Hey guys. Welcome to part five of my Top 30 Games list, where we finally hit top ten territory. All these games are ones that hold special places in my heart, and have helped shape me into the gamer I am today.
10. Pokémon Red/Blue
I felt compelled to catch 'em allGameBoy (1999)
Chances are, everybody who plays video games has dabbled with the Pokémon franchise at some point. I'm no exception, having played Pokémon Blue practically to death way back when the collectable creatures were still all the rage in the UK. I remember getting a GameBoy Pocket specifically to play Pokémon Blue, and squeezing some gameplay out of it at every available opportunity. Even now, ten years later, I consider it to be one of my favourite games for a number of reasons, none of which are related to the reasons I originally wanted the game. For a start, Pokémon introduced me to the concept of the traditional turn-based RPG, paving the way for a love affair with the Final Fantasy series throughout my adolescence. Despite offering a very simple take on RPG gameplay, the game offered a surprising amount of strategy and depth in terms of combat and unit management. The fact you could only have six Pokémon with you at any time meant you had to consider all your options and try to guard against having any overbearing type disadvantages. Then there was the "gotta catch 'em all" aspect of the games, which really hooked me. I dread to think how many hours I poured into my copy of Pokémon Blue after beating the Elite Four, trying desperately to capture, train and evolve as many different types of Pokémon as I could. It was addictive, it was obsessive, and it was fun. If you're like me, and you consider the original 151 Pokémon to be the definitive group of critters, then you can probably appreciate why this creature-collect-em-up made it onto my list.
9. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
I've never known a strategy RPG with as much depth as FF TacticsPlayStation Portable (2007)
As a long-time Final Fantasy fan, I'd been waiting for a long time for Final Fantasy Tactics to finally get a UK release. My dream came true in 2007 when a PSP port of the game, dubbed The War of the Lions, arrived on our shores. Having already sunk my teeth into the game's spiritual successor on the GameBoy Advance, I was expecting more of the same - a turn-based strategy game mixed with the accepted Square JRPG gameplay conventions and plot trends. What I got was indeed a turn-based strategy game mixed with some RPG conventions, but the similarities ended there. The War of the Lions trumped Final Fantasy Tactics Advance in almost every respect gameplay-wise, offering a much deeper and more complex array of options to the player that allowed them to fully customise almost every aspect of each individual warrior. Not only did the game boast this incredible level of depth, but it also offered a surefire contender for one of the best storylines in video game history, moving away from JRPG conventions to deliver something both original and completely unexpected. The visuals still have their own unique appeal today, combining very detailed sprites with isometric 3D backdrops and some breathtaking animations. Like a few other games on this list, I've never actually finished The War of the Lions. I consider that to be one of the greatest gaming errors I've ever made, and intend to rectify it later this year.
8. Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing is better than Mario Kart. Yeah, I said itPlayStation (1999)
Beng a Crash Bandicoot fan back when I owned an original PlayStation, buying the orange marsupial's first kart-racing game seemed like a no-brainer. Like the rest of my Crash-loving family, what I expected was a game similar in style to Mario Kart, but sporting the characters, style and unique sense of humour of the Crash universe. What I didn't expect, however, was a game that I'd still be playing today and still hailing as the best kart-racing game ever made. Yes, even better than Mario Kart, I'd say. Crash Team Racing had it all. The characters all transferred perfectly to the new format. The graphics were gorgeous at the time, colourful, zany and in keeping with the stylings of the original platforming games, and it was funny as hell. The game could have succeeded on this alone, but it's the gameplay that really makes it shine. With a lengthy single player Adventure mode and a limitless lifespan in multiplayer, CTR took everything that was good about Mario Kart and made it better. The action was fast and frantic, the weapons were excellently balanced and the tracks are some of the best ever featured in a kart-racer. The game could have been rushed out, but care and attention were paid to this title to ensure it played like a dream, and boy did it pay off. Even now, ten years on, I still bust out my old copy of CTR from time to time to play against my family and friends. if that isn't the hallmark of a good game, I don't know what is.
7. Shadow of the Colossus
A magnificent journey awaits you in Shadow of the ColossusPlayStation 2 (2006)
I don't know what to say about Shadow of the Colossus, and that's because that is exactly what the game does - it leaves you totally speechless. I could go on and on about the vast, beautiful yet desolate environment that is open for you to explore at your leisure. I could go on about the gorgeous graphics, which I still can't believe were made possible on the ageing PlayStation 2. I could go on about the intense battles against the game's Colossi, about how no two are the same and how every one is equally memorable. I could go on about the game's scant story, and how with so few details it still manages to tug at the player's heart strings and force some kind of emotional enlightenment by the dramatic conclusion. I could go on and on about any and all of these things, but I won't, because it simply wouldn't do the game justice. Shadow of the Colossus is something that must be experienced to be believed. I wouldn't have believed it possible before playing it, but after my time with it I'm more convinced than ever that games are just as viable a means of entertainment media as books, films, music and art. If you haven't played Shadow of the Colossus, I implore you, do it now. It will change the way you perceive video games, that much I guarantee. You won't regret it. I promise.
6. Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX may be the best instalment in the main seriesPlayStation (2001)
Of all the Final Fantasy games I've played, Final Fantasy IX may well be the most cookie-cutter of the bunch. It takes a rag-tag bunch of adventurers, assigns them all classes ranging from knights and thieves to mages and monks, throws them into a setting reminiscent of Elizabethan England, and completes the package with a story about an Imperial plot to overthrow the planet. Yet it's precisely for this reason that I think that Final Fantasy IX may be the best game in the long-running series. By taking the traditional elements of the series, FFIX doesn't have to worry about implementing complex systems like the Materia and Junctioning of FFs VII and VIII respectively. Instead, it focuses on refining the basics, and the result is a fluid RPG that is a joy to play and a marvel to experience. The story presents more than its fair share of twists and turns, and you certainly won't see most of them coming. The graphics are incredible too, both in-game and in Square's by-then trademark FMV sequences. Where the refinement is most apparent, though, is in the combat system. Through a combination of pre-assigned character classes and abilities learned from equipment, FFIX's combat is a much less tedious and more streamlined, strategic affair than in other Final Fantasy games. It's this commendable level of polish and refinement that makes Final Fantasy IX such a joy to play, and a surefire entry on my personal list.
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Thanks for reading guys. Tomorrow, instead of revealing the top five, I'll be paying tribute to some games that didn't quite make it onto this list. The top five will be posted on Monday, so you can anticipate that. In the meantime, if you've missed any of the instalments of this list, you can find them by clicking the following links to numbers 30-26, 25-21, 20-16 and 15 to 11. If you have any thoughts, feel free to comment. In terms of a gaming update, I just finished Grand Theft Auto IV after choosing the deal ending. I found it to have a lot more impact than the revenge conclusion, and truth be told, I'm feeling so hollow right now, I don't know if I want to start playing The Lost & Damned tonight. I just don't really feel in the mood for video games right now. Once again, thanks for reading. See you around.
DanK
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Currently playing - Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost & Damned (X360)
Hey guys. Welcome to part five of my Top 30 Games list, where we finally hit top ten territory. All these games are ones that hold special places in my heart, and have helped shape me into the gamer I am today.
10. Pokémon Red/Blue
I felt compelled to catch 'em allGameBoy (1999)
Chances are, everybody who plays video games has dabbled with the Pokémon franchise at some point. I'm no exception, having played Pokémon Blue practically to death way back when the collectable creatures were still all the rage in the UK. I remember getting a GameBoy Pocket specifically to play Pokémon Blue, and squeezing some gameplay out of it at every available opportunity. Even now, ten years later, I consider it to be one of my favourite games for a number of reasons, none of which are related to the reasons I originally wanted the game. For a start, Pokémon introduced me to the concept of the traditional turn-based RPG, paving the way for a love affair with the Final Fantasy series throughout my adolescence. Despite offering a very simple take on RPG gameplay, the game offered a surprising amount of strategy and depth in terms of combat and unit management. The fact you could only have six Pokémon with you at any time meant you had to consider all your options and try to guard against having any overbearing type disadvantages. Then there was the "gotta catch 'em all" aspect of the games, which really hooked me. I dread to think how many hours I poured into my copy of Pokémon Blue after beating the Elite Four, trying desperately to capture, train and evolve as many different types of Pokémon as I could. It was addictive, it was obsessive, and it was fun. If you're like me, and you consider the original 151 Pokémon to be the definitive group of critters, then you can probably appreciate why this creature-collect-em-up made it onto my list.
9. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
I've never known a strategy RPG with as much depth as FF TacticsPlayStation Portable (2007)
As a long-time Final Fantasy fan, I'd been waiting for a long time for Final Fantasy Tactics to finally get a UK release. My dream came true in 2007 when a PSP port of the game, dubbed The War of the Lions, arrived on our shores. Having already sunk my teeth into the game's spiritual successor on the GameBoy Advance, I was expecting more of the same - a turn-based strategy game mixed with the accepted Square JRPG gameplay conventions and plot trends. What I got was indeed a turn-based strategy game mixed with some RPG conventions, but the similarities ended there. The War of the Lions trumped Final Fantasy Tactics Advance in almost every respect gameplay-wise, offering a much deeper and more complex array of options to the player that allowed them to fully customise almost every aspect of each individual warrior. Not only did the game boast this incredible level of depth, but it also offered a surefire contender for one of the best storylines in video game history, moving away from JRPG conventions to deliver something both original and completely unexpected. The visuals still have their own unique appeal today, combining very detailed sprites with isometric 3D backdrops and some breathtaking animations. Like a few other games on this list, I've never actually finished The War of the Lions. I consider that to be one of the greatest gaming errors I've ever made, and intend to rectify it later this year.
8. Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing is better than Mario Kart. Yeah, I said itPlayStation (1999)
Beng a Crash Bandicoot fan back when I owned an original PlayStation, buying the orange marsupial's first kart-racing game seemed like a no-brainer. Like the rest of my Crash-loving family, what I expected was a game similar in style to Mario Kart, but sporting the characters, style and unique sense of humour of the Crash universe. What I didn't expect, however, was a game that I'd still be playing today and still hailing as the best kart-racing game ever made. Yes, even better than Mario Kart, I'd say. Crash Team Racing had it all. The characters all transferred perfectly to the new format. The graphics were gorgeous at the time, colourful, zany and in keeping with the stylings of the original platforming games, and it was funny as hell. The game could have succeeded on this alone, but it's the gameplay that really makes it shine. With a lengthy single player Adventure mode and a limitless lifespan in multiplayer, CTR took everything that was good about Mario Kart and made it better. The action was fast and frantic, the weapons were excellently balanced and the tracks are some of the best ever featured in a kart-racer. The game could have been rushed out, but care and attention were paid to this title to ensure it played like a dream, and boy did it pay off. Even now, ten years on, I still bust out my old copy of CTR from time to time to play against my family and friends. if that isn't the hallmark of a good game, I don't know what is.
7. Shadow of the Colossus
A magnificent journey awaits you in Shadow of the ColossusPlayStation 2 (2006)
I don't know what to say about Shadow of the Colossus, and that's because that is exactly what the game does - it leaves you totally speechless. I could go on and on about the vast, beautiful yet desolate environment that is open for you to explore at your leisure. I could go on about the gorgeous graphics, which I still can't believe were made possible on the ageing PlayStation 2. I could go on about the intense battles against the game's Colossi, about how no two are the same and how every one is equally memorable. I could go on about the game's scant story, and how with so few details it still manages to tug at the player's heart strings and force some kind of emotional enlightenment by the dramatic conclusion. I could go on and on about any and all of these things, but I won't, because it simply wouldn't do the game justice. Shadow of the Colossus is something that must be experienced to be believed. I wouldn't have believed it possible before playing it, but after my time with it I'm more convinced than ever that games are just as viable a means of entertainment media as books, films, music and art. If you haven't played Shadow of the Colossus, I implore you, do it now. It will change the way you perceive video games, that much I guarantee. You won't regret it. I promise.
6. Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX may be the best instalment in the main seriesPlayStation (2001)
Of all the Final Fantasy games I've played, Final Fantasy IX may well be the most cookie-cutter of the bunch. It takes a rag-tag bunch of adventurers, assigns them all classes ranging from knights and thieves to mages and monks, throws them into a setting reminiscent of Elizabethan England, and completes the package with a story about an Imperial plot to overthrow the planet. Yet it's precisely for this reason that I think that Final Fantasy IX may be the best game in the long-running series. By taking the traditional elements of the series, FFIX doesn't have to worry about implementing complex systems like the Materia and Junctioning of FFs VII and VIII respectively. Instead, it focuses on refining the basics, and the result is a fluid RPG that is a joy to play and a marvel to experience. The story presents more than its fair share of twists and turns, and you certainly won't see most of them coming. The graphics are incredible too, both in-game and in Square's by-then trademark FMV sequences. Where the refinement is most apparent, though, is in the combat system. Through a combination of pre-assigned character classes and abilities learned from equipment, FFIX's combat is a much less tedious and more streamlined, strategic affair than in other Final Fantasy games. It's this commendable level of polish and refinement that makes Final Fantasy IX such a joy to play, and a surefire entry on my personal list.
---
Thanks for reading guys. Tomorrow, instead of revealing the top five, I'll be paying tribute to some games that didn't quite make it onto this list. The top five will be posted on Monday, so you can anticipate that. In the meantime, if you've missed any of the instalments of this list, you can find them by clicking the following links to numbers 30-26, 25-21, 20-16 and 15 to 11. If you have any thoughts, feel free to comment. In terms of a gaming update, I just finished Grand Theft Auto IV after choosing the deal ending. I found it to have a lot more impact than the revenge conclusion, and truth be told, I'm feeling so hollow right now, I don't know if I want to start playing The Lost & Damned tonight. I just don't really feel in the mood for video games right now. Once again, thanks for reading. See you around.
DanK
---
Currently playing - Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost & Damned (X360)
Man, I feel embarassed to say it, but I didn't play the original pokemon until it was ported onto the GBA. I played Silver and Ruby, but Red is definitely my favorite pokemon. It just has such great progression, focus, and the original pokemon are definitely the best designed. While I completely disagree that Crash Team Racing is better than Mario Kart, and that Shadow of the Colossus should be in the top 5 of anyone's list, that was a pretty good list of games there. I do disagree that Final Fantasy Tactics is better than Advance; I find War of the Lions too slow.
STOP REMINDING ME I NEED TO PLAY FINAL FANTASY IX! I KNOW!
THANK YOU for including Crash Team Racing there! It actually IS about a hundred times better than Mario Kart, and definatly the best fun racer in existance. It's great to see I'm not the only one thinking this.
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