Top 100 Games (#70-61)
#70 - Mega Man 3
I wrote about this game recently so I won't go super deep into it. It was great, it made me fall in love with the Mega Man formula, save states are a must, and it's better than Mega Man 2.
That about sums it up
#69 (nice) - Spider-man Miles Morales
I'm from New York City, I love comic books, and Spider-Man is my favorite superhero. I was always going to love these games.
The story and the combat in these games are genuinely great, but the highlight is obviously the webswinging. Yea everyone says it, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
In fact, the only reason why I picked this version is because the webswinging is better than the original, and because I haven't played the sequel yet (games are too expensive).
When I first got my PS5, I spent so many hours just listening to the Spiderverse soundtrack while swinging around to the music. Such a good time.
#68 - Half Life 2
Whenever I get into a piece of media, I like to know it has an end. I feel like a good ending can really elevate a game, show or movie. Half Life 2 episode 2 famously ends on a cliffhanger, so I avoided the games for quite some time.
I regret doing so, because it still ended up being one of the best single player FPS games to this day. I had expectations going in and I was still blown away.
This game utilizes its physics engine more creatively than most modern titles today. I think what really surprised me was how action packed this game was. You tell me I'm playing an FPS physics based game and my character is a scientist, I'm assuming it's a slower paced shooter with heavy puzzle elements.
But no, outside of some light puzzle solving, the physics engine is primarily used in these large action set pieces where you barrel through hordes of enemies. VERY action oriented, and the pace never really let's up the entire way through.
I feel like I did myself a disservice not playing this sooner. If I played it when I first got into PC gaming 12 years ago, I imagine it'd be a lot higher on the list.
#67 - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask is such a unique Zelda title. Something about the typical and colorful Zelda world being juxtaposed with this dark and grim tone, it was very impactful.
And the game really commits to this darker theme. It shows more creepy and horrifying imagery than other titles. We see NPCs react to their inevitable fate, and how those reactions change as the day grows nearer. The ever present timer, constantly counting down to the end of all things.
It creates this really oppressive atmosphere where you can never really feel comfortable. Always on a time limit, and you can't take that sigh of relief until the credits roll.
This unmatched atmosphere is where this game has stuck with me as long as it has. It's also the direct inspiration for another game we'll see later in the list.
#66 - Pokémon Emerald
The first of many Pokémon games. It feels cheap adding Pokémon on the list, because I've been a super fan for almost my entire life. It's like putting 5 different brands of water bottle on your favorite drinks list because "well I drink water everyday and this one tastes a little better than this one."
Anyway Emerald is here because it's a great game. I've played it a ton over the years, but I didn't own it as a child which is why it ranks so low in comparison to others. It fixes a lot of issues Ruby and Sapphire had, like most third versions do.
There's really not a lot to say that hasn't been said a million times. It's Pokémon, its a good game, we move on.
#65 - Animal Crossing New Leaf
This is a game that, before April, wouldn't have been on this list. But playing it again after 10 years has made me appreciate it as a digital time capsule.
I wrote about it somewhat recently, do you can check that post for more info. But to sum it up, playing this game again gave me a lot of strong feeling. Given that strong emotions are what I value in the media I engage with, it felt wrong to leave it off the list.
#64 - Okami
Okami is a game I considered not putting on the list, mainly because I don't remember anything about it. I played it once so long ago that only the faintest memories of the game still remain.
Yet, whenever I think of Okami, I feel a deep fondness for it. Strong yet vague, explanationless emotions are tied to this game.
I know a large part of that fondness comes from the visuals. This is probably my favorite game in terms of visual style, and it proves to me once again that a strong art style will always be better than graphical fidelity.
#63 & #62 - Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 & Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
The age old debate, which classic 2D Mario is the better one? Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 or Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3?
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 both take up the same slot of nostalgia in my brain. They're both 2D Mario games that I played on my gameboy in my childhood, and they're both my second played Mario game (My first being Super Mario Bros. 2)
Thats a big reason why Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 basically share a slot on this list. In many ways, they're the same to me.
But everyone knows that Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 are good games, and it's no surprise why they're on this list. The more interesting discussion is which of these 2 rank higher and why.
I personally really like looking at the formative years of a long running franchise. It's why Kanto is my favorite region in Pokémon and why I like the first 3 Zelda games so much. We get to see the franchise in an experimental phase, before the formula was perfected and the corporations knew exactly what they wanted their brand to be.
In my opinion, Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 is when Nintendo went "alright we finally got this 2D Mario shit figures out." When you compare Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 to games that came after, you can see a lot of similarities. Grassy green plains, koopaling boss fights, a more dynamic world map, Yoshi, etc etc.
Comparatively, when you look at the games that came before Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, they're a bit more different. Super Mario Bros. was basically a tech demo with identical looking stages. Super Mario Bros. 2 wasn't even actually a Mario game, they just put a Mario coat of paint on it. And Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 is especially weird.
It was a stage play, there were kings in castles and airships and gambling mini games. One level on the world map was just a pyramid. It felt a lot more rough around the edges compared to the corporate sterilized Mario we had today. It was a game that exists before Mario as a brand was "solved".
That little extra bit of weirdness lands Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 above Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 in my eyes.
#61 - Donkey Kong Country
The SNES excelled at making these ethereal moments. Something about the limitations of the 16-bit system and its sound chip provided just limitations to force creativity, but just enough freedom to create some really special moments.
Stickerbush Symphony and Aquatic Ambience are some of these magical moments the SNES is known for in my eyes.
When I first played this game, it was with a good friend of mine. This was his childhood game, so I invited him over to play through it with me.
We smoked some pot and started playing, and when we got to these levels, we put the controllers down for a little bit. We let the music fill the room and just, talked about life for a bit. We don't really talk anymore, but I still think about these moments alot. They make me happy.
Donkey Kong Country is one of the best 2D platformers I've ever played, but that means less to me than the memories I made playing it. Those memories are the real reason why this game makes the list.