Top 10 Video Games

[BROJ]

What is your top ten video games of all time?

List the top 10 video games that you have played and for what reason have each of these games ended up on the list.

Mine, for example, would be:

1. Chrono Trigger/Chrono Cross (Neither are really prequels/sequels as such, but rather they are both entwined, kind of as if they were pieces of the same game.): The plot, open ended questions left, and the music scores landed this one at number one.
2. Xenogears: Awesome plot, innovative 2-D 3-D combination system, great music.
3. Star Ocean: the second story: the gameplay, graphics, open-ended mechanics, plot, and obviously the music.
4. Final Fantasy Tactics: Gameplay, Gameplay, Gameplay (I kept playing this on the same savegame for months, something like 300+ hours, just hacking characters into the game and pitting them against each other.), Oh and of course the music and graphics, truly an addictive game.
5. Planescape: Torment: Truly an innovative plot, music, although repetitive, doesn't get annoying and sets the plot up well.
6. Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis and Let Us Cling Together (Different Plots, directly connected): Involving plots, battles require much thought, although it gets easier don't expect it to get easy, music is original and involving.
7. Tales of Phantasia (Dejap Translation): Story is mature in some spot, which is good as it add to the comic relief of the game, innovative battle system, good graphics, very good music for the system.
8. Seiken Densetsu 3: Action Battle system that involved way more thought than the previous game, humerous in spots, good graphics, good music.
9. Rudra no Hihou: if you haven't played this gem for the snes, PLAY IT NOW!; 3 entwining scenarios and one cumulative one make this game seem like you're playing a saga frontier game, you get to make your own spells via a text system, kind of like a hero name system, easily the BEST, in my opinion, graphics on the snes (except the spell effects, *some* of which suck.), and nice mood-appropriate music.
10. Treasure Hunter G: a neat little, not-so-well-known, rpg for the snes; it sports an innovative tactics battle system, pre-rendered 3-D characters (pretty bold to do, in my opinion), and other graphics are well done and integrated into the game.

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

10.) Super Mario RPG
-Chosen for amazing graphics for the Super Nintendo and simplistic combat that just seemed perfect.  Entertaining game with enough secrets and fun for multiple play-throughs, this game was the defining RPG SNES-generation RPG for the SNES.

9.) Final Fantasy Tactics
-Probably one of the most entertaining and deepest tactical RPGs to date, there was so much content to this game - characters, story line, classes...  I learned a lot about warfare through this game (whether or not that view of warfare is accurate, however, is a different story...

8.) Kingdom Hearts
-I was truly skeptical of Kingdom Hearts for some time, but after playing it...  Superb gameplay (except for the rarely tricky camera), entertaining story, memorable characters...  Who knew SquareEnix and Disney could produce such a product!?

7.) Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
God bless Working Designs, the poor devils.  They made some great games and some rough ones.  Some they have to make multiple times to get right, but Lunar:SSSC was a great game that truly told a truly EMOTIONAL story.  It was a rare treat and still is today.

6.) Super Mario Galaxy
-The best 3-D platformer to date.  I waited for a while to play this gem, and although it got rave reviews I wasn't trusting.  I eventually caved and played it.  And I was proven wrong.  Genius level design, genius control scheme (somehow both simple and complex, both innovative and classic).  This game was even more fun the second play through.

5.) Final Fantasy IX
-Although I loved FFVII (like everybody else), I think this Final Fantasy was the gem of the PS1 generation.  I admit, I hated it the first time through...  but after playing it again in 2004, I found that this game was the essence of perfection, a great molding of new and traditional RPG stereotypes.  Fun gameplay, enjoyable characters (I laughed every time I read Quina talk), and an entertaining game around.  PS - Terra and Bran Bal left me breathless.

4.) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
-I usually see cinematic twists coming a mile away, but somehow, the plot twist of this game evaded me.  I was floored when I saw it...  Anywho, this game conveyed what made Star Wars fun and BUILT UPON IT.  Solid game play, great customization, and an unforgetable storyline make this game one of the best games ever.

3.) Secret of Mana
-I admit, I am a classics guy through and through.  This game had a great plot, amusing graphics and a PERFECT soundtrack on par with the Chrono series, this game constantly gnaws at the back of my mind as one of the best games ever created...  Too bad the series has fallen to such disgraces as Dawn of Mana...  Egh!

2.) Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time / Twilight Princess
-Some people may have a problem with me including both games, but so be it.  Ocarina of Time redefined action games and was one of the first true adventure games to truly utilize the 3-D graphics engines.  This game had it all: combat, ingenuity, graphics, music, and NEW CONTENT that no game had ever before had.  This game had it all...  And Twilight Princess was definently the spiritual successor of Ocarina of Time.  It took everything that made that game great and built it into a truly great sequel.  It was what Kingdom Hearts II should've been.  It's what Knights of the Old Republic II should've been.  It was amazing.

1.) Chrono Trigger / Chrono Cross
The pinnacle of gaming.  Great storyline, great characters, great graphics, great music, great atmosphere, great memories.  These games are truly masterpieces.

[placidchap]

I usually play games for the story they tell, I don't like Sport games or action games as they are quite boring.  So I will list the memorable features and how the story rates in my book.  The characters are all interesting (except FF1)


1) Fallout 1 & 2
Extremely versital in the way it can be played.  Very mature.. (Good story)

2) PS: Torment
Very text heavy.  Basically a long novel in game form. (Excellent story)

3) Chrono Trigger
Time travel (Good story)

The rest are in no particular order

Mario RPG
my favourite gaming genre + the game character that started it all for me (SMB1) (usual story)

Final Fantasy 1 & 6
1 - for it was my first RPG that I played for countless hours and started my love for RPGS (crap story)
6 - Espers, locales Magitek, long game (Good Story)

Star Ocean the second story
The item customization/creation. very interesting (decent story)

Snatcher
Best text/graphical adventure game out there.  (Great story)

Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
the ocarina tunes and the locales (same ol story)

Tomba! 1 & 2
Great platforming games, fun levels, items, quest(event) system (lame story)

Super Mario 64
Mario and a whole new level of depth (for a platforming game)

[Kebrel]

10)Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
This was just a good representation of Star Wars, which every one needs to try. For me it was so addictive nothing makes this game stand out exept when I play it I don't can't stop for a few hours(gross and sad I know)

9)The Secret, Curse, and Escape of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Funny when I was 7yr old, funny when I was 13, funny now at 18, this should still hold up for years. A classic adventure series by Lucas Arts Following the Misadventures of Guybrush Threepwood.

8)Chrono Cross
This game had something that Chrono Trigger lacked, Trigger being the cute, fun, traditional(albeit epic) RPG everyone loves, Cross was a twist for me, with new traits, innovative combat (really) complex story. Loved it.

7)Fallout
Ratings mean nothing people say "this is E so your too old", or "M? naw your a kid" You want a truly mature game this is it, Fallout takes place in a cruel Post-apocalyptic world, full of great dialog, political philosophy, grim outcomes and like hell my kid will play it till she/he proves they mature enough not to tell child serves. Oh and Is hella Funny.

6)Xenosaga
Its Amazing.

5)Homeworld
A space Opera pure and simple, technical wise it played great especially sense full 3D game all sucked back them they did this own perfect. story wise the game gave me water eyes by the 2nd mission and hate by the 5th. It was a god damn emotional roller coaster.

4)Starcraft
I still claim this to have the greatest multilayer in a game every, And really thats what a game should focus on being fun. Better yet fun with you and your friends non-does this better then Starcraft(unless you rush, then go to hell).

3)M.U.L.E.
Never have I ever and most likely will see a game like it, its an old farming and economy sim for the Atari 800, Commodore 64 Classic Multiplayer.

2)System Shock 2
The purist blend of two genres I've seen,  FPS/RPG the game played excellent, with the most amazing audio. I can't convey how good it sound other then I was terrified the find whats around the corner. And let us not forget Shodan, God damn.


1)Planescape: Torment
Never have a played a game as we writing, as enthralling, as philosophical, as entertaining to read/hear as Torment this game can easily stand among the history greatest written works.

[V_Translanka]

In no exact order (don't make me choose between muh babies!)...



Chrono Trigger - Question: You can't have one of these lists in the Compendium w/o CT, can you? Answer: No. We all know why it's amazing: great characters, really neat story, good gameplay, great replay value, etc. I won't bore people in the Compendium who already know how great it is.



Final Fantasy VI - At first known to me as Final Fantasy III on the SNES, I soon came to learn that in Japan, they had already had SIX games in the franchise of which this was, at that time, the last released. Well, anyways, as I'm sure others have pointed out, it's a great game. The characters were (mostly) all solid and well defined, each having unique, distinctive personalities. The story, while kind of cliche, is really well done & includes enough unique touches to keep the attention & drama up & pumping. Not to mention, it's got Uematsu's BEST work for the series. Amano did some great character designs as well. Absolutely amazing.



Final Fantasy Tactics - Square took two things and made them great: 1) it's Job Class System which they had been working through since the beginning of the series (& then again w/III & V) & 2) the SRPG format, which they had before only experimented with a little bit with the (non-NA) releases of Live-a-Live & Bahamut Lagoon. It had one of the truest translations ever (though plagued w/misspellings & the like) & a great, classic medieval storyline...But the main draw for FFT, of course, was in it's strategic-based gameplay. With the Job Classes, the skies were the limit to completely customize your party and try new ways to decimate the enemies. Easily one of the greatest heights of the series ends up coming from this series spin-off.



Riviera: The Promised Land - Easily my favorite handheld RPG (and just plain great game any way ya slice it). With a neat storyline, great characters, multiple endings, a weapons system borrowed from the SaGa Frontier series (it's a good thing, honest!), & a very strange, remarkably innovative (remarkable in the sense that innovation of ANY kind isn't a big draw in the genre) gameplay which can add to replay value, Riviera remains one of my favorite RPGs.



The Return of Samus: Metroid II - Gotta show some love to one of the best action/adventure/platform series ever. And this Gameboy (that's right, the old clunky gray box) classic is my fav of the series. Samus (who gets her name in the friggin title for the first & ONLY time in the series) goes to the Metroid homeworld and ends up having to fight each Metroid evolution, which ends up being some of the most intense battles of the series. It's ridiculous that they haven't remade this like they did for Metroid in Zero Mission...oh well, Samus can Screw Attack me any day.



Capcom Vs SNK 2: Millionaire Fighting 2001/Mark of the Millennium 2001 (Japanese name WAY better) & Marvel Vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes - I really can't choose between these two fighting games, even though their gameplay is quite dissimilar. SNK is much harder, though much more customizable, which is nice. Both of them have a TON of characters, though Marvel edges SNK out. Plus, though I love Mai, Terry, & the rest, I've gotta say that Marvel totally fills my dork quotient pretty well. TWO Wolverines?!? lol



Unreal Tournament - Though I loved Quake III Arena, UT will always be king FPS in my heart. Good gameplay, awesome engine, great weapons, nice multi-player features...this game was what made FPSs cool before a certain Microsoct series (which shall remain nameless) came along and those console FPS fanboys started yapping about what they really knew nothing about...Well, anyways, as for how I play UT...hmm...Flak Monkey? Perhaps...^_^



Raiden - I gotta give it up for this whole series of top-scrolling shooters which got me through many hours of sitting in a bowling alley arcade. Easily my fav of the shooter genre. Gotta love that pink laser! ^_^



Armored Core 3 - I haven't played 4 yet or anything, but basically the best is the newest of the series because each one is just a touch better than the last. Tons of mech customization w/fun, addictive gameplay & an okay 2-Player mode for the AC junkies who tweek their cores to battle their buds. Longtime fan of the series.



Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2 & Gran Turismo 4 - Along w/the PS2 port Zero & the 3rd installment, I think TXR is one of my fav racing game series. Lots of (unlicensed) cars & tons of customization features. The races were a neat way of doing things as well, including fighting game-like life bars that went down determined by how far behind the opponent you are or by hitting something. On the complete opposite spectrum is the Gran Turismo series. Lifelike handling & customization along w/TONS of licensed vehicles from every major distributer (and even the minors!).

[Thought]

You know… there is no comprehensive list of all video games anywhere on the internet, at least not that I could find. As a note, one can easily replace these games with their respective series names and the list would still be mostly accurate.

1 Secret of Mana - Still has a death grip on the title of best RPG ever. Best gameplay (the 3rd installment, unfortunately, did not improve on most aspects of gameplay) of any RPG, interesting storyline, and worlds of possibility. I've actually tried to start a pixel-art comic about the Secret of Mana universe about 4 different times (pixel-art because I was making the "sprites" myself, specifically for the comic, and not ripping them).

2 X-Com: UFO Defense (and Terror from the Deep) - There is no other game that I will pull out over 10 years later to play. Indeed, it no longer works properly on a modern computer so I have to go to great lengths just to get it to function (reducing processor speed, crippling graphic acceleration, etc). X-Com: Apocalypse was good too, but it no longer works on my computer no matter what I do.

3 Chrono Trigger - Do I really need to explain this one?

4 Devil May Cry 1 - DC3 is a close second, but the first was something special. Bosses that were hideously tough without being cheap, only two real weapons but each had a very specific use and place, compelling storyline, and wonderful(ly bad) lines.

5 Harvest Moon - It is a farming simulator. How the frack is that supposed to be fun? But it is. I don't know how, but it is an amazingly fun game. Friends of Mineral Town and Rune Factory are some of the best in the series.

6 Diablo II - The first installment almost won out (as it had a creepy feel to it that Diablo II never matched), but D2 was a significant improvement and added a lot of things that the first just failed at (a larger importance of character selection, for example). The expansion pack was wonderful too; the assassin is my favorite character (never completed Hell Difficulty though; triple immunities suck).

7 Final Fantasy 1 - A little nostalgia here, as it was my first RPG. Surprisingly sophisticated for its time, graphics were nice, and it doesn't suffer from inflation (compare health, damage, etc with those found in FFX and you'll see what I mean). Only game, ever, that I have been quite happy to grind through enemies just to get a better weapon.

8 Civ2 - All the Civ games are amazing, but this one wins out as my absolute favorite because of the editor; in Civ 3 and 4 player created content was so much harder to do (even though it was more powerful).

9 Dark Cloud 2 - Best Sequel ever. Not the best game ever, mind you, but no other sequel improved over the original as much as Dark Cloud 2 did. If it was just a standalone game, it wouldn't have made the list, but this epic level of improvement deserves notice.

10 Super Smash Brothers - A fresh take on fighting games that is fun for the whole family. It is almost a given that if friends are around in the same place as this game (or a game from the series), it will be played.

Honorable Mention:

1 Kingdom Hearts - Like Harvest moon, this is a game concept that seems like it should be stupid. Hideously stupid. But it works very well.
2 The Journeyman Project
3 Star Tropics
4 The Sims - Oddly enough, half the fun is in searching online for fan created content. Shopping, essentially.
5 Spore - Yeah, it isn't out yet, but I've never been excited about a game like I am for this one. I am reasonably sure that if I were to update this list come December, Spore will be on it.
6 Zelda - Great Series in general
7 Metroid Prime - I love the side-scrollers, but Prime took the series in a totally different direction and did it well enough to (somewhat) silence fanboys.

Edit: Age is 26. Placidchap thought posting age along with top 10 would make things interesting, and I am inclined to agree.

[V_Translanka]

GameFAQs actually has a pretty comprehensive listing...

[placidchap]

9 Dark Cloud 2 - Best Sequel ever. Not the best game ever, mind you, but no other sequel improved over the original as much as Dark Cloud 2 did. If it was just a standalone game, it wouldn't have made the list, but this epic level of improvement deserves notice.

I never played the sequel, but I really enjoyed the 'town building' aspect of the first one.  The reason I didn't play the 2nd was because I heard that the town building was eliminated but after looking into it just now, I believe that was false information...

[Thought]

I never played the sequel, but I really enjoyed the 'town building' aspect of the first one.  The reason I didn't play the 2nd was because I heard that the town building was eliminated but after looking into it just now, I believe that was false information...

Town building is still there, but it was re-cast. Instead of something from Fisher Price (where you have set houses for set people and all you get to do it plug everything together), the town-building is much more variable. Indeed, almost every person who inhabits a town can also inhabit your party, each "chapter" has a new factor to consider (have to keep the town balanced on essentially a pair of scales, have to build on water, have to build with the danger of falling fire setting the town ablaze, etc), and other than a few points (this town has to have this person residing in it and this house), it is very free form.

I'd recommend it; you should be able to pick up a copy on the cheap, too.

But it does suffer from the repitition of the first game (oh joy, another random dungeon).

[teaflower]

... don't make me say which one is my favorite. Please. I'll explode.

Chrono Trigger: A wonderful storyline, innovative, memorable characters... what else do I need?
Final Fantasy VII: God, no matter HOW MANY TIMES I play and beat the SNOT out of Sephy, there are some things that always make me happy, namely what happens at the end of the first disk, and fighting all the bosses that I like. Schizo... isn't one of them.
Chrono Cross: ... so what? I liked the game. It hurt my head a couple of times and sure, my first time through I didn't get through Fort Dragonia (laugh if you want to), but it had great replay value!
Final Fantasy X: Always, FFX will have a special place in my heart, along with FFVII. I just LOVE the idea that I can make Rikku somewhat useful and that no matter what, I have to use everyone. Seriously! Via Purifico and Gagazet get EVERYONE some action!
Kingdom Hearts II: I have never beaten it. I've never beaten KH. Yet the story of KHII is very enthralling. My sis actually made me stop playing for a while because I was farther in the game than her. However, I'd LOVE to trade in my little Sora action figure (CHRISTMAS PRESENT, DAMMIT!) for a little Roxas action figure. I don't CARE if it's limited edition Master Form Sora! I WANT ROXAS, DAMMIT!!!
Mario: Ah, good ol' Mario. I've never beaten any of the games. They're fun, though. Puzzles, platforming goodness... good times... good times...
Sonic the Hedgehog (more specifically Sonic the Hedgehog 2): God, if only we could find the games for the bloody thing. *sniff* Tails was always my favorite and, when my sis played as Tails, I would get stuck with Knuckles. *sticks tongue out* Oh, well. So much fun!

As for Dark Cloud... I played it once. Hated it.

[placidchap]

I never played the sequel, but I really enjoyed the 'town building' aspect of the first one.  The reason I didn't play the 2nd was because I heard that the town building was eliminated but after looking into it just now, I believe that was false information...

Town building is still there, but it was re-cast. Instead of something from Fisher Price (where you have set houses for set people and all you get to do it plug everything together), the town-building is much more variable. Indeed, almost every person who inhabits a town can also inhabit your party, each "chapter" has a new factor to consider (have to keep the town balanced on essentially a pair of scales, have to build on water, have to build with the danger of falling fire setting the town ablaze, etc), and other than a few points (this town has to have this person residing in it and this house), it is very free form.

I'd recommend it; you should be able to pick up a copy on the cheap, too.

But it does suffer from the repetition of the first game (oh joy, another random dungeon).

I no longer have my PS2, as I gave it to my little brother once I moved in with my wife.  But I will take your word that it was better than the first, though I didn't mind the Fisher Price model all that much.

It would be interesting if people put their age in along with the 10 games they like.  I'd be curious to see how much of a difference there is with the games chosen.  For example, I am 23 and the majority of my games were released between '96 and '99, save 2 (snatch was '94 and FF1 was '90).  If no one else finds it interesting, then nevermind. 

[teaflower]

I never played the sequel, but I really enjoyed the 'town building' aspect of the first one.  The reason I didn't play the 2nd was because I heard that the town building was eliminated but after looking into it just now, I believe that was false information...

Town building is still there, but it was re-cast. Instead of something from Fisher Price (where you have set houses for set people and all you get to do it plug everything together), the town-building is much more variable. Indeed, almost every person who inhabits a town can also inhabit your party, each "chapter" has a new factor to consider (have to keep the town balanced on essentially a pair of scales, have to build on water, have to build with the danger of falling fire setting the town ablaze, etc), and other than a few points (this town has to have this person residing in it and this house), it is very free form.

I'd recommend it; you should be able to pick up a copy on the cheap, too.

But it does suffer from the repetition of the first game (oh joy, another random dungeon).

I no longer have my PS2, as I gave it to my little brother once I moved in with my wife.  But I will take your word that it was better than the first, though I didn't mind the Fisher Price model all that much.

It would be interesting if people put their age in along with the 10 games they like.  I'd be curious to see how much of a difference there is with the games chosen.  For example, I am 23 and the majority of my games were released between '96 and '99, save 2 (snatch was '94 and FF1 was '90).  If no one else finds it interesting, then nevermind. 

Sounds cool to me!
I'm fifteen. And, if no one hasn't guessed already, I have two X chromosomes.

[V_Translanka]

My list's kind of varied in terms of eras...I tried to represent multiple genres (also my favs)...but I think that it also just represents my favs in a general sense. I'm 23 & I've got a Y, myself...Unless my biology is lacking...lol

[teaflower]

I've got a soft spot for RPGs. Platformers tend to frustrate me. Like Luigi... grrrrrr... and Sonic...

[placidchap]

Sounds cool to me!
I'm fifteen. And, if no one hasn't guessed already, I have two X chromosomes.

You gave it away in another thread, when you said your dad stares at you in a rather creepy way...

I don't care much for platformers either, save the ones I mentioned.  I like collecting stuff in them...not sure if that is weird or what.

My list's kind of varied in terms of eras...I tried to represent multiple genres (also my favs)...but I think that it also just represents my favs in a general sense. I'm 23 & I've got a Y, myself...Unless my biology is lacking...lol

Well, there is the "XX male syndrome"...