Game Over Part 7

Two words that signify that you're a failure at video games and should pick up a hobby where you won't suck so much. Welcome to Game Over, an on-going feature where we take a look at the numerous screens that show you've reached the end of the line. You might find some of these to be humorous while others can be quite unsettling.

Cuphead (PC, XBO)

Like a lot of games are doing these days, Cuphead wisely gets rid of the life system. Make no mistake, no matter how much you improve at this game you will die. A lot. As is the case with most run 'n gun titles, bosses have invisible life bars but when you inveitably fail trying to take any of them down, you not only get to see them taunt you, usually with a pun, but you get a to see how close or how far you were from being victorious. There's plenty of them, so check the video above.

Metal Gear Solid (PS)

The quality of voice acting for video games (as well as anime) in the mid to late 1990s outside of Japan were for the most par, pretty low. Even some of the most critically acclaimed games of the time such as Star Fox 64 and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, had some pretty bad voice work. To the surprise of many, Metal Gear Solid released with some exceptional voice actors, among them being David Hayter, Cam Clarke and Jennifer Hale. It helped that the crew had an excellent voice director at the helm. Without proper voice direction, even well trained VAs can turn in a pitiful performance. Fortunately, that was not the case for Metal Gear Solid. Thanks to the amazing voice work and direction, every game over you get feels like it carries extra weight to it. Die in this game and you get to hear the cries of Snake's off the field allies via codec call out his name, but to no avail. Depending on the circumstances of the game over, it might not be your friends that you hear from. The above video has every line of dialogue from all the game overs.

Ghosts 'n Goblins (ARC)

If you thought Mario had his hands full saving Princess Peach, you haven't seen the sheer BS Arthur has to put up with to save Princess Prin Prin. Peach may have been kidnapped a dozen times in comparison to Prin Prin's handful, but the odds are stacked against Arthur much more than they are Mario. Sections of literally endless zombies, ghosts that can appear out of nowhere at any time to kill you, red, flying demons that will make your life even more of a living nightmare and that's just the first level of the game! There are some that can actually beat this game, no sweat. For the rest of us mere mortals, well, we've got that death jingle and this game over screen greeting us over and over and over again. There really isn't anything special about the first Ghosts 'n Goblins game over screen. However, there are a great deal of players that will see it more than they will the rest of the game.

The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin (SCD)

This one is actually more of a bad ending but I think it still qualifies. Spidey has been framed for the umpteenth time and he's out to clear his name. Raising the stakes even higher, Kingpin has taken Mary Jane Watson-Parker, whom unbeknownst to Fisk, is Spider-Man's wife. Or at least, she was until some stupid story involving a deal with the devil, but we don't talk about that crap. Ahem. In a display of cliche villainy, Kingpin dangles the redhead over a pool of acid and she slowly descends at he and Spidey duke it out. Should you fail to take down Kingpin in the final showdown, he'll tie you up along with Mary Jane. At least the two get to die together. Oh and were you expecting the camera to pan away as he dips the two lovers in acid? Nope! With a big, evil grin plastered on his mug, he lowers them into the vat, right before you horror filled eyes.

Remake, Please! Vol. 1

Welcome to Remake, Please! A feature where I go on about remakes I'd really love to see and the things that could be done to improve upon the original.

Metal Gear (MSX2)

Many gamer's exposure to the original Metal Gear is the NES port, which Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima bashes whenever the opportunity presents itself. The game is certainly rough in a lot of places but the original MSX2 version is hardly exempt from criticism.

Even by 1980s game design standards, the original Metal Gear suffers from a pretty horrific inventory system, the worst of it being the way card keys function. Lots of doors are activated via card keys and these don't stack so you have to pause the game, look through the card keys to find the right one to open a doors, which are not labeled, by the way.

Rather than see Metal Gear itself in the NES version, the only machine that awaits Snake at the end of his journey is a giant super computer. Sure, you get to see Metal Gear in the MSX2 version, but you don't even get to fight it. Heck, Metal Gear isn't even activated. All you do is plant some explosives on the thing's feet and blow it up.

Those HD remakes of the the Solid games are all fine and dandy but I'd love to see Konami (with Kojima's involvement) take a stab at remaking the game that started it all. Think about it: voice acting, a vastly improved inventory system, area designs that don't look so similar to one another and more music because as great as Theme of Terra is, I wouldn't mind more music for all the times you're sneaking around Outer Heaven. Oh and definitely give us an an actual battle with Metal Gear.

The Legend of Zelda (NES)

I can see more than a few eyebrows being raised with this one. Am I actually suggesting that a game that helped revolutionize gaming and was a huge inspiration for the mega hit Breath of the Wild, could use a remake? No, I'm not suggesting such a thing. I'm freaking demanding. Don't misunderstand, I still like the first Zelda game and I'm grateful for what it did for gaming, but if any entry in this 30 plus year franchise could really benefit from a remake, it's the original game.

The Zelda series has often been accused of holding the player's hand in recent years (something Zelda producer Eiji Anouma has admitted to) but trying to play the first Zelda entry without a guide or some kind of assistance is like trying to navigate a cave at night time without a light source. To put it bluntly, The Legend of Zelda can be vague at best and cryptic at worst. Dungeons have numerous secret passages but not once does the game give you any sort of indication that a particular wall can be blown up. The same applies for burnable bushes as the look just like any other bush. And unless you have meat to feed the Moblin that's blocking your path in dungeon seven, you ain't going anywhere anytime soon. How on Earth would you know "Grumble Grumble" means he wants food?

Combat in the first game also feels very stiff, compounded by the fact that Link cannot move and swing his sword at the same time as well as only being able to move in four directions as opposed to the eight way movement A Link to the Past introduced.

2013's A Link Between Worlds was a wonderful return to the top down style of Zelda games and could be used as a basis for a remake of the original Zelda game. Eight way movement would make for much smoother combat, and it wouldn't be hard at all to let us know which walls and bushes are destructible. The original Legend of Zelda isn't as hard to go back to as, say, the original Metroid but it really does show it's age and it baffles me how many critics flat out don't even acknowledge the game's flaws. A remake of the original would make for the definitive version of the game and I'm sure Nintendo would throw in some bonus content such as new items and extra dungeons.

Favorite Tunes #172: Tipping the Scales

Holy balls of yarn! Did you catch that Fire Emblem Direct on the 18th? I'm not even the world's biggest Fire Emblem fan and I'm stoked for all that content! This Favorite Tunes is sprinkled with a dash of Fire Emblem music, Transformers: Devastation and some Metal Gear.

Battle Theme (Opponent) - Fire Emblem Gaiden (NES)

Usually I don't post music from a game that was mentioned in a previous Favorite Tunes, but I decided to make an exception for since Fire Emblem Gaiden is getting a beefy remake on the 3DS under the name Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. I'm more familiar with the game's soundtrack than I am the actually game, with the music being some of the best composed on the NES. Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to the remake's arranged score. I recommend listening to Gaiden's original soundtrack to familiarize yourself with the themes for the upcoming game.

Motormaster - Transformers: Devastation (Multi)

Platinum Games licensed offerings haven't always been the best. 2016's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turltes: Mutants in Manhattan, a title I was really looking forward to, ended up being another mediocre Turtles game. Thankfully, their Transformers 2015 outing was a lot better, featuring a killer '80s style rock soundtrack.

Splattack! - Splatoon (Wii U)

The original Splatoon was a huge success for Nintendo, so much so, that it really isn't too surprising that Splatoon 2 will be landing on the Nintendo Switch just two years after the original. I cannot wait to ink turf and listen to Splatoon 2's soundtrack. In the meantime, Splatoon's original tunes will stay fresh in my mind. Pun, not intended.

Hell Field (Overworld Theme) - Gargoyle's Quest (GB)

Firebrands are some of the most annoying enemies in the Ghost 'n Goblins series and back in 1990, Capcom gave these life drainers their very own game. Regardless of your feelings towards these flying pests, Gargoyle's Quest is a standout title on the original Game Boy and you should definitely hop on the 3DS eShop and download it if you haven't yet. The game's soundtrack was handled by Yuki Iwai and Yoko Shimomura. Man, this theme is freaking beautiful.

-!- Alert - Metal Gear (NES)

For years the NES version of Metal Gear was the only way to legally play the first installment of the Metal Gear Saga. This all changed in 2006 when Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, an updated version of MGS3 was released on the PS2  and included the MSX2 version of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake as bonuses. The NES version of MG is often bashed by Hideo Kojima and fans for being an inferior port of the MSX2 game. It may not be perfect, but the NES music definitely trumps the MSX2 tunes. Alert just sounds so much better on the NES and this theme really needs to be arranged.

Draven's Valley Pass - Arcana (SNES)

Developed and published by HAL, Arcana is a dungeon crawling, card based RPG. Before Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando  worked magic together writing music for the numerous Kirby games, they collaborated on Arcana and one need only listen to a few tracks from this game to hear that Kirby vibe. Draven's Valley Pass is a good example of why short and repetitive, doesn't always mean bad.

Favorite Tunes Database

Favorite Tunes #154: Sophia

The Olympics are on, which means it is one of the few times I turn from Cartoon Network. Its also absurdly hot outside, so unless I absolutely have to leave the house, I'm saying inside where its nice and cool and rooting for Team USA and grooving to game music.

Warrior - Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator (ARC, PS3, PS4)

The last Guilty Gear game I played was X2 on the PS2. I haven't really kept touch with the series in years but when I think of the games, the type of music that springs to mind is metal and hard rock. There are plenty of rocking vocal tracks in the game's soundtrack but I was surprised to hear songs like Warrior in the mix. Not a bad surprise by any means.

Duel - Metal Gear Solid (PS)

Even after all of the technological advancements the series has made, the original Metal Gear Solid still has a movie-like score that still manages to impress almost 20 years after its release. Duel is an arranged, more intense driven version of the Encounter theme.

Vento Brasileiro  - Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U, 3DS)

The Rio 2016 Olympics are in full swing. I've been a big fan of the Olympics since I was a kid and I've been watching as much of the events as I can when I'm not at work. The Mario & Sonic games have been a thing since 2008, but the 2016 version will be the first one that I pick up. The events look like a lot of fun (especially boxing) and the original music along with the arrangements have my ears burning.

Macho Grubba - Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (GCN)

Fans want a Paper Mario game more line with the original and The Thousand Year Door. I've heard Sticker Star spoken of as if it were the spawn of Satan, while Super Paper Mario doesn't get nearly as bad of a rap, it still didn't get a warm reception from fans. I didn't finish Thousand Year Door, but I was very impressed by the hours I sunk into it, both with the gameplay and the incredible soundtrack.

Sophia - Gimmick! (NES)

How good is the music in Gimmick? Really darn good. Like, among the best chiptunes you will ever hear. Gimmick's soundtrack is bouncy, upbeat and deadly serious when the mood calls for it. Despite the cutesy looks, Gimmick! is also a very punishing game to any and all who dare to approach it.

Lava Dome - Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (SNES)

This spin off Final Fantasy game gets a lot of hate for being an oversimplified RPG to get newbies into the genre. It may be a bit dull and flawed, but hardly a turd. Now id you hear anyone dis the music, please punch them in the face. 16-bit rock and metal has never sounded this good.

Favorite Tunes Database

That One Boss Vol. 1

World of gaming is full of bosses and as expected, not all bosses are created equal. Some boss fights are easy while others are hard but still doable. And then you've got bosses that make you want to let out a Super Saiyan rage scream. Sometimes it can be bad programming, a bug, a glitch or sometimes the boss is just stupidly hard. Much like That One Level, That One Boss is something to dread.

Yellow Devil - Mega Man (NES)

The original Mega Man is still regarded as one of the toughest games in the series and for lots of good reasons. There are no E-Tanks, Mega Man's increased falling speed is a bummer and a few of those Robot Master stages holding nothing back. Then you've got the Dr. Wily stages, which aren't exactly a breeze either. The true measure of skill comes not from besting the mad doctor. No, that is reserved for the boss of the very first stage of his fortress, the Yellow Devil.

When the first boss of a villain's lair is harder than anything else inside the place, you know you're in some serious trouble. The Yellow Devil makes his way into the chamber by assembling himself piece by piece. You are not invulnerable as he's doing this so you must avoid his fragments until his complete. Once the Yellow Devil is whole, you'll see his weak point, a single red eye. His eye isn't exposed for very long. More than likely, you'll only have one chance to damage him before he disassembles himself to move to the other side of the room.

The most difficult part of this fight is when the Yellow Devil breaks down to move to the left or right side of the chamber. Every time he does this, you have to avoid his fragments, which come flying at you at alarming speeds. Many of your attempts to take this guy down are more than likely to end in failure until you figure out his pattern, which is thankfully the same every single time he switches sides. But while knowing that his pattern never changes does help, actually getting the pattern down is the tricky part. Knowing which fragments you need to jump over, which ones fly just over Mega Man's head without hitting him, making suure you hit him when his eye is vunerable and of course, being quick on the controls are all key to defeating the Yellow Devil. Jump too soon, jump to late or not jumping at all when you need to are all fatal mistakes.

There are plenty of Mega Man players that still struggle to take this boss down without resorting to the pause glitch. Variations of the Yellow Devil would appear throughout the series, but none of them came even close to matching the challenge brought forth by the original.

Mike Tyson - Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (NES)

The road to Kid Dynamite was a long and hard one. Mr. Sandman and Super Macho Man were some heavy hitters but even they don't have anything on the former heavy weight champion, Mike Tyson. You are truly in for the fight of your life.

Just as every other opponent has done throughout the game, Tyson telegraphs his move with a gesture. In the case of Iron Mike, winking. Unlike every other boxer, however, the speed of Tyson's punches are ridiculous. Nobody throws punches as fast as this guy. If you do not immediately dodge when Mike winks, you're going to have a very uncomfortable date with the boxing mat. The first 90 or so seconds of the match has Mike doing knockout punches, meaning with just one punch, all of your health is drained. One. Punch.

Knockout punches make trying to survive the first minute and half of a round sheer torture. It doesn't get any easier when Mike stops using one-hit KOs. Even his jabs, body blows and regular uppercuts hurt like you wouldn't believe. Little Mac's punches do so little damage to him and you probably won't have any Star Punches since Mike is using you as his punching bag.

Losing against Mike is an automatic Game Over. It is extremely rare to win this fight by decision. Mario will almost always rule in Tyson's favor. Mike probably threatened to punch the Mushrooms out of him or something.

M. Bison - Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (Multi)

Ah, Street Fighter II: The World Warrior. This game revolutionized the fighting genre. Because of this game, there's a huge tournament scene for fighting games. I guess you could say that this game is also the reason final bosses in fighting games are what they are. Before Shao Khan and SNK bosses, there was M. Bison, the boss that stole countless quarters and induced controller throwing fits of rage.

Your journey to reach Bision is no easy task. The three bosses that stand before him, Balrog, Vega and Sagat are worthy enough to have their own spots here on this very feature. But Bison is in a class all by himself. You know terms like owned, wrecked, destroyed, bodied, no holds bared beat down? All of them and every other word that sums up utter defeat is what Bison will do to you.

If various mediums have taught us anything, its that antagonists wearing capes are bad news. When the villain throws off the cape, it is very bad news because it usually means a serious beat down is about to ensue, Oh, look, Bison is wearing a cape. And he just took it off. The words "Oh crap" spring to mind.

Bison has a move to counter whatever you throw at him. Use a projectile? Head Stomp. Going for the anti-air move? Scissor Kick. Try to distance yourself away from him? He'll use his Psycho Crusher to clear the gap. Try to block his melee attacks? He'll throw you, breaking those lovely statues in the process. On top of always being prepared, Bison is extremely aggressive. If you don't come at him, he will come after you. You'll need some skill and a lot of luck to beat this guy.

The End - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Multi)

Metal Gear Solid 3, arguably the best game in the Metal Gear saga has some pretty cool boss fights. Each one is an encounter different from the last so no two fights feel the same. The "fight" with The Sorrow is different depending on how many soldiers you killed, if any. The Finale battle with The Boss among a field of white flowers can either be fought from a distance or up close and personal with CQC. And then there's the fight everyone seems to go ga-ga over, the fight with The End. I see so many claiming this as one of gaming's greatest boss battles. Whenever I play Metal Gear Solid 3 and I know the fight with The End is coming I let out many frustrated sighs.

You search four huge forest areas to find The End. He's quite the elusive fellow and how he manages to be so spry for a man of his advanced years is beyond me. I mean, the guy is wheelchair bound when the game introduces him and yet he gets all jazzed at the prospect of one final hunt. Eh, it isn't like this is the first time something in a Metal Gear game hasn't made a lick of sense.

My problem with The End isn't that the actual fight against him is hard because, in all the times I've fought him, I found nothing difficult about beating him. Hunting for this old man is BORING. I've been angry and frustrated during many bosses fights in all the years I've been playing games, but rarely have I felt bored out of my mind. You go around the the woods looking for this old geezer, spot him, shoot him and he runs off so you can do the whole thing all over again until he's dead. The End is so good at hiding and so quick at getting away that the fight against him drags on and on. I cannot fathom why anyone can find the fight against this decrepit old man enjoyable. But I know I'm in the minority, so more power to those people. I just wanna put a bullet in his brain and be done with him.

Outstanding Openers Vol. 1

Not every game immediately thrusts you into the gameplay. While its common place to have some kind of introduction scene in games these days, even before the HD era, we had games that took a bit of time to provide some plot before placing you in control. Outstanding Openers centers around intros that managed to grab my attention, make my jaw drop or say, "Wow, that was neat." Just click on the title of the game to see the opening unfold.

Super Mario 64 (N64)

Mario's trek into the third dimension was no small thing. I mean, this is Mr. Video Game we're talking about here. After getting an invite from Princess Peach via letter, the camera pans around her castle grounds to a lone green warp pipe where Mario makes his appearance with his signature move. Being renowned for his incredible jumping skills, its only fitting that Mario should literally leap onto the scene. This whole intro is made all the better with the opening music that Koji Kondo composed.

Mega Man 2 (NES)

Mega Man 2 opens with the game telling us Mega Man was created to stop Dr. Wily, who doesn't know when to quit because he created eight new robots to thwart the Blue Bomber. We then pan up to our metal hero, looking like a cute little 8-bit BAMF. Mega Man does a number of things well. Look awesome in blue, jumping and shooting and standing on roof tops with his hair blowing in the wind. Not too shabby for a boy robot. 

Sonic CD (SCD)

Thanks to digital distribution, Sonic CD is a much easier game to obtain. While I don't think this is 2D Sonic at his finest, its still a game work playing through. Sonic CD's opening is a true marvel, not just for the beautiful hand drawn animation, but for the way it portrays Sonic's speed. There's so much style to his movements in the game's opening cut scene that it isn't hard to see why Sonic is the dude with the 'tude. Fun fact: Sonic actually sneezes during the opening anime sequence.

Final Fantasy VII (PS, PC)

Its safe to say that anyone breathing was aware of the coming of Final Fantasy VII prior to its 1997 release. The hype force was strong with this one. Yet it's opening cut scene begins surprisingly on the quiet side. We see start with a breath-taking view of the starts, movie on to Aerith walking the streets of Migar and then the camera zooms out to show the city in full view as the game's logo splashes across the screen. Awesome! Now let's go blow some stuff up!

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2, XB, PS3)

There are two openers to Metal Gear Solid 2, the one listing all the cast members with scenes from the game spliced together like a movie trailer and the one that actually kicks off the game. I'm going to be focusing on the former. This sucker is so well crafted it could be the teaser trailer to a movie. Given that Metal Gear Solid games have you doing more watching as opposed to playing, that actually makes perfect sense. Harry Gregson-Williams, a man usually associated with cinema soundtracks, worked on the MGS2's soundtrack, including the superb arrangement of the Metal Gear Solid Main Theme, which plays during the game's trailer-like opening.

Favorite Tunes 124: Earn Your Ending

You know what I really like about the finale of a game? Well besides closure and knowing that I've finished another adventure, that ending and staff roll theme that you get at the end more often than not gives me a warm sense of accomplishment.

Staff Roll - Mega Man 3 (NES)

By tam6231990

Another Wily castle tumbles just like the mad doctor's ambitions. The road to this game's finale took much blood, sweat and tears when I was a lad, but its far less painful having run through this one countless times. That still hasn't put a dent in my enjoyment out of the third Mega Man entry. This is a good contender for my favorite Mega Man staff roll music. Its top five without question.

Ending - Super Bomberman (SNES)

When you aren't mixing it up in the games fabulous mayhem filled multiplayer mode (be sure to bring multi-tap so two more players can blow stuff up), you'll be blasting away strange baddies in Super Bomberman's normal mode, either alone or with a friend. Jun Chikuma crafted a fine soundtrack for Bomberman's first SNES outing, ending with this jaunty tune,

To Far Away Times - Chrono Trigger (SNES)

You've probably heard a myriad of wonderful things regarding Chrono Trigger. Its one of the finest RPGs of all-time. The battle system that uses combo attacks and ditches random encounters is amazing. The characters and story are highly memorable. And yup, all of it is true. After all of the many great tracks Yasunori Matsuda went on to composer, Chrono Trigger still ranks among his very best work.


Can't Say Goodbye to Yesterday - Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty (PS2)

You know, I used to think MGS2 had the longest cut scenes in the MGS saga. Then MGS4 came out and that was like a 2 hour movie. Say what you will about MGS2 but at least the cinemas were nowhere near as drawn out as MGS4. MGS2 also has the best vocal ending number.

The Second Truth From the Left - Secret of Mana (SNES)

Secret of Mana's ending was, well, a downer to put it bluntly. Sure, the kids save the world and all but the victory did not come cheap. But least we dwell too much on what was lost, let us bask in this glorious celebratory credits theme.

Credits - Dragon Ball Z: Budokai (PS2, GCN)

If you like Dragon Ball Z (who doesn't?) then this is sure to fill you with the warm and fuzzy feelings. Cha La Head Cha La is often viewed as one of the most popular opening songs in all anime. Its quite fitting that the first Budokai game's story mode concludes with a rocking instrumental version of said tune.

Favorite Tunes Database

The Greatest Video Games of All-Time Vol. 1

Some games are truly near and dear to my heart. These are the games that I go back to and play time and time again or look back on with immeasurable fondness. These are what I consider to be the greatest games in the history of the medium. It should go without saying that this is my own personal list. No doubt some gamers will take issues with some of my choices and that's fine. I've decided not to rank my picks. This feature isn't about where each particular game stands but rather about the games themselves. All of these games are here because I think they deserve to be so I'm not going to be bothered with attaching a number placement to them.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES, 1990)

My first, clear memories of gaming began with Mario so this feature may as well kick off with one of his best efforts. After taking a trip to the strange, yet intriguing world of Subcon in Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario and Luigi returned to the Mushroom World to take on the Koopa Troop once more. This time, Bowser got himself some extra help. Bowser has the Koopalings at his aid and has sent each one off to conquer seven worlds. Super Mario Bros. brought back the familiar power ups from the first Super Mario Bros. while introducing a slew of new ones. The Super Leaf allowed Mario the brief power of flight. The god-like powers of the Hammer Suit made losing it the most painful feeling in the world. The Frog Suit made those torturous underwater levels a breeze. So many power-ups and suits were at your disposal that you could stock them up for later use. But Super Mario Bros. 3 didn't just expand the number of power-ups. The worlds of the game were so much bigger than the ones in Super Mario Bros. 1-2 that they were each comprised on their own world map. This of course meant you could bypass certain levels all together. Super Mario Bros. 3 also hosts some of the shortest levels of the franchise, which made lack of checkpoints on the more difficult levels especially painful. Improved controls made using the new abilities you gained so much more satisfying, making for a platform fan's utopia on the NES. From start to finish, Super Mario Bros. 3 is an unforgettable thrill ride that never gets old no matter how many times I play it.

Also on: SNES, GBA, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, 

Sonic 3 & Knuckles (GEN, 1994)

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was released in Feburary of 1994. Come October of that same year, Sonic and Knuckles stormed onto the Genesis. Strap Sonic 3 onto Sonic & Knuckles through the later cart's lock-on technology and you get Sonic 3 & Knuckles, the mammoth sized game Sonic 3 was always intended to be. Taking plenty of cues from Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles has expansive zones to explore and keeps much of the same high speed fun and platforming. The game does, however, spice things up by giving you three characters to play as. While Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are all speedy little devils, each one has something that sets them apart. Sonic controls the same way he always has but Tails can fly and swim for brief periods of time. Knuckles can't jump as high as the previous two but he can glide, climb walls and bust down certain walls to reveal shortcuts. Those new elemental shields really came in handy depending on what area you were in and were a step up from the first game's vanilla shield. Throw in some slickly design zones, some incredible final boss battles and some catchy, mondo cool beats and you've got my all-time favorite Sonic game. Don't bother play these games as stand alone titles. You're doing yourself a great disservice.

Also on: SAT, GCN, PS2, XB, DS, Wii

Final Fantasy VI (SNES, 1994)

Final Fantasy VI features an intriguing plot driven by some of the most colorful cast of characters in an RPG. Through Terra, Lock, Celes, Shadow and the rest, the game deals with some pretty heavy issues like coping with the loss of loved ones, suicide, teenage pregnancy and coming to terms with who you are. The good guys are a wonderful band of protagonists but they really do get upstaged by the game's villain, Kefka. Initially introduced as a gofer, by the time you reach the second half of the game, Kefka is the god of magic, has transformed the world into his own private hell and most of the remaining populace lives in fear because the maniacal clown can pretty much put an end to their existence whenever he feels like it. The different character classes keeps the battles from growing stale and the relics that can be equipped turn some characters into walking tanks. Fine as the battle system is, though, the real attractions of Final Fantasy VI are the story and memorable cast members.

Also on: PS, PS3, Wii, iOS

Gunstar Heroes (GEN, 1993)

Konami's Contra franchise houses some truly magnificent run 'n gun games, with the crown jewel being Contra III. So it's fitting that some of Contra III's staff would go on to form Treasure and their first game as the company was the legendary Gunstar Heroes. Gunstar Heroes does much to make it stand out from most games in the genre. You actually have a health meter that can be increased. The first four levels can be selected in the order of your choosing. You can mix and match weapon combos for devastating, even game breaking results. Even your partner in co-op play can be hurled at the enemies and will receive no damage in turn. The level design is also quite lively. The anti-gravity mine cart level lets you shift gravity at any time and is capped off with a jaw dropping battle against Seven Force, a shape changing mech. There's even a crazy board game stage where you roll dice and get sent off to do a myriad of different trials such as getting through a maze or fighting a pint sized soldier who is far stronger than his size would lead you to believe. All of this and some of the most impressive visuals and audio on the Genesis make Gunstar Heroes a 16-bit masterpiece.

Also on: PS3, Wii, 360, iOS

Final Fight (ARC, 1989)

Mayor Mike Haggar's daughter has been kidnapped! That's terrible! Does Haggar sic the police on those awful Mad Gear thugs? Nope. Being a former pro wrestler, he's not afraid to get his hands dirty so he takes to the streets along with Cody and Guy to clean their filthy clocks. Walk to the right and beat up mook after mook. Some are harder to take down than others but the concept of the game is simple, repetitive, beat 'em up fun and great for when you just want to zone out. Being an arcade game, Final Fight is on the brutal side and if you happen to being playing the arcade version, expect to see up to eight Mad Gears on the screen at one time, even if you have back up. Guy is quick and can wall jump, Cody has a really good stabbing hand whenever a knife is nearby and Haggar moves like a tank and has the muscle of said machine. Choose your brawler and go save that daughter!

Also on: SNES, SCD, GBA, PS2, XB, PSP, Wii, PS3, 360, Wii U, iOS

Mega Man 3 (NES, 1990)

The second Mega Man game I ever played is, in my honest opinion, the greatest Mega Man game of the whole franchise, yes, even eclipsing the highly praised Mega Man 2. Mega Man 3 kept plenty of what had become series staples by this point. Crafty level design, a catchy chiptune soundtrack, and some pretty memorable bosses, even if Top Man is a little bit of an oddball. This game also brought some new things to the table. The mysterious, fan favorite Proto Man would often show up to challenge you and other times, he'd aid you. Mega Man gained his faithful robo canine Rush in this outing as well as some faster maneuverability with the slide move. Along with all the new stuff the game has going for it, Mega Man 3 shows that it isn't afraid to tread some old ground. All of the Robot Masters from Mega Man 2 are back and so is a second incarnation of the dreaded Yellow Devil. Mega Man 3 is a long (at least in terms of classic Mega Man), sometimes frustrating, but very entertaining Mega Man experience that I love returning to.

Also on: PS, GCN, PS2, XB, Wii, Wii U, 3DS

Donkey Kong (GB, 1994)

Everyone remembers the 1981 arcade classic Donkey Kong. Platform through four levels to rescue Mario's girlfriend Pauline all the while being assaulted by her captor, the big ape himself. At the end of the fourth level, Mario trounces DK and is reunited with Pauline. But then Donkey Kong gets back up, kidnaps Pauline again and initiates one of the lengthiest video game chases ever, going to the city, the jungle, the desert and even the arctic to name a few locals. Huh. That never happened back in 1981. This masterful handheld Donkey Kong game contains all four original arcade levels and 97 brand  new stages. Mario can perform hand stands, back flips, double jumps and more. And you thought Mario's jump game didn't get crazy until Super Mario 64. You'll need Mario's insane acrobatic moves to navigate through this platform/puzzle affair to reach the key and proceed on to the next stage. Mario still has access to his trusty hammer, he can pick up certain enemies and chuck them at other baddies a la Super Mario Bros. 2, and his durability has been improved so he can fall from slightly greater heights and still keep breathing. If you're looking to see Mario and Donkey Kong's rivalry at it's very best, look no further than Donkey Kong on the GB.

Also on: 3DS

Out Run (ARC, 1986)

Yu Suzuki's driving masterpiece is quite simply one of the finest video games that has ever come out of SEGA. The only thing you're outrunning in Out Run is the clock as you drive cross country with your girlfriend at your side through five different stages. When you approach the end of the stage, you'll come across a fork in the road, which lets you choose which destination you'll travel to next. Most arcade racers at the time had you traveling the same path over and over but the non-liner stage progression really keeps Out Run from getting stale. Using "super scaler" technology (also used in games like Super Hang-On, Space Harrier After Burner, and Galaxy Force II) Out Run pumps put some eye widening visuals that remain impressive almost 30 years after the game was released. Ditto for the game's soundtrack. "Magical Sound Shower", "Splash Wave", "Passing Breeze," and "Last Wave" rank right up there with the "Ground Theme" from Super Mario Bros. when it comes to iconic game music. It may seem dull on paper, but passing other cars, handling tight turns and traveling the world on four wheels at high speeds is one of the best experiences the medium of gaming has to offer.

Also on: SMS, GEN, GG, MSX, SAT, PCE, DC, GBA, PS2, XB, 3DS

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2, 2001)

The stealth action gameplay had been refined from the original Metal Gear Solid. Being able to aim in first person mode with any gun allowed for greater accuracy and the inclusion of lockers meant you could hide bodies to avoid alerting other enemy soldiers to your presence or unleash your inner bully. Many were butt hurt upon learning that Solid Snake had been replaced by newcomer Raiden , but I honestly didn't mind this because, as much as I like Snake, the gaming world is overrun with characters just like him. MGS2 also catches flak for its cheesy romance between Jack and Rose and absurd story moments. Yeah, let's pretend the other MGS games are perfection and don't have more than their fair share of eye rolling moments.

Aslo on: XB, PS3. 360

Kirby's Return to Dream Land (Wii, 2011)

Good things are worth waiting for and such is the case with Kirby's Return to Dream Land, a game that went through a lengthy development cycle, spanning a little over ten years.  The game plays like a bigger, better Kirby Super Star, which is pretty impressive when you consider that Kirby and Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai had nothing to do with this game's development. New abilities are introduced, older abilities are enhanced and it has chaotic, but super fun, drop-in-and-out four player multiplayer. Anyone that isn't the first player can play as non-pink Kirbys or select from King Dedede, Meta Knight and Waddle Dee. The game also sports a beefy amount of bonus content like an EX version of the game's main story mode, which gives bosses more attacks, cuts your life bar in half and overall makes the game a lot more challenging. There's also the Challenge mode that has you mastering each Copy Ability to be awarded the highest ranking medal, which, surprise, surprise, isn't gold. The Arena, a boss rush mode also makes a come back as does The True Arena. From Pop Star to Halcandra, to insane duels with Galacta Knight, to fun with acronyms, and cutting a mountain in half with a giant fish, Kirby's Return to Dream Land gets my vote as the best Kirby game ever.

The Greatest Video Games of All-Time Vol. 2
The Greatest Video Games of All-Time Database