The Top 5: Video Game Edition

Favorite Video Games of All-Time
Steve's List

By no means will these lists be what we think is the best game ever made, or prettiest, or most challenging. These are simply the games we feel left the biggest impact on us in our personal gaming lifetime.

​5. Mega Man X (SNES) '93 ​

Mega Man X is like a fine wine, the older it gets the better it becomes. As you already know from my bio (if you haven't go read both of ours in the about me page!) is that the Super Nintendo was my first video game system. With that first system was a game that as a child I could never beat. I would spend countless hours on the final boss trying to beat it  over and over with no luck. It took until I was about a teenager to finally  defeat the final boss Sigma. What I love about Mega Man X is the game doesn't feel old. The game play is smooth, the controls feel great, the bosses are unique and varied, and most of all it's fun and challenging all in one package. It's a shame that spiritual successors could not match this marvel..looking at you Mighty Number 9!

​4. Mass Effect Franchise (Xbox 360) '07-'10

Aside from all the drama that is the Mass Effect 3 ending, there is no denying this  sci-fi action soap opera is still one of my all time favorites. The games changed with each new sequel but I was still engrossed in the story arc that unfolded through all 3 adventures. The characters met along the way are the most memorable than any other franchise of games that I have played in. Even though the final game boiled down to essentially 3 choices, up to that point I felt that it was indeed my own story that I was crafting. Experiences and moments that I encountered could have been way different than a friends play through. I also loved that choices made in the first game that seemed very minimal carried a heavy impact in my game during the 3rd installment. This concept of choices carrying over to multiple games has become a staple since Mass effect, with developers like Telltale using it for their Walking Dead games. Needless to say I am very excited to see how Bioware delivers on the 4th game due out in 2017.

​3. Burnout Revenge (Xbox 360) '05

My number 3 is more of a sleeper hit because it may not be as popular as some of my other favorite games but darn if it wasn't a good time when it was released. One of my first games played when Xbox live was just starting up was Burnout Revenge. The graphics weren't the best but that didn't matter because the racing and destruction this game caused was just a blast to play.  A friend and I would play a 4 vs 4 match with cars driving around at high speed and just waiting for that perfect spot to bump someone and watch them crash in slow motion. It was a glorious sight to behold. This was also one of the first games where I became really competitive in gaming, as getting destroyed or blown up by a fellow racer fueled the fire to get revenge        (pun intended). I also distinctly remember the fantastic soundtrack in the game filled with the classic early alternative 2000 hits (The Bravery - Honest Mistake Superdiscount Remix...Look it up!) Before playing this racing games did not really interest me, but Burnout Revenge changed that forever.

​2. Halo Combat Evolved (Xbox) '01

The game that started it all which spawned the Xbox live gamertag I use  to this day. There is no need to bring up its excellent story, its fantastic game play, or the fact that it literally created the brand that is Xbox today. Halo Combat evolved is a lot of things but the main reason it's my number 2 game is simply the memories from playing it with my friends. It's a Friday night, I've got my xbox all packed up, my 22 inch 80lb TV, and a 12 pack of mountain dew. I would drive to my friend's house along with 10 or 11 other friends where we would begin pulling out numerous Ethernet cables and all plugging into the same router. The game is capture the flag on sidewinder, to start it would be a heated battle of 8 vs 8 trying to best the other team and capture the flag. Over time when the game seemed to be a stale mate someone yells in a different room melee and grenades only. We laugh and join in on the frantic fun. 20 mins later someone gets a rocket launcher and boasts he can launch the Warthog farthest in the sky, so we all take part and try to do the same. This game created the ultimate couch co-op, playing a video game but being in the same room with other people, interacting, and just having fun. While we don't play video games as much anymore the friendships I got from this game are still lasting to this day.

​1. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES) '96

Ever wanted a different take on the Mario universe? Featuring turn based combat, the platforming we all know and love, the quirkiness and comedy that Mario brings, along with introducing new characters that fit perfectly in the Mario universe? Well it was already created in 1996. Super Mario RPG was a combination of Nintendo teaming up with Squaresoft to introduce a new take on our beloved Mario taking him to into the world of RPG turn based combat. What we got was a fantastic story filled with colorful backdrops, characters, and combat that was engaging. For instance attacking with Mario's koopa shell would be one kick, but if timed correctly Mario would kick twice which then did more damage. The same thing was also for defense, by timing the A button at the right time you could minimize the damage taken from enemy attacks. While other RPGs you press attack and watch the battle unfold this game required constant attention and interaction that made every battle fun. This game ranks as my number 1 just because of how different and unique it is compared to any other game at the time. Mario RPG was also the origin for future franchises like Paper Mario and Mario and Luigi superstar saga on the handheld.
There are so many secrets and Easter eggs in this game that to this day playing it on my Wii U I am still discovering things that I didn't know about. The characters Squaresoft created are also still very popular. In fact the character Geno (blue one with the cape in the photo above) is still the top request to get added into Super Smash Bros series. Sadly with Nintendo not owning the rights to the character it may never happen but hey we can dream. If you own a Wii or Wii U I would highly suggest checking out this gem!