Board 8 > Leonhart Ranks 100 Games with Writeups: The Top 40!

(+) Yeah! (+)

#11. Super Mario Bros. 3


Super Mario Bros. 3 was my original favorite game, and I feel like it was probably a lot of peoples first favorite game. I even picked it to win the original Games Contest because I thought it was widely regarded as the best game ever everywhere! As you can see, its fallen over my lifetime, but I still love it! The original Super Mario Bros. was the first video game I ever played. Im not sure how old I was the first time I actually beat it, but I put a lot of time into it. It was (and still is) a fun game, but it was fairly basic and straightforward (which is fine). Then Super Mario Bros. 2 came out, and it was something completely different. I played that one a bunch, too. It was cool on its own merits, but I didnt like it as much as the original. Then Super Mario Bros. 3 dropped, and it felt like it changed the way we viewed video games. It might have been the first massively hyped video game release. It was previewed in a friggin movie before it came out! In the first game, Mario could shoot fireballs, but now he could fly! It was wild. The box art for Mario 3 is simple but iconic. That image of Mario dominating the cover soaring into the sky with the raccoon tail sticks with you, and then you have that title screen where Mario and Luigi troll each other, which also secretly teaches you certain new tricks, like how to duck behind certain backgrounds. It was really clever.

Mario 3 also went crazy with the amount of new powerups you could get. You had the classic mushroom, fire flower, and Starman, of course, along with the leaf. Then there was also the tanuki suit, frog suit, hammer suit, the P-Wing, and the one-time only Kuribos Shoe. It was cool having so many different powerups, and I liked that you could actually save stuff you won from the Toad House for when you wanted to use them on the item bar so they didnt go to waste. There was nothing like busting out that P-Wing when you got stuck on a tough level, which I often did when I got to World 8! Speaking of which, I love Mario 3s worlds. Theres just so much diversity in the themes, and it made it feel like such a grand adventure. The first time I went to Giant Land was mind-blowing because suddenly you have Goombas and Koopa Troopas that are several times their own size and much bigger than Mario. Sky Land was cool because it was fun eventually making it all the way up into the clouds. Dark Land had a fantastic atmosphere and absolutely felt like Bowser was pulling out all the stops to keep you from getting to him.

Mario 3 vs. Mario World has been an endless debate for the now 30 years theyve both existed. Its been kind of sad to watch it trend from Mario 3 being the more popular game in 2004 to Mario World gradually catching it and overtaking it in the years since. Not to say Mario World isnt a great game because I obviously think it is or I wouldnt have ranked it so high myself, but it feels like people have gradually lost appreciation for what a classic Mario 3 is. Why do I prefer 3 over World? I think its because its central focus is the platforming. Worlds gameplay revolves around its secrets, but Mario 3 still puts a premium on creative and challenging platforming. I love the relentlessness of the airship levels and pretty much everything World 8 throws at you (except for the Bowser battle, which might be the worst final boss in a mainline Mario game if Bowser in a bathtub didnt exist). When I got the GBA port several years ago, I made it a point to beat every single level in each world (which was extremely difficult to do in the original game since you didnt have save files), and it was such a satisfying challenge because I got a deeper appreciation for just how well designed this game is. It may not rank as highly for me as it used to, but Im not sure I actually love it any less!

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I've beaten Mario 3 once, and that was via the GBA version. I was terrible at 2D Mario back then, and I'd like to think I've improved since then based on getting comfy with Super Mario World. Still view the game as a classic, especially since watching Chuggaaconroy's mistakes playing the game for The Runaway Guys made me feel less bad about my own lack of skill.

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Here is my definitive Mario Kart ranking -

SMK > MKDD > MK8 > MK64 > MKSC > MKWii > MK7 > MKDD

Also, it's nice to see some love for Skies of Arcadia. That was a truly great adventure. I also loved the airship exploration aspect. With all of the remakes and sequels out there, It kind of frustrates me that Sega just keep re-releasing the same batch of Genesis games over and over again, but continues to ignore their classic fan favorite games from the Saturn and Dreamcast eras.

Oh, and count me also in the SMB3 > SMW camp. For me, it was always the variety of power ups that put SMB3 over the top for me.

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I still own Skies because I cant bear to sell it but I'm not sure I can play it again with the slow and frequent battles.

I want so badly to have an HD remake with sped up battles. That's like the only change I need.

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i beat the gba version of smb3. only 2D mario i've finished. have never believed i could beat it without saves.

love the first level and athletic themes from that game. not quite on the level of the smw or smb1 stage 1 themes though, to be fair.
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Maniac64 posted...

I still own Skies because I cant bear to sell it but I'm not sure I can play it again with the slow and frequent battles.

I want so badly to have an HD remake with sped up battles. That's like the only change I need.

Yeah, I get that, but I also think battles go a lot faster once you get to the point that you can use S-Moves that hit all enemies every turn (like Lambda Burst and Rain of Swords). It just takes a few dungeons before you get to that point, which can be frustrating. Legends does give you access to an accessory early on that lowers the encounter rate, too! I replayed the game a year or two ago and still absolutely loved it.

cyko posted...

Here is my definitive Mario Kart ranking -

SMK > MKDD > MK8 > MK64 > MKSC > MKWii > MK7 > MKDD

I'm assuming one of those DDs was supposed to be DS!

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I am going to guess you have DKC2 above SMB3, which is really the only acceptable 2D platformer for that position (though I disagree).

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don't know if it's dropped yet but there should be a sonic game up here as well?
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#10. Final Fantasy VII


Ive always wondered which character botched that line! My guess is Tifa because who else among them would have even heard Barret say that before, but who knows! I was hoping to be playing the Final Fantasy VII Remake at this point since it was supposed to come out the day before my birthday, but Ive got to hold off for another month! I know theres a demo, but Ive decided to wait for the full game (well, full is a relative term here) because I already feel pretty strongly that Im going to like it and I dont need the demo to get my hype levels up even more! Anyway, were focusing on the original game here. Final Fantasy VII is probably the first game that convinced me to buy it just based on the advertising. I had never seen anything like it before. It almost felt like looking at a movie. FFVII felt like it shifted the balance of power from the Nintendo 64 to the Playstation 1 because of its ability to produce such wonderfully cinematic cutscenes.

Final Fantasy VIIs masterful presentation wasnt limited to the cutscenes. You could see it everywhere you looked. Spending the first several hours in a massive urban metropolis like Midgar was an excellent decision because it really got to show off the graphical ability of the game. I almost never wanted to leave because it was so cool. The various backgrounds look really awesome, and it was interesting to see the contrast between the big city and the slums below the plate. Then you leave Midgar and realize theres an even bigger world out there, and it gave Final Fantasy VII such a grand sense of scale. While FFVIIs battle system is pretty standard JRPG fare (although you can do some wacky stuff with Materia combos!), the presentation makes everything seem so cool. The character models are more detailed in battle than the blocky field models. Then you have Limit Breaks, which are designed to look flashy while also being really powerful, something that completely changes the flow of a battle. The camera work is what makes it all so effective, with the camera zooming in on the character as the yellow flash of energy surrounds them, and you get unique angles for Limit Breaks to make them look even cooler, as well as over the top sound effects to drive home how powerful they are. I also really love what they do when you cast Ultima, the strongest spell in the game, where the camera rapidly zooms in on the character multiple times from different angles, which tells you that youre about to unleash something major.

Thats not to say Final Fantasy VII is all style and no substance. Since I didnt grow up playing RPGs, I had never played a game with such a major emphasis on the plot. I think I was at the right age to be so impressed with what they did, as well as being down for a game with this much reading involved. Some of the finer details of the story went over my head at the time, of course, but I was able to take in the major points of the game and I loved it. I remember being completely stunned when Sephiroth killed Aerith because probably the only game I had played where they killed off a major hero was Mega Man X, and they brought Zero back in the next game! The reason why that spoiler has become ubiquitous is because of how big of a deal it was at the time. However, my favorite part of the game was the Lifestream dive where you explore Clouds past and get to the truth of who he really is. Some of those revelations blew my mind, and it was probably the first time I really paid attention to how a game used the music to heighten the impact of a climax. If youve played FFVII, you probably know what Im talking about because its so memorable.

I love the cast of Final Fantasy VII as well. Cloud is still one of my favorite characters to this day. He just radiated cool. I remember marking out when I saw him riding that motorcycle through the Shinra Building and right out the window onto the highway. And yet as I progressed, I found that Cloud had a more human side, a side I could actually really relate to as a shy introvert. That balance between the two is what makes him such a great character, in my opinion. Tifa is still one of my favorite female characters as well. She was probably my first video game crush. Barret was awesome, too. The dude had a friggin machine gun for an arm, but he had a surprising amount of depth as well. Cloud/Tifa/Barret is still my party of choice to this day. It was a great cast overall, including Sephiroth, whom Ive come to appreciate more and more over time. Theres a reason JRPGs have been trying to replicate him for 23 years now, and its not just because of the fire walk! He has a sense of presence and imminent dread that is almost unparalleled in the genre. From the moment he first makes his presence known in the Shinra Building, he becomes the central focus of the plot. He honestly doesnt even have that much screentime, but you spend the vast majority of the game following his trail and trying to catch up to him. The gradual buildup is so well done, from seeing the remains of the Midgar Zolom (an enemy we all probably tried to fight and got crushed by) to Clouds occasional flashbacks of him to the few times you do get to see him. I almost want to replay the game to get ready for the remake, but Im not entirely sure Id have time to finish it!

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Skies of Arcadia bombed in Japan and I've heard Japanese RPG fans are often like "what the hell is this?" when they see it on western best game lists. So for that franchise in particular you should accept they are never going to give us anything else.

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I went from loving Cloud to hating Cloud and then back to loving Cloud again. The livestream scene is what made him fantastic in the end.

It takes a special kind of hero to be batshit insane and psychotic for almost the entire story and still save the world in the end.

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I played VII for the first time in 2017, and I still thought that the aesthetics were really cool.

The lifestream scene was my favorite part, Im surprised that it isnt a more widespread spoiler. I like how it adds some meaning to Clouds dialogue options from earlier in the game, thats just so clever to me.

i got near the end of disc one once in ffvii and then for some reason got stuck or caught up in some temple maze. the game spent a lot of time in midgar, almost enough to make me feel like "man how much more is there" after leaving
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FFVII peaked early with Disc 1 being the best part of the game, IMO. However, as I've gotten older I find I have a growing appreciation for Cloud's character arc in Disc 2 (and I already liked the approach back when I first played the game... in like 2008 lol).

Looking forward to Remake but dammit square learn how to compress data

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SeabassDebeste posted...

i got near the end of disc one once in ffvii and then for some reason got stuck or caught up in some temple maze. the game spent a lot of time in midgar, almost enough to make me feel like "man how much more is there" after leaving

Oh yeah, Temple of the Ancients is one of the most frustrating dungeons in the game. I can see someone getting stuck there.

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I maintain that FFVII has the best playable cast, though FFX has my favorite individual character.

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I'd take X over VII but they are both good.

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SMB3 was the first game I ever paid for with my own money. I mean I was 4 so it was not really my own money but my parents made me feel like I had earned it.

I think mostly my dad just wanted the game

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#9. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter


That image is the main reason you should play the Trails in the Sky games if you havent already. Estelle is such a wonderful protagonist. There are so few main characters out there like her, especially considering that female leads in JRPGs are rare enough as it is. Its why snagging this alt is one of my proudest Board 8 achievements! Even saying that, she still might not even be my favorite Trails in the Sky character because I love Joshuas character arc over the three games. I was talking about how much I loved Clouds development in the Final Fantasy VII writeup, and Joshuas characterization actually reminds me of him a bit (not saying theyre clones, but I can see a resemblance). Hes someone who acts very cool on the surface (I love his S-Crafts because the presentation on them is top notch. Youre finished. I willrun no more!) but has some major issues deep down. The playable cast in general is outstanding. Im a big fan of Kloe, Tita, and Agate as well.

Trails in the Sky Second Chapter is a direct continuation of First Chapter (obviously), which ended on a fantastic cliffhanger that immediately made me want to play the sequel. The first game basically serves as a coming of age story for Estelle. Its mostly lighthearted fun as she and Joshua journey around Liberl, learning about the world around them and saving the day as the need arises. It feels very casual and laidback. Second Chapter is about Estelle putting everything on the line to save what she loves the most and making a name for herself as a hero on par with her legendary father. Its a much more emotionally charged adventure, with several moments that really tugged on my heartstrings. In First Chapter, the evil organization Ouroboros is mostly operating behind the scenes, but in Second Chapter, they take center stage, which results in a lot of epic showdowns during the course of the game, heightened by multiple fantastic battle themes. I love me a good villain ensemble (as youve no doubt noticed), especially when they pair off a hero with a villain as their foil (and I love me some foils), so I really enjoyed what Trails SC did with them here.

Speaking of battle, Trails in the Sky is more of an old school turn-based JRPG, although it also implements a system similar to what you see in Final Fantasy X, where the attack you choose impacts how quickly that character can act again. Theres a sidebar during battles showing the current order for both your party and all the enemies, and there are also bonuses that appear randomly during battles, too, such as a guaranteed critical hit. It adds an element of strategy to your moves to ensure you can snatch up the bonuses you want so the enemy doesnt get them, and you can also focus your attacks on a certain enemy you know is about to get a turn in hopes of taking it out first. You also have to move your characters across a grid, and your Arts (basically spells) and Crafts have a predetermined range, so you have to take that into account when thinking about what you want to do. It might sound a little complicated, but its honestly fairly intuitive and easy to get the hang of, so I thought it was fun.

Oh right, I also want to thank everyone who helped get Trails in the Sky SC into the contest! I know its almost certainly going to get blown out in the first round, but its still cool to get a game I care about some added recognition. I know the game isnt easily accessible if you dont have a PSP or a Vita, and you like to play on PC (and I normally dont). However, if youre a fan of ambitious JRPGs with a well-developed cast and a well-executed plot, find a way to play these games! Trails in the Sky SC in particular is as good as it gets, but the entire series is utterly engrossing.

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ya go my trails
ya go my estelle

Estelle is the best playable character in the game, series, and definitely in the top-tier overall. And the rest of the cast is (mostly) great too.

LeonhartFour posted...

Oh right, I also want to thank everyone who helped get Trails in the Sky SC into the contest! I know its almost certainly going to get blown out in the first round, but its still cool to get a game I care about some added recognition.

believe in estelle (i caved and switched my bracket to dqxi ;_;)

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I wanted to like it. Estelle and Joshua are fantastic characters. But I found myself getting bored by the gameplay pretty fast and the rest of the cast didn't do anything to make me want to keep playing.

The two mains almost carried First Chapter for me anyways, but weren't quite enough to make me stay.

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Second Chapter is a big improvement over First Chapter overall, but if you don't like the battle system, it doesn't really change much in that department.

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I wonder if I might be the only B8er that prefers, like, most of the important Trails cast to Estelle and Joshua.

I like them but don't quite love them. Wonder what I'm missing exactly.

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NBIceman posted...

I wonder if I might be the only B8er that prefers, like, most of the important Trails cast to Estelle and Joshua.

I like them but don't quite love them. Wonder what I'm missing exactly.

I can see you preferring the important cast to maybe one of them but not both. I find it hard to believe that you don't love at least one of them if you're a fan of the games!

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NBIceman posted...

Wonder what I'm missing exactly.

Estelle's conversation at the end of Trails in the Sky the 3rd with Renne is GOAT-tier content. Legit started tearing up during it. I was strongly considering placing Kevin ahead of her in the great character ranking but then that happened.

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I guess it'd be important info to mention that I haven't gotten around to the 3rd yet then! I know Estelle and Joshua aren't around for very much of it so I guess I was assuming there wouldn't be a whole lot of content that might lead me to change my opinion of them much, but it sounds like that might've been silly.

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Shonen_Bat posted...

I wanted to like it. Estelle and Joshua are fantastic characters. But I found myself getting bored by the gameplay pretty fast and the rest of the cast didn't do anything to make me want to keep playing.

The two mains almost carried First Chapter for me anyways, but weren't quite enough to make me stay.

One thing that might help is that they added a fast forward to the PC versions of all the Sky games. The slowness of the battle system was my biggest problem with the pre-Cold Steel Trails games in general.
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NBIceman posted...

I guess it'd be important info to mention that I haven't gotten around to the 3rd yet then! I know Estelle and Joshua aren't around for very much of it so I guess I was assuming there wouldn't be a whole lot of content that might lead me to change my opinion of them much, but it sounds like that might've been silly.

I wouldn't say that Estelle and Joshua aren't around for very much of it. It's just different in that you start with Kevin and Ries (a new character) and Estelle/Joshua don't join until about the halfway point. But there's still plenty of content for them, it's just the focus of the main plot is Kevin.

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One of these days I'll play the Trails games.

What is the first game? Just First chapter?

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Huh. Yeah, I knew Kevin was the focus but I was also led to believe that Estelle and Joshua only showed up, like, right at the end. Someone led me astray a while back, clearly.

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Maniac64 posted...

One of these days I'll play the Trails games.

What is the first game? Just First chapter?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/251150/The_Legend_of_Heroes_Trails_in_the_Sky/
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Maniac64 posted...

One of these days I'll play the Trails games.

What is the first game? Just First chapter?

Yeah. Trails in the Sky FC is the very first game in the series. The series as a whole contains 3 sub-series as it shifts to a new location/primary cast, but Sky is the first of them.

Trails in the Sky FC
Trails in the Sky SC
Trails in the Sky the 3rd

Zero no Kiseki/Trails of Zero (Unlocalized, though there's a fan translation almost at completion)
Ao no Kiseki/Trails of Azure (Unlocalized)

Trails of Cold Steel
Trails of Cold Steel II
Trails of Cold Steel III
Trails of Cold Steel IV (Unlocalized though I'd bet NISA is currently working on it and just hasn't announced it yet.)
Hajimari no Kiseki (Unreleased even in Japan. Due later this year.)

That's the series as it currently stands, line breaks signifying the different sub-series. (So for instance you could enter at Trails of Cold Steel and mostly be fine though you'd be missing on references/callbacks and such. Whereas if you entered at Trails in the Sky SC it'd literally be like starting Final Fantasy VII by putting in Disc 2.)

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Thanks!

And good that means I have the right one in my steam wishlist.

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Gonna try to get one more in tonight.

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#8. Mass Effect 3


I dont want to spend too much time discussing the ending (because its been done beyond to death, and everyones entrenched in their opinions of it at this point), so Ill get it out of the way up front. I played Mass Effect 3 at launch, which means I was there for the original ending before BioWare edited it due to the overwhelming backlash against it. I get why people wouldnt like it, but calling it an overreaction was an understatement. It certainly didnt spoil the amazing experience Id had with Mass Effect 3 up to this point. I think the new endings did improve things a bit (Control all the way, for the record), but they never really addressed the one major complaint I had with the endings (something Ive rarely seen anyone else vocalize besides me). Anyway, there have been times when a really bad ending has retroactively ruined a good experience for me (Xenosaga Episode III is the prime example), but I honestly didnt mind the ending that much and the experience up to that point was simply too strong to be undone.

Everything in the first two Mass Effect games had been building up to the Reaper invasion, so Mass Effect 3 had a lot to live up to in order to match the hype. Somehow it managed to pull it off 95% of the time! They completely sold the overwhelming power of the Reapers and their forces, which made Shepards determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds all the more impressive. There was also the pressure to resolve several plotlines that they had been developing over the course of the series, and they knocked them out of the park, too! Tuchanka and Rannoch were my two favorite parts of the game by far, and two of my favorite missions in the entire series. You had so many epic moments throughout those missions, and they started to make you believe victory was possible as Shepard continued to do things no one thought could be done.

Mass Effect 3 is also full of emotional moments because you knew this was farewell to a crew you had grown attached to throughout the trilogy. This is part of why Citadel is the greatest piece of DLC ever because its such a carefully crafted love letter from BioWare to fans of the series. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to these characters. Mass Effect 3 was the first video game to make me openly weep. I wont spoil the moment, but Ive played through the game several times and it moves me to tears every single time. One of my favorite things about the game was that every time you came back to the Normandy, there was almost always some new banter going on somewhere. It felt alive in a way. Your squad didnt just keep to themselves in their designated room on the ship. They moved around and talked to each other, made jokes at each others expense, and got baffled by pretty much everything Javik said and did (amazing character, by the way). I have rarely loved a cast of characters as much as I love the Mass Effect squad.

Ive spent most of the time talking about the story and the characters, but I do need to talk about how good Mass Effect 3s combat is. Part of the reason the war against the Reapers is appropriately epic is because fighting is so much fun, and they dont hold back, throwing waves and waves of abominable forces at you on ravaged battlefields. I still have nightmares about that Banshee scream. Ive played as most of the classes (I cant remember if Ive ever done an Adept run), and theyre all so much fun. I think my favorite is the Vanguard because Charge + Nova never gets old! I honestly wish I had given the multiplayer a try because I heard nothing but good things about it. It might have ranked even higher for me if I had!

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LeonhartFour posted...

but they never really addressed the one major complaint I had with the endings (something Ive rarely seen anyone else vocalize besides me)

i'd say "no justice for shepard and whoever his LI was" but I feel like that sorta is talked about. It is something that bugs me, at least. Like it didn't just fail to stick the landing there... they just straight-up didn't land. they turned the anti-gravity on and left us in perpetual non-landing... forever.

LeonhartFour posted...

Anyway, there have been times when a really bad ending has retroactively ruined a good experience for me (Xenosaga Episode III is the prime example)

oh hell naw

[Renegade] HEY EVERYONE! THIS TOPIC DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE POOR!

I felt that ME2's combat was better than ME3 but I can't explain why too well. well outside like two rooms where it was bs on insanity.

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I'm still one trophy away from the Platinum on ME2, and that's doing an Insanity run! Not sure if I'll work up the courage anytime soon!

but yeah that's my biggest gripe with ME3's ending

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(also at least you admit the poorness of Xenosaga Episode III)

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dammit i knew i had opened myself up to that but was hoping you wouldn't take that shot

xs3's ending is a huge rushjob no doubt but i won't be having this disparagement of the once-goat

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oh right I just realized we're like 2 days away from ME3 turning 8 years old

doesn't feel like it came out that long ago

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#7. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations


Trials & Tribulations codified the formula that the entire Ace Attorney series followed afterwards. The first two games had four (and eventually five with the DS port of PW1) cases that were very loosely connected but were mostly their own thing. With the third game, Ace Attorney tried to tell a cohesive story where all the cases built on each other, leading to an epic climax. It was a really cool method of storytelling that resonated with the fanbase, and thats part of why Trials & Tribulations is the favorite game of most of the fanbase.

Of course, having a new way of arranging the plot alone wouldnt be enough if the individual cases themselves werent fantastic, and they are. The average case quality is higher in Trials & Tribulations than any other game in the series. In my opinion, every single case is good (dont @ me, 3-2 or 3-3 detractors). The game immediately grabs your attention by opening with a flashback case where Mia Fey is the attorney and Phoenix Wright is the defendant. Now Ive always thought Mia was great, but I know some people found a new appreciation for her playable segments in T&T. You can absolutely see the influence she had on Phoenix. Plus, 3-1 introduces perhaps the evilest character the series has ever produced, as well as the most personal enemy Phoenix has ever faced. This was the first time Ace Attorney used a recurring villain, and it worked really well.

Trials & Tribulations also introduces one of the coolest characters in the series in Godot. Hes not the most talented or capable prosecutor, but I couldnt help being charmed by how funny and cool he was. I loved his cheesy and illogical metaphors, and the fact that he was always calm and collected, no matter what. The game also had a really good set of culprits and defendants for the most part. It was easy to get invested in each case when you either wanted to save the defendant or take down the culprit, and Godot always kept the pressure on you, too. The first two Ace Attorney games were about why Phoenix became a lawyer and why he continues to be one, but at this point, they were basically trying to put him into the craziest scenarios possible and seeing if he could get out of them. It was really fun.

Perhaps what makes Trials & Tribulations so special is the combination of how well 3-4 and 3-5 work together. I dont want to spoil it, but its a combination of the perfect type of fanservice, the highest stakes, and the resolution of a plotline thats been building for the entire trilogy. 3-5 is the biggest case the series had produced to date, and its only really been surpassed by 6-5 since then. Its also a really emotional finale, and the trilogy ended about as well as it possibly could have. If Phoenixs story had ended there, I wouldve had zero complaints. In some ways, it probably should have, considering some of the stuff that followed, but it doesnt lessen my appreciation for how well done it is.

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Yeah, the only weak part of AA3 is 3-3. I've only played AA1-4 and AAI1, but so far I agree that AA3 is the best one.

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nothing to add to aa3 that hasn't been said in other aa topics. not as high on 3-5 as the rest of the fanbase, but aa3 is probably the right pick for top of its series (and easily the best that i played without emulation)
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3-5 best case forever.

But Phoenix/Maya > Phoenix/Iris.

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NBIceman posted...

3-5 best case forever.

But Phoenix/Maya > Phoenix/Iris.

Get out

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I have never played a Phoenix Wright game but the trilogy was on sale for $15 on PS4 so I played 1-1 last night

Im excited to dig in more this weekend

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meant to try to get one in last night but I was too tired

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#6. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles


Its two games for the price of one thanks to lock-on technology! I loved the attention to detail in each version of the game. The order of events, the bosses, and even the layouts of the levels can change depending on whether youre playing as Sonic or Knuckles, and whether youre playing Sonic 3 alone, Sonic & Knuckles alone, or Sonic 3 & Knuckles as a package deal. Almost all of the levels are catered to the unique skills that Sonic and Knuckles have. The only level thats exactly the same for both characters is Flying Battery Zone, and thats only because Knuckles was originally not supposed to have that level on his route. As a kid, it was mind-blowing to think you could play the same levels and yet have them be different. I liked how the Knuckles levels and bosses were always a bit more difficult to compensate for his gliding and climbing abilities.

Now Ill be honest: When I first played Sonic 3, I thought Knuckles was just an annoying troll. All he does is hit a switch to send you plummeting to a new area while he does that dumb laugh, and I hated that you never got a chance to give him his comeuppance. Then Sonic & Knuckles changed everything. Not only did I finally get the duel I wanted, but I found out that Knuckles was being played by Robotnik the entire time. The Hidden Palace Zone sequence is one of my favorite parts of the series. They managed to tell a better story here without a single word of dialogue than anything 3-D Sonic has ever achieved! Then I went back and played as Knuckles, seeing everything from his point of view, and he was incredibly fun to play as with his unique abilities! Hes been one of my favorite characters ever since.

I love the zones in Sonic 3 & Knuckles. For the most part, theyre really fun. I think the only real duds are Carnival Night (partly because of the inscrutable Barrel of Doom) and Sandopolis. Theyre both just way too long. Theyre the only zones in classic Sonic where I honestly run the risk of hitting the 10-minute time limit. The rest of it is a blast though! I love Hydrocity, Ice Cap, Flying Battery, Lava Reef, and Sky Sanctuary. Theyre just such well-designed levels, and it feels good to explore all the different routes through each act. One of my favorite things about Sonic games in general (but I really feel it here) is that you can notice yourself getting better the more you play it. You start to get a feel for timing your jumps, where the enemies are placed so you dont run into them when youre running at top speed, how to get to the bonus levels. It all starts to feel almost effortless, and I think thats what makes for the ideal Sonic experience, when you can really enjoy the speed of the game.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles also has one of my favorite video game soundtracks. There are so many good songs on here. Just about every zone has a solid stage theme. I guess you can credit Michael Jacksons influence for that (no, seriously), but it makes the game so much more fun. It also has one of my favorite boss themes, which helps ramp up the intensity of each fight. Youve also got some fantastic special boss themes, like the Big Arms theme that plays for the last boss of Sonic 3, or the Doomsday Zone theme, which is one of the most epic 2-D action sequences ever for me, and the music is a big part of it. I know a lot of this board doesnt rate Sonic as a series as highly as I do, so this might be an unpopular pick to have it this high, but Sonic 3 & Knuckles is a masterful gem of a game for me!

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Okay, catching up

KH2 >>> KH1
Roxas >>> Sora (though 3 has removed a > or two by improving the latter a lot)

I loved Skies of Arcadia but for some reason never finished it. Ive tried replaying it a few times, but was derailed by battles being so slow. This one definitely needs a remake!

P4 was great, though I still like 5 the best (playing them backwards may have contributed). I think I actually did read all of the books despite playing P4notG with no trophies...!

I remember playing SMB3 at the house of the person I would go to after school since my mom was working and I was obsessed with it (one kid got really mad at me and one of the familys daughters because hes gotten to world 8 and we wasted all of his lives trying to beat it after he went home...). When I finally actually beat it for GBA I ended up preferring SMW, though. Still a great game!

Not beating FF7 is probably my greatest gaming-related shame. Ive started it probably 5 or 6 times but never gotten to the end of disk 1 (I think the furthest I got was to Eagle Peak or whatever? The thing with the weird mini game). I think I stopped that time because my disks were scratched. Gotta decide whether Im gonna actually force myself to get through the original before playing FFVIIR (which I have preordered).

Ive discussed T&T at length with you. Agreed on Phoenix+Iris!

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Oh, Fort Condor, that's still pretty early in the game! I don't think I've ever actually attempted to play that mini-game. Thankfully, it's optional!

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