Avatar: 7/10

Avatar (2009)

Dances With Wolves: The visually-amazing, out-of-this-planet, year 2145 edition, 22 January 2010

Every so often, there comes a movie that changes the way movies are seen, displayed, and filmed. These are the movies that visually change all the rules. Back in the late 30s, we had the instant classic Wizard of Oz, which was visually groundbreaking in every possible way. The colorful 60s was led by the epic acid trip 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Star Wars trilogy dominated the box office in the 70s and 80s and constantly set the bar for movies to come in terms of special effects and the overall visual look. Jurassic Park in 1993 and The Matrix in 1999 are other major examples. In 2009, we have our new special effects peak, and that is Avatar. The difference is between Avatar and all the other groundbreaking spectacles is that it's a visual trip that doesn't scream for a requirement of a second visit. While Avatar never dwells into disappointing or boring, it never propels to a level that has you begging for more.

However, if there is something amazing about the film, it's the special effects. Motion-capture technology had been hit-and-miss for a long time, but James Cameron and his team have perfected the skill. A beautiful environment and setting emerges from the special effects as we see images and settings we've never seen before. This is basically a Star Wars for the new millennium, as its box office run has proved. The amount of effort placed on the visual effects is obvious here, as we see an alien species move, breathe, talk, and interact so realistically, you may forget that these creatures do not exist in the real world. Apparently there are people reaching some sort of subtle depression after leaving the movie theater because they suddenly know the beautiful world of Pandora doesn't exist (True story). Like previously stated, it all looks very nice, but the film is a 3-star helping served in a 5-star manner.

Avatar's plot follows a handicapped soldier (Sam Worthington) trying to earn the trust of the creatures in the planet of Pandora in order to try to find a way to move the entire colony away from an area chock full of valuable minerals. This is a road often traveled, you know that at some point he will realize that what is doing is wrong, and at some point he will realize that the other people he is traveling with (American soldiers, businessmen) aren't going to care either. The script borrows major plot elements from Disney's Pocahantas (even if it is loosely based off a true story) and Dances with Wolves. The plot is part of the reason why it's such a global phenomenon; it's hitting all the well-accepted messages of anti-militarianism (not a word, don't care), pro-environmentalism, anti-deforestation, and themes of accepting other cultures. James Cameron has worked with some of these themes before, like Terminator 2 and The Abyss.

The special effects and direction is what propel this movie into new heights, not just on the quality of the film, but the overall structure of cinema. You are transported into this new world, and Cameron adds these elongated sequences so you can become comfortable with Pandora and all its mystical wonder. Unlike Spielberg's patience to reveal his special effects tricks in Jurassic Park, Cameron gives you only 10 minutes and you will already become acquainted with the reason you came to see the movie in the first place. The motion-capture is flawless; the CGI is inches away from perfection (very, very limited amount of awkward-looking scenes), and the cinematography was spectacular. The camera moves and flows with the action seamlessly, and you always get a good visual grip of what is going on. The details were immense, as Pandora's overall look is a blend of beautiful scenery we have seen before and images that we can only dream of.

Of course, reading this far, you know flaws shall become exposed and discussed. What makes Star Wars such a timeless masterpiece is not only its look, but the immense amount of out-of-this-world characters, unique settings, and impressive maneuvering through these environments. Jurassic Park remains a classic because of the lovable characters driven into a world they can't possibly survive in. With the case of Avatar, only the main character is likable, and everyone else is there just to propel the story along. In Avatar, the main character is the planet Pandora. In the other movies, the beautiful and never-before-seen-in-film scenery is just a backdrop for the events happening. Avatar doesn't suffer from Star Wars' mediocre dialogue, but it does suffer from an elongated running time, unnecessary scenes, and filler moments.

The second act is where your patience is tested. The entire scene of our hero Jake adapting to Pandora could have been shorter. The entire scene of Jake's first evening as a Na'vi could have been shorter. What makes them seem longer is that you know what's going to happen next, and you have to sit there and wait for the more-impressive and more exciting third act to develop, when the action becomes center-stage. The final act makes up for the second act, with some intense fighting and plenty of tension and suspense. The ending, albeit a bit short, was fitting and consistent with the themes and tribulations of Avatar.

Bottom Line: Avatar looks good, it looks like nothing you've ever seen before, but the story is something you've seen before, and the characters are people you've seen before, and the overall film is a well-known cliché, even if it's an amazing-looking cliché. James Cameron does a fantastic job updating the world of special effects, but with a repertoire consisting of The Abyss, Terminator 2, Aliens, and True Lies, one would ask for a better overall cinematic experience. Seeing it once was a delight, but wanting to see it again is something not in my heart's desire.

At least it is better than Titanic.

Top Games of the Previous Decade: The Top 10.

This is it guys, we have made it to the top 10. Read, and prepare to argue. Woooo!

Just remember to keep in mind what I had mentioned in the first installment:

Now, they are not solely based on my opinion of the game, they are based on success, impact on gaming, and overall impact on the company that made it, and companies that released it. In other words, some games I don’t take too much liking to (Halo) will be on the list because its impact on gaming is absolutely undeniable. Then there will be small unknown games (like Excitebike 64) that ultimately changed the company releasing the product (Nintendo). In the list will be hot-sellers that hardcore gamers will shun (NintenDogs), underrated gems (F-Zero GX) and also games that I deem absolutely spectacular, even if the sales didn’t represent it. Bottom Line: this list will have games I didn’t fully enjoy but made too much an impact to be avoided—and at the same time there will be games you most likely have never heard of that I found spectacular enough to be on such a list. Sometimes it’s the smallest games that create a bigger impact on the industry without anyone noticing.

Now, here we go:

















#10: How to Start the Decade Correctly
Game: Pokemon Gold/Silver
System: Nintendo Game Boy Color
Year: 2000
Sales: 23+ million

I am going to warn you now; the Top 10 is flooded with Nintendo. This is because I personally believe that not only did Nintendo make the better games of the decade, but they also drew the big success stories of the decade. We can start with this game, a massive, incredible, nearly flawless role-playing experience on the Game Boy Color. The Game Boy Color didn’t have as many games as the GBA or DS, but they didn’t have to—they had this game.

Let’s spit the facts: nearly double the Pokemon of the original, literally double the quest of the original, nearly 8 times as many special features, and dozens of more activities to do here when compared to the classic Red/Blue/Yellow games. Pokemon Gold/Silver quite literally threw everything it had at you, everything that the cartridge can handle. The only reason the game didn’t sell more was because the Game Boy Color wasn’t as big a hit. But with 23 million (and the 20+ million of Red/Blue/Yellow), Pokemon easily claimed the top of the hill in terms of role-playing franchises. Final Fantasy nowadays can only dream of re-capturing the top plateau (Final Fantasy XIII passed a million in Japan, but still needs to sell two million more to catch the remake of THIS game).

This game is a massive success, it’s nearly flawless, its impact is felt in the handheld industry, and is the perfect way to start the top 10 biggest games of the decade.




#9: Production Value Cranked to 11
Game: Metroid Prime
System: Nintendo Gamecube
Year: 2002
Sales: Almost 3 million

When Metroid Prime hit shelves in November of 2002, we didn’t quite know what to think. After all, Metroid had always been 2-D, and now it’s been transformed into a first-person shooter/adventure. Nintendo rarely even thinks about making first-person shooters. However, we were drawn in by the sleek art design, best graphics up to that point, great musical score, and incredible attention to detail. In most games, the plot is explained to you. In Metroid Prime, you seek out the clues yourself by scanning around. In most games, the map is given to you. In Metroid Prime, sometimes you have to walk around and explore before receiving a map.

Exploration games are hit-and-miss; they have to really draw you in. Retro Studios accomplishes this by going old-school and beginning the game with an action-packed introduction that is nothing more than a mere set-up towards the main quest. 10 minutes in, you would have fought a gigantic boss, loss all your abilities, reunite with an old foe, and are forced to exit the space station before it explodes. That’s just the first 10 minutes. Metroid Prime is an incredible blend of old-school exploration with a new-school way of playing the beloved franchise. Critics found this game nearly flawless and so do I, as to this day Nintendo has trouble matching the production value and effort placed on this 2002 hit.

With Metroid Prime, Nintendo decided to step it up in the maturity notch not just with their lineup of games, but their franchises that has (up until 2002) seen success with the younger audience. We saw the likes of F-Zero, Star Fox, and even Mario attempt to reach out to the older gamers with more mature storytelling, gameplay, presentation, and overall feel. Then Zelda got handed its first T-rated game with Twilight Princess. If Metroid Prime had not become a success and caused such a ripple in the gaming industry, one can only wonder where Nintendo would be at today with the big names.




#8: Old-School. Meet New-School
Game: Mario Kart DS
System: Nintendo DS
Year: 2005
Sales: 17+ million

The Mario Kart franchise is a storied franchise; with all of them being major hits no matter what score the critics (and old-school peeps) give it. Up to this point, it was Mario Kart 64 on top of the charts as the most-successful non-realistic racing game in history. However, the original (according to most) remains the best, the toughest, and the one with the best skill curve. The Nintendo DS though, had one trick up its sleeve, Mario Kart DS. Abandoning the 2-player Double Dash mess, the DS version stripped back to the basics, made the game much deeper by offering more vehicles, had an entirely new set of tracks (as well as bring back some old ones), and became online-compatible.

The end result is quite possibly the best racing game in Nintendo’s history, literally one Battle Mode away from destroying Mario Kart 64. Much more skill is required to win here than any other Mario Kart (besides the original), there is much more to do, and the ability to battle random people online is a gaming nirvana for Kart fans. The PSP looked better, but could never provide a better experience than the likes of Mario Kart DS—leading to its eventual demise and the DS conquering 70% of the handheld market. Nintendo finally gets a good hold of how an online game should work, and wil definitely make things interesting as Nintendo dwells deeper into the online circle against the big boy veterans Sony and especially Microsoft. Finally, a game that makes the old-schoolers happy, and brings new-school gamers into the mix.




#7: Epic Mario Has Arrived
Game: Super Mario Galaxy
System: Nintendo Wii
Year: 2007
Sales: 8.5 million

Super Mario has been in all sorts of incredible video games since the 80s. But, none of them have ever felt truly epic, in the realm of Zelda, Halo, God of War. The experiences were usually down-to-earth, colorful, humorous, full of life. In Super Mario Galaxy, we see a new type of platform game, we see a new type of Mario game, and the overall game remains one of the best you’ll ever play. The entire presentation was perfect, from the art design to the soundtrack (which is the best in any Mario game yet).

The gameplay was so different from your typical Mario; Japan didn’t gobble up the game like they do any Mario experience. You are now in space, you don’t explore in a level, you explore in multiple miniature levels that resemble one major level. Hopping from planet to planet is something we could have never imagined doing in a Mario game, but alas here it is. Everything was larger than Mario life here; from the levels to the scale of the levels, to even the boss battles. The exploration required in this game was to the scale of Legend of Zelda, the fights were to the scale of Shadow of the Colossus, and the music was epic to the scale of Halo and Call of Duty.

But what makes this game stand out as one of the best and one of the most important in the decade is the revival of the Super Mario brand. In the Gamecube days, the Mario name got a big hit with weaker hits, and a sudden over-commercialization of the well-known plumber. The reputation of Mario was going down the drain, with only New Super Mario Bros. keeping its image afloat. He was seen as a kiddie character immersed in many kiddie games. Older gamers, which were gobbling up the Mario World series in the 90s, were suddenly disappearing into other franchises. Super Mario Galaxy erases this by proving to the gamers and critics that Super Mario can still be featured in an excellent, excellent game.

Super Mario Galaxy is a brilliant, epic, beautiful game, and we only have the highest of hopes for the sequel, when Yoshi is mixed in.





#6: So Close to Reality, You Can Smell the Smoke
Game: Gran Turismo 3
System: PS2
Year: 2001
Sales: Almost 15 million

Gran Turismo 2 missed the deadline of the 2000s by about a month. Nonetheless, the third installment, despite lacking in the amount of cars and tracks when compared to part 2, is an incredibly realistic experience. While part 4 was criticized for some of its unrealistic moments, and part 5 is non-existent, A-Spec excels with top-of-the-line graphics, great physics, and realism that few games before or since could match. While comparing this to the likes of Mario Kart is like comparing apples and oranges, this game is arguably the best game of its genre, only Gran Turismo 2 can challenge it. There are auto courses throughout the country that reference and use this as practice. The details in this game are so defined, every single engine in the dozens of cars sound different. No American company focuses that much on detail.

The success of the Playstation 2 can be traced back to this game, which delivered sales of nearly 15 million, a number that only one game managed to reach in the PS2 days. With the Xbox and Gamecube not offering any sort of competition, the PS2 was laps ahead of the others in the racing genre (among other genres). Gran Turismo 3 was an online mode away from perfection.




#5: Nintendo Is Maturing
Game: Perfect Dark
System: Nintendo 64
Year: 2000
Sales: 2.5 million

Nintendo had a nasty kiddie image attached to it since Yoshi’s Island back in 1995, resulting in the Playstation becoming the dominant system from 1995 to 2001, when the PS2 took the throne. While Goldeneye 007 definitely brushed off the image a little, it wasn’t enough for the rising amount of mature gamers looking for a more adult experience. Nintendo turns to Rareware (again) and together they created a new character, created a new style of gameplay, and in 2000, arguably the greatest first-person shooter of all-time is born. Joanna Dark enters the gaming world as the first Nintendo heroine to star in an M-rated title.

I know there will be some screaming that Halo is the best, but Perfect Dark’s variety, gameplay, musical score, and replayability remains to be topped. Unlike your Halos and Modern Warfare games, Perfect Dark can’t be beat in a mere couple of hours, the quest is extremely long and spans multiple planets and plot twists. Then there is the multi-player, which uses maps from the classic shooter Goldeneye 007 as well as adds a slew of new ones. Excellent weapons were introduced here, including the always-reliable laptop gun. Then there was the revolutionary multi-player deathmatches with computer A.I. opponents as well as human ones entering the mix.

While it is no big deal now, back in 2000 it was impressive to see Nintendo release such a bloody, violent, yet mature video game that combines first-person frantic action with stealth, espionage, exploration, and science fiction. Rareware pulls no punches as the blood, guts; profanity was at an all-time high here---without ever crossing the line into utter vulgarity. Nintendo wanted to be seen as mature as well as something for the family, and this was the beginning of something special.

Unfortunately, the sales weren’t that big because the N64 just stopped selling, and because the Gamecube was around the corner. With the sale of Rareware and Nintendo still trying to find an audience, it would be years before Nintendo ever finds success with an adult title (Resident Evil 4). And it would be years before anyone else can experience this masterpiece, with the Xbox Live version coming out later this year---hopefully. In the meantime though, Perfect Dark will forever be remembered as the first major Nintendo title to attempt to reach out to the adults--and proof that first-person shooters in consoles can become extremely profitable and has a longer-lasting appeal amongst the Western Hemisphere gamers.




#4: Nirvana for Nintendo Fans
Game: Super Smash Brothers Melee/Brawl
System: Gamecube/Wii
Year: 2001/2007
Sales: 16 million

Super Smash Brothers came out in the revolutionary year of 1999, when we had the likes of Marvel vs. Capcom and Soul Calibur change the way fighting games were being played. Only one of these franchises however would continue rising and would dethrone any fighting franchise out there. Smash Brothers Melee was the best-selling Gamecube game and with good reason, it was a mere celebration of everything Nintendo and it also packs in a massive punch of addicting gameplay, great music, great ensemble cast of characters, and enough replay value for 15 games.

Smash Brothers Brawl is more of the same, except more of it, which is why it gets the same slot with Melee in this list. Brawl however included third-party characters, and we can only ponder just how many more third-party characters can make their way into the next installment. Overall, these are the two best fighting games of all-time, because the amount of available features and things to do extend much further than just fighting a foe or two foes; there are event matches, adventure modes, major challenges, so much more. While your Tekkens and Soul Caliburs offer extra characters, extra clothes, Melee/Brawl offers new stages, new hidden goodies, and enough new content to keep you busy long after the original quest is over.

Another reason for its superiority is because unlike most fighting games, you can quite literally develop your own style of fighting with whatever character and pretty much invent killer combos and invent nasty moves to take down your opponent. Then you have to adjust your fighting strategy depending on what items are on the field.

This style of fighting has influenced fighters ever since, with even Mortal Kombat suddenly depending on weapons/items to mix in the fun. Yet in my eyes, there is no fighter out there that can match the majesty, the details, and the deep fighting system of Super Smash Brothers. Take it or leave it.






#3: The Zelda That Changed the Franchise
Game: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
System: Nintendo 64
Year: 2000
Sales: 3.36 million

Ocarina of Time was a monster smash hit, and everyone knew this. It put the N64 on the map for the longest time, as it held what many considered to be the greatest game of all-time. Then, in between Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker came a Zelda game so spectacular, so incredible, so beautiful, and so dark, it was a total tragedy that few gamers were able to catch it. Of all the games on this list, this one stands as the best game overall. The only reason why it’s not on the #1 list is because its impact on gaming isn’t as massive as the first two, but quality-wise it stands as the definite and ultimate gaming experience.

The storyline here stands as the best in the decade, as the world is about to end in 3 days because of a curse—resulting in the moon crashing down to Earth. With the ocarina of time, you have to maneuver around these 72 hours to stop the end of the world from happening. It’s a gripping tragic story, and even the knowledge that the world is ending as you see the citizens around you go about their merry ways is quite sad and morbid. You can’t save everybody (when you do run out of time, its quite gruesome). While Ocarina of Time and Link to the Past were epic games with incredible stories, Majora’s Mask was the first to flirt with a story and an overall gaming experience that might be a bit much for the younglings.

What more can I say about this game? The music, pacing, setting, graphics, cast of characters, action, adventure, puzzles are all top-notch and some of the best Nintendo has ever offered. The 3 day system works perfectly and flawlessly, the dungeons themselves are tough and fun, and the overall game is extremely difficult, yet very rewarding. Many, many adventure/action games have copied elements from this game. If you have not played this game yet, then you are missing out on one of the best stories ever told on gaming, and one of the greatest video games in history. You can thank me later.

P.P.S. It is in Virtual Console. Buy it.






#2: A Game That Brought an Underground Industry to the Spotlight
Game: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
System: Playstation 2
Year: 2002
Sales:
GTA III overall: At least 48 million
Vice City: At least 15 million

Video games, despite its overwhelming success, were not really in the limelight throughout most of history. They were in page 6, perhaps a bit farther down after politics and celebrity gossip. But, turn of the century arrives, and suddenly games are becoming more mature, games are reaching out to a larger crowd. This is no longer a kids’ toy, adults were playing video games just as often. The first major piece of evidence would be the incredibly fun and the extremely successful Grand Theft Auto III trilogy, consisting of Vice City and San Andreas. These three together combined to reach 48 million copies sold around the world. Name 10 M-rated games that sold over 1 million in the 90s. It is so much easier to name 15 of them for this previous decade.

Grand Theft Auto III wasn’t the first game to reach out to older gamers, but was the first majorly successful game to accomplish this. Using a blend of top-notch gameplay, excellent sandbox mayhem, great plot, grand voice acting, and a totally massive overworld to contain all the crime-infested missions, GTA allowed for you to become the gangsters, mobsters and bad-asses that you could only dream of becoming because of something called the Law. The game would offend nearly everybody, but the controversy only enhanced the sales, and would help the PS2 become the most successful console of all-time (even though the Wii is on pace to shatter this)

Vice City is my pick for the #2 top game of the decade because unlike San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto IV, it carried a very slick style, and carried the best plotline. Now, there are multiple songs that are associated with Vice City (“I Ran” being the signature song and staple with the game). I believe with Vice City, the franchise and the popularity of it was as its absolute peak, being played in homes everywhere and hitting the news every couple of weeks or so. The game is fantastic, but its impact is what propels this instant classic into nearly the top of this list. If you have not played or heard of Vice City, it’s because you are trying to avoid it. While part 4 was bigger and offered more, Vice City remains the coolest, hippest, and slickest in the series.

















#1: November 19th, 2006. Gaming Changed Forever
Game: Wii Sports
System: Nintendo Wii
Year: 2006
Sales: Best-selling video game of all-time. Almost 58 million sold. Responsible for at least $14 billion in revenue for Nintendo

There can be no other game to top this list. There just can’t be. The gaming world was literally turned upside-down with the release of Wii Sports. Analysts were totally wrong, the bloggers were totally wrong, all the gaming magazines were wrong. What was supposed to be a three-way war turned into utter domination within a matter of months. The Nintendo Wii opened the gaming gates to the mainstream, a new generation of gamers, and even people that hated video games before. Parents, grandparents, retirees, were suddenly playing Wii Sports with children and college kids.

Wii Sports changed the gaming world because it was no longer just for the young and for the college kids; everyone was invited to this re-invention of the video game. This little tech demo demonstrated that cheaper games can still rake in major profits, as long as the marketing and execution strongly follow. Wii Sports never disguised itself as an excellent game; it was a game that can be played by anybody. The simplicity of Wii Sports was its selling point, and to this day it still sells. While the competitors have had at least 2-3 price drops, the Wii has sunk its price just once, and the success rate is higher than ever. Nintendo Wii is just like Apple, it started out looking like a fad, and then expanded in personality, success, and reputation and became the leading force of the industry.

Because of Wii Sports, Nintendo is back to the #1 slot (first time since 1995), the variety of games increased significantly, the price range of games increased significantly, cheaper games can still make money, word-of-mouth in terms of video games hit an all-time high, and now video games can be seen literally everywhere—in movies, televisions, commercials, news stations, and even in retirement homes. The hardcore Nintendo crowd after neglecting the Gamecube is being absolutely punished for backing out on them years before, by seeing their company cater to people much younger and much older than them. With Wii Sports, now Sony and Microsoft are frantically at work trying to one-up the Wii’s motion controls (See Natal for the best example).

Everything literally changed. It would be such a different world of gaming if Wii Sports had failed or had not existed. No other game on this list shook the foundation of gaming the way this massive success did. Is it the best game this decade? Absolutely not. It’s a decently fun tech demo that’s better with more people involved. Is it the most influential? Absolutely. Wii Sports also put the brother Nintendo DS on the spotlight with its different approach to gaming; resulting in games like Ace Attorney, Trauma Center, Brain Age, NintenDogs, and Animal Crossing being such major success stories.

You can argue all you want, but in my mind, there is no bigger game in the 2000s. Helping sell a system nearly 60 million copies in just over three years is one heck of an accomplishment, and means that a company out there in Japan has the pulse of the planet and knows how to cater to their needs. Wii Sports is your biggest game of the decade, and among the biggest success stories in not only gaming history, but the modern-day history of economics.







Bottom Line: I know I did not catch every game, and that’s impossible. Which means one major thing: video games have improved so much over the last couple of years; it is hard to catch every good game that comes out. The backlash that analysts feared would happen to games soon just can’t possibly happen anymore. While one company is overwhelmingly destroying the competition, the other companies involved are still cranking out good games, and are still making very good money. 2010 is promising to be an even better year for gaming, as we see new franchises emerging (Black Rain), old franchises (Mario, Metroid, Halo) returning, and just so many potentially wonderful games coming out, it’s a fantastic time being a gamer. It was only a matter of time before the mainstream caught on to the gaming world, and it was only a matter of time before we saw games make more money than movies (with the exception of Avatar—but games always have competition...this movie doesn’t). I hope you enjoyed the list, I hope it brought back good memories, and may the 2010s be just as much fun.

Sources: Boxofficemojo.com Vgchartz.com Wikipdia.com

*Starts running*

Top 80 Games of the Previous Decade Part 4

This is the continuation of my countdown of the top video games of the decade.




#29: They Have a Guitar. We Have The Band
Game: Rock Band
System: Xbox/PS3/Wiiventually
Year: 2007
Sales: Over 4 million

With Guitar Hero conquering the guitar game charts, things became very interesting. MTV purchased Harmonix, which was responsible for the first two Guitar Heros. With this, Harmonix makes THIS game, going up against what they USED to make, which is now being made by Neversoft. Rock Band essentially has all the energy and difficulty of the first two Guitar Hero games, but now with vocals, drums, and bass. It was the wholesome experience, and with licensed music to boot. Then add the downloadable music, which increased the replay value of this sucker infinitely. Rock Band definitely did not hit the sales numbers of Guitar Hero, but definitely made a dent in the competitor’s sales, and made a good amount of money for itself. But it did begin the downfall of music-based video games.



#28: Wii Conquer The Mainstream, One Fat*** at a Time
Game: Wii Fit
System: Nintendo Wii
Year: 2008
Sales: Over 22 million

America is still in its little “Healthy Eating” stage, which consists of well-paid and healthy people telling America that we as a nation are getting too fat. But with wholesome, organic, and healthy products costing an arm and a leg, how on earth can we become as fit as those on television? There is always surgery, it’s definitely helped THEM. Or, you can focus on Wii Fit, the closest thing in gaming to exercise as you can possibly get. Wii Fit nailed the obese mainstream right on the head with its subtle-exercise marketing campaign, promising fun gameplay while losing weight. While Wii Fit should not be a replacement for an actual gym workout, it’s still a healthier alternative to sitting and mashing buttons. Notice that the Wii itself looks slimmer than the Xbox 360 and PS3. Coincidence? Or mega-pre-planned marketing?



#27: Adult Link Has Returned
Game: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
System: Gamecube/Wii
Year: 2006
Sales: 7 million copies

Wind Waker was a fun game indeed (except for the ending) but one thing is for sure, we wanted Dark Link back. Not really Dark Link, but a more mature Link, one that resembles more Ocarina of Time/Majora’s Mask rather than Phantom Hourglass/Wind Waker. Nintendo must have listened, and then on E3, all hell was unleashed when the trailer came out (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKRgyQhPWgE). Unfortunately though, it would be two years before we actually received it. Nonetheless, Twilight Princess was an excellent return to the gameplay heights that was OoT and Majora’s Mask—even if it missed the mark by a little. With the Wii being a device that not even Nintendo had yet figured out how to fully utilize, the best of Zelda is potentially yet to come. In the meantime, this Zelda reigns as a great adventure, a spectacular experience, and proof that there is no bigger adventure franchise within 100 miles.



#26: Gran Turismo Has Been Dethroned...For Now.
Game: Forza Motorsport 2
System: Xbox 360
Year: 2007
Sales: 4+ million

One of the most anticipated titles during the launch of the PS3 was Gran Turismo 5. Today, it is STILL one of the most anticipated titles of the PS3 (It had been delayed again). In the span of those three years, a competing franchise rose to the challenge of taking over, and ultimately, has become the best-selling racing sim franchise this generation. The game is darn good as well, with impressive visuals, realistic gameplay, and plenty of depth. As a matter of fact, since Gran Turismo 3 have we seen such realistically fun racing gameplay. While Gran Turismo 5 looks like the cream of the crop in terms of visuals, they may need to tweak some things if they plan on being as good overall as the racers the 360 has been releasing—especially this one.



#25: Cheap Budget + Good Gameplay = Impressive Sales
Game: Wii Play
System: Nintendo Wii
Year: 2007
Sales: Almost 26 million copies

Pop Quiz: What is the best-selling non-bundled video game of all-time?
Grand Theft Auto? No.
Pokemon? No.
Super Mario Brothers 3? No.

Answer: Wii Play. That’s right boys and girls, starting the top 25 is a video game that has smashed the record books as the biggest-selling game not to be part of a system bundle. It comes with a controller, but the selling point is the price. At a mere 50 bucks, you get a video game, and also a Wiimote. This game is more than just cheap fun, it’s a cheaply made game that resulted in incredible profits. The success of this game paved the way for dozens of companies to create affordable, cheap, yet fun games. Mega Man recently has gone 8-bit: it’s cheap, but it’s tough, and fun. Now Xbox Live, Playstation Store, and WiiWare is chock full of these cheaper games that didn’t require as heavy a budget, but more emphasis was placed on the gameplay. The result is that this is the first generation in gaming history in which the price range can go from a mere 5 bucks (NES Virtual Console, DSWare) to over 100 dollars (DJ Hero).



#24: Survival Horror Moves Up a Notch
Game: Resident Evil 4
System: Gamecube, Wii, PS2
Year: 2005
Sales: Nearly 5 million copies

Resident Evil may not be the first of the survival horror franchises, but stands as the best of them all. Resident Evil 4 is the game that turned the franchise upside-down, resulting in some old-school fans leaving, and plenty of new-school fans joining in. Resident Evil 4 is totally different in tone and style; it’s a lot creepier than it is scary. And, it’s a bit more action-packed than the PSX/GC classics. But the graphics, presentation, usage of sound, pacing, and gameplay all took giant leaps forward, making this the best Resident Evil of them all. Being part of the infamous Capcom 5, this could have propelled Gamecube to much better sales, but then everyone learns the PS2 is getting the same game—and with more. Nintendo gets its revenge by selling an extra million with the Wii edition, while Resident Evil 5 doesn’t quite match up to the other Resident Evils in terms of sales.



#23: The Final Fantastic Football Game
Game: ESPN NFL 2K5
System: PS2/Xbox
Year: 2004
Sales: Almost 3.5 million

Remember when this game nearly topped Madden? Shipped at an extremely cheap $20, ESPN NFL 2K5 was a spectacular sports game that was not only impressive to watch and play, but was 30 dollars cheaper than the biggest competitor, which was EA. Because of this, EA purchased the NFL license, literally forcing Sega to stop making NFL games. Then EA buys out the ESPN name. This crippling blow was a legal monopoly, and ever since then EA had lowered their efforts to making a superior game since there was nobody that can go up against them. This was the cruelest gaming business move of the 2000s, and its presence can still be felt today. We have this amazing game to thank too, because of the potential that was presented in its final installment.



#22: The Last Good Madden
Game: Madden 2004
System: Xbox/PS2/Gamecube
Year: 2003
Sales: Over 5 million

Before the hoopla in 2004, 2003 was owned by EA and Madden. This franchise reached its peak in this installment, as the improvements and additions were too incredible to avoid. With Michael Vick in the cover, we were treated to a smooth sports sim with dozens of options, even the ability to manage sports stadiums and change the prices of hot dogs. The animations were detailed; the gameplay modes were extensive and deep, and even the soundtrack was good considering its EA. Madden would never be the same, especially with the pitiful 2007 installment.



#21: And So, The DS is introduced
Game: Super Mario 64 DS
System: Nintendo DS
Year: 2004
Sales: 8.4 million

When the DS was announced, we really weren’t sure how to react. It was big, it was two screens, and didn’t look as slick as the GBA SP. Super Mario 64, the flagship title of the N64, would return as the flagship title of the handheld. This game would display what the DS is capable of, and how far these gimmicky things would go before we get bored. The verdict: the DS was something special, and the potential was barely even touched with SM64 DS. It was the N64 classic, but with much more, including multi-player. The theme of the DS and the Wii was for people to join together and play together. With Super Mario 64 DS, the beginning of Nintendo domination was just around the corner.



#20: Snake, You’ve Met Your Match
Game: Splinter Cell
System: Xbox (Then PS2 and Gamecube)
Year: 2002
Sales: Over 5 million copies

Metal Gear Solid was a great stealth game, but the plot was a bit over-the-top, the cinematic scenes were a bit much, and I just wasn’t that overwhelmed. Tom Clancy one-ups Snake with Sam Fischer, and Microsoft finds its own version of MGS with the vastly superior Splinter Cell. This game set the bar in terms of game physics, lighting, usage of sound, and overall stealth gameplay. You needed patience to win this, blasting everything in sight will not lead to victory, ever. Splinter Cell remains one of the more underrated games out there because it quietly delivered the blockbuster experience: an extensive storyline blending with intense moments in gaming.



#19: The Future of Mario is here, and it’s Happening Now.
Game: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
System: Nintendo Wii
Year: 2009
Sales: 9 million---in three months

There will be pundits and critics screaming at how high this game is, especially since it has not been out half a year yet. But look at the numbers: 9 million copies in three months. That’s three million copies a month. If it can continue in this insane rate (which is impossible), it could catch the best-selling game of all-time by the end of this summer. Despite the impossibility, there is a strong chance this game will become one of the 15 best-selling games ever by the end of 2010. A new generation of gamers has risen and have accepted Super Mario, and its evident with the positive reaction and strong sales. This Mario adventure isn’t the best, most special, or most challenging, but the crazy multi-player mode and massive amount of levels more than make up for it. The Wii’s domination continues, and this is just more evidence as to why Nintendo’s comeback to the top is official.



#18: The Last Big PC Game
Game: World of Warcraft
System: PC
Year: 2004
Sales: 12 million, excluding the 12 million expansion copies

PC used to be way up there with console gaming back in the 90s. But, somewhere along the lines, consoles became the top choice for games. Nonetheless, PC still had a griphold on the MMORPG industry, which is exactly why World of Warcraft became such a hit. The game is undeniably addicting, undeniably massive, and has an undeniable amount of variety in its gameplay. This is easily the best installment in the franchise, as you know you are doing something right when you hold over 60% of the MMORPG subscribers online. Just saying.



#17: Micro$oft Is Still Alive Thanks To This
Game: Halo
System: Xbox
Year: 2001
Sales: 6 million

Halo was the flagship title of the original Xbox. Halo would be the best-selling game for the Xbox for the next several months, and literally was what kept it afloat during Microsoft’s slow start in the gaming market. This video game redefined first-person shooters and production value towards a gaming device. With an epic soundtrack, epic gameplay, and an overall epic feel, Halo would become one of the most important games in the last 15 years for multiple, multiple reasons. While the latter installments focused much more on multi-player than anything else, Combat Evolved remains a gem to this day, with many imitators and few successors.




#16: In The Midst of the FPS Madness, We Forgot One…
Game: Half-Life 2
System: PC (Then eventually Xbox)
Year: 2004
Sales: 5 million total

Like previously stated, with PC gaming on the downward spiral, there are a good amount of neglected games on the PC---even though they usually wind up on consoles regardless. Half-Life 2 however is a game that should have never been overlooked, simply because it’s one of the best FPS out there and introduced the gaming world to a fantastic new physics engine, as well as introduce many graphical innoventions being used today. Valve was put on the map with this gem, and to this day there are few games that can look as good as Half-Life 2. But for the PC pundits, 2007 was a bad year, because one of the last excellent PC games went to the Xbox 360 and the PS3. And for those who think that some wouldn’t be personally affected by this, try picturing a Nintendo fan realizing that the next Zelda will be for the Xbox. Won’t end well.



#15: Would you kindly...
Game: Bioshock
System: Xbox 260, PS3, PC
Year: 2007/2008
Sales: Almost 3 million

In the midst of all the Halo Killers and wanna-be Halo Killers, the Xbox 360 releases a game with the style of Fallout, the intensity of Halo, the craziness of Killer 7, and a plot that seems straight out of a George Orwell archive. This incredible video game rose out of nowhere and not only became the Game of the Year in 2007, but is frequently hailed as one of the biggest and best games played in a very long time. The graphics, music and sound are what stand out in this gem, as you are transported to a very unique world underneath the water. It’s a type of game you’ve never played before, and one you are willing to play over and over again. While the sales don’t match those of other blockbusters, its impact on mature gaming remains felt.



#14: The Halo Killer has arrived
Game: Modern Warfare (Call of Duty 4)
System: PSWii60
Year: 2007
Sales: Over 14 million

After the major success of Halo, competitors (especially Sony) desperately attempted to create that big game, that ONE game that would conquer the world and becomes the first synonym for ultimate shooter. Timesplitters failed, Killzone failed, Geist massively failed, Lost Planet failed, and many others just didn’t receive the glory and praise of Halo. Call of Duty was always lingering since the PS2 days, and with part 4, finally took the throne. Modern Warfare was a re-invention of the Call of Duty franchise, and a totally fantastic one at that. The single-player mode remains one of the best in the history of the FPS genre, and the multi-player mode stands out as something absolutely special. This game was intense, has nearly-flawless graphics, and we even have a professional film composer in the school of Hans Zimmer (Harry Gregson-Williams) providing the soundtrack. The game felt like a Michael Bay movie (in his better days). After the release of this game, it became extremely obvious: Halo is no longer the high-and-mighty franchise it used to be; with Gears of War, Bioshock, and this gem, the Halo franchise was going to have to do more to receive new fans.



#13: Biggest. Sandbox. Ever.
Game: Grand Theft Auto IV
System: Xbox 360/PS3
Year: 2008
Sales: Almost 14 million

Vice City and San Andreas were the biggest games in the history of the PS2-dominated era. So of course the fourth installment was going to be hotly anticipated by Sony gamers. But, in one of the biggest business decisions in history, Rockstar decided to work for Microsoft as well, destroying the one main franchise that made the PS2 a must-own. Sales of the PS3 have yet to recover since this blow. That alone pits this game into the top 20 in terms of importance.

As for the game itself, well, it’s quite massive. The perfect scores it received all over the place online was met with controversy, because after all, it didn’t deliver quite as much a change as GTA III did when compared to part II. Some can argue, why mess with perfection? Others argue, why do other games receive flack for being the same and this one doesn’t? GTA IV is proof that the rating system is flaws, since essentially its just like GTA III except grander in scale. Despite that, we have a game so rich on gameplay details that you can find something new every time you play it for the next year or so. The soundtrack is incredible, the voice acting is grand, and the overall experience of running around a seemingly-endless overworld makes this a realistic, modern-day Elder Scrolls. Grand Theft Auto IV follows all the right footsteps, even if the pathway remains the same.



#12: The Ultimate Skateboarding Experience without Getting Hurt
Game: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
System: N64/PSX/PS2/Xbox/Gamecube
Year: 2001
Sales: At least 6 million

Arcade-style sports games do not happen often at all (disappointingly). After NBA Jam and NFL Blitz, there really wasn’t a sports game with the arcade edge invading consoles. Pro Skater enters the realm and video game history. This franchise is easily one of the most successful of all-time, even if the latter installments have been failing miserably. Everyone has their choice for top Pro Skater, for me I’d say part 3 was the series at its peak of success, being a hit in 5 different consoles. Add in the addicting gameplay, excellent level design, crazy depth, great underground soundtrack, and fun multi-player mode, and you have yourself an instant classic that remains to be matched in its genre.




#11: Guitar Hero II Put Them On The Map. This made them Mainstream.
Game: Guitar Hero III
System: PS3/Xbox 360/Nintendo Wii
Year: 2007
Sales: Over 15 million

While Guitar Hero II started the rockolution, Guitar Hero III put the franchise on the news and on the top of the charts for an extensive period of time. This game would sell over 3 million copies in three different systems, despite the crazy price. The soundtrack here was the most superior, because of the fact that most of the music is original recordings (or recordings strictly for the game). Guitar Hero III pretty much mocked Rock Band as it continued to sell, even on the Nintendo Wii (Usually Third-Party Hell). This game has the most memorable difficult song in the series (Through the Fire and Flames), and is known for its amped-up difficulty and variety in music. What other game can give you Weezer, the Sex Pistols, and Slayer in the same soundtrack?

Guitar Hero III was GH at its peak in popularity, success, and praise. World Tour started the downward spiral as it tried competing against Rock Band 2 and failed, and then Guitar Hero 5 had too much variety to even be enjoyed. Now, there are too many music games, and not one of them can quite matchup with the one-two punch of Rock band and Guitar Hero III back in the fall of 2007.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh noes! We are about the Top 10! I shall hand you a few clues about what will be featured in the top 10 games that helped shape this previous decade in gaming:

1) The #1 game comes from this generation

2) 8 of the 10 come from Nintendo…deal with it

3) The other two come from the Playstation 2

4) Three of the games come from the year 2000—very early in the decade

5) My personal favorite game of the decade is NOT #1

6) Combining the sales of the top 3 video games equals to over 110 million copies

7) The best-selling fighting game of all-time, the best-selling RPG of the decade, the top-selling video game of the PS2/GC/Xbox era, and the best-selling game of all-time can be found here



The final installment shall come soon. Very soon.

Top 80 Games of the Previous Decade Part 3

This is the continuation of my countdown of the top video games of the decade.



#54: The Beginning of the End for Square Soft
Game: Final Fantasy X
System: PS2
Year: 2001
Sales: Almost 8 million

Gamers now may not remember this, but back in the 90s Square Soft ruled the RPG world with an iron fist. Whether it’s Final Fantasy VI, FF VII, FF VIII, Super Mario RPG, Chrono Trigger, or Secret of Mana, Square could not be defeated. Final Fantasy X would be the last decent Final Fantasy game, and would be among the final excellent works in the Square catalogue before merging with Enix and beginning to go downhill. Now, we all ponder why Final Fantasy XIII took so long, we also ponder why Kingdom Hearts 3 is nowhere to be seen, and then ponder why on earth we still not have another Chrono installment. In the meantime, Final Fantasy X remains a delight with a nice story, beautiful graphics, and superb RPG gameplay that stands among the best in the last 10 years. Is it too late for Square to be by itself again?



#53: Blockbuster Hit, Whether It’s Good Or Not
Game: Halo 3
System: Xbox 360
Year: 2007
Sales: Over 10 million

Here is the problem with hype: it can overshadow the final product. Micro$oft has an excellent system out there right now, but unfortunately when they want to cut corners, by golly they most certainly will cut corners. Enter Halo 3; a game that looks like was cheaper than the marketing blitz that followed. Halo 3 is short, not as intense or difficult as the original, and just lacks overall in the single-player. But, it won’t matter, because the multi-player is where it’s at, and also because the marketing does not allow for it to fail. In two months, Halo 3 had sold over 5 million copies worldwide. However, it took them almost two years to be able to reach 10 million. Hmmm. Nonetheless, Halo 3 needs a spot on this list because it is indeed one of the more popular American games of all-time, and is still an online smash hit.



#52: Virtua, You’ve Met Your Match
Game: Mario Tennis
System: Nintendo 64
Year: 2000
Sales: 2.3 million

Super Mario has been on this list plenty of times, quite frankly because everything he touches turns into gold. With Super Mario on the map, the developers know that it does not require epic graphics or a crazy presentation for it to sell, but instead rely on strong gameplay and even stronger word-of-mouth. Mario Tennis accomplishes just this by being one of the few games from the dying N64 days to still rack up some great sales before the Nintendo Gamecube was next to the plate. Tennis is a gaming genre that doesn’t receive much love, so it was easy for this game to collect the sales. The money earned was well-deserved though, because of its surprisingly-strong gameplay mechanics and fun multi-player mode. Too bad the sequel couldn’t deliver as well.



#51: The Sad Fate of Nintendo Sports
Game: Excitebike 64
System: Nintendo 64
Year: 2000
Sales: Barely 1 million

Back in the N64 days, Nintendo tried to enter the rising-in-popularity world of sports video games by creating Nintendo Sports. In this list included Ken Griffey Jr. Slugfest, NBA Courtside with Kobe Bryant, Waverace 64, Wayne Gretzky’s 3-D Hockey, and much more. There was one problem: the N64 failed, and sports games were being bought (and were superior) everywhere else, including the Sega Dreamcast. The final Nintendo Sports effort before the eventual giving up was this masterpiece of an extreme sports game. The physics in this game would remain among the best until the Wii days, the music was slick, the sound work was amazing, the level design was incredible, and the overall lasting appeal of the game is among the best within the past 15 years, offering so much to do. While ExciteTruck would re-invent the franchise, Excitebike 64 stands as the greatest dirt bike game of all-time and easily the most underrated N64 game out there.



#50: The Franchise Came Back
Game: Burnout Paradise
System: Xbox 360/PS3
Year: 2008
Sales: 2.5 million copies

After Burnout 3’s massive success, the franchise actually took a few steps back by creating half-assed sequels and handheld editions. Luckily for all of us, Burnout came back by mixing in a bit of the Midnight Club gameplay and adding a massive, massive overworld to drive around in. The freedom to drive wherever and however was something not felt in the franchise up to that point, and the graphics made the crashes that much better-looking. However, Burnout 3’s crash mode remains the best.



#49: Want a Little Apocalypse With Your Gaming Experience?
Game: Fallout 3
System: PS3/Xbox 360
Year: 2008
Sales: Over 4 million

2008 Game of the Year belongs to a game that has a lovely look into what the Cold War should have been like. The 2008 Game of the Year blends RPG elements with survival horror and with good ol’ FPS gameplay. Topping it all with a blanket of 50s music overlooking the grim experience, the presentation is what makes this game such a unique and satisfying experience. Easily the best of the series, and a nice breath of fresh air for Xbox and PS3 owners sick of the same ol’ shooter.



#48: Epic RPG…for the Game Boy?
Game: Golden Sun
System: Game Boy Advance
Year: 2001
Sales: 1.67 million

The entire world was caught in a surprise when one of the best RPGs seen in a very long time was contained in the handheld Game Boy Advance system. Unleashing graphical and musical qualities never before witnessed in a handheld, Golden Sun is an entire new, entire unique, and entire immersive experience that throws you into a massive world full of whimsical characters, dark surprises, and impressive-looking special attacks. The sequel barely touched the surface in satisfying us, as the original was just such a grand piece, and can definitely be the start of something good. Why the DS and the Wii lacks a Golden Sun installment to this day is quite a baffling mystery, as this is easily the best RPG franchise from Nintendo since the Pokemon series.



#47: Disney Becomes Hip With the Gamers Again
Game: Kingdom Hearts 1-2
System: PS2
Year: 2002/2006
Sales: Over 9 million

Disney in the early 90s made ripples in the gaming industry by releasing a series of hits for the Game Boy, SNES, and Sega Genesis. However, with the PSX/N64 era, they quickly faded into a joke. It took the then-new team of Square Enix to bring Disney to the gaming world and making it successful. By combining the RPG fun that Square is known for, with the mystical world of Walt Disney, it was a bizarre match made in heaven. The storyline runs very deep, and the gameplay is a nice blend of action and RPG. Part of the reason the PS3 is failing is because Square Enix hasn’t been quick with the third installment, something that could have helped Sony while it was struggling to stand out against the Xbox 360.



#46: How to Successfully Re-Create A Masterpiece, Vol. 1
Game: Kirby Super Star Ultra
System: Nintendo DS
Year: 2008
Sales: 2.6 million

Kirby Super Star is the best Kirby game ever, among the most underrated SNES games ever, and easily one of the best gaming experiences of the 90s. It was the best news when Nintendo announced they would re-release the game for the DS, which is something they do not do enough of. But, remakes and re-releases for a while had become inferior to the originals at the time. Fortunately, they didn’t pull any punches and created a nice high-budget re-imagining for the Nintendo DS. All the fun of the SNES installment is there, and there’s much more added. The controls were still slick, the music was enhanced, and there just is very little to complain about in this game.



#45: All Around Me Are Familiar Faces…
Game: Gears of War
System: Xbox 360
Year: 2006
Sales: 6 million

Remember the commercial? This was the beginning of the end of Halo’s epic reign on the FPS homefront. The constant attempts to kill Halo’s overpowering popularity came to a halt when one of Microsoft’s own came in. Gears of War was massive, intense, and everything that made Halo such a success in the first place. What actually inched it closer to the top of the FPS world was the incredible multi-player, which would influence many games following it. Killzone was quickly stomped out when this game hit the shelves.



#44: Good? Evil?
Game: Knights of the Old Republic
System: Xbox
Year: 2003
Sales: 2 million

Star Wars was a blockbuster franchise that took chances in the movies. But in the gaming front, they never drifted far from the typical gameplay that took scenes from the movies. But in 2003, it all changed when we had the option of being good, or being evil. Depending on your actions, reactions, and dialogue quips, determined the physical appearance of your character, and your status. This decade had a lot of magnificent RPG hybrids, and this one stands as one of the better ones I’ve ever played.



#43: A Classic Has Returned. Anyone Paying Attention?
Game: Final Fantasy VI Advance
System: Game Boy Advance
Year: 2006
Sales: Not Much

This game is so high on the list because it is indeed a re-telling of an absolute classic, and also because the impact it made on sales was absolutely minimal. Is the original 6 Final Fantasy games being forgotten, instead the memories beginning with VII? I am sure the old-school fans would not appreciate to hear such blasphemy. But consider this: the PS3’s bad reputation began when they showed Final Fantasy VII gameplay on the PS3 engine, but didn’t promise a remake at all—leading to a backlash. Then here comes VI getting a full-on remake, with new artwork, more detailed graphics, and a more accurate interpretation of the Japanese dialogue. But, nothing, no sales, barely a peep. Yet, only 3 years separate Final Fantasy VI and VII. So, are the old-school Final Fantasy fans being washed out? Or is it bad marketing? Time will tell, but for now, it looks like the current Final Fantasy fanbase began at 7.



#42: The End of the Arcade Era
Game: Crazy Taxi
System: Sega Dramcast (eventually PS2)
Year: 2000
Sales: Over 2 million

Arcade games were dying, and very fast. The days of Pac-Man, TMNT, NBA Jam, and Mortal Kombat were drawing to a close. Anytime there’s a big arcade game, it winds up in a console immediately. The eventual nail on the coffin was the Sega Dreamcast. The Dreamcast started collecting all these wonderful arcade games, and pretty much killed any reason to fork over some quarters when you can purchase the entire experience and call it a month. Crazy Taxi is the last incredibly addicting arcade game to become ported, and ultimately would be the last major racing arcade hit (Until Mario Kart Arcade years upon years later). The game is a frantic blend of great graphics, awesome punk music, and gameplay that is worthy of repeating over and over again. The Dreamcast was utter failure, but did have three things: nice sports games, nice fighting games, and great arcade games.



#41: The Biggest RPG Franchise Nails It Out of the Park AGAIN
Game: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
System: Nintendo DS
Year: 2007
Sales: A ridiculous 17 million

The Pokemon franchise is undeniably massive, and with the DS, it was only going to get bigger. Not only do you get a brand new quest and now over 400 Pokemon to find, but there’s an online feature, backwards-compatibility, voice chat, and just way too much more for the average gamer to handle. Unlike most games on this list, it can literally take you over 25 hours to beat the entire thing, and this doesn’t’ include the immense amount of side-quests. While the Pokemon brand can extend much further than it has in the last 10 years, this is still a very fun game to play, even if you miss the simpler times of just 150 Pokemon.



#40: The Soul Burns, and so Do Your Fingers
Game: Soul Calibur II
System: GC/XB/PS2
Year: 2003
Sales: Between 3-4 million

Soul Calibur was a massive arcade hit and one of the greatest games in any Sega system. But, with Sega moving on to smaller and weaker things (Third-Party anyone?), Namco decided to branch off the franchise to all the systems, giving them each an exclusive character. Nintendo got Link, and that was the best addition of the three, even if the PS2 button-placement in its controller made it the best version. The gameplay was just as deep as the original, and the game was far prettier as well. The combos were still killer, the music was still a delight, and the experienced gamers can still utterly destroy you without breaking a sweat.



#39: Arcade Racing Hits Home, Devastatingly
Game: Burnout 3: Takedown
System: Xbox/PS2
Year: 2004
Sales: 3+ million

The first two Burnouts were underground hits, but it would be the third one that would launch the franchise into a new realm of popularity. Thanks to the marketing team of EA, Burnout 3 became a massive hit, offline and online. With good reason to, because its easily the best of the franchise, with the sickest crashes, best multi-player, best track design, and the best Crash Mode on the face of the Earth. Add in incredible graphics, good camera work, and some Ramones tunes, and we have ourselves a game with the makings of an arcade masterpiece.



#38: My Name is Falcon. The Game is named Flop
Game: F-Zero GX
System: Nintendo Gamecube
Year: 2003
Sales: Quarter-million. Ugh.

F-Zero GX failed miserably. What was supposed to be a beautiful beginning to a nice friendship between Sega and Nintendo turned into a financial disaster. The game had all the makings of a hit: incredible graphics, dizzying futuristic style, excellent music, incredible challenge, and enough speed for five racing games. This game tested the hardware limitations of the gamecube and what does it get? Medicore sales, mediocre numbers, and not a single chance for a sequel anytime soon. One of the greatest racing games of all-time, F-Zero GX was an absolute blast from start to finish, but nobody played it. Thanks to this, there aren’t as many Nintendo/Sega hybrids waltzing about.



#37: Zelda fans, meet TV-Y7 Link
Game: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
System: Nintendo Gamecube
Year: 2003
Sales: 4.5 million

Miyamoto was the experimental type back in the Gamecube days. We can start with Star Fox Adventures being approved (flop), Super Mario Sunshine (not as good), and now with Wind Waker. Unlike the other two examples though, the experimental had nothing to do with the gameplay, but instead the visuals. Instead of a realistic-looking Link and Zelda, the entire game turned into a cel-shaded cartoon, and the responses were severely mixed. Despite the graphics though, a beautiful game was tucked inside, with plenty of dungeons to explore, secrets to find, and a nicely woven story to draw you in. The introduction was beautiful, and the sailing aspects made the game feel much, much bigger. Too bad it was the sailing that became tedious. Despite the sailing, Wind Waker was a superb addition to the storied franchise known for absolute greatness.




#36: Is This a Game or a Movie?
Game: Metal Gear Solid 4
System: PS3
Year: 2008
Sales: 4.5 million

The Metal Gear franchise revolutionized gaming by introducing a heavy story mode that was woven directly with the gameplay. However, as time rolled on, the cut scenes started overwhelmingly take over the game. Metal Gear Solid 2 suffered severely from this, and this installment honestly is no different. Metal Gear Solid 4 is a really good game, with solid graphics, a solid production value and a good soundtrack, but honestly why so much Hollywood action to sit through? Can’t we just quickly get to the game already? Some cut scenes lasted over 10 minutes for crying out loud. Despite that little gripe, Metal Gear Solid 4 is a great piece of work, and if more gamers catered to this amount of attention, we would see a better gaming world existing today.



#35: A Long Time Ago, in a Galaxy Built Far Away
Game: Lego Star Wars: The Complete Trilogy
System: PS36Wii
Year: 2007
Sales: Over 9 million overall

The Lego Star Wars franchise is the beginning of something huge: Lego installments of all things pop culture. Thanks to the surprise-surprise success of this simple yet engaging game, we have Lego Indiana Jones, Lego Rock Band, and soon Lego Harry Potter. While the limits are indeed endless (Lego Transformers, Lego Super Mario, Lego Jurassic Park), we cannot deny the origins—which come here, not too long ago, and not built far away.



#34: The Best Star Wars Nobody Remembers
Game: Star Wars: Rouge Leader: Rogue Squadron II
System: Nintendo Gamecube
Year: 2001
Sales: 1.9 million

Back in 2001, the launch of the Nintendo Gamecube was quite confusing. We didn’t have a Mario game, but got a Luigi game. We didn’t get Smash Brothers right away, but we did get Pikmin. Last but not least, was this below-the-radar game that was an absolute smash with critics and anyone that likes Star Wars, but was quickly forgotten. Hell, the original Rogue Squadron was another surprise success story that was quickly forgotten in the N64 heydays. Rogue Leader was a fantastic flight combat game with the best scenes from the Star Wars movies (up to that point), also adding the difficulty and fun of previous classic aerial Star Wars games (remember the Tie-Fighter version?). The graphics here were among the best in the entire lifespan of the Gamecube, and it would be years before we get any Star Wars game that can even compare to this one.



#33: Super Nintendo In Your Pocket
Game: Super Mario Advance 1-4
System: Game Boy Advance
Year: 2001-2003
Sales: Total of 19 million

Sega could have thrived if they had attempted to create a superior sequel to the Sega Game Gear, which was a colorful disaster. If they had tweaked with the technology, then they may have had a chance yet granted they port the Genesis franchises and classics to said handheld. After all, look at how the GBA did with Super Mario Advance. These four games catapulted the GBA into new financial and sales heights that nobody could have ever imagined. Even a remake of Super Mario Bros. 2 (the forgotten one) sold over 5 million! The formula was simple: don’t tread with the formula, just add more features to it, and you’ll have a hit. Super Mario Advance had a colorful look, part 2 had Luigi’s special abilities, part 3 had 6 extra Yoshi’s Island levels and part 4 was Super Mario Bros. 3 except with updated features and graphics. Together, they helped the Game Boy Advance sell upwards over 82 million copies. If the formula for re-creating classics is so simple, why is Nintendo the only company that manages to succeed in it so well?



#32: Gaming for the Mind
Game: Brain Age/Brain Age 2
System: Nintendo DS
Year: 2006/2007
Sales: 33 million total

Brain Age was not supposed to be a hit, honestly it wasn’t. However, after the success of NintenDogs, Nintendo noticed that the DS was catering to more than just your typical gaming crowd, an entire new breed of gamers were thirsty for different types of gameplay. And now we have a game that’s supposed to improve the mind. Whether it does or doesn’t, a giant heap of brain-twisting puzzles was more than enough for people to shell over good money. Brain Age’s appeal is its variety, as it combines math with science and even a bit of sudoku and stroop tests. The sequel offered more of the same, which was something they promised, and it was something we gamers desired. 33 million copies later, this is a unique success story that has yet to finish.



#31: Nintendo is finally (Successfully) Online
Game: Mario Kart Wii
System: Nintendo Wii
Year: 2008
Sales: Over 20 million copies (and counting)

Amazing how the Mario kart franchise has been around since the early 90s, and NOW its hit its peak in popularity. With Mario Kart DS, the new generation Mario Karts has hit a total of 36 million copies sold around the world. Why such immense success? Is Mario Kart Wii as good as the other installments? Nope, but it’s darn close, and its accessibility to young gamers is what gives it the sales edge. Mario Kart Wii is perfect for anybody; anybody can pick it up, play it, and enjoy it. And even better for Wii owners is that Nintendo finally implemented a successful online mode, years after Xbox Live debuted. Mario Kart Wii is a nice blend of the present and the past; even if the past was better for the hardcore and the veteran crowd (this game is luck-dependable). With this game, Nintendo is most likely going to look online for their other big franchises—can we finally see a massive Pokemon Online game? We can only dream.



#30: The Resurgence of Rock is here
Game: Guitar Hero II
System: PS2/Xbox 360
Year: 2006
Sales: Over 5 million

So most of the songs are covers. So what? This was THE Guitar Hero that put the franchise on the map, and put rock music back into the hearts of millions of people. With hip-hop dominating the airwaves, Guitar Hero II can take responsibility for making rocking out an awesome thing, and for reviving forgotten bands like Pantera, Heart, Black Sabbath, Kansas, and many others. The game was also insanely difficult in the latter stages, which allowed for replayability and challenge not often seen in this decade of simplicity. It would have been an even bigger hit if it had not come out so late in the PS2 lifecycle. Ah well, there’s always the next installment…





Oh boy, this is exciting! We are now cracking into the Top 30!!! Comments? Suggestions? Complaints? Bring it on!!!