Gaming off the Beaten Path

Twisted Metal revolutionized the gaming world when it was first released. One of the first titles for the Playstation , it allowed players to travel around fully 3d environments with unique vehicles. Twisted Metal 2 improved upon its predecessor in every way. Designers added twice as many levels. The levels themselves were much more detailed, and allowed players to destroy all sorts of objects. You could blow up the Eifel Tower in France or destroy the Hollywood sign in L.A. Characters were much more balanced, a huge improvement over the first game which had several under powered cars. The drivers themselves all received much more in depth backstories , which were explained in the wonderfully drawn (and disturbing) endings. The game is as addictive and fun today as it was when it came out. That combined with awesome storytelling , superb graphics, and tight controls make Twisted Metal 2 a true classic. Cons: Could use more levels, lots of clipping, some weird camera angels, lacks a

Well, since I messed up on the 1st one, there will only be 9 games this time. As I said, starting with game 20 each game will get its own individual post. Here we go. 29. Legend of Legia ( Prokion , PS1) A little known game that follows the story of Vahn , a young man that is chosen by a mystical force to rid the world of the mind altering mist that fills it. Along with his allies, Vahn must revive sacred trees that drive the mist away and rescue the people of the world from their zombified state. Perhaps the best part of the game was its unique combat system. Players can choose to strike with their feet, hands, or weapons. Entering the correct combination will activate special moves, which themselves can be chained together. A strong sequel was released but it just didn't quite live up to the original. photo courtesy of gamespot .com 28. Madden Series (El

Finally, the list HAS COME BACK to VMVT .com! Okay, lets not get too dramatic. I said I was going to finish and I will. Besides, I need something to pick me up after my complete failure to jinx the New Orleans Saints last week. 39. Final Fantasy X (Square, PS2) Perhaps one of the greatest stories ever told in a video game, Final Fantasy X was the first in the series released for the PS2. It told the story of Tidus , a young man who has been sucked into a mysterious world. There, he meets the love of his life Yuna . He also learns that the people of that world are terrorized by Sin, the ultimate force of evil. In their 40 plus hour quest, Tidus and Yuna learn the true nature of Sin, and why their plans to live happily ever after may not work out in the end...

Well, we are sill going with the list. I hope that people have actually been reading this... 49. All Star Baseball Series (Acclaim, N64) Acclaim released the first installment of the All Star Baseball series in 1999 on the Nintendo 64. It revolutionized the way players swung the bat with its then-unique targeting reticle . Player batting stances and pitching windups were motion captured, another reason that this game felt like a true simulation. It was the first really good baseball game to include both the MLB and the MLB players association licenses. Even my dad was totally addicted to this game... it's a shame the series never truly evolved. photo courtesy of coolrom .com 48. Donkey Kong Country 2 (Rare, SNES ) Donkey Kong Country was more than good enough to make this list. Its sequel was even better, with bigger, better levels, more worlds and even great

It looks like I am going to have another good week with my NFL picks. I hope everyone else has a great week with my list. Here goes. 59. Pokemon Gold/Silver (Nintendo/ Gamefreak , Game Boy) If you claim to have never heard of this game, you are a liar. Everyone knows they gotta catch 'em all, and the gold and silver versions made that even tougher. 100 new monsters join the original 150. The graphics push the Game Boy to its limit, with some of the best graphics the handheld has ever produced. The quest is even bigger and more expansive. After beating the new masters, you must return to the gyms from the first game and conquer them again. Really though, Pokemon is just so addictive. photo courtesy of consoleclassics .com 58. WWF Smackdown 2: Know Your Professional wrestling was all the rage in the mid to late 90's. Ted Turner's WCW battled Vince McM

Just like the 5 dollar footlong , my list is still going strong. Hey, maybe I could get Michael Strahan , Justin Tuck, and Jared to sing the theme song for my list. Oh wait, my list doesn't have a theme song...oh well. 69. Mike Tyson's Punchout (Nintendo, NES ) A lot of people forget that before he was biting ears and getting hideous tattoos on his face, Tyson was the baddest man on the planet. He was a great fighter (well, he had a great record) and this is a great game. You guide little mac on his quest for the world heavyweight championship. You fight a variety of different (and strange) opponents leading up to the final test, a one on one battle with Iron Mike. Punchout's arcade style boxing experience is as addictive as it is fun. photo courtesy of punchoutcheats .com 68. Mortal Kombat 2 (Midway, SNES ) Speaking of arcades, few cabinets had as much presence in 90's arcades as MK 2. The sequel to one of the most violent games of all time, MK 2 upped the ante w