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GAF Votes: Top 50 Nintendo titles of all Time
- Thread starter Sadist
- Start date
MrCookiepants
Member
1. Metroid Prime
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Twilight Princess
4. Banjo Kazooie
5. Smash Bros. Brawl
6. Skyward Sword
7. Yoshi's Island
8. Pokemon Silver
9. Paper Mario 2
10. Ocarina of Time
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Twilight Princess
4. Banjo Kazooie
5. Smash Bros. Brawl
6. Skyward Sword
7. Yoshi's Island
8. Pokemon Silver
9. Paper Mario 2
10. Ocarina of Time
1. Metroid Prime
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
3. Super Mario Galaxy
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
6. Super Metroid
7. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
8. Pokémon Gold
9. F-Zero GX
10. Tetris
Godamus Queenaran slays your faves. This is a fact and you will deal.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
3. Super Mario Galaxy
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
6. Super Metroid
7. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
8. Pokémon Gold
9. F-Zero GX
10. Tetris
Godamus Queenaran slays your faves. This is a fact and you will deal.
mazeedibeedi
Banned
Really really hard time coming up with this, but here it goes:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
2. Mother 3
3. Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
6. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
7. Super Metroid
8. The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap
9. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
10. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Edit: Honorable mentions: Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid Prime, Punch-Out!! (both NES and Wii) and Twilight Princess
Edit 2: Crap I forgot Pokemon Red/Blue
1. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
2. Mother 3
3. Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
6. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
7. Super Metroid
8. The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap
9. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
10. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Edit: Honorable mentions: Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid Prime, Punch-Out!! (both NES and Wii) and Twilight Princess
Edit 2: Crap I forgot Pokemon Red/Blue
Magicpaint
Member
1. Metroid Prime
2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
5. Yoshi's Island
6. Super Mario Galaxy
7. F-Zero GX
8. Super Metroid
9. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
10. Mario Kart DS
2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
5. Yoshi's Island
6. Super Mario Galaxy
7. F-Zero GX
8. Super Metroid
9. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
10. Mario Kart DS
1.- Super Mario Bros. 3 - The ultimate platformer, brilliant level design, great controls and physics, and incredibly large as far as a NES game goes. Fun even up to this day and it never gets old to replay it. Best video game ever without a doubt.
2.- Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Took everything from its predecessor, polished it, and made it a thousand times better. Some of the most addictive gameplay ever, amazing level design, and an artistically beautiful game.
3.- The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past - I still remember the first time I played this game when it was new and being woed at the amazingness the SNES was capable of. A beautiful, colorful world that makes for an incredibly challenging game. Miyamoto and co. went truly all out with this game, and it shows.
4.- Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War - I'm picking this from the Fire Emblem series because it was a game that was way ahead of its time. Having gameplay features such as pairing your characters and inheriting items and stats (this sounds simple on paper but it's a lot more complicated in-game), an amazing story (with one of the biggest plot twists ever on a Nintendo game), a beautiful soundtrack and great level design, this is truly a game that needs to be played by every Nintendo fan. (Japan only)
5.- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest - Took most things from DKC, polished them, and made an even better game. A great platformer with great level design and a great soundtrack.
6.- Elite Beat Agents - The game that redefined rhythm games on portables by creating some of the funniest scenarios and characters ever. Great idea that was executed perfectly, along with a very good soundtrack. (Honorable mention to the two Japan-only Ouendans)
7.- Super Metroid - The best in the series. A great combination of platforming and exploration, combined with great graphics and music.
8.- Super Smash Bros. Brawl - I understand why some may prefer Melee, but I prefer this one myself due to it being simply tons of fun to play with friends or on my own. Definitely the best time-waster on a Nintendo console.
9.- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - An astonishingly beautiful game that in combination with great level design make for one of the best games on the SNES.
10.- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - A truly ambitious game that succeeded at captivating the audience and creating a beautiful universe. Truly the N64's biggest masterpiece.
I definitely left a ton out but it's hard to limit yourself to 10 games when it comes to your favorite developer.
I'm from America (Chile, to be exact). Mentioning it since one of my votes is an import title.
2.- Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Took everything from its predecessor, polished it, and made it a thousand times better. Some of the most addictive gameplay ever, amazing level design, and an artistically beautiful game.
3.- The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past - I still remember the first time I played this game when it was new and being woed at the amazingness the SNES was capable of. A beautiful, colorful world that makes for an incredibly challenging game. Miyamoto and co. went truly all out with this game, and it shows.
4.- Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War - I'm picking this from the Fire Emblem series because it was a game that was way ahead of its time. Having gameplay features such as pairing your characters and inheriting items and stats (this sounds simple on paper but it's a lot more complicated in-game), an amazing story (with one of the biggest plot twists ever on a Nintendo game), a beautiful soundtrack and great level design, this is truly a game that needs to be played by every Nintendo fan. (Japan only)
5.- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest - Took most things from DKC, polished them, and made an even better game. A great platformer with great level design and a great soundtrack.
6.- Elite Beat Agents - The game that redefined rhythm games on portables by creating some of the funniest scenarios and characters ever. Great idea that was executed perfectly, along with a very good soundtrack. (Honorable mention to the two Japan-only Ouendans)
7.- Super Metroid - The best in the series. A great combination of platforming and exploration, combined with great graphics and music.
8.- Super Smash Bros. Brawl - I understand why some may prefer Melee, but I prefer this one myself due to it being simply tons of fun to play with friends or on my own. Definitely the best time-waster on a Nintendo console.
9.- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - An astonishingly beautiful game that in combination with great level design make for one of the best games on the SNES.
10.- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - A truly ambitious game that succeeded at captivating the audience and creating a beautiful universe. Truly the N64's biggest masterpiece.
I definitely left a ton out but it's hard to limit yourself to 10 games when it comes to your favorite developer.
I'm from America (Chile, to be exact). Mentioning it since one of my votes is an import title.
1. Super Mario Bros. 3 - 2D heaven
2. Metroid Prime - beautiful atmosphere
3. Pokemon Red - an obsession
4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - deep, masterful dungeons
5. Super Mario 64 - bopping, exploring fun
6. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - charming cast
7. Super Mario Sunshine - joyously tight controls
8. Metroid Prime 3 - streamlined adventure
9. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - memorable moments
10. Super Mario Galaxy - pure fun level-rush
That was really hard to make. Even now I'm not sure I even fully agree with my own list. I limited myself to 2-3 words for the descriptions to quickly whittle down to the essence of what I love most out of each of these games.
2. Metroid Prime - beautiful atmosphere
3. Pokemon Red - an obsession
4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - deep, masterful dungeons
5. Super Mario 64 - bopping, exploring fun
6. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - charming cast
7. Super Mario Sunshine - joyously tight controls
8. Metroid Prime 3 - streamlined adventure
9. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - memorable moments
10. Super Mario Galaxy - pure fun level-rush
That was really hard to make. Even now I'm not sure I even fully agree with my own list. I limited myself to 2-3 words for the descriptions to quickly whittle down to the essence of what I love most out of each of these games.
archnemesis
Member
1. Super Mario World;
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past;
3. Super Mario Bros. 3;
4. Super Mario Kart;
5. Punch-Out!!;
6. NES Open Tournament Golf;
7. Sim City;
8. Advance Wars: Days of Ruin;
9. Super Metroid;
10. EarthBound;
A couple of notes. I haven't finished number 9 or 10, otherwise they might have been placed higher. I also have very limited experience of N64/GCN/Wii, more by choice than by circumstances.
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past;
3. Super Mario Bros. 3;
4. Super Mario Kart;
5. Punch-Out!!;
6. NES Open Tournament Golf;
7. Sim City;
8. Advance Wars: Days of Ruin;
9. Super Metroid;
10. EarthBound;
A couple of notes. I haven't finished number 9 or 10, otherwise they might have been placed higher. I also have very limited experience of N64/GCN/Wii, more by choice than by circumstances.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
This is going to be a difficult list to do because there are lots of amazing games in Nintendo's history, but im sure this NeoGAF list will be more competent than the shitty Famistsu one.
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 Best 3D platforming EVER. One of the most amazing games ever created. And the music... OMG.
2. Super Mario World Best 2D Mario, tight platforming, best objects in the series (yoshy and feather), best world map, best 2d music (dat castle theme)...
3. Metroid Zero Mission Its very tied with Super Metroid, but Zero Mission is so nice had such a blast playing it many times. Best remake ever done. And the final part is exciting. And I love the credits music.
4. Super Metroid Nearly tied with Zero Mission the game is amazing. An epic scale Zebes with awesome bosses and platforming. And has my favourite track of the series, Theme of Samus. "See you Next Mission!" *salutes*
5. Super Mario Galaxy While some stages are better in its perfect sequel, this one gets lots of points for some of its magnificent tracks and the story. Yeah the story. It was perfect, epic, and at the same time I didnt think it stopped the pace of the game. And the storybook is one of the most beautifull things Nintendo has ever done.
6. Super Smash Bros Brawl I could have put perfectly Melee here because ive played more hours to that game with a friend than any other. But Brawl is here because it the best museum of Nintendo history ever done. The music, the stages, the characters, the trophies, the stickers... The only thing I dont like is the story, I could have wrtitten a better one using all of nintendo's history instead of the shitty thing the writer of FFVII wrote. Although the intros were awesome.
7. The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess So hated only some years ago I always have loved Twilight princess. Its true I didnt beat Ocarina when it was released, or the same as Majoras Mask. And even if also my favourite Zeldas are Links Awekening and Link to the past, I REALLY love TP. The scale, the dungeons, the bosses, the story and Midna (best sidekick in any Zelda), thats what makes TP great. yeah it could have some changes here and there for the better (things I would mix with Skyward Sword), but i had a blast the first time I finished the game.
8. Star Fox 64 3D Or Star Fox 63 in the original, ive placed the 3DS one because it looks so much better, and it has more score attack modes. Ibe beated this game so many times I cant even count them. Its so much fun. Also props for the awesome castillian spanish dub NoE made for 3DS. The original is amazing, but the spanish one has the same charm (well, Falco could have been better). Alfonso Valles <3
9. Punch-Out!! Wii One of my favourtie games ever was the original, this ones blasts it out of the water. The animationof this game is the best cartoon animation any studio has made for any videogame. Is just that good. The gameplay is PERFECT. The music is amazing, the characters are even better than in the original (the voices of each one in their own language are goldly) and the just oozes humour. Next level Games <3
10. F-Zero Climax (Imported) My favourite F-Zero. Best F-Zero mode 7 there is. Challenging (but not frustrating like GX), you can make your own tracks, biggest roster of characters, and best music in the series (the remixes are out of this world). GX could have been here if it were not for the shitty music or the over rubberbanding difficulty. Too bad a very little number of people have played this game.
Honorable mentions: F-Zero GX, Ouendan, Elite Beat Agents, Punch-Out!! NES, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Metroid Prime, Super Mario 3D Land, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Super Smash Bros Melee, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Mario and Luigi SuperStar Saga, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Other M, Star Fox, Golden Sun, F-Zero, Kirby SuperStar, Mario Kart 7, Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64...
And the list could go on an on. Fuck you Nintendo for creating so much amazing games.
And the 10 list was very difficult to do, is not that they are really separate in numbers because of which one I liked best or quality, as they would come all very near in how awesome they are, even some honorable mentions.
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 Best 3D platforming EVER. One of the most amazing games ever created. And the music... OMG.
2. Super Mario World Best 2D Mario, tight platforming, best objects in the series (yoshy and feather), best world map, best 2d music (dat castle theme)...
3. Metroid Zero Mission Its very tied with Super Metroid, but Zero Mission is so nice had such a blast playing it many times. Best remake ever done. And the final part is exciting. And I love the credits music.
4. Super Metroid Nearly tied with Zero Mission the game is amazing. An epic scale Zebes with awesome bosses and platforming. And has my favourite track of the series, Theme of Samus. "See you Next Mission!" *salutes*
5. Super Mario Galaxy While some stages are better in its perfect sequel, this one gets lots of points for some of its magnificent tracks and the story. Yeah the story. It was perfect, epic, and at the same time I didnt think it stopped the pace of the game. And the storybook is one of the most beautifull things Nintendo has ever done.
6. Super Smash Bros Brawl I could have put perfectly Melee here because ive played more hours to that game with a friend than any other. But Brawl is here because it the best museum of Nintendo history ever done. The music, the stages, the characters, the trophies, the stickers... The only thing I dont like is the story, I could have wrtitten a better one using all of nintendo's history instead of the shitty thing the writer of FFVII wrote. Although the intros were awesome.
7. The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess So hated only some years ago I always have loved Twilight princess. Its true I didnt beat Ocarina when it was released, or the same as Majoras Mask. And even if also my favourite Zeldas are Links Awekening and Link to the past, I REALLY love TP. The scale, the dungeons, the bosses, the story and Midna (best sidekick in any Zelda), thats what makes TP great. yeah it could have some changes here and there for the better (things I would mix with Skyward Sword), but i had a blast the first time I finished the game.
8. Star Fox 64 3D Or Star Fox 63 in the original, ive placed the 3DS one because it looks so much better, and it has more score attack modes. Ibe beated this game so many times I cant even count them. Its so much fun. Also props for the awesome castillian spanish dub NoE made for 3DS. The original is amazing, but the spanish one has the same charm (well, Falco could have been better). Alfonso Valles <3
9. Punch-Out!! Wii One of my favourtie games ever was the original, this ones blasts it out of the water. The animationof this game is the best cartoon animation any studio has made for any videogame. Is just that good. The gameplay is PERFECT. The music is amazing, the characters are even better than in the original (the voices of each one in their own language are goldly) and the just oozes humour. Next level Games <3
10. F-Zero Climax (Imported) My favourite F-Zero. Best F-Zero mode 7 there is. Challenging (but not frustrating like GX), you can make your own tracks, biggest roster of characters, and best music in the series (the remixes are out of this world). GX could have been here if it were not for the shitty music or the over rubberbanding difficulty. Too bad a very little number of people have played this game.
Honorable mentions: F-Zero GX, Ouendan, Elite Beat Agents, Punch-Out!! NES, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Metroid Prime, Super Mario 3D Land, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Super Smash Bros Melee, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Mario and Luigi SuperStar Saga, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Other M, Star Fox, Golden Sun, F-Zero, Kirby SuperStar, Mario Kart 7, Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64...
And the list could go on an on. Fuck you Nintendo for creating so much amazing games.
And the 10 list was very difficult to do, is not that they are really separate in numbers because of which one I liked best or quality, as they would come all very near in how awesome they are, even some honorable mentions.
1. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
2. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
3. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
4. Super Mario World
5. Super Mario Bros. 3
6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
7. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
8. Super Mario 64
9. Super Mario Sunshine
10. Super Mario Galaxy
Edit: Had to switch my top 3 around.
2. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
3. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
4. Super Mario World
5. Super Mario Bros. 3
6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
7. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
8. Super Mario 64
9. Super Mario Sunshine
10. Super Mario Galaxy
Edit: Had to switch my top 3 around.
revolverjgw
Member
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Mother 3
4. Mother 2
5. Super Mario Bros. 3
6. Mario Kart 64
7. Donkey Kong Country Returns
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
9. Super Mario 64
10. Goldeneye
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Mother 3
4. Mother 2
5. Super Mario Bros. 3
6. Mario Kart 64
7. Donkey Kong Country Returns
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
9. Super Mario 64
10. Goldeneye
1. Super Mario World; Favorite platformer of all time. Possibly due to the fact it was the first game and system I actually had in my own house (NES were at my cousins' and my grandmom's of all places, ha).
2. Super Mario 64; I remember being a kid having my SNES and thinking I didn't need any new system. Then I played SM64 at a Kmart kiosk and knew I needed it. Actually rented a N64 from Blockbuster to play this. Felt so cool walking out of there with a big black briefcase with the system inside.
3. Yoshi's Island; Art-style plus throwing the eggs was new and exciting.
4. Super Mario Bros. 3; Another classic Mario platformer. I remember really liking the battleships and weird worlds. Tough, but fair too.
5. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time; Can't really put my finger on why I think its the best Zelda game...maybe it was the 3D and whole sense of exploration when I first played it.
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2; Crazy game.
7. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker; Art-style and the whole ocean setting with the little islands and just sailing around finding new stuff and charting it on your map. Really liked the sailing and finding everything.
8. Super Mario Galaxy; I said wow when I played it.
9. Goldeneye; For better or worse, really got me into fps games. I don't even want to know how many hours me and my friends put into it. And it was just about always 4player games. So many classic moments. Also really liked the single-player with the time challenges to unlock different cheats. Facility and train runs I remember being murder.
10. Mario Golf 64; This game makes my list because its another game I put way too much time into. Its simpler than the gcn version, but maybe that's why I like it a lot more. Courses were themed, but still more traditional, which I liked too. Its a game that used the transfer pak (is that what is was called?) and let you bring over created characters from Advance Tour (another extremely good golf game).
2. Super Mario 64; I remember being a kid having my SNES and thinking I didn't need any new system. Then I played SM64 at a Kmart kiosk and knew I needed it. Actually rented a N64 from Blockbuster to play this. Felt so cool walking out of there with a big black briefcase with the system inside.
3. Yoshi's Island; Art-style plus throwing the eggs was new and exciting.
4. Super Mario Bros. 3; Another classic Mario platformer. I remember really liking the battleships and weird worlds. Tough, but fair too.
5. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time; Can't really put my finger on why I think its the best Zelda game...maybe it was the 3D and whole sense of exploration when I first played it.
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2; Crazy game.
7. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker; Art-style and the whole ocean setting with the little islands and just sailing around finding new stuff and charting it on your map. Really liked the sailing and finding everything.
8. Super Mario Galaxy; I said wow when I played it.
9. Goldeneye; For better or worse, really got me into fps games. I don't even want to know how many hours me and my friends put into it. And it was just about always 4player games. So many classic moments. Also really liked the single-player with the time challenges to unlock different cheats. Facility and train runs I remember being murder.
10. Mario Golf 64; This game makes my list because its another game I put way too much time into. Its simpler than the gcn version, but maybe that's why I like it a lot more. Courses were themed, but still more traditional, which I liked too. Its a game that used the transfer pak (is that what is was called?) and let you bring over created characters from Advance Tour (another extremely good golf game).
discoalucard
i am a butthurt babby that can only drool in wonder at shiney objects
1. Metroid Prime
2. Super Metroid
3. Metroid
4. Super Mario Bros. 3
5. Super Mario Galaxy
6. Elite Beat Agents
7. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
8. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor
9. Xenoblade
10. Super Mario World
2. Super Metroid
3. Metroid
4. Super Mario Bros. 3
5. Super Mario Galaxy
6. Elite Beat Agents
7. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
8. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor
9. Xenoblade
10. Super Mario World
This is my short list so far.... I'll come back and edit it later (food for my thoughts if you will)
Btw Children of Mana is a Square Enix game I believe either you take it out or bring the Olympic Sonic games and RE4 WE in the mix as Nintendo Australia distributed RE4 WE.
Same with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, heck why is Sword of Mana out of the mix as well as Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle on GC then heck the last one was published by Nintendo after all.
And Super Soccer was never a Nintendo game! Made by Human Entertainment for Human Entertainment!
Napoleon (Japan only) was also released in France (I know I have the cart...under the name : Aigle de Guerre (War Hawk or something))
1 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - My favorite Zelda game and favorite Nintendo game
2 Perfect Dark - Seriously guys this game is better then Goldeneye. Every Goldeneye vote should really be a Perfect Dark vote.
3 F-Zero GX - No arcade racer even comes close to the series and imo the best F-Zero game ever made.
4 Super Mario 64 - The only Mario adventure game I ever finished.
5 OOT
6 Mario Kart 64 - It might not be the best but the one I played the most. I have to say diddy kong racing is a very good game too. tempted to switch.
7 Super Smash Bros Melee - I felt that this one was more fun then the other.
8 Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour - The 64 version hits the nostagia spot for me but I played the gamecube version for more hours.
9 Eternal Darkness Sanity’s Requiem - really good horror game and one of the few horror games I actually like.
10 Metroid Fusion - I wanted to put pikmin 2 but i felt bad that I did not post a Metroid game. Hands down favorite of Metroidvania genre and favorite gameboy advance game.
2 Perfect Dark - Seriously guys this game is better then Goldeneye. Every Goldeneye vote should really be a Perfect Dark vote.
3 F-Zero GX - No arcade racer even comes close to the series and imo the best F-Zero game ever made.
4 Super Mario 64 - The only Mario adventure game I ever finished.
5 OOT
6 Mario Kart 64 - It might not be the best but the one I played the most. I have to say diddy kong racing is a very good game too. tempted to switch.
7 Super Smash Bros Melee - I felt that this one was more fun then the other.
8 Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour - The 64 version hits the nostagia spot for me but I played the gamecube version for more hours.
9 Eternal Darkness Sanity’s Requiem - really good horror game and one of the few horror games I actually like.
10 Metroid Fusion - I wanted to put pikmin 2 but i felt bad that I did not post a Metroid game. Hands down favorite of Metroidvania genre and favorite gameboy advance game.
1. Super Mario Bros. 3
2. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Super Mario World
4. Donkey Kong
5. Earthbound
6. Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
7. Super Mario Galaxy 2
8. Goldeneye 007
9. Advance Wars
10. Yoshi's Island
Honorable: Metroid, Pokémon GSC, Wind Waker, Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, Perfect Dark, Banjo Kazooie
2. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Super Mario World
4. Donkey Kong
5. Earthbound
6. Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
7. Super Mario Galaxy 2
8. Goldeneye 007
9. Advance Wars
10. Yoshi's Island
Honorable: Metroid, Pokémon GSC, Wind Waker, Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, Perfect Dark, Banjo Kazooie
1. Super Metroid ; I replay this game once a year, on Christmas Eve. Suffice it to say, the gameplay is absolutely timeless. A joy to play in any capacity. It has quite possibly some of the greatest atmosphere in any game, and the story is one of the best non-narratives out there.
2. Metroid Prime ; When I replayed this game on the Wii collection, it stunned me how GOOD this game still is. Sometimes when you revisit certain games, a modern perspective reveals shortcomings that you didn't see before. Not so with Metroid Prime. It's so ingeniously designed and paced that, even if it were released today, people would still be impressed.
3. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ; Sailing. Yes, it can be tedious at times. But DAMN did Nintendo nail the atmosphere and world! Great dungeons, a beautifully realized world and a downright sublime ending make this my favorite Zelda game.
4. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn ; This is everything I love about Fire Emblem amped up to 11. Third level class changes? Insane power-ups and some of the strongest characters in any FE game? HELLS YEA! It also features some of the best storytelling in any game Nintendo has made; giving you the perspective of multiple sides of a war is a level of "edginess" and maturity that games seldom touch upon (save ones like Tactics Ogre). This game is also hard as balls, even on normal difficulty.
5. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance ; The precursor to Radiant Dawn is an excellent game with great characters and a much more fair difficulty. The story is self-contained and encompasses a wide spectrum of intriguing concepts including: politics, racism, tyranny, and your everyday evil deity.
6. Earthbound ; There's not much I can say about this game that hasn't been said already. Earthbound is a game that everyone needs to play at least once. There's a certain element of whimsy that is just unmatched by any other game. There's not many places you can fight New Age Retro Hippies or scalding hot cups of espresso.
7. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ; It took me a while to realize it, but Twilight Princess is one of the best Zelda games there is. Midna is a superb character, the dungeons are all elaborate, and there are just enough moments of pure gaming bliss to put this one over Majora's Mask.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask ; A dark Zelda game indeed. Yet one that I enjoy a great deal more than Ocarina of Time. Impending doom is always a good backdrop to a world, and Termina is no exception. Perhaps my favorite element of the game is the Clock Town, a game city that truly feels real.
9. Fire Emblem ; Given that this was my first exposure to Fire Emblem, I have a bit of a soft spot for it. Nevertheless, it is truly an excellent game. Highly nuanced gameplay is one of Fire Emblem's greatest traits and this game doesn't disappoint. But what makes this game special to me is the story. This isn't a huge world-encompassing plot involving the end of the world, or even a huge military conquest. It's a highly personal story filled with great character moments, and is generally much smaller in scope than many other games. But therein lies its strength.
10. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door ; This game is so much fun. The story is great, the characters zany and interesting, but above all the writing is incredible. Every character, no matter how seemingly unimportant, has great dialogue that you may miss if you're just zipping through the game.
Side-note: I have a top 100 game list, and Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door is #16 on the list. There are only 7 games in my top 16 that aren't made by Nintendo.
2. Metroid Prime ; When I replayed this game on the Wii collection, it stunned me how GOOD this game still is. Sometimes when you revisit certain games, a modern perspective reveals shortcomings that you didn't see before. Not so with Metroid Prime. It's so ingeniously designed and paced that, even if it were released today, people would still be impressed.
3. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ; Sailing. Yes, it can be tedious at times. But DAMN did Nintendo nail the atmosphere and world! Great dungeons, a beautifully realized world and a downright sublime ending make this my favorite Zelda game.
4. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn ; This is everything I love about Fire Emblem amped up to 11. Third level class changes? Insane power-ups and some of the strongest characters in any FE game? HELLS YEA! It also features some of the best storytelling in any game Nintendo has made; giving you the perspective of multiple sides of a war is a level of "edginess" and maturity that games seldom touch upon (save ones like Tactics Ogre). This game is also hard as balls, even on normal difficulty.
5. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance ; The precursor to Radiant Dawn is an excellent game with great characters and a much more fair difficulty. The story is self-contained and encompasses a wide spectrum of intriguing concepts including: politics, racism, tyranny, and your everyday evil deity.
6. Earthbound ; There's not much I can say about this game that hasn't been said already. Earthbound is a game that everyone needs to play at least once. There's a certain element of whimsy that is just unmatched by any other game. There's not many places you can fight New Age Retro Hippies or scalding hot cups of espresso.
7. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ; It took me a while to realize it, but Twilight Princess is one of the best Zelda games there is. Midna is a superb character, the dungeons are all elaborate, and there are just enough moments of pure gaming bliss to put this one over Majora's Mask.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask ; A dark Zelda game indeed. Yet one that I enjoy a great deal more than Ocarina of Time. Impending doom is always a good backdrop to a world, and Termina is no exception. Perhaps my favorite element of the game is the Clock Town, a game city that truly feels real.
9. Fire Emblem ; Given that this was my first exposure to Fire Emblem, I have a bit of a soft spot for it. Nevertheless, it is truly an excellent game. Highly nuanced gameplay is one of Fire Emblem's greatest traits and this game doesn't disappoint. But what makes this game special to me is the story. This isn't a huge world-encompassing plot involving the end of the world, or even a huge military conquest. It's a highly personal story filled with great character moments, and is generally much smaller in scope than many other games. But therein lies its strength.
10. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door ; This game is so much fun. The story is great, the characters zany and interesting, but above all the writing is incredible. Every character, no matter how seemingly unimportant, has great dialogue that you may miss if you're just zipping through the game.
Side-note: I have a top 100 game list, and Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door is #16 on the list. There are only 7 games in my top 16 that aren't made by Nintendo.
1. Super Mario Bros 3
2. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
3. Fire Emblem (aka Fire Emblem 7, GBA)
4. Super Mario Galaxy
5. Super Mario 64
6. Mario Kart DS
7. Kirby's Adventure
8. Pokemon Red/Blue
9. Elite Beat Agents
10. Super Smash Bros Melee
I decided to limit the number of (mainline) Mario games listed to allow for a little more variety. In reality, Super Mario Galaxy 2 would be high on my list, but I still liked the first Galaxy better, and listing both seemed sort of redundant.
I am also not a big Zelda person (I have played most of the major games, but rarely to completion) hence their absence from my list.
2. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
3. Fire Emblem (aka Fire Emblem 7, GBA)
4. Super Mario Galaxy
5. Super Mario 64
6. Mario Kart DS
7. Kirby's Adventure
8. Pokemon Red/Blue
9. Elite Beat Agents
10. Super Smash Bros Melee
I decided to limit the number of (mainline) Mario games listed to allow for a little more variety. In reality, Super Mario Galaxy 2 would be high on my list, but I still liked the first Galaxy better, and listing both seemed sort of redundant.
I am also not a big Zelda person (I have played most of the major games, but rarely to completion) hence their absence from my list.
1. Mario Galaxy
2. Earthbound
3. Yoshi's Island
4. Mother 3
5. Zelda: A Link to the Past
6. Zelda: The Wind Waker
7. Zelda: Majora's Mask
8. Super Mario World
9. Mario 64
10. Metroid Prime
Very difficult list, and probably not the order I would decide on tomorrow. Also would like to mention Ocarina of Time, Super Metroid, Star Fox 64, Smash Bros. Melee, Mario 3, and a ton more.
2. Earthbound
3. Yoshi's Island
4. Mother 3
5. Zelda: A Link to the Past
6. Zelda: The Wind Waker
7. Zelda: Majora's Mask
8. Super Mario World
9. Mario 64
10. Metroid Prime
Very difficult list, and probably not the order I would decide on tomorrow. Also would like to mention Ocarina of Time, Super Metroid, Star Fox 64, Smash Bros. Melee, Mario 3, and a ton more.
This is a tough one. At any time this top 10 could change, but here's how I feel at this moment:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Super Metroid
4. Super Mario Galaxy
5. Metroid Prime
6. Super Mario 64
7. Super Mario World
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
10. Super Mario 3D Land
Typing out only those ten makes me feel like I'm leaving off games that I love dearly
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Super Metroid
4. Super Mario Galaxy
5. Metroid Prime
6. Super Mario 64
7. Super Mario World
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
10. Super Mario 3D Land
Typing out only those ten makes me feel like I'm leaving off games that I love dearly
thiscoldblack
Unconfirmed Member
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Super Mario World
4. Metroid Prime
5. Mario 64
6. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
7. Metroid: Zero Mission
8. Mario Kart 64
9. Goldeneye 007
10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Super Mario World
4. Metroid Prime
5. Mario 64
6. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
7. Metroid: Zero Mission
8. Mario Kart 64
9. Goldeneye 007
10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Gillian Seed
Banned
I have not finished Skyward Sword yet.
1. The Legend Of Zelda
2. Super Mario Brothers 3
3. The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
4. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
5. Super Mario Galaxy
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2
7. Super Mario 64
8. The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
9. Pokemon Blue
10. Super Metroid
1. The Legend Of Zelda
2. Super Mario Brothers 3
3. The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
4. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
5. Super Mario Galaxy
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2
7. Super Mario 64
8. The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
9. Pokemon Blue
10. Super Metroid
we.are.the.armada
Member
1. Super Metroid
I know you guys can appreciate this - it's like getting a piece of your childhood back. Everything right out of the box, first game played on it was Super Metroid. It's like a bottle of fine wine, aged to perfection. Damn, so good. Also, I think this game retailed at like 8990Yen back in 1994 - anybody have a conversion rate on what that was worth in USD back then?
2. Metroid Prime
3. Earthbound
4. Zelda: Link to the Past
5. Mario 2
6. Metroid Zero Mission
7. Metroid Fusion
8. Super Mario RPG
9. Metroid Other M
10. F-Zero
I know you guys can appreciate this - it's like getting a piece of your childhood back. Everything right out of the box, first game played on it was Super Metroid. It's like a bottle of fine wine, aged to perfection. Damn, so good. Also, I think this game retailed at like 8990Yen back in 1994 - anybody have a conversion rate on what that was worth in USD back then?
2. Metroid Prime
3. Earthbound
4. Zelda: Link to the Past
5. Mario 2
6. Metroid Zero Mission
7. Metroid Fusion
8. Super Mario RPG
9. Metroid Other M
10. F-Zero
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
To increase variety in my rankings, I forced myself to only name two games per series (I count Yoshi platformers, albeit usually counting Yoshis Island 1 towards the Mario series, too, as a seperate series from Mario platformers). I could easily name a list of just the 10 best Mario platformers or just the 10 best Zelda games - the Mario one could well serve as a 10 best games of all time, with the Zelda one not far behind.
1. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island; The best game ever, simply put. Incredible level design, perfect game design, infinitely charming, great deal of variety. I couldn't even imagine how one could improve upon this sheer time less classic.
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2; EAD Tokyo at it's best! Once again, perfect game design paired with extremely fresh and playful level design. Also a bit more challenging than Super Mario Galaxy 1. Yoshi also felt great in this game. To me, this game is the pinnacle of 3D gaming and I'm waiting desperately to see, what's next for EAD Tokyo's flawless track record. IMO, it's the most talented studio there is.
3. Super Mario Galaxy; See Super Mario Galaxy 2. If it were a bit more challenging, maybe I'd even have given it the edge over part 2, but both of them are equally amazing!
4. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword; The grandmaster of puzzle-gameplay and the most focused of all the Zelda-games. I was really skeptical before release, even thinking that it might be quite low on my Games of this year list (Behind Sonic, Mario, Rayman, Mario Kart) after playing the Gamescom demo. How wrong I was, how great this game turned out. A masterpiece that shamefully didn't get nearly as much credit as it deserves.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask; The game that defines atmosphere in games. I found this game to be way more frightening than any horror game I've ever played, due to it's wacky design, incredible characters and timeless time-feature. Before Skyward Sword, this was the unrivaled master of Action-Adventure gaming and it was barely edged out by its own successor, Skyward Sword.
6. Banjo-Kazooie; Wonder why there are still so many people caring for Rare? Well, this right here is the answer, the only platformer not by Nintendo, that can live up to Nintendo's heights in this genre. Awesome level design, cheerful characters, super tight gameplay, classic humor, this game alone is enough for me to play any Rare game in an instant.
7. F-Zero GX; The fastest, most difficult, most tight, most intense racing game ever created. Amusement Vision and Nintendo simply was a match made in heaven, the result is a timeless classic that still is my favourite racing game of all time!
8. Pikmin 2; Miyamoto's latest strike for a hardcore franchise is charming and plays magnificent. Pikmin 2 took Pikmin's awesome formula and expanded on it, making it one of the best game ever created.
9. Yoshi's Island DS; This one might strike many as an odd choice, but I have to give my respect to Artoon, a developer bemoaned by many. Yoshis Island DS can't match the first game, but that's no suprise. Artoon was clever enough not to change the winning formula of the first game all too much, but instead to create new levels on a tried and true formula. They added their own ideas with changing babys and made it really difficult. I loved the added difficulty and had lots of fun. My favourite DS game.
10. Metroid Prime; Deciding between Metroid Prime and Mario & Luigi 3 was a tough one, but ultimately I decided, that Metroid Prime was the bigger achievement. Metroid Prime is a fantastic expierience with a well thought-out gameplay mechanic and an organic, livid world, that needed to be explored. I absolutely adore this game and I also love parts 2 and 3 of this series.
Honorable mentions:
Mario & Luigi 3: Bowser's Inside Adventure
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
the rest of the Mario and Zelda series, minus their respective second installments
F-Zero X
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Ultimately, as promised, my Super Mario Top 10:
1. Yoshis Island
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Super Mario Galaxy
4. Super Mario 64
5. Super Mario 3D Land
6. Super Mario World
7. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
8. Super Mario Bros. 3
9. Super Mario Bros.
10. Super Mario Sunshine
(11. New Super Mario Bros., in case you don't want to count Yoshi)
and Zelda Top 10:
1. Skyward Sword
2. Majoras Mask
3. Twilight Princess
4. Ocarina of Time
5. Link's Aakening
6. A Link to the Past
7. Oracles
8. Spirit Tracks
9. Phantom Hourglass
10. Minish Cap
1. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island; The best game ever, simply put. Incredible level design, perfect game design, infinitely charming, great deal of variety. I couldn't even imagine how one could improve upon this sheer time less classic.
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2; EAD Tokyo at it's best! Once again, perfect game design paired with extremely fresh and playful level design. Also a bit more challenging than Super Mario Galaxy 1. Yoshi also felt great in this game. To me, this game is the pinnacle of 3D gaming and I'm waiting desperately to see, what's next for EAD Tokyo's flawless track record. IMO, it's the most talented studio there is.
3. Super Mario Galaxy; See Super Mario Galaxy 2. If it were a bit more challenging, maybe I'd even have given it the edge over part 2, but both of them are equally amazing!
4. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword; The grandmaster of puzzle-gameplay and the most focused of all the Zelda-games. I was really skeptical before release, even thinking that it might be quite low on my Games of this year list (Behind Sonic, Mario, Rayman, Mario Kart) after playing the Gamescom demo. How wrong I was, how great this game turned out. A masterpiece that shamefully didn't get nearly as much credit as it deserves.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask; The game that defines atmosphere in games. I found this game to be way more frightening than any horror game I've ever played, due to it's wacky design, incredible characters and timeless time-feature. Before Skyward Sword, this was the unrivaled master of Action-Adventure gaming and it was barely edged out by its own successor, Skyward Sword.
6. Banjo-Kazooie; Wonder why there are still so many people caring for Rare? Well, this right here is the answer, the only platformer not by Nintendo, that can live up to Nintendo's heights in this genre. Awesome level design, cheerful characters, super tight gameplay, classic humor, this game alone is enough for me to play any Rare game in an instant.
7. F-Zero GX; The fastest, most difficult, most tight, most intense racing game ever created. Amusement Vision and Nintendo simply was a match made in heaven, the result is a timeless classic that still is my favourite racing game of all time!
8. Pikmin 2; Miyamoto's latest strike for a hardcore franchise is charming and plays magnificent. Pikmin 2 took Pikmin's awesome formula and expanded on it, making it one of the best game ever created.
9. Yoshi's Island DS; This one might strike many as an odd choice, but I have to give my respect to Artoon, a developer bemoaned by many. Yoshis Island DS can't match the first game, but that's no suprise. Artoon was clever enough not to change the winning formula of the first game all too much, but instead to create new levels on a tried and true formula. They added their own ideas with changing babys and made it really difficult. I loved the added difficulty and had lots of fun. My favourite DS game.
10. Metroid Prime; Deciding between Metroid Prime and Mario & Luigi 3 was a tough one, but ultimately I decided, that Metroid Prime was the bigger achievement. Metroid Prime is a fantastic expierience with a well thought-out gameplay mechanic and an organic, livid world, that needed to be explored. I absolutely adore this game and I also love parts 2 and 3 of this series.
Honorable mentions:
Mario & Luigi 3: Bowser's Inside Adventure
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
the rest of the Mario and Zelda series, minus their respective second installments
F-Zero X
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Ultimately, as promised, my Super Mario Top 10:
1. Yoshis Island
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Super Mario Galaxy
4. Super Mario 64
5. Super Mario 3D Land
6. Super Mario World
7. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
8. Super Mario Bros. 3
9. Super Mario Bros.
10. Super Mario Sunshine
(11. New Super Mario Bros., in case you don't want to count Yoshi)
and Zelda Top 10:
1. Skyward Sword
2. Majoras Mask
3. Twilight Princess
4. Ocarina of Time
5. Link's Aakening
6. A Link to the Past
7. Oracles
8. Spirit Tracks
9. Phantom Hourglass
10. Minish Cap
eXistor
Member
1. Earthbound ; The most fun and unique jrpg I've ever played to this day. It's just pleasant to the core. The music is perfect, it's quirky, it's charming and it gets genuinely scary and emotional at the end. A true classic for the ages.
2. Super Metroid ; Earthbound gets the nod as my favorite, but I think Super Metroid as game is better. It's that rare beast: as perfect a game as can be. Anyone can play and finish it (it's fairly low on difficulty), but to truly master it you really have to learn to appreciate the game mechanics. Fantastic soundtrack too; melodic, yet atmospheric. A combination we rarely get these days.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ; Zelda is by far my favorite series and I think OoT still gets the nod as my favorite. It's hard though, because I think Link's Awakening is as perfect a Zelda as can be, I hold OoT closer to my heart. Just an iconic game through and through it truly is one of the best games ever made.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening ; The best Zelda out there (just not my favorite). This truly is Zelda perfected. An overworld that is large but not ovely so, instead being very dense and packed with secrets. Lots of dungeons, ranging from short -and easy to big -and fiendish. Nothing feels out of place and if Nintendo can pull off a game like this in 3D then it could be the best thing ever. Skyward Sword's fields are certainly the way to go and I hope they expand on that for future Zelda's
5. Super Mario World ; Another case of a game being my favorite, but not necessarily the best (Mario 3 is better). Exploration is my number one most wanted aspect in a game and that's why this gets it over Mario 3. the overworld/map felt like a level on its own, woth a ton of secert levels to be unlocked by playing off the beaten path. Hugely satisfying with perfect controls make this Mario's finest hour for me.
6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past ; a game that has actually dropped a bit from previous personal top 10's. It's still amongst the best Zelda's thanks to a fantastic overworld and some great dungeons. I'm just not that fond of the Golden World and a lot of time is spent there. It is a great way to extend the game and give players a different view on a familiar place without it feeling cheap.
7. Mother 3 ; Earthbound has that important nostalgia factor that I just can't seem to ignore and I do like that game's environments more, but Mother 3 is better in all other aspects. It's got a great emotional, yet always funny and heartwarming story, some great characters and the battlesystem has gotten a cool new feature (that most of us won't get to fully appreciate for obvious reasons). It's one of Nintendo's brightst and darkest hours at the same time. The game speaks for itself, but I consider it a crime against humanity that Nintendo has never given the game an official release outside of Japan.
8. Super Mario Bros. 3 ; Mario in his purest form. SMW fleshed out the map more to give it that adventurous feel, but Mario 3 is more than happy to stick to his roots for now. Pitch-perfect controls, genious level design and really challenging as well. It's the perfect traditional Mario game and I doubt it will ever be surpassed.
9. Metroid Prime ; Against all odds retro managed to make not just a good Metroid game, but one of the best. This is Metroid to its very core and it being first-person allowed players to immerse themselves that much more in the world. Here's hoping Retro will return to save Metroid once more.
10. Paper Mario ; Mario has a surprising number of great rpg's to his name and this remains my favorite. It kept the same basic battlesystem from Super Mario RPG, but blows that game away by adding a highly original artstyle and presentation. Add in some great self-depricating humor and you have a winner.
Lists like these are the hardest to do. I don't like how many games from the same series I've put in, but honestly, those games are my favorites so it wouldn't make sense to put others in there for diversity. With a top 10 it forces me to leave out other games that I love, like Kid Icarus, Star Fox, Pikmin, Kirby and others. But again, I don't think they're necessarily top 10 material. I'm not sure how diverse the top 50 is gonna be with these restrictions as smaller games tend to get overlooked. And honestly how many people would choose a game like Kid Icarus over a Mario? Not many (if any), but that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve a spot in the top 50. Still, it'll be fun and interesting to see what games make it in regardless.
2. Super Metroid ; Earthbound gets the nod as my favorite, but I think Super Metroid as game is better. It's that rare beast: as perfect a game as can be. Anyone can play and finish it (it's fairly low on difficulty), but to truly master it you really have to learn to appreciate the game mechanics. Fantastic soundtrack too; melodic, yet atmospheric. A combination we rarely get these days.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ; Zelda is by far my favorite series and I think OoT still gets the nod as my favorite. It's hard though, because I think Link's Awakening is as perfect a Zelda as can be, I hold OoT closer to my heart. Just an iconic game through and through it truly is one of the best games ever made.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening ; The best Zelda out there (just not my favorite). This truly is Zelda perfected. An overworld that is large but not ovely so, instead being very dense and packed with secrets. Lots of dungeons, ranging from short -and easy to big -and fiendish. Nothing feels out of place and if Nintendo can pull off a game like this in 3D then it could be the best thing ever. Skyward Sword's fields are certainly the way to go and I hope they expand on that for future Zelda's
5. Super Mario World ; Another case of a game being my favorite, but not necessarily the best (Mario 3 is better). Exploration is my number one most wanted aspect in a game and that's why this gets it over Mario 3. the overworld/map felt like a level on its own, woth a ton of secert levels to be unlocked by playing off the beaten path. Hugely satisfying with perfect controls make this Mario's finest hour for me.
6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past ; a game that has actually dropped a bit from previous personal top 10's. It's still amongst the best Zelda's thanks to a fantastic overworld and some great dungeons. I'm just not that fond of the Golden World and a lot of time is spent there. It is a great way to extend the game and give players a different view on a familiar place without it feeling cheap.
7. Mother 3 ; Earthbound has that important nostalgia factor that I just can't seem to ignore and I do like that game's environments more, but Mother 3 is better in all other aspects. It's got a great emotional, yet always funny and heartwarming story, some great characters and the battlesystem has gotten a cool new feature (that most of us won't get to fully appreciate for obvious reasons). It's one of Nintendo's brightst and darkest hours at the same time. The game speaks for itself, but I consider it a crime against humanity that Nintendo has never given the game an official release outside of Japan.
8. Super Mario Bros. 3 ; Mario in his purest form. SMW fleshed out the map more to give it that adventurous feel, but Mario 3 is more than happy to stick to his roots for now. Pitch-perfect controls, genious level design and really challenging as well. It's the perfect traditional Mario game and I doubt it will ever be surpassed.
9. Metroid Prime ; Against all odds retro managed to make not just a good Metroid game, but one of the best. This is Metroid to its very core and it being first-person allowed players to immerse themselves that much more in the world. Here's hoping Retro will return to save Metroid once more.
10. Paper Mario ; Mario has a surprising number of great rpg's to his name and this remains my favorite. It kept the same basic battlesystem from Super Mario RPG, but blows that game away by adding a highly original artstyle and presentation. Add in some great self-depricating humor and you have a winner.
Lists like these are the hardest to do. I don't like how many games from the same series I've put in, but honestly, those games are my favorites so it wouldn't make sense to put others in there for diversity. With a top 10 it forces me to leave out other games that I love, like Kid Icarus, Star Fox, Pikmin, Kirby and others. But again, I don't think they're necessarily top 10 material. I'm not sure how diverse the top 50 is gonna be with these restrictions as smaller games tend to get overlooked. And honestly how many people would choose a game like Kid Icarus over a Mario? Not many (if any), but that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve a spot in the top 50. Still, it'll be fun and interesting to see what games make it in regardless.
MikeE21286
Member
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - redefined gaming for me
2. Metroid Prime - best game of last generation
3. Super Mario Bros. 3 - countless hours as a kid
4. Super Mario Galaxy - best 3D Mario game
5. Super Mario Kart - tons of replay, tons of hours
6. Super Mario Bros. - one of my first gaming memories
7. Mario Kart 64 - countless split-screen MP hours
8. Goldeneye 64 - again, countless split-screen MP hours
9. Tetris - one of the only games I owned for the Gameboy, rarely left the system
10. Elite Beat Agents - probably my most played DS game
Tough list
2. Metroid Prime - best game of last generation
3. Super Mario Bros. 3 - countless hours as a kid
4. Super Mario Galaxy - best 3D Mario game
5. Super Mario Kart - tons of replay, tons of hours
6. Super Mario Bros. - one of my first gaming memories
7. Mario Kart 64 - countless split-screen MP hours
8. Goldeneye 64 - again, countless split-screen MP hours
9. Tetris - one of the only games I owned for the Gameboy, rarely left the system
10. Elite Beat Agents - probably my most played DS game
Tough list
This list could easily change wildly just based on my mood when asked.
1. Super Metroid
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. Super Mario 64
5. Super Mario Galaxy
6. Metroid Prime
7. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
9. F-Zero GX
10. Xenoblade Chronicles (EU)
Honorable Mentions: Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Mario World, Earthbound, Metroid Zero Mission, Donkey Kong Country 2, Super Mario Bros., Link's Awakening, Star Fox 64, Tetris, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario RPG, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and...well, I should probably just stop at this point, I guess.
1. Super Metroid
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. Super Mario 64
5. Super Mario Galaxy
6. Metroid Prime
7. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
9. F-Zero GX
10. Xenoblade Chronicles (EU)
Honorable Mentions: Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Mario World, Earthbound, Metroid Zero Mission, Donkey Kong Country 2, Super Mario Bros., Link's Awakening, Star Fox 64, Tetris, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario RPG, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and...well, I should probably just stop at this point, I guess.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
The_lascar
Member
1/ Zelda Marjora's Mask
1/ Zelda Ocarina of Time
3/ Yoshi's Island
4/ Super Mario Galaxy
5/ Wario Ware
6/ Zelda Link's Awakening
7/ Ouendan
8/ Super Mario 64
9/ Zelda Wind Waker
10/ Metroid Prime
1/ Zelda Ocarina of Time
3/ Yoshi's Island
4/ Super Mario Galaxy
5/ Wario Ware
6/ Zelda Link's Awakening
7/ Ouendan
8/ Super Mario 64
9/ Zelda Wind Waker
10/ Metroid Prime
1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
2. Super Metroid
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. Kirby Superstar
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee
6. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
7. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
8. Wii Sports
9. Pikmin 2
10. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Honorable mentions: F-Zero GX; Super Mario Galaxy; Super Mario World; Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island; The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX; The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past; Advance Wars: Dual Strike; WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$; Mario Kart Wii; Star Fox 64; Super Smash Bros.; Earthbound; Elite Beat Agents; Super Smash Bros. (many more).
I'm from Brazil.
2. Super Metroid
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. Kirby Superstar
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee
6. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
7. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
8. Wii Sports
9. Pikmin 2
10. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Honorable mentions: F-Zero GX; Super Mario Galaxy; Super Mario World; Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island; The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX; The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past; Advance Wars: Dual Strike; WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$; Mario Kart Wii; Star Fox 64; Super Smash Bros.; Earthbound; Elite Beat Agents; Super Smash Bros. (many more).
I'm from Brazil.
giant_frying_pan
Member
The following is a shameless display of tactical voting (that likely won't work or will backfire anyway) on my part to give maximum boost to Yoshi's Island whilst not giving any points to its potential rivals in the list, namely SMB 3 and SMW. You can delete my 2-10 choices if you deem this too shady, Sadist!
1.) Yoshi's Island; My favourite game of all time, the closest game to perfection I've ever come across and the one game I will never tire of. In the past couple of years it is getting more recognition as the classic that it is, but it is still tragically under-rated especially in comparison to the still-astoundingly-great-but-not-quite-as-great Super Mario Bros. 3 and World.
2.) Mario Party 8
3.) Mario Party 7
4.) Mario Party 6
5.) Mario Party 5
6.) Mario Party 4
7.) Mario Party 3
8.) Mario Party 2
9.) Mario Party DS
10.) Mario Party Advance
(Mario Party 1 isn't mentioned in case I accidentally push it over Yoshi's Island because it will get the most Mario Party-related votes even though #3 is the best!)
I might edit into a proper list before the deadline anyway...!
1.) Yoshi's Island; My favourite game of all time, the closest game to perfection I've ever come across and the one game I will never tire of. In the past couple of years it is getting more recognition as the classic that it is, but it is still tragically under-rated especially in comparison to the still-astoundingly-great-but-not-quite-as-great Super Mario Bros. 3 and World.
2.) Mario Party 8
3.) Mario Party 7
4.) Mario Party 6
5.) Mario Party 5
6.) Mario Party 4
7.) Mario Party 3
8.) Mario Party 2
9.) Mario Party DS
10.) Mario Party Advance
(Mario Party 1 isn't mentioned in case I accidentally push it over Yoshi's Island because it will get the most Mario Party-related votes even though #3 is the best!)
I might edit into a proper list before the deadline anyway...!
milkyjay20
Member
oh yeah, this is my kinda thread here
i've never seen a list thread with this many accompanying descriptions. i guess nintendo brings out dat real love.
1. super mario bros - i'm not even saying this because it's so revolutionary, but because every facet of its design join hands in a symphony of perfection. subsequent entries may have added more things, but the original is the one that i call perfect. the nuance of its controls meet with the keen level design and it all equals the pinnacle of playability. it's the first modern video game, and since citizen kane was the first modern film, then that makes smb 1 the...
2. zelda: ocarina of time - like smb, it's the balance of design that puts it over the top. there's not too much or too little of one thing; it's all a great big variety of fun, which is what makes zelda such a great series to begin with. the exploration, the dungeons, the towns and the magic; it all fits. the thing that really makes this zelda top-notch are the stunning dungeons. these are true labyrinths, with a pervading sense of uncertainty and claustrophobia.
3. zelda: skyward sword - shout out to my fellow SS soldiers! the world in this game is the most convincing yet; the contrast between the skyloft civilization and the wild and untamed future hyrule conveys succinctly that this is the origin of zelda, and the art is even more beautiful than wind waker's. what sets this apart from the rest of the series is in the way progression is structured; what's next on the table is always completely unexpected, which was the perfect antidote to the formulaic twilight princess. thanks to the sprint button, there is finally some depth to the controls, which makes going through the intricate level design all the more involving. this would be even better than ocarina of time if the dungeons were as good. on the other hand, following TP's example, the puzzles are intensely logical and satisfying.
4. super mario 64 - in a word: mysterious. what a happy coincidence for it to have so many strangely-placed secrets and for it to be one of the first true 3D games. to jump through a stained glass window and end up in a slide or jumping into a volcano isn't something your internal logic would instantly choose, and it made for quite a befuddling impression for such a young mind. to explore in this game in 1996 was to explore beyond the very boundaries of one's assumptions of what a game is. brilliant, and that's not even speaking of one its best features, its controls. it's the deepest control mechanics in a mario ever, which is why a world record run is so fun to watch.
5. zelda: a link to the past - when the dark world theme started playing in the 25th anniversary theme, i was stirred into emotion and remembrance. i almost cried! this wasn't the first game i ever played, but it is the first game i fell in love with. getting vertigo atop death mountain, jumping into a portal to another world, crossing the enormous desert; this not only jump started my eternal love for games, but my imagination itself. after lttp, going outside meant thinking of ways to get into another world, either through going into the basement (too scared) or hurling myself into the sky from the swingset. *sigh* i still have this fascination, and i would read more fantasy novels if they didn't fucking suck so badly. oh well, i'll just read once and future king over and over.
oops, i forgot to talk about the actual game.
6. new super mario bros. wii - this game is simply alive, abound with fresh gimmicks in every level. the mario crew and the enemies are energetic and the terrific level design is always in liquid motion. with controls on the level of nuance of mario 64, it makes negotiating the platforms an exquisite joy. most astonishing is that the art and general feel is carried over from the NES titles, which makes sense as it stands proudly alongside smb1 and smb3.
7. donkey kong 94 - nothing short of an absolute masterpiece. a lot of people call this a puzzle game, but it's not. sure, there are puzzles, but they're the type of puzzles that call for logic rather than patience. most of the game is platforming, and most of the puzzles asks you to think in a platformer sort of way. it's a true continuation of the arcade game, extending it to its full potential. absolutely fantastic level design mixed with fine-tuned controls... i'm seeing a pattern here. this is what separates a great game from a good game, a devotion to the foundation over what's superficial.
8. f-zero gx - it was pretty much a match made in heaven. nintendo and sega coming together to make one of the most brilliant games is a dream come true for gaming fogies.
in terms of its concepts and art, f-zero is the nintendo series that was most like a sega game. guys in ridiculous costumes living in a futuristic utopia in which the most loved sport is extremely lethal and fast races... that is very sega. and then in turn, they implanted their signature feel into it, from the sega blue skies to the cheesy character bio music to the tear-inducing intensity. this is a flash in the pan, once in a lifetime kind of thing here. (copied and pasted from the f-zero thread)
9. super mario bros 3 - i'm starting to feel fatigue here
10. metroid prime - oh yeah, metroid
honorable mentions:
super mario galaxy 2: it resonates, just as they attempted according to the iwata asks. i'm thinking it should take metroid prime's place! fabulous level design, marred by simple and boring controls.
pikmin - magical and weird, just not enough content. i don't consider randomly generated nothings to be content either
luigi's mansion - it's great
super mario sunshine - relaxing, but half-baked
zelda: the wind waker - special, but half-baked
super punch-out - punch-out's biggest draw (patterns and tells) is also its achilles heel. once you learn them, the game's over
donkey kong country returns - just a world-class platformer
wario ware - what seems like a mini game collection is really a full-fledged score attack game
i've never seen a list thread with this many accompanying descriptions. i guess nintendo brings out dat real love.
1. super mario bros - i'm not even saying this because it's so revolutionary, but because every facet of its design join hands in a symphony of perfection. subsequent entries may have added more things, but the original is the one that i call perfect. the nuance of its controls meet with the keen level design and it all equals the pinnacle of playability. it's the first modern video game, and since citizen kane was the first modern film, then that makes smb 1 the...
2. zelda: ocarina of time - like smb, it's the balance of design that puts it over the top. there's not too much or too little of one thing; it's all a great big variety of fun, which is what makes zelda such a great series to begin with. the exploration, the dungeons, the towns and the magic; it all fits. the thing that really makes this zelda top-notch are the stunning dungeons. these are true labyrinths, with a pervading sense of uncertainty and claustrophobia.
3. zelda: skyward sword - shout out to my fellow SS soldiers! the world in this game is the most convincing yet; the contrast between the skyloft civilization and the wild and untamed future hyrule conveys succinctly that this is the origin of zelda, and the art is even more beautiful than wind waker's. what sets this apart from the rest of the series is in the way progression is structured; what's next on the table is always completely unexpected, which was the perfect antidote to the formulaic twilight princess. thanks to the sprint button, there is finally some depth to the controls, which makes going through the intricate level design all the more involving. this would be even better than ocarina of time if the dungeons were as good. on the other hand, following TP's example, the puzzles are intensely logical and satisfying.
4. super mario 64 - in a word: mysterious. what a happy coincidence for it to have so many strangely-placed secrets and for it to be one of the first true 3D games. to jump through a stained glass window and end up in a slide or jumping into a volcano isn't something your internal logic would instantly choose, and it made for quite a befuddling impression for such a young mind. to explore in this game in 1996 was to explore beyond the very boundaries of one's assumptions of what a game is. brilliant, and that's not even speaking of one its best features, its controls. it's the deepest control mechanics in a mario ever, which is why a world record run is so fun to watch.
5. zelda: a link to the past - when the dark world theme started playing in the 25th anniversary theme, i was stirred into emotion and remembrance. i almost cried! this wasn't the first game i ever played, but it is the first game i fell in love with. getting vertigo atop death mountain, jumping into a portal to another world, crossing the enormous desert; this not only jump started my eternal love for games, but my imagination itself. after lttp, going outside meant thinking of ways to get into another world, either through going into the basement (too scared) or hurling myself into the sky from the swingset. *sigh* i still have this fascination, and i would read more fantasy novels if they didn't fucking suck so badly. oh well, i'll just read once and future king over and over.
oops, i forgot to talk about the actual game.
6. new super mario bros. wii - this game is simply alive, abound with fresh gimmicks in every level. the mario crew and the enemies are energetic and the terrific level design is always in liquid motion. with controls on the level of nuance of mario 64, it makes negotiating the platforms an exquisite joy. most astonishing is that the art and general feel is carried over from the NES titles, which makes sense as it stands proudly alongside smb1 and smb3.
7. donkey kong 94 - nothing short of an absolute masterpiece. a lot of people call this a puzzle game, but it's not. sure, there are puzzles, but they're the type of puzzles that call for logic rather than patience. most of the game is platforming, and most of the puzzles asks you to think in a platformer sort of way. it's a true continuation of the arcade game, extending it to its full potential. absolutely fantastic level design mixed with fine-tuned controls... i'm seeing a pattern here. this is what separates a great game from a good game, a devotion to the foundation over what's superficial.
8. f-zero gx - it was pretty much a match made in heaven. nintendo and sega coming together to make one of the most brilliant games is a dream come true for gaming fogies.
in terms of its concepts and art, f-zero is the nintendo series that was most like a sega game. guys in ridiculous costumes living in a futuristic utopia in which the most loved sport is extremely lethal and fast races... that is very sega. and then in turn, they implanted their signature feel into it, from the sega blue skies to the cheesy character bio music to the tear-inducing intensity. this is a flash in the pan, once in a lifetime kind of thing here. (copied and pasted from the f-zero thread)
9. super mario bros 3 - i'm starting to feel fatigue here
10. metroid prime - oh yeah, metroid
honorable mentions:
super mario galaxy 2: it resonates, just as they attempted according to the iwata asks. i'm thinking it should take metroid prime's place! fabulous level design, marred by simple and boring controls.
pikmin - magical and weird, just not enough content. i don't consider randomly generated nothings to be content either
luigi's mansion - it's great
super mario sunshine - relaxing, but half-baked
zelda: the wind waker - special, but half-baked
super punch-out - punch-out's biggest draw (patterns and tells) is also its achilles heel. once you learn them, the game's over
donkey kong country returns - just a world-class platformer
wario ware - what seems like a mini game collection is really a full-fledged score attack game
To Far Away Times
Member
I'm really liking all the Galaxy 2's and Yoshi's Island's at the top of people's lists.
After much thought and debate, I'm going to put a list up... I don't think anyone here can make a top 10 that isn't subject to change at any second, heck this might not even be my final list by the time I hit "Submit", but we'll roll with it anyway. I feel like people always forget just how good Nintendo's portable gaming has been... they're #1 in handhelds for a reason, years of great games are in my top 10 here.
10. Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA). Everything great about the original Metroid but with incredible graphics, a map (yay!), an extra mission wrapped up in a handheld game... plus the original Metroid as a little gift for completing the game! THIS is how you reestablish a classic.
9. Mike Tyson's Punch Out (NES). Amazingly fun and always challenging, this game can be played and replayed forever. (FACT: I don't personally know anyone who has beaten Tyson. I know some GAF'ers have, and to you I tip my hat!)
8.Super Mario World (SNES). The best 2D Mario, and began so many great things that led to the amazing Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy games being what they are. Secrets, shortcuts, and even level designs were simultaneously familiar and wildly new.
7.Link's Awakening DX (GBC). LA DX took an already amazing Zelda experience and made it perfect. A little tough, a little dark
and a lot of fun.
6. Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA). It's kinda like what Galaxy has done, taken something that was already superb (in this case the original Donkey Kong for GB) and made it perfect. I love DK (I have a 1983 standup arcade version in my office!), and I loved DK for GB, but MvsDK is the best Donkey Kong experience Nintendo has made. NDS version is ok, but MvsDK is amazing.
5. Metroid Prime 3 (Wii). I agree MP1 did amazing things, but it's basically just Super Metroid in first person 3D and MP2 is essentially LTTP (in space). But MP3 was a fantastic extension of all the things 1&2 did right and added perfect controls, amazing bosses and vast worlds to explore. Say what you will about the linear story and NPC, MP3 has every element that make a game worth playing.
4. LOZ: Wind Waker (GCN). Very few games caught me like this one. The art style alone is worth it's inclusion on this list, but the whole game is amazing -and yes, I liked the sailing. Best Gannon battle in the series, hands down.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii). Better than Galaxy 1 only by a picometer, but a picometer in every aspect.
2. Super Metroid. No other game has combined platforming, exploration, music, atmosphere and gameplay so perfectly. Ever.
1. SMB (NES). Honestly, we're only having this discussion because of what this game started, and for that reason it gets spot #1. Everything in this game has been done better since, but there's no denying the influence and impact Super Mario Bros had on all of us, it will always be gaming's true king.
10. Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA). Everything great about the original Metroid but with incredible graphics, a map (yay!), an extra mission wrapped up in a handheld game... plus the original Metroid as a little gift for completing the game! THIS is how you reestablish a classic.
9. Mike Tyson's Punch Out (NES). Amazingly fun and always challenging, this game can be played and replayed forever. (FACT: I don't personally know anyone who has beaten Tyson. I know some GAF'ers have, and to you I tip my hat!)
8.Super Mario World (SNES). The best 2D Mario, and began so many great things that led to the amazing Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy games being what they are. Secrets, shortcuts, and even level designs were simultaneously familiar and wildly new.
7.Link's Awakening DX (GBC). LA DX took an already amazing Zelda experience and made it perfect. A little tough, a little dark
(I mean, Link's on a mission to kill everyone on the island, I think that's dark)
6. Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA). It's kinda like what Galaxy has done, taken something that was already superb (in this case the original Donkey Kong for GB) and made it perfect. I love DK (I have a 1983 standup arcade version in my office!), and I loved DK for GB, but MvsDK is the best Donkey Kong experience Nintendo has made. NDS version is ok, but MvsDK is amazing.
5. Metroid Prime 3 (Wii). I agree MP1 did amazing things, but it's basically just Super Metroid in first person 3D and MP2 is essentially LTTP (in space). But MP3 was a fantastic extension of all the things 1&2 did right and added perfect controls, amazing bosses and vast worlds to explore. Say what you will about the linear story and NPC, MP3 has every element that make a game worth playing.
4. LOZ: Wind Waker (GCN). Very few games caught me like this one. The art style alone is worth it's inclusion on this list, but the whole game is amazing -and yes, I liked the sailing. Best Gannon battle in the series, hands down.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii). Better than Galaxy 1 only by a picometer, but a picometer in every aspect.
2. Super Metroid. No other game has combined platforming, exploration, music, atmosphere and gameplay so perfectly. Ever.
1. SMB (NES). Honestly, we're only having this discussion because of what this game started, and for that reason it gets spot #1. Everything in this game has been done better since, but there's no denying the influence and impact Super Mario Bros had on all of us, it will always be gaming's true king.
The Interrobanger
Member
1. Zelda: Majora's Mask
2. Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
3. Super Mario 64
4. Super Mario World
5. Metroid Prime
6. Zelda: Twilight Princess
7. Super Mario Galaxy
8. Super Mario Galaxy 2
9. Super Smash Bros. Melee
10. Star Fox 64
2. Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
3. Super Mario 64
4. Super Mario World
5. Metroid Prime
6. Zelda: Twilight Princess
7. Super Mario Galaxy
8. Super Mario Galaxy 2
9. Super Smash Bros. Melee
10. Star Fox 64
Jeeves
Member
1. Mother 3 (Japan Only) ; I laughed, I cried! It's no exaggeration to say that this game has been one of the most emotional experiences of my life. It feels Shigesato Itoi gazed into my soul and made this just for me. It's more than a game to me. It's a very special game that I've formed a deeply personal bond with, that I try to convince everyone to play because it means so much to me, and I earnestly wish it could mean the same to them.
2. EarthBound ; This game really spoke to me. I could hardly stomach RPGs when I played this, but I was so impressed with everything about the game that the genre became a complete non-issue. It has this incredible warmth to it; few games are as lovingly crafted.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask ; This was the first truly dark story that I ever appreciated. It's made me adore time loops as a plot technique; not only are they a great way to breath life into a world and to deepen the impact of its characters, but I'm also really into the theme of giving it your all for the sake of overturning a predetermined destiny.
4. Super Mario 64 ; Nostalgia colors my opinion of this game probably more than any other, but I do believe it's still a great game that stands up today, to the point where I'd say it's still one of the best platformers around. Very imaginative game full of ideas, and superbly playable thanks to Mario controlling like a dream.
5. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ; Terrific game that -- well-loved as it is -- I think deserves even more recognition than it already gets. This game has been showing up in my personal top ten lists ever since its release, and it still sticks. It's huge fun even if you don't like RPGs, and it's set in such a rich world with a great cast. I was looking forward to this before it came out, and it managed to constantly surprise me with how good it was. In particular two of the chapters (3 and 6 I believe) initially seemed like they were gearing up to be a little on the dull side because of their premises, and yet they surpassed all expectations and ended up becoming the most memorable parts of the game. In both chapters I found myself wishing that they would actually last forever. I suppose with this placement I'm calling this my favorite game Nintendo made for the Gamecube.
6. Super Metroid ; Great game for an exploration junky like myself. I'm not even one of those Metroid purists who revels in total nonlinearity (loved Fusion), but the masterful level design makes the world a joy to navigate. The music is really nice as well; sometimes I would just stand around and let it wash over me. The whole ending sequence is a huge thrill too.
7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl ; I have doubts that I will ever be as hyped for another game as I was for this, and I wasn't let down at all, except I guess for the online play being kind of bad. After growing fatigued by the super fast pace of Melee, I was delighted to see this game get dialed back a little more towards the pace of the first game. As a lifelong Nintendo fan, Brawl is just the best fanservice ever (you have no idea how excited I was when Lucas was announced). My favorite thing about it is the fact that every single character is viable to use -- finally you can actually use your favorite characters without fear of being at a disadvantage.
8. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island ; This game really surprised me when I played it a few years ago. It's bubbling over with ideas that still feel fresh today, it looks fantastic, and the music is right up there with the other catchy Mario tunes.
9. Kirby Super Star ; Game's just jam-packed with stuff, even moreso in the DS remake, which I would have listed if it didn't lame up the cutscenes with CG. This game plays host to some of the most fun transformations in the series, not to mention the ability to turn enemies into sidekicks. Each game within the game is great; I especially loved the cinematic and melodramatic Revenge of Metaknight.
10. Animal Crossing: City Folk ; So this one's not as 'gamey' as the other ones on this list. So what? This series has been a part of my day to day life in a way that nothing else has. I think this may actually be the best form of escapism in a game. I've grown attached to my village and and its citizens, and…these have got to be the most pleasant games ever to exist. Sure, this game and the one before it are only incremental upgrades to the first, but I may as well put down the latest one. Unless something goes terribly wrong, this spot on my list will probably be replaced by the 3DS version when that comes out.
AS PER THE THREAD RULES: I'm from the US.
Also, to anyone with a list featuring EarthBound and not Mother 3: You owe it to yourself to play Mother 3. Just drop whatever you're playing and do it.
2. EarthBound ; This game really spoke to me. I could hardly stomach RPGs when I played this, but I was so impressed with everything about the game that the genre became a complete non-issue. It has this incredible warmth to it; few games are as lovingly crafted.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask ; This was the first truly dark story that I ever appreciated. It's made me adore time loops as a plot technique; not only are they a great way to breath life into a world and to deepen the impact of its characters, but I'm also really into the theme of giving it your all for the sake of overturning a predetermined destiny.
4. Super Mario 64 ; Nostalgia colors my opinion of this game probably more than any other, but I do believe it's still a great game that stands up today, to the point where I'd say it's still one of the best platformers around. Very imaginative game full of ideas, and superbly playable thanks to Mario controlling like a dream.
5. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ; Terrific game that -- well-loved as it is -- I think deserves even more recognition than it already gets. This game has been showing up in my personal top ten lists ever since its release, and it still sticks. It's huge fun even if you don't like RPGs, and it's set in such a rich world with a great cast. I was looking forward to this before it came out, and it managed to constantly surprise me with how good it was. In particular two of the chapters (3 and 6 I believe) initially seemed like they were gearing up to be a little on the dull side because of their premises, and yet they surpassed all expectations and ended up becoming the most memorable parts of the game. In both chapters I found myself wishing that they would actually last forever. I suppose with this placement I'm calling this my favorite game Nintendo made for the Gamecube.
6. Super Metroid ; Great game for an exploration junky like myself. I'm not even one of those Metroid purists who revels in total nonlinearity (loved Fusion), but the masterful level design makes the world a joy to navigate. The music is really nice as well; sometimes I would just stand around and let it wash over me. The whole ending sequence is a huge thrill too.
7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl ; I have doubts that I will ever be as hyped for another game as I was for this, and I wasn't let down at all, except I guess for the online play being kind of bad. After growing fatigued by the super fast pace of Melee, I was delighted to see this game get dialed back a little more towards the pace of the first game. As a lifelong Nintendo fan, Brawl is just the best fanservice ever (you have no idea how excited I was when Lucas was announced). My favorite thing about it is the fact that every single character is viable to use -- finally you can actually use your favorite characters without fear of being at a disadvantage.
8. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island ; This game really surprised me when I played it a few years ago. It's bubbling over with ideas that still feel fresh today, it looks fantastic, and the music is right up there with the other catchy Mario tunes.
9. Kirby Super Star ; Game's just jam-packed with stuff, even moreso in the DS remake, which I would have listed if it didn't lame up the cutscenes with CG. This game plays host to some of the most fun transformations in the series, not to mention the ability to turn enemies into sidekicks. Each game within the game is great; I especially loved the cinematic and melodramatic Revenge of Metaknight.
10. Animal Crossing: City Folk ; So this one's not as 'gamey' as the other ones on this list. So what? This series has been a part of my day to day life in a way that nothing else has. I think this may actually be the best form of escapism in a game. I've grown attached to my village and and its citizens, and…these have got to be the most pleasant games ever to exist. Sure, this game and the one before it are only incremental upgrades to the first, but I may as well put down the latest one. Unless something goes terribly wrong, this spot on my list will probably be replaced by the 3DS version when that comes out.
AS PER THE THREAD RULES: I'm from the US.
Also, to anyone with a list featuring EarthBound and not Mother 3: You owe it to yourself to play Mother 3. Just drop whatever you're playing and do it.
damn, like choosing between your children... but anyway i just listed one game of each franchise to make things easier for myself
1. The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening - could be OoT,MM,WW or SS too but Link's Awakening was the first videogame i got so it has this special place and deserves the spot.
2. Mother 3 - just got my Fangamer Mother 3 Handbook ...oh sweet jesus
3. Pokemon Red - seriously there are better games in the series by now but this is where it all started and this is probably the only game where i still can remember all the pokemon names so
4. Xenoblade Chronicles- its like they just made everything right with this game, the only complain i had were the jumping animations ... yeah this game is awesome!
5. Metroid Other M! - I know Super Metroid should be written here,..or even in first place but i really don't get why people hate Other M so much. To me this was a well executed Metroid experience and i had fun from start to finish.
6. Goldeneye - Best fun i had in Multiplayer on any Plattform any Game any whatever! This Game is King
7. F-Zero GX - Best F-Zero Game. Blood, sweat and tears it really has it all
8. Donkey Kong Country 2 - Can't decide between this and Jungle Beat, just love that special Rare Magic and Humor the SNES Versions had. Good Times =)
9. Advance Wars 2 - Favorite Strategiegame, one of the best handheld experiences utterly addicting timesink and it shows that War Games don't need to be blood filled and gritty. Love it....but hate Battalion Wars
10. Super Mario 3D Land - Best Handheld Mario, best of two Worlds 3D and 2D just amazing and fun Game.
(sorry Smash Bros. '-' )
1. The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening - could be OoT,MM,WW or SS too but Link's Awakening was the first videogame i got so it has this special place and deserves the spot.
2. Mother 3 - just got my Fangamer Mother 3 Handbook ...oh sweet jesus
3. Pokemon Red - seriously there are better games in the series by now but this is where it all started and this is probably the only game where i still can remember all the pokemon names so
4. Xenoblade Chronicles- its like they just made everything right with this game, the only complain i had were the jumping animations ... yeah this game is awesome!
5. Metroid Other M! - I know Super Metroid should be written here,..or even in first place but i really don't get why people hate Other M so much. To me this was a well executed Metroid experience and i had fun from start to finish.
6. Goldeneye - Best fun i had in Multiplayer on any Plattform any Game any whatever! This Game is King
7. F-Zero GX - Best F-Zero Game. Blood, sweat and tears it really has it all
8. Donkey Kong Country 2 - Can't decide between this and Jungle Beat, just love that special Rare Magic and Humor the SNES Versions had. Good Times =)
9. Advance Wars 2 - Favorite Strategiegame, one of the best handheld experiences utterly addicting timesink and it shows that War Games don't need to be blood filled and gritty. Love it....but hate Battalion Wars
10. Super Mario 3D Land - Best Handheld Mario, best of two Worlds 3D and 2D just amazing and fun Game.
(sorry Smash Bros. '-' )
1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES) - still the best game ever made. The biggest pro i can give to this game is that after all this years that it's still timeless and incredibly satisfying to play. This game has no flaws in my book. The perfect action adventure.
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) - It's so hard to rank the Galaxy games. The first one offered a better experience, the second one is plain and simple the better game. I love both these games. I giggled like a little boy when i played both games for the first time. It's rare to have such an amount of fun with a videogame. Two Masterpieces.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 1 (Wii) - see above.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii) - best 3D Zelda. no doubt about it. Not only it is the most beautiful Zelda game i have ever seen (on Dolphin) but also the one with the most satisfying and unique combat-system in a Zelda-series. It also has the best Zelda-soundtrack since Ocarina of Time. A game with no competitors in this age.
5. Super Mario World (SNES) - this is obviously my favourite 2D Jump'n'Run. It is old'skool, fun and the controls are responsive. It's a classic. It's 2D Mario. best thing ever.
6. Xenoblade (Wii) - in my book the best JRPG of all time and i am a vivid FF6-Fanboy. With its insanely amount of content and its luscious and visionary places to visit and also with its strong character configurations Xenoblade makes this the best role-playing game i have ever played. It's one of those rare games which makes you wonder how could a developer-team develop such a game in just a couple of years.
7. Metroid Prime (Wii) - when i started playing this game on my GC i just couldn't get past the controls. Giving this game another chance on the Wii was one of the best decisions i have ever made. I would have missed a world with such a complexity and imaginative design. This Action-Adventure/FPS - hybrid has so much atmosphere that it just sucks you in. A franchise reboot rarely goes right - in the case it triumphs and let you forget about the old 2D-games. Also DAT boss-fights --- my goodness.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GC) - This was certainly my last GC game but also my favourite one. It's really feels like a OoT kinda-remake but that is noway a bad thing. It takes everything i loved about OoT and just makes it better. Well-crafted dungeons and epic boss-fights - yes, this is Zelda.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) - back then it was ahead of its time - truly one of the most well-crafted videogames i have ever played. mind-blowing stuff back then. I still enjoy this game a lot on my 3DS.
10. Super Mario 64 (N64) - my first N64 game it was the only game that completely blew me away playing my first 3 dimensional game. Playing a Mario game with a stick was so weird yet i fell in love with this game very quickly. The Levels being semi-open world was fun back then but today it hasn't aged that good. Well, there are the Galaxy games.
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) - It's so hard to rank the Galaxy games. The first one offered a better experience, the second one is plain and simple the better game. I love both these games. I giggled like a little boy when i played both games for the first time. It's rare to have such an amount of fun with a videogame. Two Masterpieces.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 1 (Wii) - see above.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii) - best 3D Zelda. no doubt about it. Not only it is the most beautiful Zelda game i have ever seen (on Dolphin) but also the one with the most satisfying and unique combat-system in a Zelda-series. It also has the best Zelda-soundtrack since Ocarina of Time. A game with no competitors in this age.
5. Super Mario World (SNES) - this is obviously my favourite 2D Jump'n'Run. It is old'skool, fun and the controls are responsive. It's a classic. It's 2D Mario. best thing ever.
6. Xenoblade (Wii) - in my book the best JRPG of all time and i am a vivid FF6-Fanboy. With its insanely amount of content and its luscious and visionary places to visit and also with its strong character configurations Xenoblade makes this the best role-playing game i have ever played. It's one of those rare games which makes you wonder how could a developer-team develop such a game in just a couple of years.
7. Metroid Prime (Wii) - when i started playing this game on my GC i just couldn't get past the controls. Giving this game another chance on the Wii was one of the best decisions i have ever made. I would have missed a world with such a complexity and imaginative design. This Action-Adventure/FPS - hybrid has so much atmosphere that it just sucks you in. A franchise reboot rarely goes right - in the case it triumphs and let you forget about the old 2D-games. Also DAT boss-fights --- my goodness.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GC) - This was certainly my last GC game but also my favourite one. It's really feels like a OoT kinda-remake but that is noway a bad thing. It takes everything i loved about OoT and just makes it better. Well-crafted dungeons and epic boss-fights - yes, this is Zelda.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) - back then it was ahead of its time - truly one of the most well-crafted videogames i have ever played. mind-blowing stuff back then. I still enjoy this game a lot on my 3DS.
10. Super Mario 64 (N64) - my first N64 game it was the only game that completely blew me away playing my first 3 dimensional game. Playing a Mario game with a stick was so weird yet i fell in love with this game very quickly. The Levels being semi-open world was fun back then but today it hasn't aged that good. Well, there are the Galaxy games.