10. Goldeneye 007
I know what you’re thinking “why isn’t this higher on the list?” well it hasn’t held up particularly well even though back in the day it was the coolest thing out there. Its multiplayer was revolutionary, paving the way for games like Halo. The graphics were also impressive for the 64 bit system and it had a lot of cheats to make it fun (all guns, invincibility, invisibility, etc) if you didn’t have a Game Shark this game was a reason to get one.
9. Mass Effect
This RPG for the Xbox 360 and PC is one of the best games I have ever played because of its massive open worlds, tons of objectives, and great storyline. For an RPG it is a little short (unless you count surveying minerals but seriously who wants to do that?) but it makes up for that with memorable sequences and some great side missions. The environments are varied but the bases and research facilities on different worlds are very “cookie cutter” so it could have been better but that doesn’t stop it from being a tremendously fun romp through the galaxy, can’t wait for Mass Effect 2.
8. Half Life 2
This game is incredible and if you haven’t played it I would suggest picking it up as soon as possible. It has great FPS elements and one of the best storylines I have ever seen in a game. It works well with the episodic content although I would have liked the episodes to be a little longer, especially episode one. The driving is my only nitpick about this game but other than that it is just so much fun to play, I played it via The Orange Box, which was a port to the 360 but I’ve been told it is even better on the PC.
7. Sonic and Knuckles
This game is grade A awesome for many reasons, not the least of which is the awesome music. (Seriously listen to it its good stuff) The game keeps the sidescrolling speed element of the previous games while adding an awesome set of 3D bonus games and a new playable character that could climb walls and glide. Knuckles seriously trumped Sonic in all departments and I rarely pick Sonic over Knuckles. The gameplay is awesome, the variety is there, and it is just something that you can go back to even today and have a good time with.
6. Halo 3
This is one of the best FPS’s that I have ever played, it has a fantastic single player mode and an even better split screen multiplayer. The use of the vehicles, the weapons, the story, and the fluid gameplay mechanics make this a must buy for any Xbox owner. It really took off from Goldeneye and improved on the winning formula. I haven’t played any game’s multiplayer element so much and that is saying something.
5. Street Fighter II
Oh boy, we’re getting into some super good ones now. I technically have the “Special Champion Edition” but it is pretty much the same as the original Street Fighter II. This game (along with Mortal Kombat) revolutionized the fighting game genre and it is still a blast to play even today. The characters each have their own little back story that is spelled out in the manual and they all have special moves that are not too ridiculous to pull off.
4. Pac-Man
Originally titled “Puck Man” American arcade owners were afraid that vandals would change to the P to an F and we all know what would happen there. This game was one of the biggest arcade hits and it is so addicting. I recently played it online in flash form and I stayed up until about 4 in the morning playing it. If you haven’t played this game then I don’t know what to say other than PLAY IT. It established arcades and will go down in history as one of the greatest games of all time.
3. KOTOR
This game is the first RPG that I ever played and the first time I played it I hated it. I didn’t realize what it was and when the action didn’t start up right away I stopped playing, but after playing through KOTOR 2 I wised up and played the first one and man it is great. Not only does it have extensive upgrades and mini-games, it also has one of the biggest shocks in video game history. I, unfortunately, had it spoiled but it was still pretty awesome to see that shot of Darth Revan taking of his mask and it being your character. Even though the framerate goes to hell in action sequences and it has annoying turn based combat it still is one of the most gripping and fun games that I have ever played.
2. Pitfall
David Crane’s classic Atari game is one of my favorites because it is the first real memory I have of playing video games. I used to play it on my dad’s Atari in the spare room in our house in NY and it was so much fun. I remember thinking that the campfire looked so realistic at the time. The gameplay is solid and the graphics are actually really great for the Atari.
1. Gears of War 2
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this game is incredible. It is the best game out right now and I can’t imagine picking any game above this (until Ghostbusters comes out of course) The story is gripping, the graphics are out of this world, gameplay mechanic is perfect, the replay value is through the roof, and the multiplayer has been vastly improved since Gears 1, especially with the introduction of the Horde mode.
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