Gaming off the Beaten Path

Quick pro wrestling history lesson. In 1995, Ted Turner wanted to do something to compete with the WWF (now WWE ). They tried every bizarre gimmick, every weird shtick , and every washed up wrestler. It didn't work. To make matters worse, the company's new million dollar man, Hulk Hogan, was becoming fed up with his role in the company. That's when head booker Eric Bischoff had an idea; turn the beloved hulkster into a bad guy. It worked like a charm. Hogan and the NWO made WCW the main power in pro wrestling. Playing off the success of the angle on TV, WCW worked with THQ to make this awesome game. Wrestling games were a tough sell on the 16 bit systems. The N64's 3d graphics made players feel more like they were in the middle of the ring. WCW and NWO stars, along with other created superstars made for an impressive roster. The grappling system was simple to learn, but difficult to master. Players could pull off their favorite wrestler's moves with ease...

You are Solid Snake. As an elite special forces operative, you have been asked to rescue the president and stop a potential nuclear threat. Standing in your way, thousands of terrorists armed to the teeth, and a stable of warriors with supernatural powers. Even for a badass like snake, the odds are slim. Instead of running and gunning through it all, you must use stealth. The Alaskan base is full of dark corridors and air ducts which snake must use to accomplish his mission. The gameplay is unique, and the control is flawless. Graphics are amazing and the sound (which is critically important in this game) is ultra realistic. To top it all off, the story is full of twists and turns, and is on the same level as plots of top notch RPGs . Whether you play the PS1 original or the Gamecube remake "Twin Snakes," MGS is a must play. Pros: Unique and completely original, awesome story, (almost) technically perfect Cons: Parts of the story don't m...

I said when I began this list a long time ago that a story is the most important part of an RPG . I always say that RPG's are like interactive novles . The story in Final Fantasy VIII is one of the best in history. It follows the story of 18-year-old Squall Leonhart , a student at Balamb Garden. As a mercenaries, he and his friends are sent on missions throughout the world. He meets a young woman named Rinoa , and the two fall in love. The game follows the two in their quest to save the world from a hidden enemy, discover their mysterious past, and make their budding relationship work. The story does focus a lot on teenage angst and frustration, so it does become less relateable (but no less awesome) for older players. All of the other characters are well developed and add a lot to the story. The translation is excellent and the graphics may be the best on the PS1. Overall, this games story sets it aprt. Pros: Ep...

The best of the NES Mega Mans and one of the games that got me into gaming. MM 2 gets most of the praise but I feel that the level design in 3 is just so far superior. The bosses are unique, even if some of them are a little ridiculous. The controls feel as though they have been improved as well. The simple addition of sliding added so many dimensions to the gameplay . The difficulty is the best in the series. It isn't ridiculously difficult, but its not a breeze either. The "skeleton" levels that appear after the initial bosses are defeated are the epitome of perfect "challenge, not cheapness" levels in gaming. It can be difficult to really elaborate on what makes older, simpler games so great. This can be said of any NES game in the Mega Man franchise (or MM9, which was not eligible for the list because it is technically a new generation game) . 3 is simply the cream of an excellent crop. Pros: Good Graphics, balanced challenge, addictive gamepla...

A little known RPG , Star Ocean: The Second Story, was the sequel to a game released only in Japan. It followed the story of Claude Kenni , a young member of the intergalactic fleet of Earth. After his ship is attacked, Claude finds himself on an underdeveloped planet. There he meets Rena Lanford , a native girl from a small village. Players can choose to play from the perspective of either Claude or Rena, and will get a different sense of the events depending on which character they play. How you play will effect which party members will join you and which won't. You can enter into private actions to gain more insight on your party members and learn and perfect a variety of skills, from alchemy to forgery. The best part though is the combat system. Part active time battle, part action rpg , Star Ocean has quite possibly the most unique RPG gameplay of all time. Pros: Expansive quest, great battle system, strong and interesting characters, variety in gameplay , original ...

Heroes II appeared on thist list because it was a classic, epic strategy game. Heroes III appears in the top 20 because it improves upon its predecessor in just about every way. The graphic improvments are obvious, especially in battle. However, perhaps the most important is the improvment of the A.I. Computer players no longer seem to have such a huge advantage. The difficulty is a lot more balanced and managing your army is a lot less clunky. The two expansion packs add even more awesome features with new campaigns, classes, and artifacts. Speaking of the character classes, gone are the generic knight and wizard from Heroes II. Heroes III offers unique towns to keep players interesting. A random map generator puts this game over the top as one of the greatest strategy (and multiplayer) games of all time. Pros: Addictive gameplay, strong (but not cheap) AI, interesting campaigns, multiplayer Cons: Slow Pace, learning curve

Zelda's first foray into 3d produced one of the single most memorable adventures of all time. Players once again take control of Link. However, they begin the game with Link as a child. After a mysterious encounter with a Forrest spirit, the young Link is thrust into a quest beyond his wildest dreams. Players must shift back and forth between the world of child and adult Link in order to save Princess Zelda from the clutches of the evil Gannondorf . The revolutionary Z-targeting system made sure that the right enemy is always in your sight. The dungeons are brilliantly designed and expansive, if a little unbalanced. The graphics were excellent for their time and the game throws out all sorts of different challenges to keep the player interested. Really the game is hard to explain in words...so go find it and play it, you won't be disappointed. Pros: Epic Quest, High replay value, well designed levels, excellent controls, strongest storyline in the franchise Cons: Unbalanced ...