Greatest (or your favourite) Video Game of all time!

Super Mario Galaxy gave me an amazing sense of euphoria that I can truly say is comparable to my first orgasm and and my first concert.
I love it that much. I want the Galaxy series to continue.
 
Final Fantasy VI and Mass Effect 2 for me.

Both have top-notch storytelling, awesome gameplay, loveable and memorable characters, as well as amazing music and a grand sense of scale. Both had moments that blew my mind and made me catch my breath marvelling at the sheer awesomeness of the game.

However, whenever answering such questions, I have a nagging feeling at the back of my head that any Defence of the Ancients (DotA) player can probably attest to: you both love and hate DotA. You can never, ever get rid of that addiction, and you marvel daily at the game's insane amount of depth. However, you also dread to play it, for reasons that any DotA player understands: shitty teammates. For this reason, you are never sure whether DotA can be considered your "favourite" game: I've spent more hours on DotA than all the other games in my life multiplied by 10, yet I still have trouble truly loving it. Probably not a game that creates memories as sweet as FFVI and Mass Effect 2.
 
I dont really play videogames very much but I'm gonna post about the ones I have played that left a strong impression on me. theyre all gonna be for pc except one because thats all I had growing up )=

RIVEN
riven is the sequel to myst and the first noneducational game I ever played on a computer. I didnt get far and never found anyone to talk to, but that was what I loved about it. it was a huge, empty world as far as I could tell and I spent hours just imagining what happened to everyone. I wandered and did puzzles but never cracked it enough to get past the first few areas. I was like 3 or 4 and wandering aimlessly in this fantasyscape was enough for me.

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE
this was the first game I ever played other than Riven (sequel to Myst) which I loved but never got far in because I didnt REALLY get it and never found anyone to talk to but I loved it anyhow. hpss was my favorite because it felt so vast even though it really wasnt. the possibilities in hogwartz seemed endless to me at age 6, and i was totally enthralled.

KOTOR
this game will always hold a special place in my heart and I would probably count it as the game that's made me happiest throughout the years. nowadays I dont like turn based as much as real time combat in my rpgs, but I'll turn my back on this one. the sequel also busted my young brain open with the various deconstructions of the rpg genre i held so dear

BIOSHOCK
I played this one years after my friends and the rest of the world but managed to avoid spoilers. the atmosphere of the game is really what made it for me, and other than the imo hokey ending battle it was really well written and, like kotor 2, had some cool deconstruction of the rpg genre, specifically the "i'll do anything i am asked" nature of rpg protagonists

SKYRIM
this game has devoured my life. I have a ton of mods for it so I can smoke weed ingame etc, it is really immersive and even if the main quest is silly (U HAVE TO GO TO HEAVEN TO KILL THE KING DRAGON) it's my favorite elder scrolls of the three i have played. morrowind may have the best lore and imo oblivion had the coolest plot (fighting demon lords all the time? way more badass then dragons) but skyrim really captured my imagination in a way the other never did.

POKEMON PLATINUM
I like this version the best. it has all the features from gen4 that I always want when playing frlg (phys/spec split, pokemon watch) and has imo one of the best dexes. I never played bw2 or xy so idk how those are but platinum improved everything I wanted fixed in dpp (the e4 had pokemon of their type !_! no more steelix on the fire guy lol) and added a battle frontier. I do wish you could have a mon follow you like in hgss but hey, nothing's perfect. I prefer it to hgss because the plot feels more focused, albeit a tad silly, and its dex is more expansive. the levelling of opponents and wild pokemon are also not so wildly inconsistent

ok thats all folks, im not a videogame scholar like some of you so dont hurt my feelings if you wanna critique my opinions. you can critique me just you know be nice about it man im a sensitive babby
 
v said:
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE
this was the first game I ever played other than Riven (sequel to Myst) which I loved but never got far in because I didnt REALLY get it and never found anyone to talk to but I loved it anyhow. hpss was my favorite because it felt so vast even though it really wasnt. the possibilities in hogwartz seemed endless to me at age 6, and i was totally enthralled.
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Oh man. That was an awesome game, for me at the time and it still holds a solid place in my heart. I remember my Mom would be like "don't just play that game all day!" soon after I got it, but I really didn't listen... This was the first non-Shockwave/Flash/education game I ever played (so in a way the first 'real' game I ever played, haha), and it was just awesome. Also, 3D graphics (first time I played a true 3D video game)! I loved exploring the areas, trying to get the most beans so I could pay off the Weasley twins and get the '100%' ending. After I won it a few times I found out about the 'cheat codes' and had a blast just flying around and exploring the areas in a new way.

Funny enough, the time I played this game I couldn't stand Pokemon, though honestly I didn't know it was a video game series first and foremost. Thought it was some kind of crappy trading card game that I never really enjoyed, with video game and TV spin offs. How naive of me!
 
My favorite game of all time has got to be Pikmin 2. I've never gotten a greater sense of exploration and adventure than I did when I played it. Like what Oglemi said, its such a game that you can pick up anytime and start playing. The combat really does go deeper than just SPAM PIKMIN AT ENEMY. The game is crazy fun, challenging, and a great test of skill. Especially the bosses. Unf. Plus, after the first few in-game days it gets super non-linear, so you can tackle the game however you please.

Not to mention the atmosphere. The game is cozy but also dangerous. One minute you're exploring a nice spring forest then the next you're deep underground dodging falling rocks and explosives, fighting lightning insects, giant spiders, massive beasts, pigs that breathe fire, fuckin creepy jellyfish and so so so much more. The caverns, while all most look similar design-wise, are a lot different when it comes to enemies and traps. Remember that nice spring forest I mentioned? Well that shit is filled with pikmin-eating plants, worms that launch boulders and motherfucking snargets. The music is God tier. The lore is pretty crazy as well. The only flaw I can think of is how some sub-level floors are randomized and may leave some portions empty. (They provide nice hiding places though)

Its a shame Pikmin 3 didn't live up to it, in my opinion. It was a fantastic game, don't get me wrong, but not as good. There are fewer enemies, meh bosses, and the lack of treasures or sub-levels kinda hurt it. The 3-Captain thing was cool but I felt like it wasn't used to its fullest potential. I might just be a little salty since I've been waiting for it for 8 fucking years but meh. Also it was really short.

So yeah. Pikmin 2.
 
Spyro the Dragon 1,2, and 3! I really mainly played the second and third spyro games but they were my childhood. I played 2 and 3 pretty much nonstop as a kid and 100% both at least 3 times. The 1st one only once 100% though.

What i loved about the series was not only how simple and easy it was to pick up, it was just fun. There really isnt that many games that I've played so far that were really more or equally fun (probs cuz most games released now have no heart) Easy pick for me :]
 
I don't think I've played a game that I enjoyed more than Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64. The bosses are fun, the music is fantastic, and the replay value is immense. I think I've gone from start to finish around fifteen times.

As for runners up, I'm a big fan of the Legend of Zelda for the NES (probably my next favorite game), Zelda: ALttP, TTYD, Super Mario RPG: LotSS, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and the NES Super Mario games (including Lost Levels for the Famicom/VC). I also love the Donkey Kong Country and Castlevania series (especially, DKC2, Castlevania III, and Super Castlevania IV). I've been hearing great things about Symphony of the Night, but alas, I do not have a PS.

I bought these games on VC and plan on playing them for for the rest of the summer: Chrono Trigger (awesome game; finished, beat most sidequests afaik -- I don't look at walkthroughs, so I'm not totally sure), Metroid (finished; loved this one, except health farming was tedious), Super Metroid (finished with 67% item completion; I should aim for 100% the next time I run through the game), Ys Book I and II, Mega Man 2, Mega Man 3, Mega Man 9, Mega Man X, Final Fantasy VI, and Contra III: The Alien Wars.

I may also play through the second quest of Zelda (NES), and Castlevania I and III if I get the chance.
 
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I just finished playing through Bioshock Infinite for the first time, and it was really a spectacular game. Probably not one of the best games of all time - I'd still hand that title to Melee, OoT, Brood War, or any one of the titles mentioned earlier in this thread. In terms of recent games, though, Bioshock Infinite definitely tops the list (along with The Last Of Us, from what I hear).

Also bought WATCH_DOGS, so far rather disappointed. It got hyped up to 11 and is only a 6-7 at this point.
 
I feel like a lot of the obscure retro titles are 10/10s. Heart of Darkness was an absolutely phenomenal game that I feel like everyone should play through. I believe The Game Grumps are playing through it right now.
Also, A Ps1 title called " Kingsly's Adventure " was 10/10. It was essentially set up to be Sony's Legend of Zelda, but didn't sell well at all because it was developed to look like a children's/family game, but play like OoT. It put you in a massive Mario 64 like world known as the Fruit Kingdom. You traveled Region to Region and had your nerves tested Dark Souls Style through various confusing puzzles and bat shit tactical bosses.
For Those of you who played Alundra/Alundra 2 ( which are also both 10/10 Retro RPGs) Kingsly's Adventure is by the same Developer. If you HAVEN'T played Alundra or Alundra 2. Just play Alundra 2, since it's better and has spider lady boobers. Also Alundra 2 has an Outstanding Combat system and sound track.
 
_Tonks_ said:
I feel like a lot of the obscure retro titles are 10/10s. Heart of Darkness was an absolutely phenomenal game that I feel like everyone should play through. I believe The Game Grumps are playing through it right now.
Also, A Ps1 title called " Kingsly's Adventure " was 10/10. It was essentially set up to be Sony's Legend of Zelda, but didn't sell well at all because it was developed to look like a children's/family game, but play like OoT. It put you in a massive Mario 64 like world known as the Fruit Kingdom. You traveled Region to Region and had your nerves tested Dark Souls Style through various confusing puzzles and bat shit tactical bosses.
For Those of you who played Alundra/Alundra 2 ( which are also both 10/10 Retro RPGs) Kingsly's Adventure is by the same Developer. If you HAVEN'T played Alundra or Alundra 2. Just play Alundra 2, since it's better and has spider lady boobers. Also Alundra 2 has an Outstanding Combat system and sound track.
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Ah cool, I actually have Kingsley's Adventure. I'll have to give it a try.
 
Genesis7 said:
Ah cool, I actually have Kingsley's Adventure. I'll have to give it a try.
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Awesome! Don't go far and take it to seriously. Like I said the concept of the game is Sony's attempt at a LoZ like Franchise, but they aimed it at children so it's not really plot driven.
 
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Kirby's Dreamland has always been a really nice game for me. Sure, it's ridiculously short, but it has not really been bland for me all the times I've played (around 30ish probably) and it's a really nice game if you're not in a good mood. There have been multiple times when I've been frustrated, mad, or sad, but then I just sat down and played Dreamland and felt much better. Configure mode brought fun replay-ability (such as beating the game with only one life bar, personal favorite of mine) and for a Game Boy game, it had really nice tunes (Green Greens is obvious, but Dedede's theme is also really underrated imo) and if you found the game too easy you could play Hard Mode lololo and lalala are literally hitler ;_____;

Overall, great beginning to a great series :]
 
I've always thought the original Donkey Kong and Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening were awesome and underrated games. DK is probably the best puzzle game I've ever played, and it was captivating right up through all the worlds and final boss. LoZ: LA, on the other hand, had a simple yet unique and perfect story that engrossed me from beginning to end, as well as adequately challenging gameplay and dungeons.
 
So I hate trying to compare different genres of games, so here is a short list of games I consider to be excellent..

Deus Ex (Genre: FPS RPG, Developer: Ion Storm, Released: 2000)
Deus Ex is about the only game I can think of where the developers took the time and imagination to make it so you really could choose how to play it; if you want to sneak around and hack robots and computers that's an option, if you want to kick in the door armed with an assault rifle, that will work, if you want to sneak up behind people and knock them out or gut them like a fish, you can do that, and if you want to shoot people from half the map away with a sniper rifle that works too -- any remotely logical character build can finish the game by making the most of their skills (something that cannot be said for a lot of other FPS RPG). Deus Ex then couples this with a deep and complex narrative, memorable characters, and some great sound and music choices making for one of the most complete experiences out there. I can only come up with two real criticisms, firstly the Tranquilliser darts are as much use as a legless hamster, and secondly it looked awful graphically even at release -- two complaints swiftly forgotten once actually into the game.


Warcraft 2* (Genre: RTS, Developer: Blizzard, Released: 1995)
Warcraft 2 is the first of the games that Blizzard created that lived up to the "easy to learn, hard to master" objective** both in the single player campaigns (where the levels start easy and get harder) and the multiplayer where more advanced or surprise tactics were capable of defeating players who were mechanically speaking more skilled (with more actions per minute, better build order, better micromanagement, etc) but unprepared or unaware of them and different maps needing different approaches. There's a nice variance of levels both in campaign and skirmish modes with Land and Sea battles as well as limited unit number maps, while the basics of control are intuitive with simple resource mechanics and a relatively basic unit control system the approach you take to using what you have has to vary on what's potentially available to you. What sets it apart from other RTS are the little things such as the excellent soundtrack, the pre-campaign level screens narration, and unit/building reaction sounds that build the world that the battles are taking place in while you play. If there's a complaint to be had here, it's that the multiplayer isn't well balanced with Orcs being far stronger than Humans on land maps -- something of a minor problem because you can always play Orc yourself in multiplayer while the Humans are still perfectly acceptably balanced in campaign levels.

* Minor detail: I didn't play much of the original versions of Warcraft 2 or the Beyond the Dark Portal expansion as I got the battle.net edition which was a combined pack, as far as I am aware the only noteworthy changes were the Shared Vision button in multiplayer allowing your allies to see what your units could as well as their own units and the addition of a couple of functions for unit control (double click to select all units of the type on screen, and control groups) which were an improvement on an already well made game. Obviously the battle.net edition is slightly better.

** For the record, I hate that quote in RPG situations where the "hard to master" part comes from grind rather than ability, but in Warcraft 2 it was certainly about thinking and reactions rather than time investment.


Team Fortress 2 (Genre: FPS, Developer: Valve, Released: 2007)
If the idea of a (fairly) well balanced class based FPS with multiple game modes, an art style that allows players to have fun with silly hats and the like without fucking up the silhouette of each distinct class, a well put together (if a bit easy) co-op mode, and amusing sound effects doesn't appeal to you enough to download a free game then that's your loss. End of story.
 
I've played thousands of games, I really can't pick a favorite jest yet. So instead of talking about my favorite, I'll just comment on what I like about the ones you guys post !

Jebus McAzn said:
I just finished playing through Bioshock Infinite for the first time, and it was really a spectacular game. Probably not one of the best games of all time - I'd still hand that title to Melee, OoT, Brood War, or any one of the titles mentioned earlier in this thread. In terms of recent games, though, Bioshock Infinite definitely tops the list (along with The Last Of Us, from what I hear).

Also bought WATCH_DOGS, so far rather disappointed. It got hyped up to 11 and is only a 6-7 at this point.
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I too was Highly disappointed with Watch_Dogs. More like Watch_It_Flop_Dawg.
However I do disagree with you about Bioshock. I think it's one of my top 10 favorite games. I play a LOT of games and get most enjoyment from the story, and boy did Bioshock really do a fantastic job at putting you in a unique setting and giving the player a story that felt fresh and had you talking about it for months, even years after it's release!

Genesis7 said:
Ah cool, I actually have Kingsley's Adventure. I'll have to give it a try.
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Kingsley's Adventure is a staple in my childhood. It got me into adventure games and made me appreciate and respect E rated Games a LOT more than other E title adventures, like Croc and Spyro. I talk about Kingsley in the Underrated/Unknown video games thread, feel free to check that out!
 
I'll share my top three. Because I can't choose a favorite.

Metroid Prime series: Amazing fps and well thought out series. Is replayable unlike most singleplayer games. I like their combination of epic bosses and puzzles that keep you interested. Of the series, Metroid Prime is my favorite. Best story imo and coolest end boss.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2: okay this was the first video game I ever played. I loved its simple gameplay and unique variety of cars, like the M5, XK8, and Diablo. The maps were really stunning and enjoyable.

Arma 2: this game doesn't stop. There are tons of mods for it and because you build your own mission, you can do infinite things. The gameplay is most realistic of all shooters because of its size and variety. Although the performance isn't great, what do you expect from an fps?
 
The jak and daxter collection and ratchet and clank collection. Both these games were my childhood on the ps2 and the story was so amazing and sad. These games brought innovation in terms of gaming that was never seen before and are by far the best trilogy of games in play station history aside from mass effect. I won't spoil anything but if you have a ps3 picking up these games will be one of the best decisions you made gaming wise. The replay value is high as well so passing them won't cause you to become bored with them.
 
Eduardo2013 said:
The jak and daxter collection and ratchet and clank collection. Both these games were my childhood on the ps2 and the story was so amazing and sad. These games brought innovation in terms of gaming that was never seen before and are by far the best trilogy of games in play station history aside from mass effect. I won't spoil anything but if you have a ps3 picking up these games will be one of the best decisions you made gaming wise. The replay value is high as well so passing them won't cause you to become bored with them.
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^ This. I also agree with you that Ratchet and Clank and Jak and Daxter are 10/10 Trilogies, right up there with Mass Effect. I'm very excited for The Ratchet and Clank animated movie!
 
Its tough to say exactly what my favorite game is. The Mario, Zelda, Pikmin, Metroid, Kid Icarus, and Smash Bros series are my all time favorites, but when it comes down to a game, or a few games, I really love Zelda: OoT, Paper Mario: TTYD, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Smash Bros Brawl, and the majority of the NES games (SMB, Metroid, Zelda, Excite Bike, Balloon Fight, Kid Icarus, etc). Its kind of impossible for me to choose.
 
I think when discussing the term greatest, people often get it conflated with best. For instance, when it comes to playability, artstyle and so on, modern games are much better than older games. But when it comes to greatness, we have to look at things like how revolutionary it was, how influential the game is, and so on. On that end, I would say the greatest video game I've ever played is Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. As for my personal favourites, I would say either Ōkami, Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, or Pokémon Crystal.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: It's not a very original choice, but it's one I think most people can agree has merit. It combined groundbreaking graphics, a high quality soundtrack, a wonderful story and memorable characters in one, and still has great replayability 16 years later. Perhaps it's just nostalgia, but the excitement of wandering outside of the Lost Woods for the first time and seeing Hyrule field was one of the greatest feeling I've had in my years of playing video games. From breaking into Hyrule Castle, the absolute skullfuckery that was the Water Temple, escaping Ganondorf's castle, Ocarina produced so many great moments in video game history it's hard to think of what could top it.

Ōkami: It's an artsy game for sure, but playing as Amaterasu, just exploring and running around Nippon was like jumping through paintings on my TV. The game was one of the few examples I can think of that truly justify video games as both a storytelling medium, as well as one for artistic expression. Not to mention you play as a wolf, what can get better than that?

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker: My personal favourite in the LoZ series, the Wind Waker was a game that received a disproportionate amount of criticism when it first came out. People were complaining about how it was making the LoZ series too childish, too light and cutesy, but when it comes down to it, it's the one in the series that has held up the best. The cell shading style was unique for its time, and even today, the game is just really nice to look at, with the rounded styles and wavy lines. The games use of large bodies of water made it feel truly grand and exciting, like going on a true adventure.

Pokémon Crystal: I could just as easily throw in Emerald, Platinum or Soul Silver in here, but when it comes down to it, Crystal was the game that got me truly hooked on pokémon. I don't think it held up as well as my nostalgia tells me it did, but I'll be damned if I deny how much this game means to me. I remember cursing that infernal Miltank of Whitneys after it took out 4 of my mons, only for it to be felled by my trusty Bayleef and it's lucky critical Razor Leaf. I remember stomping through Morty with my Shadow Ball Eevee, laughing at Chuck as my Meganium effortlessly beat him, and the most iconic battle in the series: Red at Mt. Silver.
 
PS1 games got no love i guess. Rayman 1 / Medievil 1 / Tekken 3 are the games i had the most fun with by far. Fire emblem blazing sword / Mega man 2 too. Little nemo : the dream master on NES was shit but it was really fun to play.
 
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