So somewhere in the darkness of the late 90s, I decided that the breadth of games that I had gone through merited a list. Perhaps for absurdity's sake, perhaps to try and convince myself to kick the "childish" habit; whatever the case, I now have proof positive that I've done some dumb things in my life, I'm a proud (and old) gamer, and I wish to share that very madness with the Giantbomb community.
BEARS! Also a fantastic puzzle game. Move over Puzzle Quest!
This is probably one of the neatest platform/shooter games on the GBA. If you love Osamu Tezuka, you'll get more fan service than you can shake a stick at. A second playthrough (New Game plus style) is slyly built into the main story. I didn't mind playing it as much as I possibly could.
Gameplay's better here, but I intentionally stopped paying attention to the lack of a story. Almost more generic than the first despite its Shanghai setting. Customization better and worse.
Phoenix Wright but much less text and way easier. At least it looks exactly like the show. Try to find Guile and Dhalsim!
COLORS! I kinda zoomed through this one late in life. I think I preferred the Oracle games to this one, but it was still totally worth going through as it is zelda.
The same but bad.
Most probably think this may be better than the original, and I can see that. It added some good stuff. Levels felt grander, bad guys more fleshed out, better lookin armor. Hell of a fight with Zero (if you did that), and Wolverine-Sigma was savage. The optional boss fights were intense.
Gorgeous game, very quickly won me over. I worried so bad that the boss would be some "Here's a laser gun, now fight!" sorta bunk, but it remained perfect to the tone. Little did I know, Team Ico was just gettin started...
A nearly exact iteration from the first. I played this way after the first, so it felt like it wasn't as eye-opening. Still every bit as fun though.
Exact same as above, no lie. Maybe a touch harder?
The best of girlfriend games. Eponymous and I played through this all the way. Hit a hard part? Grab the other player and go. Impossibly adorable. But don't come lookin for a challenge.
So very short and lacks memorable moments. Decent customization of weapons, but nothing spectacular.
Was really really bad/rusty at this game at first, but once I got a feel for the vehicles, I was relatively back in it. I remember sorta breaking the game at the final boss, but whatever, got beat.
My second SNES game after SMW. I actually really liked this. (Back then) it was really really good looking, some good fan service. Probably seems super awkward if I'd play it now, but that's alright. Good memories. That NES game was a bitch with Coyote-on-rocket-shoes.
PC version! The origin of weegee! Really awful looking game (I realized that even then), but I did learn a tad. Bowser's shell coming off was a mindfuck back then.
An isometric take on the jiggy quests of old. Resets the story with time travel, but it's more Banjo-Kazooie, so it's hard to complain about that.
Super adventure game. I'm not gonna lie, I needed some help on that last level. But most of them I enjoyed all the crazy sorta interactions you could make these items have. When I figured out the 2nd umbrella usage, I was floored at how smart this game was.
Whew, this is NOT the Splinter Cell I remember, and thank FSM for that. Empowering the notion of stealth rather than handicapping the player with it makes this an enjoyable little romp around DC.
Almost forgot about this one. Didn't get through this in the noblest of ways, but it was done. I remember playing the Adamantium Rage after this and realizing they ripped so many assets from this game. Being jaded sucks.
Oh, hey Ultimate Destruction but shinier. Seemed a little weak for a sequel to that monster. Maybe cuz it was movie-tied. Also pre-Prototype.
Played this far later, was able to rush through it and swallow the bitter pill for continuity's sake.
Now this is how movie-games should be! Complete disregard for keeping it family friend, huge love for the source material, loosely related to the movie material, and builds it up so it can go all sorts of crazy non-movie places if successful. Would love to see a sequel of this game based off of its ending.
This is kinda cheating since I beat em all separately too. Oh well!
I'm actually of the group that enjoys and loves this game, but still sees the first as superior. Just too much stuff in this game. Maybe more fun to replay since I'm less familiar with it. Solid sequel though.
A classic. Beat this later in life, but it started my vampire killing craze (in games, anyways..)
I know I beat this, but I couldn't tell ya much after the first level. Probably because I played that level a thousand times and only actually beat it once. Great game though. Man, remember when Disney was awesome with everything they did?
This game was GREAT. I dunno why, maybe I figured Bonkers wouldn't make a good game, but I remember it being really neat. Final boss was intimidating. I got stuck at one place for two hours because I didn't know you could tumble.
This obviously wasn't a Parasite Eve game until halfway through development. Story made zero sense, but it was short and fun enough that I'm just satisfied enough.
I don't really get the meter part that well, but it's a solid Sega game, enjoyable.
I remember renting this before I really knew much about Kirby and being kinda disappointed. I really thought you could eat the whole level and such. They should make a meta Kirby game like that. It'd be like epic yarn but even more so!
Why did I make my parents blow money on this thing? I did like nothing with this thing. Over at a friend's house it's great, but alone it's terrible! Just like real paper...
The same but far worse!
Controls were garbage, but I muscled through it for whatever reason. I think I'm running outta good games to beat...
I played the PSX game (Forbidden Memories) until the 2nd to last boss and then I lost the save. So so many hours. So I see this game as making amends for never beating that game. Despite the many opportunities I've had for other Yugioh games, I don't think I'll have the commitment to best another of these again.
Played Leo. I dunno, I liked putting the Mega Man layers more on top of the real world rather than this abstract, jacked-in internet. Sorta hoped for Geo to break the trend of super optimistic leads. Alas.
Glad I went back and played 1 before I did this one. The grapple-parachute mechanic took quite a bit of getting used to, but much like the Spider-man games, it pays off huge once you get it. Such a gigantic game, it's massively intimidating. Shame they peeled the campiness back.
This is how you do an open world hulk game. 100 foot mechs, bust any building down, car fists.
Finally got into this. It was good! Pretty identical systems to the portable KH games, but that's fine, I liked those. Story fell apart and came together so much that I stopped caring. Don't give Sephiroth characterization!
Dunno if everyone'd consider this one beat since I apparently didn't get the "true" ending, but I do. Played this much much later in life. I remember trying it as a kid and the open world-ness was too much for my little brain. Pretty neat game, great concepts for its time.
I honestly can't distinguish this from the other game boy one. Hey whips, medusa heads, mermen, death, dracula? Okay.
Another recent victory. I mean it's Castlevania.
It's so goddamn perfect. I've seen every ending (multiple times) and played through this whole game at least a dozen times. Wouldn't mind doing it every year. One of my best first dates ended with us trying to remember the whole story.
Owned this, 100%'ed it (although I did have that strategy guide...), incredible game. Very replayable, but that could be because I know where everything is.
Dragging my feet in this franchise now. I don't think this has anything to do with the quality of the game, just the annualization of 90% of the same concepts. I hope AC3 gets me more interested, otherwise I may start getting outta this franchise.
Yeah, a relative waste of time. But it's neat to see a game try and tackle something like a relationship as the basis of its whole story. Atlus really should stick to their roots.
I almost forgot! I owned and beat this. Was totally mad when my mom just randomly picked up this golden cartridge, as I had no idea what it was (and it wasn't more TMNT perhaps?). It was really weird, but I enjoyed finding things. Beat it way way later in life, but really big concepts from back in the day.
This was my personal redemption for never getting through Spidey/X-men Arcade's revenge, Clone Wars, and all else. Alotta luck with that final boss, but I wonder if this'd hold up. Ah the years of renting...
A weird, singular installment. I didn't like the cartoonish look back in the day (and oh god, Dr. Light). But it was actually a relatively good iteration. I have gripes with the final boss though.
I actually bought this not knowing a single thing about the whole series. Some commercial must've duped me into it. Could probably still play this and enjoy it.
NOTE: Still need to beat MGS3. The ramping up of stealth worries me.
Streamlined a bunch of stuff from the first one. The gameplay felt really rehashed though with the former boss elements. Also, makin me play Axl-style isn't the way to win me over, Capcom.
This final boss was one of the more frustrating I've seen in my time. Such a small hit box, felt like a bullet hell. And the new weapon did nothin for me. Nice finish for the series.
Was this the one where the UI was from the last game and then it changed? That was slick. Second in the series curse; not as memorable, but a good time had by all.
First (and best) game I played on the Xbox original. Not usually a mech sorta gamer, but the script to this business made up for all that in spades. To this day still need to claim I do things BECAUSE I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Didn't play NES Metroid as a kid. If I had this as a kid though, I would've fallen for the series forever. Nigh perfect Metroid game. Maybe all the Castlevanias I'd played up to this point helped too.
Cute, varied enough gameplay, and short enough that I didn't get tired of it. Final boss was a pain, but what R&C/J&D game doesn't have an awful final boss?
Well that got weird. Thanks for that Fez-like experience without spoiling it Brad!
What started it all. My friend and I at age 5 would take turns holding right on controller two for the super jump/invincibility. I'm of the minority that loves this over 2. In this you GET all of Mega Man 2's bosses as well! Protoman's whistle is the sound of my computer turning on.
And here I thought this'd be a fun little game. Nope. I fought the controls at every turn. And that's made all the more infuriating by the fact that after your 5 lives are gone, you "Game Over" and get thrown back to the main screen. The concept was fun, the game was not though.
I got REALLY good at this game, I should be embarrassed to say. Something about progressively higher numbers fighting games that gets me involved. Not as bad as the Final Bout stuff, but still.
Still need to play the "real" version of this. The beginning of this game looked crazy when I was a kid. It's even crazier now. Great update.
Absolutely gorgeous looking environments in this game (which usually doesn't stand out to me). And I know this is a semi-reboot of the series, but it still felt like the new IP it was supposed to be rather than a Castlevania game. I didn't fight one merman. Ending was pretty awesome.
Like Mega Man 2, this took the original formula and went nuts with it.
This was my first Ys game. This made me go, "holy shit, how haven't I played these before?". Action RPGs of this type are fantastic. Bosses were super hard, but I was able to get through em, so I can't complain too much. That PSP one looks like it'll need to be played soon.
Oh lord, what have they done to Sonic games? Maybe this is how they always were, but woof. And of course, have to get the "real" ending, so have to keep redoing levels. Damn you Sega!
They made some real novel concepts here in bringing over the film concepts. Good addition, shame they didn't get to make another.
Illusion of Gaia's sorta predecessor. Mix that game with Actraiser and you get this game. It's pretty good, probably would've loved it as a kid, but I played this real late in life.
More whippin? yeah, sure, okay.
Again, not real good at the strategy games, but this one was different enough (and I was still reeling from my ZoE love) that I played all the way through this and enjoyed it greatly. I think some real time action should be added to every static genre like this or traditional RPGs. Just makes em so much more interesting to play.
This was real enjoyable. We need more Nintendo games that stretch out the few characters they have into crazy new genres like this more often.
Cute little game. 3D coloring book, music for each color. Seminal girlfriend game (in my experience anyways)
BURN! BURN! BURN TO THE GROUND! BURN!
Yea, awful. Broken ass final boss. I may even go so far as to say the worst Mega Man game of all.
A classic! I remember seeing a friend playing it and thinking it looked majestic, but didn't have any interest in "games with numbers" (RPGs, basically). A couple years later, this game took me in and I became engrossed hard. That mask dude was creepy. I still have to play Sei. Den. 3 and Secret of Evermore...
Played Red Joker. Again, hated the bosses. Some of the levels felt fresh though. Literally thought I was playing 2 for the first few hours though.
Felt a bit worse than X4, but still quality. Hueg Sigma pales in comparison to Kaiser Sigma in X3 or whenever that was. And that space shuttle garbage? Who thought that was an idea?!
Remember Diddy Kong Racing? It's that but just the flying. Still perfectly good though.
Another retrospective (PS2 in 2011?!). Somewhat contentious as I didn't get the fifth and last ending of the game. But I'll be /damned/ if I'm gonna find/discover/race toward/collect all 65 weapons in a Dynasty Warriors-like game. Decent balls-out crazy story though.
Thought this was good way back when, maybe it was the Green Jelly music. Looks pretty awful, doesn't play much better.
Didn't think they'd be able to make a Mega Man X game on the game boy. I was right.
A weird mix, but it's still good. Crazy future pogo-drill Mega Man was kinda nuts as an idea, but meh in execution.
Again, I see things you could've done to make this Halo but something new. Instead it's just Halo. And that's great, but...arg. I just hope Bungie progresses its ideas rather than just polishing.
My buddy got to Mecha (not Metal...Silver?) Sonic when we were young and he played for like 40 minutes with one ring, we went fucking nuts when he beat him. Then died at Robotnik and got so pissed. Years later I cruised through it, but man, great memories.
This game absolutely grew on me. Didn't see the flag races and all the other window dressing as a detraction from the new ideas that sprang from this game.
Ho lord. Lazy zombie Sigma is worst Sigma. Series sorta jumped the shark giving X the sabre. This and X5 had quality music still though.
This is one ugly ass game. It plays like alotta crap too, but I remember liking it, probably cuz of the fan service of including everyone ever.
My first foray into this franchise. I liked it! All the holds and counters get pretty intense, but it felt good. This confirms Virtua Fighter as being dead last of the big fighting games.
Oh, I beat this? Shows how much I'm fully apathetic to this series.
I'm glad it took me a while after Blur to play this game. It's very much the same racing/battle scratch, but in a different enough way to make me wanna 100% this bad boy too (which I did, goddamn detonator levels...). Very pleasing experience here.
Came back to it a year or two later remembering it as controlling poorly, and guess I just stopped at the wrong point. Actually a solid feelin game. Now I can see why Jeff likes it so much.
Sorta got back to basics, but still nothing super. Glad to at least seem the inch away from Sigma. Crossin my fingers for the X series to continue/reboot!
Think Yakuza with a Dam Jam-esque backdrop (less Carmen Electra though). I actually thought it was a pretty good take on PS2-generation brawlers. I remember you could do a kick-off-wall-punch that was pretty fly.
One of the best games on the PS2, hands down. The leveling systems, the traversal, the bonus levels. Arg, so perfect! And no one's played it!
More of the same, but that doesn't make it any worse. Less memorable I guess since I don't remember most of it. I just recall the cliffhanger ending.
You got lucky Activision. Just enough of this subtle decision-impact to make this game worth going through. Bet you can't pull this off again though!
A pretty big letdown compared to what I was heard. Grew on me a bit once I wanted to make weird contraptions, but still seemed pretty bland.
Took me six years to get to it, but I finally felt like I needed another full Zelda in my life. And I'm glad I did. for some reason the first few hours of this made me walk away from it for over a year, but I came back and really enjoyed it. Now I just gotta see how long it'll be until I wanna get to Skyward Sword.
Went on the easy path, finally beat the stupid thing.
A little improved over the first two, I think I may've even liked this one?
This game made me realize Joe Don Baker would make a great field officer. Felt huge, but a good kinda crazy.
Overstayed its welcome with me. Got super stumped at that part where you close the DS, but otherwise I mostly kept up. Maybe I just have a thing against supertext games. Great story, decent gameplay.
This game felt disappointingly less vertical when compared to the movie games, but don't let that make you think this an inferior game. Quite the contrary, this is quite a gem. Takes alotta what makes the Ultimate universe unique and uses it to its advantage. Feels loose, crazy, zany, everything Spider-man should be.
