Comfort games

[Strangelove]

Does anyone have a game or several games they replay almost once every year or more because they make you feel good to experience again?

 

I tend to play Super Mario Bros. 3 once a year for the last 10 years easily. Its my favorite game ever and I have great memories of it. Its like an itch I have to scratch.

 

I bring this up because Im replaying Breath of Fire 3. Ive played this game many times. I started the 3rd Birthday recently too, which is excellent, but Id rather play BoF3. It just feels "right" to play it now. I hope someday Ill give 3rd Birthday a chance.

 

So what are your comfort games?

[RockyRan]

I can think of 3 good ones right now:

 

1. Mirror's Edge. I freaking love it, and it's great that it's of a nice length. Not too long, not too short, just right. I boot it up and play for a few hours at least once a year.

 

2. Super Buster Bros. An old SNES game that was a port of an older series on the arcade, more widely known as Pang. I absolutely love its simplicity mixed with its complexity. It's my absolute favorite "time waster" game.

 

3. Beat Hazard. Less of a "time waster" game since it's so freaking addicting. I always play for about an hour longer than I intended, but it's a game that NEVER gets old, especially now with the Ultra update.

[CorgiShinobi]

Ocarina of Time.

 

I'm overdue actually on my annual run! I was kinda hoping to play the 3DS version this year, but I guess I'll double dip this winter.

[Pirandello]

Aye, for me, Mirror's Edge, as well. It's a fantastic game.

 

Anyways, on to my list:

 

1. DEFCON - I wish they would just make the rolling demo into a damn screensaver already. The game, coupled with the music, always leaves me in awe. It's like a post-apocalyptic symphony of death. Almost eerily so.

 

2. Supreme Commander - I always have to get my commander on with this game. Nothing like controlling armies of killer robots who wage war with other armies of killer robots.

 

3. Battlezone (1998) - The setting and the gameplay always have me coming back for more. I just wish there was another sequel that could live up to the reputation of the series.

 

4. Deus Ex - I mean, come on, it's Deus Ex. It doesn't need an explanation. Seeing Liberty Island is like visiting an old friend.

[BrainHurtBoy...2]

1. Both Digital Devil Sagas - My favorite games of all time. Taken individually, they don't make the best games, but when you put them together, I think it's the greatest game of all time.

2. Shin Megami Tensei 1 - A classic, so far ahead of its time it's ridiculous. I love this game, and can't stop myself from playing it over and over.

3. Xenogears - It's fucking Xenogears. Not much more needs to be said. Disc 2 makes me weep, though.

4. Final Fantasy VI - Son of a submariner!

5. Portal - I'm confident this will be remembered as the greatest game of this generation. It's absolutely brilliant, and very replay-friendly, if you don't overdo it.

6. Wind Waker - I try to get to this annually, but yeah. I'm playing it in Dolphin right now in 1080p. It's beautiful. The last few hours are great, and Puppet Ganon is one of my favorite bosses ever.

7. Baldur's Gate 1&2 - Use the trilogy mod. Best western RPGs of all time.

 

I think that about covers it. Yup.

[Hot Heart]

Just driving around in GTA IV brings back good memories.

 

Otherwise I occasionally return to Carmageddon, or stuff like Spider-Man: Web of Shadows and Prototype because there is fun to be had in just moving around. Sonic 2 or 3 are good ones also. Nothing that I would get too involved in or play to completion though.

 

Also, funny that three of those are based in 'New York'.

[Luftwaffles]

Every once and a while me and a friend go back and play the coop of Splinter Cell: Conviction just for the pure asskicking that's possible in that game.

 

The game might be flawed to some diehard SC fans, but boy, it's fun if you know some of the sneaky little routes.

[Cyber Rat]

Shinobi 3, Alex Kidd in Miracle World and the Sega Master System version of Sonic 1.

[Mr W Phallus]

I guess the closest thing I have to a comfort game is probably TF2. :/

 

I really don't replay single player game very often. Case in point, I often refer to KOTOR as my favourite ever game, and yet I only just started my second playthrough yesterday.

 

Actually, another one would be 007: Nightfire, I guess, for which I dig out my old xbox every time a certain friend is round. But again it's a multiplayer game so it's not quite the same.

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

I replay Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Opposing Force, Jedi Knight II, and Morrowind every couple years as I fancy.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

I don't like to replay video games. I hate it. It's like reading a book twice. Or watching a movie twice. The only exceptions are games where the subsequent playthroughs differ enough from the first. And not the "you can choose to be good or evil!" bullshit. Though I will admit to playing select games multiple times for different endings.

[Hot Heart]

It's like reading a book twice. Or watching a movie twice.

 

[Saturnine Tenshi]

Yeah, I don't do that. I already know what's going to happen. It's mind-numbing.

[deanb]

You must watch shitty films and ready shitty books if all that matters in them is how it ends and not the other 99% of the book/film before that.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

I said I 'already know what's going to happen', not "I already know how it ends".

 

The only reason I have replayed a few games for different endings is because it opens new routes. But thanks for drawing only what you wanted from my post in order to make a "clever" response. Or whatever it was you were going for with that.

Edited September 7, 2011 by Saturnine Tenshi

[excel_excel]

yeah I've done this with the Phoenix Wright series a few times, I just love getting lost in their fantastic stories and great characterisation.

 

Hmm as far as other games.......I did it with Super Mario Bros 3 a long while ago and Ocarina of Time. Don't do it that often these days with games, though

[Hot Heart]

I said I 'already know what's going to happen', not "I already know how it ends".

 

The only reason I have replayed a few games for different endings is because it opens new routes. But thanks for drawing only what you wanted from my post in order to make a "clever" response. Or whatever it was you were going for with that.

 

Yes, but some stories are structured so that seeing/reading them again with later knowledge gives you a whole new perspective on things.

And in game terms, there is the fun of just playing them, without the story.

 

But to each his own.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

And in game terms, there is the fun of just playing them, without the story.

 

Well, there are games like Street Fighter, Blazblue and other multi-player games that are revisited. Since they don't rely on narrative, they're easy to return to. I can do that.

[Mercurial]

I play MGO every once in awhile. I've also beat the jak games more times than I can remember.

[MasterDex]

I said I 'already know what's going to happen', not "I already know how it ends".

 

The only reason I have replayed a few games for different endings is because it opens new routes. But thanks for drawing only what you wanted from my post in order to make a "clever" response. Or whatever it was you were going for with that.

 

Yes, but some stories are structured so that seeing/reading them again with later knowledge gives you a whole new perspective on things.

And in game terms, there is the fun of just playing them, without the story.

 

But to each his own.

 

One movie that springs to mind is the original Ghost in the Shell. The first time around, you'll be too engrossed in all the action and trying to keep up with the plot that you don't see the multiple different layers within the movie. It wasn't until the third or fourth time watching it that I felt I could gleam no more meaning or insight from it and that's a rarity.

 

As for games:

• Super Mario 3 - it's just so good. The definitive 2D Mario in my opinion.
  
• Baldur's Gate - Both of em, I don't replay them often but it's probably the only RPG I've desired to start over again just to play it all over. In contrast, the PSX Final Fantasy games get replayed every now and again but usually from the same save files I've had for years....shit, better check that those memory cards are still working.
  
• Sonic - Any of the original ones. It's just fun to pick up and speed through levels, try for a really fast time, all the rings, all the emeralds.
  
• CoD 4 - Still going strong and my skills haven't rusted either. I'd have BF2142 in this list but it doesn't like me anymore and keeps kicking me...I blame Windows 7 and Punkbuster.
  

Edited September 8, 2011 by MasterDex

[UnstableArk]

Two in mind for now.

 

Metroid Prime - First played it when I was 12, loved every second. Got the GC version to own when I was 18 and the Wii version (Trilogy) a few years ago. Then there's,

 

Yoshi's Island - Played it as a rental for ONE night when I was 6, never touched it again until I was 14. Remembered Every. Little. Detail of those first few levels and it was exactly the same when I picked it up again. Ah, that melody. I go back to it when I find myself with some free time and when I'm bored with my game library.

[RockyRan]

Yoshi's Island is, by far, my favorite Mario platformer. It's so freaking different from every other Mario game yet so familiar at the same time. Plus, it introduced so many new mechanics it was mind-boggling. The eggs, the changing of the color of the eggs when hitting walls, the ground pound, red coins, the stars and star counter, using the counter/baby Mario as the health, the items, the different watermelons, the Transformer Yoshi powerups, the giant eggs, the boomerang eggs, the incredibly creative bosses, completely different movement physics from any other Mario game, the bonus mini-games, the sunflower roulette at the end of every level that leads up to said mini games, etc. etc. etc. etc.

 

These days you'd be lucky to have one new mechanic in a Ninty game. Yoshi's Island had like 30.

Edited September 8, 2011 by RockyRan

[fuchikoma]

DJ Max Portable series (or Beatmania IIDX)

Forza 3

Rez

Shadow of the Colossus

Dead or Alive 2

Tourist Trophy

GTA IV

Touhou games 7, 8, 10, 11.

 

Some I COULD play any time, but got out of:

Starfox

Wipeout XL

Bust A Move (Bust A Groove in US)

Jet Set Radio

Crazy Taxi

Battletoads

Ninja Crusaders

[GunFlame]

JRPG's. Almost any. I feel comfortable playing them, there's always one I can go to. Fighting games too.

 

If all else fails, choose Guilty Gear.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

One movie that springs to mind is the original Ghost in the Shell. The first time around, you'll be too engrossed in all the action and trying to keep up with the plot that you don't see the multiple different layers within the movie. It wasn't until the third or fourth time watching it that I felt I could gleam no more meaning or insight from it and that's a rarity.

 

Serial Experiments Lain was one of those. Fucking forever gleaning.

 

Baldur's Gate - Both of em, I don't replay them often but it's probably the only RPG I've desired to start over again just to play it all over. In contrast, the PSX Final Fantasy games get replayed every now and again but usually from the same save files I've had for years....shit, better check that those memory cards are still working.

 

I would spend more time playing this if the "multiplayer" would work. >: I've conquered the multi-player "campaign" two or three times, along with its Dalish counterparts. But stroking them into submission really takes some network tinkering.