Board 8 > Herein lies a list of 20 video games that may or may not be the best ever! Pt. 2

(+) Yeah! (+)

Super Mario 64 is weird to me, because on one hand I've played that game a lot more than most games growing up. I really did love it and I have very fond memories of it, but I have not been able to go back to it and enjoy it on the same level as I can with the other 3D Marios. Unlike what many people seem to think, I don't think it aged too well.
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LeonhartFour posted...

Mass Effect 3 top five game

Ftfy
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does this mean #1 isn't smb3
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it wouldn't be a shock for HM to have two Mario games in the top two
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agreed

but there was a comment about SMW being the pinnacle of 2D platforming in there

certainly don't expect SMW to be #1 here after being directly name-dropped in the previous writeup, though it also seems to rule out SMB3
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heroicmario posted...

Oh, yeahME4 exists, doesnt it? I never played that one, but I seem to remember everyone saying it was bad.

LeonhartFour posted...

Mass Effect 3 top ten game

Andromeda is basically Mass Effect 1 all over again, so you might enjoy it despite its issues.

ME4 is a better game than ME1 for me

ME1 has a better standalone story but ME4 has better gameplay even though there are some boring stretches

I like the characters in ME4 as well, even if there's some sketchy dialogue and writing. I like the Andromeda crew more than the OT crew after 1 game. Obviously, by the end of 3 you love those guys but the crew in 1 is kinda mediocre, save for Wrex. I think given a full trilogy and a less troubled development, that crew could have gone on to compete with the OT guys. And Jaal would have to be there at all times. Fucking Jaal. So good.

Big fan of the lighter tone and the way they differentiated Ryder from Shepherd too. Overall a good and very underrated game. Combat just did not get old and it really felt like just the tip of the iceberg. Pity about what happened.
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Oh, don't get me wrong. I liked Andromeda better than ME1, too. I thought it did some good things. I'm just saying conceptually, it's more like ME1 than anything.
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I liked Banjo growing up as well! Did anyone else get that VHS tape from Nintendo hyping it up? I dont have that anymore, but I distinctly recall watching it multiple times, haha. Truth be told, a lot of 3D platformers arent high ranking for me. I have a select few that resonate, then the rest end up feeling a little garbage-y. Im still down for trying A Hat in Time at some point.

As soon as I clicked that video I knew what it was. I remember being blown away when I first saw that, because FINDING something like that seems absurd to me. How do you just stumble on that?

NFUN posted...

The Half-A Press video is a work of art

Isnt it? It belongs in a museum.

I got the Nintendo Power tapes for DKC1 and Star Fox 64

thankfully they never sent me the Banjo one
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Yeah I got the DKC and Star Fox ones.

I also got a Pokemon one.
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I have fond memories of that DKC1 one, especially that KILLER INSTINCT tease at the end of the video.
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Oh man, the Star Fox 64 tape was amazing. Wasnt it based around a Sony employee interrogating a Nintendo guy for info about the RUMBLE PAK! The 90s were incredible.

The_Ctes posted...

Super Mario 64 is weird to me, because on one hand I've played that game a lot more than most games growing up. I really did love it and I have very fond memories of it, but I have not been able to go back to it and enjoy it on the same level as I can with the other 3D Marios. Unlike what many people seem to think, I don't think it aged too well.

I can see how it could be too rudimentary to still have a hook, especially after playing it a bunch. I have feelings like that about other games, for one reason or another. For instance, the idea of playing MGS3 proper again seems like a nightmare to me, fighting with pressure sensitive controls and having to relearn that whole system. It lacks a refinement and ease of use that I want out of a game, so I can see where youre coming from. Maybe different reasons for different games, but sometimes with enough distance, old favorites have a barrier to entry thats too steep.

It would be real nice if we could get a Mario 64 remake that doesnt try to substitute a joystick for a thumb strap!

The Mana Sword posted...

Yeah I got the DKC and Star Fox ones.

I also got a Pokemon one.

There was a Pokmon one? I never got this!

heroicmario posted...

It would be real nice if we could get a Mario 64 remake that doesnt try to substitute a joystick for a thumb strap!

Why not just play SM64DS on the 3DS? Then you get to use the joystick.
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I remember how much Star Fox 64 hyped the Rumble Pak, and it rumbled like crazy every time you beat a boss or blew up an objective. Then nobody else ever cared about rumble but it's default in every game anyway. Everyone's just used to it existing but nobody actually cares.

MGS3 still a top 3 game of all time
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i think the controls in MGS3 would be fine today (and you can re-learn on the fly, as it's not super-punishing)

the more daunting part is that it takes like 2.5 seconds to go to the start menu, and you spend a fair amount of time there. also some of the early game sections aren't super-inspired

but yeah

LeonhartFour posted...

MGS3 still a top 3 game of all time

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Remember when it was a big to do when Sony took the rumble out of the PS3 controller? Good times. I don't think the rumble has ever mattered since Star Fox 64 until the Switch came out with "HD Rumble," which can be kind of nice with how subtle it can be.

For me, I think these days if I wanted a good, solid MGS experience I would play MGS1. It can be a bit much with how often it wants to kick you to a cutscene/codec conversation, so I need to be in the mood to listen to the story, but it has the most appealing structure.

Mac Arrowny posted...

Why not just play SM64DS on the 3DS? Then you get to use the joystick.

Eh, it's not quite the same. It's an improvement over the d-pad, to be sure, but it doesn't feel as nice and smooth in the hands as the original did. When I'm thinking about a remake, I would want controls as effortless as Odyssey.

so you don't want to play MGS3 because of the controls but you're all in on MGS1 huh
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Haptic feedback is a huge part of modern controllers. It's very subtle but a pretty big part of most console games these days. A lot of people may not care but they are taking it for granted.
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For reasons sometimes rumble is on when I use Dolphin to play Melee and sometimes it's off. It does add something to the game. It isn't a huge deal, but it just feels incomplete without it.
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LeonhartFour posted...

comparing A Hat in Time to Mario Sunshine and Banjo-Kazooie definitely does not make me want to try that game

The Mario Sunshine comparison is mostly from a level design standpoint. There's no FLUDD or anything. It plays more like Mario 64 and has even more charm than the original Banjo. It's my personal 2017 GOTY.

srsly play it
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KingButz posted...

Haptic feedback is a huge part of modern controllers. It's very subtle but a pretty big part of most console games these days. A lot of people may not care but they are taking it for granted.

yeah people take it for granted but I don't even notice it anymore

like HM said, early PS3 controllers didn't have vibrate and it doesn't even occur to me that there's no vibrate when I play it
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I had the tapes for Donkey Kong Country, Pokemon, and Donkey Kong 64 and Jet Force Gemini.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEvGfPRiBfYKParGLjVPE7FldJTIl2lFv

Donkey Kong Country Exposed remains a work of art.

The Pokemon one isn't included there but...come to think of it, that video was mostly about the anime and the games were barely in it. I remember me or my sister also getting a video about Cubix so I assume the pokemon one was probably produced by 4kids rather than any Nintendo-related entity.
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1 | Super Mario World (SNES)

Here we are -- the final game!

It has been a long journey full of interactive entertainment, friendly discussion, absurd videos, laughter ("haha") and just the right dose of ridicule. I haven't done a list like this in probably a decade (really!), and despite how many I've done since being on board 8, this is undoubtedly my favorite one. We all engaged in a walk down memory lane talking about video games for at least a little while.

But now, Super Mario World -- "the pinnacle of 2D games."

In a list so dominated by the Super Nintendo, there was no way that Mario World could be MIA. Across the ages, there has probably never been a more consistent game to appear on these lists, even during the Edgy Years, than Super Mario World. Always in the top 10, and just around the corner if not! It's what I go to when I think about the "perfect" 2D platformer, what I imagine when I think about classic video games and the one game, without fail, that I could play at any moment and see through to the end without becoming sidetracked or bored.

I remember getting a Super Nintendo, packaged Super Mario World, from my granddad one Christmas. I'm not sure when it was, but I know it wasn't when the SNES first came out, it was years later. Still, that was probably the best Christmas gift I received as a kid, haha. I remember being blown away by the jump from Mario 3 to Mario World -- all of the colors, the weird new enemies that looked like Goombas and Koopa Troopas but with a twist, the atmosphere of the Koopa Castles, the morphing world map, the freakin' Cape that turned Mario into Superman, and of course, a dinosaur (another ol' standby from childhood -- T. Rex for life) that acted as a steed! When you reflect back to that game, at least as it relates to Mario, SMW was this wild, creative, wacky take on all the familiar tropes of a Mario experience. It was almost as mind blowing to me then as Mario World to Mario 64 would be later.

To be sure, the most popular additions that gave Mario World its characters have also been used as a detriment against it over the years, especially as it relates to the SMB3 vs. Mario World debate. I would never argue that SMW is a tough game, even by the standards of the time, but I also don't think that matters too much. For me, the appeal lies is the endless secrets, hidden exits, hunting for Dinosaur Coins (did anyone ever call them this? They were forever Yoshi Coins until I played SMWa), and exploring the verticality of the levels. Everything about Mario World's design makes you often go UP, into the clouds, in order to find the best kept secrets and hidden exits. In some ways, it takes on an adventure-esque quality, a sort of pre-Mario 64 style approach to the 2D platformer.

(Star World still is a more difficult set of levels than anything SMB3 throws at you, though!)

Super Mario World is an unforgettable experience, one that perfectly captures all of the aspects of the highlights of the different games I have talked about on this list. It mixes a perfect concoction of charm, creativity, uniqueness and an expert attention to detail and character control that I so often am a stickler for in video games. There are so many things I could talk about -- the silly animations of Mario destroying castles after beating the level, the sense of progression and development on the world map that has yet to be rivaled, the incredible music -- but everyone has played this game and knows it just as intimately as I do. I don't profess to be enlightening anyone here, haha.

At the end of the day, and the list, my final remark would be: Super Mario World is the most fun video game anyone has ever made. That's a good enough reason for it to be #1.

THANKS FOR READING!

https://techvalleygamespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ThankYou.png

3 > World forever
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LeonhartFour posted...

3 > World forever

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I thought that'd be #1. heroic mario indeed.

Mario 64 threw me for a sec, but I had faith!
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i want the sonic years hm back
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Within the context of the SMB3 vs. SMW debate, I may throw some shade, but those are two all-time greats! It was an active choice to not include more Mario platformers for diversity sake, because they are the foundation, the backbone, of gaming for me. I'm always there day 1 for a new Mario!

I should probably tune up the 21-40 spots of the entire list I made and post that at some point before this topic disappears. Not with writeups, but just for completion sake! You'll find many a more Mario game has wormed its way into every corner of the list.

it's interesting to me that you saw SMW as being a huge upgrade to SMB3! that initial 'wow factor' would definitely make a difference.
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heroic mario has seen everything. every feeling has been felt.
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I need to know what the highest game not on a Nintendo console is

predicting #24
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I'm a bigger fan of Sega's other series over Sonic, but there is one or two that would zip onto a top 50 list, probably. Primarily in the form of the Genesis ones, but I can admit that I was sucked into Sonic Adventure 2 in a way that is mildly embarrassing to talk about. The things I did in that game to raise my Chao friend.

Also, if anyone wants more incredible hot takes, like the one saw earlier about the PS2, in regard to any game(s) that didn't make this list, feel free to ask! I'm all for talking about opinions and discussing them!

transcience posted...

heroic mario has seen everything. every feeling has been felt.

No one has ever truly understood me more than when Iwata talked about the feel of hitting a baseball in the eShop Game of the Year, "Rusty's Real Deal Baseball," and how important that feeling was. It is why I am such an advocate today.

transcience posted...

I need to know what the highest game not on a Nintendo console is

predicting #24

bold prediction

I'm guessing 35
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transcience posted...

I need to know what the highest game not on a Nintendo console is

predicting #24

Ori and the Blind Forest! Its number... 23! Close!

You rule out a surprising number of non-Nintendo games when you extend it to systems completely!

I think certain series have almost been absorbed into the Nintendo fold by associating closely with their consoles. Like Mega Man, or to an extent, even old Sega games.

good pick! #2 for me
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Somehow missed this topic until the end! Fun times. Dragon Quest V woo.

If you liked Earthbound you will definitely like Undertale.
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Im still ironing out the remaining parts of the the next part of the list, but heres the final top 20 in an easy-to-read format!

1 | Super Mario World (SNES)
2 | Super Mario 64 (N64)
3 | Dragon Quest V (DS)
4 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
5 | EarthBound (SNES)
6 | Mega Man 2 (NES)
7 | Chrono Trigger (SNES)
8 | Super Metroid (SNES)
9 | Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
10 | Attack of the Friday Monsters: A Tokyo Tale! (3DS)

11 | Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)
12 | Dragon Quest VII (3DS)
13 | Pokemon Red / Blue (GB)
14 | The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GC)
15 | Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
16 | Super Street Fighter II (SNES)
17 | Final Fantasy VI (SNES)
18 | Super Mario Kart (SNES)
19 | Puyo Puyo Tetris (Switch)
20 | Phoenix Wright (DS)

Super Mario World is still the greatest 2D platformer. Very fitting #1
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LeonhartFour posted...

3 > World forever

Our tastes are absurdly similar
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Super Mario World?

oh
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What is with all this Mario World naysaying? Butz understands.

KamikazePotato posted...

If you liked Earthbound you will definitely like Undertale.

Thats what Im getting. It looks like a game I would be into.

hey I think Mario World is great!

I've just always thought 3 is better
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I have the hardest time choosing between 3 and World. 3 has more nostalgia points for me but I feel like if I'm being honest with myself, then I should acknowledge that World is the objectively better game.
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World > 3
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here's a take - 2d Mario is too vanilla to be truly great
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"objectively"

pfffffft who cares about that
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transience posted...

here's a take - 2d Mario is too vanilla to be truly great

Vanilla Dome was pretty good imhotbqh
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Yeah, I dont think objectivity matters at all here. Sounds like you prefer Mario 3, its not a wrong choice!

transience posted...

here's a take - 2d Mario is too vanilla to be truly great

My brain cant handle this take. Its wrong!

(Yo, Tetris sucks!)

you can say the same about Tetris!
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