LogFAQs > #949203902

95. Rock Band Blitz (Xbox 360, 2012)
Rock Band Blitz is a peculiar entry, in some ways, but it also encapsulates the entirety of the work that Harmonix did up until its release. The studio that created Amplitude, Frequency, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band was, at this point in 2012, entirely focused on Rock Band, and rightfully so. The series was still going strong, Rock Band 3 was successful, DLC sales were strong.

Blitz took all the elements of their previous games - the enormous library of the Rock Band franchise, the color coded lanes and multiple instruments - and applied the fundamental ideas of Frequency and Amplitude - the rapid lane switching to hit notes, traditional controller setup, power-ups, and made a compelling arcade style rhythm game that requires you not to be perfect, because that's impossible, but to find the most effective path to score the most points. Unfortunately, due to the complicated licensing rights, it will forever remain stuck on the PS3/360s to which it was downloaded.

Watch this clip and enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGzCi2VQRpw

94. Top Skater (Arcade, 1997)
Top Skater is not a game that should exist. There's absolutely no reason for it to exist. It came out two years before the first Tony Hawk game, just as the X Games were becoming A Thing, as perhaps the single most ridiculous piece of arcade hardware to ever exist. Look at this thing:



You stand on that board - traditional or goofy stance, thank god for this left-dominant gamer - and the game propels you through a course of your choosing, based on difficulty. You steer by turning the board on that rear axis, using your bodyweight, and when you hit a ramp, or come near a rail, you kick either the front or the back of the board to initiate a trick. Your goal is to score as many points and complete the course in the allotted time; better tricks help you get through the course faster. You pick a skater depending on your style and preferences; they have modest variations in skillsets that don't really seem to affect the outcome too much. It is a quarter eater and it is incredibly fun, and I'm so glad it existed, despite all logic suggesting it should not.

93. Castle Crashers (Xbox 360, 2008)


Castle Crashers is irreverent and fun, especially with four players. There's enough variation between the many characters to make it enjoyable to play through with various friends more than once over time. Its art style is charming and the game is well-designed. The only thing keeping it from being several spots higher on the list is that is that it's actually too long for a beat 'em up. Beat 'em ups are inherently repetitious. There's few types of levels. Left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, autoscrolling or not. If you don't get enough variation in there, it starts to drag, and that happens a little too often with Castle Crashers. Still fun, though.

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The Thighmaster