By Jeff
Why does the NHL continue to reward losers who just take longer to lose?
Seriously, why are teams that losing in OT or the shoot out getting a point? It's the only major sport that does it. It's time to stop.
I just hate looking at the standings and seeing teams in the playoffs that wouldn't be there, or would be much farther down, if not for this charity point. Look at the Devils this year. They would be tied for 10th in the East if teams didn't get rewarded for hanging around but ultimately coming up short. Instead, they have seven overtime losses and would be the No. 7 seed if the playoffs started today.
The easiest solution is to get rid of the shootout and bring back ties. Then you get two points for a win, one for a tie and nothing for any kind of loss.
The shootout is not nearly as exciting as it initially sounded. It's actually quite boring, as half the players skate down slowly and practically stop the puck in front of the goalie before they shoot it. The whole thing just seems cheap and silly. So get rid of it.
But this will not stop inferior teams from playing for ties and the charity point. It ruins a game when you see a team perfectly content to not even attempt to win, as they fear their attempts will be countered and the other team will win.
That brings us to a no tie format, like the NBA. Extend the 4-on-4 overtime to 10 minutes. If we don't have a winner after that, then let's go another round and continue this format until somebody scores. Sure, it could screw a team over if they have a back-to-back, but it could also motivate them to try and win rather than settle for a tie or shootout.
It's just hard to picture the league continuing to grow if it doesn't get rid of gimmicks and rewarding teams for simply hanging around for 60 minutes.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Pens have no excuses
By Jeff
It's hard to say anything that hasn't been said recently about the Pittsburgh Penguins recent flurry of trades that brought in Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow and Douglas "Don't call me Dog. I prefer Crankshaft" Murray. I could speculate what the lines will be, what the chemistry will be like, how little it took to get a future Hall of Famer in Iginla, etc. But that has all been said and I have no wild insights that would differ from The Pensblog, Pensburgh, Empty Netters or any of the national hockey writers.
The only thing I have to say is the Pens have no excuse not to win the Stanley Cup this year. With the recent moves, they are the deepest team in the NHL at every position. They have two all-world players in their primes in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They have a Norris Trophy candidate in Kris Letang (when healthy). They have two goaltenders who have had some struggles this year, but during the 14-game win-streak, have been as good as any one else in the league.
There is no reason this team should not win the Cup. I get that a hot goalie can change everything in the NHL playoffs, but with the firepower the Pens can deploy with three dangerous lines, they should be able to overcome anyone between the pipes.
The defense and the goalies have given up nine goals in their last 10 games. They have shown they can shut down the opposing team. If they fail again in the playoffs it's not because lack of talent. It would be a choke job, plain and simple.
But the playoffs are still a month away. While Cup expectations are looming and there is no excuse for not bringing home the Cup, there is also no excuse to enjoy one of the best runs in the franchise's history.
Other than the 2007-08 and the 2008-09 Cup runs, this is the most excited I've been for the Pens. the early 90's Cups were cool, but I was 5-7 years old. The Pens winning and losing didn't really matter to me much at that age. But ever since the X-Generation, I have been, like Ray Shero this year, all in.
I don't really care what the Steelers do in the draft, I'm not watching the Buccos in spring training very closely, and I didn't even enter any March Madness pools. It has been all Pens all the time, because we're witnessing one of the best teams the city has ever seen in any sport.
Just about every player in the lineup is playing at a level you didn't think they could. Pascal Dupuis has 17 goals in 35 games. Chris Kunitz has 20. In an 81-game season, they would be on pace for 39 and 46 goals, respectively. Crosby would be on pace for 129 points. It's crazy the level that line is playing at. Crosby has made cross ice or behind the net backhand passes look so simple, we view these actions as routine, when no one else in the league is doing it.
Brandon Sutter has made it easy to forget Jordan Staal. All he has done in replace of Staal is score four game winning goals, which is two goals shy of matching his career game winners up to this point.
The ageless Mark Eaton was signed to a tryout and then put on the big team midway through the season. He has helped solidfy the blueline and the Pens haven't lost a game in which he plays.
Hell, even head coach Dan Bylsma is getting on the action. He actually calls timeouts at appropriate times!
Take all this and then the team adds Iginla, who has scored 30+ goals in 11 consecutive seasons despite not having an elite center for any of those years. Whichever line he plays on becomes more dangerous.
This season has the potential to be the best Pens fans have ever witnessed. General manager Ray Shero did a hell of a job compiling a roster mixed with superstars and grinders who put team above themselves.
While I fear this could be '92-'93 all over, when the best team in the franchise's history fell short in the playoffs, I will not let that ruin the pure enjoyment I get from watching this team. That being said, if the Pens don't win it all, I might completely shut down until October.
It's hard to say anything that hasn't been said recently about the Pittsburgh Penguins recent flurry of trades that brought in Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow and Douglas "Don't call me Dog. I prefer Crankshaft" Murray. I could speculate what the lines will be, what the chemistry will be like, how little it took to get a future Hall of Famer in Iginla, etc. But that has all been said and I have no wild insights that would differ from The Pensblog, Pensburgh, Empty Netters or any of the national hockey writers.
The only thing I have to say is the Pens have no excuse not to win the Stanley Cup this year. With the recent moves, they are the deepest team in the NHL at every position. They have two all-world players in their primes in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They have a Norris Trophy candidate in Kris Letang (when healthy). They have two goaltenders who have had some struggles this year, but during the 14-game win-streak, have been as good as any one else in the league.
There is no reason this team should not win the Cup. I get that a hot goalie can change everything in the NHL playoffs, but with the firepower the Pens can deploy with three dangerous lines, they should be able to overcome anyone between the pipes.
The defense and the goalies have given up nine goals in their last 10 games. They have shown they can shut down the opposing team. If they fail again in the playoffs it's not because lack of talent. It would be a choke job, plain and simple.
But the playoffs are still a month away. While Cup expectations are looming and there is no excuse for not bringing home the Cup, there is also no excuse to enjoy one of the best runs in the franchise's history.
Other than the 2007-08 and the 2008-09 Cup runs, this is the most excited I've been for the Pens. the early 90's Cups were cool, but I was 5-7 years old. The Pens winning and losing didn't really matter to me much at that age. But ever since the X-Generation, I have been, like Ray Shero this year, all in.
I don't really care what the Steelers do in the draft, I'm not watching the Buccos in spring training very closely, and I didn't even enter any March Madness pools. It has been all Pens all the time, because we're witnessing one of the best teams the city has ever seen in any sport.
Just about every player in the lineup is playing at a level you didn't think they could. Pascal Dupuis has 17 goals in 35 games. Chris Kunitz has 20. In an 81-game season, they would be on pace for 39 and 46 goals, respectively. Crosby would be on pace for 129 points. It's crazy the level that line is playing at. Crosby has made cross ice or behind the net backhand passes look so simple, we view these actions as routine, when no one else in the league is doing it.
Brandon Sutter has made it easy to forget Jordan Staal. All he has done in replace of Staal is score four game winning goals, which is two goals shy of matching his career game winners up to this point.
The ageless Mark Eaton was signed to a tryout and then put on the big team midway through the season. He has helped solidfy the blueline and the Pens haven't lost a game in which he plays.
Hell, even head coach Dan Bylsma is getting on the action. He actually calls timeouts at appropriate times!
Take all this and then the team adds Iginla, who has scored 30+ goals in 11 consecutive seasons despite not having an elite center for any of those years. Whichever line he plays on becomes more dangerous.
This season has the potential to be the best Pens fans have ever witnessed. General manager Ray Shero did a hell of a job compiling a roster mixed with superstars and grinders who put team above themselves.
While I fear this could be '92-'93 all over, when the best team in the franchise's history fell short in the playoffs, I will not let that ruin the pure enjoyment I get from watching this team. That being said, if the Pens don't win it all, I might completely shut down until October.
Monday, March 25, 2013
In Shero we trust
By Jeff
The Pittsburgh Penguins shipped out their 2011 first round pick, Joe Morrow, yesterday for Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow.
Joe is a highly touted defenseman who is said to have great potential as a two-way player. Brenden is a tough guy who is supposed to be an excellent leader and lockerroom prescence, and he scored 33 goals just two seasons ago.
I have hardly seen Brenden play and have never seen Joe play, so I have no idea who wins this trade. I am just trusting in Penguins general manager Ray Shero, as he usually makes the right decision when it comes to moves like this.
The deal could work out great for the Pens. Morrow should fit in well with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. If you look at the years where Malkin and his line has taken over the league in Crosby's absence, and you'll notice a trend. In 2007-08, Malkin played with the gritty, net-front presence Ryan Malone and sniper Petr Sykora. Crosby missed substantial time that season and it fell on Malkin's line to pick up the slack. They did. Malkin put up 106 points, Malone had a career high-51 points and Sykora had his best season since 2002-03 with 63 points.
Now look back on last year. Malkin played most of the year with the gritty, net-front presence Chris Kunitz and sniper James Neal. Malkin tallied 109 points and league MVP, and Kunitz and Neal scored career-highs 61 and 81 points, respectively.
It's not an exact science, but it appears that when the Pens surround Malkin with someone who crashes the net and a sniper, things tend to work out for all parties. Brenden is supposed to be of the Kunitz and Malone mold, so matching him up with Malkin and Neal looks like the second line should thrive, on paper at least.
Of course, this is pure speculation on my part. Like I said above, I've never really seen Brenden play. I'm just going by what national hockey media members and Stars bloggers are saying.
What makes me think this trade has a better chance of working out than say the Alexei Ponikarovsky and Alex Kovalev deals is Brenden's reputation as a hard worker and leader. Both Poni and Kovy came to the Pens with serious character question marks. Poni was a big body that didn't like going to the dirty places and working for garbage goals. Kovy has always been enigmatic with his effort. Those are the types of players that don't find success in this system.
The Pens operate a high-tempo, high effort offense. If you're not willing to work, you're going to be benched. And when everyone else is skating their asses off, it's noticeable when you're not going all out with them, which leads to the fans turning on you quickly.
On the flip side, from what I hear, Brenden is older than his 34 due to his style of play. It seems everyone wants to point out he is not the 2010-11 version of Brenden Morrow who scored 33 goals. If he comes in and struggles it will be disappointing, but can it really hurt the team that much? The Pens already lead the league in scoring. Brenden won't hurt that, and the potential he could reach with Malkin and Neal is scary to think about.
Joe may never be a top two defenseman in this league. Shero saw a chance to improve the team for a Cup run and who am I or any of us to question him? Remember how Luca Caputi and other highly touted prospects were traded away and never to be heard of again? It could happen here, and that's why we should trust Shero.
The Pittsburgh Penguins shipped out their 2011 first round pick, Joe Morrow, yesterday for Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow.
Joe is a highly touted defenseman who is said to have great potential as a two-way player. Brenden is a tough guy who is supposed to be an excellent leader and lockerroom prescence, and he scored 33 goals just two seasons ago.
I have hardly seen Brenden play and have never seen Joe play, so I have no idea who wins this trade. I am just trusting in Penguins general manager Ray Shero, as he usually makes the right decision when it comes to moves like this.
The deal could work out great for the Pens. Morrow should fit in well with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. If you look at the years where Malkin and his line has taken over the league in Crosby's absence, and you'll notice a trend. In 2007-08, Malkin played with the gritty, net-front presence Ryan Malone and sniper Petr Sykora. Crosby missed substantial time that season and it fell on Malkin's line to pick up the slack. They did. Malkin put up 106 points, Malone had a career high-51 points and Sykora had his best season since 2002-03 with 63 points.
Now look back on last year. Malkin played most of the year with the gritty, net-front presence Chris Kunitz and sniper James Neal. Malkin tallied 109 points and league MVP, and Kunitz and Neal scored career-highs 61 and 81 points, respectively.
It's not an exact science, but it appears that when the Pens surround Malkin with someone who crashes the net and a sniper, things tend to work out for all parties. Brenden is supposed to be of the Kunitz and Malone mold, so matching him up with Malkin and Neal looks like the second line should thrive, on paper at least.
Of course, this is pure speculation on my part. Like I said above, I've never really seen Brenden play. I'm just going by what national hockey media members and Stars bloggers are saying.
What makes me think this trade has a better chance of working out than say the Alexei Ponikarovsky and Alex Kovalev deals is Brenden's reputation as a hard worker and leader. Both Poni and Kovy came to the Pens with serious character question marks. Poni was a big body that didn't like going to the dirty places and working for garbage goals. Kovy has always been enigmatic with his effort. Those are the types of players that don't find success in this system.
The Pens operate a high-tempo, high effort offense. If you're not willing to work, you're going to be benched. And when everyone else is skating their asses off, it's noticeable when you're not going all out with them, which leads to the fans turning on you quickly.
On the flip side, from what I hear, Brenden is older than his 34 due to his style of play. It seems everyone wants to point out he is not the 2010-11 version of Brenden Morrow who scored 33 goals. If he comes in and struggles it will be disappointing, but can it really hurt the team that much? The Pens already lead the league in scoring. Brenden won't hurt that, and the potential he could reach with Malkin and Neal is scary to think about.
Joe may never be a top two defenseman in this league. Shero saw a chance to improve the team for a Cup run and who am I or any of us to question him? Remember how Luca Caputi and other highly touted prospects were traded away and never to be heard of again? It could happen here, and that's why we should trust Shero.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Kunitz > most of the NHL
By Jeff
The Pittsburgh Penguins are atop the Atlantic Division, and winger Chris Kunitz is a big reason why.
Kunitz came over in 2009 when the Pens were on the outside of the playoff hunt despite being in the Stanley Cup Finals the prior year. Since then he has been the most consistent player on the roster after stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
In his time as a Penguin, Kunitz has score 76 goals and 96 assists. Many will say he benefits from playing almost exclusively with Crosby, and when Crosby was out he was with Malkin. These people certainly have a point, but other players like Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, Max Talbot, Alexei Ponikarovsky and others who have played with the stars mentioned above have not found anywhere near that success.
This season is no different. In fact, Kunitz is probably having his best year of his career. He's fourth in the league in scoring. That's right, the undrafted Kunitz has more points than Alex Ovechkin, Claude Giroux, Eric Staal, John Tavares, Patrick Kane, Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk and both the Sedin twins.
How is Kunitz doing it? First, even if you don't watch hockey you can tell that Kunitz just knows where to be on the ice when he plays with guys like Crosby and Malkin. He finds an opening in the defense from the holes created in the defense created by the team's stars. Second, he understands that Crosby and Malkin are special talents. He makes sure he gets them the puck whenever he can. Third, he is getting pretty lucky! He has a career shooting percentage of 12.8. He's at 25.9 this year. There is no way anyone could keep up that pace.
Or could they?
Kunitz's shooting percentage is ridiculously high, but when you play with someone like Crosby, it doesn't seem impossible for him to keep it up. Crosby demands so much attention Kunitz has more opportunities where it's just him and the goalie. He also understands that Crosby and Malkin can get the puck on net in situations where ordinary men could not. So what does Kunitz do? He crashes the net and takes punishment in exchange for a chance to put it home.
Kunitz is not often mentioned with the league's stars because he's not flashy, but he will go down as the best move Ray Shero has made.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are atop the Atlantic Division, and winger Chris Kunitz is a big reason why.
Kunitz came over in 2009 when the Pens were on the outside of the playoff hunt despite being in the Stanley Cup Finals the prior year. Since then he has been the most consistent player on the roster after stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
In his time as a Penguin, Kunitz has score 76 goals and 96 assists. Many will say he benefits from playing almost exclusively with Crosby, and when Crosby was out he was with Malkin. These people certainly have a point, but other players like Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, Max Talbot, Alexei Ponikarovsky and others who have played with the stars mentioned above have not found anywhere near that success.
This season is no different. In fact, Kunitz is probably having his best year of his career. He's fourth in the league in scoring. That's right, the undrafted Kunitz has more points than Alex Ovechkin, Claude Giroux, Eric Staal, John Tavares, Patrick Kane, Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk and both the Sedin twins.
How is Kunitz doing it? First, even if you don't watch hockey you can tell that Kunitz just knows where to be on the ice when he plays with guys like Crosby and Malkin. He finds an opening in the defense from the holes created in the defense created by the team's stars. Second, he understands that Crosby and Malkin are special talents. He makes sure he gets them the puck whenever he can. Third, he is getting pretty lucky! He has a career shooting percentage of 12.8. He's at 25.9 this year. There is no way anyone could keep up that pace.
Or could they?
Kunitz's shooting percentage is ridiculously high, but when you play with someone like Crosby, it doesn't seem impossible for him to keep it up. Crosby demands so much attention Kunitz has more opportunities where it's just him and the goalie. He also understands that Crosby and Malkin can get the puck on net in situations where ordinary men could not. So what does Kunitz do? He crashes the net and takes punishment in exchange for a chance to put it home.
Kunitz is not often mentioned with the league's stars because he's not flashy, but he will go down as the best move Ray Shero has made.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Thank goodness for hockey
By Jeff
After a historic collapse by the Pirates in August, followed up by a similar embarrassment by the Steelers, my sports year was looking pretty miserable as the NHL lockout continued.
With no hockey, I would have had nothing to look forward to until March (Sorry, Spring Training, World Baseball Classic, NBA and NCAA basketball season all mean very little to me.).
Then we got hockey back and all was right in the world. The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a great start, minus the whole Evgeni Malkin concussion. Sidney Crosby is healthy and playing great, Paul Martin is showing that last year was a fluke (He wasn't terrible in 2010-2011 like everyone seems to say he was), and Marc-Andre Fleury doesn't appear to be suffering any lingering effects from his dismal showing in last year's playoffs.
Of course, all this means nothing if the team chokes again in the postseason, which is very possible. Unfortunately, as we saw in the second Flyers game this season, Dan Bylsma still struggles with in-game adjustments. Actually, he may not know that they are allowed. It seems that he thinks the only strategy change a coach can make is change line combinations... Sorry, Dan, Tyler Kennedy is going to skate down the right wing and take a slapper at the goalies chest or glass behind the goal no matter who he's on the ice with.
Bylsma's inability to make strategic changes on the fly has been evident for the past three seasons. It is baffling. He may be the best coach in the league when it comes to preparing his team for each game. Just look at the way the Pens come out flying every game. I think they've scored first in all but four or fives games out of 20 this year. But then he gets stubborn. Other teams adjust and Bylsma keeps plugging away thinking his team's superior talent will win out if they execute his game plan effectively.
The sad thing is, he's not wrong. When the Pens "grind bitches down", forecheck aggressively, get out of their zone quickly and are healthy, chances are they are going to win. But this is hockey. It's a game where momentum is vital and can change in an instant. You also have moody players. With a long season in a phyiscally grueling sport, there are going to be nights where guys don't show up. It's these nights where you have to alter the plan. I don't see Bylsma ever doing that.
The guy is a great coach, but another early exit in the playoffs and it would be hard for me to argue against cutting him loose.
Other quick thoughts:
After a historic collapse by the Pirates in August, followed up by a similar embarrassment by the Steelers, my sports year was looking pretty miserable as the NHL lockout continued.
With no hockey, I would have had nothing to look forward to until March (Sorry, Spring Training, World Baseball Classic, NBA and NCAA basketball season all mean very little to me.).
Then we got hockey back and all was right in the world. The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a great start, minus the whole Evgeni Malkin concussion. Sidney Crosby is healthy and playing great, Paul Martin is showing that last year was a fluke (He wasn't terrible in 2010-2011 like everyone seems to say he was), and Marc-Andre Fleury doesn't appear to be suffering any lingering effects from his dismal showing in last year's playoffs.
Of course, all this means nothing if the team chokes again in the postseason, which is very possible. Unfortunately, as we saw in the second Flyers game this season, Dan Bylsma still struggles with in-game adjustments. Actually, he may not know that they are allowed. It seems that he thinks the only strategy change a coach can make is change line combinations... Sorry, Dan, Tyler Kennedy is going to skate down the right wing and take a slapper at the goalies chest or glass behind the goal no matter who he's on the ice with.
Bylsma's inability to make strategic changes on the fly has been evident for the past three seasons. It is baffling. He may be the best coach in the league when it comes to preparing his team for each game. Just look at the way the Pens come out flying every game. I think they've scored first in all but four or fives games out of 20 this year. But then he gets stubborn. Other teams adjust and Bylsma keeps plugging away thinking his team's superior talent will win out if they execute his game plan effectively.
The sad thing is, he's not wrong. When the Pens "grind bitches down", forecheck aggressively, get out of their zone quickly and are healthy, chances are they are going to win. But this is hockey. It's a game where momentum is vital and can change in an instant. You also have moody players. With a long season in a phyiscally grueling sport, there are going to be nights where guys don't show up. It's these nights where you have to alter the plan. I don't see Bylsma ever doing that.
The guy is a great coach, but another early exit in the playoffs and it would be hard for me to argue against cutting him loose.
Other quick thoughts:
- Why is Tom Brady being praised so much for essentially making more money? He is taking his salary as a "bonus" rather than "salary". He is being guaranteed more money than the previous deal. I get that it's opening more cap space, but big time players do this all the time (Roethlisberger will probably do it for the second year in a row this offseason.). It's a standard business move in the salary cap era. Brady isn't doing anything special or commendable.
- It's like when Cliff Lee signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for his mega deal a few years ago. People praised him for turning down "more money" from the New York Yankees. Well, he was actually making more money per year with the Phillies than the Yankees were offering. The Yankees just added another year. I just don't get praise.
- DJ Gallo is pretty hilarious. Of course, this article would have been a lot funnier if Joe Flacco didn't just win a Super Bowl... http://www.sportspickle.com/opinion/15586/10-great-sports-debate-questions-answered-once-and-for-all
- Where did Dwight Howard go wrong? A few years ago he was dressing up as Superman and everyone thought he was a great guy. The past two seasons he has basically been the cause of two head coaches to lose their jobs and will probably be a major contributor to a third losing his job. He complains about his role, and pretty much everything, while his number decline. Quite a 180 he's pulled.
- I can't bring myself to get excited about the Pirates this year. Granted, I felt this way before last season and they proved me wrong. I'm just thinking that the May-June run was the fluke and the April, August-September team was the real thing. I hope I'm wrong.
- "Looper" is a crazier movie than its previews even made it out to be.
- "Taken 2" was maybe the most disappointing movie I've seen in quite some time. It was an obvious money grab. Not only does Liam Neeson seem to be tired and phoning it in, he even says in the movie that he is tired.
- The daughter in "Taken 2" is just as annoying as ever. And someone please tell me how throwing multiple grenades off of rooftops in a major city like Istanbul doesn't get very much attention?
- Almost finished with the game "Dishonored" and it's pretty sweet. Combat is a little limited and redundant, but still a refreshing game.
- How would you fight an invasive snake species? Drop dead mice filled with Tylenol, duh! If your mind just pictured a bunch of zombie mice commandos parachuting behind enemy lines, you're not alone. Why didn't we try this with Hitler and Nazi Germany?
- Hitler was a vegetarian, that's why.
- Things my dog Lucy has eaten or tried to eat since we adopted her last May: Couch cushions, pillows, couches, two sets of blinds, cable remote, cable line, Pirates hat, phone book, chapstick, about 20 DVDs, a leash, the floor to her crate, christmas tree topper, incent candle, picture frames, a shoe, chess pieces and a burner on the stove.
- Things my dog Yigo has eaten since I adopted him in December of 2008: a Phillies hat and a sock.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Top 10 music tracks from SNES games
by Mike Z
Well I'm back for a quick cameo after Jeff inspired me with all the video game posts. This is actually something I've thought about doing for a while, but finally got the motivation to put it together. Plus, I'm sure this is much more fun for everyone to read about than my typical WAR or xFIP posts.
My initial motivation to put this post together actually came from the Grammy awards if you can believe that. Journey, a PS3 game, was the first video game to ever have its soundtrack nominated for a Grammy. The score for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" won (sidenote - the music was co-written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails; blew me away when I read that), but it was a big step, now recognizing how dynamic and powerful some of the music can be on video games.
Granted, nothing on this will ever be mistaken for Grammy-worthy, but these are some of my favorite tracks from some great games. What makes many of these songs great for me, weren't that they were simply fun to listen to, but augmented the game experience, whether it stirred emotions, or was so atmospheric as to capture the scene and moment of the game. With that in mind, I wanted to highlight some of these songs, many of which were ahead of their time for the early 1990s. When determining this list, I decided to go with 1 song per game, as otherwise every song would have been from either Final Fantasy VI or Chrono Trigger.
Honorable Mention
Rick-Rolled by Chrono Trigger
I just had to lead off with this because we were all Rick Rolled by composer Yasunori Mitsuda, before that was ever a thing. Seriously, listen to this overlay/mash-up of Robo's theme and Never Gonna Give You Up. It just fits way too well. Get a good laugh out of that video, and then let's get going with the real list.
10. Fireburg - Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest
Yeah this isn't really that great of a game, and isn't actually a Final Fantasy game either, but I remember getting excited when I reached this town. It's such a fun, energetic song, while still keeping the feel of an atmospheric town setting, I just had to add it to my list. May not be too memorable for most, but it is for me.
9. Mission 1 - UN Squadron
This is considered one of the best side-scrolling shooters on the SNES, and the theme from the very first level helps in hooking you on the game right away. It's a high energy melody, with synth beats where you can easily picture where the electrical guitar should be. It fits perfectly into an aerial shooter, and adds to the anxiety and action of the level. It complements the level so well that it was pretty easy to pick this song rather than any of the other great tracks of the game.
8. Corneria - Star Fox
Sensing a theme so far? Another dynamic, aggressive track that immediately helps the player jump into the game from level 1. It fits into the frantic pace of the game, and does have the futuristic feel that fits in perfectly with the game.
7. Big Blue - F-Zero
I was never really a fan of racing games, but I used to love playing this game just so I could get to this level. It fits the gameplay and the futuristic setting perfectly, paralleling with Corneria nicely. Listening to this song while I type this, I can imagine where the turbo boosts should be and the sound of me hitting the walls and eventually blowing up. Memories like that, something you can re-create when listening to it after a long time, is what this music post is all about. You'll be seeing a lot more of this with the rest of the list.
6. Bloody Tears - Castlevania IV
If this doesn't get you revved up to kill some vampires, I don't know what will. It has the kinetic, lively beat of an action game, yet organ sounds and whistles to give it the horror feel. The song really helps you jump into the game, much like the others on the list, which led me to barely pick this over Simon's theme. Somewhat of a tangent, but I'm pretty sure I love the NES version more than the SNES version. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.
5. Spark Mandrill - Mega Man X
You simply cannot do a video game music list without including Mega Man on it. The music for the NES games were memorable in itself, giving X a lot to live up to, and this entire game alone had some of the best of the X series. If you want to try and persuade me that Storm Eagle or Boomer Kuwanger should be here, I don't think it would take much on your part to do so.
4. Dark World - Zelda: A Link to the Past
Surprised I didn't go with the classic Zelda theme here? Sure that is pretty iconic, but there is so much more behind this song. It gives the sense of mystery and intrigue of a foreign world, with the sense of it being dangerous, but at the same time the excitement and motivation that you'll be able to conquer whatever you'll encounter. The image of this song starting the first time the song is played when Link is atop the pyramid is burned into my memory, and I'm a happier person for it.
3. Stickerbrush Symphony - Donkey Kong Country 2
Now we're getting into some pretty powerful stuff. The ambiance this music creates is breathtaking. Combined with the art for this level, really makes this a memorable experience. I remember starting this level and putting down the controller and just letting it play. So calm and relaxing, it really is a beautiful piece. There are plenty of covers for this song, that I'd recommend listening to if you have the interest. Putting real instruments brings back a ton of memories. You could make a great argument that this is the best song on the SNES.
2. Aria di Mezzo Carattere - Final Fantasy VI
Now this is how you put together as song as a defining moment in a game. Even though there is no voice track, it's still gripping and one of the most magnificent moments in all of gaming. Such an ambition scene for a 16-bit system with limited resources. This scene was one of the driving factors that led Nobuo Uematsu to partner with orchestras for the Video Game Live series, having full orchestras performing memorable video game music.
Well I'm back for a quick cameo after Jeff inspired me with all the video game posts. This is actually something I've thought about doing for a while, but finally got the motivation to put it together. Plus, I'm sure this is much more fun for everyone to read about than my typical WAR or xFIP posts.
My initial motivation to put this post together actually came from the Grammy awards if you can believe that. Journey, a PS3 game, was the first video game to ever have its soundtrack nominated for a Grammy. The score for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" won (sidenote - the music was co-written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails; blew me away when I read that), but it was a big step, now recognizing how dynamic and powerful some of the music can be on video games.
Granted, nothing on this will ever be mistaken for Grammy-worthy, but these are some of my favorite tracks from some great games. What makes many of these songs great for me, weren't that they were simply fun to listen to, but augmented the game experience, whether it stirred emotions, or was so atmospheric as to capture the scene and moment of the game. With that in mind, I wanted to highlight some of these songs, many of which were ahead of their time for the early 1990s. When determining this list, I decided to go with 1 song per game, as otherwise every song would have been from either Final Fantasy VI or Chrono Trigger.
Honorable Mention
Rick-Rolled by Chrono Trigger
I just had to lead off with this because we were all Rick Rolled by composer Yasunori Mitsuda, before that was ever a thing. Seriously, listen to this overlay/mash-up of Robo's theme and Never Gonna Give You Up. It just fits way too well. Get a good laugh out of that video, and then let's get going with the real list.
10. Fireburg - Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest
Yeah this isn't really that great of a game, and isn't actually a Final Fantasy game either, but I remember getting excited when I reached this town. It's such a fun, energetic song, while still keeping the feel of an atmospheric town setting, I just had to add it to my list. May not be too memorable for most, but it is for me.
9. Mission 1 - UN Squadron
This is considered one of the best side-scrolling shooters on the SNES, and the theme from the very first level helps in hooking you on the game right away. It's a high energy melody, with synth beats where you can easily picture where the electrical guitar should be. It fits perfectly into an aerial shooter, and adds to the anxiety and action of the level. It complements the level so well that it was pretty easy to pick this song rather than any of the other great tracks of the game.
8. Corneria - Star Fox
Sensing a theme so far? Another dynamic, aggressive track that immediately helps the player jump into the game from level 1. It fits into the frantic pace of the game, and does have the futuristic feel that fits in perfectly with the game.
7. Big Blue - F-Zero
I was never really a fan of racing games, but I used to love playing this game just so I could get to this level. It fits the gameplay and the futuristic setting perfectly, paralleling with Corneria nicely. Listening to this song while I type this, I can imagine where the turbo boosts should be and the sound of me hitting the walls and eventually blowing up. Memories like that, something you can re-create when listening to it after a long time, is what this music post is all about. You'll be seeing a lot more of this with the rest of the list.
6. Bloody Tears - Castlevania IV
If this doesn't get you revved up to kill some vampires, I don't know what will. It has the kinetic, lively beat of an action game, yet organ sounds and whistles to give it the horror feel. The song really helps you jump into the game, much like the others on the list, which led me to barely pick this over Simon's theme. Somewhat of a tangent, but I'm pretty sure I love the NES version more than the SNES version. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.
5. Spark Mandrill - Mega Man X
You simply cannot do a video game music list without including Mega Man on it. The music for the NES games were memorable in itself, giving X a lot to live up to, and this entire game alone had some of the best of the X series. If you want to try and persuade me that Storm Eagle or Boomer Kuwanger should be here, I don't think it would take much on your part to do so.
4. Dark World - Zelda: A Link to the Past
Surprised I didn't go with the classic Zelda theme here? Sure that is pretty iconic, but there is so much more behind this song. It gives the sense of mystery and intrigue of a foreign world, with the sense of it being dangerous, but at the same time the excitement and motivation that you'll be able to conquer whatever you'll encounter. The image of this song starting the first time the song is played when Link is atop the pyramid is burned into my memory, and I'm a happier person for it.
3. Stickerbrush Symphony - Donkey Kong Country 2
Now we're getting into some pretty powerful stuff. The ambiance this music creates is breathtaking. Combined with the art for this level, really makes this a memorable experience. I remember starting this level and putting down the controller and just letting it play. So calm and relaxing, it really is a beautiful piece. There are plenty of covers for this song, that I'd recommend listening to if you have the interest. Putting real instruments brings back a ton of memories. You could make a great argument that this is the best song on the SNES.
2. Aria di Mezzo Carattere - Final Fantasy VI
Now this is how you put together as song as a defining moment in a game. Even though there is no voice track, it's still gripping and one of the most magnificent moments in all of gaming. Such an ambition scene for a 16-bit system with limited resources. This scene was one of the driving factors that led Nobuo Uematsu to partner with orchestras for the Video Game Live series, having full orchestras performing memorable video game music.
I'm sure I'm biased toward this game, but I can still listen to this song for hours. I've always thought this was the perfect ending theme to a game. It starts off melodic and captivating, upbeat because your group of heroes completed their task and were able to change the future. About 2/3 of the way through the song, it becomes almost melancholic, exemplifying how the group of friends will now be splitting up, heading back to their own time periods, and then unsure of what the future will hold for any of them. This song led to symphonies playing this entire soundtrack, another important piece in video game music history. That's why I picked it over some great track like Corridors of Time (I can still picture reaching Zeal for the first time), Frog's theme, Yearnings of the Wind/600AD, or Schala's theme (because Wiz Khalifa can't be wrong).
Agree? Disagree? Did I make any glaring mistakes? Let me know. Hope you can enjoy some of this music, and hopefully brought back some good memories if you played any of these growing up.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Favorite video games of all time: 10-1
By Jeff
We've made it. We've gone through 90 amazing games and only have 10 more to go. It was quite a journey down memory lane for me. Yes, there were plenty of typos along the way. And for some reason I started writing in the present tense telling you all how good a game "is", but at some point decided to switch to past tense as if the games no longer exist. Moral of that story? Don't blog early in the morning or late at night.
The following games are all tremendous. If there is criticism, it is just nitpicking. I love all these games and still play them today from time to time. You'll see quite a few RPGs. These are the types of games I enjoy the most. The great ones have incredible stories and feature strong characters that you grow to love or hate. The hate is the good kind of hate, where you are driven to beat them because they are just bad dudes and the world would be better without them. There are characters that you hate in the bad way, in that you wish they never existed because they are boring, stupid and or pointless (Cait Sith must die...), but the strength of the others allow you to overlook these screw ups.
Again, these are my favorite games. There are probably dozens of games out there that I haven't played that would have made this list if I had. If you love "Bioshock", "Mass Effect", "Portal" and "Half-Life", you will be disappointed that they are not on this list. I've never played them. Don't hold it against me!
You can see 100-91 here, 90-81 here, 80-71 here, 70-61 here, 60-51 here, 50-41 here, 40-31 here, 30-21 here and 20-11 here.
10: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) - This may be the best game ever. It took a great series and took it to a level that no one had seen before. Yes, a lot of the things that made "A Link to the Past" great were just recycled here and made better. But everything is so much better, from the story, the use of weapons and the gameplay, that you ignore this fact and just enjoy.
The freedom of battle is incredible. You went from an overhead shot that doesn't allow you to move diagonal, to being able to lock onto enemies and use a variety of attacks. A press of a button can cast a magic spell and you can actually aim your projectile weapons.
This game has everything but one thing, and that's why I don't put it at No. 1. While Link is an iconic character in the gaming world, we know nothing about him. I love that he is just a regular guy who is doing courageous acts just because it's the right thing. It's not for love, money or prestige. He is just doing what is right. But, he never says a word. We never know what he's thinking, or how he feels about the situation he's dealing with.
And Zelda, who the game was named after, is just some woman in the background. We know she knows Ganondorf is evil and she wants to stop him. That's about it. We know Link wants to help her, but that's it.
While this lack of character development is why I moved the game down the list, it goes to show how strong of an overall game it is. It has very little character development for the main cast, as everyone is very one-dimensional, yet you are still compelled to play it nonstop until you beat it.
9: Chrono Trigger (SNES) - Just like Link, this game's main character, Chrono, is silent. And just like Link, he is the most goodly person in the world he inhabits. He sacrifices himself to save his friends. He literally dies and you have to go back in time and save him. We learn about Chrono through the other playable characters. He helps a robot be human, an evil dude question his ways, a depressed knight find his honor again and really just make everyone around him a better person.
The game itself is mind blowing. You can get something along the lines of 12 or 22 endings. I can't remember. You can fight the end boss at many different stages with different characters, which then leads to different endings. I don't remember any other game of its time like this.
While I prefer a few other RPGs, which you'll see soon enough, the battle system to this game is one of my favorites in an RPG. Why? Because everyone is different. The characters specialize in different elements and then certain combinations of characters in battle can do different kinds of combo attacks. It's brilliant and keeps the game fresh and fun for multiple play throughs.
8: Secret of Mana (SNES) - It's like "A Link to the Past", but bigger and better.
Swan and I have probably spent 100 hours or so playing this game. And that's why this game is higher than the two games at 9 and 10. It's made for two players. so you have a buddy to explore the most massive world (at the time) that I'd ever seen in a game.
The leveling system helps keep the game fun to play through multiple times. Why? Well, not only do the character level up to become more stronger and get more hit points, but you level up different weapons and magics by using them.
While the boy (Three playables don't have names) never says a word (Seems like a trend), you learn that his parents sacrificed themselves and he never got to really meet them because of these sacrifices. Like Link and Chrono, he takes on evil without a second thought because it's the right thing to do.
The secondary characters, from the sprite to Dyluck, all have compelling stories as well. Just look at the sprite. If he and your company destroy the Mana Beast, he will cease to exist in your world. Which wouldn't be so tragic if his entire village was not massacred. So he goes from having close friends for the game, then you beat the game and he must now live a life of solitude. It's heart breaking. He knows he's doing to be alone if the Mana Beast is killed, but knows that if the beast is not slain, the world will be destroyed. It is a selfless act and the player really feels for the little dude.
7: Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) - I don't know why a leaf turns a Mario into a raccoon that can fly. I also don't care. This game is incredible. The different worlds are so unique. You're in the desert, then a water world, then a land where giants live. I really don't know what else to say about this game. The details and variety this game provides is amazing for any game, let alone an 8-bit, NES game!
6: Twisted Metal 2 (Playstation) - Never mind the cars. You can blow up the Eiffel Tower. You can blow up the Statue of Liberty. It seems like everything is fair game.
This series is so creative. Who would have ever thought it would be a good idea to get a bunch of cars, create some crazy personalities for the drivers, load the cars with weapons and then just cause mass destruction? I don't know how they came up with it, but I'm so glad they did.
This game is so good on so many levels. The variety of vehicles makes you want to beat the game with every one of them. They all have different endings. Some are really silly, but some are dark and totally satisfying.
Then there are the two bosses. Oh. My. God. When Minion (Last guy of first game) shows up in the fourth level, and he is a tank that can destroy you in five seconds, it's terrifying. He seems impossible at first and makes you want to cry. You beat him, and then you have to go through four more levels! Then you get to Dark Tooth, and he's taller than buildings. He and Minion are just so intimidating to see, never mind trying to fight them. I think I just hid when I fought them for the first time. Yes, I didn't get to the next level, but I didn't explode and burn either.
5: Mega Man 3 (NES) -The worst gaming experience of my life revolved around this game. It wasn't any content in the game, it was the fact my NES copy stopped working. I was devastated. This was my favorite game ever at the time, and to not be able to play it was soul crushing.
Then came the Mega Man Anniversary pack for Playstation. It has every Mega Man game released for NES all on one disc. First game I played was "Mega Man 3" and it was just as good as I remembered.
The game is our intro to Proto Man, Rush and the slide. The robot bosses are cool, other than Top Man. The game was the longest of any of the NES titles and very challenging. It's not cheap challenging, but challenging.
"Mega Man 2" broke all new ground and is considered by many to be the series' best game, but "Mega Man 3" is superior in every aspect but the music. Hell, you even have to fight the robot bosses from "Mega Man 2" in the first set of Wily levels. So really it combines the best of two worlds!
4: Resident Evil (Playstation) - OK, ignore the TERRIBLE voice acting. "Barry? Where's Barry?" My god, it is so bad.
But once this terrible sequence is over, one of the greatest games ever begins. There are so many memorable scenes that still haunt my dreams. That first zombie, the dogs jumping through the windows, a giant snake, the first Hunter who just walks up and chops your head off and the Tyrant busting through the glass and stalking you around a lab. Terrifying.
The zombies and the monsters are just part of this game. The constant fear of what is around the corner makes every moment intense and has the player very tense the entire game.
Then there is the story. What starts as a special forces romp turns into a crazy game of betrayal and realization that there is something sinister and evil (Wink, wink) going on. At first it's just about finding your team. Then you learn all the wacky shit going and you just want to get out. But there are dogs outside! So now you're looking for a different way out, but there are more lab experiments ready to rip you apart. But as you find more teammates, dead, you find out there is a terrible plot to create biological weapons and someone in your team may be in on it!
See! It's intense!
3: Final Fantasy VII (Playstation) - Call me a fan boy. I don't care. And yes, other than weapons and limit breaks, characters are not diverse in battle. But the characters are incredible.
Cloud is a bit of an ass in the beginning, but he was impaled by a massive sword and then experimented on by an evil genetics scientist that messes up his memories. So yes, I feel bad for him. He overcomes this and becomes a true hero that you root for. He is not perfect like Chrono, Link or the boy, but that allows the player to relate to him more than the others mentioned above.
I have also read several blogs/articles hating on Sephiroth. They are entitled to their opinion, but he is a great bad guy. It's not the physical/magical power he wields. It's the mental games he plays on Cloud and others. He is manipulative and just evil because he thinks he is the superior being. He looks down on others and takes joy in not only killing them, but making them suffer mentally.
The majority of the other characters strong as well. Life Cloud, they are not perfect. They are all flawed in some way, but together they make it all work.y
Cait Sith sucks, but nobody's perfect.
And while I love the use of swords, spears and other classic weapons, they seem a little silly in the Final Fantasy worlds. There are rather advanced weaponry in these games like machine guns, lasers, rockets, etc., yet you are charging these well armed bad guys with a sword. How does that work? Someone ask the Light Brigade how that strategy worked out.
Whatever. Final Fantasy is awesome.
2: Final Fantasy VI (SNES) - Characters are the first thing I look for in a video game. Graphics are cool, fluid gameplay is a big plus, but my favorite games all have one thing in common. I actually care about the characters, just like I do with those in books and movies. I love plenty of games with no character development, but they don't bring the same satisfaction as games like "Final Fantasy VI".
This game has the biggest cast of playable characters the series has ever seen. And they all have a good story to them, other than Umaro and Gogo. They all have their reasons for fighting the most evil character video games have ever seen in Kefka. Even if you don't like playing as certain characters (Gau and Relm), their stories are still compelling. Relm never knew her parents; Gau was thrown to the wild by his crazy father; Locke wanted to protect those who couldn't protect themselves; Shadow was trying to redeem a life of mistakes and selfishness; and the list goes on. You get attached to all of them.
Unlike "FF7", each character also has their own special skill, making strategy and different combinations more important (Unless you have everybody learn Ultima).
I really have nothing bad to say about this game.
1: Final Fantasy Tactics (Playstation) - Yeah, another Final Fantasy title. Hate all you want. This is my list.
Once again, it's all about story and characters, as well as a cool battle system and addictive job system.
The story, before it gets a little nuts at the end, just sucks you in. The country is filled with corruption in politics and the church. The characters never know who to trust and there's just a very mature them that I had never really experienced before in video games. I'm not talking blood, gore and language mature. I'm talking about how there is much going on. Most Final Fantasy games revolve around saving the world. There is some evil wanting to destroy/control everything and you need to stop him. This game is smaller. It's a continent that has been ravaged by war and different factions are vying for power. And your character is caught in the middle of these events.
Ah, the character. Ramza is my all-time favorite video game character. Like Link, Chrono and the boy in "Secret of Mana", he is just a good person. He is not tempted by evil and goes into battle because he has to fight for others. But here is where he differs. Ramza is not the strongest guy out there. You can make him strong, but his unique skill set is not that special compared to people like Orlandu and Agrias. He is an everyday man who is put in a unique and difficult situation.
He does not run from this, he keeps going forward to fight for justice and to save his sister and friends. We learn about who Ramza is and why he does what he does, which allows the player to become more connected to him.
And in the end, Ramza saves the day, but is considered a heretic. People of his generation are left to think he was a bad guy. Instead of charging back to clear his name, Ramza just rides away. He doesn't need to set the record straight. He did what he had to do, the right thing, and that's all he needs.
The whole Delita storyline creates intense emotions as well. Sometimes you think he is a good guy and hold out hope he will join you. Then you realize he is out for himself and may be the most evil of all the characters. Sure, he doesn't get possessed by demons like some (Told you it got a little silly), but he knowingly manipulates his former best friend (Ramza) for his own gains. The same best friend who threw away his standing with his family and life of luxury because he tried to rescue Delita's sister when no one else would. Yeah, Delita is a dick.
I can pick up this game any day of the week and find the same enjoyment I found the day I first played it. That's why it's No. 1.
We've made it. We've gone through 90 amazing games and only have 10 more to go. It was quite a journey down memory lane for me. Yes, there were plenty of typos along the way. And for some reason I started writing in the present tense telling you all how good a game "is", but at some point decided to switch to past tense as if the games no longer exist. Moral of that story? Don't blog early in the morning or late at night.
The following games are all tremendous. If there is criticism, it is just nitpicking. I love all these games and still play them today from time to time. You'll see quite a few RPGs. These are the types of games I enjoy the most. The great ones have incredible stories and feature strong characters that you grow to love or hate. The hate is the good kind of hate, where you are driven to beat them because they are just bad dudes and the world would be better without them. There are characters that you hate in the bad way, in that you wish they never existed because they are boring, stupid and or pointless (Cait Sith must die...), but the strength of the others allow you to overlook these screw ups.
Again, these are my favorite games. There are probably dozens of games out there that I haven't played that would have made this list if I had. If you love "Bioshock", "Mass Effect", "Portal" and "Half-Life", you will be disappointed that they are not on this list. I've never played them. Don't hold it against me!
You can see 100-91 here, 90-81 here, 80-71 here, 70-61 here, 60-51 here, 50-41 here, 40-31 here, 30-21 here and 20-11 here.
10: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) - This may be the best game ever. It took a great series and took it to a level that no one had seen before. Yes, a lot of the things that made "A Link to the Past" great were just recycled here and made better. But everything is so much better, from the story, the use of weapons and the gameplay, that you ignore this fact and just enjoy.
The freedom of battle is incredible. You went from an overhead shot that doesn't allow you to move diagonal, to being able to lock onto enemies and use a variety of attacks. A press of a button can cast a magic spell and you can actually aim your projectile weapons.
This game has everything but one thing, and that's why I don't put it at No. 1. While Link is an iconic character in the gaming world, we know nothing about him. I love that he is just a regular guy who is doing courageous acts just because it's the right thing. It's not for love, money or prestige. He is just doing what is right. But, he never says a word. We never know what he's thinking, or how he feels about the situation he's dealing with.
And Zelda, who the game was named after, is just some woman in the background. We know she knows Ganondorf is evil and she wants to stop him. That's about it. We know Link wants to help her, but that's it.
While this lack of character development is why I moved the game down the list, it goes to show how strong of an overall game it is. It has very little character development for the main cast, as everyone is very one-dimensional, yet you are still compelled to play it nonstop until you beat it.
9: Chrono Trigger (SNES) - Just like Link, this game's main character, Chrono, is silent. And just like Link, he is the most goodly person in the world he inhabits. He sacrifices himself to save his friends. He literally dies and you have to go back in time and save him. We learn about Chrono through the other playable characters. He helps a robot be human, an evil dude question his ways, a depressed knight find his honor again and really just make everyone around him a better person.
The game itself is mind blowing. You can get something along the lines of 12 or 22 endings. I can't remember. You can fight the end boss at many different stages with different characters, which then leads to different endings. I don't remember any other game of its time like this.
While I prefer a few other RPGs, which you'll see soon enough, the battle system to this game is one of my favorites in an RPG. Why? Because everyone is different. The characters specialize in different elements and then certain combinations of characters in battle can do different kinds of combo attacks. It's brilliant and keeps the game fresh and fun for multiple play throughs.
8: Secret of Mana (SNES) - It's like "A Link to the Past", but bigger and better.
Swan and I have probably spent 100 hours or so playing this game. And that's why this game is higher than the two games at 9 and 10. It's made for two players. so you have a buddy to explore the most massive world (at the time) that I'd ever seen in a game.
The leveling system helps keep the game fun to play through multiple times. Why? Well, not only do the character level up to become more stronger and get more hit points, but you level up different weapons and magics by using them.
While the boy (Three playables don't have names) never says a word (Seems like a trend), you learn that his parents sacrificed themselves and he never got to really meet them because of these sacrifices. Like Link and Chrono, he takes on evil without a second thought because it's the right thing to do.
The secondary characters, from the sprite to Dyluck, all have compelling stories as well. Just look at the sprite. If he and your company destroy the Mana Beast, he will cease to exist in your world. Which wouldn't be so tragic if his entire village was not massacred. So he goes from having close friends for the game, then you beat the game and he must now live a life of solitude. It's heart breaking. He knows he's doing to be alone if the Mana Beast is killed, but knows that if the beast is not slain, the world will be destroyed. It is a selfless act and the player really feels for the little dude.
7: Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) - I don't know why a leaf turns a Mario into a raccoon that can fly. I also don't care. This game is incredible. The different worlds are so unique. You're in the desert, then a water world, then a land where giants live. I really don't know what else to say about this game. The details and variety this game provides is amazing for any game, let alone an 8-bit, NES game!
6: Twisted Metal 2 (Playstation) - Never mind the cars. You can blow up the Eiffel Tower. You can blow up the Statue of Liberty. It seems like everything is fair game.
This series is so creative. Who would have ever thought it would be a good idea to get a bunch of cars, create some crazy personalities for the drivers, load the cars with weapons and then just cause mass destruction? I don't know how they came up with it, but I'm so glad they did.
This game is so good on so many levels. The variety of vehicles makes you want to beat the game with every one of them. They all have different endings. Some are really silly, but some are dark and totally satisfying.
Then there are the two bosses. Oh. My. God. When Minion (Last guy of first game) shows up in the fourth level, and he is a tank that can destroy you in five seconds, it's terrifying. He seems impossible at first and makes you want to cry. You beat him, and then you have to go through four more levels! Then you get to Dark Tooth, and he's taller than buildings. He and Minion are just so intimidating to see, never mind trying to fight them. I think I just hid when I fought them for the first time. Yes, I didn't get to the next level, but I didn't explode and burn either.
5: Mega Man 3 (NES) -The worst gaming experience of my life revolved around this game. It wasn't any content in the game, it was the fact my NES copy stopped working. I was devastated. This was my favorite game ever at the time, and to not be able to play it was soul crushing.
Then came the Mega Man Anniversary pack for Playstation. It has every Mega Man game released for NES all on one disc. First game I played was "Mega Man 3" and it was just as good as I remembered.
The game is our intro to Proto Man, Rush and the slide. The robot bosses are cool, other than Top Man. The game was the longest of any of the NES titles and very challenging. It's not cheap challenging, but challenging.
"Mega Man 2" broke all new ground and is considered by many to be the series' best game, but "Mega Man 3" is superior in every aspect but the music. Hell, you even have to fight the robot bosses from "Mega Man 2" in the first set of Wily levels. So really it combines the best of two worlds!
4: Resident Evil (Playstation) - OK, ignore the TERRIBLE voice acting. "Barry? Where's Barry?" My god, it is so bad.
But once this terrible sequence is over, one of the greatest games ever begins. There are so many memorable scenes that still haunt my dreams. That first zombie, the dogs jumping through the windows, a giant snake, the first Hunter who just walks up and chops your head off and the Tyrant busting through the glass and stalking you around a lab. Terrifying.
The zombies and the monsters are just part of this game. The constant fear of what is around the corner makes every moment intense and has the player very tense the entire game.
Then there is the story. What starts as a special forces romp turns into a crazy game of betrayal and realization that there is something sinister and evil (Wink, wink) going on. At first it's just about finding your team. Then you learn all the wacky shit going and you just want to get out. But there are dogs outside! So now you're looking for a different way out, but there are more lab experiments ready to rip you apart. But as you find more teammates, dead, you find out there is a terrible plot to create biological weapons and someone in your team may be in on it!
See! It's intense!
3: Final Fantasy VII (Playstation) - Call me a fan boy. I don't care. And yes, other than weapons and limit breaks, characters are not diverse in battle. But the characters are incredible.
Cloud is a bit of an ass in the beginning, but he was impaled by a massive sword and then experimented on by an evil genetics scientist that messes up his memories. So yes, I feel bad for him. He overcomes this and becomes a true hero that you root for. He is not perfect like Chrono, Link or the boy, but that allows the player to relate to him more than the others mentioned above.
I have also read several blogs/articles hating on Sephiroth. They are entitled to their opinion, but he is a great bad guy. It's not the physical/magical power he wields. It's the mental games he plays on Cloud and others. He is manipulative and just evil because he thinks he is the superior being. He looks down on others and takes joy in not only killing them, but making them suffer mentally.
The majority of the other characters strong as well. Life Cloud, they are not perfect. They are all flawed in some way, but together they make it all work.y
Cait Sith sucks, but nobody's perfect.
And while I love the use of swords, spears and other classic weapons, they seem a little silly in the Final Fantasy worlds. There are rather advanced weaponry in these games like machine guns, lasers, rockets, etc., yet you are charging these well armed bad guys with a sword. How does that work? Someone ask the Light Brigade how that strategy worked out.
Whatever. Final Fantasy is awesome.
2: Final Fantasy VI (SNES) - Characters are the first thing I look for in a video game. Graphics are cool, fluid gameplay is a big plus, but my favorite games all have one thing in common. I actually care about the characters, just like I do with those in books and movies. I love plenty of games with no character development, but they don't bring the same satisfaction as games like "Final Fantasy VI".
This game has the biggest cast of playable characters the series has ever seen. And they all have a good story to them, other than Umaro and Gogo. They all have their reasons for fighting the most evil character video games have ever seen in Kefka. Even if you don't like playing as certain characters (Gau and Relm), their stories are still compelling. Relm never knew her parents; Gau was thrown to the wild by his crazy father; Locke wanted to protect those who couldn't protect themselves; Shadow was trying to redeem a life of mistakes and selfishness; and the list goes on. You get attached to all of them.
Unlike "FF7", each character also has their own special skill, making strategy and different combinations more important (Unless you have everybody learn Ultima).
I really have nothing bad to say about this game.
1: Final Fantasy Tactics (Playstation) - Yeah, another Final Fantasy title. Hate all you want. This is my list.
Once again, it's all about story and characters, as well as a cool battle system and addictive job system.
The story, before it gets a little nuts at the end, just sucks you in. The country is filled with corruption in politics and the church. The characters never know who to trust and there's just a very mature them that I had never really experienced before in video games. I'm not talking blood, gore and language mature. I'm talking about how there is much going on. Most Final Fantasy games revolve around saving the world. There is some evil wanting to destroy/control everything and you need to stop him. This game is smaller. It's a continent that has been ravaged by war and different factions are vying for power. And your character is caught in the middle of these events.
Ah, the character. Ramza is my all-time favorite video game character. Like Link, Chrono and the boy in "Secret of Mana", he is just a good person. He is not tempted by evil and goes into battle because he has to fight for others. But here is where he differs. Ramza is not the strongest guy out there. You can make him strong, but his unique skill set is not that special compared to people like Orlandu and Agrias. He is an everyday man who is put in a unique and difficult situation.
He does not run from this, he keeps going forward to fight for justice and to save his sister and friends. We learn about who Ramza is and why he does what he does, which allows the player to become more connected to him.
And in the end, Ramza saves the day, but is considered a heretic. People of his generation are left to think he was a bad guy. Instead of charging back to clear his name, Ramza just rides away. He doesn't need to set the record straight. He did what he had to do, the right thing, and that's all he needs.
The whole Delita storyline creates intense emotions as well. Sometimes you think he is a good guy and hold out hope he will join you. Then you realize he is out for himself and may be the most evil of all the characters. Sure, he doesn't get possessed by demons like some (Told you it got a little silly), but he knowingly manipulates his former best friend (Ramza) for his own gains. The same best friend who threw away his standing with his family and life of luxury because he tried to rescue Delita's sister when no one else would. Yeah, Delita is a dick.
I can pick up this game any day of the week and find the same enjoyment I found the day I first played it. That's why it's No. 1.
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