Favorite Video Games

Hello humans. So blah blah blah. I was reading

stuff on a gaming message board I visit and of course

eventually I ran across the topic of Top 10 best games

ever. This is one of those topics where everybody's

asshole stinks except yours. Anyways, here's my

asshole on the subject for any or all of you fellow

nerds who care. I've been gaming since the Atari 5200

so paring the list down to 10 is pretty fucking hard

and I'll probably forgot a few good ones. Also I think

putting them in order is dumb. Before I list the best

ones, here's my "Really Damn Good but Not quite Top 10

List" list:



Space Invaders, Diablo, Bionic Commando, Legend of

Zelda, Dragon Warrior IV, Mario Bros 2 & 3, Super

Marioworld,Mario 64, MarioKart, Maniac Mansion,

Shadowgate, Megaman 2, Super Metroid, Twisted Metal 3,

Devil May Cry, Culdcept, Baldur's Gate, Starcraft,

Shining Force,Warlords Battlecry II. Whew! It's a

hobby, what can I say?



- Final Fantasy Tactics (Playstation) - This amazing,

amazing (yes, twice) turn based strategy game has

eaten up hours and hours of my life. The battle plays

out like chess games and your characters level up

(much like shining force.) The catch here is that they

can change classes (after meeting requirements) and

they are able to cut and paste skills from one class

to another. A highly customizable gaming experience

with lots of hidden items and characters to find make

for a highly addictive gaming experience.



If you like Final Fantasy Tactics, try: FFT Advance, 

Vandal Hearts, Shining Force 1 & 2



- Dragon Warrior III (NES)- Holy shit, Tom. How many

hours did we spend up in the TV room at your house

playing Dragon Warrior III & IV, listening to Pearl

Jam and drinking Dr Pepper? Dragon Warrior was the

first RPG I ever played. Dragon Warrior III was

revolutionary to me because you could have more than

one person (a "party") and you got to choose from

several classes. Space-age technology at the time.

This game was huge and featured

day-night cycles. I remember a shrine where you could

go to change professions - there were people there who

talked about what they'd like to be. This one old man

wanted to be a young girl. HA.



If you like DW3, try: DW4, Suikoden



- NHL94 (SNES) - The hours spent playing Dragon

Warrior 3 pale in comparison to the hours spent

playing NHL '94. To this day, every time we get

together we are sure to squeeze in at least one

session of NHL'94, leading the Red Wings to the

Stanley Cup final. Tom and I actually share a brain

when we play this game - each of us knows where the

other is on the ice and what the other is thinking at

all times. Also, we've NEVER lost a game. YAY.



If you like NHL 94, try: Seriously. Nothing compares.



- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES) -

Shit, Ganon's got Zelda? Again?!? Who cares, this was

the finest of the Zelda games. This game was deep,

challenging and very well balanced. It managed to

throw in puzzles and enemies that were tough, but not

impossible. This game set the standard for

action/adventure games that I hold all others to. Oh

yeah, and it wasn't goddamn 3-D.



- Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2) - This game got an enormous amount of

publicity (mostly bad) for it's gratuitous violence

and adult themes. It was also incredibly popular,

spawning numerous wannabes that matched this game in

the violence department. However, it was the gameplay,

not the gore that made this game great. Open ended

gameplay where there is a storyline to follow when you

feel like it and tons of shit to do when you don't.

This game also has tons of hidden items/missions/stuff

to do. Also, killing people with a sniper rifle and

running from the cops is really neat.



If you like GTA3, try: GTA: Vice City, The Simpsons Hit 'n Run



- Planescape: Torment (PC) - The high king of RPGs. If I had to pick

an all time favorite game, this would be it. The deep

music and dark, drab colors help set the tone for the

Planescape world beautifully. The story and voice

acting in this game are simply unmatched. This was the

first (and thusfar only) RPG to actually enthrall me

in the story. It was like reading a great book.

Fucking fantastic.



If you like PS:T, try: Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, Icewind Dale 1 & 2.



- Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction (PC) - Diablo 2 made

its highly addictive predecessor seem bland and boring

by comparison - no easy task. 7 Character classes,

each with 30 skills that can be upgraded or ignored

with each level gained. This means that 2 level-50

Druids, for example, can be totally different. This,

combined with a ginormous amount of items and

collectables made this game almost infinitely

replayable. Then Jimbob introduced me to Battle.net.

Everynight at 10pm on the US East realms it was the

Chubbernuckyll and Azurauth show. *sniff* *sniff* Ah,

the old days...



- The Sims (PC) - Like so many others, I cannot

explain my obsession with this fucking game. Cook

dinner. Go to work. Pee. Shower. Kill your neighbor.

Eat. Watch TV. Go to sleep. Buy a lamp. Repeat.

Repeat. Repeat. Someone please explain.



- Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (PC) - Real time

strategy games have been a fun pasttime with my

friends for years. Age of Kings got me started on this

foolishness. I was a little behind you Warcraft 2

people in the evolution curve. All I can really say

about this game is that it's really damn fun. That,

and playing against Couch and Jimbob is fun, but damn.

Very taxing. Also, being able to create customer taunts

and play them during the game is a blast.



If you like AoE, try: Rise of Nations,Starcraft



- Civilization II (PC) - "Wow, I just researched this

new technology. I can build war chariots now. Ok, just

one more turn. Oh wait, Bungletropolis is

revolting....gotta quell that....one more turn. Oooh,

new form of government available....about damn time.

Ok, just a couple more turns to stem the anarchy that

comes with a new government and...The French are

invading? the FRENCH?? Well, we're gonna put a stop to

that happy horseshit NOW and.....hey, why is it 5am

already? Oh shit, I have to go to class in 2

hours...." You get the picture.



If you like Civ II, try: Alpha Centauri, Civ III



You are all free to comment, tell me I'm a genius,

question my sexual orientation based on my opinions as

you see fit. This list and little thingy I wrote has

been brewing in my head and getting written bit by bit

for the last week or so. I'm spent.



               Bryan