TOP 40
We are getting up there
40. SKIES OF
System: Sega Dreamcast/Nintendo GameCube
Here is another great RPG from the masters at Sega. In this big adventure you're
a young Blue Rogue Pirate on a quest for big money but you and your new friends
find more trouble than loot. This game reminds me of Panzer Dragoon Saga
for the Sega Saturn which is also a great RPG but Arcadia mixes old school fights
with a bit of tactical strategy as well. Skies of
39. NECTARIS Military Madness
(Jaleco/Hudson Soft, 1999)
System: Sony Playstation
When Nectaris was announced for the Playstation, I was very excited to play
it because I was a huge of the original game for the TurboGrafx-16 which
was one of my all time favourite’s games on the old system! The game centers
around control of the moon. If you lose this war then the earth will be destroyed
by the Xenon moon army, simple as that. Guide your units well because in many
of these battles your enemy will out number you so it’s important to use
good strategy. Nectaris is a very addictive
game of war.
38. SAMURAI SHODOWN II (SNK,
1994)
System: Neo Geo
Although Tam Tam is missing from the original line up here, the big sequel
gets 4 new characters and the other 11 fighters have evolve in some kind of
way so you're really getting a juiced up sequel here. Yuko is sick; Earthquake
has a lot more moves, and Wan Fu even as a new weapon. SS2 is a very balanced
weapon based fighter with tons of technique and cool extras.
37. ATARI ANNIVERSARY EDITION REDUX (Infogames, 2002)
System: Sony Playstation
Millions of quarters later we have one of the best collections of Atari games
in this special collection right here. Missile Command, Asteroids, Centipede
are just some of the million dollar legends on here plus the Playstation edition
has some more obscure titles like Black Widow and Space Duel.
The main reason I had to list this complication in the Top 101 here was because
this game also includes a bonus interview of famous video game pioneer Nolan
Bushnell plus you get tons of written and visual Atari history too. The
Playstation version let's you save your score data unlike in the Dreamcast
game so that one is the copy to get.
36. DONKEY KONG COUNTRY 3:
System: Super Nintendo
The final Donkey Kong Country game for the Super Nintendo is more
of what I love, a grand 2D platformer with excellent CG rendered graphics with
smooth animation and lots of levels. Although some may say that DKC3 isn't a
huge leap over part 2 but this still has some new features. I love the new giant
bosses and various bear shops too. If you like the first two games than Donkey
Kong Country 3 is an absolute must have as well.
35. SUPER PUNCH OUT!! (Nintendo, 1994)
System: Super Nintendo
A very addictive boxing game that has 16 tough and wacky boxers ready to try
to knock you out. This game also comes with a save feature, and time trials
too. Brutal and very funny with guys like Bald Bull, Super Macho Man returning
and tons of new wacky comers too like Mad Clown and Masked Muscle. Way better
than the older NES Mike Tyson title without question.
34. SHINING FORCE III (Sega, June 1998)
System: Sega Saturn
The cult favourite of the Sega Genesis era now arrives on the Saturn
but sadly it saw a very limited release in 1998, the final year of the Sega
Saturn. Many gamers that never got the chance to play Shining Force III
so they missed a simple to learn RPG that's heavy on story, characters, and
most importantly tactics. SF III is loaded with all the right stuff.
33. CASTLEVANIA: Circle
Of the Moon (Konami,
System: Nintendo Game boy Advance
One of the premiere launch games for the new Game boy Advance is this
awesome action/RRG based on the long running CastleVania series. When Konami
first previewed their new CastleVania game for the Game boy Advance I knew it
would be something special! A great game for fans of the series because its
not only a challenging, non linear game that will take weeks to finish but it
also includes a little of everything from all of the past games. There are even
secret codes you can enter once you finish it to add to the game's replay value.
32. STAR FOX 64 (Nintendo, August 30, 1997)
System: Nintendo 64
It's the cool little bonuses too that sky rocket the replay value like timing
your lock on shots to take out multiple enemies for bigger points or earning
secret medals to unlock some more goodies for the VS games. You can't forget
about the awesome multi-player games either that really shows off those 4 ports
in front of your N64. Star Fox 64 is definitely one of the best shooters ever
made.
31. DONKEY KONG 64 (Nintendo/Rare, December 1999)
System: Nintendo 64
Here is a game that few people even knew existed before it was released during
the big holiday season of 1999. Donkey Kong 64 was Nintendo's big surprise replacement
since Nintendo/Rare's Goldeneye sequel Perfect Dark got delayed
to spring 2000, something that displeased thousands of hardcore fans. Thankfully
though there is a lot more stuff to do than Super Mario 64 or Banjo
Kazooie before it, so Donkey Kong 64 should keep you busy for a while, plus
if that wasn't enough the original 1981 Donkey Kong arcade game is in here complete
with all four levels. Its way too easy to get lost in this huge 256 Meg game
though but you still shouldn't miss it.
TOP 30
30. METROID PRIME (Nintendo/Retro
Studios, November 19, 2002)
System: Nintendo GameCube
New comer Retro Studios still did an absolutely fantastic job with their game
here and if you don't fall in love with the liquid smooth graphics or heart
pounding sounds, then maybe the addictive game play will leer you in. Like the
past Metroids, I couldn't stop playing it until I did everything possible there
is to try out and believe me it's going to take awhile to beat this one.
29. GRADIUS III (Konami, September 1991)
System: Super Nintendo
Gradius III is a superior
port of the extremely difficult arcade shooter from 1989. This game can also
be found on the PS2 but the game two games are actually quite different.
The SNES game has new areas and the PS2 version is missing some the weapons
in the Edit mode like the Mega Crush, R. Options, and the useful Twin Back missiles
and some of those levels have been edited exclusively for the SNES as
well to address some of the complaints of the arcade game. Gradius III is easily
one of the most fully loaded shooters ever made with 11 exciting levels and
over 50 different weapons and power ups here. You get decent graphics, awesome
soundtracks plus I'm sure this is still going cheap at about 1 to 3 bucks. This
game was one of Konami's first Super Nintendo games and it's still one of their
best too.
28. SUPER METROID (Nintendo, 1994)
System: Super Nintendo
This awesome 24 Meg (the first 24 Meg game for SNES by the way) game
plays a lot the original Metriod
on NES, but this adventure comes with more weapons, moves, and far better looks.
Help bounty hunter Samus Aran; capture back a baby Metriod from the dangerous
planet Zebes in this big 2D adventure. Super Metroid is an amazing action game
with lots to see and do.
27. SOUL BLADE (Namco, 1997)
System: Sony Playstation
This game plays almost just as good as its sequel Soul Calibur on Dreamcast
I believe. Each warrior can earn 10 different weapons each in the cool story
Master Edge mode. Based on the not too successful arcade game Soul Edge, but
it's even better than that average game thanks to all the new features. Soul
Blade comes very recommend to all the fight freaks!
26. ZELDA: A
link to the past (Nintendo, 1992)
System: Super Nintendo
Here is a tough, but
a very cool and very additive adventure game that returns the Zelda series to
its roots. Zelda 3 now plays a lot like the first Legend of Zelda with
a return to overhead action and less emphasis on RPG-like game play. You control
Link, a young elf that must save the peaceful land of Hyrule from a powerful
spell before a strange wizard takes total control of the magical Triforce and
the world. Zelda 3 is an excellent edition to this popular series.
25. PHANTASY STAR II (Sega, 1990)
System: Sega Genesis
One of the best RPG's ever for any system, and it is also one of the hardest.
Two young warriors brave the many dangers to solve the mysteries of the worldwide
monsters and disasters. Can you find the Mother Brain to save your solar system?
A great storyline and brain teasing dungeons are just some of the highlights
of a long 6 Meg quest.
24. CHRONO
TRIGGER (Square, 1995)
System: Super Nintendo/Sony Playstation
An awesome time traveling RPG with excellent 32 Meg presentation plus 10 different
endings. You play as Crono, a young and skilled samurai in 1000 AD. Crono and
his friends discover a plot to ruin the earth by a strange and powerful enemy.
Can you save the world and stop the Day of Lavos from ever happening? Chrono
Trigger features a unique Combo attack system to combine characters attacks
in powerful single blows and there are 7 unique heroes to master as well. Includes
artwork by acclaimed DragonaballZ artist; Akira Toriyama and the
Playstation version has bonus cinemas not found on the SNES. Chrono
Trigger is a highly polished Role Playing Game.
23. LEGEND OF ZELDA:
Majora's Mask (Nintendo, October 26 2000)
System: Nintendo 64
Although the 72 hour thing can get a little annoying especially when you're
deep inside a dungeon yet you want to continue exploring but you're almost out
of time, still there is nothing quite like Majora's Mask and you have to take
the good with the bad. Fortunately the good definitely out weights the bad!
It's a darker, sadder, and more stressful (but in a good way) game then the
last one and it's another Legend of Zelda so you really can't go wrong here.
"Majora's Mask is a very smart purchase for anybody looking for a great
adventure!"
22. FINAL FASTASY 3 (Square, October 1994)
System: Super Nintendo/Sony Playstation
With 14 different and wacky characters, all with their own reason to fight:
it's one of the best Final Fantasy's ever. Final Fantasy III (or FF VI to all
you Playstation gamers) is an epic 32 Meg quest to over throw an evil empire,
but unfortunately that's the least of your problems. The Esper magic system
was a good idea and list of weapons and items is overwhelming! If you like Role
Playing Games you'll absolutely love Final Fantasy III.
21. SUPER MARIO 64 (Nintendo,
September 30, 1996)
System: Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64 is a long and challenging 64 Meg game in a fully interactive
3D universe. What's not to love here because there are 15 different worlds to
explore and master plus there are secrets at really turn. Unlike Nintendo's
launch GameCube game; Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario 64 will take
a good solid month to get everything and not just a couple of days. It's still
a great game even today and if you never played it yet then you owe it to yourself
to try it.