all time favorite video games 13-12

I'm back after an extended layover that included being sick, my parents literally being snowed-in to Marquette, Karen having someone hitting her car and of course the sled dog races. The UP 200 was a blast and I think my family enjoyed it. In other news, we debuted a new board game last night at WNSC called "Colosseum," which was pretty darn good. But, you probably want the games. Also you might notice that my CD's I'm looking for has went down by one as Karen rocked and purchased Kanye West's "Graduation" for me. Thanks to her for that... Here we go!

13. Mario Kart 64 (64)
Mario Kart 64 remains one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences ever. While the SNES debuted the Mario Kart series, it wasn't until the the awesome four player experience of the 64 that people really gave it the respect it deserves. The ability to select 8 people (remember kids, fat characters have the advantage in bumping other players) and drive on 16 tracks was enough to put gamers into heaven. Great level design on tracks such as Bowser's Castle, Koopa Troopa Beach and of course Wario Stadium allowed for many hours of racing fun.
But it wasn't just about the racing. Mario Kart 64 also contained worthwhile battle modes. One time, Joe Yang, Brett Schalk and myself once played 100 games of battle in a row. I forget who won, I believe we all ended up in the 30's for victory, so it must have been close. I do remember that I was grounded by my parents at the time (think of how long 100 three player games of battle mode takes), but it was worth it just to have the memory. Fun Fact: If you look at the picture of the character select, I just found out that Magikoopa was originally going to replace Donkey Kong in the series. Good thing they didn't...

12. Resident Evil: REmake (GC)
All the way up at number twelve comes the Gamecube remake of Resident Evil or more commonly called Resident Evil: REmake. Get it? RE stands for Resident Evil and "remake" starts with "re"! Oh the funniness ensues! Anyway, after you get done laughing about that, see what this game has going for it. The original Resident Evil for the Playstation One was a huge his and basically evolved the horror genre of video games. Capcom went all out for Gamecube owners. Not only did the game get a complete graphical overhaul (and a visual feast of one at that) but it also had branching storylines and the best feature of all--reincarnation.
If you've ever played a Resident Evil (0-3 at least) you know that there are basically two ways to kill the zombies: 1) either damage them enough that they simply "pass out" in death, or 2) destroy the head directly. When they redid this masterpiece they decided to make a slight change in system. Why would simply damaging the body do enough to put a zombie down for the count? After a while in the game you come across storerooms full of gasoline cans...but what could they be for? If you kill a zombie in REmake, you better make sure you destroy the head OR BURN THE FRIGGIN' BODY! If you fail to burn the body, the zombies come back as "Crimson Heads" zombies with red skin that are faster, tougher, and generally wreck havoc on the player. They are so scary--always carry your lighter and gasoline around the mansion if...you have the room to hold them in your inventory. Solid, solid game.

UP NEXT: The final NES game and the final PS2 game. What could they be?!

all time favorite video games 15-14

We're in the top 15, and this will be my last post for at least two days. My parents are bravely trying to avoid closed roads and high winds and snow to make it up to visit us. The lure the UP 200 Dog Sled Races is just too much... In other news, Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers was at NMU yesterday night. As I was still too sick to get to work, I left the house for the first time in three days to go and see him. He was rather funny. Not too rude and crude, and a great sense of improv-ed jokes as he went along. He ripped us for having him in the volleyball arena and a good time was had by all. I posed some pictures and videos on Facebook earlier today.

15. Tecmo Bowl (NES)
Tecmo Bowl is without a doubt my favorite main sport sports game of all time. Main sport being baseball, hockey, basketball, and football. I just realized that one of each type made the top 75. Generally speaking though, Tecmo Bowl is NOT our highest ranked sports game on this list. Puzzled? Soon you'll have your answer. Tecmo Bowl is a great blend of easy to use controls and...uh...graph--no...uh...play opt--no, not that either...hmm... Well, truthfully, Tecmo Bowl is only great because of how damn easy it was to play. The graphics suck. You get to choose a grand total of four plays on offense and (gasp!) the same four plays on defense. Truthfully, I hate football in general, much less games based on football, but Tecmo Bowl was so accessible that a guy could fall in love with it even though he couldn't tell you names of the positions in the game.I always play as the 49ers, due to the strengths of Joe Montana, Jim Rice, and Ronnie Lott. Why, you ask, are there only 12 teams in the game? Who knows. Why are there only nine players on each team? Who cares? All I know is that this game is damn hard to stop playing once you start. Sure you can usually kill the computer 56-18 or so, but that's the fun of it! You can block most field goals, intercept a few passes a game, and break tackles in the meantime. This game had it all. And don't even get me started on those beautiful 8-bit starlets that are the halftime cheerleaders...

14. Super Mario World (SNES)
The Super Mario games for the NES were good, but Super Mario World was better. The world was bigger, the powers greater, the enemies cooler, and above all the graphics rocked. I remember being at a friend's house and watching him play one of the mini-dungeons where you fight the Koopas on the fence looking thing. When he tapped the wall and spun around behind the foreground, I nearly shat myself. How was this possible? Video games were changing, and Mario was leading the way once again. The story was unique and not set in the Mushroom Kingdom, but rather in Dinosaur Isle. Yoshi was introduced in not one, two, or three, but four colors.
The bosses were unique as well, with the tradition of the Koopa Kids from Mario 3 carried over to this much grander scale. What really separated this game for me was the multiple ways you could clear stages. New paths would open up and the overworld would literally change. Did you remember to find the Top Secret area? Some of the stages were excruciatingly hard, but all of them were beautiful. This was a great game and also a great two player game, with Nintendo conveniently allowing a good player to support a bad player by giving them extra guys. And just when you thought you had beaten all the stages, the Star World opened up. And after you whooped that, the Special World opened up. The Special World is still one of the hardest collections of stages ever seen. This ranks as the highest Mario game on our countdown.

UP NEXT: A Gamecube remake of an old PSX game and an N64 sequel to a popular SNES game...any guesses!? Any games you think are still to come?

all time favorite video games 18-16

Egads, we're getting closer to the top of the heap! After today we are at the top 15? Are there any games you're still expecting to make an appearance? Hmm. I will let you in on a little secret: the top 15 games are for no less than six systems. Oh the suspense! Oh the intrigue! On to the games that sadly just missed the top 15. Today's games are all revolutionary in their own way...

18. Super Mario 64 (N64)
Super Mario 64 was only responsible for one thing--making platforming games 3D instead of 2D. Think about that for a second. Instead of moving up and down as games had always done, Nintendo successfully added depth to the equation. This Mario game could have easily failed, but Nintendo did a wonderful job as always and brought the industry into an entirely new age. Imagine series such as Tomb Raider or Metal Gear as a 2D (2 1/2D). They wouldn't work as well, would they? Let us not just admire this masterpiece for breaking new ground, let us also honor it for the wonderful game it was. Previous Mario games allowed you to jump and climb. Mario 64 allowed you climb and jump...and double jump, triple jump, back flip, crouch, crawl, hang, somersault, side flip, vault, slide, and more that I'm probably forgetting. Super Mario 64 will always stand out in my mind because whenever I started a new game I would usually spend about five minutes just playing around in the courtyard outside the castle doing Mario's new moves. The main game itself was awesome with some 15+ worlds, hidden coins, hidden castle stars, memorable Bowser battles, and truly creative scenarios that led to your quest to find 120 stars. If you did find them all a cannon opened up in the courtyard and allowed you to find Yoshi on the roof of the castle. Another subtle but awesome touch. Solid game that hasn't had a worthwhile successor--Mario Galaxy could be it though...

17. The Legend of Zelda (NES)
If you were a true Nintendo fan in the day you were either of the camp that A-Mario the superhero-ish type was they way to go, B-Metroid was the sci-fi adventure you always yearned for, or C-the medieval fantasy adventure type. If you were type C, Zelda was your game of choice. Zelda gave us a new perspective on a game, focusing on a 2 1/2D overhead view that falsely made it look like the game had more depth than it did. An expansive overworld and numerous dungeons gave explorers more than enough options. Unlike Mario and Metroid, buying items was a huge factor in Zelda as well. Sometimes you just really needed that blue candle, and were forced to pony up the rupees to pay for it. The game also contained several areas of map that were puzzle like. The lost woods required one to walk through the same piece of map over and over in the correct order to successfully navigate the forest. The plot was a bit of a mystery. At times you'd find a creepy old man or woman in a cave and they would allude to something important, just not important to you. It would be if you knew how it was all supposed to tie together. Still, you knew you were trying to save a princess and that was good enough. The wide variety of items and the intuitive ways they allowed you to explore was highly enjoyable. I do know that this game as aged well also. Pick it up or download it for $5 off the Wii if you somehow haven't played it. You'll thank me later.

16. Wii Sports (WII)
When the Gamecube came out, I considered myself getting too old for video games and I initially refused to purchase the system. After it was out a year, I caved in and bought it and haven't missed a step since then. When Nintendo announced the Wii, I counted down days for years before it actually was released. I even dressed up as the Wii for Halloween--long before anyone knew what the hell the Wii was. I took the day before launch off of work as did Karen and I stopped at Walmart on my way home from substitute teaching and saw that there were already five people in line. I promptly called Karen who came with our chairs/games/snacks/food and we posted in line. After waiting in that line with 30 other people for OVER 32 HOURS midnight of the next day finally came. We purchases the Wii, Wii Sports, Call of Duty 3, Monkey Ball, Zelda: Twilight Princess, and extra Nunchuk, and an extra Wiimote. Most of the other people in line had their jaw drop when they saw our haul. I forget what it came to, but it was well more than 400 dollars. Any why do I tell this long tale? I was among the first that was able to run home and try Nintendo's new motion technology. Wii Sports is the embodiment of where games are headed. Despite Sony and Microsoft's best graphical efforts Nintendo has proven that the way you interact with video games is the future. Graphics will come with time, but Nintendo is changing the way people perceive and play games. Steering wheel, gun attachments, balance boards, etc., Wii Sports started this whole trend. Tennis, baseball, and golf were solid, boxing was draining, but bowling is where this game really stood out. Wii bowling became so popular that first year that we formed a six team virtual bowling league complete with standings, schedule, records, and handicaps. The league lasted about nine weeks with playoffs, but I will never forget the sense of wonder this game inspired in people. I wish the Wii all the continued success in the world for breaking the mold with Wii Sports and carrying on into the future.

UP NEXT: The top Mario platformer and the 2nd highest ranking sports game. We're in the top 15 people! Can you believe it? Not many to go now!

all time favorite video games 21-19

Well I'm feeling a little better today, let's hope it was a one day bug and not me getting sick with something worse. My parents will be here in 48 hours for good times. Can you believe after this we only have one more entry of three games before we're at the top 15? Seems like I just started this list, and already we're coming to the end. Have you figured out what number one is yet? Any guesses on which two non-Nintendo games have survived this far? We won't reveal them today...

21. Ice Hockey (NES)
Ice Hockey should be a fairly straightforward game, but I've seen many a newbie try to pick this up and be utterly befuddled by the operation of the goalie. Its simple, you move up or you move down. Where people get confused is that they actually control the goalie at all times, even if they are moving another skater about the rink. When someone gets ready to shoot on you, you have to ignore the rest of your team and concentrate on what the goalie is doing. It sounds simple, but I haven't seen anyone yet who would beat me at the game. Between periods, you are treated to the Zamboni machine's resurfacing the ice. Players can get into fights and end up in the penalty box. That's it. No lace here, just a great straightforward game.

20. Perfect Dark (N64)
It seemed impossible when Rare announced that they were doing a "pseudo-sequel" to Goldeneye 64. The main protagonist is a girl? Aliens? What is going on here? Then you realize they included several of the levels from James Bond (Facility, anyone?), and you begin to give the game a shot. The one player mode is pretty damn good. Whoa! Cooperative and Counter-Operative modes? The multiplayer was again the strength of this game. Loads of options (King of the Hill, Data Uplink, Deathmatch, etc.), tons of characters (now those aliens are sounding pretty cool, eh?), and the ability to include AI in multiplayer gave a whole new meaning to human versus computer. As much as we played this game back in the day, it was these human vs. computer matchups that were so darn fun. Put a really deadly bot in the game and prepare to be frustrated!

19. Super Street Fighter II (SNES)
You had to know Street Fighter wouldn't be done that easily, didn't you? Super Street Fighter II for the Super Nintendo was about the 24,039,024 version of the game they released and for my money it was the best. You were now able to pick 16 characters (including my favorites, Ryu, Vega, Bison, Balrog, and Fei Long) and do battle the world over. This was essentially the same game as its predecessors, but it was the definitive collection. Matt Hudson and I started a tournament to see who was better. We made a large grid that included every possible combination of matches and played them off and on for years. We still have not finished that tournament and may never finish it, but last I checked I was up by quite a few... :) Street Fighter is, was, and always will be the greatest fighting game of all time.

UP NEXT: Mario and Link combine for two of their remaining seven spots. And a game that revolutionized the entire industry. What could it be!?

all time favorite video games 24-22

Today is a bit of a bittersweet entry. I haven't been productive the last two days, and after working out at the gym today for just shy of two hours, I either overexerted myself or weakened my system for a possible stomach flu. I am dizzy, and am having difficulty concentrating. I sadly am going to miss work tonight as well. None of this is particularly bad, but the fact that my parents are coming up in less than 72 hours is certainly alarming. I don't want to be healthy for a year and a half and then get sick when I have people staying with me for the UP 200. Sigh. Doesn't life always seem to work out that way? Anyway, on to the list...

24. Mario Kart Wii (WII)
Our first entry by the vaunted Mario Kart series comes in at number 24. Mario Kart Wii has everything going for it: The best online play any Nintendo console game has had yet, the biggest selection of drivers and cart and bikes ever, and best of all, 32 race tracks before mirror mode. Mario Kart also has the option to play battle mode, again with more boards than ever before. You can now use a steering wheel in addition to the many other ways to play. Why does this game rank so low on the list then? Why is it not even the top Mario Kart game? Two reasons. One, The game hasn't been out that long compared to the others. And two, I haven't had a group of friends that defines the game with me. The online application is a nice touch, and I love racing against people worldwide, but at this point it doesn't match the face to face split screen stuff of lore.

23. WCW/nWo Revenge (N64)
Wrestling games have always occupied a special place in my heart, but that sadly was when I watched wresting. I haven't watched in many years, and I don't play these games anymore. This one was always the pinnacle though, the nWo was hot, WCW was doing well, and the game had an amazing engine. I used to play this with the guys all the time. With dozens and dozens of wrestlers to choose from big shots like Sting and Hulk Hogan to little dudes like Chris Jericho and La Parka, you could play as almost anyone. The mechanics of the game and fluidity of motion always made me prefer this to the games the WWF was putting out at that time. Fun story: One time I played a 60 minute wrestling match in tag teams against Brett. I can't remember who the other two people playing were, but I can tell that when I pinned him with seconds to go Brett pulled a Brett and not so casually tossed the controller against the wall! Good times, good times. Maybe someday I'll do an entry on Brett, a dice, and a certain window on Drummond Island--then again maybe he wouldn't like that! Just teasing ya, Brett!

22. Metroid (NES)
True story. After Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt, the first game my parents bought for our new NES was Metroid. It was purchased from Fisher Big Wheel in Alpena and provided me hours of entertainment. Metroid is not an easy game. The fact that you could--wait for it--walk in either direction, left or right, allowed a freedom that Super Mario Bros. could only dream of. Finding all the missile expansions and the energy tanks provided hours of joy. Making it though Tourain was hard, especially the last sequence of barriers and the Mother Brain. But surprise! You still had to fight Metroids and get out of the exploding area by a series of jumps versus the timed detonation. I confess I never did the "Samus-is-really-a-girl" time required to learn the shocking secret. But I do love that code (JUSTIN BAILEY 000000 000000).

UP NEXT: Sports, tournament combat, and a shooter! Or Olympic action, world warriors, and a pseudo-sequel (the most famous in history) any guesses?! And with that...I'm heading to bed.

all time favorite video games 27-25

Welcome to the leather edition of ATFVG! Two of the games on this list have occupied many, many, many hours of my life, while the third has always just been a special game to me. We're into the top twenty-five...have you enjoyed the ride so far?

27. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES)
The first Castlevania was memorable--an action game where our whip slinging hero went stage by stage defeating such classic horror staples as Medusa, gargoyles, mummies, and ultimately Dracula. A repeat of the same formula would have been just as good, but instead Konami decided to try something else. I'm not sure exactly what their goal was in creating this game. Imagine the original Metroid with a much more in depth storyline and less clues about what is actually going on. You play as Simon Belmont, who, for some reason, has to collect Dracula's body parts in order to defeat him again. That part never made sense to me. Why not just leave his body part scattered across the land? Maybe it was in that destroying Dracula's essence the curse that had fallen over the land would be lifted. You see, while the lands of Castlevania were perilious in the day time, when the night fell, a curse would transform the beasts that roamed the forests, caves, and rivers making them twice as strong. This unique day/night feature really added some feel and sense of time to the game. It was very innovative for its day. Numerous hidden items, hidden villagers, hidden paths, and of course the deadly "mansions" that contained bosses made for a deeply engrossing game that I have always had a fond spot for in my heart.

26. NBA Jam: Tourament Edition (SNES)
If I could stack all the hours Chad and I played this game over the years, I could probably go on a long vacation. The draw to defeat every team in NBA Jam was insatiable. The good mix of player attributes and very, very simple play mechanics allowed for ridiculous scores and a blend of scorching three-pointers ("he's on firrrre!") and over the top dunks ("boom-shak-a-laka!"). It was the perfect two player game and also contained one of the first instances of easter eggs in games with the unlockable people you could play as such as Bill Clinton, the Beastie Boys, or a handful of NBA mascots. No matter how easy the game became, there was always that game that went right down to the wire and depended on the shot at the buzzer. Good times, good times.

25. Sid Meier's Civilization (SNES)
For any of you who are PC gamers, you will probably yearn to stab me for picking the classic Civilization...for the Super Nintendo. Fact is, this game intrigued me and I grew up without a computer. I have always preferred games on the console (with the few notable exceptions on this list), and it was my only way to play Civilization. Since I have already reviewed Civ II and Civ IV on this list, I'll leave you with a story instead. My friend Chad once stayed the night, and as was our tradition, we would always try to play through an enitre game over the course of a night. One time we tried this with Civilization. To our credit we would have beaten the game, but in a moment of pure stupidity, I mockingly went to press the reset button. I wasn't supposed to actually hit the button, but somehow I did and we lost about 12 hours of gameplay. We had never saved the game. Ugh. After that we didn't have a chance to beat the game, though I have many times over the course of my life. This one ranks higher than the other Civ games for being what started the love interest.

UP NEXT:We're going waaaaaaaaay back for a space adventure, an installment in a certain popular kart racing game, and, AND, "The Wolfpack is back causin' mass destruction..." See you tomorrow faithful reader!

all time favorite video games 30-28

The march of war moves forward! Our faithful hero, Mario, finds himself surrounded by survival horror! Egads! What is the world coming to when someone trying to save a princess is overshadowed by things that go bump in the night?

30. Super Mario Bros. (NES)
Seems hard to believe that it was twenty-five years ago that I picked up a controller and tried this game called Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo. I wasn't raised on PC or Atari, but I had seen them before. My parents had a few friends who owned a Nintendo back in the day--we did not. Going to their house to play Super Mario was a special privilage. Soon after (maybe a year or two?), my parents bought a Nintendo as well. This entire time in my life was very exciting, and Super Mario Bros. will always be representative of that fact. Growing up with Nintendo has been a lifelong bond, and they will be hard pressed to not have my allegiance. I never beat this game as a kid. True story. In fact, it was only three or four years ago that I played through this and Super Mario Bros. 2. Finally, the princess is, for me, not in another damn castle. :)

29. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (GC)
First off, a big shame on you for those of you who haven't played this gem. I was tempted to make this game quite a bit higher for the mere awesomeness of the design, but it ended up at the 29 spot. Eternal Darkness was a new stab at Survival Horror, which was becoming big business at the time due to successes like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Fatal Frame. Eternal Darkness was quite a bit different though, more of an action game than actual survival horror, the qualities added to this game were many. First off, we had an engaging storyline. Not only did you play in a creepy house as young woman trying to uncover a family mystery, you also went back in time for 13 stages at various periods in the earth's history. The idea that evil kept being reincarnated throughout history was a deeply engrossing storyline that tied all of the characters together. You could find weapons to attack the undead legions, but the game was also magic based. You could learn something like 12 spells and each spell had a red, blue, and green variation which counteracted the enemies strengths and weaknesses. This alone would have been enough for a kick ass game, but they didn't stop there. See this blue screen of death? This actually happened to your television while you were playing. You see, in addition to your character having a life and magic meter, they also had a "sanity" meter. If your character became startled, jumpy, or scared, the meter would increase. If the meter maxed out (and sometimes you would do it just for fun) weird effects would begin to happen to your game. Perhaps you'd cut to this blue screen of death. Maybe your television would falsely turn off. A fly might appear "on" the screen, a la the movie The Ring. Sometimes your characters head would simply explode and game over would appear on the the screen. Maybe you'd begin to suddenly walk through the floor, continuing to sink further and further into the floor. There were more than that, but those were some of my favorites. Always an adventure to play, i'm shocked this game never spawned a sequel. It was fabulous. "This...can't...be...happening!"

28. Resident Evil 2 (N64)
Resident Evil 2. What's your favorite Resident Evil? This game will always be special to me for it introduced me to the series. I found the game at a game store once used for the Nintendo 64. Those of you who played games during the 64 v. PS days know that Nintendo did not release the Resident Evil games. To find this, the sole entry on a big "N" console was a treat. Then I played the game. My first survival horror experience. I was hooked. Management of resources, changing storylines, and above all a dark, depressive atmosphere, it was a wonderful time. This showed me that games can make you jump--and no matter what anyone says, a game is a much scarier endeavor than a movie anyday. Plus this game had Mr. X, the Tyrant. If you ever played a game, you know how scary that statement is.

UP NEXT: The leather spectacular! Leather balls! Leather armor! Leather whips! Leather lions, leather tigers, and leather bears, oh my!

all time favorite video games 34-31

Welcome to the Friday edition of Northern Comfort's special video game countdown. Some good titles again today (at least in MY opinion!) ranging from the early days of the NES to a recent title for the PC...

34. Super Mario Galaxy (WII)
Gorgeous graphics and a new theme met Mario in his debut for the Wii. A single land like Super Mario Bros.? Too small. An entire world like Super Mario World? Still not big enough. In this game Mario and pals graduate into an entire Galaxy. A really, really, fun Galaxy. The game dynamics were completed overhauled allowing you to run around planets, fly, walk on walls, walk upside down, go inside a planet, and anything else you can think of. I hadn't enjoyed a Mario game anywhere near this much in a long time. And the game introduced some new concepts to the series as well: new characters(!), the ability to find hidden challenges within the stages, unlockable challenges later in the game, and the ability to complete the game a second time on harder difficulty with Luigi as the star. How they managed to cram all of this into a game and still make it feel nostalgic and comforting to old school Mario players speaks volumes about Nintendo's ability to handle their flagship franchises.

33. Tetris (NES)
Tetris was designed by some guy in Russia who probably was good at organizing the boxes in his closet and cashed in on a good idea. Certainly not the most intellectually stimulating game on the market two decades ago, your Tetris skills still represented your reputation as a video game player. Could you break 100 lines? How about 150? 200? As the pieces went faster and faster the difficulty intensified. Accompanied by frenzied music that doubled the tempo when you were about to lose, finding that elusive four long straight block could drive you nuts. I remember as a kid being confused renting video games when it came to Tetris. In a move that would never happen today, there were not one, not two, but three versions of Tetris on the market at the same time. I liked to call them the "gold version," the "purple version," and the "blue version." To my recollection they were all the same exact game--but I own one, so maybe my memory is clouded here.

32. The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time (N64)
Two questions assaulted gamers when Ocarina of time debuted. The lesser question--how would Zelda work as a 3rd person, fully 3-D adventure game? The bigger question--what the hell was an Ocarina? My friends and I used to joke about a commercial that was playing on TV at the time involving some chap named "Yablo" who was, as the commercial professed, the master of the ocarina. Master? Master Sword, anyone? Ocarina? Ocarina of time? Hmm... I suspect either this is one of the most random coincidences of all time--or NINTENDO WAS BEHIND THIS YABLO CHAP AND WERE SENDING OUT SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES!
It worked. Ocarina of time was the first game I would call an immersive adventure. The world was so large you couldn't fathom that it could take 10-20 minutes to go from corner to corner of the overworld. The ability to go back in forth in time to Link as a young kid meeting Zelda and then morph to present day to see Link as an adult allowed for an engaging storyline. The introduction of Gannon as Gannondorf, who was more human than previously imagined, which only made him even damn cooler. Amazing and breathtaking graphics and more hidden things than you could possibly find (skulltellas, anyone?), this game had it all. The age of 2 1/2D Zelda games was dead and 3D was here to stay. (And before anyone says it, Four Swords Adventures does not count) Just as Metroid, I have to wonder if we will ever get another old school Zelda game.

31. Civilization IV (PC)
If you own a computer, and I'm guessing if you are reading this you do, go out and buy this game. Come back in a week and keep reading for you will probably play Civ IV nonstop for about seven days. This is a simply wonderful game. The mechanics of programming must be a nightmare for the amount of stuff that is going on both on the screen and in your cities. Whereas in old Civ games you could win either A-conquering the world or B-being the first to land a spaceship on a planet near Alpha Centauri, this game upped the ante and provided at least six ways to win the game. Can we dominate with culture? Yes we can! Can we dominate with religion? Yes we can! Can we dominate with trade and commerce? Yes we can! How about a diplomatic victory? Yes we can! Methinks Obama would like this game's attitude towards freedom. For me the biggest thrill was the culture. Imagine a game where you could concentrate on building your city to be the best it can be. I know, been there done that. Now, imagine that if you city is doing well you should begin to exert some influence around the lands around you, yes? That is exactly what the fun mechanic of this game is all about. You can convert other cities and surrounding lands to your cause simply by using theaters, mass media, and other devices. A game that allows you crush your enemy without throwing a single punch is pretty special. Of course that doesn't mean the Mongolians are going to sit by idly while your free society preaches its values to their people. Maybe we should build some soldiers just in case. Oh yeah, and there's that whole relive time through the ages/build world wonders/explore the world for the first time aspect as well. This game rocks. Buy it.

UP NEXT: Wow--how did the greatest game of all time get seeded with two survival horror games? No idea, but should be an awesome entry in the next edition!

Some other dude's number 1. The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time (LIVE ACTION)
Boy do I wish I had the balls do this and put it on the Internet. I mean I love the Zelda games and all, but damn. All you Playstation, XBox and Sega fans just look on the ideal citizens that are Nintendo fans. Feast your eyes upon his awesome shield. Turn your gaze to his sword of power. Set your stare on his amazing...tights? Yikes. Moving on.

all time favorite video games 38-35

Welcome to the special Mario and Link edition of our countdown. Today features games that run from antiquity to modern, but share the same heroes. An elvish warrior who barely speaks throughout 20 years in the business and a plump plumber who must constantly battle a oversized dragon/dinosaur. Who know they would become so famous?

38. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
Everyone's favorite Mario game (at the least, everyone's favorite NES Mario game) comes in at 38. I loved the variety of this game, and also the fact that everyone who played it seemed to have a good time. A challenging final world was weakened by a lame boss battle with Bowser at the end. I loved the themed worlds and the enemies that came with them. Giant World and Island World are still my favorites, though the Desert World ranks up there as well. I don't think must more needs to be said about this game. By now you've probably played it--and enjoyed it.

37. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (WII)
Nintendo tried to pull a sneaky when they held back the release of Twilight Princess for the Gamecube in order to make it a launch title for the Wii (and only later release it for the Gamecube). It worked. Twilight Princess was a smash hit for the new system, and the motion controls enhanced the game. My only real complaint was the ease of the game. The puzzles were hard, and the secret side-quests were borderline insane as usual, but the actual combat, while fun, was a bit dumbed down. There has never been a lackluster Zelda game for a Nintendo System (we won't talk about those CDi entries), and Twilight Princess has kept the streak alive.

36. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)
A Link To The Past. Hailed by some as the greatest Zelda game ever made. The rest of the camp tends to follow Ocarina of Time. A Link To The Past could be renamed Original Zelda: On Crack and Loving It. A zanier world, more mysteries, and this odd notion of light and dark worlds. Ganon is gone (or is he), and in his place is a mysterious wizard. A Link To The Past solidified the SNES's prominence during its heyday. I still love the way the graphics look to this day. Cartoony/simple and 100% enjoyable to look at.

35. Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
I have always been of the camp that Mario Bros 2 is the superior sequel to the original. Doki, Doki Panic as the game was named in Japan was stripped down and the main character, an Arabian prince--hence the flying carpets and whatnot, was changed to Mario, Luigi, Princess, and Toad. The original Super Mario Bros 2 was released later in the United States as Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels. The reason for the switch? They deemed the game too hard for America. While admittedly the replacement was much more fun that's still quite and insult. Still, being able to choose characters based on their strengths and weaknesses was pretty much a novel idea at the time. Gorgeous level design and a final boss who wasn't Bowser (Go Wart! The Unsung Villain of Mario fame!) made this game a winner in my mind. I am still proud of the fact that I have beaten this one. Don't forget the moral at the heart of the game--vegetables are your friend. They can help you overcome bullies. It's true. Go pick out the biggest dude on your block and throw a head of cauliflower at him. See what happens.

UP NEXT: Another Mario, Another Zelda, perhaps the greatest puzzler of all time, and the most in-depth simulation a PC has ever seen?

all time favorite video games 42-39

Today we celebrate mostly non-Nintendo games, and if you're a Big-N hater, you better drink champagne today, for looking ahead on the list there are only three games left for non-Nintendo systems. Actually I was just counting and there are still 16 appearances by either Mario or Link on our list! Holy crap! We've also reached the halfway point on the list. Can you believe it? Well, let us honor those games for other systems in one big hurrah...

42. Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2)
My first foray into the Grand Theft Auto series was this entry, and to this day it remains the game I hold most dear in my heart. Probably because it was my first GTA I actually did EVERYTHING there was to do in the game. The hidden jumps, rampages, packages, missions, etc. The last stage was a beast of a level with a giant gunfight that was incredibly hard even with a huge arsenal at your disposal. The unnamed main character held his own regardless of of what circumstance he was in. I have to credit Dave Mansell for getting me into this one.

41. Super Smash Bros Brawl (WII)
The only Nintendo entry for the day, and I'm probably going to receive lots of flack over how low this is on the list. Let's face it Brawl is probably one of the best games ever in terms of design. Balanced gameplay, a roster of some 40 character to choose from, Nintendo finally allowing users to play online, and more unlockables than even the most hardcore gamer will ever achieve, gorgeous graphics, and even Solid Snake and Sonic, Brawl has it all. So why so low on the list? That is difficult to put into words. If you think that I have been playing video games since about 1984 or so, you realize that my play time has been just about 25 years. Brawl is effected by this in two ways--one, I never had a core group of gamers that played this game religiously with me, and two, I just haven't played the game enough. That being said, if I ever make another list years down the road, I suspect Brawl might place higher than this...

40. Street Fighter II (ARC)
To this day when I walk in an arcade I usually only try two games. The game listed below this entry and Street Fighter. I can't stand blowing money at arcades on games I have no concept of how to win or even be good at, but Street Fighter is pretty much universal through the years. If you pick Ryu and roll the joystick down, down-right, right and press punch, you're going to hear a satisfying "Hadyuken!" If you press away and roll your joystick towards your opponent, the furious hurricane kick will be unleashed. Consistency is what always made this game a hit for me. If you knew a character well enough you could enter any arcade across the world and still at least sort of match up with someone else who was playing. This is THE TOP ARCADE GAME EVER.

39. DDRMAX: Dance Dance Revolution 2 (PS2)
When I first got into the Dance Dance Revolution craze, I was working spring break as an RA in the halls. Another friend's girlfriend was in the TV room playing and as there was little to do cooped up in the halls for a week, I gave it a try. The arrows moved way to fast, the songs were rather corny, and I had a hard time keeping balance. It was difficult. I was hooked. The sensation that was "Dance Dance Mike" lived in our house that year, and I swear to God the kid was unreal. His feet could move faster than your eyes could follow, and the brain computations that allowed him to do so were astronomical. I Dance Danced fairly heavily for a few years after this. This version of the game was special as it was not the one I learned to play on, but rather the one that I first thought of as my own.

UP NEXT: A special edition with all four, yes all four, games featuring either Link or Mario! See ya tomorrow!

WNSC Madness

Tonight is our second annual Wednesday Night Social Club St. Valentine's Day Olympic Mash-a-cre, which was formed as year as a day to celebrate all things that have to do with NOT being with someone. As a results we ended up with a seven or eight contest competition styled after the Olympics. Last year we had several fun events including a Guess Who? tournament, Nintendo and other fun stuff. The ultimate prize last year? A Karate Kid DVD. Nothing says effort like Daniel-son's struggle against Cobra-Kai. I lost in a split second tie-breaker Guess Who match to Justin last year.

This year, we will be trying Boom Blox for the Wii, Guess Who will make a return and whatever else I can think of between now and 8pm. I also have to get another prize for this year. Who know's what I'll find, but it should be a good time!

Side comments

I did my weigh in today after working out--I lost 4 pounds! Can you believe it! I'm actually thinking I might make my goal after all! Whoopee! Down to 219!

And, just for Justin, here is his moment of zen...

all time favorite video games 46-43

The march continues! 46-43 are presented today, featuring games that I truthfully haven't played in years. For their time period though, they made such an impression on me that I still think fondly of them all these years later.

46. Civilization II (PC)
Ah, Civ II. Where to start? In a world of increasingly "fast" games, Civilization II continued on at a snail's pace where Civ I left off. Providing the player with a richly detailed world of options, the world conquest/race to the moon concept really hit its stride here. Whereas most games had one way to achieve victory, Civ continued to give players options. Want to wage a world war? Go for it. Want to be peace loving, appease the other countries and attempt to build a spaceship? It's yours. You could even play scenarios such as the American Civil War and other historic battles from around the world. And if that wasn't enough, you could even design your own units. I once had a continent full of Cartman soldiers. One time we played a five person game of this during finals week (since it took around 20 minutes to get to your turn) while we all wrote papers. This is not the last entry from this series on our list.

45. Shadowman (N64)
This one should appeal solely to Katie. I wish I could tell everyone the bizarre story of how I became infatuated with this game, but the truth is I can't. Possibly a bargain bin purchase from a mall game store, Shadowman was well worth whatever price it was I paid for it. Katie and Puffy, another friend of ours, would meet and watch me play this game. It was dark. It swore. It dealt with Satan. It dealt with sex. In short, it dealt with everything the N64 was not known for. The actual formula to the game wasn't much different than a Zelda game--find new powers, new paths that were previously inaccessible are opened to you--but the look and feel of the game were very atmospheric. We had so much fun following the exploits of this game--and I have never looked at it since. I wonder how it would hold up today?

44. Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
For its time and age, Donkey Kong Country was a visual feast for the eyes. The jaw-dropping graphics of the time were perfected by Donkey Kong Country in much the same way Super Mario Bros changed the "look" of games years before. Multiple paths, tons of collectibles, animals you could ride, and YES(!), a two player mode, made this game kick ass. Donkey Kong was relatively forgotten in the game world until this hit debuted. An overworld map, a la Super Mario World also allowed the players to choose different paths and find shops and challenges as they went. I played this about three years ago, and in case you were wondering, yes, it is still fun.

43. Super Monkey Ball 2 (GC)
If you haven't played the Super Monkey Ball games because you thought they were too "cute" I'll pause while you find a hammer and repeatedly strike yourself over the head. The Monkey Ball series should almost be sued by Father Time himself for the hours one can spend playing each of the series games. Monkey Ball 2 will always be the pinnacle to me. This game rocks for one reason--there are basically two games on each disc. On the one hand you have the Mario Party-esque compilation of mini-games such as baseball, bowling, tennis, golf, billiards, and other gems. These game were fun--really fun. On the other hand you have the insanely hard challenge game which required you to skillfully move the monkey ball through a maze or course of great difficulty. The glorious death you suffered in doing so frustrated you to no end. This is really where the game laid for the hardcore gamers. As a famous movie tag line goes "To know Llyod Dobler is to love Llyod Dobler. Diane Court is about to know Llyod Dobler." Same thing applies to Monkey Ball. Try it if you haven't. You'll find your own Llyod Dobler.

UP NEXT: Could it be!? The next four games feature only one entry from a Nintendo console?! Egads! What is happening here? The humanity!

all time favorite video games 50-47

The top fifty, the main event, the real deal! The kickoff of my favorite fifty video games of all time starts with...

50. Axis and Allies (PC)
This game is not pretty by today's standards. Heck, it probably wasn't even pretty by the 1999 standards of its contemporaries. I can tell you that it is fun though. Taking all the awesome elements of the board game and making it in one easy to use package does two things. Firstly, it allows you to play an entire game in about two to three hours instead of seven to eight hours. Secondly, it loses the fun factor of playing against other people. The mixed result leaves you satisfied, but ultimately wanting just a bit more--even if it is only someone to point at when their attack on Karelia fails.

49. Metroid Prime (GC)
When they originally announced that they were revamping Nintendo's beloved Metroid series into what is essentially a glorified first person shooter many were outraged. Why not take Mario and put him in a go-cart for crying out loud? Wait a minute... Anyway, Metroid Prime kicked ass. The blend of shooting and puzzling elements, combined with awesome boss battles and the ability to still use the "morph ball," added up to one highly enjoyable experience. The game could be frustratringly hard, but when it was over you just kept wanting more. The series has also made a part two and three, but I wonder if Nintendo will ever answer my prayers and release a huge 2D Metroid game again. One can hope that there is room for both types of games for Samus Aran.

48. X-Men Legends II (GC)
Released for many systems, the sequel to the hit X-Men Legends improved on everything the first did right. More characters, more options, better leveling up, cooler bosses, a great storyline--you name it. I LOVE this kind of game. RPG meets action. It's a great formula for games. Since someone (Karen) always took Wolvering, Cyclops became my de facto character. It ended up working out since I love ranged characters anyway. I hope more of these type of games are on the way.

47. Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball (SNES)
I might actually dust this off and start a new game. I have been for years trying to find a great baseball game to play. If you know me at all you know that I'm a huge baseball fan. Isn't it sad that the highest rated baseball game on this list comes in at 47? 47! 1994 is a long time ago to still be waiting for a fun baseball game. KGJPMLB used real teams and stadium, but was unable to secure actual player names and therefore uses hilarious ficticious names for the players. You could customize them though and change everyone except Ken Griffey Jr. himself. All the money and celebrity he was making. Makes you wonder why Griffey left the Mariners doesn't it? They both went downhill when he left.

UP NEXT: A couple of games featuring apes and monkeys, and a game that shouldn't have been popular--but was with my friends...

working out at the PEIF

So one of my New Year's resolutions was again diet and exercise (as it is pretty much every year). My pledge was to go to the gym three times a week (at least) and to eat little to no snacks and give up pop except for a glass a week.

I started this on December 28th or so and have been really good at it. Only this past week did I start to have more than one pop a week and I still have cut way back on snacks from where I was, but the real impressive part has been the exercise. I haven't missed once. Not once. I started running at 4.5 miles per hour for 15 minutes and soon improved. Today, I'm proud to say that I did 7.5 for 8 minutes (one mile), the did a minute of 8.0, three minutes of 7.5, another minute of 8.0, and then started my cool down time. I've almost doubled my speed! Can you believe it!? And I feel much better than when I started also. My arms are growing from my barbell and bench press exercises, and my back, legs and stomach are getting a good workout too. My goal was to get down to 210--so far I've lost almost five pounds and weigh in day is on Tuesday again! Here's to me continuing!

All Time Favorite Video Games 55-51

Well, we're reached the end of the outer 25. Some great games here, including at least one that will probably make people scratch their heads and say "WTF? Really?" Still working on the comments, but thanks to those of you who said on Facebook you've enjoyed the list thus far.

55. Double Dragon (NES)
Double Dragon was one of the first five video games I owned. At to that fact that it was awesome and two players could alternate turns, and we have a winner. The bosses were tough, the weapons were a nice touch, and overall the game was fun. This was a rare case where difficulty actually added to the charm of the game. Almost a direct post of the arcade game of the same title, Double Dragon was a hit when I was a kid, and still rules. Several less than stellar sequels would follow, though 2 wasn't that bad.

54. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (GC)
Anytime anyone wants to come over and play me a game of this, I'm up for it. Mario Golf has always been a solid series, and this installment has been the best for my money. Loads of options and modes, great four player multiplay, and some of the toughest unlockables known to man still have me dust this off and play it every few months. The greatness that is getting a hole-in-one, or even a birdie or eagle is so fun, that you'll be looking for shortcuts on every hole you play. Watch out for Chain-Chomp...

53. Dr. Mario (NES)
I wonder where they got this idea from...Tetris perhaps? Dr. Mario was an original puzzlers back when puzzlers weren't everywhere you looked. Simple premise--kill the nasty, mocking viruses--led to insanely difficult stages which required quick thinking and strategy to solve. A decent two player mode worked as well, as you tried to solve the puzzle before your opponent did the same. This game also gets high marks for mocking you. The viruses seemed to dance and smile at your when you lost, making it the most infuriating game moment since the Dog from Duck Hunt or the characters from Punch Out!!

52. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (GC)
I had never played the Paper Mario series before this, but I can tell you that I will be going back and playing the other two now. A wonderful story mode, fun mechanics (battles take place on a stage, complete with audience that either cheers or boos you), and hundreds of power-ups, hidden stuff, and additional characters make this game a winner. What really sold me on this was two stages in particular. One was the wrestling arena stage, where you battle through the ranks to uncover a scheme that has been plaguing the circuit for quite sometime. The other was the mystery aboard to the train. The penguin detective is still one of my favorite characters of all time. I mean really, wrap your mind around this...a penguin with a magnifying glass and a Sherlock Holmes deerstalker hat. That is fricken classic.

51. Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off-Road! (NES)
Our final game before we get to 50 is a throwback to the NES. Super Off-Road! was a fabulously hard racing game that for some reason I am still addicted to. The simple play control made it easy to compete in almost every race while you upgraded your car. But beware, you could only lose so many times and the race ENDED. Very hard to make it very far. I usually died around track 50 or 60, out of God knows how many. I can tell you that this game was fun, even two player was good. I always wanted to try four player, but never had the adapter.

UP NEXT: This ends the bottom 25, and we move into the top fifty, starting with an old school PC game that was based off a board game--see ya tomorrow!