Normally I struggle to follow through with things. Looks like my readers are lucky...this list will probably get finished. Here we go.
photo courtesy of sydlexia.com
photo courtesy of pricegrabber.com
This guy again? Well, this game is quite a departure from the rest of the Mega Man series. Mega Man's nemesis Dr. Wily gets a much needed vacation in this game. Instead, the blue bomber is forced to contend with the Bonne family a clan of robots seeking a legendary treasure. Of course, its your job to stop them and claim the treasure for yourself. From a third person perspective, you guide Mega Man through a huge maze of Labyrinths while battling vicious enemies. There is a ton to explore and enough extras to keep players interested for a long time.
photo courtesy of softpedia.com
photo courtesy of springboard.com
Yet another crazy idea, this time from Konami. A video game that makes you move? Your job is to time your steps with the arrows on screen. Sound simple? Think again. DDR throws all sorts of crazy steps at players. Jumps, freeze arrows, and 16th notes will confuse all but the best players. But boy are those good players fun to watch. Really, they are quite a sight to behold.
photo courtesy of ehow.com
Yet ANOTHER crazy idea. This game is about farming. Yes, farming as in planting crops and milking cows. You have inherited your father's dilapidated homestead and are tasked with bringing it back to life. You must manage your funds, expand your house, and turn a profit off of your land as best you can. You can go through life single or try your luck with one of the eligible young ladies in town. Unlike games like SimCity, you don't have to micromanage insignificant aspects of the farm, which makes Harvest Moon much more entertaining. Oh yeah, you can get drunk and pass out too.
Okay, back to more normal game concepts. You play as a nameless protagonist who is banished from his village for removing the mana sword and unleashing a horde of monsters. During your journey, you find that you have been chosen to save the world. You hack and slash your way through armies of monsters in lush, beautiful landscapes. Secret of Mana also boasts some of the toughest boss battles in gaming. Even though the story lacks a bit, the gameplay more than makes up for it.
photo courtesy of minutillo.com
71. Diddy Kong Racing (Rare, N64)
Diddy Kong Racing is a very simple game. It is also extremely addicting. Choose from one of eight racers to control in DKR's unique adventure mode, a mix of Mario Kart and Mario 64. You travel from world to world collecting balloons for winning races in one of three vehicels. Of course, the game throws other challenges like time trials and battles at you to keep the variety coming. Plug in "jointventure" on the cheat screen to play adventure mode with a buddy. It's one of the most satisfying multiplayer expiriences in gaming.
We close today with Winning Eleven, a top notch soccer sim from Konami. Though it may not contain as many teams as the FIFA series, Winning Eleven is far superior in game play. Players control like real players, so trying to stop on a dime will get you nothing. Just like in real life, you must learn how to pass with precision and when to make runs. Just sending a player at a defense and letting them make a move is futile, even if you have the ball at the feet of Christiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. Add in awesome graphics and great atmosphere and you have the best soccer series of all time.
79. Mega Man 2 (Capcom, NES)
Everyone has to start somewhere. The second game in the series vaulted Mega Man from interesting new title to video game superstar. MM 2 expands on the first game in every way with more levels, cooler powers, and better graphics. The game is also noted for having some of the greatest music of all time. That is a huge compliment to an 8 bit game as sound technology was very limited at the time.
photo courtesy of sydlexia.com
78. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega, Genesis)
Another 2nd entry from another video game icon who also happens to be blue. Sonic 2 makes the list for its awesome level design and blistering pace which was a welcome change at the time. However, Sonic 2 added a little more strategy than its predecessor. Try a mad dash through the Chemical Plant level and it will lead Sonic to a watery grave. I said there will be spoilers, knowing that I will give away some plot twists for games. Here's a spoiler about my list...this is the only Sonic game that made it.
photo courtesy of pricegrabber.com
77. Tecmo Super Bowl (Tecmo, NES)
This was one of the first football games to include real NFL players. It was also the first to really give players an experience that even remotely simulated football. Players could guide their team through a full NFL season on a quest for the Lombardi trophy. Excellent cutscenes allowed players to watch big events like sacks and TD passes in more detail. It's still fun today, even if just to see how different things are in the NFL now. The Patriots are awful, the Buccaneers still have those ghastly orange uniforms, and Joe Montana and the 49ers are seemingly impossible to beat...my how times change.
photo courtesy of almost athletes.com
photo courtesy of almost athletes.com
76. Mega Man Legends (Capcom, PS1)
This guy again? Well, this game is quite a departure from the rest of the Mega Man series. Mega Man's nemesis Dr. Wily gets a much needed vacation in this game. Instead, the blue bomber is forced to contend with the Bonne family a clan of robots seeking a legendary treasure. Of course, its your job to stop them and claim the treasure for yourself. From a third person perspective, you guide Mega Man through a huge maze of Labyrinths while battling vicious enemies. There is a ton to explore and enough extras to keep players interested for a long time.
photo courtesy of softpedia.com
75. Kingdom Hearts (Square, PS2)
Square took a huge risk with this game. Pairing the characters from the Final Fantasy series with Mickey Mouse? What were they thinking? Well whatever they were thinking the gamble paid off big time. Of course, it is the awesome battle system with outstanding targeting and tight controls that sell this game more than the characters from either franchise. The gameplay is a hybrid of Final Fantasy and Zelda and the styles blend flawlessly. Regardless, who wouldn't want to battle the armies of darkness alongside Donald Duck?
photo courtesy of springboard.com
74. Dance Dance Revolution Series (Konami, PS2)
Yet another crazy idea, this time from Konami. A video game that makes you move? Your job is to time your steps with the arrows on screen. Sound simple? Think again. DDR throws all sorts of crazy steps at players. Jumps, freeze arrows, and 16th notes will confuse all but the best players. But boy are those good players fun to watch. Really, they are quite a sight to behold.
photo courtesy of ehow.com
73. Harvest Moon 64 (Natsume, N64)
Yet ANOTHER crazy idea. This game is about farming. Yes, farming as in planting crops and milking cows. You have inherited your father's dilapidated homestead and are tasked with bringing it back to life. You must manage your funds, expand your house, and turn a profit off of your land as best you can. You can go through life single or try your luck with one of the eligible young ladies in town. Unlike games like SimCity, you don't have to micromanage insignificant aspects of the farm, which makes Harvest Moon much more entertaining. Oh yeah, you can get drunk and pass out too.
photo courtesy of thetanooki.com
72. Secret of Mana (Square, SNES)
Okay, back to more normal game concepts. You play as a nameless protagonist who is banished from his village for removing the mana sword and unleashing a horde of monsters. During your journey, you find that you have been chosen to save the world. You hack and slash your way through armies of monsters in lush, beautiful landscapes. Secret of Mana also boasts some of the toughest boss battles in gaming. Even though the story lacks a bit, the gameplay more than makes up for it.
photo courtesy of minutillo.com
71. Diddy Kong Racing (Rare, N64)
Diddy Kong Racing is a very simple game. It is also extremely addicting. Choose from one of eight racers to control in DKR's unique adventure mode, a mix of Mario Kart and Mario 64. You travel from world to world collecting balloons for winning races in one of three vehicels. Of course, the game throws other challenges like time trials and battles at you to keep the variety coming. Plug in "jointventure" on the cheat screen to play adventure mode with a buddy. It's one of the most satisfying multiplayer expiriences in gaming.
photo courtesy of juegomania.com
70. Winning Eleven Series (Konami, PS2)
We close today with Winning Eleven, a top notch soccer sim from Konami. Though it may not contain as many teams as the FIFA series, Winning Eleven is far superior in game play. Players control like real players, so trying to stop on a dime will get you nothing. Just like in real life, you must learn how to pass with precision and when to make runs. Just sending a player at a defense and letting them make a move is futile, even if you have the ball at the feet of Christiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. Add in awesome graphics and great atmosphere and you have the best soccer series of all time.
photo courtesy of gamespy.com
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