I have been meaning to return to this blog for quite sometime. Unfortunately I have been very busy moving and dealing with the holidays. But, I have had plenty of time to think of what I would like to post. I came to the conclusion that, while I shared the games that were most influential on me, I haven't really mentioned my favorite games of all-time. Since there are so many games that I have enjoyed over almost thirty years, I decided I would list my ten favorite games from the 80's, 90's, and 2000-2010. I felt it was only fair to include 2010 because 1)there were so many good games that came out that year, and 2) I started this blog in 2010 and we just entered 2011, so what's the harm in just saying "favorite games up to the present"?
Now these were very hard lists to organize. There are so many games pumped out every year that we don't even hear about. Some of them are really, really good, and others are downright terrible. We can't deny, though, how much money is pumped into this huge industry every year. Hell, Nintendo alone spends more money on research per year than the U.S. Government spends on EDUCATION! Yea, let that sink in and then try to say that the video game industry isn't a big deal. Anyway, no more ranting and let's get to the countdown. This is my top 10 favorite games of the last three decades, starting with 1980-1989.
Snake's Favorite Games: 1980-1989
I had the hardest time narrowing down my favorite games from this decade. There were plenty of options, but due to my youth and inability to purchase my own cartridges, I realized that I didn't play some of the all-time greats, and instead found myself latched onto games that I just thought were entertaining. But, that's what gaming should be about in the first place, sooooo......
10) Super Mario Bros. (1985)
I know it may be shocking that Mario is so far down on the list, but I really didn't care for this game all that much. Actually, I don't really care for that manyl Mario games in general. I REALLY only like 4 Mario games. I can't deny, however, that I played this game a helluva lot. What old-school gamer didn't? It is the fucking original; the game that saved the industry. So here's the red plumber settling in at the number 10 spot.
9) Bases Loaded (1988)
Unless I make some last minute changes to my 90's and 2000's lists, this will be the only sports game that will make the cut. I loved this game so much, I would play it every night, whether or not I had someone to play against. This game was so influential on me, I actually modeled my real-life pitching wind-up after my favorite character in the game. I continued to use that wind-up through college. That would be incredibly nerdy if it hadn't actually been effective, or I had been a shitty athlete. I actually still have videos of me at age 6 trying to mimic the players from this game. So, this game has to make the list.
8) Silent Service (1985)
The Submarine Simulator...hell yes. This game was really fun and very challenging. You couldn't just run and gun in this game. You were a stealth weapon and had to treat every decision with logic and respect. That's too much for most kids to handle, but I loved it. If you have never heard of this game, look it up. Sure, there are more realistic war simulators now, but this one was way ahead of its time and still alot of fun to play, even today.
7) Mike Tyson's Punch-out! (1987)
There are several incarnations of this game, but this is the most well-known and popular, and it is the one that I owned so its on the list. This game is so much fun and presents the gradual challenge formula to perfection. Now, I didn't actually complete this game until I was 16 (beating Mike Tyson, that is), I have to admit that I spent so many hours digging away and challenging myself to be faster and smarter until I finally reached the final goal. There is no way I could have a countdown about 80's games without this title making an appearance.
6) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1989)
This game gets alot of hell for being too difficult and bastardizing Ninja Turtles canon, but it really is just too much fun. This game is so frustrating, I just couldn't stop myself from trying over and over again. Plus, its the Turtles...are you really gonna hate on the Turtles?
5) The Legend of Zelda (1987)
Not much to say about this one. I still pop it in and play every now and then. Its just way too awesome.
4) Castlevania (1987)
I won't talk a lot about this one either. I have already said enough about it on my "Top 10 Most Influential Games on Me" countdown. This game is based on everything I still find intriguing at 27, that I loved when I was 5.
3) Pitfall! (1982)
The oldest entry on this list is, what I believe, the one that needs no explanation. This game is so much fun, even if it is simplistic and outdated. Its just Pitfall people...and its awesome.
2) Megaman 2 (1988)
Once again, I really don't need to explain alot here. Megaman 2 is the game that really sealed the franchise's place in history. We knew we were going to see WAY more of the blue bomber after this side-scroller came out. The music was arguably the best on the NES, the gameplay was tight, and the overall layout was amazing. This game just rocks.
1) Metroid (1986)
This game needs no history lesson. If you are a gamer and you are reading this, it shouldn't be a shock that this game appears on my list. But, it has to be number one because of the amount of challenge it presented and the time I invested to overcome that challenge.
So there's the first part of my three decade tribute to my favorite games. I will get started immediately on the next two parts. I have nothing better to do in this winter storm anyway!
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