Nexus

Joint 22nd: Super Mario World SNES, GameBoy Advance, Virtual Console Total Points: 30 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 4 (Papu, TheCowboyPoet, Yantelope, Gyaruson) Super Mario World, also formerly known by the subtitle Super Mario Bros. 4 in Japan, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and is the fourth game in the Super Mario series. Development was handled by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, led by Shigeru Miyamoto, who directed the game along with Takashi Tezuka. The game centers on the quest of Mario and Luigi to save the Dinosaur Land from Bowser, the series' antagonist. The two brothers must travel across seven worlds to restore order to Dinosaur Land. It built on the gameplay of previous Mario games by introducing new power-ups that augment character abilities, and established conventions that were carried over to future games in the series. The game was a critical and commercial success, gaining a legacy and selling over 20 million copies worldwide. It has been re-released three times, first as part of a combo with Super Mario All-Stars on the SNES in 1994. Secondly, it was released on the Game Boy Advance with modified gameplay, as the second part of the Super Mario Advance series. The third re-release was for the Wii's Virtual Console in North America in 2007; there were few changes from the original SNES version. Portal 2 PC, Mac, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Total Points: 30 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (p4warrior, Johny, Aki) Portal 2 is a first-person puzzle-platform video game developed by Valve Corporation. It is the sequel to the 2007 video game Portal and was announced on March 5, 2010, following a week-long alternate reality game based on new patches to the original game. Though initially slated for release in the last quarter of 2010, the game was postponed to the week of April 18, 2011. The game was released by Valve through Steam for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, while the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and retail Windows/OS X versions of the game are distributed by Electronic Arts. The game's release on Steam was preceded by a second multi-week alternate reality game, the Potato Sack, involving 13 independently-developed titles, culminating in a distributed computing spoof to release Portal 2 several hours early. Portal 2 comprises a series of puzzles that must be solved by teleporting the player's character and simple objects using the "portal gun", a device that can create inter-spatial portals between two planes. The game's unique physics allow momentum to be retained through portals, requiring creative use of portals to maneuver through the test chambers. Other gameplay elements were added to Portal 2, including tractor beams, laser redirection, and special paint-like gels that impart special properties to objects they touch. Similar to how the student team of Narbacular Drop were brought into Valve to expand their game to the basis of Portal, the team from Independent Games Festival-winning DigiPen student project Tag: The Power of Paint was hired by Valve to incorporate their game's paint mechanic into these new gels. Within the single player campaign, the player returns as the human Chell, having awakened from stasis after several hundred years. Chell must navigate the dilapidated Aperture Science Enrichment Center and its test chambers with the portal gun while the facility is rebuilt by the reactivated GLaDOS, a rampant artificially intelligent computer. With a larger story, Valve introduced additional characters, including Wheatley, a robotic personality sphere voiced by Stephen Merchant, and recordings of Aperture Science CEO Cave Johnson, voiced by J.K. Simmons. Ellen McLain returns to voice GLaDOS. Additional music from Jonathan Coulton and The National appear in the game. Portal 2 also includes a two-player co-operative mode in which the player-characters, the robots Atlas and P-body, must work together to complete each test chamber using their own individual portal guns. Though many reviewers were concerned about the difficulty of expanding Portal into a full sequel, critics universally praised Portal 2. The game's writing, pacing, and comedy were highlighted as stand-out elements, with critics applauding the voice work of McLain, Merchant, and Simmons. Reviews also highlighted the new gameplay elements, the game's challenging but surmountable learning curve, and the addition of the co-operative mode.

Joint 24th: Final Fantasy XII PlayStation 2 Total Points: 29 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (Deanb, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Aki) Final Fantasy 12 is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series. The game introduced several innovations to the series: battles occur without a transition to a separate screen; a customizable "gambit" system automatically controls the actions of characters; and a "license" system determines which abilities and equipment are used by characters. Final Fantasy XII also includes elements from previous games in the series such as summoned monsters, Chocobos, and Moogles. The game takes place in the fictional land of Ivalice, where the empires of Archadia and Rozarria are waging an endless war. Dalmasca, a small kingdom, is caught between the warring nations. When Dalmasca is annexed by Archadia, its princess, Ashe, creates a resistance movement. During the struggle, she meets Vaan, a young adventurer who dreams of commanding an airship. They are quickly joined by a band of allies; together, they rally against the tyranny of the Archadian Empire. Nexus says: "I didn't really like FF12. It was pretty though. I couldn't get on with the battle system." Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty PC/Mac Total Points: 29 Number of number 1 votes: 1 (Johnny) Number of votes: 3 (Johnny, mergedwarrior, Aki) StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and released by Blizzard Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. A sequel to the award-winning 1998 video game StarCraft, the game was released worldwide on July 27, 2010. It is split into three installments: the base game with the subtitle Wings of Liberty, and two upcoming expansion packs, Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void. Set in the 26th century in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy, the game revolves around three species: the Terrans, human exiles from Earth; the Zerg, a super-species of assimilated life forms; and the Protoss, a species with vast mental powers. Wings of Liberty focuses on the Terrans, while the expansions Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void will focus on the Zerg and Protoss, respectively. The game is set four years after the events of 1998's StarCraft: Brood War, and follows the exploits of Jim Raynor as he leads an insurgent group against the autocratic Terran Dominion. The game includes both new and returning characters and locations from the original game. Mass Effect 2 PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Total Points: 29 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (Vargras, Chewblaha, TheCowboyPoet) Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. The game is a sequel to Mass Effect, and the second game of the series. The game was released on PC and Xbox 360 in January 2010, and on PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011. After the events of the original game, Commander Shepard is killed in an ambush by a mysterious alien species called the Collectors. Shepard is revived two years after the attack by a pro-human extremist organization called Cerberus, and is tasked with finding out more about the Collectors and why they are abducting entire human colonies. Shepard must recruit and gain the loyalty of a diverse team in order to accomplish what seems to be a suicide mission. Many elements and locations from Mass Effect return, in addition to ones new to the series. Super Mario 64 Nintendon 64, iQue Player, Virtual Player Total Points: 29 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (TheMightyEthan, Vargras, Gyaruson) Super Mario 64 is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over eleven million copies. An enhanced remake called Super Mario 64 DS was released for the Nintendo DS in 2004. As one of the first three dimensional (3D) platform games, Super Mario 64 features free-roaming analog degrees of freedom, large open-ended areas, and true 3D polygons as opposed to two-dimensional (2D) sprites. It established a new archetype for the genre, much as Super Mario Bros. did for 2D sidescrolling platformers. Hailed as "revolutionary", the game left a lasting impression on 3D game design, particularly notable for its use of a dynamic camera system and the implementation of its analog control. In going from two to three dimensions, Super Mario 64 placed an emphasis on exploration within vast worlds that require the player to complete multiple diverse missions, replacing the linear obstacle courses of traditional platform games. While doing so, it managed to preserve many gameplay elements and characters of earlier Mario games. The title is acclaimed by many critics and fans as one of the greatest and most revolutionary video games of all time. Halo: Combat Evolved Xbox, PC, Mac, Xbox 360 Total Points: 29 Number of number 1 votes: 1 (TheMightyEthan) Number of votes: 4 (TheMightyEthan, Chrno XIII, mergedwarrior, kenshi_ryden) Halo: Combat Evolved is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The first game of the Halo franchise, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is considered the platform's "killer app". With more than five million copies sold worldwide as of November 9, 2005, Microsoft released versions of the game for Microsoft Windows (ported by Gearbox Software) and Mac OS X in 2003, and the surrounding storyline was adapted and elaborated into a series of novels and comic books. The game was later released as an Xbox Original for download onto an Xbox 360 HDD. Halo is set in the twenty-sixth century, with the player assuming the role of the Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier. The player is accompanied by Cortana, an artificial intelligence who occupies the Master Chief's neural interface. Players battle various aliens on foot and in vehicles as they attempt to uncover the secrets of the eponymous Halo, a ring-shaped artificial planet. The game has been called "easy to learn", and has been praised for its "engaging story." Nexus says: "Lots of fun, I enjoyed Halo."

Joint 29th: Halo 3 Xbox 360 Total Points: 28 Number of number 1 votes: 1 (Hot Heart) Number of votes: 2 (Hot Heart, Yantelope) Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The game is the third title in the Halo franchise and concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2. The game was released on September 25, 2007 in Australia, Brazil, India, New Zealand, North America, and Singapore; September 26, 2007 in Europe; and September 27, 2007 in Japan. Halo 3's story centers on the interstellar war between 26th century humanity and a collection of alien races known as the Covenant. The player assumes the role of the Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced supersoldier, as he battles the Covenant. The game features vehicles, weapons, and gameplay not present in previous titles of the series, as well as the addition of saved gameplay films, file sharing, and the Forge map editor—a utility which allows the player to perform modifications to multiplayer levels. Bungie began developing Halo 3 shortly after Halo 2 shipped. The game was officially announced at E3 2006. Nexus says: "Hooray for Halo. Always fun on multiplayer, I particularly like zombie mode and running around with a grav-hammer." Metal Gear Solid PlayStation, PC, PSN Total Points: 28 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (MetalCaveman, Yantelope, kenshi_ryden) Metal Gear Solid is a video game by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojima's early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. The game featured cinematic cutscenes rendered using the in-game engine and graphics, as well as voice acting in numerous codec sequences. Metal Gear Solid follows Solid Snake, a soldier who infiltrates a nuclear weapons facility to neutralize the terrorist threat from FOXHOUND, a renegade special forces unit. Snake must liberate two hostages, the head of DARPA and the president of a major arms manufacturer, confront the terrorists, and stop them from launching a nuclear strike.

Fantastic. My new favourite episode.

Joint 32nd: Persona 3 PlayStation 2 Total Points: 25 Number of number 1 votes: 1 (Nexus) Number of votes: 2 (Nexus, Aki) Persona 3 is the fourth video game in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series of console role-playing games developed by Atlus, which is part of the larger Megami Tensei series of video games. Persona 3 was originally published in 2006 on the PlayStation 2 by Atlus in Japan; the North American release of the game was delayed due to issues with the publication of the official art book. An add-on disc entitled Persona 3 FES, containing a "director's cut" of the original game, as well as a new epilogue, was released alongside Persona 3 in Japan in 2007, and in 2008 in other territories. A PlayStation Portable version of Persona 3, titled Persona 3 Portable was released in Japan on November 1, 2009, and in North America on July 6, 2010. The remake adds the ability to play as a female protagonist, new story elements and music, and a new interface designed for the PSP. In Persona 3, the player takes the role of a male high-school student who joins the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), a group of students investigating the Dark Hour, a time period between one day and the next that few people are aware of. During the Dark Hour, the player enters Tartarus, a large tower containing Shadows, creatures that feed on the minds of humans. To fight the Shadows, each member of SEES is able to summon a Persona, a manifestation of a person's inner self. The game's most iconic feature is the method by which the members of SEES release their Personas: by firing a gun-like object called an Evoker at their head. In addition to the standard elements of role-playing games, Persona 3 includes elements of simulation games, as the game's protagonist progresses day by day through a school year, making friends and forming relationships that improve the strength of his Personas in battle. The North American release of Persona 3 includes the aforementioned art book, along with a selection of music from the official soundtrack Nexus says: "My favourite ever game. I only played it a couple of years ago, but it immediately jumped to the top of my list. The turn based battles are fun, although there is a minor annoyance with only controlling the protagonist. Even so, I fucking love the game. The characters are all likeable-I prefer the colourful Silent Protagonist over the grey-scale one in Persona 4. The supporting cast is good, the story is pretty good for a fantasy thing. Finally, the soundtrack is absolutely fantastic, so all in all it's an excellent game. If you don't agree, suck it." Final Fantasy 7 PlayStation, PC, PSN Total Points: 25 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (Yantelope, Hot Heart, jayc4life) Final Fantasy 7 is a role-playing video game developed by Square (now Square Enix) and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation. It was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009 on the PlayStation Network. The game is the first in the series to use 3D computer graphics, featuring fully rendered characters on pre-rendered backgrounds, and was the first game in the main series to be released in Europe. Development of Final Fantasy VII began in 1994 and the game was originally intended for release on the SNES, but it was later moved to the Nintendo 64. However, since the Nintendo 64's cartridges lacked the required storage capacity, Square decided to release the game for the PlayStation instead. The music was scored by Final Fantasy veteran Nobuo Uematsu, while the series's long-time character designer, Yoshitaka Amano, was replaced by Tetsuya Nomura. Set in a dystopian world, Final Fantasy VII's story centers on mercenary Cloud Strife who joins with several others to stop the megacorporation Shinra, which is draining the life of the planet to use as an energy source. As the story progresses, the situation escalates until Cloud and his allies face Sephiroth, the game's main antagonist. Nexus says: "Nope. I have an irrational hatred of FF7. I have no idea why, but I just don't get on with the game at all. Oh well." StarCraft PC, Mac, Nintendo 64 Total Points: 25 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (TheMightyEthan, ChrnoXIII) StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling games for the personal computer.A Mac OS version was released in March 1999, and a Nintendo 64 adaptation co-developed with Mass Media Interactive Entertainment was released on 13 June 2000. StarCraft has had its storyline adapted and expanded through a series of novels, the expansion pack StarCraft: Brood War and two authorized add-ons. The game's sequel, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, was released in July 2010. Set in the 26th century, the game revolves around three species fighting for dominance in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy known as the Koprulu Sector: the Terrans, humans exiled from Earth skilled at adapting to any situation; the Zerg, a race of insectoid aliens in pursuit of genetic perfection, obsessed with assimilating other races; and the Protoss, a humanoid species with advanced technology and psionic abilities, attempting to preserve their civilization and strict philosophical way of living from the Zerg. The game has been praised for pioneering the use of unique factions in real-time strategy gameplay and for a compelling story. Nexus says: "I haven't played this too much. I need to find a copy so as I can play it more. It was fun when I did play it though." CounterStrike PC Total Points: 25 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (p4warrior, Saturnine Tenshi, ChrnoXIII) CounterStrike is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Valve Corporation which originated from a Half-Life modification by Minh "Gooseman" Le and Jess "Cliffe" Cliffe. The game has been expanded into a series since its original release, which currently includes Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Counter-Strike: Source, Counter-Strike: Anthology and Counter-Strike on Xbox. Counter-Strike pits a team of counter-terrorists against a team of terrorists in a series of rounds. Each round is won by either completing the mission objective or eliminating the opposing force. Nexus says: "I used to play this a lot in an internet cafe. I was shit at it. I always remember the shouts coming across the internet cafe saying "Stop using the AWP!" It is a lot of fun." 31st: Final Fantasy IV SNES, PlayStation, Wonderswan Colour, GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS, Virtual Console, FOMA903i/703i, PlayStation Portable Total Points: 26 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (TheCowboyPoet, Nexus) Final Fantasy IV is a roleplaying game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1991 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game was originally released for the Super Famicom in Japan, and has been ported by Tose to the Sony PlayStation, Bandai's WonderSwan Color, Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and Sony's Playstation Portable (with Final Fantasy IV: The After Years) with increasing changes. An enhanced remake with 3D graphics was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007 and 2008. The game was re-titled Final Fantasy II during its initial release outside of Japan as the original Final Fantasy II and III had not been released outside of Japan at the time. However, later localizations used the original title. The game's story follows Cecil, a dark knight, as he tries to prevent the sorcerer Golbez from seizing powerful crystals and destroying the world. He is joined on this quest by a frequently changing group of allies, several of whom die, become injured, or become affected by an unfortunate occurrence. Final Fantasy IV introduced innovations that became staples of the Final Fantasy series and role-playing games in general. Its "Active Time Battle" system was used in five subsequent Final Fantasy games, and unlike prior games in the series gave each character their own unchangeable character class. With its character-driven plot, use of new technologies and critically acclaimed score by Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy IV is regarded as a landmark of the series and of the role-playing genre. It is considered to be one of the first role-playing games to feature a complex, involving plot, and is thought to have pioneered the idea of dramatic storytelling in an RPG. The various incarnations of the game have sold more than four million copies worldwide. A sequel to the game, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, was released for Japanese mobile phones in 2008, and worldwide via the Wii Shop Channel on June 1, 2009. Nexus says: "I am a massive fan of FF4, despite never having completed it. I like Cecil, I like Kain, and I like most of the supporting cast. The antagonist is a bit meh, but generally the plot, soundtrack and such rescues it. " I realise that you guys might've voted for the different CS's but it was hard to tell so on that occasion I lumped them all in together.

Joint 36th: Final Fantasy 8 Playstation, PC, PSN Total Points: 24 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (jayc4life, Nexus) Final Fantasy 8 is a role-playing video game released for the PlayStation in 1999 and for Windows-based personal computers in 2000. It was developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) as the Final Fantasy series' eighth title, removing magic point-based spell-casting and the first title to consistently use realistically proportioned characters. The game's story focuses on a group of young mercenaries who are drawn into an international conflict, and seek to protect the world from a sorceress manipulating the war for her own purposes. The main protagonist is Squall Leonhart, a 17-year-old loner and student at the military academy Balamb Garden, who is training to become a "SeeD", a mercenary paid by the academy. The development of Final Fantasy VIII began in 1997, during the English localization process of Final Fantasy VII. The music was scored by Nobuo Uematsu, series regular, and in a series first, the theme music is a vocal piece, "Eyes on Me", performed by Faye Wong. The game was positively received by critics and was a commercial success. It was voted the 22nd-best game of all time by readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu. Thirteen weeks after its release, Final Fantasy VIII had earned more than US$50 million in sales, making it the fastest-selling Final Fantasy title of all time until Final Fantasy XIII, a multi-platform release. The game has shipped 8.15 million copies worldwide as of March 31, 2003 Nexus says: "Obviously I voted for FF8, because I have fond memories of playing the game. The difficulty curve was ridiculous, the story jumbled, and the protagonist quite unlikeable, but I don't give a fuck, I like the damn game, so help me." Minecraft PC Total Points: 24 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (VicariousShaner, ChrnoXIII, Deanb) Minecraft is a sandbox building indie video game written in Java originally by creator Markus "Notch" Persson and now by his company, Mojang, formed from the proceeds of the game. It was released on May 17, 2009, with a Beta on December 20, 2010. Official releases for iOS and Android are currently in development to be released later in 2011 along with a full version of the game. The game is focused on creativity and building, allowing players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D world. The game has two variants – free Classic and paid Beta – where Classic is focused entirely on construction with unlimited material supply, while Beta requires players to acquire resources themselves, and contains mobs, player health, and additional features and items. The gameplay is heavily inspired by Infiniminer by Zachtronics Industries, Dwarf Fortress by Bay 12 Games and Dungeon Keeper by Bullfrog Productions.

^Nice to see you read the opening post of the thread.

38th: Pokemon Gold/Silver Gameboy/Gameboy Colour Total Points: 23 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 4 (Hot Heart, Deanb, jayc4life, Nexus) It's Pokemon.... Nexus says: "I never actually owned my own copy of Pokemon Silver. It was my brothers. I just liberated it from his possession when he was playing Gold. Everyone knows Silver was better. My favourite Pokemon game. It's a shame SoulSilver turned out to be such a disappointment." Edit: I've put in all the points values so far. Also, if anyone didn't know, the points system is thus: if you ranked a game at 1, it gets 15 points, 2, 14, 3, 13 etc. So, if someone ranked Call of Duty 4 at number 1 and number 13, CoD 4 would get 18 points. Thankfully it didn't. It's a broken way of doing it, but eh, it works fairly well when you get to the top 20.

Joint 39th: Fallout 2 PC/Mac Total Points: 21 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (Cyber Rat, mergedwarrior) Fallout 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay in 1998. The game's story takes place in 2241, 80 years after the events of Fallout. It tells the story of the original hero's descendant and his or her quest to save their primitive tribe from starvation by finding an ancient environmental restoration machine known as the Garden of Eden Creation Kit (GECK) Kingdom Hearts PlayStation 2 Total Points: 21 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (VicariousShaner, ChrnoXIII) Kingdom Hearts is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney animated features with those from Square's Final Fantasy series. The story follows a young boy, Sora, as he is thrown into an epic battle against the forces of darkness. He is joined by Donald Duck, Goofy, and other classic Disney characters who help him on his quest. The game was a departure from Square's standard role-playing games, introducing a substantial action-adventure element to the gameplay. Kingdom Hearts has an all-star voice cast and includes many of the Disney characters' official voice actors. It was longtime Square character designer Tetsuya Nomura's first time in a directorial position. Kingdom Hearts was praised for its unusual combination of action and role-playing, as well as its unexpectedly harmonious mix of Square and Disney elements. It was a dominating presence in the 2002 holiday season, receiving numerous year-end "Best" video game awards, and went on to achieve Sony "Greatest Hits" status. Since its release, Kingdom Hearts has sold over 5.6 million copies worldwide and has prompted numerous sequels Nexus says: "I have played this, but I can't say I'm a fan. The references to Squenix games and Disney were good, but I didn't enjoy the battle system."

Joint 41st: Fallout 3 PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Total Points: 20 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (TheCowboyPoet, Gyaruson, topeka!) Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game released by Bethesda Game Studios, and is the third major installment in the Fallout series. The game was released in North America on October 28, 2008, in Europe and Australia on October 30, 2008, in the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 31, 2008, and in Japan on December 4, 2008 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Fallout 3 takes place in the year 2277, 36 years after the setting of Fallout 2 and 200 years after the nuclear apocalypse that devastated the game's world in a future where international conflicts culminated in a Sino-American war in the second half of the 21st century. The player character is an inhabitant of Vault 101, a survival shelter designed to protect up to 1000 humans from the nuclear fallout. When the player character's father disappears under mysterious circumstances, the player is forced to escape from the Vault and journey into the ruins of Washington D.C. to track him down. Along the way the player is assisted by a number of human survivors and must battle myriad enemies that inhabit the area now known as the "Capital Wasteland". The game has an attribute and combat system typical of an action strategy game but also incorporates elements of survival horror games. Following its release, Fallout 3 has received very positive responses from critics and a number of Game of the Year awards, praising in particular the game's open-ended gameplay and flexible character-leveling system. The NPD Group estimated that Fallout 3 sold over 610,000 units during its initial month of release in October 2008, performing better than Bethesda Softworks' previous game, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which sold nearly 500,000 units in its first month. The game has also received post-launch support with Bethesda releasing five downloadable add-ons for the game. Nexus says: "I am a fan of Fallout 3. I haven't finished it yet, and I get frustrated with it easily, which is why it isn't in my top 15. Plus, I prefer New Vegas. It is a lot of fun, though. Except for when you randomly get blown up by invisible enemies. Fucking invisible enemies." Super Mario Bros. 3 NES, Playchoice-10, SNES, GBA, Virtual Console Total Points: 20 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (TheCowboyPoet, topeka!) Super Mario Bros. 3 is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and is the third game in the Super Mario series. The game was released in Japan in 1988, in the United States in 1990, and in Europe in 1991. Development was handled by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, led by Shigeru Miyamoto, who directed the game along with Takashi Tezuka. The game centers on the quest of Mario and Luigi to save the rulers of seven kingdoms from Bowser, the series' antagonist. The two brothers must travel across eight worlds to restore order to the Mushroom World. It built on the game play of previous Mario games by introducing new power-ups that augment character abilities, and established conventions that were carried over to future games in the series. Prior to its private consumer North American release, game play footage from Super Mario Bros. 3 appeared in the Universal Studios film The Wizard, which helped fuel the game's anticipation among fans. Upon its release, the game was commercially successful and has since become one of the best-selling video games in the industry. Super Mario Bros. 3 was well received by critics and has been included in numerous lists of top 100 video games. The success of the game resulted in an animated television show based on its elements, and in the game's re-release on later Nintendo consoles. Nexus says: "I remember playing this as a littl'un, and it is my favourite of the Mario games. I like the Super Leaf power up, it's a lot of fun." Feel free to rant as much as you like. It's nice to have discussions.

Joint 43rd: Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos/Warcraft 3: Frozen Throne PC, Mac Total Points: 19 Number of number 1 votes: 1 (Chewblaha) Number of votes: 2 (Chewblaha, mergedwarrior) Warcraft 3 is a Real Time Strategy game released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2002. The Frozen Throne expansion was released in 2003. I've put the two together because I can. You can play as Orcs, Humans, Undead or Night Elves, and the objective is generally to destroy all other enemy units on the field. There is a campaign mode, but mainly people playing online versus other human players, or bots. Nexus says: "Warcraft 3 narrowly missed out on my Top 15 list. I used to play it a lot in an internet cafe. I was rubbish, but I enjoy RTS games. The heroes were a lot of fun, and you could sink hours into the game." God Hand PlayStation 2 Total Points: 19 Number of number 1 votes: 1 (Cyber Rat) Number of votes: 2 (Cyber Rat, Vargras) God Hand is a video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 (PS2) video game console. God Hand was released in 2006 in Japan and North America and in 2007 in PAL territories. Capcom announced just days after the game's North American ship date that it would dissolve Clover Studio, making God Hand the developer's final game released. God Hand puts players in the role of Gene, a martial artist who is bestowed with one of the legendary "God Hands", a pair of divine arms that were once used to save the world from a demon called Angra. Gene and his companion Olivia are eventually caught up in an attempt by a group of demons known as the Four Devas to resurrect Angra for purposes of world domination. The game mixes western and Japanese-themed comedy, containing over-the-top characters and storyline events. The gameplay combines traditional elements of the beat 'em up genre with new features. These include being able to map and string together a large repertoire of fighting techniques to the gamepad's face buttons in order to create unique combo attacks. God Hand was directed by celebrated Resident Evil designer Shinji Mikami, whose desire was to create an action game aimed at "hardcore gamers" intermixed with a large amount of comic relief. The game received an overall lightly positive response from critics. God Hand sold only modestly upon its release in Japan. Super Smash Bros. Brawl Wii Total Points: 19 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (Papu, Frosted Mini-Wheats) Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. Brawl was announced at a pre-E3 2005 press conference by Nintendo president and Chief Executive Officer Satoru Iwata. Masahiro Sakurai, director of the previous two games in the series, assumed the role of director for the third installment at the request of Iwata. Game development began in October 2005 with a creative team that included members from several Nintendo and third party development teams. After delays due to development problems, the game was finally released on January 31, 2008 in Japan, March 9, 2008 in North America,June 26, 2008 in Australia and June 27, 2008 in Europe. Twenty-seven months after its original Japanese release, the game was released in Korea, on April 29, 2010. The number of playable characters that players can control in Brawl has grown from that in Super Smash Bros. Melee; Brawl is the first game in the series to expand past Nintendo characters and allow players to control third-party characters. Like its predecessors, the object of Brawl is to knock an opponent off the screen. It is a departure from traditional fighting games, notably in its simplified move commands and emphasis on ring outs over knockouts. It includes a more extensive single-player mode than its predecessors, known as The Subspace Emissary (SSE). This mode is a plot-driven, side-scrolling beat 'em up featuring computer-generated cut scenes and playable characters from the game. Brawl also supports multiplayer battles with up to four combatants, and is the first game of its franchise to feature online battles via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game can also be uniquely played on four controllers, which include the Classic Controller, GameCube Controller, Wii Remote and Nunchuk and Wii Remote, simultaneously. Nexus says: "I enjoy playing Brawl with my mates. The new characters aren't that good, in my opinion, but it's a lot of fun. Plus, I was the best out of my mates on it, so I like it " The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker GameCube Total Points: 19 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (Papu, TheCowboyPoet, Saturnine Tenshi) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on May 7, 2003. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for the Nintendo DS is the direct sequel to The Wind Waker. The game is set on a group of islands in a vast sea—a first for the series. The player controls Link, the protagonist of the Zelda series. He struggles against his nemesis, Ganondorf, for control of a sacred relic known as the Triforce. Link spends a large portion of the game sailing, traveling between islands, and traversing through dungeons and temples to gain the power necessary to defeat Ganondorf. He also spends time trying to find his little sister. The Wind Waker follows in the footsteps of Ocarina of Time and its sequel Majora's Mask, retaining the basic gameplay and control system from the two Nintendo 64 titles. A heavy emphasis is placed on using and controlling wind with a baton called the Wind Waker, which aids sailing and floating in air. I plan on getting it finished by next Thursday. I was at work yesterday and didn't feel like updating too much. There should be at least another update today, possibly two.

47th: Jak 2 PlayStation 2 Total Points: 18 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (VicariousShane, Frosted Mini-Wheats) Jak II, subtitled Jak II: Renegade in Europe, is a science fiction platform game developed by Naughty Dog. Released for the PlayStation 2 game console on October 14, 2003, the game is the sequel to Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy and the second game in the Jak and Daxter series. It was followed by Jak 3 a year later. The game features new weapons and devices, new playable areas, and a storyline that picks up after the events of The Precursor Legacy. The game's plot is much darker than its predecessor's, set in Haven City, a dystopia ruled under the questionable fist of Baron Praxis, who is engaged in a war against a techno-organic group of organisms known as the "Metal Heads". As in the previous game, the player takes on the dual role of recurring protagonists Jak and Daxter. There are also a new array of characters such as Torn, Erol, Krew, Kor, Ashelin, and Sig, as well as some returning ones, such as Samos and Keira. Jak II is both a sequel and prequel to the first game.

48th: Ico PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 Total Points: 17 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 3 (Papu, Frosted Mini-Wheats, kenshi_ryden) Ico is a 2001 action-adventure video game published by Sony Computer Entertainment and released for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was designed and directed by Fumito Ueda, who wanted to create a minimalist game around a "boy meets girl" concept. Originally planned for the PlayStation, Ico took approximately four years to develop by Team Ico. The team employed a "subtracting design" approach to reduce elements of gameplay that interfered with the game's setting and story in order to create a high level of immersion. The titular protagonist is a young boy born with horns whom his village considers a bad omen. Warriors lock the boy, named Ico, away in an abandoned fortress. During his explorations of the fortress, Ico encounters Yorda, the daughter of the castle's Queen. The Queen plans to use Yorda's body to extend her own lifespan. Learning this, Ico seeks to escape the castle with Yorda, keeping her safe from the shadow-like creatures that attempt to draw her back. Throughout the game, the player controls Ico as he explores the castle, solves puzzles and assists the less-agile Yorda across obstacles. Nexus says: "I haven't finished Ico yet. If I had, it probably would've been on my Top 15 list. It's a pretty game, with quite a basic plot, but it's heart-warming and generally an awesome game. So simple, yet so bautiful."

Good afternoon and welcome to TAY's Top 53 Video Games. After weeks of furious voting, I have collated the rankings, and have ranked the top 53 games by points earned. We had 220 games nominated, and amongst those that have missed out on a place in the Top 53 we have: Final Fantasy 10, all of the Grand Theft Auto games, Mario Kart 64, Resident Evil 4, Pokemon Red/Blue and Uncharted 2. So, without further ado, let's begin with the five games in joint 49th position: Joint 49th: Simcity 3000 PC, Mac Total Points: 16 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (jayc4life, topeka!) SimCity 3000 is a game developed by Maxis and published by EA Games. It was released in 1999. The whole point is you are the mayor of a city, and you have to build from the ground up, trying to keep your citizens happy as well as the books balanced. Nexus says: "I remember playing SimCity 3000 when I was younger, but I wasn't very good at it. There is something morbidly satisfying about building a city up, though, before sending some form of natural disaster, or alien invasion, to destroy it all." Xenogears Playstation, Playstation Network Total Points: 16 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: 2 (Saturnine Tenshi, Yantelope) Xenogears is a Science Fiction roleplaying game developed and published by Square. It was released on February 11, 1998 in Japan and on October 20, 1998 in North America, and has never been released in PAL regions. The game was re-released by Square Enix on the PlayStation Network on June 25, 2008 in Japan and on February 22, 2011 in North America. Xenogears follows protagonist Fei Fong Wong and several others as they journey to uncover the truth behind mysterious, cabalistic entities operating in their world. The principles and philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and Jacques Lacan influence the plot, character design, and world of Xenogears. Additionally, the symbols, theological concepts, and devotional practices of several world religions are represented in fictionalized forms in the game. Major psychological themes are the nature of identity and human memory, particularly as these relate to the phenomenon of dissociative identity disorder. The relationship between humanity and machines is central to the game's plot, as indicated by the presence of giant robots dubbed "gears," which each playable character can control. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS, PC, Wii, Mobile Phones, Mac Total Points: 16 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: VicariousShaner, SanaEquiestrer Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a visual novel-type adventure video game published and developed by Capcom in Japan, North America, and Europe, and published by Nintendo in Australia. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney stars Phoenix Wright, a rookie defense attorney in the Fey and Co. Law Offices, owned by fellow defense attorney Mia Fey. Other characters include Maya Fey, Mia's sister; Miles Edgeworth, a rival prosecutor; Dick Gumshoe, a scatterbrained detective, and Larry Butz, an old friend of Phoenix's. The game features five court cases divided into episodes. Each case flips between two game modes: investigation and the actual trial. In the investigation aspect of the game, Phoenix gathers evidence and speaks to characters involved in the case. In the trial aspect of the game, Phoenix defends his client using said evidence, cross examines witnesses and solves the mystery surrounding each case. The court perspective is usually in the third person, while the perspective outside of court is in the first person. There are a number of sequels which have spawned since Ace Attorney's release. Nexus says: "I have only played Ace Attorney. It's a lot of fun, but when you have such a shit attention span as I do, it's difficult to finish it. I've yet to finish the final mission. The characters are generally hilarious, and the crime scenes are incredibly detailed and the amount of work you have to do is copious, but overall it's an enjoyable game." Super Metroid SNES, Virtual Console Total Points: 16 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: Vargras, mergedwarrior Super Metroid, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. The game was released in Japan in March 1994, in North America in April 1994, and in Europe in July 1994. It was released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2007. Super Metroid is an action-platform game which primarily takes place on the fictional planet Zebes, which is a large, open-ended world with areas connected by doors and elevators. The player controls Samus Aran as she searches the planet for a Metroid that was stolen by Ridley, the leader of the Space Pirates. Along the way, the player collects power-ups that enhance Samus's armor and weaponry, as well as grant her special abilities such as the Space Jump, which allows her to jump infinite times to cover great distances. These abilities allow Samus to access areas that were previously inaccessible. Dragon Age: Origins PC, Mac, XBOX 360, PlayStation 3 Total Points: 16 Number of number 1 votes: 0 Number of votes: Vargras, Deanb, Chewblaha Dragon Age: Origins is a single-player role-playing video game developed by BioWare's Edmonton studio and published by Electronic Arts. It is the first game in the Dragon Age franchise. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2009, and for Mac OS X on December 21, 2009. Set in the fictional kingdom of Ferelden during a period of civil strife, the player assumes the role of a warrior, mage or rogue who must unite the kingdom to fight an impending invasion by demonic forces. BioWare describes Dragon Age: Origins as a "dark heroic fantasy set in a unique world", and a spiritual successor to their Baldur's Gate series of games, which took place in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise. Nexus says:"I've played Dragon Age on the PlayStation 3. I enjoyed playing through the game once, but I'm not sure about the replay value of it. It seemed fairly linear, but the rogue was a lot of fun to play, and the storyline was pretty good. I liked playing all of the origin stories, but once you get past the same point, it gets a bit dull once you've done it once. It's pretty, though."

Right, I've got all data sorted, and it's a Top 53 I will start the countdown in another thread shortly. Gonna go get some breakfast and suchlike first.

Indeed. Go crazy~

Fffffff if you fiddle with your list it's going to throw the entire rankings out D: Tell me what you've changed and such. I'll probably redo it all tomorrow anyway, just to double check.

You've been counted and has made it into a top 52. I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY.

1. Persona 3 2. Final Fantasy 4 3. Final Fantasy 6 4. Final Fantasy 9 5. Persona 4 6. Final Fantasy 8 7. Red Dead Redemption 8. GTA Vice City 9.Heavy Rain 10. Portal 11. Fire Emblem 7 12. Age of Empires 2 13. Left 4 Dead 2 14. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 15. Pokemon Gold/Silver Right. I have a Top 50 now. I will leave the polls open until tomorrow morning, 9am GMT. 205 games have been nominated.

So far there's 179 games nominated. If I was taking the cut off at 15 points, that'd be a top 45. Otherwise it'll be a top 55. I still need to vote, and anyone else who wants to should as well.

Yeah I keep forgetting about this. I still think we need a couple more entries.

Gf is leaving on Saturday, only returning for another week in July for graduation. So it's all good.