Micah's Favorite (not best) Video Games of All Time

Let's do this.

10. WWF WrestleMania 2000 (Nintendo 64, 1999)

Still the best wrestling video game every made, WrestleMania 2000 is an addictive beat down fest. Sure, the diversity in story modes of its successors is more in depth and varied, but this is the archetype for the future of all wrestling games and rightly so. The controls, extensive roster and presentation are excellent. It isn’t the first game to do anything groundbreaking or extra snazzy, but like “The Dark Knight”, it does everything incredibly well and that’s all that matters in the end.

9. Twisted Metal 2 (PlayStation, 1996)

To all who question the content of the Twisted Metal series, who think that the story is stupid and lacking substance, I say Calypso’s tournament is coming to your town and about to wreak havoc on you and everything you care about. Including your mom! This installment spawned from David Jaffe’s failed film directing career backs up any and all trash talk he has to offer. You don’t need any internet to enjoy this addictive and engrossing multiplayer, just a friend and two thumbs. Chasing and shooting and screaming. It’s plain old-fashioned, pixilated fun. It’s really in a genre all its own and that’s okay when it’s this fun. Two Words: REPLAY VALUE.

8. Virtua Tennis (Sega Dreamcast, 2000)

It really doesn’t matter if you like tennis or not; what matters is if you would rather have a strong backhand, power serve or all-around player. The simple arcade classic gone console is almost untouchable when it comes to the sports gaming genre. A simple control scheme allows for a complicated chess match of mental stratagem and precise button timing. It’s a perfect example of a game that just has some inexplicable flare of excellence that makes it fun. Far and away one of the hardest games to justify loving—until you play it.

7. Shadow of the Collossus (PlayStation 2, 2005)

You think you know what makes a good game? No my friend. No. You have no idea. Let me introduce you to Shadow of the Collossus. As a writer, it pains me to say it, but this game proves that story is nothing compared to gameplay. The story can be a steaming pile of giant monster poop or, in the case of Shadow of the Collosus, completely nonexistent as long as the gameplay is great. Who needs a repetitive story with a bunch of banal mini fights when you can just storm into battle in magnificent boss fights back to back to back? By ignoring all of the “filler” that modern games push onto their audiences, Shadow of the Collossus makes you reconsider the definition of a good game. The parameters have been changed forever by a horse, a boy and his sword (and I’m not talking about that Robin Hood poser with his bitchy little wood fairy either…Tingle). Plus, I learned that bigger is better.

6. Pokemon Blue/Red (Game Boy, 1996)

Who doesn’t enjoy their old pocket monster? The best turn based game ever, Pokemon is still one of the most engrossing and addicting games that money can buy. Fight. Collect. Improve. The journey takes you all around the Pokemon universe but it is these three staples that make this game great. Deceptively complicated strategies will prompt you to hop on the internet to discover what attack works best against Gyrados and whether or not nuggets are really what you think they are. And with so many pokemon and pokemon classes to choose from, the replay value is bigger than Snorlax himself. I’m still waiting for Nintendo to make a full length console version…COME ONNNN.

5. Resident Evil 4 (GameCube, 2005)

No doubt the greatest opus that the horror genre has to offer, Resident Evil 4 will probably cause you to have an ulcer for a variety of reasons. The action, the fear, the anxiety, the complicated puzzles, the interactive cut scenes, the creative character design, the mercenary mode and the third person perspective all contribute in making this edition of the storied Resident Evil franchise amazing. Not only is the gameplay great, but the graphics (especially for Nintendo’s typical graphic ineptness as of the past two gaming generations) are spectacular. I don’t want to give away any of the story for those of you who have yet to play this game but let me put it this way: this game is decapitatingly fantastic. I’ve never had so much fun being scared in all my life.

4. Grand Theft Auto 3 (PlayStation 2, 2001)

I can’t find my way around my home town for shit. I’ve lived here for 23 years and I still forget the fastest way to get to I-95 South or the best route to the hardware store. However, I still remember the fastest “path” to find a Banshee in Liberty City, the only place to find a tank on the entire map and where to find the best jumps in the city. In all of the turmoil and violence and chaos in modern gaming, many forget the reckless ambition of GTA 3, a game which on paper seems the most sadistic creation since Canada’s spawning of Celine Deon. Anything and everything your sick little heart desires can be done. It’s brilliant and disturbingly entertaining. Violence, my friends, is one thing that will never die. And lone behold, with this masterpiece, a Rockstar was born. The best car in the game is the Barracks OL. Trust me.

3. Bioshock (XBOX 360, 2007)

Would you kindly recognize how epic this game really is? I know critics recognized its original storyline, engrossing dialogue and fantastic design but lets be honest with ourselves here. This is the greatest single-player story mode experience for a first person shooter ever. Period. There is no doubt in my mind. Yes, Half-Life 2 is awesome (don’t even try to support Halo, you silly fool, lest you be joking) but it does not exhibit the creativity or lasting appeal that Bioshock demonstrates consistently throughout the game. It makes you think. It makes you scared. It makes you want to try new things and play over and over again. There is nothing that this game can’t do. Here’s to hoping the new one doesn’t suck.

2. Super Smash Bros Melee (GameCube, 2001)

This is by far the game I have logged the most hours on in my life. I never even considered the concept of dragging a bunch of characters from all different venues into one game before. And lets be real— who could actually pull this off besides Nintendo? Sony? Ya right. The simple control scheme provides an exciting experience for newcomers but the extensive eccentricities and limitless possibilities in the mayhem of combat make the game a favorite to come back to for intermediate players. Smash is the greatest fighting franchise there ever was and Melee is an amazing improvement of its predecessor. WORD.

1. Super Mario World (Super Nintendo Entertainment System, 1990)

A triumph in platforming, in game design, in gaming in general and creativity on a whole, Super Mario World solidified Nintendo’s dominance and revealed to the world an epic masterpiece. The design of the game is brilliant—a simple map structure which brings players from level to level with increasing difficulty and varying diversity. More so than any other Nintendo game, Super Mario World rewards exploration, providing players with new levels, different routes and intriguing enemies. And with so many different atmospheres and unlockable content, Super Mario World provides an endless amount of entertainment for any video game fan seeking a fun experience. Simply put: this game is perfect.


Honorable Mention in no particular order:

Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo Entertainment System, 1985)
Soul Calibur (Sega Dreamcast, 1999)
Tetris & Dr. Mario (Super Nintendo Entertainment System, 1994)
Disney’s Aladdin (Super Nintendo Entertainment System, 1993)
Donkey Kong Country (Super Nintendo Entertainment System, 1994)
Driver (PlayStation, 1999)