If you're wondering what happened to part 1, it's all here. And now, #20 to #11.
Running a business can be fun.20. RollerCoaster Tycoon
Simulating an amusement park sounds like a whole lot of fun... until you realize you have to maintain a budget, check your rides so they work properly, and make sure that nobody dies on your new coaster which shoots people over the flume ride and into the carousel. Taking a cue from SimCity, RollerCoaster Tycoon gives you a variety of scenarios in order to develop your park from a shithole to a place Walt Disney would be jealous of. It's definitely not the prettiest or most intuitive game on the planet, but the fun factor is about as high as Kingda Ka. The series may have gone away for the time being, but if you have the itch to build a 200 foot high steel monster of a ride, you can't go wrong playing the original and just experimenting.
Mario on low polygon form.19. Super Mario 64
Our first introduction with the Nintendo 64 probably involved Super Mario 64. And what an introduction at that! Mario launched the N64 with one of the best 3D platformers of all-time and while it's a little tougher on the eyes than it was in 1996, the game as a whole holds up better than most. It gave us the template for what 3D platofrming would be like for years to come. The open-ended nature gives Super Mario 64 a sense of freedom rarely seen in its genre and clever level designs make every entry into an area different than the last. It's still one of the few games I come back to every year or so just for nostalgia purposes.
Never tried crack? It's like Tetris.18. Tetris
Tetris might very well be the most addictive game in the history of mankind and the greatest Russian import ever... even greater than Yakov Smirnoff. Tetris has destroyed millions of lives across the world and has given us nightmares about falling blocks... which must be stacked accordingly. It's the ultimate timewaster, the true test of puzzle skill, the king of casual gaming back in the 1980s. It starts off slow and steady, but as the level increases and those I blocks sem to become increasingly rare, it becomes a frantic mess where quick reflexes and block placement increases in importance. It's a simple concept, but it works, almost too well. It's gone through many changes, alterations, and styles over the past 20+ years, but classic Tetris is still the way to go.
All you need is some colorful cards and friends.17. Uno
Uno takes many forms: it's the Spanish number one, a chain of restaurants that specialize in Chicago-style pizza, and the acronym for the University of New Orleans, but the most fun form it takes is a card game of strategy. Whether you're playing online with your Xbox 360 or in the dining room with your friends, Uno is pure win. Well... maybe the XBLA version loses some of the intimacy, but Uno brings out the best and worst in people regardless of format, which is what every good game should do. If Uno were an Uno card, it would be the Wild Draw Four card. And if regular old Uno isn't your cup of tea, there's Family Guy Uno, Sesame Street Uno, The Simpsons Uno, and even Nintendo Uno or Halo 3 Uno for the fanboy in you. It's Uno, the colored card game, you know.
Ridley goes metal.16. Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime was one of the few games I picked up way too late in the generation. Not owning a Gamecube and limiting myself to primarily PC gaming last generation would do that. I wish I had a Gamecube just for this game alone. Metroid Prime was controversial at the time and I was even skeptical of the added dimension and the first-person perspective. I'm a huge fan of the 2D Metroids so seeing it go 3D seemed like blasphemy, but Retro Studios did Metroid right and is now one of my favorites. It sounds cliche and overstated by now, but it's probably the most immersive game I've ever played and one of the best looking games of the previous generation. It also rarely sacrifices what made Metroid and Super Metroid so amazing.
Simulate your shitty lifestyle in The Sims.15. The Sims
Will Wright is one crazy bastard. He took something as mundane and boring as... my pathetic life... and turned it into the most successful PC franchise in the known universe. Recreating my dumb existence sounds like an awful idea, but it's extremely fun and rewarding to know that you can leave your shitty job as a waiter and work your way to a superstar. In some ways, The Sims is way coller than real life since you're not judged negatively if you piss yourself mid-conversation. The Sims as a franchise has evolved in the form of expansion packs, sequels, and stories, but the original concept of playing God on an individual level, building a home from scratch, and ordering them around is quite creepy if it were real life, but totally acceptable for a game.
Oh to be 10 again.14. Red rover
Red rover, red rover, send MattBodega right over! Yeah, I can totally see MattBodega, Sweep, Jakob187, SuperMooseman, Meowayne, Jayge, Lies, Claude, myself, and about a dozen more of us heading down to the park on a clear, sunny day and just getting our hands all sweaty trying to keep the fat guy (in this case, Pleasureizmine) from passing through. Red rover is one of the classic playground games that don't require slides, swings, hoops, or even implements of destruction. It's all about keeping the opposition at bay... and it's fun. And like Uno and The Sims above, there is a lot of hidden strategy behind the game. It's all about finding the weak spot in the link (the weakest link if you will) and crashing through.
Rescue the princess again? Hope this doesn't become a trend.13. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Zelda games are often the most controversial to list since everybody has a different opinion on which one is superior. Wind Waker and Majora's Mask are often the darkhorses in the group and Ocarina of Time has topped more lists than I can count. Then there's that fringe Twilight Princess group... but A Link to the Past is a fan favorite and while it's worthy of its universal praise, I can't call this the best Zelda game ever... oh yes, there will be another Zelda coming up ahead. Anyway, A Link to the Past takes the top-down original and cranks it up to 11. It's prettier, deeper, larger, and more complex than the previous games. And while the basic template for Zelda games has rarely evolved from A Link to the Past (Master Sword, Ganon, Triforce, kidnapping, light/dark world, Hyrule, etc, etc, etc), it just goes to show how excellent this game is. It's a must-own for any gamer so if you don't have it, I feel sorry for you.
Goddamn dragon boss!12. Mega Man 2
Mega Man had to make an appearace somewhere, but choosing the right game is a challenge. Mega Man 3 added Rush and sliding, Mega Man X took it 16-bit and added a slew of characters and moves, and Mega Man 9 is the latest darling in the series... but Mega Man 2 is the quintessential Mega Man game at its core. You all know the formula: Dr. Wily starts some shit, releases 8 robots to cause said shit, and Mega Man must beat the shit of the robots, gain powerups to beat the shit out of other robots, and then finally Dr. Wily after beating the shit out of all 8 robot bosses. Mega Man 2 is truly a game worth checking out, even if it's just for the epic soundtrack.
Jenga can be a first person shooter.11. Jenga
No, this is not the "so shitty it doesn't even have a Giant Bomb page yet" Jenga World Tour, but the real deal. It's the original Boom Blox, the game of balance and patience. Jenga, for those who don't know, is a game in which you try to keep a stack of 54 blocks from tipping over while eliminating one piece from the stack and placing it on top. Jenga usually builds up a lot of suspense as the tower slowly sways until that final piece just shifts the pile just enough to topple the whole thing like a house of cards.
And now, the honorable mention.
Hoop and stick, keeping Amish girls pure since 1875.Honorable mention: Hoop rolling
Also known as hoop and stick, it's all about rolling a hoop with a stick. On the sidewalk, over hills, through the fields, and across streets, hoop and stick is fun for all ages... back in 1903.
If you're wondering what happened to part 1, it's all here. And now, #20 to #11.
Running a business can be fun.20. RollerCoaster Tycoon
Simulating an amusement park sounds like a whole lot of fun... until you realize you have to maintain a budget, check your rides so they work properly, and make sure that nobody dies on your new coaster which shoots people over the flume ride and into the carousel. Taking a cue from SimCity, RollerCoaster Tycoon gives you a variety of scenarios in order to develop your park from a shithole to a place Walt Disney would be jealous of. It's definitely not the prettiest or most intuitive game on the planet, but the fun factor is about as high as Kingda Ka. The series may have gone away for the time being, but if you have the itch to build a 200 foot high steel monster of a ride, you can't go wrong playing the original and just experimenting.
Mario on low polygon form.19. Super Mario 64
Our first introduction with the Nintendo 64 probably involved Super Mario 64. And what an introduction at that! Mario launched the N64 with one of the best 3D platformers of all-time and while it's a little tougher on the eyes than it was in 1996, the game as a whole holds up better than most. It gave us the template for what 3D platofrming would be like for years to come. The open-ended nature gives Super Mario 64 a sense of freedom rarely seen in its genre and clever level designs make every entry into an area different than the last. It's still one of the few games I come back to every year or so just for nostalgia purposes.
Never tried crack? It's like Tetris.18. Tetris
Tetris might very well be the most addictive game in the history of mankind and the greatest Russian import ever... even greater than Yakov Smirnoff. Tetris has destroyed millions of lives across the world and has given us nightmares about falling blocks... which must be stacked accordingly. It's the ultimate timewaster, the true test of puzzle skill, the king of casual gaming back in the 1980s. It starts off slow and steady, but as the level increases and those I blocks sem to become increasingly rare, it becomes a frantic mess where quick reflexes and block placement increases in importance. It's a simple concept, but it works, almost too well. It's gone through many changes, alterations, and styles over the past 20+ years, but classic Tetris is still the way to go.
All you need is some colorful cards and friends.17. Uno
Uno takes many forms: it's the Spanish number one, a chain of restaurants that specialize in Chicago-style pizza, and the acronym for the University of New Orleans, but the most fun form it takes is a card game of strategy. Whether you're playing online with your Xbox 360 or in the dining room with your friends, Uno is pure win. Well... maybe the XBLA version loses some of the intimacy, but Uno brings out the best and worst in people regardless of format, which is what every good game should do. If Uno were an Uno card, it would be the Wild Draw Four card. And if regular old Uno isn't your cup of tea, there's Family Guy Uno, Sesame Street Uno, The Simpsons Uno, and even Nintendo Uno or Halo 3 Uno for the fanboy in you. It's Uno, the colored card game, you know.
Ridley goes metal.16. Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime was one of the few games I picked up way too late in the generation. Not owning a Gamecube and limiting myself to primarily PC gaming last generation would do that. I wish I had a Gamecube just for this game alone. Metroid Prime was controversial at the time and I was even skeptical of the added dimension and the first-person perspective. I'm a huge fan of the 2D Metroids so seeing it go 3D seemed like blasphemy, but Retro Studios did Metroid right and is now one of my favorites. It sounds cliche and overstated by now, but it's probably the most immersive game I've ever played and one of the best looking games of the previous generation. It also rarely sacrifices what made Metroid and Super Metroid so amazing.
Simulate your shitty lifestyle in The Sims.15. The Sims
Will Wright is one crazy bastard. He took something as mundane and boring as... my pathetic life... and turned it into the most successful PC franchise in the known universe. Recreating my dumb existence sounds like an awful idea, but it's extremely fun and rewarding to know that you can leave your shitty job as a waiter and work your way to a superstar. In some ways, The Sims is way coller than real life since you're not judged negatively if you piss yourself mid-conversation. The Sims as a franchise has evolved in the form of expansion packs, sequels, and stories, but the original concept of playing God on an individual level, building a home from scratch, and ordering them around is quite creepy if it were real life, but totally acceptable for a game.
Oh to be 10 again.14. Red rover
Red rover, red rover, send MattBodega right over! Yeah, I can totally see MattBodega, Sweep, Jakob187, SuperMooseman, Meowayne, Jayge, Lies, Claude, myself, and about a dozen more of us heading down to the park on a clear, sunny day and just getting our hands all sweaty trying to keep the fat guy (in this case, Pleasureizmine) from passing through. Red rover is one of the classic playground games that don't require slides, swings, hoops, or even implements of destruction. It's all about keeping the opposition at bay... and it's fun. And like Uno and The Sims above, there is a lot of hidden strategy behind the game. It's all about finding the weak spot in the link (the weakest link if you will) and crashing through.
Rescue the princess again? Hope this doesn't become a trend.13. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Zelda games are often the most controversial to list since everybody has a different opinion on which one is superior. Wind Waker and Majora's Mask are often the darkhorses in the group and Ocarina of Time has topped more lists than I can count. Then there's that fringe Twilight Princess group... but A Link to the Past is a fan favorite and while it's worthy of its universal praise, I can't call this the best Zelda game ever... oh yes, there will be another Zelda coming up ahead. Anyway, A Link to the Past takes the top-down original and cranks it up to 11. It's prettier, deeper, larger, and more complex than the previous games. And while the basic template for Zelda games has rarely evolved from A Link to the Past (Master Sword, Ganon, Triforce, kidnapping, light/dark world, Hyrule, etc, etc, etc), it just goes to show how excellent this game is. It's a must-own for any gamer so if you don't have it, I feel sorry for you.
Goddamn dragon boss!12. Mega Man 2
Mega Man had to make an appearace somewhere, but choosing the right game is a challenge. Mega Man 3 added Rush and sliding, Mega Man X took it 16-bit and added a slew of characters and moves, and Mega Man 9 is the latest darling in the series... but Mega Man 2 is the quintessential Mega Man game at its core. You all know the formula: Dr. Wily starts some shit, releases 8 robots to cause said shit, and Mega Man must beat the shit of the robots, gain powerups to beat the shit out of other robots, and then finally Dr. Wily after beating the shit out of all 8 robot bosses. Mega Man 2 is truly a game worth checking out, even if it's just for the epic soundtrack.
Jenga can be a first person shooter.11. Jenga
No, this is not the "so shitty it doesn't even have a Giant Bomb page yet" Jenga World Tour, but the real deal. It's the original Boom Blox, the game of balance and patience. Jenga, for those who don't know, is a game in which you try to keep a stack of 54 blocks from tipping over while eliminating one piece from the stack and placing it on top. Jenga usually builds up a lot of suspense as the tower slowly sways until that final piece just shifts the pile just enough to topple the whole thing like a house of cards.
And now, the honorable mention.
Hoop and stick, keeping Amish girls pure since 1875.Honorable mention: Hoop rolling
Also known as hoop and stick, it's all about rolling a hoop with a stick. On the sidewalk, over hills, through the fields, and across streets, hoop and stick is fun for all ages... back in 1903.
Wow, that is a...unique list. I like it, even if the inclusion of video games along with outside games mixes up the list. Still, I like the new direction. Metroid Prime and Red Rover FTW
red rover may just be the ultimate playground game, but I know I'd rather have played Uno than it. After that concussion I had at age nine or so, I've never seen it played with anyone anymore :-l It's kind of sad. That game still exists, right? I didn't cause a Red Rover extinction or anything, no?
Crap, your list is getting to me emotionally. So...good list?
Log in to comment