My Top 10 - Console Games (What is your top 10?)

[EagleFan]

Liked the responses my first thread got so I will continue and move on to Console games. I kept the PC games on the list to those games that I played on the PC (KOTR was originally on X-box but I played it on the PC). I may include a couple games that are PC games in this list but games that I played (or play) on a console.

Much like the PC games thread it may not be the best games thread but the games which I have the most enjoyment from.

Also not in specific order.


Portal 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_2) - This has risen to be one of my favorite games. Not only is it fun to play but what I enjoy the most is playing co-op with my oldest daughter (10) or watching her play the single player mode. Very proud watching her think through the solutions for each test. She played Portal but a lot of that was me helping her get to the solution. This game I now get to see her come up with the answer which is a great thing.

NBA 2K11 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_2K11) - Not a basketball fan by any means (other than loving March Madness) but this game may be the best sports game ever. The My Player mode is easily the best mode ever.

NHL 11 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHL_11) - Before trying NBA 2K11 this could have made my top of the list for favorite sports game ever. 10 was very good but the added little tweaks to this one took it to the next level.

MLB 11: The Show (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB_11:_The_Show) - It may have it's minor issues but this game still plays the best game of baseball out there. Add the new controls and this has to be the choice of the series.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncharted_2) - This was one of the most entertaining game that I can remember playing in recent memory. It felt like playing through a summer blockbuster. In my mind there has not been a game with character acting like this one. The characters came alive as you played. You are pretty much being led through the story but I really didn't care.

inFamous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infamous_(video_game)) - This game had a lot of wow moments. Building the character and being able to steer towards good or evil was fun. Exploring the city and increasing my power was great. Probably the most fun super hero game that I can remember. Only setback was that it was only on the PS3 so it numbed my thumb trying to play (hate those little kiddie controllers that system has). The only problem is that the "good" ending seems to be a bit of a stretch after the story reveals itself.

The Orange Box (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orange_Box) - Getting to play throgh Half Life 2 and all the chapters again was great. Add Portal and TF2 to the mix and this was one of the best values I have ever picked up. Playing TF2 on XBL with the poker guys is great; takes us back to the Duke days trying to play head to head (and MUCH easier to get setup).

Red Dead Redemption (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dead_Redemption) - Nothing is quite as relaxing as jumping on the horse and riding through the desert. Take some time to hunt and skin; or rob a few unfortunate souls who cross my path.

Track & Field (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_%26_Field_(video_game)) - Played this later than when it was released; after was out of high school. But it was a lot of fun playing aganst friends as a drinking game.

Blast Lacrosse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_Lacrosse) - The only indoo lacrosse game that was put out for the Playstation. Didn't like the arcade feel and that they didn't have the players in the right positions but at least it was a lacrosse game. Would love to see a game with the quality of NBA 2K11 or NHL 11 for lacrosse.

[CrimsonFox]

Knew this was coming...thanks EF! :)

[EagleFan]

Knew this was coming...thanks EF! :)

:)

Enjoyed reading your write up in the other thread.

[TroyF]

First I'll start with the games I agree with you on (no order here)

1) NBA2K series
2) MLB: The Show series
-----------------------------------------

3) Bioshock series
4) GTA 3 series
5) Red Dead Redemption
6) Oblivion (I played it on the 360)
7) NFL2K5 (nothing has really come close to this for me in terms of football games)
8) Wii Sports. Yeah, the Wii went downhill, but I can't even count the number of hours my wife and I played bowling. She can't actually bowl because of a heart surgery so this game will always have a special place in my heart.
9) NHL '93 This game had it all. Blood on the ice with big hits, super steroid Jeremy Roinek, co op game play with friends. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this game.
10) Rock Band - The best party game ever made.

[RainMaker]

No particular order.

College Hoops 2K8 - Greatest sports game ever made. Captured college basketball perfectly, had a deep career mode, amazing attention to detail. So sad this series is gone.

Madden 2005 - The last great Madden game. 2K5 was lauded but this was the go-to game to run a franchise.

NFL 2K5 - Great gameplay, great presentation. Would love to see where football gaming would be if these two continued to battle it out.

The Show 09 - The last couple versions haven't impressed me and had some gamebreaking bugs. This was great, had amazing gameplay, near flawless presentation.

Tecmo Super Bowl - So far ahead of its time.

GTA: San Andreas - I know people didn't like this version but I loved it. Tons of stuff to do, an enormous map, and a good storyline with characters I cared about.

Fallout 3 - Phenomenal game that gave me a good 100+ hours of entertainment.

Bioshock - Blown away by the gameplay, story, and atmosphere. Truly a fun game.

Bad Company 2 - The best shooter I've ever played. Revolutionized the space with destructable environments and collapsable buildings. Many different ways to play, strategy more important than stick skills.

Earth Defense Force 2017 - Fun factor through the roof. Required some strategy and a big challenge. One of the hidden gems on the console.

Honorable Mention: Deadly Premonition, inFamous

[PurdueBrad]

Alright, just like everyone else, no particular order:

1 Pitfall from the Atari- a staple of my childhood

2 Tecmo Super Bowl- I agree with whoever said above that it was ahead of its time

3 Goldeneye- A terrific FPS and one that spawned a lot of console games

4 Mariokart- One of the few racing games that I've loved

5 MLB The Show 11- Still the standard for console baseball

6 Romance of the Three Kingdoms- The first strategy/civ type game I got into

7 Mass Effect- Probably the most personally invested gaming experience I've had

8 Knights of the Old Republic- Loved playing through this on the old X-Box

9 Fallout 3 and New Vegas- I think both are incredible games and I love the depth of each

10 Uncharted 2- Just a terrific adventure game, a ton of fun.

Honorable mentions: WCW/NWO on the n64, Smackdown on the PS2, the original Halo on the X-Box, Fight Night on the 360, and for a goofy one, Duck Hunt.

[CrimsonFox]

1. Eternal Darkness - Gamecube
The best survival horror game ever. Lovecraft would play this game for sure. You play the granddaughter of a professor who has been brutally murdered. (He lost his head over some book...yukyukyuk). Left alone in an ultracreepy house, the game begins...and as you read, you untie one of the most complex and rewarding horror stories I've ever read/played. One of its many wonderful features is that as you as the main character read each chapter, you become the character of that chapter in his or her own time period so you jump around in time a lot to solve this bizarre cthulhian story all using the same places and subject matter. And all of the people in the book are from the same long family line, all figthing against the same cthulian apocolypse. Oh did I mention sanity? There is a sanity stat. And you'd better not lose it. If you do the game makes you regret it...in the most clever and innovative ways that no game before or sense has ever used. Seldom does a masterpiece like this come along.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAkAvRcT9JA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7qXPyr-FSs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3ON0F1K3Tw


2. Knights of the Old Republic 2 - XBOX
Computer RPGs can be awesome and this game took that to the limit. Yes people may say that the first one is better but I actually played the sequel first. The 2nd gives you much more power right away which really really fit the world. I loved the characters which somewhat matched their original starwars stock counterparts, yet they did have a little more personality. And hell who doesn't want their own jedi master, their own r2d2 droid, their own smartass scoundrel companion. It's all here. That's what star wars is about. Jedi power baby! And the other factor is the conversations you have, you can decide who your character is based on your actions and conversations. Not in a BS Peter Molenaux fable way but in a way that every individual NPC has their own opinion about you and your "side" based on everything you do and say to THEM. Takes the RPG immersion that much closer. And it goes without saying that the wreiters of these games should really have written the movies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv5wFLniTwE

3. Resident Evil 4:Wii - Wii
I emphasize the Wii on the end. This is THE game the Wii was waiting for to make great use of its contollers. I've tried playing this game on other systems and it is freaking hard. Wii's version actually makes you feel like you're shooting a gun. Sooo much gameplay, There is the standard fighting off tons of zombies but every other mission seems to add something new. THen all of the sudden the screen shouts at you to make a Dragon's Lair type timing move. It freaks you out and keeps you on your toes..Sooo much creepiness. Such a wonderfully near-perfect Survival Horror game. THe purple white-eyed salesman gives me the creeps. And you'd think when you start you get an easy tutorial. Nope, it pretty much surrounds you with zombies right away. And you'll never forget the first time you get your head cut off. Never.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goYj65NiEG8

4. Final Fantasy 7 - Playstation
The year Baldur's Gate came out, this little title crept into our pshycey and made us forget all about D&D. This was the first RPG I've ever seen that did something totally original with the whole computer RPG concept. gems in weapons, a flowing story, lots of abilities....and Chocobo Racing WOooooo! I think overall I enjoyed it so much that it blended all the fighting and typical RPG elements into the story so well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojs1PHBHHfA

5. Baseball Simulator 1.000 - NES
My sports entry comes from a very simple game derivative of RBI Baseball. But the twists, you can play an entire season...very impressive for the NES. You can name all your players. And you can play normal mode or super mode. Ultra mode you actually have superpowers. So pitchers can throw fireballs or disappearing balls. Batters can make the ball take right angles in the field or go through the fielders. FIelders can superjump. It was awesome. Yet the gameplay was very very simple. You did not have to learn 50 different moves or button combos. All very simple and intuitive, which I think makes or breaks any sports game. Oh yeah I love space stadium. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TluK6rufg8o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vAccXLK__o


6. Mega Man 2- NES
Best Platformer I've ever played. Wonderful characters neat vilalins. Each villain you killed, you gained his weapon for the rest of the game. Special things too. That evil doctor Wiley. What a guy. Platformy goodness. Yes that is the same intro that "I wanna be the guy" used.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8Ao63nmzuE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgIaFz-tFTc

7. Showdown at 2100 AD - Odyssey 2
Very simple and very cool. Robots in the future duieling it out. Banking their bullets off trees and doing the little dance before they hit the dirt, their own little spandau ballet. The Odyssey was some seriously fun stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3wLATshpyQ

8. Katamari Damacy - Playstation 2
Nuuuh.nanananananana nanananananaaaaa. The oddest game I've ever played anywhere. You roll up the entire world in your little ball and use your balls to replace the stars in the sky that the jerkwad partier Emperor of All Creation knocked out on one of his drunken binges. Yeah, I thought that sounded nuts too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpFFzWPzA2c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwhFH75OCDs


9. Twisted Metal 2: World Tour - Playstation

This is it! Steve Jackson's Car Wars come crashing to life. Choose one of about 10 cars and go kick ass. Shoot people in the face. espceilly that evil clown bastard, Sweet tooth (what a great villain! an evil clown in an ice cream truck throwing bombs at you). The interface, the graphics, the explosion after explosion! The AI was crazy mad good and pretty fricking terrifying when your health bar is low and you're being chased down the earthquake-laden streets of LA by those assholes. Best level by far...the New York rooftops...yes you are driving around on the rooftops of skyscrapers...and you half to drive off the sides of some of them to get to the next building. Drive off the wrong side and "AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........." you fall and see yourself all the way down....so make sure you empty your ammo clip on the way down. OH yeah, blowing up the Eiffel Tower is fun too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVrn8XvPutY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSxJNuJh08E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNl059SrDBE

10. KC Munchkin - Odyssey 2
Screw Pac-Man. Pac-Man is a wuss! These dots move! Much more challenging and active and blow your mind. Remember Atari Pac-man? (aka one of the worst games ever anywhere?) This game eats it for breakfast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07JtE4pIq8U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXawm3pURjk


11. Excitebike - NES

I've never been a fan of racing games. Mostly because I'm no good at them. But there was something about this title for the NES, racing a motorcycle on a course with ramps and speedbursts, whether solo or against other racers that made me ultracompetitive. I just HAD to play until I got all the best times. And the music when you finish really did make me want to jump up and down and celebrate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=543dG0EWcYM

12. The Legend of Zelda - NES
It's dangerous out to go alone. Better take this sword. Pixelated and wonderful. And oh what a joy it is to hum the music of the opening or when you pick up a tri-force. Probably the best rpg and franchise for an an rpg ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyMKWJ5e1kg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bt5VHG3Jpw


13. Abe's Oddysee - Playstation

This bleak tale of the mudokens and their savior, hapless Abe is one of the oddest little games and certainly oddest characters I have ever witnessed. This game is pure puzzle. A side-scrolling puzzle platformer to be specific. YOur goal. Free the modkens from becoming meat on a stick. Weapons? No you don't get those, just have to get from screen to screen without dying yourself (and there are plenty of ways to do that. Definitely gives your brain and your funny bone a workout. Love how the slugs on robot legs laugh at you after shooting you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_R6hzBxzAs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs2Wp-Vc7CI



Other notable favorites:

Super Mario Brothers - NES
Quest for the Ring - Odyssey 2
Double Dribble - NES
Dino Crisis - Playstation
Thief: Deadly Shadows - XBOX
RC Pro AM - NES
Pitfall - Atari
Silent Hill 1/2 - Playstation 1/2
Mario Kart Wii - Wii
Shadows of the Colossus - Playstation 2
Pixeljunk Monsters - Playstation 3
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus - Playstation 2
Adventure - Atari
Air/Sea Battle - Atari
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons - Intellivision
Rock Band - any system...yeah I"m a mic whore.

[Groundhog]

In no particular order:

Goldeneye 64
Zelda 64: Ocarina of Time
Read Dead Redemption
Mario Kart 64
Zelda 3
NBA 2K11
Super Tennis (I still play this on a SNES emulator pretty regularly)
College Hoops 2K8
Gears of War
NCAA Football 11

[Big Fo]

In some cases, a game might have had better sequels but I enjoyed the earlier game more at the time it came out than I did the sequel later on.

Baseball Stars - NES
Tecmo Super Bowl - NES
Super Mario World - SNES
Super Mario Kart - SNES
Metal Gear Solid - PS1
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - PS2
Madden 2005 - PS2
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 - PS2
Super Mario Galaxy - Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Wii

Honorable mentions for Virtua Tennis - (Dreamcast), Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES), Kirby's Dreamcourse (SNES), NFL2k1 (Dreamcast), FIFA 11 (PS3), Gran Turismo 3 (PS2), and World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 (PS2).

I didn't included handheld games since nobody else did and I wasn't sure if those counted as consoles for this. Otherwise Dragon Quest V (DS remake) would be up there for sure.

[Kodos]

More than ten, and broken out by generation:

Tomb Raider - PS1 - my first post-Atari adventure game. Loved Lara Croft in the Indiana Jonesish role

ICO - PS2 - Story of an outcast boy and his attempt to save a girl
Shadow of the Colossus - PS2 - Tale of a young man who must kill a dozen giants to bring his dead girlfriend back to life
Silent Hill 2 - PS2 - James Sunderland goes to Silent Hill after he gets a letter from his dead wife telling him to meet her in their "special place"
Ratchet & Clank - PS2 - best platforming series ever - combined shooter elements with platforming
Grand Theft Auto III - PS2 - first open world game
Madden 06 - PS2 - best last-gen football game
NCAA Football 2004 - PS2 - favorite game in the NCAA series in the last generation
Resident Evil 4 - PS2 - great action-adventure game
Rumble Racing - PS2 - very fun racing game with lots of power-ups and stunts
Timesplitters - PS2 - my first shooter - loved the fast pace - great game to play with my girlfriend, my roommate, and his girlfriend

Resistance: Fall of Man - PS3 - fun shooter
Left 4 Dead - Xbox 360 - best zombie game
Red Dead Redemption - Xbox 360 - open world western - still playing through Undead Nightmare
NCAA Football 2011 - Xbox 360 - best next-gen football game so far

[Mustang]

In no particular order.. I'll have to think of a few more because they are all jumping out right now, but definitely the following..


1. Sea Battle
2. Dreadnaught Factor
3. Pitfall
4. Military Madness
5. Mass Effect
6. Star Wars - Knights of the Old Republic
7. Mass Effect 2
8. Metal Gear Solid

[dubb93]

Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

Final Fantasy VIII (PS1) - Yea I liked this better than VII, sue me.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms Series (NES to PS2)- Bring on some more! I'm heartbroken that this series seems to be KIA.

Civilization 2 (PS1) - Yes the PS1 version. I must have logged 300 hours of this and it eventually led to me getting into PC gaming.

Fallout 3 (360) - OMFG! This game single handedly got me back into serious console gaming on the current gen systems. If only New Vegas wasn't a bust....

Knights of the Old Republic (XBox) - I felt the need to experience all the endings in this game. Fantastic game.

Goldeneye (N64) - I fondly remember four person multiplayer matches that lasted all night.

THQ N64 Wrestling Games (N64) - WWF and WCW versions. These games were meant for four player matches.

Worms Armageddon (Dreamcast) - Another game that was made for local Co-Op. Spent ages and countless nights playing this one as well.

Halo 1 and 2 (XBox) - I'm not sold on the current gen games but these right here were out of this world for their time. Halo literally blew my mind. I couldn't believe it was possible. And Halo 2 added the easier multiplayer options.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (XBox) - For me GTA 3 was the most unbelievable game I have ever played. Then came Vice City which was a total bust for me. Then San Andreas hit and sucked up all of my free time. I'm not sure how much time I spent on this but it was a crazy amount. I loved the setting and wish they would return to it.

Close buy not quite (honorable mention)

Mass Effect Series (360) - Take note of ME 2 the #2 game of this gen for me.

Mafia 2 (360) - I'm a sucker for the American Mafia and this is the best Mafia game I have ever played. Fantastic story.

Metal Gear Solid (PS1) - There has been alot of silly storyline garbage that has followed this game, but this gem is a classic.

Mike Tyson's Punchout (NES) - I must have spent years of my youth playing this game.

[SackAttack]

I've played entirely too many console games over the years to be able to pick out any kind of definitive top ten. And even the ten I'm going to post here would probably be a little different if you asked me again in a week, or a month, or a year. Just depends on where my mindset is really.

But right now, my top ten:

10. Skies of Arcadia - Dreamcast

I actually slightly prefer the GameCube port, but I'm going to give the credit to the original game. An underrated gem of a game on a system whose end came entirely too quickly in the States. I loved the idea of a Pirate RPG where the pirate ships flew through the skies. I hope someday we see a sequel.

9. New Super Mario Bros. - Wii

Mostly nostalgia factor. Yeah, it's designed with multiplayer in mind, which isn't exactly the first thing I want out of my Mario games, but it's still a blast to play in single player.

8. Ratchet & Clank - PS2

The series has come a long way from its 'Star Wars spoof' beginnings, but even that first game blindsided me a little bit. I didn't expect it to be nearly as much fun as it ended up being, and I've played every Ratchet & Clank title since. Even the fairly blah PSP titles churned out by a different studio.

7. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Sega Genesis

The first game I remember specifically asking for when "Christmas wish list" time rolled around, and it didn't disappoint. Shoot, I think it was reading a preview of this game in "Sega Visions" magazine back in the day that made me go "Man, that reviewing games thing sounds like an awesome job."

6. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - Xbox

This is actually kind of a weird one for me. I feel like The Sith Lords had more in the way of innovation, but that the first KotOR was more polished. For that matter, the Big Plot Twist was the single biggest mindfuck I've ever had in gaming. This was the game that introduced me to BioWare.

5. Mass Effect - Xbox 360

Speaking of whom. I'm currently on, like...God, my 5th playthrough of this game. I can't think of another RPG I've found that compelling. There's some I've put a greater number of hours into, but none that I've completed and felt like a kid getting off the greatest roller coaster ever, saying "Whee! Let's go again!" Most RPGs, no matter how much I love 'em, once or maybe twice is plenty.

4. Disgaea - PlayStation 2

Funny story about this game. Back when Gamenikki a) hadn't had its domain sniped and b) was more regular about updates, Atlus sent us a couple green copies of this game. One of my writers heard the word 'Disgaea' and went 'MINE.' So I let him review it and promptly forgot about it. Several months later, I found the second green copy still in its sleeve in my room, thought "Well, why not try it and see what the hype is?"

That game didn't leave my PS2 for a year. The port to PSP is still pretty much *the* reason my PSP is even relevant to me. Yeah, Puzzle Quest was awesome, but it's Disgaea I play when I take that thing anywhere.

3. Super Mario RPG - Super Nintendo

I love when an established IP is able to not only go in a radically different direction from what you'd expect, but to be successful in the process. Up to that point, Mario hadn't been much about 'story.' It was more about 'our princess is in another castle blah blah' and that was about all you needed to know.

2. Mass Effect 2 - Xbox 360

Here's one example of what I mean by my list shifting depending on when you ask me. I feel like Mass Effect 2 was a more polished game than the first Mass Effect (which was pretty damn awesome to begin with), but the sudden rise to prominence of Cerberus in the second game after the first one implied that you'd pretty well trashed their operations (if you did certain sidequests) was a little jarring. The portrayal of Cerberus in the 2nd game is also something I've had trouble reconciling with their portrayal in the first game.

And yet, it's currently #2 on my list, which I think says something about how awesome I found ME2 to be despite those issues.

1. Rock Band 2 - Xbox 360

Kind of like Disgaea on the PlayStation 2, Rock Band 2 ate my gaming hours like almost nothing ever has. Yeah, I love the introduction of the keyboards with the third game, and yeah, playing the first with my dad and brother was good times, but I still think the 2nd game was probably the best in the franchise. Best mix of Band World Tour Online with an insane library of playable music.

Maybe one of these days I can sit down and figure out a top ten list by genre rather than just 'in general.' That way I won't feel like I'm leaving so much out.

[CrimsonFox]

Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

Final Fantasy VIII (PS1) - Yea I liked this better than VII, sue me.



I could, you know... but, Well, I chose KOTOR 2 instead of 1, so that would make me a hypocrite.

[PurdueBrad]

I'm lazy this morning but all this talk of KOTOR has made me wonder, are KOTOR 1 and 2 able to be played on the 360? If so, I may just have to pick them up again.

[bhlloy]

Thinking of all the consoles I've owned...

Genesis:
Speedball 2 (fun game, some pretty decent management functions for it's time)
NHL 93 (no brainer)

N64:
Mario Kart
Goldeneye
Zelda (these three are probably the same for anyone who ever owned a 64)

PS2:
MLB: The Show (can't remember exactly which one but might have been the first one, just an incredibly deep game for it's time and the career mode was years ahead)
GTA: Vice City (not the best GTA by a long way, but we had this in college and played it for fricking hours)

360:
Fallout 3
College Hoops 2k8/2k9 (whichever the last version was. Not sure I've ever got so much mileage out of a game)
NBA 2k11

[EagleFan]

How could I forget this one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MVP_06:_NCAA_Baseball

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M66xsPwIH0U&feature=related