Why A Top 20 Old School Video Game List?
When I was in college, I swore off video games (not by choice). I knew if I spent too much time playing games, that I would never get school work done. Because of that and a couple of other events leading to down time for my favorite hobby of video game playing, I am a bit behind on the games played. That means this list is really based on old school games.
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What This Top 20 List Includes
Playstation 2
Playstation 3
Sony PSP
Xbox
Xbox 360
Nintendo Wii
Nintendo DS
Eventually, I will purchase these consoles and play many games on my "to play" list, but for now, those games are excluded from my Top 20.
I will update this list when I do get the opportunity to play the big blockbuster games.
Let me repeat, this list will not have Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3, God of War, Gears of War or Halo games. Basically this is a listing of old school games.
All game screenshots courtesy of IGN.com (except the screenshots for Link's Awakening DX and Super Mario All-Stars are from VGMuseum.com). Most screenshots are clickable for larger views.
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#20
Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube)
For being a kid-friendly game, I thought it was quite challenging in some areas (there were a couple of bonus areas I could not beat). This is the only Mario game I could not finish 100%.
#19
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GameCube)
While I have not played the original Paper Mario game for the N64 (eventually I will download the Wii Virtual Console game), Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is certainly one of the best action role-playing games ever.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Trailer
Runtime: 1:00
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#18
Star Fox Adventures (GameCube)
The final boss fight was tough and entertaining. I am not a fan of the Star Fox flight games, but the occasional flight and sled racing stages in this adventure game were fun. I also like the use of a staff as the main weapon and getting away from traditional swords. I really wish Nintendo would make a sequel.
#17
Super Mario All-Stars (SNES)
Like the Game Genie (that device you plugged your old NES games into to get unlimited lives, power, new weapons, reach new levels, etc), this Super Mario collection breathed new life into those Mario Bros. classic games. Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels is quite challenging and even includes poison mushrooms that will shrink or kill you.
The Super Mario All-Stars Commercial
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#16
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (GameBoy Color)
For a portable game, this was the best regardless of it being a Zelda game. I bought it twice because it was worth it (I purchased the original first, then the colorized version). I unfortunetly missed out on the Zelda Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons games (hopefully they will be re-released someday). Much like Super Mario Bros. All-Stars, maybe Nintendo should release a compiliation pack of The Legend of Zelda portable games.
#15
Super Mario World (SNES)
![Super Mario World [Virtual Console] Screenshot](http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/761/761605/super-mario-world-virtual-console-20070205044823851.jpg)
Super Mario World is huge with plenty of levels (72 levels with 24 having alternate exits). The addition of the Yoshi character (green dinosaur) added a whole new level of gameplay and Mario has new moves like a spin jump and with the cape, he can fly. Yet another Mario masterpiece.
#14
Super Mario 64 (N64)
Mario was reinvented furthering his popularity growth. Bosses were bigger, the worlds were free to roam and collecting stars and different colored coins was the thing to do. The only downside to Super Mario 64 was the idea of having to play the same levels multiple times to accomplish all of the tasks (even 3D games released today still follow this thinking). Obviously 3D levels take longer to develop, however sometimes it takes playing through a level a few times to really appreciate it.
#13
Street Fighter II: Turbo (SNES)
It was in every arcade (back in the old days when there was such a thing). How influential was Street Fighter 2? Its success spurred EVERY game developer at the time to create at least one fighter game. Konami had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tornament Fighters, Sega created Eternal Champions and Virtua Fighter, Midway of course had Mortal Kombat and even kid-friendly Nintendo came out with a fighting game (Super Smash Bros.) and was one of the few fighting games that actually enjoyed quite a bit of success.
Street Fighter II: Turbo Gameplay
Runtime: 0:47
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#12
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA)
Two downfalls for The Minish Cap are the short length of the game (only six dungeons) and the overuse of having to copy or create multiple Links to solve puzzles. Still, The Minish Cap has the usual Zelda sidequests and it is certainly a game not to be missed.
#11
Metal Gear Solid (PS One)
Metal Gear Solid's plot unravels like a mini-movie with a bit of humor, good voice-acting and interesting storyline with a couple of plot twists. I can't wait to get a Playstation 2 so I can play Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3 (they are the first games on my list for the PS2).
#10
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS One)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night proved that good 2D games can be a commercial success. Symphony of the Night employed some Metroid-like gameplay of backtracking through previous levels and obtaining new abilities. Gamers really liked that concept and was employed in various Castlevania GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS games. Castlevania has explored the 3D route with games like Castlevania: Curse of Darkness and Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, but none of those games have been considered successful games.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Highlights
Runtime: 3:48
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#9
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GameCube)
The one thing that really bothered me was all the sailing. Sure it is a different style of gameplay, but for me it was difficult to look at a screen and say, yeah, I know where I am while looking at a screen full of water. The other land-based Zelda games you could look at a statue or a tree and know exactly where you are in the game. Wind Waker doesn't benefit from that without having to look at a map.
Wind Waker is still a heck of game. Explosions look cool with the cel-shaded graphics and there are new items to discover as well. Wind Waker is a really satisfying Zelda game when you look past the negatives. It's certainly the most unique Zelda game ever created and don't let the cartoonish visuals fool you - this is a real Zelda adventure (it is not a kiddy game).
#8
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GameCube)
Fortunately, the move to 3D, I thought, was the best move. It brought new life to the Metroid franchise. The 3D move produced atmospheric games with eerie music and scary moments (those space pirates and some bosses are quite frightening). I can't wait to get a Wii so I can play Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
The GameCube Metroid Prime games are long. It will take several hours to accomplish all tasks like scanning everything and collecting energy tanks and missles. Super Metroid, however, was a good game, but too short. I rented it one weekend and beat it easily before it was even due back.
#7
Metroid Prime (GameCube)
I personally like the menu select theme song (so sets the mood for this game - listen to it below). Rolling into the morph ball and moving around was so intuitive. The different visors and weapons of course help you along the way. Metroid Prime was an ambitious project and the game developers came through. The visuals were stunning and the moody music just fit together like it was suppose to be that way.
Of course the real appeal of any Metroid game is trying to find all the weapon upgrades, energy tanks and missles to power-up Samus Aran's suit to its max potential. Too bad the Nintendo 64 never got a Metroid game.
Metroid Prime Menu Select Theme Song
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#6
Chrono Cross (PS One)
I love the fact there are no random battles in this game (which is why you don't see any Final Fantasy games on this list). It is so frustrating to walk a couple of steps and boom, you are in another long drawn-out fight (with load times no less on disc-based games).
Jumping back and forth between the parallel dimensions reminds me of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, but it is done quite effectively in Chrono Cross. The beautiful landscapes and stunning musical score make this one of the best RPGs ever. You really couldn't ask for more from this game. Now, where is the next sequel, Square Enix?
Chrono Cross Opening Sequence
Best Opening Sequence For ANY Video Game (Listen To That Musical Score)
Runtime: 2:36
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#5
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)
One of the reasons I like the Zelda games is because I can take my time and explore at my leisure. Some of that freedom was taken away with this game. You have "3 days" (which is actually less than one hour of real time play) to accomplish certain tasks. But overall the whole time travel gameplay works well.
I wish Nintendo would produce more games like Majora's Mask. I like the fact that they used the same game engine (from Ocarina of Time) to produce another Zelda title. I don't care if they rebuild every Zelda game from scratch. I would like to see a new Zelda game every two or three years as opposed to the five year wait for Ocarina of Time. Hopefully Nintendo will use the Twilight Princess game engine to produce another Zelda Wii game.
#4
Chrono Trigger (SNES / PS One)
Chrono Trigger was released on The SNES first. Then was packaged with Final Fantasy IV as a Playstation port titled Final Fantasy Chronicles. If you didn't play either of those Chrono Trigger games, there is good news. Square Enix will release a remastered Nintendo DS Chrono Trigger for holiday 2008. The game will feature dual screen presentation, stylus controls, a new dungeon and wireless play.
Chrono Trigger was developed by THE Dream Team. Before Square and Enix merged together as one company, some of the talented people behind the Final Fantasy (Square) games and the Dragon Warrior (Enix) games combined their efforts to develop the epic Chrono Trigger game.
#3
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
A Link to the Past is the best 2D game I have ever witnessed. Even by today's standards, the game is gorgeous. The memorable Zelda music tracks, the beautiful scenery, the jumping back and forth from the Light World and Dark World introduced gamers to a new experience. Of course today, you see a few games copy this Zelda gameplay feature of jumping between different dimensions (even Nintendo's own Metroid Prime 2: Echoes utilizes this technique). A Link to the Past was a really influential game.
I would have loved to have seen a Zelda sequel on the SNES, but The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening filled in quite nicely. I remember seeing this game at Kmart when it first came out. I looked at the back of the game box and bought it right then even though I never really played the first two The Legend of Zelda games on the NES. I have been in love the Zelda franchise ever since. Geez ... I wonder what the next two games will be.
#2
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
The game was delayed several times, but it was well worth the wait. While the graphics aren't that sharp by today's standards, they were pretty cool back in the day. You could be on one side of Hyrule and look across the field and see Death Mountain in the far distance.
Riding horseback was first introduced into Ocarina of Time bringing a new element of gameplay like Mario being able to ride Yoshi. Since the N64 didn't display the sharpest graphics, I actually hope Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask both get a visual upgrade with a new Zelda compilation pack (kind of like what Super Mario All-Stars was to their original NES games). Ask any true gamer, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be in their Top 5.
#1
The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess (Wii / GameCube)
The overall beauty of this game (especially the long quest) is unbelievable. Creative boss battles are always a highlight of the Zelda games. Come on, Nintendo, let's release another sequel soon. I believe I logged 80 hours of gametime on Twilight Princess. I really did a lot of exploring.
Twilight Princess was the first Zelda game available for a Nintendo system launch and certainly helped Nintendo to sell a lot of Nintendo Wiis. I suspect Twilight Princess will be my number one game for some time, at least until the next The Legend of Zelda game is produced.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Trailer
Runtime: 2:05
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Underrated Games That Should Be Played
Grandia (PS1)
Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
Actraiser (SNES)
Metroid Fusion (GBA)
Perfect Dark (N64)
Blast Corps (N64)
007 Everything or Nothing (GameCube)
F-Zero GX (GameCube)
Summary
I will update this list as I move onto the next-generation games. It will probably be awhile before I get to any Xbox games as I wait out for Microsoft to initiate some quality control for the Xbox 360 (it is estimated those consoles have a 20% failure rate - that is WAY TOO HIGH!).
I hope you enjoyed the list and got to remember some games from the past.
Video Game Links To Check Out
What Games Do You Consider To Be In Your Top 3?
RickyRobi wrote...
I am happy to welcome this lens to Shopping for Video Games Headquarters. I have created a blog to help get the word out about the group and it's members and their lenses. Drop by < a href="http://videogamesforthegamer.blogspot.com/">Shopping For Video Games and take a look.
niveK wrote...
in reply to RickyRobi Thanks for the invite. I did submit this lens to your group and I voted for a couple of lenses as well.
RickyRobi wrote...
I would love for you to submit this lens to Shopping for Video Games Headquarters. It would be a great addition. Some of these games bring back great memories.
Come by the group and vote for your favorite video game lens.
x3xsolxdierx3x wrote...
great lens! interesting and informative...........5 stars.....favorited.....and i'm now apart of your fan club :)
Arcade-Games wrote...
Great list of games. My favorites would include LandStalker for the Genesis, Super Mario 3, Gradious and Mortal Kombat 2. I keep meaning to pick up Twilight Princess. I guess I should make more of an effort.
by niveK
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