Tell me about your tastes. . .

[Popcorn]

NiGHTS
Shadow of the Colossus
Sonic the Hedgehog
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Otogi 2 Half-Life 2
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Ico
Wind Waker Ocarina of Time
Jet Grind Radio
Shenmue II

Goodnight.

[gr4yJ4Y]

Albert Odyssey(SAT)

Imperishable Night (PC)

Magi-Nation (GBA)

Umihara Kawase Shun 2nd Edition Kanzenban (DS)

Yume Nikki

Twinkle Star Sprites (Neo Geo)

Noitu Love 2 (PC)
Ninja Five-O (GBA)

It's great seeing so many games that are obscure (or that I've just not really acknowledged) on people's lists. I feel like I'm learning something.

#9 - De Blob

I'm surprised to see this make anyone's list. It was pretty disappointing for me. But that shows how games can resonate so differently from person to person.

[Zeta]

In no order:

Sonic 3 and Knuckles
Pokemon Emerald
Mario Galaxy
Chrono Trigger
Tales of Symphonia
Viva Pinata
Ocarina of Time
Jet Grind Radio
Abe's Oddysee (I played this game so much the disc broke)
Team Fortress 2
Yoshi's Island

[Crisis]

I've never thought Ocarina of Time or Half-Life 2 aged well at all. Possibly it was because they became so iconic that it felt like I'd already played them before, but to be honest I think it was the hype more than anything. In both cases I played them several years after their release, and I preferred Wind Waker and the first Half-Life respectively. Ironically, despite enjoying WW's sailing, I couldn't stand the long gaps in between set pieces in HL2; I think the problem was trying to reconcile the primarily character-driven narrative with the primarily exploration-based gameplay. I distinctly remember a sequence early on in the game, where I was introduced to the main headquarters of the characters along with DOG, and how it ended with me getting separated from Alyx and locked in Ravenholm. At the time, I was scared and kind of desperate to get back to them. Then I spent 2 hours wandering around in the dark. I had fun, but it was like the game was trying to have its cake and eat it, intriguing me with character development then suddenly opening a trap door into Zombieville.

[Brazillian Cara]

In no particular order:

-Megaman X2
-Paper Mario: TYD
-Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
-Pokémon Ruby
-Star Fox 64
-Sonic 3 & Knuckles (the lock-in count as one game, right?)
-Phoenix Wright: Justice for All
-Super Mario 64
-Donkey Kong Country 2
-Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater

A lot more mainstream than I was hoping it to be, but oh well. Can you guess which of these games was the first to get a genuine emotional reaction from me?

[G.Silver]

Actually, fuck it, here's the whole thing.

Ritz, Bulk Slash is on that list! Let's be best friends, ok?

[Ritz]

We're now inseparable! Oh, but wait, you need to tell me your favorite M.I.S.S. first to see if we're compatible. I like Colon because she doesn't scream.

[Sniffnoy]

Oh, man. This is mostly just going to reveal how little I've kept up with video games. I have played such a tiny fraction of the games people mention. In no order, and trying to avoid too much franchise duplication:

Mr. Driller (Though I hardly play this anymore now that there's nobody around who can compete with me at it...)
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario 64
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Super Metroid
Braid
Geometry Wars 2 (favored over the first one due to the addition of Pacifism mode)
Yoshi's Island
Worms Armageddon (not the recent "Worms 2: Armageddon", which is a pretty poor substitute)
The Curse of Monkey Island

I was going to say The Lost Vikings, but whenever I've tried to play it again recently I've gotten bored because the initial levels are just too easy. Should try just looking up passwords and starting from further in.

[Locit]

Goodnight.

Give the man a gold star. If I had owned a decent PC when HL2 came out it might be on my list as well. As it is I still haven't played the damn thing. On another note, Uncharted 2 was damn close to making the cut. I recognize that U2 is clearly a better game, but Otogi 2 will always be my hack-and-slash guilty pleasure.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (the lock-in count as one game, right?)

You know we do!

[G.Silver]

We're now inseparable! Oh, but wait, you need to tell me your favorite M.I.S.S. first to see if we're compatible. I like Colon because she doesn't scream.

"Auch! Ah mai godd!"

This is a really hard question! :( Lira is completely insufferable but I do like the way she wiggles when hit. I think I played using Naira the most.

[Radrappy]

We're now inseparable! Oh, but wait, you need to tell me your favorite M.I.S.S. first to see if we're compatible. I like Colon because she doesn't scream.

"Auch! Ah mai godd!"

This is a really hard question! :( Lira is completely insufferable but I do like the way she wiggles when hit. I think I played using Naira the most.

I had never even HEARD of Bulk Slash until it was mentioned just now. It looks amazing but it seems to be going on ebay for no less than 70$ right now which is a bit hard to justify. I used to think my favorite platform was the Dreamcast but am quickly realizing its the Saturn. All the rereleases have really cheapened the DC's library.

[G.Silver]

Bulk Slash's scarcity is a huge shame! It actually had some sort of low price re-release, so it doesn't seem right that it should be so rare. The copy I own was missing the manual, and it was still not exactly "cheap" as far as used Japanese Saturn games go (over $30, I think, but a bargain considering the alternative). It really is a fun one, and I think it does the transforming robot theme better than any other game I've played.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

I'm having a hell of a time thinking up a B list! But I have to say I'm surprised someone else out there likes Yoshi's Touch & Go. Two fumbled attempts at a sequel for Yoshi's Island and an arcade-style tech demo trumps 'em both.

I never bothered with Topsy Turvy. Is that one any good?

[G.Silver]

No kidding, if you "get" Touch & Go, it doesn't really seem like a B-list game, but it's so hated by so many, it's hard to consider it a safe game to recommend to a person. I'm honestly a bit surprised that it isn't available as a $5 DSi download or something, now that casual time wasters (though it's hardly what I'd call casual--it's surprisingly intense) are much more accepted by even "hardcore" gamers, I think people would be a lot more receptive to it, especially if they aren't misled into thinking it's got more content than it does. I popped it in the other day and found it was just as fun, challenging, and time-consuming as I remembered it. (Couldn't beat my old high score, but I got the infinite-egg Yoshi a couple times, something I don't remember happening before!)

I didn't play Topsy Turvy either.

[P.P.A.]

Rather ask an ignorant question once and be wiser than to keep silent and to remain ignorant: What is a B List? Games that barely missed the top 10, or games we would never mention in any context of “best ever”, but which we often dig out for a round of innocent fun?

[G.Silver]

games we would never mention in any context of “best ever”, but which we often dig out for a round of innocent fun?

That. I am not sure I used it exactly correctly (here's more information) but since nearly everyone listed games that I recognized as being really good or well liked or respected, even if they were obscure, my meaning was games that do not necessarily have such good reputations, or games that people might be surprised to know that you like. I tried to pick games that I really like but either have bad reputations (undeserved or not) or might have aged poorly or just be hard recommendations.

[Radrappy]

yeah, but don't make a straight "terrible games that I like" list either. I suppose my B list would have to include:

Sonic R(Sat)
Robo Pit(sat)
DBZ legends(sat)
Bof V: Dragon Quarter(Ps2)
Radiata Stories(Ps2)
Sakura Taisen V (Ps2)


As far as games that barely didn't make my top ten:
Shadow of the Colossus, Bumpy Trot, Dragon Force, Megaman X4, Mario Kart 64, and Sonic Jam.

Sonic Jam deserves special recognition for being an absolute love letter to the franchise. It really trumps Mega Collection in terms of atmosphere and content.

[gr4yJ4Y]

My B-list was pretty hard to make because I usually don't play games that aren't widely accepted as great games (I'm a sheep). I'm not sure if all these really qualify as being b-list entries, but here it is:

Vexx (GC)
Dokopon Kingdom (Wii)
Road Rash 64
Tommy Lasorda Baseball (Gen/MD)
DDR 5th Mix (arcade)
Sonic Heroes
Super Monkey Ball 2
Sonic R (PC)
NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (I got some enjoyment out of this terrible game)
Naruto: Gekitou Ninja Taisen! 4 (GC Japan)

[Isuka]

This list's almost entirely made out of nostalgia, and in no particular order:

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (GEN)
Sonic the Hedgehog (GEN)
Anubis: Zone of the Enders (PS2)
Guilty Gear XX (PS2) [whichever the latest update is, started with #Reload]
Street Fighter Zero 2 (PC) [I like 3rd Strike better, but this one started the madness]
Rockman X4 (PC)
Burnout 3: Takedown (PS2) [interchangeable with Revenge]
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (PC)

These are the the games I have spent the most time with and gotten the most out of. I can play through any of these any time and feel happy about it.

There are a number of beloved titles that I had to cut and I feel terrible about that. It's as though I'm choosing which of my friends I would save from the apocalypse. But I have compiled the list you requested. For science. You monster.

These.

I'd probably be picking others here and there, but the truth is that I haven't gotten the chance to play many games I'd like to try out and consider for lists like these (Radiant Silvergun, Oratorio Tangram, Bayonetta, Vanquish, Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2, Panzer Dragoon Saga, both Mario Galaxies, and basically all Contra and Metal Slug games, among a couple of others).

[Sniffnoy]

Oh man, how could I forget Metal Slug? *Something* on my list should definitely be replaced by Metal Slug 3. Let's remove the Worms entry.

[Crisis]

DDR 5th Mix (arcade)

I put more effort into this machine (well, EuroMix 2) than 12 years of compulsory school exercise. It's pretty much the game that introduced me to fitness. My parents even agreed to pay for it, I guess since I had no interest in, you know, an actual sport.

As for some fairly obscure games worth checking out, here are a handful:

Gazillionaire (PC): Spreadsheets have never been so much fun. You have to read this LP to get the whole experience, though.
Starship Titanic (PC/Mac, abandonware on Mac so you can find it for free with a google search): Late 90s adventure game written by Douglas Adams and voiced by some surprisingly big name actors. Almost entirely overlooked despite being rather ahead of its time in many respects; the spaceship itself is probably the most beautiful portrayal of space travel I've ever seen in any medium, and there's a remarkably sophisticated NPC interaction mechanic that's practically a game in itself. Shame the puzzles are so tedious, but I still love it to pieces.
P.N.03 (GC): Kind of a quirky action game but with a pretty cool aesthetic, largely overlooked at the time, now available in a bargain bin near you.
VVVVVV (PC/Mac): Indie platformer overshadowed by other, higher profile projects like a certain Meat Boy. Developed in the UK and released on Macintosh from day 1, which is always a good start, but the reason I bring it up is the soundtrack, which is glorious and worth the price of admission alone.

[G.Silver]

Starship Titanic (PC/Mac, abandonware on Mac so you can find it for free with a google search): Late 90s adventure game written by Douglas Adams and voiced by some surprisingly big name actors. Almost entirely overlooked despite being rather ahead of its time in many respects; the spaceship itself is probably the most beautiful portrayal of space travel I've ever seen in any medium, and there's a remarkably sophisticated NPC interaction mechanic that's practically a game in itself. Shame the puzzles are so tedious, but I still love it to pieces.

I never played this, but being by Douglas Adams, naturally there's a book, which I did read. I don't suppose you read it? I wonder how closely it matches the game's experience? (Not that I remember it all that well, anyway!)

[Dr. BUGMAN]

Ooh, I think I've got a good B-lister (heh) here: WireWay for the DS. Imagine a game that revolves around launching yourself, often blindly, throughout a level with little variation in enemies and worlds. I bought it purely based on the boxart (which I haven't done since I was a child), and I found it oddly enjoyable but something I wouldn't recommend. It's charming, if a tad derivative of Patapon, style-wise.

[Crisis]

I never played this, but being by Douglas Adams, naturally there's a book, which I did read. I don't suppose you read it? I wonder how closely it matches the game's experience? (Not that I remember it all that well, anyway!)

I haven't actually read it, although I did research a bit about it. The book isn't actually written by Douglas Adams even though he's in the title ("Douglas Adams' Starship Titanic... by Terry Jones"). I'm going purely on the wikipedia description, but it sounds like a very different experience. In the game, you're the only human on board (leading to a very isolated atmosphere... especially when you do find out what happened to the other 2 passengers). The book sounds like they introduced a bunch of new characters and was very plot-focused, possibly to compensate for the game (where it's entirely possible to finish without ever really understanding what happened - the events leading up to the game have to be pieced together by grilling the NPCs and solving the optional email hacking puzzle). Sadly I can't offer much insight other than speculation. I really ought to dig it up now that you mention it.

[(No Imagination)]

I've read that book too ...and to be frank, it sucked. Adams teaming up with a Python writer should have been like the funniest thing ever, but for some reason most of the humorous bits just sort of cancel each other out as the general vibe is very immature and demeaning compared to even the Python movies, let alone those Dirk Gently books. Never played the game, but heard it was actually much better than the book as Adams was simply more involved in designing it, with Terry Jones left to work on the book.

As for the list of favorite evar:
Super Mario World - this game taught me how to play games
Super Metroid, Zelda: aLttP, Link's Awakening, Sonic (1), Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Sonic CD - these games are the reasons I'd want to know how to play games
Mario 64 - this game taught me how to play games ... in 3D
Megaman Legends, Zelda: OoT, Sonic Adventure International - these games are the reasons I'd want to know how to play games ... in 3D
Mega Men up to 7 + Megaman Zero 4 - these all taught me how to overcome seemingly impossible odds with strict attention, patience and careful, deliberate timing
Street Fighter 2,3,4, Darkstalkers, Guilty Gear - for some reasons, what Mega Man games taught me really helps here on a random tournament or a get-together against people much more geekish than me
Shining Force - this game taught me how to play turn-based strategy
Tactics Ogre: LUCT on SNES - ...and this is sort of like Shining Force, only fully grown
vanilla GB Tetris - this game has an awesome soundtrack and it's Tetris
Ecco: Defender of the Future - this is a very cruel game featuring some remarkable architectural design, and it's making the list solely because it took me two years to finish it due to the insane labyrinthine level design with random lunar logic puzzles scattered about it. I swear those hint crystals are only there to drive you mad.
Soul Calibur 3 - nobody plays this for several differing reasons, but I still love it. It's much faster and more fluid than 2, and offers a whole lot of combat options. Today's mainstream fighting games' movelists almost feel like an insult after all the stuff that's possible here.

Honorable mentions:
- Shenmue 2 - it finally paid off to be a Sega fan in Europe. Too bad the game was nearly impossible to get, and I only played a short while before I had to return it...that's why it's only getting mentioned honorably.
- Summon Night - Swordcraft Story 2: I hacked this game so I could play as any monster, and they turned out to be almost 100% playable. It was awesome, back in the day.
- Banjo-Kazooie - cereal box design aside, this game's villain alone has more 'tude than the entirety of Sonic games could ever hope to muster, and she's backed up with some awesomely cartoony setting to boot.
- Megaman X - this game is awesome.
- SML3: Wario Land - this game, comparably so
- Final Fantasy VI - each time I play it through, I discover a sub-plot I haven't noticed before, or a more efficient tactic through difficult passages. It's magnificent for a JRPG to invoke Sonic 3 & Knuckles vibes of potential new discovery, and this game just does that.

...I dunno. I guess I could go on for days.