Facebook – Top 100 FAVORITE Video Games: “Sir Not-Appearing-on-this-List”

With any list there are some things that regrettably don’t make the cut. In regards to this list, it could be for any number of reasons. Whether they’re games that I played after the list started, games I like but not well enough, or just games that other people would place on theirs and are waiting to see on mine. Whatever the reason may be, the following ten games didn’t make the list. I’ll provide a reason why they likely should have as well as the primary reason that they didn’t make the final count. Without further ado:

Top 10 Games that Should Have (but didn’t) Make the List:

10: Mirror’s Edge
 

Why:
Mirror’s Edge is such a unique game. Very rarely is there a game in which acrobatics are this well choreographed and controlled by the player, and to have it be in first-person and not cause people to get sick all the time? That’s a miracle. The plot was interesting, the level design – while often times similar – was never boring, and the combat (if you even chose to fight, seeing as how you only need to shoot one bullet in the entire game to finish it) was awesome.

Why Not:
Short, at times over-complicated, and many times frustrating to the nth degree, Mirror’s Edge was a lot of work for very little reward. All the creativity in the world doesn’t make up for the sometimes steep learning curve and lack of reasons to come back to the game once you’re done (or once you’ve given up). Beat it, put it back in its case, and its over.

9: Wii Sports

Why:
In a word: addictive. The Wii came out and it had very little in the way of appealing games that utilized the at-the-time “revolutionary” motion controls the system demanded your praise for. But Wii Sports, which came with the Wii at launch (still does? Resort, or something, maybe?) made it possible for everyone to play hilarious and fun games with the Miis that they created. So, even though everyone really wanted to get back to playing Zelda, they could impress their friends right off the bat with the really fun party game.

Why Not:
Who ever played anything but Tennis after a while? Baseball wasn’t much fun to control, boxing required the full Wiimote/Nunchuck combo, golf is boring under any circumstances, and bowling – while a blast with a good number of people – was really annoying to watch people play if they didn’t know when to release the damn ball. Basically, what it came down to was the fact that Wii Sports should have been called “Wii Tennis+” with the + being the four other sports.

8: Body Harvest

Why:
Body Harvest is one of my favorite Nintendo 64 games (so much so that I sold it to someone for money – in fact, I made quite a profit if I remember correctly). The coolest thing about this game is going from time period to time period, geographical location to geographical location, and getting completely different monsters, weapons, and vehicles to drive. Each major level had a subset of missions and involved stopping giant bugs from killing all humans. Tons of gore, awesome driving, and so much diversity in a huge, open world on the N64? What could have gone wrong?

Why Not:
Going back and looking at photos and videos of it the other day, this game is awful. I’m sure if I played it now, the controls would drive me to suicide and the “awesome” vehicular gameplay would make me cry. I think the only reason I liked the game so much when I was younger was because of how different it was and the fact that no one else wanted to play it, meaning it was “my” game. I’ve had plenty of those, but just because I liked a game a ton when I was a dumb kid, that doesn’t mean its good. Case in point: Yo! Noid.

7: Monkey Island (series)

Why:
For the writing alone this series really deserves a spot on the list. Never have I played a set of games as witty and downright funny as the first two Monkey Island titles. The story is constantly engaging, the characters are wonderful, and the art style – both in the original and the recent Live Arcade SE’s – are great to watch perform the actions you input for them. Furthering the narrative takes genius thinking and a ton of dedication to small details, meaning you won’t blaze through them until after you’ve managed to figure it all out, anyway.

Why Not:
This one is kinda for two reason; first, I never played the games in any form until the remakes showed up on Live over the past few years. I really don’t think its fair of me to give such praise to a game based on the remakes (primarily because, when presented with the option of playing the games in the “old school” format, I elected to never even bother trying). The other reason is because I’m really awful at them and I wouldn’t want to admit it. The first game took me way too long and I couldn’t beat the second game on my own at all, resorting to the use of FAQs. These are weak reasons, sure, but the truth all the same.

6: Team Fortress/Counter Strike

Why:
I love both of these games a ton. There was nothing more awesome and – likewise – nostalgia inducing when I think about it then the fact that I used to play these games after school in the computer lab against classmate and faculty members alike. The addiction of playing 2 Fort or Italy for hours and hours against people is unparalleled – in my opinion – in comparison to any other online shooter (both of its time and since, really). TF2 with the Orange Box is a great return to form, too, providing countless hours of fun and – in the case of TF2 – high comedy.

Why Not:
Don’t get me wrong; as much as I love these games, I can’t really count them, much for the same reason that WoW was so poorly written: I’m a single player gamer first, multiplayer gamer second. And the reason I listed about Jedi Knight’s multiplayer content rings true here, as well. No matter how great the mod community is, I feel its not appropriate to rate a game based upon its user content in lieu of its original content. And, to be honest, since CS was based upon user content (yes, L4D will show up on the list so I’m aware of the hypocrisy here, thank you) it can’t be included anyway. Suck it.

5: Tomb Raider (series)

Why:
This series of games is so popular and with good reason, seeing as how they made an entire genre, inspired countless clones, and launched on of the most successful video game heroines of our time. Heck, it even ushered into the world the two Tomb Raider films, a pair of the least offensive affronts to the genre of “video games movies” ever created.

Why Not:
So here’s the deal; I haven’t played a single Tomb Raider game in my entire life. I just haven’t had the interest. I don’t know, I just never got around to it. By the time I had some interest, the series began sucking. So, I just never bothered. I think I tried a demo on PC once, though, and I think I sucked at it. So…

4: Gears of War (series)

Why:
These games are a great set of titles, offering tons of fun. Most games copy these now (Quantum Theory, for example; check the demo. Blatant rip-off) with the cover system, regenerative health, and some kind of gun with cool weapon attached to it. The story, while simple, is easy to follow and the combat and monsters you’ll face are awesome. Plus, they’re both beautiful games. And the multiplayer in both games feature fun diversions from the main narrative. Gears 2, in particular, has the greatness of Horde mode, sending wave after wave of enemies at you and up to four other players.

Why Not:
This one is simple: I hadn’t started playing either of them before I started this list. The closest I really got was playing through a decent chunk of the first one a few years back, but not for any other reason but to simply play a two-player game. If I was doing this list now, though, rest assured that the second game (at least) would earn a high spot.

3: The Legend of Zelda

Why:
Is there any reason to really say why this game should be on the list? Didn’t think so.

Why Not:
So I deserve to be shot. A top 100 games list without the original Zelda on it. I know, I know. Here’s the deal, kids; I can’t play this game. I just can’t. Its not fun, never has been fun, and I don’t think I’ve ever finished it more than the one time. I have no interest in doing so. The original Mario Bros. is great fun because I don’t feel some sense of accomplishment and/or necessity to accomplish anything when I play it. If I only make it to World 3-1 and then die completely, that’s fine. But the fact that I can keep going back for more confusion and punishment in the first Zelda game means I feel obligated to keep playing a game that doesn’t provide equal rewards for my work. You can disagree all you want, but its the truth; I don’t like this game.

2: Halo (series)

Why:
Often times quoted as the best FPS games of all time, the Halo series has set the benchmark rather high and continues to do so every time a new title emerges from Bungie. With a stellar multiplayer lineup, tons of online features, and graphics that keep getting better and better with each game, what’s not to like?

Why Not:
Having only finished the first game in the entire series and having only played the first few levels of the second game, I don’t think I’m a fair judge, really. But here’s the deal: Halo 1 is muddy as hell and suffers from the curse of most generic FPS titles: every room looks the same. The second game, on the other hand, has an awesome opening level and then its back to the same old same old. I really would like to play through the entire series at some point, though. So, perhaps in a future list we’ll see one or more titles show up.

1: Metroid Fusion

Why:
Metroid Fusion did what I thought was impossible. Taking the full-on Metroid experience and shoving it onto a Game Boy Advance cart. Its a great game, too, feeling like a classic Metroid title the whole way through. The story was awesome, the new powers were cool, and being hunted by the SA-X was a neat bonus and sometimes a terrifying enemy to avoid. I must have beaten this game a dozen times on one trip overseas, managing to get good enough to beat it in under three hours once, I believe.

Why Not:
This game was literally #101. It just didn’t make the cut.

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Added February 24, 2017
As the years have passed, the only game from this list that could feasibly make it on is actually Metroid Fusion. I wonder if that’s on the eShop…