The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Lately, I have been getting back into gaming... big time.
I've been doing everything in my power to owning the largest range of consoles and games posible. NiGHTS on the Saturn. Sonic on the Mega Drive. Halo on the Xbox.
So, in this topic, I hope to create the definitive list of games that any hardcore gamer should have played - with your help of course. But before I start on the list, here's a definition for you:
"A definitive game is one that revolutionises, defines or creates great gaming experiences. It must either cause an existing genre to evolve, often spawning leagues of copies and setting a benchmark that stands for at least a console generation, or must develop a new genre or gaming style"
As such, good, or even great, games do not make the list. The game has to be one of such brilliance that other game designers will try to emulate its success (although this need not be success in sales terms).
So, your homework for the holidays is to produce such a list of me. So far I have some obvious titles to help guide you:
N64:
*Mario 64 - invented 3D gaming as well as setting a benchmark in the platform gaming genre.
*Zelda OOT - added to the technical brilliance of Mario by defining 3D real-time combat, as well as being one of the greatest games ever made in its own right.
Now go my minions, and return with games are explanation why they should make the list. The full list will appear early next year.
Sonic
I've been doing everything in my power to owning the largest range of consoles and games posible. NiGHTS on the Saturn. Sonic on the Mega Drive. Halo on the Xbox.
So, in this topic, I hope to create the definitive list of games that any hardcore gamer should have played - with your help of course. But before I start on the list, here's a definition for you:
"A definitive game is one that revolutionises, defines or creates great gaming experiences. It must either cause an existing genre to evolve, often spawning leagues of copies and setting a benchmark that stands for at least a console generation, or must develop a new genre or gaming style"
As such, good, or even great, games do not make the list. The game has to be one of such brilliance that other game designers will try to emulate its success (although this need not be success in sales terms).
So, your homework for the holidays is to produce such a list of me. So far I have some obvious titles to help guide you:
N64:
*Mario 64 - invented 3D gaming as well as setting a benchmark in the platform gaming genre.
*Zelda OOT - added to the technical brilliance of Mario by defining 3D real-time combat, as well as being one of the greatest games ever made in its own right.
Now go my minions, and return with games are explanation why they should make the list. The full list will appear early next year.
Sonic
Page:
===SONICRAV---> wrote:
> Super Mario world - the greatest game ever.
>
> Yes, that's in there for sure. Well, it might lose out to the original
> Mario World, but hey!
There was an Original mario world? I thought it was Super Mario Bros!
Oh, and another game - Space Invaders.
> Super Mario world - the greatest game ever.
>
> Yes, that's in there for sure. Well, it might lose out to the original
> Mario World, but hey!
There was an Original mario world? I thought it was Super Mario Bros!
Oh, and another game - Space Invaders.
Idlewild wrote:
> Super Mario world - the greatest game ever.
Yes, that's in there for sure. Well, it might lose out to the original Mario World, but hey!
> Super Mario Sunshine - Game
It's not revolutionary and defining enough. Unlike...
> Super Mario 64 - Perfect 3D conversion
Which set the benchmark for ALL 3D games as well as being the definitive platformer. It's already in though!
Sonic
> Super Mario world - the greatest game ever.
Yes, that's in there for sure. Well, it might lose out to the original Mario World, but hey!
> Super Mario Sunshine - Game
It's not revolutionary and defining enough. Unlike...
> Super Mario 64 - Perfect 3D conversion
Which set the benchmark for ALL 3D games as well as being the definitive platformer. It's already in though!
Sonic
El Blokey wrote:
> Grand Theft Auto 3/Vice City: For introducing a living breathing city
> where you could do what you wanted when you wanted.
Tough call. Zelda OOT did all of this and more. Not only that, but the amount of extras in Zelda was amazingly varied, while in GTA the only really courses of action are playing the levels or playing as a fireman/taxi driver etc.
In my mind, Zelda comes a lot closer to producing a living world than anything else. Not that we're half way there yet...
> Grand Theft Auto 3/Vice City: For introducing a living breathing city
> where you could do what you wanted when you wanted.
Tough call. Zelda OOT did all of this and more. Not only that, but the amount of extras in Zelda was amazingly varied, while in GTA the only really courses of action are playing the levels or playing as a fireman/taxi driver etc.
In my mind, Zelda comes a lot closer to producing a living world than anything else. Not that we're half way there yet...
Super Mario world - the greatest game ever.
Super Mario Sunshine - Game
Super Mario 64 - Perfect 3D conversion
What do you mean Ninty fanboy? I just love Mario
Super Mario Sunshine - Game
Super Mario 64 - Perfect 3D conversion
What do you mean Ninty fanboy? I just love Mario
On the suggestions so far:
*GOLDENEYE:
I am in two minds about this. Indeed, I had written it in my original topic. The problem that I have with it is that it's not all that original. There where two great reasons for it's success:
1) It made FPS games work on consoles
2) It had great multiplayer.
Point one cannot be a reason to put it on my list. Although it was more than a clone of PC FPSs, surely a defining game in the genre should make it on... Doom/Quake/Wolfenstein make it on for inventive the genre.
*SHENMUE:
Well, it certainly sets groundbreaking graphical standards, but that should be expected from a game like this. I agree that every hardcore gamer should play this game, indeed this whole series, but not because it marks a pinnicle of gaming acheivement. Rather as a "lesson" in building critical judgement of games. I have just posted a massive comparrison of Zelda and Shenmue in the Xbox room saying why I think the game ultimately fails. I will be interested to see some intelligent responses to my comment...
Oh, so does Shenmue make it in... well, I'll put it in a new section of games that should be played, but are not, in themselves, worthy to be in the list of greatest games that have defined gaming. If anything, Shenmue takes the RPG genre backwards!
*SONIC
This will also come under the "games you should play" catagory. This is for two reasons:
1) It shows the corporate side of gaming. When Nintendo was reigning with a fat, red, slow plumber, Sega make a game totally the oposite starring a slick, blue, fast hedgehog.
2) The dynamics of the game are technically brilliant. Fast, but not requiring the player to have massive precission. It completely changed the view of platformers as slow, painfully cruel beasts.
*HALFLIFE
Perhaps one of the games that takes the place that I was going to give to Goldeneye. Then again, my knowledge of PC FPS games isn't brilliant. Is there a forerunner to this?
*JET SET RADIO
Although not a brilliant game, this gets on the list because it shows originality above most other games. It introduces a new graphical style and simplistic gameplay. Close to being genius.
Sonic
*GOLDENEYE:
I am in two minds about this. Indeed, I had written it in my original topic. The problem that I have with it is that it's not all that original. There where two great reasons for it's success:
1) It made FPS games work on consoles
2) It had great multiplayer.
Point one cannot be a reason to put it on my list. Although it was more than a clone of PC FPSs, surely a defining game in the genre should make it on... Doom/Quake/Wolfenstein make it on for inventive the genre.
*SHENMUE:
Well, it certainly sets groundbreaking graphical standards, but that should be expected from a game like this. I agree that every hardcore gamer should play this game, indeed this whole series, but not because it marks a pinnicle of gaming acheivement. Rather as a "lesson" in building critical judgement of games. I have just posted a massive comparrison of Zelda and Shenmue in the Xbox room saying why I think the game ultimately fails. I will be interested to see some intelligent responses to my comment...
Oh, so does Shenmue make it in... well, I'll put it in a new section of games that should be played, but are not, in themselves, worthy to be in the list of greatest games that have defined gaming. If anything, Shenmue takes the RPG genre backwards!
*SONIC
This will also come under the "games you should play" catagory. This is for two reasons:
1) It shows the corporate side of gaming. When Nintendo was reigning with a fat, red, slow plumber, Sega make a game totally the oposite starring a slick, blue, fast hedgehog.
2) The dynamics of the game are technically brilliant. Fast, but not requiring the player to have massive precission. It completely changed the view of platformers as slow, painfully cruel beasts.
*HALFLIFE
Perhaps one of the games that takes the place that I was going to give to Goldeneye. Then again, my knowledge of PC FPS games isn't brilliant. Is there a forerunner to this?
*JET SET RADIO
Although not a brilliant game, this gets on the list because it shows originality above most other games. It introduces a new graphical style and simplistic gameplay. Close to being genius.
Sonic
Grand Theft Auto 3/Vice City: For introducing a living breathing city where you could do what you wanted when you wanted. Choose which game depending if you want the original pioneer (3) or the one with more cool stuff (VC). Maybe get both.
Final Fantasy 7- revolutionised RPGS on the PSX and i still think it is the best Final Fantasy game to date.
PSX- Metal Gear Solid: created the stealth genre (more or less)
N64- Golden Eye: best bondgame ever and one of the best FPS shooters ever, a Rare (excuse the pun) gem
PC- I'd say the second Red Alert and the expansion Yuri'Revenge and ingenious RTS
N64- Golden Eye: best bondgame ever and one of the best FPS shooters ever, a Rare (excuse the pun) gem
PC- I'd say the second Red Alert and the expansion Yuri'Revenge and ingenious RTS
For FPS genre I'd say:
Wolfenstein 3D (though I've never played it...) just because it created the genre.
Doom because it brought it to mass popularity.
Quake because it carried on the mass popularity, and... it's quake.
Half-Life because it used a lot of innovations and showed the world that FPS could have decent storylines. Also it became one of the biggest games because of the multitude of mods it spawned, which I think should set an example to all developers to allow the gamer to tinker with games and do things themselves.
Goldeneye because it was the first (to my knowledge) FPS with the objective and mission based set up that has become common nowadays. It also had a storming multiplayer, and remains the best Bond game available despite numerous attempts to emulate its success.
I haven't played much of Halo, so I don't know how good it is and what (if any) new innovations it has brought to the genre. So I'll leave this one as neutral.
Wolfenstein 3D (though I've never played it...) just because it created the genre.
Doom because it brought it to mass popularity.
Quake because it carried on the mass popularity, and... it's quake.
Half-Life because it used a lot of innovations and showed the world that FPS could have decent storylines. Also it became one of the biggest games because of the multitude of mods it spawned, which I think should set an example to all developers to allow the gamer to tinker with games and do things themselves.
Goldeneye because it was the first (to my knowledge) FPS with the objective and mission based set up that has become common nowadays. It also had a storming multiplayer, and remains the best Bond game available despite numerous attempts to emulate its success.
I haven't played much of Halo, so I don't know how good it is and what (if any) new innovations it has brought to the genre. So I'll leave this one as neutral.
Jet Set Radio on the Dreamcast, for the cell shading.
Page: