The Ten that should have made it

[Lee]

As the final of the Video Games tourney is due to go up later on today here's a look at ten that are missing that should have been in the tournament.

Surprisingly a lot of my list is taken from the last tournament but here goes:

Donkey Kong

The game is a true classic, without Donkey Kong it has been argued that we never would have got out of the crash and gaming would be dead. Aren't you glad they didn't get the rights to popeye?!

The legend of Zelda

To this day this game is still amazing, for what it is on the NES and being 22 years old it's pretty damn good! It also brought us the entire Zelda series and opened up Action/RPGs as a whole

Earthbound

Not much really to say on this other than I really enjoyed it, the humour is quirky the game play is good.

Metroid Prime

To be honest I hated this game the first time I played it, then I played MP2 and went back. It was great and a good addition to the legacy os Samus.

Kingdom Hearts 2

What KH1 has in gameplay KH2 makes up in story. I preferred the battle sequences in the first one, but moving away from the Disney story with the organization was pretty damned good.

Devil May Cry

How wasn't DMC in the tourney I do not know.

Brian training

You want games that moved consoles? This game moved consoles! Terrible game in my eyes but it did great things for the DS.

Tomb Raider

No Lara? Really...really?!

F-Zero

Damn good fun for every game in the series.

Dragon Warrior

Final Fantasy is regarded the grandfather of RPGs but it was Dragon Quest I or Dragon Warrior that really ran with the genre (yes there were ones before this). Anything FF did DQ did first.

 

[Sean Valjean]

I agree with nearly all of these (Brain Age I would do without). Unfortunately, I found out about the tournament too late and was unable to provide a personal list of games. How great-but-nothing-special games like Pokemon Black & White and flat out abysmal games like Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex got in over Legend of Zelda and Devil May Cry stupefies me.

In addition to your list, Lee, here's a few honorable mentions:

Super Castlevania IV: The best of the old-school Castlevania games and easily among the top 3 in the entire series (my 2nd favorite, after SotN).

Braid: A brilliant platformer that melds Mario-esque mechanics with Prince of Persia style time-manipulation all wrapped up in a engaging tale of loss and regret.

Mortal Kombat II: While the original game put the series on the map, the sequel cemented it. This game trounces the first game in every way. Much improved gameplay, a larger roster and more secrets. On a side note, I'd also argue that the new Mortal Kombat should've had a place in the tourny.

Mega Man 2: Simply put, how in the world did this not get in?

Psychonauts/Beyond Good & Evil: While I concede that they're not the biggest titles out there they were very unique experiences and great games to boot.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2: Better than the original in every conceivable way and arguably did more for the series than it's predecessor.

Metroid Fusion: Arguably the best GBA game ever made that gives Super Metroid a run for it's money.

Street Fighter IV: The game that brought the fighting genre back to prominence. Perfectly balanced, striking art direction, and a superb online that resurrects fun and challenge of the arcade experience.

Bioshock: One of the greatest games of this generation. From the brilliant storytelling to the memorable cast and setting, it's truly one must-play games of recent years. It's spiritual predecessor,System Shock 2, deserves a nod as well.

Crash Bandicoot:Warped: In my opinion, the best game in the series. It perfected the Crash formula and featured the most creative and varied stages. This, along with all the other PS1 Crash games, deserved a place more than The Wrath of Cortex.

World of Warcraft: I was shocked to not see this included. The poster child of the PC gaming scene and literally one of the biggest games ever made in terms of scale, fanbase and profitability. There aren't many games that are as addictive and downright fun as this one.

Team Fortress 2: One of the best online multiplayer games ever. Solid controls, a great class system and strong emphasis on teamwork with an aesthetic that appeals to everyone, from it's art style to it's humor. Now that it's free-to-play, everyone has a chance to see what the fuss is about.

ESPN NFL 2K5: One of the greatest football sims ever that absolutely crushed Madden when it released. It introduced innovations such as an online franchise mode and tv-style presentation-something that has only recently appeared in the Madden series. The only thing that stopped this series was EA/NFL exclusivity deal. The fact the online community was still very active years later speaks for itself.

 

[.]

Well I don't have ten but:

Team Fortress 2: This game is the best multiplayer game I have EVER played. The game is superbly balanced, lacking the traditional customization most FPSs like MW2 have. Instead the game has 9 Classes, all fo which gave several advantages, disadvantages, and styles of play. The Scout for example, is the fastest class, and can double jump, making hard to hit. But with that he gets a relatively weak weapon with bad accuracy (short double barreled shotgun) and very low health. I would recommend this game to anyone AND everyone. This game, now about 3 years old is also still getting patches and updates. HOW MANY GAMES ARE LIKE THAT?! An amazing game with a great art style and amazing textures, it has a unique look. This is the best multiplayer game I play tied with Counter Strike Source.

Counter Strike Source: See above

Bioshock: This game is flawless. The action is intense and it really is a thinking mans FPS. If you think you are Rambo this game will soon prove you wrong. So many scary moments even for a game that focuses more on the north American horror ideology. You're entering a world beyond your dreams, the mystery of who you are and who is really to trust, leaves you at the end of your game chair. Everything about it was unique from the weapon upgrades to the underwater utopia that the game takes place in. You can hack turrets, set traps, or go in head on to fight the Big Daddy in order to collect the ADAM from the Little Sister The perfect combination of horror, violence, and mystery makes this game deserve all the praise it gets(And then some).

Half Life: Quite possibly the greatest PC FPS ever. The best action sequences ever - take on an entire alien army and an entire marine corps. Brilliant AI ends the "spray, take cover, reload" sequence. You will still be taking cover and reloading, but when you do, expect a grenade to be tossed your way or a swarm of thornets to seek you out. Puzzles are not all that puzzling since there is usually only one path open to you, but are still interesting enough to keep the non-combat portions of the game fun. Guns are varied and interesting. This is the game that created genre mainstays like vent crawling, squad based AI, and seamless first person scripted events. A true masterpiece. When combined with Opposing Force, the massive amount of quality is astounding to behold.

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth: Albeit a very unknown title but it remains to be one of my favourite games of the survival horror genre. If you get hung up on 'how many polygons?' and 'does it have bumpmapping?' look elsewhere. If you think 'survival horror' means blowing away as many zombies as you can, this game is not for you. If you like the idea of getting into a good horror novel, or immersing yourself in a great movie that sucks you in. This game is what you want. It is an immersive story about horror and fear. It is about the realistic fragility of man when faced with things he cannot understand. It's about true heroism. The heroism where you are terrified but still tentatively move forward. This the only game I have played where I really felt naked without a gun and yet was required to deal with the world for a long time without one. I was immersed in a game that denied me an on-screen HUD and gave my character vertigo and mental problems to make all jumps and high ledges an adventure, and being around horrific situations very mind altering (as it would!). These frailities make the character very believable and adds to the immersion. This game is a prime example of mature, adult gaming, great storytelling and ingenious innovations in gaming.