This is the first list I ever did on Giant Bomb that wasn't done for Best of the Year voting. I've been updating periodically and then forgot about it until last week. Anyway I just wanted to share it and find out what the first games were my fellow Bombers beat and what they thought about them.

I know PC and Arcade aren't technically consoles but forget about it. It's Chinatown Jake.

	1. E.T. The Extra-TerrestrialMy mom owned one of those cool Atari 2600s with the wood paneling and thus it was my first foray into gaming. I had no idea at the time that it is considered one of the worst games of all time and partially to blame for the video game crash. To young me it was the story of a stretchy necked alien and his quest to fall down random pits to collect phone parts while avoiding The Man. Maybe I should have just lied and said Adventure was the the first game I beat.
	2. DuckTalesI was so bummed out by the HD Remaster but the NES version still holds up especially that Moon Base music.
	3. The Oregon TrailReal men always ford.
	4. The Simpsons Arcade GameMy dad used to sell industrial kitchen appliances to restaurants and factories. Anyway my dad took me to sales call at a pizzeria and the owner let my sister and I play with unlimited credits.
	5. Super Mario LandI don't think it was originally intended as a Mario game. What the hell was with the shooter stages, witches, and exploding koopa troopas? Also Nintendo needs to bring back the Can-Can music when Mario grabs an invincibility star.
	6. Sonic the HedgehogI loved Sonic ,up until 3D Blast, and my Genesis but I regret not asking for an SNES instead.
	8. Panzer DragoonI had a friend that stayed loyal to Sega until the bitter end. He also the only guy I know that owned every Sega console from the Master System to the Dreamcast. This includes the 32X, Sega Nomad, and he even had the Sega Channel. Anyway I managed to beat this game at a sleepover. I know it will never happen but I would love for Sega to release an HD collection of all the Dragoon games including Orta and Saga.
	9. Resident Evil: Director's CutThat opening live action cutscene as cheesy as it was, is still better than all the RE movies combined. This was also my first taste of survival horror and I've been hooked on the sub-genre since.
	10. GoldenEye 007My favorite Bond game based on one of my favorite Bond movies featuring one of my least favorite Bonds. Not that I thought Pierce Bronson was a shitty Bond he was just in some of the shittiest Bond films since the later Roger Moore films. My least favorite Bond is Woody Allen. Brownie points if you get the reference.
	11. Metal Gear SolidI kinda feel cheated for buying a Gameboy Color but damned if this isn't one of my favorite Metal Gear games.
	12. Devil May CryThis game and GTA 3 were the first two games I got for the PS2.
	13. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's IslandBought an SNES at a garage sale along with Tetris Attack, Final Fight, Super Mario World + All-Stars, Battletoads, and this game all for around $25.
	14. Buffy the Vampire SlayerSurprisingly a great game and it is backwards compatible on the 360. Highly recommend this to any Buffy fan. KOTOR would have been the first Xbox game I beat but it crashed near the end so Buffy won.
	15. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's RequiemThe Insanity Effects and the limb targeting melee combat were pretty cool for the time. What wasn't cool was having to beat the game three times to get the true ending. I've also abandoned all hope for a sequel.
	16. Mario & Luigi: Superstar SagaMy favorite series of the Super Mario spin-off games.
	17. Super Paper MarioMy least favorite Paper Mario game until Sticker Star for the 3DS.
	18. Castlevania: Dawn of SorrowThis would be my favorite of the DS Castlevanias but fuck having to draw an increasingly more difficult crest after beating a boss. God forbid you get it wrong because that restores like a quarter of the bosses health.
	19. The DarknessNever heard of the comic it is based off but I loved fucking around with The Darkness powers. Plus bonus points for having the dude from Faith No More voice the titular Darkness.
	20. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of DestructionNot the best entry in the Ratchet and Clank series but far from the worst because that would be Ratchet:Deadlocked. Also how cool does that PS4 Ratchet and Clank reboot look?
	7. Quest for the Shaven Yak starring Ren Hoëk & StimpyYes I once sadly thought that Sega does what Nintendon't which apparently is make mediocre games on a handheld that eats batteries like popcorn. That said this Ren and Stimpy game is actually okay but not as fun as the surprisingly great Genesis Ren and Stimpy game.
	21. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow WarsI have to say that this game was a surprisingly fun turned based strategy game if a bit too easy but it was clearly the best original launch title for the 3DS.
	22. Wolfenstein: The New OrderGraphically the game didn't seem like much of a step forward from what I've seen of the PS3 version but still looks pretty and the shooting feels satisfying. I am a sucker for alternate history and shooting Nazis.

The Beat 'Em Up genre was my favorite growing up but in retrospect it has aged rather poorly due to repetition and the death of arcades. Though I wouldn't say the beat 'em up is completely dead because it is clear character action games like Devil May Cry, God of War, and Bayonetta have their roots in the genre.

Since this is only a top ten list I had to narrow it down to my all-time favorites. Here is a few honorable mentions: Final Fight, Double Dragon 1,2 and Neon, The Simpsons, Scott Pilgrim, Spider-Man arcade, and X-Men.

Favorite Beat 'Em Ups

	1. Alien vs. PredatorHands down my favorite of the genre. You have four distinct characters with different stats, you have useful weapons ranging from laser guns to spears, tons of enemies on screen, and special moves you access via Street Fighter commands. Unfortunately there was never a home port so unless your arcade had it or you're into the MAME scene you probably never played it.
	2. Castle CrashersOne of the most popular Xbox Arcade releases of all times and for good reason. It combines Action/RPG mechanics to the brawler formula and it is a fun party game with co-op.
	4. Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of DoomI'm combining this with its sequel Shadow of Mystara. A fun take on the genre using basics of the Dungeon and Dragon rules like Clerics can't use bladed weapons and trolls being weak to fire. You also have multiple paths and an inventory.
	3. The WarriorsThis is Rockstar's foray into trying to reinvent the Beat 'em Up genre for the 21st century and they did a damn fine job. Can you dig it?
	5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in TimeOne of the rare instances where the home port is better than the arcade port. You got additional levels and unlike the arcade version the game doesn't kill you for living too long. Only downside is no 4-Player Co-Op.
	6. Streets of Rage 3While I love Streets of Rage 2, I think 3 is the better game. I think its lack of popularity is due to being released late in the Genesis life cycle, you needed the 6 button controller, and they didn't include Max from Streets of Rage 2.
	7. River City RansomBarf!
	8. The PunisherI might be a bit biased because I am a big Punisher fan. This is pretty much your standard Capcom brawler but each stage features a section that features sidescrolling gunplay to break things up. Word to the wise the Sega port is dog shit.
	9. Die Hard ArcadeThis game is ugly as sin, the controls are kinda janky, and I'm pretty sure it is a retextured version of a Dynamite Cop game. All that aside it is just dumb fun and when I worked at K-Mart I would spend my lunch break pumping quarters into that damn machine.
	10. Cadillacs and DinosaursThis is a beat'em I recently discovered. I like the gimmick where the dinosaurs will attack both the players and enemies alike. Plus it lives up to the title and delivers on said dinosaurs and Cadillacs.

I've been messing around with list lately because there is something strangely fun about making them. So I made a list featuring my favorite PS1 games and now I am feeling a bit nostalgic for Sony's first console. I still have most of my old games and accessories but lack a working PS1 or PS2. I am really considering buying one of those cute little PSones that were released towards the end of its life cycle. Anyway here is my list of favorite PS1 games. Tell me what you think. Am I missing one of your favorites or do I have horrible taste in games?

My Top Twenty Favorite PS1 games in no particular order

	1. Resident Evil 2While I like 1 and 3, this is the pinnacle of the pre RE4 games. The ability to start as either Leon or Claire then play a second run through as the character you didn't choose and getting different bosses, puzzles, and weapons was pretty cool.
	2. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2You could make the argument that some of the later sequels were better but for me this was the peak Tony Hawk.
	3. Herc's AdventuresA forgotten classic that more people need to play. Part Legend of Zelda and part Zombies Ate My Neighbors with a liberal dose of Lucas Arts humor. Did I mention it was co-op as well? Do yourself a favor and find this game.
	4. Street Fighter Alpha 3This is still my favorite Street Fighter and I'm sad that it has pretty much faded from the spotlight.
	5. Metal Gear SolidWhat can I say? It is freakin' Metal Gear!
	6. Castlevania: Symphony of the NightI hear you like Castlevania.
	7. Tekken 3I was a beast with Ling Xiaoyu and Bryan Fury.
	8. Twisted Metal 2The pinnacle of PS1 car combat games. Honorable mentions to Vigilante 8 and Rogue Trip.
	9. Tomba!A great blend of platforming and RPG elements. I am ashamed that I never played the sequel.
	10. Ape EscapeYou could argue that this game was nothing more than a glorified tech demo for the original Dual Shock controller but I found it fun as hell.
	11. Final Fantasy IXOf the 3 PS1 Final Fantasies this one has aged the best. 7 looks awful, 8 tries something new with the game mechanics and fails, but 9 feels like a classic Final Fantasy experience.
	12. WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your RoleNot as good as the N64 wrestling games but miles ahead of other PS1 wrestling games.
	13. Crash Bandicoot: WarpedMy favorite of the Crash Bandicoot series.
	14. Syphon FilterThe taser from Syphon Filter is my favorite video game weapon. Something satisfying with electrocuting a guy until he burst into flame.
	15. Jumping Flash!I think this is the oldest game on my list. It is also features the best first person platforming.
	16. Final Fantasy TacticsI bet this was a lot of peoples first foray into strategy RPGs.
	17. Bushido Blade 2Fuck guns and throwing weapons.
	18. Parasite EveA cool mix of Survival Horror and JRPG mechanics. I love that combat uses weapon range and real time dodging.
	19. Spider-ManThe first really good Spider-Man game.
	20. Vagrant StoryA late era Square RPG that uses a more melee based version of the Parasite Eve combat and has some lite Rogue-like elements.

I can't believe the cabal of game reviewers has tricked you sheeple into believing INSERT POPULAR GAME HERE is fun. There are so many faults in INSERT POPULAR GAME HERE that those jerks who review games were clearly bribed to overlook by INSERT GAME PUBLISHER HERE. I am failing to wrap my mind around how you mindless drones would rather play INSERT POPULAR GAME HERE instead of INSERT SOME OBSCURE GLITCH FILLED INDIE PC GAME MADE SOMEWHERE IN EASTERN EUROPE IN A COUNTRY THAT WAS FORMERLY PART OF THE SOVIET BLOC. You people make me sick!

It's like getting a scratched cornea while on your way to buy a 3DS.  Thankfully I am not a cyclops because having to explain I lost an eye due to a flower petal takes all the bad ass out of wearing an eye patch.  Oh and if any of you get a 3DS get Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, it is awesome.