i beat lttp not that long ago (maybe 5 years or so?). when i was a kid i think i got to like the 3rd or 4th dungeon in dark world before giving up. i don't think i ever beat link's awakening - i got to the end maybe but you need to open the egg with instruments or something and i didn't figure that out. i did complete the entire mini giving gifts game that starts with winning that yoshi (?) at the claw game.
― Mordy, Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:41 (seven years ago) link
it's tough to directly compare link to the past, SMW, and chrono trigger in a ranking system. all three are pinnacles of the genre, so whichever one you prefer just depends on what kind of game you prefer (super metroid, same thing)
― I look forward to hearing from you shortly, (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:41 (seven years ago) link
high point of lttp besides the guy under the bridge: looking down on the lost woods from the top of death mountain. real sense of a world connected to itself, probably more so than koholint island (def more so than ocarina imo, even than the cramped but brilliant majora's)
― florence foster wallace (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:42 (seven years ago) link
Super Mario World is totes overrated. SMB3 with SNES graphics.
― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:42 (seven years ago) link
(speaking of the best time travel games xp)
SMB3 with SNES graphics would prob be better than super mario world
― florence foster wallace (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:43 (seven years ago) link
so, ballots in here?
― don't even see how this was a duck (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:43 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, let's just use this thread for it all
― a simba man (Will M.), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:45 (seven years ago) link
STONE-COLD CLASSIC TIER1 - Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - 522 points / 3 First-place votes / 18 Votes2 - Super Mario World - 473 points / 19 Votes3 - Chrono Trigger - 433 points / 3 First-place votes / 14 Votes4 - Final Fantasy VI (III) - 371 points / 2 First-place votes / 12 Votes5 - Tetris - 313 points / 1 First-place votes / 13 Votes6 - Earthbound - 304 points / 3 First-place votes / 11 Votes7 - Street Fighter II & SFII' Turbo - 292 points / 11 Votes8 - Super Metroid - 288 points / 11 Votes9 - Secret of Mana - 222 points / 11 Votes10 - StarFox - 218 points / 9 Votes11 - Super Bomberman - 209 points / 9 Votes12 - Super Mario Kart - 204 points / 1 First-place votes / 11 Votes13 - Donkey Kong Country - 204 points / 12 Votes14 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - 194 points / 8 Votes15 - Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - 179 points / 9 Votes16 - F-Zero - 171 points / 8 Votes17 - Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - 161 points / 9 Votes
BELOVED TIER18 - ToeJam & Earl - 136 points / 6 Votes19 - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - 129 points / 7 Votes20 - Sonic The Hedgehog - 128 points / 7 Votes21 - Super Castlevania IV - 121 points / 5 Votes22 - Super Mario Land - 118 points / 5 Votes23 - Donkey Kong Country 2 - 115 points / 5 Votes24 - NBA Jam - 113 points / 5 Votes25 - Another World/Out Of This World - 101 points / 1 First-place votes / 4 Votes26 - Legend of the Mystical Ninja - 101 points / 4 Votes27 - Pilotwings - 100 points / 4 Votes28 - Mega Man X - 99 points / 8 Votes29 - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood - 94 points / 1 First-place votes / 3 Votes30 - Sonic & Knuckles (and Sonic 3 + Knuckles) - 87 points / 1 First-place votes / 4 Votes31 - Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow - 87 points / 4 Votes32 - Earthworm Jim - 86 points / 6 Votes33 - Langrisser II - 81 points / 3 Votes34 - Crusader of Centy (aka Soleil) - 80 points / 2 First-place votes / 2 Votes35 - Rock n Roll Racing - 79 points / 4 Votes36 - Super Mario All-Stars - 78 points / 3 Votes37 - NBA Jam Tournament Edition - 77 points / 5 Votes38 - Gunstar Heroes - 70 points / 4 Votes38 - SimCity - 70 points / 4 Votes40 - Streets of Rage II - 70 points / 3 Votes
SOLID TIER41 - Breath of Fire - 69 points / 3 Votes42 - Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium - 67 points / 3 Votes42 - Flashback - 67 points / 3 Votes42 - Super Street Fighter II + Turbo - 67 points / 3 Votes45 - Revenge of Shinobi - 66 points / 2 Votes46 - Harvest Moon - 64 points / 5 Votes47 - Shining Force 2 - 64 points / 2 Votes48 - Micro Machines - 63 points / 3 Votes48 - ActRaiser - 63 points / 3 Votes50 - Zombies Ate My Neighbors - 61 points / 4 Votes51 - Streets of Rage III - 61 points / 3 Votes52 - Front Mission - 57 points / 2 Votes53 - Shining Force - 56 points / 2 Votes54 - Tetris Attack / Panel de Pon - 54 points / 3 Votes55 - Final Fantasy V - 54 points / 2 Votes56 - Contra 3: The Alien Wars - 53 points / 4 Votes57 - Super Empire Strikes Back - 51 points / 3 Votes58 - Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse - 50 points / 3 Votes59 - Secret of Evermore - 50 points / 2 Votes60 - Kirby's Dream Land - 48 points / 2 Votes61 - Shadowrun - 47 points / 3 Votes62 - Shinobi III - 47 points / 2 Votes63 - Road Rash II - 46 points / 2 Votes64 - E.V.O. The Search for Eden - 45 points / 2 Votes65 - Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins - 44 points / 1 First-place votes / 2 Votes66 - UN Squadron - 44 points / 2 Votes66 - ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkatron - 44 points / 2 Votes68 - Cannon Fodder - 43 points / 3 Votes69 - Wonder Boy V: Monster World III - 43 points / 2 Votes69 - Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen - 43 points / 2 Votes69 - Castlevania: Bloodlines - 43 points / 2 Votes72 - Nobunaga's Ambition - 42 points / 2 Votes72 - Final Fantasy IV (II) - 42 points / 2 Votes74 - On the Ball - 40 points / 1 First-place votes / 1 Vote75 - Mortal Kombat 2 - 40 points / 2 Votes
FOND MEMORIES TIER76 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time - 38 points / 2 Votes77 - Final Fight - 38 points / 1 Vote77 - Rings of Power - 38 points / 1 Vote79 - Streets of Rage - 36 points / 2 Votes79 - Haunting starring Polterguy - 36 points / 2 Votes81 - Sword of Vermilion - 36 points / 1 Vote82 - Bahamut Lagoon - 34 points / 1 Vote82 - Beyond Oasis/The Story of Thor - 34 points / 1 Vote84 - Golden Axe - 33 points / 3 Votes85 - Killer Instinct - 33 points / 2 Votes85 - Mortal Kombat - 33 points / 2 Votes87 - Demon's Crest - 32 points / 1 Vote88 - Mario Paint - 30 points / 2 Votes88 - Terranigma - 30 points / 2 Votes90 - Lemmings - 30 points / 1 Vote91 - Parodius - 28 points / 2 Votes91 - Dragon Quest V - 28 points / 2 Votes93 - Gargoyle's Quest - 28 points / 1 Vote94 - Gradius 3 - 27 points / 2 Votes95 - Landstalker - 26 points / 1 Vote96 - NHL 96 - 25 points / 2 Votes97 - Super Off Road - 24 points / 2 Votes97 - Soul Blazer - 24 points / 2 Votes99 - Pyramid Magic - 24 points / 1 Vote99 - Bomberman '94 - 24 points / 1 Vote99 - Lost Vikings - 24 points / 1 Vote102 - Desert Strike - 23 points / 2 Votes103 - Final Fantasy Legend - 22 points / 2 Votes104 - Monster World IV - 22 points / 1 Vote
ALSO REMEMBERED TIER105 - Madden NFL '94 - 21 points / 1 Vote105 - Metal Slug - 21 points / 1 Vote105 - Psycho Pinball - 21 points / 1 Vote105 - Super Return of the Jedi - 21 points / 1 Vote105 - Super Star Wars - 21 points / 1 Vote105 - Thunderforce IV - 21 points / 1 Vote105 - Pop'n Twinbee - 21 points / 1 Vote105 - Super Double Dragon - 21 points / 1 Vote105 - Dune: The Battle for Arrakis - 21 points / 1 Vote114 - Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire - 20 points / 2 Votes115 - Xenon 2: Megablast - 20 points / 1 Vote115 - Tails Adventure - 20 points / 1 Vote115 - Kirby Super Star a.k.a. Kirby's Fun Pack - 20 points / 1 Vote118 - Illusion of Gaia - 18 points / 1 Vote118 - Yoshi's Safari - 18 points / 1 Vote118 - Aladdin - 18 points / 1 Vote121 - Ecco The Dolphin - 16 points / 1 Vote121 - Aerobiz - 16 points / 1 Vote121 - Lemmings 2: The Tribes - 16 points / 1 Vote121 - Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 - 16 points / 1 Vote121 - Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday - 16 points / 1 Vote126 - Umihara Kawase - 12 points / 1 Vote127 - Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story (Angel) - 10 points / 1 Vote127 - Super Punchout - 10 points / 1 Vote127 - General Chaos - 10 points / 1 Vote127 - Aero the Acrobat - 10 points / 1 Vote127 - Earthworm Jim 2 - 10 points / 1 Vote127 - Lufia II - 10 points / 1 Vote133 - Comix Zone - 8 points / 2 Votes134 - Star Ocean - 8 points / 1 Vote134 - ActRaiser 2 - 8 points / 1 Vote136 - Populous - 6 points / 1 Vote136 - Sparkster - 6 points / 1 Vote138 - Subterrania - 4 points / 1 Vote138 - Jungle Strike - 4 points / 1 Vote138 - Kid Chameleon - 4 points / 1 Vote141 - Wings of Wor / Gynoug - 2 points / 1 Vote141 - Sim Ant - 2 points / 1 Vote141 - Metal Warriors - 2 points / 1 Vote141 - Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts - 2 points / 1 Vote
I reckon I was the only voter the Landstalker
xp confirmed
― cookware regression (Dinsdale), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:46 (seven years ago) link
Only game that I actually skipped sleep entirely for.
― cookware regression (Dinsdale), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:47 (seven years ago) link
i beat a link to the past like a dozen times when it was released
because each time i wanted to find all the hearts
i totally do no get super mario world being in second place
for what it stands for, maybe placed at #5 would make sense, but even then, i think i finished it once and never really wanted to play it again even though they changed the worlds a bit to get you to play it again
― F♯ A♯ (∞), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:48 (seven years ago) link
Noodle Vague's best 4th Gen Console Games - in descending order
1. [G] Crusader of Centy (aka Soleil)2. [G] Rings of Power3. [S] Breath of Fire4. [S] Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past5. [G] Shining Force6. [S] Super Mario World7. [S] Super Mario All-Stars8. [G] Road Rash II9. [S] Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars10. [G] ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkatron11. [S] SimCity12. [S] Chrono Trigger13. [G] Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday14. [G] Sonic the Hedgehog 215. [SG] NBA Jam16. [SG] Cannon Fodder17. [S] Harvest Moon18. [S] Earthbound19. [S] Parodius20. [G] Golden Axe
― don't even see how this was a duck (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:48 (seven years ago) link
Oh man Gargoyle's Quest didn't get any love either
― cookware regression (Dinsdale), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:48 (seven years ago) link
My own ballot, bold didn't place: 1. Chrono Trigger2. Earthbound3. Front Mission4. Bahamut Lagoon5. Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow6. Super Mario Land7. UN Squadron8. Super Mario World9. E.V.O. The Search for Eden10. Mortal Kombat 211. Rock n Roll Racing12. Illusion of Gaia13. Tetris14. Final Fantasy Legend15. Super Mario Kart16. Donkey Kong Country 217. NBA Jam Tournament Edition18. Haunting starring Polterguy19. Subterrania20. Harvest Moon
― a simba man (Will M.), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:49 (seven years ago) link
yeah i've beaten lttp countless times. don't even want to think about it really. mordy i wonder if you got stuck in the ice palace, that's the hard one imo.
― florence foster wallace (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:50 (seven years ago) link
here's mine - not sure why i included sim ant except to pad out my ballot:
[S] Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past[S] Chrono Trigger[S] ActRaiser[S] Super Mario World[SG] NBA Jam[b] Tetris[S] Pilotwings[S] Donkey Kong Country[SG] Lost Vikings[b] Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening[SG] Super Off-Road[S] Aladdin[b] Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3[S] Secret of Mana[S] Killer Instinct[G] Golden Axe[S] ActRaiser 2[SG] Earthworm Jim[G] Sonic the Hedgehog[S] Sim Ant
― Mordy, Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:52 (seven years ago) link
lol i only played sim ant on pc but loved it obsessively even tho it was broken. the manual was in two parts: the manual, and then a longer section that was just ant facts. to this day i know a lot about ants.
― florence foster wallace (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:54 (seven years ago) link
after each beating it did get easier for whatever that's worth
i would rush through things and by the third time you'd get a nice routine going and just focus on hunting for heart pieces or talking to the right dudes in the right order to help you move along faster
― F♯ A♯ (∞), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:54 (seven years ago) link
that's in reference to lttp btw
― F♯ A♯ (∞), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:55 (seven years ago) link
Oh shit, how did I forget to vote for Ecco the Dolphin?!?! Loved that game!
I'll post my ballot as soon as I'm somewhere other than my stupid Gmail-blocking workplace.
― The Butthole, The Whole Butthole, and Nothing But The Butthole (Old Lunch), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:56 (seven years ago) link
also forgot to vote for ecco tho i think i liked the album more <joekz>
― Mordy, Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:57 (seven years ago) link
ha, my vote got On the Ball in juuuuuust ahead of Mortal Kombat II. no regrets.
games that deserved better:
94 - Gradius 3 - 27 points / 2 Votes (i should have voted for this, given the amount of time i spent playing it...wait a second, WHERE THE FUCK IS SUPER R-TYPE? NO ONE voted for it!?!?! that game is amazing, we have all sinned)97 - Super Off Road - 24 points / 2 Votes (holds up very well even today, multiplayer esp. but even single-player)127 - Super Punchout - 10 points / 1 Vote (!!!!!!!! i'm the only person who voted for this? are you all fucking insane??)
― I look forward to hearing from you shortly, (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:57 (seven years ago) link
my ballot, SNES-exclusive, sorry
1. [S] On the Ball[S] Secret of Mana[S] Tetris Attack / Panel de Pon[SG] Street Fighter II & SFII' Turbo[SG] Another World/Out Of This World [S] Final Fantasy VI (III)[S] Harvest Moon[S] Super Mario World[S] Super Mario Kart[S] Earthbound[SG] Earthworm Jim[S] Pilotwings[S] StarFox[S] Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island[S] Donkey Kong Country[S] Super Punchout[S] Super Metroid[S] Gradius 3[SG] Super Off Road20. [S] Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
― I look forward to hearing from you shortly, (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:58 (seven years ago) link
KM iirc you were a big marble madness stan too?
― Mordy, Thursday, 6 October 2016 19:59 (seven years ago) link
wait, i did vote for gradius 3. phew.
but still, super r-type was the superior game, i think. zero votes is terrible.
― I look forward to hearing from you shortly, (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:00 (seven years ago) link
shooters just not my bag
― legitimate concerns about ducks (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:01 (seven years ago) link
i'm a huge marble madness fan (in fact, i was slow to this thread the last hour or so because i watching this excellent talk by the creator: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/184925/Video_The_making_of_1984s_Marble_Madness.php), but it didn't come out for SNES and i didn't play the game boy or genesis ports.
― I look forward to hearing from you shortly, (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:02 (seven years ago) link
127 - Super Punchout - 10 points / 1 Vote (!!!!!!!! i'm the only person who voted for this? are you all fucking insane??)
I would have voted for the NES version for sure. I'm not sure I played the SNES one.
― cookware regression (Dinsdale), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:02 (seven years ago) link
xp i asked bc yr #1 here seems v similar
― Mordy, Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:03 (seven years ago) link
it's true, i love marble games. nothing gets the heart going faster
― I look forward to hearing from you shortly, (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:06 (seven years ago) link
[S] Super Mario Kart[S] Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past[gb] Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening[gb] Tetris[SG] Street Fighter II & SFII' Turbo[S] Secret of Mana[gb] Gargoyle's Quest[G] Landstalker[S] Super Castlevania IV[S] Super Bomberman[SG] Rock n Roll Racing[SG] Mortal Kombat 2[gb] Super Mario Land[G] Sonic the Hedgehog 2[S] Contra 3: The Alien Wars[SG] Earthworm Jim[G] Gunstar Heroes[SG] NBA Jam Tournament Edition[SG] NHL 96[S] Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Bold didn't place.
I could have sworn I voted for Road Rash II. I should have voted for it.
― cookware regression (Dinsdale), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:09 (seven years ago) link
sorry i joined this thing super late and this has probably been covered but
parodius (parodiusu da! shinwa kara owarai e) for the super famicom would've been in my top 10
as would super dodge ball for the super famicom -- kunio-kun no dodgeball da yo zennin shuugou (https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%8F%E3%81%AB%E3%81%8A%E3%81%8F%E3%82%93%E3%81%AE%E3%83%89%E3%83%83%E3%82%B8%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%81%A0%E3%82%88%E5%85%A8%E5%93%A1%E9%9B%86%E5%90%88!)
that super dodge ball for the super famicom would probably be in my top 5
a few other japan-only games would make my top 10 probably
― F♯ A♯ (∞), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:15 (seven years ago) link
so here are some of the games i will be checking out after this poll:
21 - Super Castlevania IV - 121 points / 5 Votes (never got around to playing this one. it is time. probably not the first i'll try out on this list though)22 - Super Mario Land - 118 points / 5 Votes (music cranked per will m's suggestion)26 - Legend of the Mystical Ninja - 101 points / 4 Votes29 - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood - 94 points / 1 First-place votes / 3 Votes33 - Langrisser II - 81 points / 3 Votes34 - Crusader of Centy (aka Soleil) - 80 points / 2 First-place votes / 2 Votes35 - Rock n Roll Racing - 79 points / 4 Votes41 - Breath of Fire - 69 points / 3 Votes (so the original is better than II? i don't know why i always thought the sequel was better known?)59 - Secret of Evermore - 50 points / 2 Votes64 - E.V.O. The Search for Eden - 45 points / 2 Votes65 - Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins - 44 points / 1 First-place votes / 2 Votes
― I look forward to hearing from you shortly, (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:15 (seven years ago) link
everyone who hasn't should play actraiser that game was great
― Mordy, Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:17 (seven years ago) link
you forgot Gargoyle's Quest and Landstalker xp
― cookware regression (Dinsdale), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:18 (seven years ago) link
i'm gonna play yoshi's island (been hearing people call this a masterpiece my entire life) and i guess crusader of centy! and evermore? and secret of mana maybe finally? and
― florence foster wallace (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:20 (seven years ago) link
So far as I know BOF II is considered a generally better game than the original breath of fire, but it must be untrue because ILX said so
― a simba man (Will M.), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:33 (seven years ago) link
III is my fave but I couldn't remember enough about II to place it
― legitimate concerns about ducks (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:37 (seven years ago) link
Karl you MUST add Bahamut Lagoon if you find yourself with enough time to play through another medium-size RPG! if you ever played FF6, and remember those parts where you move your guys on a board and when they run up against another team they do a regular battle, it was kinda like that!
― a simba man (Will M.), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:38 (seven years ago) link
Nice! I will add it to the list for sure. i am unemployed right now so it might be a decent time to take one on.
― I look forward to hearing from you shortly, (Karl Malone), Thursday, 6 October 2016 20:46 (seven years ago) link
my list was v canonical (bold didn't place)
1. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past2. Super Castlevania IV3. Super Mario World4. Tetris5. F-Zero6. Super Mario Kart7. StarFox8. Street Fighter II & SFII' Turbo9. Pilotwings10. SimCity11. Sonic the Hedgehog 212. Micro Machines13. Super Mario Land14. Streets of Rage II15. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time16. Earthworm Jim 217. Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow18. Sparkster19. Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins20. Desert Strike
can't really remember which was part of which earthworm jim game so i should have been more strategic and thrown those few points to the first, but really it is entirely undeserving of beating pokémon. uh, even tho my own list says so
― lazy rascals, spending their substance, and more, in riotous living (Merdeyeux), Thursday, 6 October 2016 23:55 (seven years ago) link
thanks again will! too bad Haunting just missed out on the top 78, another great very much slept on genesis title along with Beyond Oasis (82 woooo) and of course Crusader of Centy.
Didn't expect Link to the Past to take it all tbh but I expect all of you Zelda voters to give Centy a shot if you've got the time, if Noodle and I haven't convinced you yet I'll do my damndest when I have time to comment on the whole lot
― erudite beach boys fan (sheesh), Friday, 7 October 2016 02:58 (seven years ago) link
Yoshi's Island is too low. Arguably the best platformer of the generation and certainly one of the most completely-realized in terms of control, art direction, music, level design, etc., just coming together to make something that has a complete feel. Hat is also off to Matsumoto for responding to calls for a more contemporary, polygonal type game, with maybe the most hand-drawn-looking 2D game ever made. Apart from maybe Chrono Trigger I don't think there's a better-looking game on the SNES. More importantly, it's a serious step forward from Super Mario World, which itself is basically a very pretty, perhaps slightly bigger, version of Super Mario Bros. 3.
That's not really a slight on SMW, since SMB3 is one of the most fun games ever made, but SMW's only important design contributions (and they are important) were adding the save slots, and building in the revisiting of levels by offering secret paths out, and the switch palaces to invite you to go way the heck back to stuff much earlier in the game. Yoshi's Island OTOH adds the egg-throwing mechanic (which once you get the knack feels very natural and very satisfying, especially with the bank shots) and, crucially, makes revisiting levels a huge part of gameplay as you try to max out each one and earn the secret levels that way. (Clearly it was part of the same line of thinking that was also generating Mario 64's star system around the same time.) Maybe most enjoyably, it's the first game in the series to actually feature a full complement of unique bosses, which makes you realize in hindsight what a huge lapse it was for SMB3 and SMW to rely so much on the repetitive Koopa kids and Boom Boom/Reznor. Oh, and the levels are great. I think my only real gripe with the game is everybody else's: Baby Mario is pretty annoying, but of course that just makes you want to rescue him all the more. I have to believe that if this had been the pack-in title, and SMW had been released late in the system as "More Classic Mario-Style Fun With Mario!" their positions on this list would be reversed at the least.
Super Metroid is classic obv. I actually played back through it just a few months back during a productivity trough. The great things are the things everyone always praises - the atmosphere, the control, and (ToastyFrog deserves credit for really making the case here) the show-don't-tell approach to storytelling and instruction. The only real minus is that it's not particularly challenging; I did get briefly stuck in a couple places but otherwise it foresages the difficulty curve of its grand, magisterial progeny, Symphony of the Night: with or without RPG elements the game seems to unfold just like a classic JRPG, you gain new attributes and powers just in time to need them, meaning that the increasingly creepy and unsettling depths to which you descend are rarely any harder than the place you just left. If you compare it to basically any random NES game the drop in difficulty is kind of staggering. (In particular there is almost no actual platforming in the classic sense; there are a couple areas in the water zone where a fall will really annoy you because of the long journey back up, but generally all the hand-eye coordination stuff of maneuvering around difficult terrain, dodging gaps in the blocks, all that stuff is gone and on some level it kinda feels like the whole game is walking from place to place. But what places through which to walk!
SFII, I mean what can you even say? I loved the point someone made above about how the different fighters (Ryu and Ken aside) actually do feel differently and play differently. It's the kind of game that almost works like a 'grower' album does - - - characters you initially write off as sucky do have a play style with which they're genuinely dangerous and fun to use. (I admit I never got into Zangief though.) Music and sounds are also very much on point - not just the famous speech blurts, but all the thwacks and punches really do the job. One of the most reliable pick-up-and-play two-player games out there?
FFIII's achievement is not only its staggering bigness but how much of that bigness really does feel filled-out. Most of the huge cast are interesting little 16-bit pixel characters, and nearly all have some kind of interesting play mechanic (though, in a parallel of Zangief, I pretty much wrote off Sabin's blitzes immediately and never bothered much to figure out how the fuck Relm was supposed to really work). The World of Balance twist is dope, the totally optional subquests for badass gear are super satisfying. The only thing I've ever really complained about is that, in comparison with the SoM and Chrono Trigger approach of bright, saturated, colorful art, this one has always felt pretty drab. If those games didn't exist, I would never even think of that though. Similarly, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Amano's character art, while certainly distinctive, seems to belong to a different (considerably weirder and trippier game), and then the in-game character portraits are mostly kinda lame. (Not that I think every game should have Toriyama's distractingly recognizable faces, but something a little more special-seeming than the menu portraits in this game might have been appropriate.) I'm also someone who was never in any way floored by the opera scene (though I was charmed, in the late 90s, by the MIDI 'voice' tones).
Can't say anything at all useful about the top three, but I really like Will M.'s reading of the Chrono Trigger cast. Kinda gives you, over and over, a certain special feeling of identification that I think young adult literature often likes to pay off (examples aren't coming to me just now) of the lonely nerd character discovering a place where they belong, real friends for the first time, and all while on an adventure! I don't know why exactly but I do think you're right, there is something in this game where you just unconsciously accept that these characters come to like and depend on each other as they go through this strange adventure. This is maybe oversold to a melodramatic level with regard to the lengths they go to save Chrono, and tbh somewhat undersold with Magus joining the party - you'd think there would be more chances for dialogue to show this strange alliance developing or deepening. anyway i love this game. just beautiful to be in this world. all the environments are great. and man...talk about paying off on the time-travel gimmick!
― DOCTOR CAISNO, BYCREATIVELABBUS (Doctor Casino), Friday, 7 October 2016 04:52 (seven years ago) link
Here's my ballot. I put most Nintendo classics at the bottom to get more points towards more obscure games. Unique votes in bold.
1 SG Another World/Out Of This World2 S Super Metroid3 S Chrono Trigger4 T Castlevania: Rondo of Blood5 S Demon's Crest6 S Final Fantasy VI (III)7 S Super Castlevania IV8 S Mega Man X9 G Pyramid Magic10 S Soul Blazer11 g Tails Adventure12 SG Street Fighter II & SFII' Turbo13 SG Lemmings 2: The Tribes14 S Dragon Quest V15 S Umihara Kawase S Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past b Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening S Super Mario World S Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island S Super Mario KartI haven't finished reading the thread yet but I'll make some comments when I do.
― Einstein, Kazanga, Sitar (abanana), Friday, 7 October 2016 05:34 (seven years ago) link
S EarthboundS Final Fantasy VI (III)S Chrono TriggerS Donkey Kong Country 2S Legend of Zelda: A Link to the PastS Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s IslandS Super Mario WorldS Final Fantasy IV (II)S Final Fantasy VS Secret of EvermoreS Donkey Kong CountryS Super Mario All-Starsb TetrisS Dragon Quest Vb Legend of Zelda: Link’s AwakeningS Lufia IIS Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven StarsS ActRaiserS TerranigmaS Soul Blazer
― esempiu (crüt), Friday, 7 October 2016 05:44 (seven years ago) link
This is the era of gaming of of which I have the most fondness and emotional investment
It's weird to me that Link To The Past always tops these kinds of polls, and Zelda polls in general, as Link's Awakening is imho a better Zelda game and prob the best in the series (hardware limitations aside). LTTP is terrific of course but had so many weird lulls (the crystal monologues, Sahashrala tablets, Death Mountain in general), disappointing bosses, it's been the biggest case of diminishing returns upon replay. But it was amazing the first time!
Final Fantasy III is just wonderful on replay, it's the only game I grinded to 9999/9999 for no reason other than I couldn't let it go
Super Metroid is perfect in every way, best SNES game imo
No interest in DKC and generally find Rare (Goldeneye aside) to be the least-interesting developer with the highest rated games, their games just go clunky clunky clunk
Super Castlevania IV only flaw is that I wish it had branching paths or RPG-elements or something, it just is long long long, but every level is solid and every boss is great except for the ballroom dancing ghost duelists who I recall from the manual were named Fred A-Scare and Paula Ab-ghoul which I thought even at age 10 or whatever was a weirdly post-modern pairing. Dracula is a perfect boss. This is the best soundtrack of the era too imo.
Mega Man X is too low imo, it's pretty much a perfect platformer, and I'd see X2 in the top 75 also.
Gradius III was terrific, but had several shitty levels, from this era I preferred Nemesis for Game Boy.
Tetris was good but I prefer the N64 version "The New Tetris", those Delphine games are PC games in my head not SNES games, same for SimCity
Yoshi's Island was beautiful but clunky in control and design and I had to play it with the sound off because of Baby Mario's crying, the final boss was amazing, the Poochie levels made me want to pour water on the console and learn how to skateboard instead
Biggest omission probably because of rarity is Super Aleste/Space Megaforce, definitely emulate that guy it's so good
And the most "too low" on this list is Contra III, which is, for me, tied with Gradius V and Radiant Silvergun as Treasure's best game. It plays out like a ballet, never a repetitious moment and everything that happens is so perfectly tuned mechanically, I never get tired of playing and dying and playing and dying. Not so into the Mode 7 levels.
If I'd voted:
1. Super Metroid2. Contra 33. Link's Awakening4. Mega Man X25. Castlevania: Rondo Of Blood6. Final Fantasy III7. Space Megaforce8. Chrono Trigger9. Link To The Past10. Mega Man X
― fgti, Friday, 7 October 2016 05:47 (seven years ago) link
except for the ballroom dancing ghost duelists who I recall from the manual were named Fred A-Scare and Paula Ab-ghoul which I thought even at age 10 or whatever was a weirdly post-modern pairing.
loving this bit so much. booo at yoshi's island control being termed 'clunky' though
― DOCTOR CAISNO, BYCREATIVELABBUS (Doctor Casino), Friday, 7 October 2016 05:52 (seven years ago) link
agree about rare. they infuriated me in the n64 era. yelled and yelled at banjo-kazooie after getting really hyped for it as a mario64-loving kid looking for methadone. but so inelegant: so many collectibles, so many unlockables, ugh. and i'm not necc a pc snob but frankly real shooters always ruined goldeneye for me. (perfect dark tho me and a friend had a lot of fun playing through for the cinematics as much as anything. pretty good camp. unfort also one of those really late games in a console cycle that doesn't, if it's being honest, run on the console.)
also agree about contra 3 and mega man x, both beautiful games although i've only played a very little of the latter (and no other mega men).
trying out a few games tonight with the attention span that comes from having all the games you want for free.
-- dc otm that you can see the beginnings of mario64 in yoshi's island. was disappointed at first upon being confronted w a flurry of menus and explanatory dialog boxes -- that banjo-kazooie chill! -- but then they seemed to taper off and the game obv has some interesting mechanics. i like that a central one is shitting out your enemies.
-- earthbound: can def see the appeal here, the tone is very weird and neat and i appreciate the mundane setting. love your fantasy-fulfillment parents who just say you're so brave! good luck out there! take the dog! but it is kind of ugly.
-- secret of evermore: this is very interesting! as the tim rogers review says it's v much a western take on the jrpg. tone of its writing is very close to lucasarts (actually it steals a joke from monkey island in the opening five minutes) and the whole interface has clearly been designed by people who are trying hard to have good ideas. not far enough to really know how good the ideas were. very pretty tho and of course i loved its small-town movie-theater opening.
-- sonic the hedgehog 2: whee i guess
-- shining force: ha the little portraits of people you talk to are like ultima 7. bailed when a whole bunch of guys ran up to me at once and introduced themselves and joined the party, just kinda thought, idk if i'm ever gonna care about you.
-- crusader of centy: several points very early on in this (the church, the castle, the castle dungeon) are very lttp, like literally down to the curtains. heart sank when someone told me that if i got the bronze and the silver AND the gold medal at the training grounds the king would give me the magic sword. that is not as cool as a fog-filled forest. but i barely got anywhere, the animal stuff is very intriguing, and who knows maybe i'm being set up for a twist wrt the magic sword.
― florence foster wallace (difficult listening hour), Friday, 7 October 2016 06:13 (seven years ago) link
have tried and failed to love Super Metroid and Earthbound. i get why people like the latter and maybe i just need to get further in but it just drags for me
oh man if you think Earthbound is a slow burn wait til you play the sequel!
of course it's incredible, just like Earthbound is, it might even be better, it's the only game I've ever played that made me tear up a bit at the end
― erudite beach boys fan (sheesh), Friday, 7 October 2016 06:13 (seven years ago) link