I would post my own list but 30 games is a lot. It would take a lot of thinking and deciding and explaining and reevaluating. I’ll get back to you on it. But your list is fine, i think. I’ve never played but about 2 minutes of Half-Life, so i have no opinion to give on your #1. I do appreciate the props given to Super Metroid. Truly one of the best sequels of all time, right up there with (note the repeated hammering of this game into your skull) A Link To The Past.
Okay, forget what i said. Here’s 30 games, in rough order, with only the briefest possible explanations:
30. Faxanadu (NES) – A game that held me captive once i got into it. This was a game that I wanted desperately to like, and after much tribulation, i did.
29. Unreal Tournament (PC) – My favorite experience with an FPS outside of Goldeneye, which may reveal the extent of my exposure to the genre.
28. The Guardian Legend (NES) – This game reminded me of Zelda in space, and even though half the time i didn’t know what was going on, i still remember it fondly.
27. King’s Quest V (PC) – A very early exposure to adventure gaming and the potential of games to tell a deep and engaging story.
26. Twisted Metal 2 (PS1) – Nothing better than blowing up your friends with a well-placed Power Missle, right?
25. Blaster Master (NES) – Similar to #30, this game was hard enough to be frustrating until you reached higher levels, but it was so rewarding. A true classic.
24. Goldeneye 007 (N64) – This one is my favorite experience with an FPS. Also with playing games with other people.
23. Bloody Wolf (TG16) – A rather obscure game, but one that stayed with me. It’s a two-guys-with-guns-take-on-an-entire-army game, and the story was engrossing.
22. Cool Boarders 2 (PS1) – My first experience with the extreme sports genre, i played a lot of this game while a freshman in college. Set the stage for later exploits.
21. Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time (PS2) – A game whose atmosphere was so unbelievable that Mom got nervous just looking at the dizzying ledge i showed her in a late level.
20. Shining Force 2: The Sword of Hajya (Game Gear) – The experience of this game made Final Fantasy Tactics easier to get into – which was like giving a heroin addict the first one for free.
19. MVP Baseball 2003 (GCN) – The best baseball sim i’ve played, which may not count for much. I had way too much fun playing Minor league games.
18. Super Mario World (SNES) – My favorite Mario game.
17. Mega Man 3 – (NES) – My favorite Mega Man game, although i have a significant fondness for the entire series.
16. Diablo II (PC) – Endlessly engrossing.
15. Super Dodge Ball (NES) – Fulfilled my longstanding penchant for a video game based on a playground game.
14. NBA Street Vol. 2 (PS2) – The only arcade-style sports game i’ve ever really liked, it even had a deep career mode that appealed beautifully to the stat geek in me.
13. NHL ’95 (SNES) – Some would say the Genesis version was better, but i was a Nintendo man through and through. The only sports game where thorough domination was fun for me.
12. NBA Live ’97 (SNES) – I fell in love with basketball mainly because of this game, and it got me hooked on this series. We’ll see more from Live.
11. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 (PS2) – See my website’s archives for long, detailed explanations of my love for this game.
10. Super Metroid (SNES) – I want to rank this higher. I stinking loved this game. I’ll have to think about this list more.
9. Final Fantasy VII (PS1) – Almost an entire year of my life went into playing this game and it never really got boring or old. It redefined the RPG genre.
8. NBA Live 2000 (PC) – Team creation. Yeah, i got way too into this game.
7. Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1) – The only game that survived my transition from PS1 to PS2. A truly unbelievable game, appealing to the RPG, stat geek, and story sides of me at the utmost.
6. Baseball Stars (NES) – Nothing is quite as satisfying as hitting 40 homeruns in a 15-game season. As SCOTT, no less.
5. Final Fantasy III/VI (SNES) – A separate year of my life went into this game, and it still stands up. Everything you said and more.
4. The Legend of Zelda – A Link To The Past (SNES) – The best sequel i’ve ever played.
3. Madden 2004 (PS2) – Made improvements, unbelievably, to the revolutionary Madden 2003.
2. NBA Live 2004 (PS2) – The most fun i’ve ever had playing a basketball game, and that’s saying a lot.
1. Secret of Mana (SNES) – The most fun i’ve ever had playing a video game.
So there’s my list. It’s still an early version, too.
One other thing – I find it interesting to note that you have but one sports game (two if you count Mario Kart, which i’m not) in your list, while fully one-third of my list are varied sports titles. Notably, your single sports game hits #11 on your list, and is a NES game. Curious, don’t you think?
scott:
July 12th, 2006 at 8:33 am
I would post my own list but 30 games is a lot. It would take a lot of thinking and deciding and explaining and reevaluating. I’ll get back to you on it. But your list is fine, i think. I’ve never played but about 2 minutes of Half-Life, so i have no opinion to give on your #1. I do appreciate the props given to Super Metroid. Truly one of the best sequels of all time, right up there with (note the repeated hammering of this game into your skull) A Link To The Past.
scott:
July 14th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
Okay, forget what i said. Here’s 30 games, in rough order, with only the briefest possible explanations:
30. Faxanadu (NES) – A game that held me captive once i got into it. This was a game that I wanted desperately to like, and after much tribulation, i did.
29. Unreal Tournament (PC) – My favorite experience with an FPS outside of Goldeneye, which may reveal the extent of my exposure to the genre.
28. The Guardian Legend (NES) – This game reminded me of Zelda in space, and even though half the time i didn’t know what was going on, i still remember it fondly.
27. King’s Quest V (PC) – A very early exposure to adventure gaming and the potential of games to tell a deep and engaging story.
26. Twisted Metal 2 (PS1) – Nothing better than blowing up your friends with a well-placed Power Missle, right?
25. Blaster Master (NES) – Similar to #30, this game was hard enough to be frustrating until you reached higher levels, but it was so rewarding. A true classic.
24. Goldeneye 007 (N64) – This one is my favorite experience with an FPS. Also with playing games with other people.
23. Bloody Wolf (TG16) – A rather obscure game, but one that stayed with me. It’s a two-guys-with-guns-take-on-an-entire-army game, and the story was engrossing.
22. Cool Boarders 2 (PS1) – My first experience with the extreme sports genre, i played a lot of this game while a freshman in college. Set the stage for later exploits.
21. Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time (PS2) – A game whose atmosphere was so unbelievable that Mom got nervous just looking at the dizzying ledge i showed her in a late level.
20. Shining Force 2: The Sword of Hajya (Game Gear) – The experience of this game made Final Fantasy Tactics easier to get into – which was like giving a heroin addict the first one for free.
19. MVP Baseball 2003 (GCN) – The best baseball sim i’ve played, which may not count for much. I had way too much fun playing Minor league games.
18. Super Mario World (SNES) – My favorite Mario game.
17. Mega Man 3 – (NES) – My favorite Mega Man game, although i have a significant fondness for the entire series.
16. Diablo II (PC) – Endlessly engrossing.
15. Super Dodge Ball (NES) – Fulfilled my longstanding penchant for a video game based on a playground game.
14. NBA Street Vol. 2 (PS2) – The only arcade-style sports game i’ve ever really liked, it even had a deep career mode that appealed beautifully to the stat geek in me.
13. NHL ’95 (SNES) – Some would say the Genesis version was better, but i was a Nintendo man through and through. The only sports game where thorough domination was fun for me.
12. NBA Live ’97 (SNES) – I fell in love with basketball mainly because of this game, and it got me hooked on this series. We’ll see more from Live.
11. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 (PS2) – See my website’s archives for long, detailed explanations of my love for this game.
10. Super Metroid (SNES) – I want to rank this higher. I stinking loved this game. I’ll have to think about this list more.
9. Final Fantasy VII (PS1) – Almost an entire year of my life went into playing this game and it never really got boring or old. It redefined the RPG genre.
8. NBA Live 2000 (PC) – Team creation. Yeah, i got way too into this game.
7. Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1) – The only game that survived my transition from PS1 to PS2. A truly unbelievable game, appealing to the RPG, stat geek, and story sides of me at the utmost.
6. Baseball Stars (NES) – Nothing is quite as satisfying as hitting 40 homeruns in a 15-game season. As SCOTT, no less.
5. Final Fantasy III/VI (SNES) – A separate year of my life went into this game, and it still stands up. Everything you said and more.
4. The Legend of Zelda – A Link To The Past (SNES) – The best sequel i’ve ever played.
3. Madden 2004 (PS2) – Made improvements, unbelievably, to the revolutionary Madden 2003.
2. NBA Live 2004 (PS2) – The most fun i’ve ever had playing a basketball game, and that’s saying a lot.
1. Secret of Mana (SNES) – The most fun i’ve ever had playing a video game.
So there’s my list. It’s still an early version, too.
scott:
July 17th, 2006 at 9:33 am
One other thing – I find it interesting to note that you have but one sports game (two if you count Mario Kart, which i’m not) in your list, while fully one-third of my list are varied sports titles. Notably, your single sports game hits #11 on your list, and is a NES game. Curious, don’t you think?