Etc. Etc.

But I still had a hard time picking between this, Resident Evil 4 and Metroid Prime.

[stevey]

Sadly, I can't forgive Capcom for the ps2 and wii ports.

What do you mean? The Wii port is wonderful.

We sear that it will be an exclusive. Well at lease until we port it, which is already under way, before the initial release.
The only reason I own it is because it was for sale for $3 (and the great GameCube drought)....

[greybrick]

Sadly, I can't forgive Capcom for the ps2 and wii ports.

What do you mean? The Wii port is wonderful.

I have to agree. While the version that was primarily discussed as a contender for game of the decade was the gamecube version, most wouldn't disagree with the sentiment that the Wii version is the definitive one.

[Jonnyboy117]

Capcom porting RE4 to other systems doesn't make the game any less great; it just lets more people play it. After five years, can't we let go of this console warz BS?

[gbuell]

I forgave Capcom a long time ago for that because I don't give one rat's ass how many systems a game is on.

[oohhboy]

I am not pissed that they ported RE4. I am pissed that they decided to burn Nintendo fans by announcing the port 2 weeks before release. It was spiteful and something that made no businesses sense by burning your own release.

I still can't decide which game to vote on. But I am glad RE4 made it

[KDR_11k]

But my non-gaming parents loved Galaxy's Co-star mode. You don't need to navigate a 3D environment with that. It's the perfect marriage of core-casual dual gameplay.

No, not really. It lets two people basically play two different games, NSMBW lets both players play the same game and it's a game that all kinds of gamers can enjoy.

[NWR_Lindy]

No, not really. It lets two people basically play two different games, NSMBW lets both players play the same game and it's a game that all kinds of gamers can enjoy.

Totally agree, KDR.  The Co-Star mode has the second player in "spectator" mode, for all intents and purposes.

[Hero_of_time113]

Though Windwaker is my favorite Zelda game (and one of my favorite games of all time) I agree that Majoras Mask made a much larger impact. There is simply nothing else like it.
 

[D_Average]

Capcom porting RE4 to other systems doesn't make the game any less great; it just lets more people play it. After five years, can't we let go of this console warz BS?

Preach it brother!

[adadad]

I am not pissed that they ported RE4. I am pissed that they decided to burn Nintendo fans by announcing the port 2 weeks before release. It was spiteful and something that made no businesses sense by burning your own release.

I still can't decide which game to vote on. But I am glad RE4 made it

Regardless of the lack of tact in Capcom's manoeuvre, it really doesn't have anything to do with the game itself.

Also I completely agree that the co-star mode is a different game. SMG looks great to a gamer who has a seen-it-all-done-it-all attitude to games and is looking for a fresh approach, and as such it really speaks to people like us who have played a great deal of platformers and know the tropes etc., whereas NSMBWii is a fully fledged traditional throwback, that adds multiplayer functionality without changing or complicating the basic gameplay with too many new mechanics.

[iDraTion]

After listening pcast 183 through to completion, I maintain Prince of Persia should have been on there for the reasons I stated before, but I understand the reasoning behind putting Majora's Mask on there.  I think the creepiness, weirdness, and overall inorganic structure of the world where each part felt more like a level than a coherent part of the world kept me from really getting pulled into it.  Whereas Wind Waker immediately pulled me in, and kept me pulled in with the spurts of emotional moments James was talking about.  The world felt more coherent with Ocarina of Time than Majora's Mask did because it's basically the same world just flooded, whereas Majora's Mask is some surreal amalgamation of Ocarina's sub-parts mixed with some new areas and new dungeons. 


The setting of the Wind Waker world sets up an underlying parallel between the Hero of Wind and the Hero of Time, which I don't know if it was ever directly alluded to, but it's clearly present.  And even though it was a more straightforward Zelda than Majora's Mask, I found it significantly more interesting; plus the fact that it pulls you into the adventure immediately rather than hitting you with bizarre fits of Japanese-ness (that I think prevented me from really feeling a part of the world) seems like Wind Waker gives you the kind of exploring-the-woods-in-your-backyard experience that Zelda was always intended to be.  You could argue a similar point that Greg made for Galaxy bringing Mario back to its roots in 3D; that Wind Waker really brought the feeling of exploration (even though its not a 1492 Columbus simulator) back into 3D Zelda, that it brought the franchise back to its roots in the way the game is laid out and how it feels.  Instead of the distinct towns and separated sections of the Ocarina and Majora worlds, the Wind Waker world seems to meld the coherent feeling of the worlds of the first Zelda and Link to the Past back into the mix.  Even though there's distinct islands that serve as destinations and distinct areas, you never feel like you're in a completely different part of the world because you're always surrounded by water and the neighboring islands.  Add in lack of load screens and its a more cohesive world than OoT or MM, which made me care to keep playing it more than Majora's Mask where the experience feels a lot more fractured because you're constantly restarting the game essentially. 


I loved the Wind Waker story as well, where it's kind of consistent with old Hyrule that you played in for so long, but it's a completely different world, plus they cared to add a little weight and motivation to the characters.  After defeating Ganon a number of times, adding in some plot aspects and character development made it feel fresh, rather than just regurgitated.  I know plot in Nintendo games is taboo, but there's only so many times you can play the same kinds of worlds and game-progressions before it feels stale without adding in new elements to the characters, new characters with some relatability, new worlds, etc. I think Wind Waker did that better than Majora's Mask to create a unique game because basically MM had the time structure/restarting the game every few hours, character-based side quests, and the awkward/uninteresting/central-hub-based world structure that drove the unique feel.  Majora's Mask did have great dungeons, but the overall game still felt like a variation on Ocarina wrapped in a cyclical package and a more constrained world.  Tough for me to find Majora's Mask a better game, but that's why it's just an opinion.

[Fatty The Hutt]

 
Metroid Prime, all the way. The music, the fluidity, the gameplay, the puzzles, the enemies, the brilliantly realized world. Its got it all going for it.

I should say that I have played all the games on the list just within the last 3 years. I was a lapsed gamer until the Wii came out, my last system being SNES. So, I have a "fresh gamer's' perspective on these titles. Probably explains why I don't care about Melee. I did not spend hours playing it with friends, though I have played it a bit with my kids and their friends. I have played much more of Brawl, again with my kids and their friends, but the game doesn't hook me that much. Its too chaotic for my taste.
 
RE4 is one of the few games that hooked me enough to play it through to completion without a break in between but I wouldn't call it game of the decade, just a really well executed action game.
 
Wii Sports is a hell of a lot of fun and more innovative than people give it credit for. And, because I'm old and seem to have such limited gaming time these days, I appreciate its pick-up-and-play quality. I'm very tempted to vote for it. But compared to Metroid Prime, it does not get the vote. 
 
Galaxy is great and really trippy, playing upside down and all that. Plus the music is great. Also, I appreciate its pick-up-and-play quality. You can turn it on, fart around with a level or two and get in some quickie gaming fun. But, it lacks the depth and cohesion of Metroid Prime, so again, it does not get the vote. Even with Prime, I can put it in, blast away at a few stages, find a save point and be done for awhile. Its not exactly casual, but at least I can come and go.
 
Lastly, there's Zelda. Oh Zelda, I so want to love you as a franchise, I really do. And I have tried, oh how I have tried. I have started Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Windwaker, the original NES game, Zelda 2, Link to The Past and Phantom Hourglass. I've gotten pretty far in most. I've probably gotten farthest in Link to the Past, but I played it back when it came out. Zelda is one of those franchises I feel obligated to try and love because I can see the high quality written all over it. And yes, its fun and well thought out. I dunno what it is. After awhile, I just get bored with them. Its like there's just too much game or something. Anyway, all that to say that I didn't vote for Majora's Mask.

[Rize]

I think Prince of Persia shouldn't have been considered because of the combat.  There was too much of it and it was too repetitive.

[vudu]

Three weeks ago I would have voted for Metroid Prime without hesitation.  However, I recently started replaying Prime via the Trilogy collection and--while still amazing--parts of it haven't aged as well as I remembered.  Enemy AI is a complete joke (even on the Veteran difficulty setting).  There aren't enough enemies types; it gets a little tiresome shooting the same handful of space pirates again and again.  It's a wonderful game and gets so many things right, but there are just a few minor nitpicks that can't be overlooked (as the RFN crew knows after their lengthy discussion).

I love all of the games on the list, but in the end I'm going to have to go with Majora's Mask.  I love everything about the game and after replaying it a few years ago on the Zelda collection disc it's just as good as it was a decade ago.  Honestly, I probably would have gone with Wind Waker over Majora's Mask, but both are fine games.

Finally, I'd like to tease everyone by saying that two of the games on this list are in the lead by a wide margin--and remarkably close to one another.  It'll be a photo finish.

[Mop it up]

Finally, I'd like to tease everyone by saying that two of the games on this list are in the lead by a wide margin--and remarkably close to one another.  It'll be a photo finish.

I'm going to fancy a guess and say Metroid Prime and Resident Evil 4.

[Halbred]

Dang, it's coming down to THESE two games? One of them I can understand, but...the other one? I didn't realize it had such a massive, loyal fanbase. I almost wonder if people are voting multiple times on different computers? Conspiracy theory, I know.

[Stratos]

Majora's Mask and Wii Sports I'm going to guess.

[vudu]

Dang, it's coming down to THESE two games? One of them I can understand, but...the other one? I didn't realize it had such a massive, loyal fanbase. I almost wonder if people are voting multiple times on different computers? Conspiracy theory, I know.

Unfortunately, the polling system in the forums sucks.  Technically you don't even need to vote on different computers; you vote ten times on the same computer under ten different user names.

Something I'd like to try would be to have everyone rank each game from #1 to #6 and then assign a point system to each rank--6 points for #1, 5 points for #2, etc. and then total everyone's votes.  My theory would be that while our #1 vote might be split there would be a great deal of consistency for #2 and #3 so they could potentially get more points overall even though they're no-one's "favorite".

[broodwars]

Something I'd like to try would be to have everyone rank each game from #1 to #6 and then assign a point system to each rank--6 points for #1, 5 points for #2, etc. and then total everyone's votes.  My theory would be that while our #1 vote might be split there would be a great deal of consistency for #2 and #3 so they could potentially get more points overall even though they're no-one's "favorite".

Alright, I'm game:

1.  The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
2.  Metroid Prime
3.  Resident Evil 4
4.  Super Smash Bros. Melee
5.  Super Mario Galaxy
6.  Wii Sports

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

1. Super Smash Bros Melee
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
4. Resident Evil 4
5. Metroid Prime
6. Wii Sports

My personal order. I see where you're coming from, Vudu - a single vote is a bit of a discredit to the rest of the candidates.

[Halbred]

1. Metroid Prime
2. RE4
3. Wii Sports
4. Galaxy
5. Smash Bros.
6. Majora

[Armak88]

1. Majora's Mask
2. Metroid Prime
3. Mario Galaxy
4. Smash Bros. Melee
5. RE4
6. Wii Sports

my only regret is that I can't put wii sports further down than 6