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The top 50: 49-40

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 greater challenge. Donkey Kong has been captured and it is now up to Diddy Kong to rescue him. Diddy's new partner Dixie adds a whole new dimension to the game with her ability to glide and bridge big gaps. All of the extras give DKC 2 a lot more depth than most action games.

photo courtesy of 8bitx.com




47. Starfox 64 (Nintendo, N64)

Star Fox 64 was the first game to feature the rumble pack, an accessory that made the N64 controller vibrate. While the peripheral may have been pointless, the game itself was awesome. Players control Fox McCloud in his quest to battle the evil overlord Andross. Players can travel through all sorts of different environments blasting through hordes of enemies. The easy levels will become no problem after a little experience, but the hard ones are a major challenge for any player. The game does a great job of creating atmosphere too.
photo courtesy of neogaf.com




46. Lunar: The Silver Star Story (Working Design, Sega CD)

The Sega CD console was short lived and full of awful titles, but this game was an exception. Players take the roll of Alex, a young man looking to break away from the dull small town life he lives. Along with his girlfriend Luna and best friend Ramus, Alex sets out in search of a better life. After a chance meeting with a legendary creature, the three learn just how important they are to the future of their world. The game has an awesome battle system and an epic story. It is also one of the most challenging RPGs of all time.
photo courtesy of romulation.com



45. WCW vs. NWO revenge (THQ, N64)

It is hard to believe that WCW, a company that is no longer in business, was kicking the tar out of the WWF in the ratings in 1998. This game only beat its WWF counterpart on the list by a few spots, mostly because of its grappling system. Different combinations of three buttons allowed players to unleash an arsenal of moves with each wrestler. In addition to the huge list of WCW wrestlers, players could select from competitors who are based on Japanese stars (they absolutely LOVE professional wrestling in Japan). The best part though...hitting your opponent over the head with a steel chair.
photo courtesy of coolrom.com




44. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike (Capcom, PS 1)

The sequel to the most popular fighting game of all time, Street Fighter 3 added a whole new dimension to the fighting system. Players could now parry and use super moves, a new feature to the series. Aside from series mainstays Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li, SF 3 introduced a whole new cast of characters. Perhaps most notable was the new boss Gil, who was an unbelievable challenge. This game would have been higher, but the imperfection of one of the new features holds it back. A player that is good at parrying can easily parry every single strike you throw at them...and that is just no fun.
photo courtesy of shoryuken.com



43. Timesplitters 2 (Eidos/Free Radical Design, PS2)

This shooter was released around the same time as a certain other overrated first person shooter. The game's story may have been awful but the levels were expansive and challenging. Timesplitters also added tons of little challenges and extras to keep players coming back for more. The map editor could have been a little better, but it was still fun. LAN play allowed for linked games between different PS2s. Truly and underrated classic.

photo courtesy of nintendospin.com



42. Resident Evil 2 (Capcom, PS1)

During the first Resident Evil, players learned that the T-virus had been leaked into the Midwestern town of Raccoon City. The town's entire populous has been turned into zombies and have destroyed everything in site. To get the game's full experience players must play through twice, once as Claire Redfield and again as Leon Kennedy. Both characters have unique back stories that are fleshed out throughout the game. RE 2 had a little more action than its predecessor, but it didn't detract from the horror.


photo courtesy of tech.uk


41. Final Fantasy 4 (Square, SNES)

Known as Final Fantasy 2 in the United States, it is actually the 4th game in the series. It's active time battle system became a staple of the series for years to come. Sure the system was a little flawed, but it was extremely revolutionary for its time. The story was pretty awesome too. Few games had as much character development as FF 4. It is easy to legitimately feel attached to the characters. Although most of its sequels are superior games, the fact that FF 4 is so high on the list shows how great the series is.

photo courtesy of ps2fantsy.com

40. Chrono Trigger (Square, SNES)

Chrono Trigger put yet another unique spin on the RPG genre. A freak accident sends Chrono and his friends back in time. Players travel from time period to time period exploring the world at different points in its development. Critics raved about the battle system which incorporated the active time battle system along with double and triple team moves. Random battles were replaced by contact based ones which was a huge plus for many players. All of that combined with awesome graphics and production make this a truly great game.
photo courtesy of benford.com










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