Top 5 All Time Games?

[këö¬t]

1. Virtua Racing - Arcade - Sega (1992)
2. Final Fantasy VII - Sony PlayStation - Squaresoft (1997)
3. Sonic 3 & Knuckles - Sega Megadrive - Sega (1994)
4. Streets of Rage 2 - Sega Megadrive - Sega (1992)
5. Wip3out - Sony PlayStation - Psygnosis (1999)

[Blub2k]

play the dreamcast original. it doesn't flow quite so much, but is a more skilled undertaking

I would love to, it was raved about when it first came out, I dont have a DC is the problem, anyone want to donate one I would be quite happy to try out the game

[directhex]

dreamcasts are rediculously cheap 2nd hand - bout 20 quid at CEX

[Blub2k]

was thinking about buying one before the whole kit is actually not that expensive even new and it is a pretty kick ass machine alright. Game were still selling them up until recently, not sure if they still do, might even have a look into it this evening.

[Galant]

Top 5 games? Don't see how people can post anything here that isn't at least 5-10 years old.

Part of being one of the top 5 games has to be innovation, creativity, along with quality.

Maybe it's unfair to discount later games because so much has already been done, it's harder to be original. but to be honest, that's not limiting anyone from being creative. I get tired of the repeated clones we see time after time. What's more, in this day of flash and bang graphics and sound it seems a lot of developers are taking the easy way out and relying on style over substance. Perhaps what irks me more, is that so many gamers are happy to put up with it.

Anyway, enough ranting, back on topic.

As far as I'm concerned the Top 5 needed to be inspirational - spawning clones or acknowledged as unique and a classic. They needed to be more than just a concept but bring things together in themselves to form an all-round great gaming experience. Harder to define, they needed to just 'feel' special - that intangible quality which sets apart the good games from the great ones. Finally, the litmus test of time - if you picked them and played them right now - you could still enjoy them.

In no particular order:

1 - Street Fighter 2

The fighting games of fighting games. As Vaul has already said, the clones spawned by this game in 3D now as well as glorious 2D, are vast. The characters were all time classics spawning a movie (crap) and a manga series (much better). Cheesy case in point - more than once I got together with a few friends to play the tournament edition and we came dressed as our selected characters. Some might consider Mortal Kombat just as influential but let's be honest, SF2 was the original and best.

Classic Phrase: Hadou Ken!

Classic Moment: Mastering both the fireball and dragon punch so that no-one could even get near you - "Go on! Play defensive! I'll burn you up baby! ...What's that? You're going to jump my fireballs? Oh, okay. Hope you don't mind if I uppercut you into orbit!"


2 - Quake/Wolfenstein - Hard one to call so you'll excuse my putting two up here. Either way, I doubt there's a gamer in existence who hasn't at least had an introduction into the world of the F.P.S.

Perhaps these FPS action games are just 3D extensions of action-platformers, but the fact is that the experience of getting 'behind the eyes' of your character and running around in 'real space' was mind blowing. Games became more 'real' all of a sudden the possibilities were vast! From simple run-and-gun FPS to tactical action games like the Rainbow Six series, to Stealth Action games such as Splinter Cell. The birth of the FPS was revloutionary and when I think back to that birth I get two images - groups of kids in schools using their 'computer rooms' to run around gunning down Nazis, or me or my friends at home, in a darkened room enjoying the hard-core fast paced action of Quake. Doom I did not rate, I just didn't find it that enjoyable, pardon me if that's a sin to some of you! It was a good game I suppose, but for me, just not that special.

Classic Phrase: "Huh!" (Can't you just feel the effort of jumping about 12 inches with all those weapons hanging off you?!)

Classic Moment: Running that difficult part of the level time and again until at last you overcome, with about two bullets left and just enough health to suck air. "Freaking rocket monsters! See how it feels when you're the one decorating the walls with your entrails!" OR Seeing your lovely allied face get reduced to a bloody pulp as the Nazis take their toll. Realising death is looming and then FLASH, Health pack! "Come get some, Facists!!"


3 - Super Mario Bros

Okay, so here's the deal. I never really liked Mario. In fact, the games bored me. If Mario had never existed it wouldn't bother me. Or would it? The fact is Mario is almost as old as I am, and even though I much preferred the pace and style of Sonic, Mario was here first. He is the grand-daddy of platformers - a gaming genre that ruled the world (before 3D), and whilst platformers still exist, they aren't the enthralling, creative, and often mysteriously cool games they once were (see top!). I loved Dangerous Dan, Leander, Turrican 2, First Samurai, Gods, even Shadow of the Beast 2, but whilst I'd rather play any one of these five times over than any Mario platformer even once, Mario was here first. He's been there, done that, bought the Goomba t-shirt! He inspired many and continues to do so, proving that you don't need RPG's, railguns, nazis, demons, blood and guts to have a great game - developers take note (see top).

Classic Phrase: No phrase just the classic Mario tune! Ya, you all know it, and some of you probably have it as a ring tone!

Classic Moment: Finding the various hidden rooms and areas, knowing the secrets, and hearing your friends ask, "What the...? Hey! Where did you get that? I've been looking for ages!" "Ah! That's because I'm the Mario god and you need to do my homework for a week if you want me to tell you!"

That and defeating the annoying Bowser over the pit of lava. "Stupid pit of burning lava, what's it doing there anyway? Hasn't he heard of central heating?"

Curious Thought: Eating 'shrooms to get bigger and gain power? Chasing after a 'shroom Princess? Maybe I'm corrupting a classic game, but then maybe there's more to this game's popularity than meets the eye!


4 - Legend of Zelda

Before there was Final Fantasy VII there was...Final Fantasy VI, and before FFVI there was...FFV, and...well you get the idea. However, before there was Final Fantasy, there was the first fantasy. A game of immense proportions, engaging quests, and more mythical coolness than the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy. Zelda. I mean...ZELDA! My goodness that game was cool. Link was cool. His chick was cool. The music was cool. The items were cool. Finding all the little areas and hidden places was cool. Seeing things change and the story develop was cool. Let's face it, every defining element that people love about RPGS was here. It felt like you were an epic hero, in an epic world, on an epic adventure. Link still rules, and where FF changes it's heroes more often than most gamers do their socks, Link remains.

The Legend of Zelda is, and always will be, a legend in gaming history, this was the birth of the RPG and if you couldn't read a book, you could play that game and become part of a really cool story.

Classic Phrase: Again it has to be the music and theme. Perhaps a little over used, but haunting and stuck in your brain.

Classic Moment: Gaining a sword and then knowing that someone was definitely going to get it!


5 - Command and Conquer

Right now I'm at the point where I don't particularly admire C&C. I got to this point when I found the C&C compliations pack (or whatever it was called), installed it with glee, and found myself getting very bored with it, eventually giving it away to someone who'd get more joy out if it. As far as the whole series is concerned, it was a bit of a let down with too much repetition, not enough innovation, and not enough 'real' strategy. Most games came down to amassing a big army or 'whatever' units and then just sending them in. The unit differences really didn't matter too much (am not talking about the campaigns - where the RTS rubber hits the road is multiplayer).

So why is it top 5? Because like Mario, it was the first real game of it's genre. RTS's are now massive. I am a massive fan of Age of Mythology, and I love the genre. Thinking back, when I first encountered C&C, I absolutely loved it. It kept me hooked for ages. The series just wasn't what it could have been.

C&C was the grand-daddy of RTS and I don't think anyone would dispute that. It even had the nice touches that make a game stand-out. The acted cut-scenes were very cool. GDI vs. NOD was a good pair off, both different enough to feel unique and emphasise different styles of play. Then of course there was the surprisingly satisfying feeling of running over 'crunchies' with tanks, particularly the 'Mammoth' variety!

Yup, even though the series didn't go where it could have, the original was an amazing game and spawned the birth of an amazing genre.

Classic Phrase: "I'm on it!"

Classic Moment: Ah the satisfaction of seeing your beautifully laid-out and impregnable base and lining up and grouping your massive army. Then... sending them all in to demolish your demoralised friend's base! We've all lost games that took us hours to play, and know how bitter it is - so how much more fun is it when you see that look on your friend's face and you have to decide whether to send them into rage with a taunt or just be a good sportsman and let them off easy?!


And now....

5 1/2 - Personal Choice - Monkey Island:

The Secret Of Monkey Island (the whole series, but particularly one and two) remains one of my favourite games of all time. Reason being, MI for me highlights the things that bring those really special moments in gaming. There was no real action, and no pressure in strategy, but what you had was some of the best gaming comedy and quick fire wit in the gaming universe, caught up in a good old fashioned romantic story, ornamented with beautiful imagery and sound that capture the spirit of adventure. Okay, so maybe I'm seeing now that it is the ultimate gaming trip for quirky romantics, wannabe pirates, and those with a submerged wanderlust. Who cares?!

What MI brought to the gaming world was a level of quality and creativity in writing previously unknown and, arguably, unattained since. Critics might try to point out the lack of action, or the annoyance of not quite putting that point on the right pixel, but when it comes down to it, what do you want out of your gaming experience? Why do you play games? Too many times I've finished a game and that was that. "Oh well, another one down." Bit disappointing really. Games where the story was incidental, subtleties non-existant, and in the end, it was just a way to pass time. MI though, made you look at the world in a different way. It was escapism but it was involved escapism. The puzzles were original, some simple, some very challenging. The games was genuinely funny, and you actually gave a stuff about the characters. It got to a point where you couldn't wait to see what new twists anf characters were waiting for you around the next corner.

In my 'qualities I was looking for' intro, I mentioned an intangible quality - that which sets a game apart. MI must be the King of such a quality. The point-and-click adventure is a moribund genre - much to my dismay. As such, MI wasn't the influential game the others above were. I think though, that could be a sign of why we get so many clones. MI, the PaC adventure, was a genre that required patience and intelligence to get the most out of. You really needed to have had a life beyond the screen, to have developed a sense of wit and personality, to appreciate the nuances in humour and even scathing life-commentary made in these games. Unfortunately, too many gamers these days, especially the younger ones, don't seem to have a clue. They don't know what the classics are (books, movies, history - but then again, even gaming), they just know that the big scary thing with the gun is what you shoot.

Classic Phrase: "How appropriate! You fight like a cow!" (Oh so many I could post!)

Classic Moment: "A rubber chicken? What on earth could this be for?"



Phew!! That took a while!

[directhex]

if we're being honest, c&c was based on an earlier westwood title, dune 2

[Stewart]

Superb post Galant, my man, well done.

Quality choices as well.

[iranu]

Civilization 2 (PC): This game ate up many an hour of my life. Very well thought out and very addictive.

Oh God I wasted half my life on Civ 1 and then did the same on Half Life.

[PanzerKnight]

Top 5 games (well...groups of games tbh )

moneky island 1 & 2 and day of the tentacle
halo xbox
quake 2
Black Isle Studio rpgs - namelyl Planscape torment and the baldurs gate series
Ultima Underworld 2

Just outside these, i would say games like Otogi, shenmue II and morrowind and Clive Barker's Undying. Never did like c&c, but was addicted to dune 2 on my trusty 386

[miral78uk]

5.Doom 2
4.Vice City
3.Far cry (cheesey but grapics help)
2.Civ 3 (double your pleasure mod)
1.Half Life

All PC and quite new for a 25yr old. I think the graphics help.

potenial contenders

Doom 3, Half Life 2, Knight of old republic 2, call of duty add on, Stalker,Fear, and that russian one whats set in 50's FPS.

[Dakaras]

For me

IL2 For me the best example of a team based online game, cant get enough of it
GTA VC I loved it was soooo different to any game I usually play
Counter Strike made some good mates playing that
Thief 2 for all the reasons already stated
Quake for introducing me to online gaming

Was gutted to leave out

Elite
X Wing v Tie Fighter
Max Payne 2
Baldurs Gate
UT

[Knoxville]

In no real order

Metal Gear Solid
Half Life
IL2 - FB
Max Payne
Goldeneye

Really wanted to put GT3 and mario kart in there but there's just no room for em in this list.

[wedge22]

In no particular order.

Stunt Car Racer- my best mate and i made our own network cable and hooked up our amiga 500's for some amazing 2 player action.

Geoff Crammonds F1 on the Amiga- My mate and i used to play this every Sunday whilst watching the F1

Interstate '76- Thoroughly loved this game very cool in a cheesy way.

Dune 2- Was addicted to this just loved the Harkonnen Nuclear Missile.

Resident Evil 1- Completed this on my PS after many attempts.

Deus Ex- Completed this after lots of attempts, seemed to be very non linear and you travelled the world.

Baldures Gate2- This was great but very difficult, I did manage to become a druid shapeshifter with my own building.

Planescape Torment- Twisted and strange but very playable RPG.

Fallout 1 and 2- I just love post apocalypse stuff and this was great as it was an RPG too which is my favourite genre.


OK so thats more than 5 but they are all great games.

[theonlycarmire]

None of you are saying the obvious! Now, surely anyone who has played Civilization II or Civilization III can agree that both of them take the cake for the top game.

[bujinkan-ka]

1 - Shinobi 3
2 - Tales Of Phantasia
3 - Chrono Trigger
4 - FF8
5 - Goldeneye

[0iD]

1)Half Life
2)Far Cry
3)Dungeon Keeper 2
4)Syndicate Wars
5)Sonic