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!