To celebrate our 10 year anniversary I think it's only fair that we do the exact same thing every video game magazine did whenever they reached a milestone... create a top 100 list. So that's what I'm going to do. I've spent the last couple weeks thinking this over and I have a list in front of me that I'm pretty happy with. No one else on earth will be happy with it, but as I always say, "fuck off it's my list and I don't give two shits what you think you little pissant." At least I think I say that.
Also, if you recall I did do a top 28 list a while back. However, that was 5 years ago and many great games have come out since, so even that top 28 has some changes in it. There's a few new games, a few games my opinions have changed on, and there was one really great one that I completely overlooked somehow when I made the list the first time. So rest assured there will be some very noticeable changes.
And it's going to go by fast. Since I've got that new job starting in just over a week, my free time may be reduced, so I'm going to try to get all 100 games posted within the next two weeks. I need to sharpen up my writing since this is a PR job so it's good practice. Writing about insurance benefits and filing medical claims is just like video games right?
100Sonic Adventure
99Kaboom
98Conquests of the Longbow
97Streets of Rage 2
96Lollipop Chainsaw
95Bloodborne
94 Crazy Taxi
93Bit.Trip.Beat
92Wii Ski & Snowboard
91RiverCity Ransom
90Dragon Quest Monsters
89Jones in the Fastlane
88Dark Cloud 2
87Professor Layton and the Curious Village
86MadWorld
85Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
84Torneko the Last Hope
83Crystal Castles
82Space Harrier
81Retro Game Challenge
80Final Fantasy VII
79Bulletstorm
78Rayman Legends
77Super Dodge Ball
76World of Goo
75The Magic of Scherazade
74Minecraft
73Fantasy Zone 2
72Golden Axe: Revege of Death Adder
71Final Fantasy Legend II
70Hotel Dusk
69Splatoon
68Pitfall
67Dragon Quest V
66SteamWorld Dig
65Street Fighter 3: Third Strike
64Order Up
63Hearthstone
62Monkey Island II: LeChuck's Revenge
61Bayonetta
60Galaga
59 Earthbound
58Super Mario Bros.
57Wii Sports Resort
56Pac-Man CE: DX
55Trauma Team
#56. Pac-Man CE: DX
The first video game I remember anything about was Pac-Man. I was young, but I was around to witness Pac-Man Fever in all its glory, and lord knows I was a part of it. I collected Pac-Man scratch-off cards, stickers, toys, etc. My 5th birthday party was Pac-Man themed and I still have a Pac-Man sleeping bag that I got from that day. So yeah, I love me some Pac-Man. Unforunately while there's been some cool merchandise, there haven't been a lot of great games in the franchise in the more recent years (though to its credit Pac-Man Vs. was pretty cool if you had everything set up for it). That all changed with Pac-Man Championship Edition, and was refined to prerfection with Pac-Man CE
X. It was a techno-infused acid trip that took the basic layout of the original Pac-Man games and the same ideas of collecting pellets and eating ghosts, but added the idea of finding the ideal routes and time constraints, and made speed and avoiding ghosts more important. The end result was something that felt brand new and familiar all at the same time, and it's arguable the best arcade experience type game to come out in years. It's a worth legacy to the original gaming masterpiece.
#55. Trauma Team
Take a dramatic medical soap opera and Atlus, makers of dramatic teenage demon hunter games and what do you get? SUPER ULTRA TRAUMA DRAMA!!!!! That's pretty much what the story of Trauma Team is, and sometimes things do get a bit thick, but it definitely serves the purpose of getting you involved in the greatest medical simulator in the history of gaming. Trauma Team offers up 6 different specialties (or 5 and an autopsy/coronor segment that kind of plays out like Phoenix Wright) that play very differently from one another, along with the intertwining stories of 6 different doctors at one hospital. Gameplay and controls with the Wiimote is inspired, and while some of the specialities are a little tricky to pick up at first, once it all clicks the game delivers a rush like no other. Juggling your instruments to jump from one serious patient wound to another, racing against the clock, and pulling it off is an amazing experience. It's really one of the most unique games you'll ever come across. This game alone can almost justify a Wii U purchase, as it's still available on the Virtual Console there and if you haven't tried it you really need to.
Two great games I can get behind.
Did you have the Pac Man Fever record?
https://youtu.be/1jFIYViVOQo
I did not have it back then. My wife had a copy of it though, so I can proudly say I own it now. And I can even more proudly say it's boxed and sealed up so it will never have to be listened to by anyone.
#54. Contra
It may be 30 years old, but to this day there aren't many couch co-op action games that top Contra. The "3-D" levels might be a little rough by today's standards, but the main 2-D platforming levels are still just about perfect. All the jumps and bullets to dodge might be tough, but they're not unfair. If you can't make it to the end of a level, you just need to get good.... or use Up, Up, Down, Down, B, A, Select Start to get those 30 extra lives (and if you're playing with a friend who sucks make sure he drops his controller when he's dead so he doesn't start stealing yours). I loved it then, and after spending some time with this solo and with a friend last year, I can honestly say it's as much fun as ever. It's one of the great solo and multiplayer experiences of all time.
I remember back in the day me and some people at a local arcade were talking about this new game called Contra and how awesome it was. Man I feel old.
So many Wii games I should have bought...oh well.
You're inspiring me to finally give Nintendoland a go.
If you've played it, how does Trauma Center New Blood compare to Trauma Team? Mortal Kombat wishes it was so brutal!