Top 10 Favorite Games as of 7/22/11

Here's something a little different for you guys :)

These are the Top 10 of the games I currently have listed as my Top 20 on Backloggery, with a little more in-depth reasoning.

10: Star Fox 64

Absolutely amazing game; I especially love some of the mechanics, such wingmate rescuing and a semi-upgradable health system, that haven't been properly revived in the later games. It probably would have scored a lot higher on the list if I wasn't so incredibly terrible at it.



9: F-Zero GX

Now THIS is a well-designed racing game. Never intended to be realistic, the developers were able to go well outside normal boundaries, and with the added rendering power of the Gamecube, actually display incredibly complex models and an incredible speed. Major points taken off for difficulty being near-impossible to complete, not due to amount, but the actual skill level needed. Many more points taken off for the soundtrack. Ugh. At least make it good techno >_>



8: Sonic 3 & Knuckles

Pity Sega apparently lacks the ingenuity nowadays that created this gem. The game was actually so complex that it was one of the first-ever console games to be released in separate "episodes" (and even now, there aren't many). The added fact that many features are only available in a "linked" game, but are clearly hinted at in both separate cartridges, indicates how well-planned the game was. And yet their next attempt in "Sonic 4" has apparently hit such negative reviews that they're not going to release the second half. Seriously, Sega, where'd all of your GOOD employees go?



7: Super Smash Bros. Melee

Now here's a game that shows that there really IS a limit on how good a series can get. Melee perfected the battle system introduced by Nintendo's new take on fighting games on the N64, and had an absolutely -perfect- difficulty curve and amount of extra content. While Brawl is fun and all, it just has too much to do. Yes, there is such a thing in a game.



6: Okami

Okami is one of those games that's almost perfect in every aspect. Graphics were a beautiful combination of traditional Japanese art and 3D models, while the unique story derived from many Japanese legends proves to be fascinating to many cultures. Combined with entirely unique-yet-entrancing mechanics and an amazing soundtrack, I'd say this one's actually tied with the next one (I really just couldn't choose which to put first)



5: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Surprised? Possibly. While "The Wind Waker" got a lot of crap, I believe most of this is unjustified. Yes, sailing takes a long time. Yes, the graphics aren't realistic. Well, here we go...
1) Have you ever sailed in a real boat? Don't complain it "takes too long" until you have.
2) How many of you noticed BEFORE Brawl came out and gave Toon Link the color scheme option of the original design from the NES that the game was intended to be nostalgic in design? Anyone besides me?
Anyway, the Wind Waker brought to us many amazing concepts that we haven't even seen since then: enemy weapon drops, the grappling hook, enemy life meters, no "stand-in" characters around the towns or duplicate models (soldiers, etc), no loading times on the overworld, a family for Link, heck, a PERSONALITY for him, you name it!



4: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Wow. First current gen game I've listed, let alone one from this year! Oh wow, it's actually the only one. This game right here... is the only reason I still have faith in Capcom after the Mega Man Legends 3 incident this past week (honestly I wasn't even following the project, but it was more the acts this week that bothered me). A plethora of unique characters in a very fun art style, with an incredibly unique gameplay style. Now here's a game that takes "puzzle games" to a whole new level!



3: Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Fire Emblem has long had a tried-and-true, constant formula. But when developers are bold enough to branch out and reverse their tried-and-true plotlines, we might get gems like these. Unlike every previous FE game, in which the main character was of some noble blood trying to find lost family or something along those lines, here we have a mercenary group leading a renegade, illegal army to restore the country of their contractor. Even more, many serious real-life issues are addressed, such as racism, genocide, caste systems, slavery, and corrupt politics, in a way that keeps the player completely engrossed in the plotline, without going over their heads. Only problem is, good luck finding a copy; this is one of the rarest games on the Gamecube.



2: Metroid Prime

Now here's a game that's everything in one. Heck, even the genre is a combination! FPS Platformer? And such a perfect execution of it! With a very simplified and "intuitive UI" (quote a friend of mine), and a very diverse-yet-believable-alien planet, the game brings out a desire simply to explore this exotic landscape, and see the natural wildlife. Later on, we see areas that have been corrupted by intruders (Space Pirates). The whole game is paced wonderfully, has a great difficulty curve, and while sometimes backtracking is a pain (such as the sequel), Prime's backtracking required for various items was spaced just right in a way that allowed the player a refreshing visit to previous areas, without becoming tedious.



1: The Legend of Zelda; Majora's Mask

I know what you're thinking. You're wondering why Ocarina of Time isn't on this list. You know, Ocarina was great in its own way, but unlike Majora and Wind Waker, it was mostly a rehash of "A Link to the Past". Here we have a game that takes the previous engine and enhances it into something we've never seen before, and haven't seen since. Majora's Mask is the only Zelda game to implement time so precisely (the other 3D console titles were just "day and night", and no handheld title to date has even included this type of system). It's also the only time we've had more than two incarnations of Link in the same game. "A Link to the Past" had Link and bunny Link, Ocarina had young and adult Links, Twilight Princess had Link and wolf link... Here we have not two, not three, but FIVE different incarnations, each with completely unique abilites and weaknesses! The game is so well-balanced (Oni Link excluded) in this regard that every form of Link is fun to control, and the added sense of desperation and destruction create a creepy atmosphere that is incredibly difficult to get "just right".


Hope you enjoyed the read, even if it was a bit lengthy :)

Pickle Wars: Episode 1: Invasion of the Pickle People

Genre: Platformer
Developer: Redwood Games, MVP Software
Platform: DOS
Release: 1994
Rating: N/R

- Graphics -

Wow, these are pretty cool! Redwood tried a lot of interesting techniques... and what's this? CUTSCENES?! Is... is this one of the first games with actual cinematic scenes aside from just taking control of the character briefly?!

Graphics: 10/10


- Story -

1. Be invaded by Pickle Aliens
2. Panic
3. Throw veggies in desperation
4. ???
5. PROFIT?!?!

Okay, to translate, this game is hilarious, and should not be taken seriously at all.

Story: 10/10


- Gameplay -

There are a few areas that are actually impossible to pass if you don't hit a switch first, so definitely a few points docked for that. One of them is in the first level, so not a huge deal if you have to restart, but the other big one is in the very last level. Not fun! The controls can also be a bit wonky at times, but overall it almost helps the game in terms of being hilarious (who doesn't like holding the jump button and going boingboingboingboing? You're a loser)

Gameplay: 6/10


- Music -

The only gripe I have about the music is that if you save and quit, and restart, the music actually follows a set pattern by level, but not fixed to the level you're on. For instance, if I save and quit on level 2, and reload, the music that played on the previous level will play instead. Overall the sound is great, though!

Music: 8/10

Total Score: 8.5/10

Not available for other systems as far as I'm aware (info on this game is lacking; if anyone does know, please tell me!)