First, to preface the list; it is NOT meant to be the list of what we consider to be the BEST video games of all time (maybe we can do that later), but rather our personal favorites. My list speaks for itself, eight of the ten games I picked have been remade or re-released in some capacity attesting to their eternal appeal (Twilight Princess and Shadow of the Colossus being the exceptions). I have not yet seen my friend's list, but I look forward to the arguments that ensue.
10. Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation, 1998) - I have a harder time describing why this game is on my list than I do with all of the others. It has a convoluted plot, is short, sometimes too wordy, and the graphics don't hold up very well by today's standards BUT this game is freaking awesome (FUN above all). For me, the Metal Gear series is one the best in video games and I still stand by this as my favorite installment even with all of the improvements that Snake Eater and Guns of the Patriots add to the saga. MGS really added an important idea to the video game discourse; that games could tell a real story in cinematic terms. Its Gamecube remake is definitely worth playing through too.
09. Super Mario World (Super Nintendo, 1991) - The only 2-D game to appear on my list is one of the best from the SNES. No longer restricted by the technical limitations of the NES, Mario soars to new heights with this one. If there was ever any doubt in the early nineties if Sonic or Mario was "cooler," this game, and its superb sequel starring Yoshi which just missed this list, should have put that argument to rest in favor of the big N and its famed mascot, now and forever the face of the video game industry.
08. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Nintendo 64, 2000) - I've heard this game referred to as "The Empire Strikes Back" of the Zelda series and I think that is about the most fitting description possible. Under appreciated and overshadowed by Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask does not take place in Hyrule, does not include Ganon as the main villain or incorporate him at all for that matter, and features only a fleeting cameo by the Princess herself. The lack of tradition is where this game excels however. It is as trippy a romp as you can imagine; the time travel mechanics and the masks you collect (all of them absolutely necessary if you have any hope of beating the final boss) make for the most unique Zelda adventure ever. It was released in the same week as the PlayStation 2, but if you were smart, you were playing your Nintendo 64 that week in late October 2000.
07. God of War (PlayStation 2, 2005) - A bloody beauty of a game that redefined combat using the PlayStation controller, and God of War's combat does really set it apart from the rest of the games on this list. It's fluid and dynamic, letting you perform ridiculously complex looking maneuvers effortlessly. It also has a deep story stepped in Greek mythology and spanning soon to be three titles. Kratos is one of my favorite characters to be introduced into the video game canon in recent memory. THIS GAME IS THE SHIT.
06. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo Wii, 2006) - Some (cough, cough... Paul) might bemoan Twilight Princess's place in my heart. But, listen closely, it IS the greatest Zelda game ever. It is not the revolution that Ocarina of Time was, but it is a PERFECTION of all of the pieces of Ocarina and then some. Some say that it is too easy, I say that difficulty is not the point of Zelda games. The point is the experience, the free wheeling exploration of a world that is unmatched in size, the epic and clever bosses and dungeons, and this game actually has a meaningful story. Zelda games can be as difficult as you want to make them. Don't play it on Gamecube though, the Wii controls make all the difference. Just one way Nintendo continues to innovate an old series and make it better than ever.
05. Shadow of the Colossus (PlayStation 2, 2005) - The game most often used in favor of the "video games as art" debate, but not the beginning nor the end of the debate. Imagine a game where you only fight bosses, towering, seemingly indestructible beasts, in a sparsely populate wasteland where its just you and your horse. It doesn't even sound that much fun, right? WRONG. This game is beautiful, whimsical in a way that no one thought video games could be, and satisfying on an entirely new level. Its place in video game history might be that it distills all of the non-essential elements of gaming and gives us a stripped down experience where there are two core features: exploring and conquering. You take care of business in this game. You don't worry about ancillary bullshit. You just DO IT. If Nike's famous slogan ever applied to a game, this is the one.
04. Resident Evil 4 (Nintendo Gamecube, 2005) - RE 4 really turned the Resident Evil series on its head. I wasn't even a fan before this game and I still don't really consider myself one, but I am a fan of Resident Evil 4 and by fan I mean the crazy teenage girl obsessed kind. RE 4 continues in the series tradition of featuring frightening enemies and circumstances but it excels at perfecting the action game in the process. The graphics were revolutionary at the time for the GC allowing for the presence of monstrous enemies and complicated environments. The final boss is a pushover, other than that, the perfect game.
03. Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64, 1996) - The best Mario game is his first 3-D platformer which, no matter what you say, forever changed video games. The new perspective presented games with oh wait, who the fuck cares, this was the first 3-D Mario game. It's still the best Mario game ever. If I need to explain why this game is #3 on my list, you're looking at the wrong website.
02. Metroid Prime (Nintendo Gamecube, 2002) - I am beside myself as to how to describe this game. After seven years, few games have better visuals by any standard. No game has a better control scheme or more refined gameplay mechanics. There was worry that making the first 3-D Metroid game into a "first person shooter" was a bad idea but this game defies all labels you can attach to it. It is, above all, the greatest video gaming experience of this decade, arguably of all time. It came so close to being #1 on my list, but....
01. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64, 1998) - ...that spot will likely forever and always be reserved for what I think is the unmatched pinnacle of the gaming industry. There is a reason that there are three Zelda games in my top ten and that is because they are simply the most polished, purely fun games out there and this one is the KING. The only reason that this game would not appear in someone's top ten list is because they haven't played it. I can remember the day I got it (my birthday back in 1998) and the day I beat it (January 23, 1999) and I assure you it would not have taken me that long had I not been a young lad restricted in the amount of time I could spend playing video games. I won't even bother gushing over this game, it says enough that the ONLY bad thing I can say about it is that Nintendo misspelled "environment" on the back of the box. Yes, I know a scary amount about this game.
-Daniel Ciszek
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I like your list for the most part Daniel but I diagree with some of your logic here and there.
ReplyDeleteThe control scheme of God of War is really trite to me. It's a typical combo fighting, new age platformer. Play any Lord of the Rings game or older generic beatem ups like Fighting Force and you have the same controls. Yes, it is a great game and looks cool, but the control scheme is worn out and just fancified with pretty animations. You fell for it.
Metroid Prime's graphics might be good for GameCube but really not much else.
I really agree with you about RE4 though. I think most people who enjoy that game were not Resident Evil fans before. The franchise really widened their audience with that one.
The Shadow of the Collusus is a game where you just do. So true.
I never really even considered Metal Gear and I can't believe you don't have any fighters or FPS's or RTS's of any kind on here. Pokemon? Half-Life 2? Bioshock? Come onnnn.
Biggest point of disagreement has to be with MP's graphics. It isn't just about the number of pixels but about the art design. Look at the extra galleries in the game and you can see the craft and care that went into the graphical style of the game. Few games have this level of detail.
ReplyDeleteShadow of the Colossus is spelled with one l, not two.
Melee would probably make my top twenty, but not top ten.
Pokemon is a silly addition; the worst game on your list I think. It was fun ten years ago, but has 0 replay value and has only spawned a long line of similar sequels. The series has never done anything to innovate, it rests on its laurels. This is proven by its inability to work on a console.
Perfect Dark and GoldenEye came very close to making my list. I've never beaten BioShock or Half-Life 2.