Your gaming 3*3

[deanb]

So this was a thread from the old place that I quite liked.

 

Use this site:

http://bighugelabs.com/mosaic.php

To make a 3*3 grid of your favourite games or games that have most affected you.

 

Then upload the resulting image to your favourite image hosting site of choice (imgur, photobucket, dropbox etc) n explain your choices.

 

 

I'll go first.

 

 

Final Fantasy IX

Well many of you should know my infatuation with this game. It would be the first game that was mine rather than my dads or one to be shared.

It was my first Final Fantasy and JRPG game. I thought it was amazing. Loved it. I'd actually heard of 'Final Fantasy' through one of my mates older brothers. I now know many years on he'd shown me FFVII. I think I made a happy accident in getting FFIX.

 

Dawn of War

First RTS. I got this when it first came out. I was a fledgling fan of 40K and this was certainly much cheaper. Mine had some weird bug in it that meant I couldn't play past a certain point (oh and no internet at the time) so I mostly played skirmish. Not long after we got a new PC which came with a shitty integrated card which didn't support T&L. So no DoW for a few years till I moved to Uni and got a decent PC. And it turned out all but 2 of us in my first year house had DoW. That was soon rectified and we spent many nights on LAN. Even finding a similar group on the Uni LAN in the other halls. Dark Crusade was my fave expansion. Soulstorm was meh. I skipped on DoW II. Felt too small and limited.

 

Counter Strike: Source

Another game a few of us had. And our Uni had a server. So I picked this game up on a recommendation from the others. Al sat me down and got me to install this 'Steam' thing that you downloaded games from. Seemed kinda weird way to buy games but whatever. (Also the list with your games in had way too much space) But the rest as they say is history. The game was pretty good too. Was my first PC FPS. I was and still am pretty shitty. But it was fun none the less. We moved on to TF2 the year later.

 

Super Mario Bros 3

My first game. My dad dug out his NES from the attic one day and plugged this in (took a while, RF adapters ). He only had a few games for it. This was one of them. I was pretty shitty and the control pad hurt. But it was fun none the less. I think we only ever got as far as World 2. Spent most of our time in Start in the Mario Bros mini-game.

 

Pokemon Blue

Another first. My first Pokemon game and my first Gameboy Colour game. I put roughly 400 hours into this game. Which I don't think I've exceeded with any other game. We formed a gameboy club in school. Mr Woods room on first break, Link cables trading and battling. Was all pretty fun. So I guess my first MP game too. I used to play it shit tons secretly too. My gran got me one of those accesory kits, so I'd be up waay late at night under the sheets with a light shining.

 

TES IV: Oblivion

My first open world RPG. It was great. I loved the different classes. Spent ages just exploring the game finding quests uncovering cool caves n hamlets with their own little story. I'm really looking forward to Skyrim. This was one of my first PS3 games, I spenty most of that summer in this game. I'd say about 150hrs.

 

Orange Box

Yeah this is a cheat but whatever. Portal was amazing, really looking forward to 2 and seeing what Valve can do with a full game to play with rather than concept demo. TF2 was amazing and still is (Though I've not been on since Trading. I've not heard great things). In my last 3*3 I said I'd yet to play HL2 but that's changed now and HL2 was very enjoyable too. Ravenholm spoiled my first few attempts. So yeah this game has been one of the most value packed I've ever picked up and included a nice variety(yeah they're still all FPS, but meh)

 

Civilization series

I can't really pick one, most of them are the same anyway. Another game I put many hours in. They didn't require must in the way of graphics so our shitty PC would run them. I've yet to pick up Civ V(officially), but I've found it really refreshing. I'll wait till it's cheaper/summer as I don't have the hours free that I'd want to put into this game. Also Gandhi is...

 

Timesplitters 1 & 2

We picked these up cheap. Not heard much on them. Me n my sis played crap tons of this on Co-Op and making our own maps n MP modes. It was very flexible and I've yet to see something comparable. Halo comes somewhat close. We ended up making a mode that I guess now would be called 'Horde Mode'. I was disappointed with Free Radical going under, but glad to hear Crytek are looking to Publishers for interested in Timesplitters 4. I think it would be refreshing to the current raft of FPS games.

 

 

So what are your Gaming 3*3's and why?

[iLjaG]

I really enjoyed this topic as well. I'm thinking about doing another one with my all time favorite games of all time, since my original list are simply games that have influenced me to some degree. Cover the other half of the spectrum and whatnot. Anywho, here's my old grid 'til I can finish my new one:

 

---------------

 

 

A bit of a mixed bag with me. I tried to go with games that either influenced me artistically, connected with me on some deeper level, or those that remind me just why I game.

 

Gran Turismo:

This franchise not only sparked my interest in cars at a young age, but it also taught me about them and even helped me get my license. No seriously. After playing GT1-3 from the ages of 9-15 with a steering wheel, snagging my license was one of the easiest things I've done in my life.

 

Tempest:

This is one of the earliest games I remember playing. It was one of my dad's favorites and back then, it was probably one of the most "action packed" games I had laid my hands on. Badass vector graphics (note: screenshot is from some remake), first game to ever have a selectable difficulty level, and a simple game that was loads of fun.

 

Rez:

Before Shadow of the Colossus or Braid or anything else, this was the first game that ever really made me see as videogames as something more than a game. The beat and the rhythm all coinciding with the gameplay, shooting up enemies. The more I played it, the more I developed a really strong appreciation for what it accomplished. Loved it to death.

 

Shadow of the Colossus:

Heartless summed this up when he said, "What can we say about this that hasn't already been said?".

 

ActRaiser:

Oh man. This game . . . THIS GAME people. This is where it's at. As a youngster, I appreciated this for what an awesome game it is. Fun town building segments, awesome action-platforming levels, tight controls, solid graphics, and the best soundtrack on the SNES. I didn't read a lot of game mags back then and ended up playing a lot of crappy games because of it. So to have a really fun gem in my collection, it kept me comin' back.

 

As I grew older (teenage years and such), the message of the game became more pronounced. God vs Satan, the balance of good and evil, and all the small nuances in between. The way people would beg for a savior, even sacrificing their own children. The way they would turn their backs on their God if he didn't help them. And mostly, the way the towns people no longer needed a God when life was no longer a struggle anymore and they didn't seek any answers.

 

The whole thing was just so philosophical and brilliant, and never really condemned or promoted religion. Just rode a very fine line and made you think about it. It's not only an influential game to me, but one that also influenced certain views I hold in life. Oh, and it's a really fucking awesome game too.

 

Final Fantasy VII:

6 may be my all time favorite, but 7 was the one that developed my interest in not only RPGs, but also the complexities and depth of a story within a game. It's late and I don't have much longer to rabble, but you know the drill. Amazing game.

 

Flower:

Flower is everything that is right about casual and independent gaming today. Artistic, fun, easy-going, beautiful, engaging. I just can't say enough good things about how brilliant Flower is.

 

Crash Bandicoot:

Maybe it's 'cause I'm more a 90s boy than an 80's boy, but fuck Mario. Crash is where it's at. Crash was fun extract. I enjoyed a ton of different games growing up for various reasons, but to me, none were more fun than Crash.

 

Final Fantasy XI:

I've already gone on in previous posts about how FFXI is everything that is right about MMOs and the Final Fantasy series fused into one. And while it also has it's flaws and wouldn't make a list of my top games, it definitely earns a place on my list of most memorable and influential titles.

[King Jimmeh]

Mines quite an eclectic group and in a random order, and goes to show I don't always play the "best" games, but I play ones with fun concepts:

 

For some reason, i am not allowed to post images of this file type

 

Anyways, explanations:

 

Pokémon Red

One of the very anime shows I watched was of course Pokémon (back before I knew what anime was), and when this game came out, like everyone else my age, Pokémon became the big thing. Red was the one I picked up, along with the guide after selling stuff of old stuff at a car boot sale, and then started playing it on the TV through the Super Game Boy adapter (I had a SNES, but my parents couldn't afford a Game Boy for me, as I had a Game Gear instead), and I sunk a fair few hours into this. This came from my love of anything that can transform (in this case, evolving pokémon) and was the first RPG I played.

 

Sonic Adventure 1 (Dreamcast)

Actually didn't own this myself originally, but my best friend had a Dreamcast and we ploughed through this in a weekend, and I just fell in love with it. I was already a Sega fanboy, but I was never great at the 2D games as a kid. Between all the different ways to play, the crossover stories (which is something else I really enjoy), and the fantastic music, I really enjoyed this (despite the pain-in-the-ass camera). I ended up buying my mates Dreamcast just so I could play this whenever I wanted.

 

Kirby's Fun Pak (SNES)

One of the few brand-new games I got with my 2nd SNES for Xmas one year, this was one of the first games I completed as a kid. Another game that features a character that can transform, Kirby's ability to swallow foes and take their forms and power was another idea I loved.

 

Dragonball Z Budokai 3 (PS2)

My favourite game of the classic anime of my childhood. Sunk plenty of hours into this one, and became about the only game I bothered to load up my PS2 to play for a good while. Could play as lots of characters, go through the story from Z through GT, and transform all the way up to SS4. Plenty of moves and strategies to use with each, plenty of replay value trying to unlock all the final capsules... what was there not to enjoy?

 

Final Fantasy VIII

This takes centre placement as it was the game that really got me in JRPGs. Top notch variety of enemies and settings to go through during the 4-Disc long journey. Awesome graphics, music, and a great story kept me hooked all the way from beginning to end. Plenty of me and my mate's family holidays were spoiled by us just wanting to sit and play more of this and not interact with other people or get outside

 

Bloody Roar 2 (PS1)

One of my favourite fighters ever. I'm not one for incredibly deep gameplay, and this was another game to feature the ability to transform. Plus lots of digital blood. So, what more does a young teenager need in a game beyond the ability to kill someone by tearing them to pieces with my giant tiger teeth? Some people get their gore from Mortal Kombat, but I'll take this any day.

 

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Gamecube)

Let me emphasise Gamecube as my Link is left-handed goddammit! One of the best looking games on the Gamecube and the first LoZ game I finished. I'll admit that I never finished OoT as I got stuck in the Water Temple, and even when I did manage to get past that, I got stuck again and lost all desire to finish it, and then my Data disappeared. Something similar happened with Wind Waker. Still, this game kept me hooked from beginning to end and gave me what I still think is the best final boss of any game, that being the straight one-on-one fight with Ganon where I had to use all the tricks I'd learnt to take him down. Excellent back-and-forth gameplay... plus Link could transform

 

Rollcage Stage 2 (PS1)

No, nothing transforms here... though with the ability to drive on the roof and even with a flipped vehicle, who needs to transform? Great variety of gameplay from normal races, elimination races and then battle modes and challenges, this had loads of ways to keep me occupied. Plus the weapons were all useful and fun to use. Normally the music in games like this and Wipeout aren't my cup-of-tea, but in these games, they do work and they add to the atmosphere.

 

Pokémon Stadium

Definitely one of my favourite Party games, with all the mini-games, and then it was popular around the time that everyone was playing the GB games, so made for great competitions when lots of friends were around.

[deanb]

Your image is in the wrong folder. Move it over to Public then link it.

[TheMightyEthan]

Here's my post from this thread's brother in the Old Country:

 

 

Just like everybody else, these aren't necessarily my favorite games of all time, or even necessarily my favorite games in their respective series, but they are the games that are most important to me as a gamer.

Now let's see if I can motivate myself to actually write about each of them...

[King Jimmeh]

Your image is in the wrong folder. Move it over to Public then link it.

 

Cheers for that, I'll remember for the future. As for now, I just uploaded it to Facebook and linked from there.

[c hoertjes]

 

Half-Life - This was really the first game I played where it wasn't just fun, but I was old enough to actually appreciate what was going on. I don't care what anyone says, that long ass tram ride to start the game is perfect.

 

Half-Life 2 - Simply put, the greatest experience I've had on a PC. When this game was released the graphics weren't top of the line, but the facial animations blew everything else out of the water. Oh, and you might have heard of this thing called the gravity gun. Epic win. The gameplay, the dialogue, the story, the pacing, everything about it is damn near perfect. Talking about this game almost gives me the same feeling as telling someone about a girl I like. Embarrassing, but this game grabbed me like few others could achieve.

 

Zelda: OoT - Still my favorite game of all time. And fuck you, it's not b/c of nostalgia goggles. I played it a year ago and it's still incredible. The targeting system was simple yet extremely effective, the camera worked better than any 3D game up to that point, the art style was great, the way you used the ocarina was superb, the gameplay was perfect, the story was captivating, the temples were unique and challenging, the soundtrack is perfect. It's been 12 years, and I still haven't played a game that tops this one. I don't think I will anytime in the near future.

 

Mass Effect 2 - This is the current gen game that comes closest. It takes everything that is great about ME1 and makes those things better, while getting rid of everything that sucked, and adding in like metric shit tons of more amazing stuff. What does it for me as far as ME2 is concerned is the characters and dialogue. Yes, there are a couple of weak characters, but overall the lineup is outstanding. I haven't connected with secondary characters in a game like I did in this one. Miranda, Thane, Garrus, Tali, Jack, Mordin...all are incredibly fleshed out with interesting and original backstories, and the dialogue/voice acting for all of them is top notch. The overall story is a great continuation of the first game and wonderfully sets up the conclusion to the trilogy. Oh yea, the soundtrack is great too.

 

Super Mario World - Still the best platformer, and my favorite SNES game. I've logged more hours into this game than any of the other Marios. The gameplay is darn near flawless, and the graphics are beautiful and bright. The soundtrack is great, and I love how there are multiple paths to make it through the game.

 

Modern Warfare 2 - Fuck the haters, this is the most fun I've had with online multiplayer. If you can get past the glitches (which were all patched as quickly as Microsoft could certify them), the core gameplay is outstanding. I've logged more hours in this game than any other game I've played. The maps are varied and wonderfully designed, the weapons are greatly balanced, the graphics are outstanding, and it's just good ol' fashioned fun.

 

Rock Band 2 - The third iteration in this series might be just a little better, but RB2 is more memorable so far. My former roommates and I logged unknown hours playing this game. They probably purchased between them 400+ DLC songs. It's still a blast to play, and many a night was spent drinking and playing RB2. Hella fun.

 

Halo 2 - This was my MW2 of the middle part of this decade. Some of you might have read my thread a few months ago chronicling my replaying of the Halo/Halo 2. The first one was kinda just how I imagined it, but in playing Halo 2 again, I was blown away. This game is actually fantastic. The campaign is still the best of the series, even with the release of Reach. Living in the sticks, none of my friends and I were able to get Xbox Live at the time, but we could all drive, so we had LAN parties all the freakin time just to play this. We'd start playing at 8 or 9pm and play until the following morning. The friendly trash talk was awesome, and I'm sure Coca-Cola and Frito-Lay stock prices went up anytime we got together.

 

Assassin's Creed II - The first game was okay, but suffered from many problems and was kind of disappointing. So I was hesitantly optimistic about AC2, and for the first few minutes it felt like I was in for more of the same. It didn't take long for me to realize how much Ubisoft had improved the sequel. If it weren't for Mass Effect 2, this would probably be my favorite Xbox 360 game.

[King Jimmeh]

Damn, I should've listed Rock Band 2 instead of Pokémon Stadium. Don't know how I missed that considering that really has been the ultimate party game for me, and considering how DLC I've got for it

[Gyaruson]

 

Super Mario Bros: There really is no better game in existence, in my opinion. It created modern console gaming, clear and simple. Without it, games would've taken years to advance forward - and probably at a much slower rate. But, besides all that, the game is still as fun today as it was in 1985. Easy to pick up and play, great learning curve, addictive gameplay. It's all there. This game will never be beat.

 

Mass Effect: My favorite current-gen franchise. Never before have I seen so much love and thought put into a game's backstory. Every race has a history, motivation, skill set, etc. It's wonderfully written and voiced, the visuals are fantastic and the gameplay is solid. The thing that makes it stand above most WRPGs is its incredible sense of consequence and it's amazing conversation system. The things you do within the first few hours of playing Mass Effect will come back to haunt you in every game after that. No other game has offered so much customization to the story.

 

Zelda: ALTTP: The Zelda that got me playing Zeldas. While it may not be the best Zelda, it is one of my most memorable.

 

Rock Band: No other game (franchise) has taken so much of my life and so much of my money. Infinite replayability and the most dedicated support team in the industry that provides fresh content every single week. An amazing package.

 

Super Mario 64: One of gaming's crowing achievements. Created full 3D gaming. Fully controllable camera, sprawling and expansive worlds, advance-at-your-own-pace gameplay. This game set the bar for how to do 3D gaming, and it took years for other games to best it.

 

Chrono Trigger: My first RPG. I honestly don't remember much about the story beyond the bare essentials, but I do remember feeling a deep connection to the characters. This is the game that made me want to play other RPGs.

 

Zelda Majora's Mask: Without a doubt my favorite N64 game. Incredible story with a HUGE world, interesting characters and loads of sidequests that required intense planning and execution in order to complete them in the 3-day time period. Some of the most touching and memorable moments I've ever experienced in gaming comes from Majora's Mask, when you help Kafei and Anju create a relationship. It only last for a few brief moments as the end of the world is at hand, but once united they decide to spend their last moments together, watching the sun set as the world is about to be destroyed. Then, when you fire the game back up and start over, they will have forgotten all about their love like it never happened. So sad.

 

Super Mario Galaxy: The most fun game I've ever played. Period. So full of joy and creativity. Every level is a testament to Nintendo's ability to create some of the finest games around. Everything about it is absolutely flawless.

 

Metal Gear Solid: The game that started it all. Showed that games can be taken seriously when compared to modern entertainment like books and movies. Incredible voice cast and musical score created one of the finest cinematic experiences to date in gaming.

 

-----------------------------------

 

Honorable mentions:

 

- Bioshock

- Fallout 3

- Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

- Assassin's Creed II

[Chewblaha]

I know I had Legend of Dragoon in my last one, but that one is always susceptible to being switched out for it's replacement, which is kind of what my first true clingy video game became. Either way, let's get this on the road.

 

 

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and the Frozen Throne:

 

I know I always talk about how I'm a lorewhore when it comes to Warcraft. Well it's true. I am. I also played more than 12,000 matches online in my War3 tenure. That's all you need to know when it comes to this game with me. Best stories presented in the Warcraft franchise and the best introduction of new races and units to a game with it's expansion. Best game of all time for me.

 

Legend of Legaia:

 

When my transition from SNES to PSOne was complete, I had few games that I could really play much. I got Gran Turismo, which was one of the fucking hardest games of my life to complete, and then I got appendicitis. As I sat in the hospital room staring at my continuously bleeding navel, my dad walked in one day with a Playstation magazine that had Qui-Gon Jinn on the front. I read through it excitedly because I fucking love Star Wars and found that it came with a demo disc. I put it in. There was a video for Centipede which scared me and some other shit. Then this demo for something called Legend of Legaia.

 

Best. Demo. Ever. I played it at least 100 times before I saved up twenty-one bucks in cash to go buy it for 19.99. I never had a memory card for at least two years with my PSOne and I would start the game and leave my Playstation on for weeks at a time 'til I beat it. Never turned it off. When I finally got that memory card for Christmas, I started the game over and saved over every single part of the game that I thought was important. I filled my memory card with Legaia. I 100%'d Spyro. Deleted it so I could save over the area where you find out Noa's parents are dead (TOO LATE FOR SPOILERS). As many times as I've replayed KotOR, Fable, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, Mario RPG, or Pokemon, none of them ever brought me back to play it as much (save Warcraft III, Diablo II, and AoE2) as Legend of Legaia did. My favorite RPG of all time with it's intriguing combat system that required you to put in your own combination of moves to create super and miracle moves.

 

So close to being my favorite game of all time.

 

Mass Effect 2:

 

Goddamn you guys know how I feel about this already.

 

Diablo II and Lord of Destruction:

 

If it wasn't obvious in my Warcraft III paragraph, I didn't have much to do in high school, so I played War3 and D2 a lot. I'd say...about....1.6:1 WarIII. Just take everything you saw about me loving War3 and put it with D2.

 

I was also a dick there. One time, as my Hardcore 93 Nec, I dropped Tyreal's Plate in a Hell Cow level and lead the King to the portal. Let seven people in saying they would get it for free if they could get to it, but if they died I got to loot them. Seven people went in at once, seven people died at once. Great night.

 

Also one time, on the same nec, some dick wanted to trade his GFClause sword for my Anni. Since Anni was only trade-able by being dropped, we both did that. I turned his sword into an Iron Golem and picked up the Anni.

 

OOoooooh man was that awesome.

 

 

 

Now I'm tired of typing, so I'm gonna do this when I get home from my trip.

[Mister Jack]

I always wanted to participate in this topic but for me narrowing it down to 9 titles is practically impossible.

[brida]

Chewie I legit do not know how you feel about ME2. Or the franchise. I just know you're really into it because that's what people say.

[Heartless]

I loved this topic...here's a list of my nine most influential. I'm gonna do one that's just faves later on.

 

 

1. Final fantasy VII - I've been a gamer since I was really young, but FFVII is the one that turned me into the monster I am today. It was one of the first games that really sold me on videogame storytelling, and the first where I really identified with more than one character.

 

2. Metal Gear Solid - Another huge influence on me in terms of videogame storytelling...like FFVII, it's affected my view on every movie and story I've experienced since, and will continue to do so in the future.

 

3. Chrono Cross - This is probly the one that will get the most flak on my list. Don't care. It may be the bastard child of Chrono Trigger, but everything about this game worked for me: the epic story that pans out about a boy from a small seaside village; the ballin' battle system; the liveliness and influence of every culture imaginable in the artwork; and the music...dear god, the music.

 

4. Shadow of the Colossus - What can I really say about this game that hasn't already been said? NOTHING.

 

5. ICO - see: 4.

 

6. Super Mario Bros. 3 - I used to play this before and after school every day for, like...ever.

 

7. Soul Calibur II - Never looked at a fighting game the same way since this one. Still listen to and enjoy the soundtrack, as well...to the point where I did a documentary on videogame music as my Audio Production final project because more people need to hear music like this.

 

8. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - The game itself is great, but the 80s theme pushed this one over the edge. The world was just perfectly designed.

 

9. Parasite Eve - Not the greatest game ever, but it did a lot to push storytelling in games, as well as trim a lot of the fat off of the typical RPG mold. It was refined and very mature (and not in the "guts and titties" kinda way). Also, it had a legitimately strong heroine, not the Bloodrayne-style crap of today.

[deanb]

I always wanted to participate in this topic but for me narrowing it down to 9 titles is practically impossible.

 

Are you sure. This isn't like your favourite games. But the most influential to you. Games that were firsts, or games that changed your perceptions of certain genres or games as a whole. You can still throw in favourites, but primarily it's games that have shaped you as a gamer. Heck they can be some of your most disliked too.

[brida]

Interestingly I think I would find it impossible to separate most influential from favorites. There's only one list and it's the same one.

[TheMightyEthan]

Really? Seems pretty easy to me.

 

For instance, I like Civ IV and Civ V better than Civ II, but Civ II did more to shape me as a gamer so it gets on the list while IV and V do not.

[brida]

Well I said I to speak for myself there, that I only have one list and if it's most influential then it's also a favorite.

[mintycrys]

Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V GO! And I added stuff, this time!

 

 

- Kirby's Adventure is the most finely-tuned platformer of its era and features a brilliant use of color that ties into the theme and tone of the game so well, it could be considered one of the first examples of "art" in a videogame. As the colors transition from day into night, the music and the levels become softer, dreamier, more somber, and more beautiful than anything else on the NES.

 

- Gitaroo Man is the single greatest music game ever made, and I'm a massive Bemani nerd. Gitaroo Man's story was about saving the universe, but the best moment in the game was on a much smaller, more personal scale, split into a one-two punch where you play an acoustic song to woo a girl one moment, and then later reprise the song in the most soaring of ways. If I can only recommend two PS2 games to play, this is one of them. If you have not played it, get thee to eBay and discover why the ninety minutes of gameplay that composes the entirety of this game is worth whatever exorbitant price you might end up paying for a copy.

 

- NiGHTS into Dreams has the greatest soundtrack I've ever heard in a video game. It's the crossroads of two separate eras of Sega sound design and has Sega's musical Dream Team working to compose the most bombastic and fantastic score gaming has seen, and I'd wager it has yet to be trumped. The A-Life module is something else, entirely, with the inhabitants of the dream world playing, frolicking, and living their lives in spite of your constant destroying and stealing, and they can mate and multiply and their mood influences how the music plays, as the music engine EVOLVES to fit the mood, with multiple arrangements and reinterpretations of each stage theme available to those who really wanna play around. THIS WAS BACK IN 1996. This game is a masterpiece. It doesn't hurt this game's case that Sega intentionally repackaged the final stage of this game for the 2008 sequel, and even managed to one-up the impact of the original.

 

- Final Fantasy VIII is a game that I adore because of the amount of time you can spend pissing around. It gives you an objective to meet, and then gives you as many forms of transportation as possible to allow you the means to do everything BUT the task at hand. It has the best music in a Final Fantasy game that isn't VI or XII, a system of battling and leveling up that catered to people who have an aversion to taping a controller and walking away for two days, and the hottest teacher known to man.

 

- Okami is a great game. No. It's an amazing game. If you did not purchase it when it was in stores, I blame you for Clover's disbandment. You are the reason Clover went away. You are the reason we can't have nice things. That aside, Okami is a long, beautiful game with damn near the best soundtrack from last-gen, too many sidequests to do and things to find, and the BEST, THE BEST final battle in all gamedom. It's also the other PS2 game that I'd recommend everyone play.

 

- Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon is like Ocarina of Time, only odd, Japanese, with a great soundtrack, and my all-time favorite dungeon: The Gourmet Submarine Castle, which is a submarine deep under the frozen Sea of Japan that is filled with tofu, sushi, and plenty of miso to swim around with as well as funky mood lighting. I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall when they concocted this little gem. The overworld design is so directed, so intentional, you can practically see into the developer's mind.

 

- Ys Book 1 & 2 is the original epic JRPG and has been remade multiple times for a reason. I played this game when I was in elementary school and the driving hard rock soundtrack still makes me tear up and air geetar every time I hear it because it's so goddamn AWESOME.

 

- The King of Fighters '98 is a fighting game that I've been playing for ten years and was the game that really got me into fighting games. KoF 98 is still on par with Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and proved that Capcom isn't the only company that can make a stellar fighting game.

 

- Terranigma is an odd duck. It's not only the best SNES RPG bar none, but it's intelligent and deadly serious, something that games of that era generally weren't. The story takes more turns and twists and will completely shatter your view of the game's world with each new chapter, and when it's all done, you'll feel as if you've lived an entire lifetime, a feeling I've never had a game bestow upon me before. It's the grand culmination of the framework laid by Quintet in Soul Blazer & ActRaiser .

[King Jimmeh]

Hmm,,, under influential I think I could've added Red Alert, but as much as I love the C&C series because of it, it never really got it me into RTS or PC gaming. So, if I had another row, Rock Band 2, Red Alert and I imagine a third that I've missed will occur to me soon

[TheMightyEthan]

Well I said I to speak for myself there, that I only have one list and if it's most influential then it's also a favorite.

No, I know, it just surprised me that it would be that way, I guess. You don't have anything comparable to my Civ example?

[deanb]

Well I said I to speak for myself there, that I only have one list and if it's most influential then it's also a favorite.

 

See for me things like CS:S got me into FPS/Steam but it's certainly not in my top favourites. I also prefer Gold over Blue, n SMB3 ain't a fave either.

[D-K]

 

Super Mario World

The artstyle, 2d platforming, power ups, mounts, secret exits, mini-bosses/semi-bosses/bosses/big boss, world specific level design, optional sideroads, blockmods, life-sharing, level endgate with scoring mechanic, fairly sophisticated physics engine and lots of replay value. SMW was a complete game if there ever was one.

 

Psychonauts

Amazing variety in level design, gameplay elements, the most awesome sequences including, but not limited to: Being a godzilla sized character causing mayhem and destruction in a city of fish, an RTS segment on a playboard inside the mind of a Napoleon imitator in an insane asylum, and the FREAKING MILKMAN LEVEL OW GAWD THE AWESOME! I can review this game for at least 10 pages if I want to. Simply put, an amazing must-play game. The amount of humor, class and characterization is fantastic. Surrealism to the max.

 

GTA Vice City

Introduced me to sandbox mayhem. 'nuff said. Awesome cheats too.

 

Zelda LTTP

Best art style ever, amazingly smooth sprites, tons of equipment/weapons/items, fun dungeons, fun story, mirror world of the entire map, most recognizable theme music to any game, the cartridge was freakin gold. GOLD! Even the sound effects are instantly recognizable.. se's like the fairy cave or the bomb sound etc.etc.

 

Illusion of Gaia/Time

The story in this game is phenomenal. Phenomenal! It really introduced me to strong, accentuated narrative and plotpoints. Relationships between characters and innovative puzzle segments. This game is a cross between Secret of Mana and Zelda LTTP. other contenders for this slot were Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger/Cross, Earthbound. While all of those were better games, this one was more influential in terms of gripping narrative.

 

Sesame Street's Alphabet Jungle Game

This one introduced me to gaming, I can hardly think of anything more influential than one's first game.

 

Donkey Kong Country

Sweet sidescrolling platform action. This game introduced me to literally GORGEOUS background art, shading and fluid animation. Special mention goes to the soundtrack, the soundtrack is unbridled genius. bottled essence of awesome. Epic in midi form. I still listen to a lot of the tracks on youtube to this day. My favourite is JIB JIG, you should give it a listen. The mounts in this game were cool, the secrets, and the K-O-N-G mechanic in each level added replay value. Level design is on an entirely different scale than most 2d platformers from that time. Also, this game featured co-op AND versus modes as one of the first games. very cool.

 

Tekken 3

A close tie with Soul Blade..but.. Where soul blade had an amazing soundtrack (youtube Bravery Folk - soul blade, try it), better character models, way more options and masses of weapons, Tekken 3 had a dinosaur and volleyball. I believe I've put in more time in the volleyball than the actual game, having said that, in terms of control,movement and moveset, Tekken was clearly superior to Soul Blade.

 

Rogue Galaxy

Influential because it merged classic rpg strategizing with real-time combat. This system is what Dragon Age is basically ripping off now. The game was freakin gorgeous, end of the ps2 cycle, more features than snow in canada, fusable weapons, pokemon segment and the story was fresh and original. This is the game I wanted WHite Knight Chronicles to be (again) but I was slightly dissapointed.. meh..

 

 

 

Honorable mention:

 

Metal Slug series, no doubt I've spent to the most money on this franchise. Mostly because it was coin-op, but also because I steadfastly played this game at least once every day of every week of every month of my life I spent in italy.

[Akuam4n]

 

COD4 - This game got me into online gaming as a whole, and it's still one of my favorite games. Granted, I don't play it very much anymore however. It was the best of the series, and still is (the mp online now is far too bloated and unbalanced). This was the first game I ever even played online competitively too unless I am going to count being an ass on Socom 3 while at a friends house.

 

Dragon Warrior Monsters - I played all of these so much; just like pokemon. I chose 2: Tobi's Journey mainly just because I think I played that one the most, I can't quit remember. The way you could breed the monsters you tamed amazed me, and as a kid I logged in over 400 hours. It was insane. I am still waiting for my amazing PS3 version that will have literally every monster ever made for the games in it (and I will be waiting until I die, in since it will never happen).

 

Resident Evil 4 - The Camecube was my first console, and RE4 was my first M game (or, one that I bought and owned anyway). Not only that, but it is still such a fantastic game. It really raised the bar for me on suspense and such at the time. Dead Space almost topped it, but Dead Space just wasn't as good playing it over and over again. RE4 is still the king for me. Any horror game I play, gets compared to this.

 

Halo - This, was my first FPS, and it is my favorite series for the 360 (and FPS's in general). It raised the bar so high for me. The giant environments were fantastic, and the co-op got me hooked instantly. Not to mention is was pure fun. I went on and played 2, 3, and Reach. I prefer 2 over all the others, but the first one drew me into the series and set the bar for co-op shooters for me.

 

Pokemon - Yellow Version was by far my favorite, and this was the first game I ever owned. Back in the day, rollin' on the first Gameboy; this shit was in black and white, and it was AWESOME. I'm not sure if could have set the bar for anything in since it was the first game I ever played, but that means it gets a spot. I always favored Yellow too because Pickachu would follow you around. :3

 

Golden Sun - This was my first RPG I think? I grew up as a handheld gamer. I had a Gameboy, then a GBC, then a GBA, then... what was it, the SP? The GB that folded and looked like a square. I dunno. After all of those, I finally went on to get a GC, and then a PS3, Wii, and 360. Back to the point though, this game was fantastic. It set the bar for RPGs, and while I'm not sure iof the story can compare to some of my other favorite RPGs I've played (FFXII, Lost Odyssey, Star Ocean, Till the end of time) it was pretty amazing in how you could form different combinations with your dj'inn. Made it dynamic for me, because I wasn't just always looking for better gear.

 

The Windwaker - This was not the first Zelda game I ever played. I started off with Seasons, and Time (GBC, represent!) and moved on to A Link to the Past, and the Minish Cap. This however, is my favorite one out of all of them. It's just gorgeous. One of my favorite adventure games of all time. It was also my first open world like game I do believe. So it set the bar for that (which has obviously been broken by now). I just thought sailing around and exploring the new islands was awesome; and like I said, the art design. So, so savvy. Oddly enough, I never played the ones from the N64, because I never owned an N64.

 

Sly Cooper - This, along with Crash Bandicoot are my favorite platforming series of all time, and Sly raised the bar for it back then, and it has yet to be broken. I played this game non stop with my friends back then, and I still adore it (waiting for Sly 4. -.-).

 

Jak and Dexter - This game, set the standard for almost everything after I played it. The driving, was fun. The shooting was fun. Exploring was fun. The story was great AND funny. I actually wanted to see how it ended. I love this game to death, and want another Jak game. T_T

 

My list is moreso my "firsts" but those were the games that revolutionized my views on what gaming is, and was. With each one I got a clearer picture of the genres, and what set certain games apart from others, etc, etc.

[Gyaruson]

@Iamaquaman:

 

I almost substituted the Oracle of Seasons/Time games in place of Link to the Past. Those, I think, are the two finest Zelda handheld games available. What amazes me though is that they were developed by Capcom, and not Nintendo. Odd.

[RadiantViper]

 

Pokemon Yellow Version - Back when Pokemon was awesome. I got this game when I was a kid along with a matching yellow Gameboy (because my mom is awesome). A very good introduction to RPGs and packed with content.

 

Golden Sun - Another great RPG with lots to do, on the surface it seems like a simple turn-based but it has a couple of good mechanics that make it more unique.

 

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - 3 and Vice City were pretty damn good, but I consider this one the best. Tons more to do, huge environment, better characters, and lots of fun cheat codes.

 

Mass Effect - The game that convinced me to get a 360. One of the best story/character interaction in any game, it's one of the few that really manages to suck you into the game and make you feel like you're Commander Shepard. Some disagree but I also thought the gameplay was solid, with lots of skills and equipment upgrades.

 

Metroid Prime - Without a doubt the greatest game ever made. Amazing gameplay and graphics, memorable bosses, plus an interesting spin on how to do storytelling. All the areas are very well designed and for once it's actually fun poking around and finding every last collectible.

 

Resident Evil 4 - Fun fact: This was the first M-Rated game I ever owned. So the plot and voice acting were fairly iffy, but ignoring that this game is fantastic. Polished shooting mechanics plus challenging gameplay, and it's incredibly replayable.

 

Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Besides being a gigantic love letter to any Nintendo fan, this game just has so much damn content. Tons of characters, stages, items, songs ... it just goes on. I also personally loved how the SSB series discarded the thing I hate most about fighting combos - billions of complex combos that are unique to each character. Instead it opted for a simple control scheme that allowed you to easily switch characters, and left the complexity in how the moves and attacks interacted with each other.

 

Super Mario All-Stars - As far as I know, this was the first game I ever played. If you've never heard of it, it has SMB1, SMB2 (both the American and Japan versions), and SMB3, all in one package and redone with improved graphics. 3 Mario games in one package basically makes it infinitely replayable.

 

Tales of Symphonia - This game is just amazing. Again the plot is a bit meh, but the actual characters are very memorable. The gameplay very engaging since it's real-time and uses a combo system that's not too hard to get a hold of, plus an awesome feature where you can control your allies AI to better shape how a battle turns out. Besides that, it has all the hallmarks of a great RPG - tons of stuff to do, tons of items to collect, but it pulls them all together nicely.

 

I have a bad memory so I'm probably forgetting something ... but these games are definitely pretty huge in my eyes.