Hector's Pick #4 - The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time

The transformation from A Link to the Past to the full 3D world of Ocarina of Time was truely breathtaking. The Nintendo 64 had the amazing power to ditch the top-down view of previous Zelda games and give us the beautiful third-person view between Link and the young boy Link, two seperate time periods to advance the game, each with their own items and levels.

I received the special edition version of this game with the glossy box art and golden cartridge, I had not played the game yet and I was already overjoyed.

The game follows basically the same formula as other games; gather your items, explore dungeons and solve puzzles all while slashing away at the bad guys or putting a few arrows in them. The biggest addition was the use of the flute like instrument, the ocarina. Certain button combinations played one of the numerous songs that aided in solving puzzles to simply calling your horse for transportation. The dungeons were excellently crafted and added the dark, gloomy and creepy feeling when you turn a shadowy corner. I think this was the first game that gave a significant atmospheric feeling to me. The music and sound effects were simply remarkable as well and the mix of visuals and audio came together to form a top 5 game in nearly anyone's list.

Hector's Pick #5 - Secret of Mana

Halfway through the countdown features an action-RPG nearly 12 years old but still holds some of the fondest memories of my childhood gaming experience, and I'll get to that near the end. It felt like this gem of a game got lost with the current releases of the mid 90's; Final Fantasy 3 was becoming huge and Chrono Trigger (hon. mention) and A Link to the Past (hon. mention) were on their way to shelves and it felt like Mana got lost in the pile.

The story starts you as a young boy in a small village playing near a waterfall when he slips off and must get back to the village, yet the only way is to grab a rusty old sword from underneath the waterfall and cut his way through the forests and shrubs. Sounds innocent enough except that upon removal of the sword, many beasts and evils are released and the only way to stop them is to strike them down with the very sword that released them. Oh and before you begin your adventure the entire village banishes you in a heated rage. You are on your own for now.

Throughout the story you meet 2 other party members, a tiny boy called a sprite and a young girl. I thought it was quite brilliant at the time to be able to control their behavior during the real time fights. If you don't like their aggressive behavior, then grab ahold of that tactic bar and slide it to fit your game style.

The visuals are very colorful but at the same time realistic, and the sounds and music are one of the best in a video game, in my opinion, still to this date. The ring equipment system was easy to use for equiping magic, items and weapons.

I received this game as a christmas present the year it came out. I hadn't heard anything about it or played it until Christmas morning. I can turn around in my chair right this second and look at the cartridge and just be happy I was able to experience it. But the experience could only be better as the game was 3 players, and at the time, I played for hours with my cousin and even my sister whom hardly touches video games. That's how powerful this game was. Still to this day one of the most remembered christmas gifts.

Hector's Pick #6 - GoldenEye

I think I owe Goldeneye for jump-starting my love for first-person shooters. Sure, Wolfenstein and Doom were fantastic, but they didn't change the way I looked at FPSs. Goldeneye proved that the world of console shooters were possible and that a healthy mix of action and smooth controls could fuel the genre for ages to come. (cough*Time Splitters*cough)

The game was almost a mirror image of the movie in terms of events. Although voice acting was absent, the characters all had that movie look to them. The game definitely pushed the N64's power with a game full of weapons, gadgets and missions. It wasn't all about going from point A to point B, shooting everything that moves. Each level of difficulty meant more objectives needed to be fulfilled, such as planting explosives, hacking computers and security equipment or saving NPCs from being filled with lead. Very James Bond-ish.

This game was destined for greatness when they put in the sniper rifle. Zooming in and busting some poor sap's head was just sheer amazement, especially more than 10 years ago. The mechanics and physics of the game seemed ahead of its time also, for example with the cougar magnum you can stand behind thin doors and blast away knowing the bigger calibers will penetrate and sure enough when you open the door, nothing gets you the adrenaline rush than knowing all your opposing forces are dropped to the floor.

Who can forget about the multi-player section? With 4 people you can play capture the flag, deathmatch, you only live twice (2 lives per person, duh) and a few others, you can play for countless hours. I know I have. A classic that set the table for numerous following FPSs.

Counterfitt's pick #7 - GTA San Andreas

Since you've already talked about this game I guess I don't have anything else to say... oh wait, this game is massive. Finding something else to say shouldn't be very hard.

Lets start with the soundtrack. The GTA3 series has some of the best music (not composed for that game) around, with San Andreas being a particularly high point. There are ten different music stations with music ranging from The Ohio Players to Public Enemy to Soundgarden to some techno or reggae band you'd likely know if you were into those genres. Each station is based on one you might've heard during the mid-to-early nineties so it's almost certain to be a trip down memory lane for anyone who plays. And of course, the djs only help to fill such a memory. The greatest of these for me was the host of Radio X, the alternative rock station. While completely satirizing the people who appear on such a station, she managed to say almost exactly the lines used by the host of local alternative station The X 103.9 while cutting to, in some cases, the same music (Mother by Danzig as an example).

One of the cool features added to San Andreas is the gang wars minigame. The object is to claim turf by entering a enemy controlled area and taking out a few waves of bad guys. The larger the area of your gang's influence, the bigger the monetary payoff you receive. Every so often your territory will be attacked and you have to chase off the enemy gangs to continue earning revenue.

You've talked about the open world already, Dave, but of course that's the biggest draw to this game. Anything from jumping out of airplanes to gambling to pissing off the cops and outrunning them and the freedom to explore the entire tri-city area is what makes this games so great.

Hector's Pick #7 - Star Ocean: Til the End of Time

Just to throw this little bit of information out there; I'm not too familiar with the previous two installments in the Star Ocean Trilogy, but after playing this game I wish I could have played the others. The PS2 was my calling a few years ago, because RPGs being my favorite genre and there were tons of them to choose from. I will also say that futuristic RPGs have been somewhat of a turn-off for me. I like the old fashioned swords/shields, magic and giant dragons. I bought this game anyway at the time because I wanted something different.

The game starts you off as a young man (typical right?) who is vacationing on a tropical planet with the family when after a bit of exploring, alien ships begin to attack. After separation from friends and family due to quick evacuation, you end up hurling through space in a transport ship. Thus begins a journey to find lost friends/family. Yes, there are many RPGs that have the same storyline but very few will have you explore alien planets, which range from primitive, stone age villages to futuristic military outposts.

The game is massive. I enjoy the hectic, real time battles where tactics should definitely be considered. The dungeons almost require you to come absolutely fully stocked up on upgrades, items and gear. The game is difficult too, yet one that will easily satisfy upon completion of the more meaningless tasks such as exploring an entire area (which nets you a trophy that does very very little)

The voice acting is not bad either, it brings the characters to life a bit more life and personality. The special abilities are smooth and fun to look at which doesn't make the grind unbearable, and the CG is fantastic. I recommend you are on vacation when you start this up.

Counterfitt's pick #8 - SimCity 2000

Ok, so maybe sc2k isn't the best version of SimCity. Perhaps the third and fourth iterations have improved over this one in different ways, but guess what- I barely played those where as I spent the entire nineties playing 2000. Through the nineties, "sandbox gameplay" was associated with SimCity 2000 the way it's been associated with the Grand Theft Auto series and its clones in recent times.

The game is a city building simulator, the only one really. The object of the game, if you can call it that, is to attract people to your city while keeping citizens happy and the budget balanced. The fact of the matter is that the object of the game is to play around and do whatever you want. It's actually quite revolutionary for a videogame- at least it was when the first one came out. Think about it, how many non-Will Wright created games can you think of that don't have any goals. It becomes like a bunch of army men or a doll house. There's a general theme and from there you make your own fun.

Another great thing about 2000 is its one of (if not the) first games to come out with a development kit of sorts. The SimCity Urban Renewal Kit allowed you to create your own buildings and alter the way your cities looked as a result. It was rudimentary and hard to edit, but it still opened my mind to the possibilities of game design and creation.

SimCity 2000 is possibly the most influential game of my childhood.

Hector's Pick #8 - Metal Slug Anthology

Run to the right, shoot, jump and throw grenade. Thats really all this game requires, but it is certainly enough to break the top ten. 7 games are included on one disc (1-6 and Metal Slug X, which is a slightly different, less buggy-er version of 2) and an excellent price tag (about 40$)

The graphics are cartoony, but not over the top. The action is fast paced and the power ups and vehicles are aplenty.

In almost any arcade I visit, the first thing I go for is a mad hunt for a Metal Slug machine. I will gladly throw my quarters into any of the MS games and play for hours. I purchased this game for the Wii and I must say it is a great feeling to have all the Metal Slugs at my own home, although I did come across some very, very minor negatives to the consoles. One being the way you throw grenades with the Wiimote, you have to make a quick shake and very rarely does it not register. And the other is the unlimited continues. Sure I can play through the entire game and if I die, I can continue on the spot. I do like my games with some challenge, but these hinderances are very minor and are not enough to put these games lower on my list. You just can't let the fact that side scrollers are a dying breed keep you away from absolute classics like this.

Counterfitt's pick #9 - Final Fantasy Tactics

With a top ten list like this it's hard to say something new about any game, and I really have to acknowledge it with this game. Final Fantasy Tactics is a tactical rpg as good as they get. Until recently this was a very hard game to get a hold of, commonly selling for upwards of $100 on ebay. Just recently a port has been delivered to fans via psp, allowing more people to play and the rest to understand the convoluted plot. The English translation was a distractingly negative point in an otherwise shining idea of a game. In fact the world of Ivalice the game is placed in is said to be spelled four different ways throughout the story.

Of course, the story and translation must fall to the side when the subject of gameplay arises. If you are not an expert, you will find yourself grinding levels and abilities, or facing the game over screen regularly. Using familiar ff character classes, a turn-based grid-based combat is the core of tactics. As you level up characters' classes, new classes become available and a big part of the game becomes training your characters in hopes of finding a new class. Of course, if you've played console games during the past ten years, you already know this.

Counterfitt's pick #10 - Pokemon Diamond/Pearl

Often overlooked in the past because of it's childish premise and graphic style, it seems that this time around the word is out that Pokemon is the real deal. It's a solid rock/paper/scissors rpg with small but competent improvements with each iteration. There's really not a big difference between the latest iteration and the first two games back in '97. With the ds there's finally a wifi connection for internet battles and touch screen for a different and well done interface; past that it's more of the same- collecting pokemon, leveling them up, and taking the best to fight the evil (if a bit incompetent) team rocket and the elite four pokemon trainers.

This is as addicting a game as you can find. There's rarely a moment in the beginning where you can avoid thinking that well known, "just one more _____," though it does get a bit repetitive later when the map is largely explored. There are some 120 more creatures added to the tally, bringing the total to over 500. Everything in this game is well balanced and even difficult, if you're rushing through the map. The nice thing is, less than a year later I'm ready to play through it again. It's a good thing when my biggest concern with a game is that I want more of it.

Hector's Pick #9 - GTA San Andreas

With the Grand Theft Auto franchise already stirring up mounds of controversy, San Andreas continues to throw parents, lawyers and anti-VG groups into frenzies, most have been aimed at makers' Rockstar Games. The uncovering of the "Hot Coffee" Mod nearly gave San Andreas the dreaded "Adults Only" Rating, or in other words, the death sentence for any game. I remember writing an essay in English class about if video games influences people to commit violent acts. Really there is no evidence that says video games directly affect anyone. I can sit here all day and rewrite that essay but this is now about why this game makes it on the list.

Set in the 90's, with the essence of Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" rolled out into video game form, comes the story of a gangbanger who wants to make a name for himself and his gang. Ever since GTA 3, the storyline has become more and more detailed and intriguing. But what really makes this game work is the sheer size of the map, which includes the skies and underwater travelling, and the freedom the game gives you. I really enjoyed the marathon events where you race against other NPC's from one end of the city to the other with bikes, on foot and swimming. I eventually made my own marathon, although I just raced against time, taking you all around the cities in a big loop, my best time was a little over 30 minutes which somewhat puts a sense of how big the map really is into your mind. I am so into this game that I could pop this game in and completely remember where every landmark was. Yikes.

Hector's Pick #10 - Rock Band

I agree with you Ben, although it might seem way too early to put this on anyone's top ten list, I personally think that this trumps Mario Party (6) as the best multiplayer/party game. It takes what Guitar Hero did and just improves. New songs every week, create your own character and play whatever instrument you want. With Guitar Hero, the point of the game is to rack up massive amounts of points and be a 5-star guitar player or *gasp* pass Dragonforce on expert. Yes, Rock Band does have the point/star score rating, but it's also refreshing to know that besides breaking high scores, you and your buddies can pretend to be rock stars and appreciate music together.

First Runner Up: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

Of course, it's hard to decide which of this now dead franchise is the greatest. I can say that I've put more hours into the first installment than all of the others combined. The thing is, the tony hawk series starts as a streamlined, well crafted game and ends up as a bulky, over-saturated poorly designed game; somewhere in there they started to add moves, set pieces, and design elements just because they could and not because they're fun. By thps3, the moves added and combos allowed had completely changed the way the game had played before it started to go downhill(no pun intended).

Second Runner Up: Rock Band

It's hard to tell at this early stage where a game will stand ten or twenty years from now, but I'm willing to cast my ballot early for this one.
It seems that after 2 years, the mainstream has finally caught on to Guitar Hero and how great it is. This creates a great opening for Rock Band to come in and take over the multiplayer space that Guitar Hero never can. Rock Band has succeeded in creating a new genre of game.

Top 10 video games of all time, ready go!

This is also a test ^^ ROLF get it?

First! lol

Test post. Blah blah blah.
















The End.