It also had groundbreaking gameplay and elements which is something the very best Nintendo games do.

Super Mario Galaxy for me of course.  The only thing about that game is that the music, while delightful while playing, isn't exactly memorable (at least as much as the ones from the NES/SNES era).  Except for the opening theme I cannot bring any of them to mind.

But it nails all of the other Nintendo attributes you list.  When I think of what makes a Nintendo game it comes down to quality and the willingness to compromise.  That may at first sound contradictory, so let me explain.  Nintendo is not going to use a technology that is half-baked, which is why in a Mario cut-scene you are not going to see Peach's face pop-in while she talks, or while playing M64 you won't be walking along and have a tree pop-up out of no where (or see any donkey-women).  Most western developers won't compromise in terms of the tools they use, they want to use the absolute latest-tech -- which is often not suitable for their hardware.

Nintendo seems to work within the available framework (compromise) and make the best game they can for that hardware, the result of which is a finely crafted game.  It reminds me of when car CD players first came out.  Everyone was eager to switch over because it was the newest tech that provided the highest audio quality.  The problem was every time you went over a bump in the road the CD would skip (not giving you the highest audio quality at all).  Nintendo would be content, instead, to have the highest quality cassette player. Not the best tech, sure, but the best tech for the application.

Mario Galaxy for me. It shows how they use classic characters and re-work the gameplay to make something new and exciting. Nintendo gets ragged on for its franchises, but it tends to take years between games and always brings something new. Mario Galaxy makes 3D mario new.

Aspro, great analogy with the car CD players.  I remember my first one.

Yoshi's Island is definitely a top notch game.  This is what I expect and think off withs the very best Nintendo games: colorful characters/environments, tremendous gameplay and experiences and chockful of secret.

gamingeek said:

So onto Rockstar. Everyone is going to say GTA right?

But which one?

Not me. I dislike GTA. I'll go with Max Payne.

GTA: SA is their best and perfect representation of Rockstar.

Red Dead Redemption does what the GTA games do, but some things like the story are better, characters that I actually care for and one hell of an awesome ending.

The Ping Pong game they did for the 360 was, to me, the synthesis of everything Rockstar had accomplished to that point, and since really.  It was the first use of the GTA4 engine, but it didn't just provide a testing ground for the tech, but also for the more serious tone in exposition that was to come with Niko Bellic's tale.

Still reading? Okay, well I think that Vader is right GTAA was a full execution of Rockstar's GTA sensibility.  My favorite is GTA3: Vice City Stories, the last game in the GTA3 series.  By that time they had nailed down many of the frustrations and were able to pick the best type of missions to include. Also starring Phil Collins in a non-minor role.

If I'd have played Bully by now, I'd probably go with that, but I haven't, but it looks like a game form of the British TV series Grange Hill, which is a perfect match for Rockstar and their British roots.

bugsonglass said:

Ravenprose said:

Not me. I dislike GTA. I'll go with Max Payne.

They published the second max payne but didn't develop either of them.

I know. It's the only thing even remotely associated with them that I've enjoyed so far.