Robio's All-New, All-Different, Top 100 of All Time
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I feel like that's just American stereotyping right there.
#41 - Willow (arcade)
In the late '80s and well into the 90's, there was no better developer for third-party licenses than Capcom. In fact, I think I already said that when I mentioned Little Nemo for the NES. But if I'm repeating myself, it's because it's true. And to further make my point, I present there arcade version of Willow.
Sure, it might have been a little difficult, but it was well worth feeding that machine quarters. You got to switch between Willow and Madmartigan, each of whom had a completely different play style. The level design was great, the graphics were some of the best arcades had to offer at the time, bosses were huge and filled the screen, and the music was excellent.
It's really a damn shame that we never got a home port of the arcade version. To their credit though, Capcom did release a very good Willow for the NES, that felt like a more fleshed out though more linear version of The Legend of Zelda. Anyway if haven't you weren't lucky enough to stumble across this in the arcades, it might be worth hunting down and checking out now.
In the late '80s and well into the 90's, there was no better developer for third-party licenses than Capcom. In fact, I think I already said that when I mentioned Little Nemo for the NES. But if I'm repeating myself, it's because it's true. And to further make my point, I present there arcade version of Willow.
Sure, it might have been a little difficult, but it was well worth feeding that machine quarters. You got to switch between Willow and Madmartigan, each of whom had a completely different play style. The level design was great, the graphics were some of the best arcades had to offer at the time, bosses were huge and filled the screen, and the music was excellent.
It's really a damn shame that we never got a home port of the arcade version. To their credit though, Capcom did release a very good Willow for the NES, that felt like a more fleshed out though more linear version of The Legend of Zelda. Anyway if haven't you weren't lucky enough to stumble across this in the arcades, it might be worth hunting down and checking out now.
#40 - Lego City Undercover
Even is everything else about Lego City Undercover was utter trash, it would still make it on my list for one reason -- Frank Honey.
Frank is the greatest sidekick in the history of video games. Whether he's shouting "waffles" or is telling you a story about how eating glass led to the worst birthday he ever had, Frank is the ideal plucky and completely oblivious sidekick who tends to create more trouble than he solves. It's completely cliche, but it's done so damn perfectly that you can't help but love him.
Aside from the greatness that is Frank, Lego City Undercover takes what is now the classic Lego game formula, and that presents it with a parody of the police dramas of the '70s and '80s, and ultimately creates the best thing since the original Naked Gun. Dirty Harry, Columbo, Starsky and Hutch, and many others make brief cameos, but the game largely forges its own path with its own characters. The loading times are definitely rough, but if you can look past that, you're in for the closest thing you'll ever see to Grand theft Auto with Legos.
And on a final note, this was the first game that a young Robio Jr. finished on his own. The boy was proud as hell of himself. Also, for several weeks after he was finished with it, he would still run around the house. Yelling Frank Honey's famous line, "WAFFLES!!" Which got old kind of fast as you can probably imagine.
Even is everything else about Lego City Undercover was utter trash, it would still make it on my list for one reason -- Frank Honey.
Frank is the greatest sidekick in the history of video games. Whether he's shouting "waffles" or is telling you a story about how eating glass led to the worst birthday he ever had, Frank is the ideal plucky and completely oblivious sidekick who tends to create more trouble than he solves. It's completely cliche, but it's done so damn perfectly that you can't help but love him.
Aside from the greatness that is Frank, Lego City Undercover takes what is now the classic Lego game formula, and that presents it with a parody of the police dramas of the '70s and '80s, and ultimately creates the best thing since the original Naked Gun. Dirty Harry, Columbo, Starsky and Hutch, and many others make brief cameos, but the game largely forges its own path with its own characters. The loading times are definitely rough, but if you can look past that, you're in for the closest thing you'll ever see to Grand theft Auto with Legos.
And on a final note, this was the first game that a young Robio Jr. finished on his own. The boy was proud as hell of himself. Also, for several weeks after he was finished with it, he would still run around the house. Yelling Frank Honey's famous line, "WAFFLES!!" Which got old kind of fast as you can probably imagine.
I want a Mario City.
# 39 - Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness
I was always a fan of the Sierra online adventure games. The first PC game I remember playing was King's Quest at my neighbor's house. But he was kind of an asshole, so I didn't play it that much. But I did know that I loved the game. When I eventually got a PC of my own, my first game was King's Quest 3. For the next 10 years, Sierra games we're always my PC games of choice. And while I loved almost all of them, The Quest for Glory series was my very favorite, with the fourth game, the series being the masterpiece.
Shadows of Darkness was a return to the formula of the very first game, which was an amazing game in its own right, but found ways to improve on that formula, while avoiding the pitfalls of the second and third games of the series. So now our hero is once again in an unfamiliar village, surrounded by strange monsters, natural wonders, and a buttload of jokes ripped off directly from Monty Python.
And the cherry on top? The thing that really makes it something special? The game is narrated by John Rhys-Davies. You want to talk about a guy whose voice alone takes everything to another level? Look no further than that man. He takes a strong well-written script, and makes it even better. Plus, he has a surprisingly good sense of comedic timing, and create some genuine laugh out loud moments while you struggle.
Ultimately, it's a shame that the series didn't end here. Quest for Glory 5 was a disappointment on pretty much every level possible, as they were experimenting with too many new ideas and changes. Seriously, why would you end a well-established series by almost completely changing the genre? But that doesn't change how great this game was.
I was always a fan of the Sierra online adventure games. The first PC game I remember playing was King's Quest at my neighbor's house. But he was kind of an asshole, so I didn't play it that much. But I did know that I loved the game. When I eventually got a PC of my own, my first game was King's Quest 3. For the next 10 years, Sierra games we're always my PC games of choice. And while I loved almost all of them, The Quest for Glory series was my very favorite, with the fourth game, the series being the masterpiece.
Shadows of Darkness was a return to the formula of the very first game, which was an amazing game in its own right, but found ways to improve on that formula, while avoiding the pitfalls of the second and third games of the series. So now our hero is once again in an unfamiliar village, surrounded by strange monsters, natural wonders, and a buttload of jokes ripped off directly from Monty Python.
And the cherry on top? The thing that really makes it something special? The game is narrated by John Rhys-Davies. You want to talk about a guy whose voice alone takes everything to another level? Look no further than that man. He takes a strong well-written script, and makes it even better. Plus, he has a surprisingly good sense of comedic timing, and create some genuine laugh out loud moments while you struggle.
Ultimately, it's a shame that the series didn't end here. Quest for Glory 5 was a disappointment on pretty much every level possible, as they were experimenting with too many new ideas and changes. Seriously, why would you end a well-established series by almost completely changing the genre? But that doesn't change how great this game was.
Edited: Mon, 09 Jun 2025 13:53:17
#38 - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
A lot of people were divided over Breath of the Wild, and I get it. Dungeons have long been a key part of the series, and this time they were traded for shrines with small puzzles, and a giant freaking overworld to explore. For me though, I welcomed the trade off.
The Hyrule overworld was perfectly designed. The areas are diverse, and filled with just the right amount of things to do, without ever feeling overwhelming. I think largely this is achieved thanks to the set of magic you receive, and the excellent implementation of the in-game physics. The tools are limited, but at the same time it feels like you can do almost anything you want with them. With the combination of the setting and the actions you can take, I think they achieve the goal of replicating the feeling that the original NES Legend of Zelda offered - there's a great big world out there, so go explore it however you like.
For me this is also one of the great "hurricane games" of all time. In 2019, hurricane Dorian was heading towards Florida, and ready to destroy everything. In preparation of it, my company gave us 4 days off to ensure our homes were ready and that we would have time to clean up etc. And the weekend fell right in the middle of this, so I had 6 days off. As part of my preparation, I finally picked up Breath of the Wild, figuring that I was going to be stuck in the house and I would play it for as long as we had power.
The good news was, we never actually lost power. So the entire 6 days was basically a vacation with me sitting on the couch and exploring all I could of Hyrule, almost beating it during my extended break.
A lot of people were divided over Breath of the Wild, and I get it. Dungeons have long been a key part of the series, and this time they were traded for shrines with small puzzles, and a giant freaking overworld to explore. For me though, I welcomed the trade off.
The Hyrule overworld was perfectly designed. The areas are diverse, and filled with just the right amount of things to do, without ever feeling overwhelming. I think largely this is achieved thanks to the set of magic you receive, and the excellent implementation of the in-game physics. The tools are limited, but at the same time it feels like you can do almost anything you want with them. With the combination of the setting and the actions you can take, I think they achieve the goal of replicating the feeling that the original NES Legend of Zelda offered - there's a great big world out there, so go explore it however you like.
For me this is also one of the great "hurricane games" of all time. In 2019, hurricane Dorian was heading towards Florida, and ready to destroy everything. In preparation of it, my company gave us 4 days off to ensure our homes were ready and that we would have time to clean up etc. And the weekend fell right in the middle of this, so I had 6 days off. As part of my preparation, I finally picked up Breath of the Wild, figuring that I was going to be stuck in the house and I would play it for as long as we had power.
The good news was, we never actually lost power. So the entire 6 days was basically a vacation with me sitting on the couch and exploring all I could of Hyrule, almost beating it during my extended break.
Edited: Mon, 09 Jun 2025 14:10:56
I loved the massive overworld and shrines but disliked the Divine Beasts as a dungeon replacement. Those are the main reason I'll likely never finish that game. I don't find them to be much fun, so I can't be bothered.
I didn't mind the Divine Beasts, but I definitely wasn't a fan. They're not a lot of fun, but they are brief so at least you're not spending an hour diving into them. And really the only one that I had strong distaste for was the camel. I don't remember the specifics anymore, but I did have to either watch a walk-through or read a guide for it.
I gave up on the camel. Even with a guide it was too confusing with all the rotating sections and whatnot.
#37 - Double Dragon (arcade)
I don't think Double Dragon was the first co-op side-scrolling brawler, but it's definitely the game that perfected it and the one that popularized the genre to the point where it became the most popular and ultimately oversaturated in the arcade.
It was the first arcade game that I actually beat in the arcade too. I was in my grandma's middle of nowhere town in Texas, where pretty much the only entertainment was a bar that had an arcade would let kids come and play during the day. I played it along with some older guy who was pretty damn good at it. At the very end of the game, when the boss was killed and the two brothers squared off, he gave me the baseball bat to help even the odds. He still kicked my ass.
On a side note, I used to think that was and odd way to end the game. To be fair though, the two brothers had just killed hundreds of other guys with their bare hands. So one more fight was probably the most logical way for the two of them to resolve their differences over a woman.
I also can't help but feel it was one of the source of one of gaming's great betrayals - Double Dragon, the NES version. Who the hell thought this amazing co-op game would be accepted as a single player adventure? Seriously, I hope that guy was strung up by his thumbs.
I don't think Double Dragon was the first co-op side-scrolling brawler, but it's definitely the game that perfected it and the one that popularized the genre to the point where it became the most popular and ultimately oversaturated in the arcade.
It was the first arcade game that I actually beat in the arcade too. I was in my grandma's middle of nowhere town in Texas, where pretty much the only entertainment was a bar that had an arcade would let kids come and play during the day. I played it along with some older guy who was pretty damn good at it. At the very end of the game, when the boss was killed and the two brothers squared off, he gave me the baseball bat to help even the odds. He still kicked my ass.
On a side note, I used to think that was and odd way to end the game. To be fair though, the two brothers had just killed hundreds of other guys with their bare hands. So one more fight was probably the most logical way for the two of them to resolve their differences over a woman.
I also can't help but feel it was one of the source of one of gaming's great betrayals - Double Dragon, the NES version. Who the hell thought this amazing co-op game would be accepted as a single player adventure? Seriously, I hope that guy was strung up by his thumbs.
I have the Atari 2600 version of Double Dragon. It's technically kinda impressive but brutally difficult.
I have the Arcade Archives Double Dragon too but it's really difficult to go back to it after Streets of Rage and Final Fight series. Still lots of nostalgia playing it in the arcade with my high school friends, though. 2-player is best.
I have the Arcade Archives Double Dragon too but it's really difficult to go back to it after Streets of Rage and Final Fight series. Still lots of nostalgia playing it in the arcade with my high school friends, though. 2-player is best.
robio said:#41 - Willow (arcade)
In the late '80s and well into the 90's, there was no better developer for third-party licenses than Capcom. In fact, I think I already said that when I mentioned Little Nemo for the NES. But if I'm repeating myself, it's because it's true. And to further make my point, I present there arcade version of Willow.
Sure, it might have been a little difficult, but it was well worth feeding that machine quarters. You got to switch between Willow and Madmartigan, each of whom had a completely different play style. The level design was great, the graphics were some of the best arcades had to offer at the time, bosses were huge and filled the screen, and the music was excellent.
It's really a damn shame that we never got a home port of the arcade version. To their credit though, Capcom did release a very good Willow for the NES, that felt like a more fleshed out though more linear version of The Legend of Zelda. Anyway if haven't you weren't lucky enough to stumble across this in the arcades, it might be worth hinting down and checking out now.
That game was cool from what I remember of it. I only saw it in a movie theater lobby once but ended up playing it for 20 minutes or so. If it came out on SNES, I would have bought it for sure.
Edited: Tue, 10 Jun 2025 16:33:47
#36 - Bionic Commando
I think Bionic Commando might have been my most rented game as a kid. I never owned my own copy of it, but I spent some serious time with it all the same, largely due to its availability at Blockbuster and another mom and pop video store. I utterly loved it.
And what wasn't to love? You had a collection of cool guns, and while you couldn't jump you had maybe the greatest accessory of the 8-Bit era -- the bionic arm. It set players up for some of the most cruel precision platforming of all time, but it could pay off huge too. Those moments where you were free-falling only to save yourself at the last minute with a well-placed swing gave you a rush that I can only assume is comparable to a really good line of coke. Oh and if that wasn't enough, you got to fight Hitler.
My quest to get to the end was one of the great struggles of childhood. My cousin and I inadvertently figured out how to get a bunch of continues, and one night we had passed a very difficult level - The one level that takes place at night where you have to do some complete leap of faith swings. At that point we felt like we were inches away from beating the game, but we had to take a break for some reason. So we left the game on, but turned off the TV planning to return later. Unfortunately his little sister ended up seeing the NES on and did her duty by turning it off. Got to save electricity after all. Truly a heartbreaking moment.
But don't worry, Hitler got what was coming to him. I got him good with the bazooka.
I think Bionic Commando might have been my most rented game as a kid. I never owned my own copy of it, but I spent some serious time with it all the same, largely due to its availability at Blockbuster and another mom and pop video store. I utterly loved it.
And what wasn't to love? You had a collection of cool guns, and while you couldn't jump you had maybe the greatest accessory of the 8-Bit era -- the bionic arm. It set players up for some of the most cruel precision platforming of all time, but it could pay off huge too. Those moments where you were free-falling only to save yourself at the last minute with a well-placed swing gave you a rush that I can only assume is comparable to a really good line of coke. Oh and if that wasn't enough, you got to fight Hitler.
My quest to get to the end was one of the great struggles of childhood. My cousin and I inadvertently figured out how to get a bunch of continues, and one night we had passed a very difficult level - The one level that takes place at night where you have to do some complete leap of faith swings. At that point we felt like we were inches away from beating the game, but we had to take a break for some reason. So we left the game on, but turned off the TV planning to return later. Unfortunately his little sister ended up seeing the NES on and did her duty by turning it off. Got to save electricity after all. Truly a heartbreaking moment.
But don't worry, Hitler got what was coming to him. I got him good with the bazooka.
Ravenprose said:That game was cool from what I remember of it. I only saw it in a movie theater lobby once but ended up playing it for 20 minutes or so. If it came out on SNES, I would have bought it for sure.
It was always a source of disappointment that we never got a home console version of the arcade game. The NES version was good, don't get me wrong. But there was something about the arcade game that just felt so much more accurate to the movie.
Loved Bionic Commando on the NES as well. It was really something seeing Hitler’s head literally explode back then.
Back in the Gamespot days, I used Hitler's exploding head as my icon. I don't remember if it was the GIF of the exploding face, or just the most gruesome frame of it. But multiple people messaged me asking what the hell they were looking at, and let me know they were disgusted by it.
I believe the only Bionic Commando I played was the demo for that fully 3D one on the Xbox 360/PS3.
Oh that's a shame. That was universally panned if I recall. The NES and GBC games on the other hand were considered some of the best games on their respective systems.
#35 - Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
After Resident Evil 6, there was a very justified belief that Resident Evil games were no longer about horror. Then Resident Evil 7 came along and said "fuck that noise," and arguably gave us some of the best shit your pants moments in mainstream gaming.
The main protagonists of the game, the Baker family, are a fucked up band of misfits very clearly inspired by Texas chainsaw massacre. And if you're going to steal, you steal from the best. It was the perfect model to create a family of villains from, and the Baker, family lived up to the legacy better than most of the Texas chainsaw movies. Jack, in particular, is responsible for the greatest jump scares I think I've ever come across in the video game. And the creepy grandma.... Well, let's just say she plays her part perfectly.
It's not the only game that's ever made me scream out loud, but got me to do it more than once, which doesn't happen often. I loved that Capcom! Really embraced making this a true horror game. One day I would love to get a hold of a virtual reality set just so I can play this game with the full effects. Of course, I'm going to need something to protect the couch or floors, because I've heard the reactions that some people have had and it's not pretty.
After Resident Evil 6, there was a very justified belief that Resident Evil games were no longer about horror. Then Resident Evil 7 came along and said "fuck that noise," and arguably gave us some of the best shit your pants moments in mainstream gaming.
The main protagonists of the game, the Baker family, are a fucked up band of misfits very clearly inspired by Texas chainsaw massacre. And if you're going to steal, you steal from the best. It was the perfect model to create a family of villains from, and the Baker, family lived up to the legacy better than most of the Texas chainsaw movies. Jack, in particular, is responsible for the greatest jump scares I think I've ever come across in the video game. And the creepy grandma.... Well, let's just say she plays her part perfectly.
It's not the only game that's ever made me scream out loud, but got me to do it more than once, which doesn't happen often. I loved that Capcom! Really embraced making this a true horror game. One day I would love to get a hold of a virtual reality set just so I can play this game with the full effects. Of course, I'm going to need something to protect the couch or floors, because I've heard the reactions that some people have had and it's not pretty.
Edited: Sat, 14 Jun 2025 14:25:29
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