My Re-Evaluation of the Nintendo Wii

Recently, something inside me just kind of clicked with the Wii, I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but I've grown a newfound love for the Wii. I never hated the system but always found it to be the most disappointing and my least favorite Nintendo console. It's still not my favorite but I enjoy it much more now than I ever while it was current, and I can finally admit it's a much better console than I ever gave it credit for.

Travel back in time to 2006, when it was known as the Revolution, then the Wii name was revealed before it launched in November. I never anticipated any other console's release as much as the Wii's, as I was coming from the GameCube, I felt that Nintendo consoles just kept getting better and better. Virtual Console was announced, which was a new feature at the time and I was ridiculously excited for that so I could buy all my favorite classics as well as games I never had the chance to play before. I thought the prospect of motion controls was interesting but I wasn't sure how I would like them, but either way I was extremely excited for the console leading up to its release. Unfortunately I didn't preorder one and I remember it was impossible to find one in stores for a long time, but I got lucky the day after Christmas 2006, I just walked into Best Buy right as they opened and they just got a small shipment in and I bought my Wii along with Twilight Princess and Excite Truck.

I played the hell out of Wii Sports, Twilight Princess, and Excite Truck for the following weeks, and picked up WarioWare: Smooth Moves shortly after in January 2007. Then I pretty much hit a wall. My excitement for the system went from 60 to 0 in a few short weeks. I quickly grew bored of the console and went back to playing my old consoles. The Virtual Console released games at a snail's pace and the retail games that were coming out barely interested me. In the first year of the console's life I picked up maybe 5 games total but had no desire to keep playing them. Even after Super Mario Galaxy came out a year after the console's launch I began to wonder why we really needed motion controls at all, as no game really convinced me they were better than traditional controls. Seemingly every big release that came out I just grew less and less interested in the console. Super Mario Galaxy was good the first time around but I felt it lacked the charm of Super Mario 64 and Sunshine, Mario Kart Wii was disappointing compared to past entries, and somehow Super Smash Bros. Brawl paled in comparison to Melee despite having more options and a bigger roster. It was at that point that I deemed the Wii to be, by far, my least favorite console - ever. That's when I gave in to buying a PlayStation 3 and began enjoying that far more than my Wii. As my interest and excitement skyrocketed for PS3, I reached the point of debating whether I wanted to even keep my Wii at all. This would be the first time I even contemplated selling a Nintendo system before it's life was over. I ultimately decided it was better to just hold onto it anyway just in case one or two games I really want come out.

In 2010 my interest in the Wii was slightly renewed with the fantastic games Super Mario Galaxy 2, Donkey Kong Country Returns and Kirby's Epic Yarn. I enjoyed Super Mario Galaxy but I found the sequel to be a bit better. Donkey Kong Country is a series I sorely missed and its return on the Wii was glorious and easily became one of my favorite games on the system. Kirby's Epic Yarn was a real surprise hit with me, as I wasn't even going to get it at first, but then I read a lot of positive reviews and listened to some of its soundtrack and I was completely sold on it. I'm glad I got it since it became my all-time favorite Wii game and one of my favorite games on any console. Shortly after I finished those 3 games however my interest plummeted again and I realized I was pretty much done with the Wii.

Moving along to the months leading up to the Wii U's release, I was very hesitant to jump on board to Nintendo's next system since I expected to just be disappointed again like I was with the Wii, so I avoided being too hyped. I deteremined the best days of Nintendo were behind me and it wasn't until a few weeks after Wii U's release that I decided I'll get a Wii U anyway just because of the prospect that there will be a handful of must-have titles for it. Well, my disappointment did continue to Wii U unfortunately. This disappointment persists even now, as Wii U is easily my most disappointing Nintendo console. It's been out 3 years and I really haven't touched it a whole lot, despite having a handful of great games. Unlike what I did with the Wii, I actively seek out great Wii U games but rarely find games that really grasp me.

So, we're nearly 3 years in with the Wii U and I've been largely disappointed. So what made me give the Wii a second chance? Well, for starters, I had bought Skyward Sword on its release day in 2011 but didn't actually play it until Dec 2014. Overall I really disliked the game (story and design-wise) but the combat controls really proved to me that motion controls could be an excellent addition to a game when used correctly. It was the first time in the history of the Wii that I felt that the motion controls actually added something to the game rather than just being a gimmicky nuisance. Now I'm hearing rumors of NX being digital-only, my realization that Wii U is my least favorite and most disappointing console Nintendo has put out, and me even questioning whether or not I'll ever buy another new console. Somehow this led me to seek out affordable games that are currently out, as I'm most likely just going to fill out my collections with the consoles I have rather than move on to the next generation. While researching games for the Wii, I realized there are a LOT of potentially great games I missed out on.

As I said, I didn't really give Wii a fair enough chance during its lifetime since the gimmicky controller turned me off and the games I played really didn't live up to their hype in my opinion. In this last week, I've been replaying Super Mario Galaxy, Kirby's Epic Yarn, and Donkey Kong Country Returns and I've been having a real blast. Probably the most fun I've had with the Wii in the last 5 years. I'm now trying to look past the controller and be more open-minded about the games that were released for the system. Ignoring all the garbage shovelware titles (there are a LOT of those) there is still a pretty hefty list of games for the Wii that I'd like to play. I just discovered Fragile Dreams and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, two games I had no idea about but look like they could be some of my favorite games on the console. Taking another look at the Wii has opened my eyes to see what I was missing in these last 8 years or so. Along with the fact that Wii games are generally still extremely cheap and can easily be found online and in stores, I have been motivated to collect for the Wii (at least for now) and discover what made the console so great.

In conclusion, the Wii is still by no means my favorite console, and it still doesn't truly live up to the lofty expectations I had for it in the months leading up to its release. However it's far better than I ever gave it credit for, and in a way I feel like I've gained a new console, despite it being one that I've owned for nearly 9 years.

Long live the Wii!

My Impressions of Nintendo's E3 2015 Presentation

Every year I look forward to this one event - E3. The Super Bowl of the gaming community. The place where new games are announced and existing ones are shown off. People get excited and surprised. There are almost always big surprises and reasons to love being a gamer. And just like Christmas every year, E3 has come and gone in what feels like mere seconds. So how did it measure up this year? I can't speak for anyone else but I can tell you one thing about this year's E3. The event definitely struck up some emotions in me.

I think this is the year I have been most divided on how to feel post-E3. Usually I can flat out say whether the whole thing was very overwhelmingly great or underwhelmingly disappointing. I think the event ended with me feeling very mixed. Since Nintendo is my main focus I'm going to dedicate 90% of this post on their E3 showing. But first I just want to outline a few great things Sony and Microsoft have shown.

Microsoft

I have zero interest in getting an Xbox One and I have almost no interest in what Microsoft had to present, to be honest. I didn't even watch the conference but I did read about it just out of curiosity. Two things struck some minor chords with me during their presentation.

1. Rare Replay

If you've followed by blog you'll have no doubt figured out by now I am a huge fan of Rare. Specifically SNES and N64 era Rare. Now that Microsoft owns Rare we will never see the likes of Banjo-Kazooie, Conker, or Perfect Dark on another Nintendo console. We will never see them not even in Virtual Console form. But for owners of Xbox One, the compilation disc, titled Rare Replay, will feature many of their great hits (minus anything strictly Nintendo related such as Donkey Kong). So far we know Perfect Dark, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Battletoads, RC Pro Am and Banjo-Kazooie are confirmed. It's something that's a nice fan service package to Xbox One owners who also happen to appreciate the old Rare. This is not even close to being worth buying an Xbox One for, so I won't be getting it. Besides, I already own most of their games anyway. Still it's a cool little package.

2. Xbox One Backwards Compatibility

Easily the best announcement Microsoft had in my opinion, the fact that Xbox One will be able to play Xbox 360 games is a huge draw to the system in my opinion. It's not enough to make me want the system but if I were thinking about getting the XB1, then this news might've pushed me towards getting one since I missed out on 360 in its entirety. A really great announcement and hopefully one that will eventually persuade Sony to do the same with the PS4, to include PS3 backwards compatibility. Let's be honest, it's getting a little ridiculous with the amount of consoles that have been put out in the last 30 years and who has the room for all of them? Backwards compatibility is important to me and many others and is a feature that is a huge draw for me personally. Good job on that one, Microsoft.

Sony

Like Microsoft' conference, I was really only interested in two things that I saw. Since I am much more of a Sony fan than Microsoft, I watched most of this conference until my internet crapped out. So even with only two notable announcements (to me) Sony's conference kind of blew me away. These two announcements were HUGE ones. They pretty much solidified my decision to buy a PS4 at some point. Prior to this E3 I was very much against buying into this generation of consoles, but they really changed my decision on that.

1. The Last Guardian

This game was teased for so many years that everyone thought it was never going to come out. Well guess what? It's coming out! And you know what? It looks absolutely fantastic! Sure it's been 8 years since it was first announced, but the fact that it's still alive and looking good makes me very happy. This is made my the team that made Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, two games that unexpectedly blew me away and whenever I get around to playing the Last Guardian I expect no less than to be extremely impressed. 

2. Final Fantasy VII: Remake

Easily the best thing to come out of E3, many people have long awaited a remake of this fantastic game, and it's here. It's finally official. It's been teased, joked about, forgotten about, and at last it's real. They may have only shown a very tiny teaser trailer and nothing more but that's all I needed. Just the fact that the game exists is enough for me. And if that trailer ends up being the introduction video in the final game, then mark me very very pleased. This news was honestly the best news in gaming in a very long time.

Nintendo

Well, here we go with this one. I have a lot of feelings about Nintendo's E3 presentation. Not all of it is bad, but I really think this was one of the worst E3 showings for them in at least a couple years. Let's break down their entire presentation, one announcement at a time.

1. Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

Nintendo came out really strong when they opened with Star Fox Zero. It looks like it will retain the same great style as Star Fox 64 with a few added surprises. The gameplay on the tv is in third person while the gameplay on the gamepad is in first person inside the cockpit. Really clever if you ask me. The graphics are great, the gameplay looks like a lot of fun, and they even introduced transformations. That's right - the Arwing and the Landmaster can transform. Really, really cool. They showed a bunch of gameplay after their presentation and it kept my interest. I'm not a big Star Fox fan as I really only like Star Fox 64 and none of the other entries in the series, but they really sold me on this new entry. Well done, Nintendo, well done!

Verdict: Hit!

2. Skylanders Supercharged (Wii U)

Next they showed off Skylanders Supercharged. Not a fan of the Skylanders franchise since it depends on you buying more figures. If I were 10 I'd probably love it but I can't keep buying new figures to play the game. But one cool thing they pointed out is that, exclusive to the Wii U version, there will a Bowser and a Donkey Kong Skylander figure to play as in the game. Not groundbreaking but still a cool announcement.

Verdict: Miss

3. Legend of Zelda: TriForce Heroes (3DS)

So, here we have a new Zelda game for the 3DS that uses the Link Between Worlds engine. Just like Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures the focus will be on multiplayer. I wasn't super excited to see this, as I'd rather have a new full Zelda game rather than another spin-off but it doesn't look too bad. As long as you are able to play the game entirely on your own I will be purchasing this one.

So far, at this point Nintendo is batting 50/50. Star Fox was a hit with me, Skylanders a miss, and TriForce Heroes I'm kind of torn on. But we're barely a quarter way into the presentation so there's still more to come!

Verdict: Undecided

4. Hyrule Warriors Legends (3DS)

Another Zelda-related announcement, and yet another spin-off. This game is a port of the Wii U version of Hyrule Warriors. I had very little interest in the game on Wii U and this one doesn't seem too different but I just might try it. It doesn't look bad but I don't know if it's for me. Another game I'm undecided about.

Verdict: Undecided

5. Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)

And here's where I decided Nintendo really dropped the ball this year. I am disgusted at the existence of this game. Why? Well, let me give you an analogy.  It's kind of like ordering a steak at a restaurant (wanting a new Metroid), expecting a hamburger (expecting some form of Metroid), and being served a pile of dog shit (Metroid Prime: Federation Force). If you're not too familiar with Metroid then you might not understand my disgust with this game but fans of the series have been dying for either a new Metroid Prime or a new sidescrolling Metroid. What we got instead was something that very loosely resembles Metroid Prime but with no Samus, bad graphics, and a focus on multiplayer. So basically everything a Metroid game is not. The look and style of the game is probably the worst thing about it too. It's doesn't even look good. I was fuming when this was announced since Nintendo knows we want a new Metroid. A good Metroid. Instead we got a pile of crap with the Metroid name. This is borderline insulting to me as a fan of the series. I'd have been less disappointed with E3 overall if there was not a single mention of Metroid than seeing this garbage spewed out. And the fact that Nintendo actually thought this was good enough to debut at E3...laughable.

Verdict: A HUGE Miss

6. Fire Emblem: Fates (3DS)

Not a huge Fire Emblem fan but it looks pretty cool. We already knew about this game for a couple months but I suppose it is something else to look forward to. This reminds me that I never finished a single Fire Emblem game. Overall though, not disappointing or exciting. A solid buy.

Verdict: Hit

7. Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem (3DS)

This is some kind of mash-up between Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem. It looks interesting and I'm sure fans of both franchises are wetting themselves right now, but this is just not for me.

Verdict: Miss

8. Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)

Holy crap, if I didn't think this game looked amazing before, I definitely do now! We've known about this game for months, maybe even a year or more, but the more I hear about it and see the more interested I am. I never finished Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii or 3DS, but with a release date finally announced for this (December 4, 2015) I have something to work towards. Really impressed by the footage they showed here.

Verdict: Hit

9. Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS)

Another game I knew about already and am undecided about. I love Animal Crossing but this seems to be just a spin-off where you design villagers' homes. Not that I necessarily think it looks bad, but it might not be for me, which is fine. They will introduce Amiibo Cards with this game as well, which work like Amiibos but in the form of trading cards. Cool idea. Not sure if I will purchase this one or not.

Verdict: Undecided

10. Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival (Wii U)

I am a little disappointed with this game's existence. People wanted an Animal Crossing game on Wii U, and I would've liked one, but what we got was a Mario Party type game. It's almost the same thing that happened with Metroid. They gave us something we didn't want. The fact that this game has Amiibo in the title makes me wonder if I'll be required to buy Amiibo to play it. Really not interested in this game at all, and pretty disappointed that there's no true Animal Crossing on Wii U. Still, less offensive that the pile of Metroid-esque garbage.

Verdict: Miss

11. Yoshi's Woolly World (Wii U)

This game looks phenomenal. In my opinion this was Nintendo's show stealer. We've known about this game for a year but it keeps looking better and better. Yoshi's Island on SNES is my second favorite game of all time and Kirby's Epic Yarn on Wii is easily in my top 20, and this game looks to combine the greatness of both games. We could be looking at a new Top 10 game here for me. I am super pumped for this game. Seriously, it looks phenomenal. I really can't wait for this. On top of new footage we also got a release date: October 16, 2015. So close yet so far away. I hope these next 4 months go by fast!

Verdict: A HUGE Hit

12. Yo-Kai Watch (3DS)

I really have no idea what to think about this game. They show almost nothing the trailer. Well, not enough to really assess what this game even is. I was not impressed but was not really turned off either. I'm more confused than anything. Still, overall, another miss for me.

Verdict: Miss

13. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (3DS)

Probably the biggest surprise from Nintendo this year. This game is a mash-up between the Mario & Luigi series and the Paper Mario series. I'm looking forward to it since I enjoy both series but it's not quite the Paper Mario game that I was hoping for.  Still, it looks fun, and it was something I did not expect so that's a bonus.

Verdict: Hit

14. Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash (Wii U)

A sort of ho-hum announcement, Nintendo showed off their new Mario Tennis game on Wii U. Really underwhelming as far as a new game goes. Mario Tennis is fun and all but I expected something much better to be announced instead. I'll probably skip it since I already have 3 Mario Tennis games and they're all almost identical, and this one will probably be the same, so this announcement was a bit of a letdown.

Verdict: Miss

15. Super Mario Maker (Wii U)

This game has been talked about and hyped since last year's E3. And for good reason. It looks really good. You can make your own Mario levels in 4 different styles - Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. By the looks of it, you can do a lot of different things in these levels. Really, this is something I've wanted to do for a long, long time. Oh, and apparently you can turn into Link, Yoshi, and maybe a few other Nintendo characters by use of Amiibo. This game was made to celebrate Mario's 30 year anniversary and this is definitely one game I'm pumped about. They officially announced the release date too which is nice: September 11, 2015.

Verdict: A HUGE Hit

So all in all, this year's E3 had some ups, it had some downs, but Nintendo's presentation in particular I found to be very disappointing. Moreso than last year. Last year they showed us a tidbit of Zelda on Wii U, Splatoon, Code Name STEAM, Yoshi's Woolly World, Xenoblade Chronicles X, and Mario Maker, but last year these were all new announcements. This year we're seeing most of these again but we already knew of these. They also showed off Chibi-Robo: Zip Lash on 3DS just before the official presentation, which looks cool as well. But overall this E3 was pretty underwhelming. Final Fantasy VII and the Last Guardian are probably the best things that came out of E3 this year. Yoshi's Woolly World, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Super Mario Maker, and Star Fox Zero all look great but none of it was really surprising. My faith in Nintendo was already crippled by lack of really understanding what the fans want, and having just constantly disappointing me over the last year or so but I'm coming more and more to the conclusion that I have simply outgrown Nintendo. At least there's always Sony.

The Pros and Cons of the Impending Digital Age

There's no denying that the digital age is upon us. All forms of media as we know them have been making the transition from physical form to 100% digital in the last decade or so. We're talking music, movies, tv shows, books, and now video games. Video games in purely digital form is not a new concept - PCs have been doing it for years and consoles have been doing it since around 2005/2006 when Xbox 360 and PS3 have been offering digital versions of full games and smaller, independent games. Wii also started offering digital versions of a selection of their past games from NES, SNES, N64, among a few other consoles, with their Virtual Console service. I think older titles being available in digital form on newer consoles is a great thing but this article is moreso about the transition of the media of video games as we know it.

I predict in a good 10 years all new video games will be offered only digitally.  Of course that is just a baseless guess and the true digital age could be much closer or further away, but I think there is a very good chance that the current generation of video games could very well be the last time we see video games take physical form. With things like iPads, Androids, and even the Kickstarter-funded console Ouya, companies have pretty much proven that an all digital format could work for video games. Even in many polls that I've seen regarding the subject the number of people who prefer physical media such as a cartridge or a disc is pretty much equal to those who would rather just download a game to their console, and the number of digitally preferred people will only go up from here. Many people get attached to the physical form of media because that's what they grew up with and that is what they know. You want to play a game? Just pop the cartridge into the slot and you're good to go! No need to download anything! I'm definitely on the side of physical media but I do think both forms have their market and could (and should) co-exist for years to come. For years I loathed the idea of an all-digital future for video games. I'll probably always prefer actual music CDs, movies on DVDs, actual books, and video games on cartridges and discs to completely digital forms. For a while I was completely against digital forms of any of those things, but lately I've been thinking maybe the digital age isn't so bad. Yes I will miss physical media when it's gone (and it will be eventually) but digital games have some advantages physical media doesn't, and vice versa. So without further ado, here are some arguments to be made for both sides.

Cons of an All-Digital Future

1. You're screwed if you have a bad internet connection. Let's face it - not everybody has a good internet connection and you'd be ignorant to think otherwise. There are still plenty of people out there who don't have super fast internet speeds, or even internet all. Yes, this is a first world problem but many people seem to assume  that everyone has a computer, everyone has fast internet, and everyone has a smartphone. This is simply not the case. Some people can't afford such commodities. But even some people who have those luxuries have really bad internet (myself included) and if you want to download a game, you're basically at the mercy of the internet. Whereas cartridges and discs can just be put in their respective console and played within seconds, in an all-digital age, if your internet sucks, you could be downloading that game for hours, maybe even days, or even not at all. When I downloaded Child of Light on Wii U it took me almost 3 days to finish downloading. It's not even that big of a game and my internet is so spotty that it didn't even work at all on my PS3, thus having to resort to my Wii U. Imagine if I were to try and download a full AAA game to PS3? I'd probably get to play it in a month if I'm lucky.

2. You're at the mercy of the company who made the console. When you buy a game in physical format - it's yours. You buy it, play it, then put it on your shelf to be played for years to come. Even when a particular game get discontinued and cannot be found in stores, chances are you can still buy it online even if it sometimes comes with a ridiculous price tag. If you rely on a purely digital format, games can be put up and taken down at will according to the company who made the console. So sure you have the option of buying a certain game today but that game could very well be taken off the digital store tomorrow. Then what? You can't simply go online and buy a used copy, now can you? That game is gone forever, or at least until they put it back up for purchase. This brings me to my next point...

3. All-digital means no used games. Buying a game used can be ridiculously cost effective. If you want a deal on a game it usually means you can find it used for less than the price of a new one. And even many games drop in price over time, whereas the price of digital games tend to stagnate. For instance, would you rather buy Grand Theft Auto V on the digital store for $50 or would you rather buy it used on Amazon for $25? To me the answer is very clear. Another thing to consider is, what if you buy a digital game and don't like it? You spent $60 on a new game that you can't return or sell. You just kissed that money goodbye. You can't resell said game for $45 or whatever the game goes for. You can't even let your best friend borrow that digital copy of your game either. If you buy a game digitally for $60, if your friend wants to just borrow your copy, he or she can't. Not unless you lend your entire system out.

4. Limited hard drive space means limited access to games. Hard drives have limited space. Despite hard drives in consoles getting bigger and bigger, games are also getting bigger as well. In an ideal world you can store every game in your lirbary on your hard drive without the need to delete and redownload them. But that's not always the case. If you have 50, or maybe 100 games downloaded, chances are those games that are probably about 10 GB apiece in size will not all fit on that hard drive without the need to delete at least a couple of them. Don't forget updates, DLC, and game saves are stored on the system as well. And if you choose to download music and movies to the console as well, that's still space being used. So my point is, the need to delete and redownload games is a pain. With physical media, if you want to switch games, you just take out the cartridge or disc and put in a different one. With digital, if you have enough space for 20 games and you own 30, and a game you want to play is not currently on the hard drive, you now have to choose which game gets deleted so you can download the one you want.And let's face it - no matter how fast your internet is, downloading a game is not an instantaneous process. It takes time. The files are very large in this day and age and will only get bigger.

5. Digital games have no collectors' value. This is more of a personal reason than any other, but it is something that affects some people, myself included. If you buy a game in physical form, you can look at its wonderful boxart and display the case on your shelf. You can alphabetize them or organize them however you want. Your collection is there in front of you. If you go all-digital, your collection is relegated to a list. You can't show off your collection to your friends and it's not fun to look at. Game manuals have even been making the transition to purely digital form in recent years. Most new games don't come with manuals anymore. You have to view them digitally. Back in the early days of video games, having a manual meant something. It was part of the experience. You read the story about the game, looked at all the controls, viewed some tips, etc. Now everything comes in the form of in-game tutorials and digital text. Sure this is a minor complaint but I really enjoy seeing my games being displayed on my shelf. I can see exactly what I own whenever I want and it looks nice. Of course this won't affect everyone but it is a selling point for me.

Pros of an All-Digital Future

1. No physical media means no clutter. Obviously this doesn't apply to everyone but not everyone is a collector/hoarder. Some people don't like clutter. A fully digital game library means you can free up some much needed space for other things. I won't lie - games can take up a ton of space. I know mine do. I'm not even talking about the consoles themselves. If you collect boxes and cartridges for old games, let's say you have 10 of them, that's easily an entire bookshelf worth of games. To be honest, there are times where I want to just throw all of my games out the window because it feels claustrophobic in my apartment. It's not even that I own that many games but I just don't have the room to store them all. So I absolutely understand the people who don't want their games to take up so much room.

2. No game inflation. As a game collector, it often gets frustrating seeing prices of older games keep going up in price. My favorite game in particular, EarthBound, goes for about $200 for the cartridge alone. If you want the box and guide as well, you're talking $600+. To most people paying that price is absolutely insane, especially when you consider the same exact game can be downloaded for $10 on Wii U's virtual console. $10 vs $200 is a huge difference, and this is only one example. There are plenty of games that have gone way up in price since they were released new. Because of the ridiculous inflation of old games in recent years, I've begun to stick with only my favorites in physical form and to just download the rest. If you don't care about forming a collection and only just want to play the game as cheaply as possible, downloading is a good option.

3. You can download the game at will. Let's pretend a game you're really excited for is coming out tomorrow. It's 11:50 pm and if you want that game as soon as it's available you have to wait to go to the store the next day and get through work or school before you can get home to play it. If you go digital, you can download said game at midnight. Also, even outside of new releases, if you just plain don't feel like going to the store, you can download a game at your convenience. You save time and gas money this way in most cases. No dealing with traffic, no wasting gas, no wondering if the store you go to will even have it - you just select the game in the online store and wait for it to finish downloading. This works especially well for days when you're snowed in or there's a bad hurricane out or any kind of inclement weather outside. You don't even have to get dressed!

4. Physical media is not flawless. Despite my love for physical media, it is not without its share of problems. Old game cartridges in particular suffer from battery saves. This means if you want to save your game on a cartridge based game, that battery that allows you to save will likely die in a decade or two. And while this problem sounds minor and can usually be remedied fairly easily, it's still a pain. If you own 100 cartridge based games all with save batteries, they will all die eventually, and you have the option of either replacing the battery or throwing them away (or selling them). If you buy your game digitally that's one less thing you have to worry about. Another great thing about digital games is they don't get corroded for scratched. Sometimes when I buy a used game I really wonder what the hell people do with their games that causes so many scratches to the disc. A digital game never gets scratched. Even older cartridges can suffer from corrosion from extreme temperatures or high humidity. I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen but it's certainly not out of the question. The metal pins in game cartridges can very well become victim to rust and corrosion over time, rendering the game useless at that point. And likewise, game discs can easily be scratched, rendering those unplayable as well. Again, it's not an issue for everyone but it is one thing to consider.

In The End There Are Markets For Both Formats

So in conclusion you can see there are reasons for both sides of the argument. As time goes on, more and more people will prefer digital content, as the younger generations will not have that attachment to physical media as people my age and older do, since that's what we grew up with. There are plenty of people who see any form of physical media as downright archaic. An all-digital future is definitely on its way here, and we're already halfway there with most games being offered both digitally and physically as well as many smaller games being offered only digitally. It is something that I'm not entirely happy about but I'm not as discontent with it as I used to be. As I grow older I become less about collecting new games and more about just playing them. Of course I will still always collect and play the older ones but as far as brand new games go, sometimes I would rather just not add anymore clutter to my shelf.

Nintendo NX: What Is It and Why Should I Care?

I thought I'd take a little break from making lists and write an actual article for once. As you've probably heard, Nintendo has announced the development of what is most likely their next home console, currently code named the "Nintendo NX". If you haven't heard anything about it yet, then here are a few articles to catch you up to speed:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/25/nintendos-nx-will-surprise-players-and-change-video-gaming-life-iwaya-says

http://kotaku.com/what-to-expect-nintendos-new-hardware-a-surprise-prob-1693052456

http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/25/nintendo-nx-expanding-on-existing-hardware-is-dull-5119620/

So, what exactly is the Nintendo NX?

No one knows, honestly. Well, Nintendo knows, but no regular civilian knows unless they have some super secret connection to Nintendo. So really, to 99.9% of the population, Nintendo NX is a mystery. It could be the next Nintendo home game console, the next Nintendo portable gaming system, a bybrid of the two, or even something completely different. My guess is as good as anyone else's. All we know at this point is that the NX will offer "new experiences", as quoted by Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. 

What could the Nintendo NX be?

Like I said, it could be almost anything at this point, but I've ventured into a few guesses, ones that I think are pretty likely.

Possibility 1:

Nintendo NX is simply Wii U's successor. 

Easily the most obvious choice and perhaps the least exciting, but makes the most sense. NX will likely only be used as a tentative name (much like Project Reality for N64, Dolphin for GCN, Revolution for Wii, and Project Cafe for Wii U) but there's also the chance that the Nintendo NX will be official title too. Remember how so many thought the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii U were only going to be code names? So if Nintendo NX is, in fact, the next home console that succeeds Wii U, what new experiences will it offer? We already have motion controls and touch screens, so what's next? Virtual reality? Mind control technology? I really have no idea. Let's just hope the new idea isn't so out there that it alienates the masses.

Iwata did mention how they're working on a new rewards program and how data would be shared between platforms, so perhaps their new idea is just to have cross platform saves in the way that the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita have. It's unlikely that that would be the big feature to sell the system since that technology is already out there and is being done right now by the aforementioned Sony platformers, however this is something that would be new to Nintendo, so there's that also.

One more possibility of a new feature is the introduction of streaming games, which is also technology that has already been introduced with PlayStation Now, but it would be new for Nintendo consoles. Whatever the new idea is to sell the NX has to be enough to distinguish itself between PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Wii U, or whatever other consoles exist by then. One thing's for sure, Nintendo is sticking to their guns by continuing to separate themselves from the PS4/XboxOne crowd, which I applaud them for, but I just wish they'd go back to making a more traditional console like the Gamecube and prior consoles. One thing that we do know, however, is that the NX will continue the trend of being a dedicated gaming platform, rather than an all-in-one device like an iPad or SmartPhone.

Possibility 2:

Nintendo NX is the 3DS's successor.

This is the other obvious choice. It's no secret that the 3DS is now 4 years old, which is a little more than middle aged for a gaming console or handheld, so history has shown us that 5 or 6 years is the average lifespan of a console or handheld, so it's to be expected that a new one will be announced at some point in the last year or two of any given console or handheld's life. I personally feel the NX being the next gaming handheld makes more sense since the 3DS is older than the Wii U by nearly two years and will most likely be replaced sooner than the Wii U.

I think the same ideas about what the NX might offer would remain the same here as if it were a console. We currently have no concrete idea what the NX's features will be, so whether it's a home console or a handheld (or something entirely different) we do know that it will give us something that will separate it from the crowd.

Possibility 3:

Nintendo NX will be a console/handheld hybrid.

Though a bit less likely than the other two choices, this might be the smartest move so far. And for those who have followed Nintendo closely throughout the last few years might even remember something called the "Nintendo Fusion" pop up at some point. For the unaware, here are a few articles that make for an interesting read:

http://nintendonews.com/2014/01/nintendo-fusion-could-be-nintendos-next-gen-hardware-name/

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/gaming/consoles/nintendo-fusion-domain-rocks-the-internet-with-new-console-rumors-1217821

If you'd rather not read the articles and simply have no idea about the Fusion, basically it comes down to this: There was a rumor about 1 and a half to 2 years ago that Nintendo was working on their next console which people have code named the "Fusion" (I have no idea if that was Nintendo's code name or the name fans gave it.). The rumored "Fusion" was a console/handheld hybrid. Basically a portable Wii U gamepad (or a 3DS that hooks up to a TV, if you prefer). I think this would be both an interesting and smart move if this turns out to be what the NX really is. Also, we would know exactly what the new feature would be - a console that can be played on the go as well as on an HDTV. In sense, we're kind of halfway there already with the Wii U, a console with games that can be played on the separate screen of the gamepad, which is a neat feature, and even useful at times, but unfortunately the gamepad doesn't turn into a true portable since you can't take it with you. In fact it doesn't even work if you go into another room separate from the Wii U itself. But it does give you the option of playing a console game on a smaller, but separate screen while your wife/husband/kids watch TV or play s different game console. If the NX follows this trend, we could be seeing an evolution of the Wii U, where the gamepad is actually portable and can be taken with you on the go.

Possibility 4:

Nintendo NX is something completely different.

There's always the possibility that the NX will introduce something so completely different and new that it can't be compared to any existing console, handheld, or even any idea that we have in our minds, though it is highly unlikely. If the NX is unlike anything we've seen before, what could it possibly be? I can't even conjure up any ideas for this possibility, but let's take a look at one very ill-fated "completely new idea", the Virtual Boy. When the Virtual Boy was introduced in 1995, it was unlike anything we've seen before. It wasn't quite a handheld and not quite a console, though it was still a dedicated gaming platform and did offer something that was new to the gaming scene - 3D images. Now, Nintendo has already re-introduced 3D with the 3DS, so clearly that technology isn't going to be the big feature, but it could be something similar to that. Something that isn't defined simply by the "next handheld", the "next console", or even as a "hybrid of handheld and console". The NX could be something totally new, that we've either never seen before or at least something we haven't seen to any significant extent.

As I've said, this is the least likely scenario, but possibly the most exciting, if they do go this direction. A brand new concept for a gaming platform could go either way: it could completely flop like the poor Virtual Boy, or it could become the best thing since sliced bread like the Nintendo DS, which was also considered a brand new concept at the time of its unveiling. It's all really up in the air right now and we can't do anything about it until Nintendo announces more concrete information.

Why should I care about the Nintendo NX?

Truth be told, I'm not all that excited about the announcement of the NX but I am curious. I think the days where I would obsessively gather information about the next Nintendo gaming system are over, since I am getting older, have less time for new games, and barely play the new games that I have now. So, chances are pretty high that I won't even be getting the Nintendo NX at all. But that doesn't mean I won't pay attention to it (or any other future Nintendo product for that matter). I'm still a huge Nintendo fan, even if I don't play a lot of their new games, and I'll likely continue to be a Nintendo fan until the day I die. My heart will always belong to the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and GameCube, so no matter what new console or handheld Nintendo puts out, it won't match up to those three in my eyes. But like I said, while I really don't know if I'll invest in the NX when it comes out, regardless of what the final product is, I do plan on keeping myself up to date on the progress. I am certainly curious, if nothing else, about what the NX might be. I think it's the mystery of it that draw me in more than anything. I know that the mystery of the GameCube, Wii, and Wii U prior to their official unveilings kept me interested at the very least. The same could be said about the NX, though I did get each of Nintendo's last 3 consoles within a month of its launch date, something that's close to a 0% chance of happening with the NX. So my current attitude remains curiously optimistic but not obsessed or overly excited.

My Top 100 Games of All Time: The Epilogue

I started my Top 100 Games list back in December from about a list of 300 or so, and eventually whittled it down little by little. Eventually I narrowed it down to 100, but the order kept shifting. Just two weeks ago I got to a point where I was satisfied in the 100 games represented as my absolute favorites. It wasn't easy but it's been something I've wanted to do for a long time. Looking at my list now that it's behind me, I can say I've learned a bit about myself as both a person and a gamer.

I'm happy I got around to doing this project. I've compiled a list of statistics for myself and for others to just to look at the list by the numbers. Some of it was expected while other aspects I found kind of surprising. Let's take a look at each category individually and see what I've learned from each one.

Games by Console

1. Super Nintendo - 23

2. Nintendo 64 - 11

2. Nintendo Gamecube - 11

3. Nintendo Game Boy Advance - 9

4. Nintendo Entertainment System - 8

5. Sony Playstation - 6

6. Sony Playstation 2 - 5

6. Sony Playstation 3 - 5

6. Nintendo 3DS - 5

7. Nintendo DS - 4

8. Sega Genesis - 3

8. Nintendo Wii - 3

8. Nintendo Wii U - 3

9. Nintendo Game Boy - 2

10. Microsoft Xbox - 1

I think it's pretty clear what this list indicates. Super Nintendo is the clear winner here. Looks like I need to reassess my "ranking the consoles" list. Despite having listed Gamecube as my favorite console in that post, I somehow figured Super Nintendo would win in the quantity department, but I had no idea how significant of  a portion it would hold. Super Nintendo took almost a quarter of my entire Top 100 list. Even Nintendo 64 and Gamecube combined doesn't equal the quantity of favorite titles for Super Nintendo. So, as you can see, Super Nintendo dominates the Top 100 list. I'm not surprised that it won, but it wasn't even a close race. Long live Super Nintendo!

Games by Genre

1. Platformers - 33

2. RPGs - 22

3. Action - 19

4. Puzzle - 7

5. Racing - 6

6. FPS - 3

6. Miscellaneous - 3

7. Adventure - 2

7. Strategy - 2

8. Fighting - 1

8. Sports - 1

Yet again I am a bit surprised just how much one genre dominated the rest, but I am not surprised by the winner. I think it's pretty clear to see that platformers and RPGs make up more than half one my entire top 100 list. Some games it was difficult to decipher between platform and action, for instance Metroid and Mega Man are kind of both, but I went with action for those, whereas other things like Mario and Donkey Kong Country are closer to being plaformers. I think the big thing about platformers winning is that it's mostly what I grew up on. As time went on I delve into other genres, beginning with racing games and RPGs, then slowly into action and puzzle as well. I think platformers have that pick up and play appeal as well as just being infinitely replayable. I love RPGs but they're more dedicated and time consuming than platformers which is why the genre is only second to platformers.

Most Popular Years

1. 2001 - 8

2. 2002 - 7

2. 1994 - 7

3. 1995 - 6

3. 1996 - 6

3. 1997 - 6

4. 1998 - 5

4. 2005 - 5

4. 2013 - 5

5. 1990 - 4

5. 2003 - 4

5. 2011 - 4

What I like most about dividing the games by year is that every year since 1987 had at least one game represent a year except 2007. You'll also notice that the years are actually pretty even, only one or two numbers apart for every few years. 2001 was indeed a fantastic year, as not only did we have Nintendo 64's swan songs Conker's Bad Fur Day and Paper Mario, but we had the beginning of Gamecube with Super Smash Bros. Melee and Pikmin, and also Final Fantasy X on PS2. I think on a quality level, though, 1995 is the clear winner here. Nearly every game on the list that came out in 1995 is in the top 20, namely Earthbound, Yoshi's Island, Donkey Kong Country 2, and Chrono Trigger. Overall I'd say between the mid-90s and early 2000s was the peak of me as a gamer.

Stats by System

NES

Highest Rank - 28
Highest Ranked Game - Super Mario Bros. 2
Number of Games - 8

I think, overall, I was surprised to see so many NES games on here. NES is a system that I have had limited experience with, despite it being my first console ever. I grew up with the three Super Mario Bros. games, DuckTales, Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers, Bubble Bobble, and Little Nemo but other than that, the vast majority of NES games I didn't get to experience until I discovered emulation around the year 2000. For this reason, the NES is one of my lesser favorite Nintendo systems, but I still fully acknowledge its greatness and the legacy it created. I just wish I had a little more experience with it while growing up.

SNES

Highest Rank - 1

Highest Ranked Game - Earthbound

Number of Games - 23

The crown jewel of my collection, I made the mistake of giving up my SNES once before, but I will never make that mistake again. SNES, like NES, is a system I had limited experience with while growing up. I didn't even get my own console until 1995, which was pretty near the end of its life. That didn't stop me from seeking out all the gems the system had years later. I discovered a large portion of fantastic games through emulation and Wii's virtual console, but even games I didn't get to play until 10+ years after it released, I was able to fully enjoy. In my opinion, SNES has aged remarkably well and every SNES game on the list is every bit as fun today as it was 20 years ago, which is why I am officially branding SNES as my all-time favorite console.

N64

Highest Rank - 12

Highest Ranked Game - Conker's Bad Fur Day

Number of Games - 11

Unlike NES and SNES, I got to play nearly every N64 game during its relevancy. I only owned about 20 games for it, but I rented a new game at least every other week. Nintendo 64 is the system that turned gaming form a hobby into a passion, and for that I owe it a lot. Nintendo 64 unfortunately has aged very poorly in comparison to most other consoles. A lot of the games are still fun, however, such as Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie, which are still every bit as fun today as they were in the 90s. Also unlike the NES and SNES, most of N64's appeal comes solely from nostalgia rather than the quality of its games.

GCN

Highest Rank - 5

Highest Ranked Game - Metroid Prime

Number of Games - 11

The Gamecube is often cited as a failure for Nintendo but I'm never sure why. The system had a ton of fantastic games and the ones I listed only scratch the surface. Gamecube has aged pretty well and most of its games are still fantastic today as they were 10-15 years ago. I still love the look and feel of the Gamecube system and controller, which I believe is the most attractive looking console to date. For a while I thought Gamecube was my favorite console since it absolutely has a very high quality library, but ultimately Super Nintendo beat it out by being a more timeless system.

Wii

Highest Rank - 19

Highest Ranked Game - Kirby's Epic Yarn

Number of Games - 3

I know I've said it dozens of times but Wii really was a huge disappointment to me. Sure it had virtual console, but that was the system's biggest appeal to me - the ability to play old games. I hated motion controls with a passion and few games have really convinced me that they were beneficial to the gameplay and not just a hindrance. Wii games were at their best when they went old school and just used the controller sideways like an NES controller. Kirby's Epic Yarn would've been a system seller for me had I not already owned a Wii years prior. The game is incredibly creative and charming, and Donkey Kong Country Returns was also a must-have. Other big games like Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Punch-Out!!, Super Paper Mario, and the two Mario Galaxies were all good games, but didn't have that lasting appeal that most other Nintendo games had. In the end, Wii will ultimately become a footnote in my book of gaming and will only be remembered as a severely underwhelming and gimmicky piece of hardware.

Wii U

Highest Rank - 48

Highest Ranked Game - Mario Kart 8

Number of Games - 3

It's a bit unfair to really judge Wii U since it's only been out 2+ years and hasn't really reached its peak yet. I feel, without a doubt, by the end of its life there will be at least 2 or 3 more games that would make its way into my top 100. Until then, Wii U is just a great system with a small but decent library. It's kind of unfortunate this system didn't come out in 2006 rather than the original Wii since I'm now at the point where I don't care about new consoles and as such I tend to neglect the Wii U. Chances are extremely high that Wii U will be the last new system I own, and I try to divide time between old and new consoles, but ultimately. the Wii U is too little too late. Like I said, it's a great system, much better than the disappointment that was Wii, but I just think I'm no longer part of its target audience.

GB

Highest Rank - 26

Highest Ranked Game - Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Number of Games - 2

Once again, just like NES and SNES, my experience with this handheld is extremely limited growing up. I'm only getting to play many games for it thanks to 3DS's virtual console. I only had Kirby's Dream Land, Tetris, and Pokemon Red growing up.  I didn't even get Link's Awakening until the Game Boy Color version came out though I did originally play the Game Boy version since it came with my sister's Game Boy. Game Boy was a great handheld if only because it was able to host games that were almost as big and fun as the NES. Sure Super Mario Land was no Super Mario Bros but it was something. I didn't truly get into handheld systems until the Game Boy Advance, and in many ways I never really stuck with handhelds, but the original Game Boy, despite having limited hardware and only being in black and white, had some really great games.

GBA

Highest Rank - 15

Highest Ranked Game - Mother 3

Number of Games - 9

The Game Boy Advance was the first handheld I truly got into and is still my favorite portable. It was almost like having a portable Super Nintendo, though not quite a good replacement as I have recently found out. GBA was full of ports and every port was not as good as the original. Still, it had a lot of original games as well and it was a real quality portable, especially the GBA SP which (finally) introduced a built-in light for a Nintendo handheld. Many of its games are still fun today but the small screen size is sort of a hindrance since I am so used to the large screen of the 3DS XL.

DS

Highest Rank - 62

Highest Ranked Game - Kirby: Mass Attack

Number of Games: 4

The DS is kind of a mixed bag for me. On one hand it had a lot of great games and was absolutely the most successful handheld they've ever produced. On the other hand, the amount of shovelware is atrocious and most games were very gimmicky just like the Wii. Even main franchises like Zelda and Metroid resorted to a focus on the touch screen, which did not help the games but rather made them feel like crappy rip-offs of the franchises they were from. Had the games not felt so gimmicky they could've been really good, but Nintendo shot themselves in the foot with this system as they did with the Wii. Still, when the touch screen was used well, the system pulled off some amazingly fun things like in Kirby Mass Attack and Trauma Center. Still, in the end, the system does not have that long term appeal that many other Nintendo systems do, even if I enjoyed it while it was current.

3DS

Highest Rank - 24

Highest Ranked Game - Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Number of Games - 5

3DS may have only barely edged out the original DS in terms of amount of games on the list but the games feel a lot more classic and have more long term appeal. Some games on the system are instant classics like Zelda: Link Between Worlds and Super Mario 3D Land. The 3DS is a fantastic handheld rivals the GBA as the greatest portable of all time. It is thanks to the 3DS that I even pay any attention to current Nintendo stuff. Had I not took the chance on the system back in 2011 I'd probably be sitting out on this generation of gaming altogether. Still, as fantastic as the 3DS is, it doesn't have the amount of quality titles that Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and Gamecube have. The 3DS still has a good year or two left in it, and it definitely impressed me but only time will tell whether or not the 3DS retains its fun factor years down the road.

Genesis

Highest Rank - 51

Highest Ranked Game - Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Number of Games - 3

Sad to say, I never owned a Sega Genesis and my experience with it is perhaps more limited than any other system on the list. I was a Nintendo guy growing up and all throughout my life. I know the Genesis has more great games than just the Sonic series, but I can't judge games I never played. I hope to delve into more Genesis games in the future however.

PS1

Highest Rank - 6

Highest Ranked Game - Final Fantasy IX

Number of Games - 6

Like most systems I've owned, my experience with the PS1 was limited. I only got one in 2000, 5 years after it debuted. The games I played on it were limited to Square RPGs and Spyro games. Fortunately, the PS1 was an RPG powerhouse and had some of the best RPGs ever created. Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX were some of the greatest games I've ever played. Unfortunately VIII didn't make it to the list but still enjoyed my first playthrough of it. The system was aged incredibly bad however and I find it nearly impossible to play any game I didn't play back in the day. 2D games like Legend of Mana still look great, though, but 3D games look terrible.

PS2

Highest Rank - 8

Highest Ranked Game - Final Fantasy XII

Number of Games - 5

Just like its predecessor, the PS2 was an RPG powerhouse with some of the greatest games in the genre. There were a few others I really wanted to list - like Kingdom Hearts and Dark Cloud 2, but those just barely fell short of my top 100. Final Fantasy X and XII remain two of my absolute favorite classics on the system, and the system in general has a fantastic library. I feel like I'm repeating myself here, but I did have limited experience with the system while it was current since I didn't get my own until a few years after it came out. I also focused heavily on Nintendo systems whereas PS2 took a back seat. Still, I played a decent amount of PS2 games, most of them were RPGs, and the system represents itself well on my list.

PS3

Highest Rank - 21

Highest Ranked Game - BioShock Infinite

Number of Games - 5

In comparison to PS1 and PS2, PS3 was a little bit of a letdown. It still had a lot of great games, and I'd even say it was the first generation of consoles where I actually preferred a non-Nintendo console. Without the PS3 I'd never have gotten to experience the BioShock games, the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, or Elder Scrolls IV and V. Some of the biggest and best looking games were on this console. Though, I actually hate the system itself since there are sometimes mandatory installs which take up a lot of time and hard drive space, as well as ridiculous loading times on certain games. Still, it was a powerhouse for its time, and what it did for modern gaming, but it also marks the downfall of gaming in general, and as such, I doubt very much I will be playing it years down the road.

Xbox

Highest Rank - 91

Highest Ranked Game - Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Number of Games - 1

Xbox is the only console that I both bought and sold during its lifetime. I shouldn't have ever owned one but Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind convinced me I needed one. It was a fantastic game, though not one I can see myself playing nowadays. I only owned and played a handful of Xbox games included the remake of Conker's Bad Fur Day (which was nowhere near as great as the original since it was censored), Dead or Alive 3, and Fable. Fable might've made it onto this list but since it's been over 10 years since I last played it, I forgot much of it, though I do remember enjoying it a lot. Overall Xbox wasn't a bad system, it just wasn't for me.

Closing Thoughts

This was a really fun experiment, though it was time consuming, and I think I learned a few things about myself. Super Nintendo is more of a clear winner than I thought, there were more NES games on the list than I thought, and there are more newer games on the list than I thought. 15 games from the list were from the last 5 years alone. Considering that I am on the verge of giving up on modern gaming, 15 newer games is not a bad number. This proves to me there are still great games being made to this day.

Other things that didn't surprise me so much are things like Nintendo being the dominate console developer. I knew SNES, N64, and GCN would be my top 3 systems. I just have the most interest and experience with those consoles. It may come as a surprise that a certain game by the name of World of Warcraft didn't make it to the list. This is because while it was a great game in its day, it was more of an addiction than an actual fun game, and one that I have spent a lot of time and money playing. I also hate that the game forces you to interact with other people online as well as the need to stay connected. This shows me that MMORPGs are not for me in the end.

I think, more than anything, this experiment goes to show that gaming is as much "just a hobby" as it is part of my life. I have been gaming for at least 25 years, ever since I got my hands on my first NES during Christmas of 1987. I will continue to game for many years to come, even if I never buy another new console. I will take my SNES, N64, and GCN to the grave with me if I have to. I've made the mistake of trading off and selling many of my games, but I now know which ones are most important to me. It's also quite revealing with the fact that compiling a list of 100 games and ranking them was a very difficult task, as I easily could've listed 300 or even 500 of my favorite games. The amount of games I've played in my life is easily over 1000, possibly even close to 2000, and most of were actually fun to a degree.

So in the end, 100 games doesn't accurately depict how passionate I am about gaming. Video games are a big part of who I am and without them, I really have no idea where I'd be. So much of my creativity and imagination stems from things I saw in video games. My interest in writing started when I wanted to write a sequel to Final Fantasy VII, my interest in art started when I wanted to make my own Super Mario Bros. 3 maps, levels, and characters, and my interest in music started with video game music in general. Video games introduced me to so much in my life and I am forever grateful to those game developers for having given me a fantastic childhood and a hobby I can be passionate about for a lifetime.

My Top 100 Games of All Time: #10-1

After nearly3 months of preparation and 2 weeks of posts, we are finally at my top 10  games of all time. This list was not easy to make, and even as I made the posts, I began to question whether or not I put the right games on there. I think I did a good job and some games will get shifted around in time, but I think, if nothing else, the Top 10 represents the absolute peak of experiences as a gamer. I may be a picky gamer, since I only like to own and play good games, and as such it is extremely difficult for any new game to break the top 10. In fact, my top 10 has pretty much been set in stone for almost a decade. Only a single game in my top 10 is a relatively recent addition, though it is a game I first played 12 years ago. I think a gamer's top 10 games say a lot about them as a person and as a gamer. These games mean more to me than any other on the entire list, each one more significant than the next. This is really the post we've all been waiting for. Finally, for the first time ever in print, here are my all-time top 10 favorite games:

10. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

(SNES, 1996)

Few games in my life have had more impact on me than Super Mario RPG. Prior to this game, I have never even heard of an RPG. I remember seeing commercials of this fantastic game on TV and wanting it only because it had Mario in it. The graphics were also outstanding for the time. I never told anyone I wanted this game before I got it, which is why it completely surprised me when my dad came home with it one day. Easily one of the best surprises I've ever gotten. It took me a while to really understand the whole "RPG" concept and I was pretty frustrated when couldn't beat a boss early on in the game, but I found out at school that a classmate also was playing it, and I asked him how to beat a certain boss, and he gave me some tips. I beat the boss that night. I continued playing through the game, and the more I played it, the more I loved it. It took me several months to finish the game, since I found it to be difficult, but once I finally completed it, it was a fantastic feeling. The concept of an RPG which was once foreign to me, was now my favorite type of game. I immediately sought out other RPGs in Blockbuster. I started with a game called Lufia 2, which I didn't really get into until a few years later, then Final Fantasy 3 (aka FF6) which I also didn't get into until years later, and finally came across Earthbound. Had I never played Super Mario RPG I might never have played Earthbound or any other RPG afterwards. Today, Super Mario RPG is still a fantastic game, though I find it a bit easy and short. But that's not a problem to me. Memories of playing this gem are some of my most vivid memories as a gamer. I can almost feel the warmth of the summer sun that beamed through my windows while I played this, and the smell of freshly cut grass through my open window as I sat on my bed playing this game. Super Mario RPG is a game experience I will never forget and cherish forever, which is why it makes it to my top 10 list.

9. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

(GCN, 2003)

During a time when games were mostly about bigger and better graphics, Wind Waker dared to be different with its colorful, playful, cartoon-like graphics. While most people were turned off by this, I was intrigued. I had almost given up on Zelda, after playing Majora's Mask and Oracle of Seasons, both which I found to be disappointing at the time. I tried Wind Waker at a demo booth in a store and it instantly sold me on the game. The game was amazingly gorgeous. I preordered the game immediately and picked it up on launch day. This was one of the few games my friends and I all played at the same time. We all had the same great experience with it. Playing Wind Waker felt like playing a cartoon, and even today the game looks amazing, with or without HD. This game remains my absolute favorite Zelda game, and it looks like it will never be topped. Wind Waker was an incredibly immersive and expansive experience and was one of the biggest games I played at the time, only bested by Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. I still crave the open ocean in the game, and I can't wait to replay the game again since it's been so long. Wind Waker is a near masterpiece, only hindered by a relatively small number of dungeons and a late-game speed bump searching for items. Other than that, the game is perfect and one that even holds up extremely well by today's standards.

8. Final Fantasy XII

(PS2, 2006)

By the time this game came out I had played every Final Fantasy game that existed except for Final Fantasy III, which came out on DS just a few weeks later. I didn't know all that much about Final Fantasy XII, other than the combat would be different, but I knew I had to have it because it was Final Fantasy, my favorite franchise at the time. I was excited about this one enough that I even went to its midnight launch, a first for me. Upon initially playing the game, I was underwhelmed. I didn't like the drastic changes they made to the game in nearly every way. I hated the Gambit system and the battle system in general, None of the characters appealed to me, the music was bland and forgettable, and the story was boring and political. For the first time in the history of the franchise I was very disappointed. I stopped playing only after a few hours. For a year or two I berated the game, and even told people who never played it to avoid it completely. Then I met a coworker who raved about the game nonstop. He was a big Final Fantasy fan and absolutely loved Final Fantasy XII. I often like to give games a second chance, because you never know.  So I did with Final Fantasy XII. I started a new game because I completely forgot everything that even happened so far, and I got probably about halfway when I just grew bored with the game and stopped again. After my second attempt, I was ready to just put the game behind me and accept that Final Fantasy just wasn't good anymore. I didn't hate the game but it was certainly one of the biggest gaming disappointments of my life. Then just before Final Fantasy XIII released, a spark in me ignited and convinced me to try FInal Fantasy XII one last time. It was the only game in the franchise that I had never made it to the end prior to Final Fantasy XIII. I was extremely pumped for FFXIII but I wanted to finished XII before it came out. So I gave it one final attempt, and I vowed to play through it all the way to the end even if I hated it. So I did. And you know what? I loved it. I don't know why but the third time was a charm. I enjoyed the characters, the story, the world, the music...everything. Maybe I went into it with an open mind the third time, or perhaps I finally understood what made the game tick, but I enjoyed the hell out of Final Fantasy XII. It immediately shot up from being my least favorite game in the franchise to one of my absolute favorites. Even the soundtrack I find to be one of my absolute favorites, probably only beaten by Earthbound's, Chrono Trigger's, and Final Fantasy X's soundtracks. It took a good 4 or 5 years but I finally saw the game in a new light and ever since I have been dying for an HD remake on PS3. Sometimes all it takes to enjoy a new game is an open mind, and thanks to Final Fantasy XII, this is a lesson I won't soon forget.

7. Resident Evil 4

(GCN, 2005)

Where the Resident Evil remake got me into this series, Resident Evil 4 defined it. Since I played the remake, Zero, 2, and 3 on Gamecube, I was all caught up on the franchise (minus Code Veronica), so I was super pumped for Resident Evil. Unlike with Final Fantasy XII, I actually embraced any and all changes this entry brought to its respective series. I had high hopes for this game but this turned out to be one of the few games in my life that actually exceeded my high expectations. Simply put, Resident Evil 4 is a masterpiece. It is the greatest 3rd person shooter ever created. And I'm not even just saying that as a Resident Evil fan. RE4 is my favorite in the genre, one of my favorite Gamecube games, my favorite in the series, and one of my all-time favorite games. The story might have been so-so but its the environment and the gameplay that kept me coming back. This game is such a fantastic and immersive experience. It might not be the traditional kind of survival horror you might think of, but it is definitely makes your heart pound and there is a lot of thrill to be had in mobs of enemies chasing you. The game is also pretty difficult. Not to the point where it's impossible but it's definitely challenging, especially during your first playthrough. The environments in this game are some of my favorite in not only the series, but in all of gaming. The graphics are also the best on the Gamecube and even hold up very well today. Resident Evil 4 is a true masterpiece and though this game is the last one in the franchise I can say I truly loved, it remains one of the most iconic experiences in my history as a gamer.

6. Final Fantasy IX

(PS1, 2000)

Finally we come to my absolute favorite Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy IX. it took a while to surpass Final Fantasy VII as my favorite but ever since, it's held onto the spot relatively easily. Final Fantasy IX, in my opinion, is the pinnacle of the franchise and a perfect blend of old and new. It retains the charm of the older games and a more traditional storyline, while exercising some new gameplay elements from the PS1 games. Final Fantasy IX has one of my favorite casts in all of gaming, one of my absolute favorite soundtracks, and one of the more memorable storylines. This is the game that made me buy a PS1. Prior to this game, I had played Final Fantasy VII and VIII on PC, but IX didn't make it to PC, but I was determined to play this, so I ended up getting a PS1 for my birthday in 2000. My friend lent me his Final Fantasy IX after he played it since I had to wait until Christmas to get my own copy, and I loved the game the entire way through. The graphics may have been criticized for going back to a cartoony look rather than more mature, but I liked that change. The story was also more whimsical and lighthearted, something I also loved. By the time I was finished with the game for the first time, it was easily one of my favorite games in the franchise, but it wasn't until a second playthrough several years later that it was solidified as my #1 favorite Final Fantasy. Perhaps the second time around I was reminded just how amazingly perfect the game is. In any event, Final Fantasy IX did just about everything right and even if I never play another new Final Fantasy game again, at least I have played what I consider to be one of the greatest games in gaming history.

5. Metroid Prime

(GCN, 2002)

Now introducing the newest member of the top 10 club...Metroid Prime! This was the first game I ever played in the entire Metroid series. I previously had no interest in the games until I read rave reviews about this one. I rented it from Blockbuster, and played a decent portion of it, but was ultimately not blown away. I then read more about Metroid Fusion, which released the same day as Prime, and I picked up a copy of that at Target. Surprisingly, I ended up loving it. This opened me up to the rest of the franchise. I eventually picked up Metroid Prime a year or two later and played it through to nearly the end. I thought the game was great but not enough to break into my top 10. I finally replayed the game last year, and finally finished it for the first time. And maybe it's just been a long time since I last played it but I was actually blown away by how much I loved it this time. Metroid Prime has aged extremely well, and is my all-time favorite Gamecube game. I have become a relatively big Metroid fan in recent years, and this game stands above them all. The game is a masterpiece, pure and simple.This game also opened me up to first person shooters, though this was not my first one. The world and atmosphere in this game in outstanding. It's like nothing else in any other game. Also replaying the game today actually helped me appreciate how groundbreaking this game was in 2002. When franchises made the jump from 2D to 3D, many games were unsuccessful. Mario and Zelda were absolutely successful in that leap but when Metroid made the jump people weren't so sure about it. Luckily, the game evolved tremendously and in the best way possible. Because I wasn't really a Metroid fan when I first played this game, I couldn't truly understand what made this game so amazing. Now that I am into the series, I absolutely see how perfect the game is. It translated the Metroid formula into 3D flawlessly. Metroid Prime is a true archetype in nearly aspect. Its chilling soundtrack is both ambient and memorable, the gameplay is engaging and immersive, and the world is detailed and ripe for exploration. I did hit a few speed bumps along the way since certain areas are quite challenging, least of all the final boss. Like I said earlier, it is extremely difficult or even nearly impossible to penetrate my golden top 10 games of all time, but Metroid Prime has really earned its spot. Prior to my second playthrough, it sat at around #13 or so, which is still great, but the realization of what a true masterpiece looks like brought this game up to #5. I would honestly even go to say that, objectively, this is the single greatest game ever created. It is an absolutely flawless game, if one even exists.

4. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

(SNES, 1995)

Having very limited experience the Super Nintendo during the time of its relevancy, I only played some of the best games. Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country set the bar very, very high. After I completed Donkey Kong Country, I found out there was a sequel, and shortly after I finished the first one for the first time, I ran out to Funcoland and got this masterpiece. Everything Donkey Kong Country did, this game did it better. It was more immersive, more fun, more refined, and just overall a perfect 2D gameplay experience. The soundtrack alone is a masterpiece and compliments the fluid and memorable gameplay perfectly. Every level was different from another, and each one introduced something new for you to explore. This game features some of the greatest levels in any platforming game. The team of Diddy and Dixie was just a match made in Kong heaven. It's hard to even really describe the effect this game had on me since it was so sublime. It was my favorite game at the time I played it and the game is just such so fantastic the entire way through, so much so that I have replayed it dozens of times in my life and still to this day have not grown even a tiny bit tired of it. Donkey Kong Country 2 is one of the greatest Super Nintendo games of all time as well as a 2D platforming masterpiece.

3. Donkey Kong Country 3:Dixie Kong's Double Trouble

(SNES, 1996)

Donkey Kong Country 3 was announced at a weird time. It came out several months after the Nintendo 64 came out and I only realized its existence when I saw the Nintendo Power in the store with this game on the cover. I read through it while walking around Walmart with my parents and soon I knew I had to have this game. My parents told me they would get it for me for Christmas. I was impatient and couldn't wait to I rented the game the day it came out. Initially I was a little disappointed and preferred Donkey Kong Country 2, but still enjoyed the game. Over the years I replayed it many times and through each playthrough I loved the game more and more. Only a few years ago I realized I prefer it to Donkey Kong Country 2 only very slightly. Donkey Kong Country 3 really didn't introduce anything new to the series but was more of the same, which was fine by me. The soundtrack was amazing, the gameplay was relatively unchanged, in other words still perfect, and the level designs, though gimmicky, were a blast to go through. Eventually I found myself replaying this game more often than any other game in history. Like the first two Donkey Kong Country games, I got to the point where I knew tbis game like the back of my hand. Now nearly 20 years and nearly two dozen playthroughs later, this game remains one of my absolute favorite and most replayable games of all time. In another 50 years I will still be playing this game, provided my feeble hands allow me to.

2. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

(SNES, 1995)

It was an extremely close race for second place since it could've very easily been Donkey Kong Country 2 or 3 in this spot, but ultimately, Yoshi's Island had the bigger impact on me and provided slightly more memorable moments. I love when something reminds me of a very specific moment in my life, one that takes me back to my childhood or teenage years or even college years. Discovering Yoshi's Island was extremely vivid, almost as vivid as my discovery of my #1 game of all time. I remember specifically standing in the Sears electronics section, looking at the Super Nintendo games in the glass case, and Yoshi's Island was on display to play. That is where I first discovered this masterpiece. I had no idea it even existed before then since I had no internet and didn't subscribe to Nintendo Power or any gaming magazine. I also remember seeing the Virtual Boy sitting on shelves and wanting one of those but never did. I did, however, eventually get to at least rent Yoshi's Island at Blockbuster. I always liked Yoshi but it was Yoshi's Island that made him one of my favorite characters in gaming. Yoshi's Island had a fantastic cartoony look to the graphics, a beautifully composed soundtrack, and most of all, fun and inventive levels. Sure, it may not be as big as Super Mario World or have as many secrets but Yoshi's Island is a masterpiece all the same. Every level is a blast to go through and you're constantly being introduced to new and exciting things in each level you reach. Never does the gameplay ever feel stale or stiff and years later and dozens of playthroughs later, this game still feels as fresh as inventive as it did 20 years. Even its sequels can't match up to its greatness.

1. Earthbound

(SNES, 1995)

Finally we come my absolute favorite game of all time. In my 25+ years as a gamer, no game has ever come close to the magic that Earthbound has shown me. Never have I ever felt completely comfortable and understood in any given medium. Earthbound feels like a game that was tailor made just for me. Obviously, it wasn't, but it's a freaky coincidence. Earthbound is the game that I hold extremely near and dear to my heart, to the point that no other nonliving thing means more to me than Earthbound. Earthbound is more than just a video game to me - it's an experience. I played it at exactly the right time in my life - I was 13, the same age as the kids in the game, and for the first time in a video game, I didn't just play the main character, I was the main character.  Ness is me and I am Ness.

Earthbound is one of the silliest, trippiest games I ever played and I wouldn't have it any other way. The weird but memorable soundtrack only helps to make me feel lost in its wonderful world. When I play the game it's almost like I'm Alice in Wonderland, after falling down my own rabbit hole. The game is almost dream-like in presentation. It's different from any game I've ever played and perhaps that's partly why I love it so much. Earthbound is a game I've played countless times already and plan on playing it many more times from now. Every single time I play the game, any doubt I have that the game has lost some of its magic is immediately washed away. The game remains just as important, just as memorable, and just as special as it was the first time I played it.

I might not have ever even played this game without the help of Super Mario RPG. It was after I finished that fantastic game that I sought out other RPGs. For whatever reason, I remember so specifically standing in Blockbuster, holding the giant Earthbound box, thinking "This looks like an RPG." and so I took it home that day. Initially, I hated it because I found it excruciatingly difficult. I couldn't even get past the first boss. I kept at it though and eventually progressed to the second town, when I had to stop and return the game to Blockbuster. I rented it a second time a few weeks later and got a bit further despite having to start all over. Eventually, I found a used copy in a store called Microplay, some time in 1997, for $30, which was the biggest bargain I ever got for a game, considering the game sells for $200 with just the cartridge.

Ever since I bought my own copy, played through it, and completed it, the game has been my #1 absolute favorite game of all time. Never has there been any threat whatsoever to dethrone it from this spot. It will forever be my absolute most cherished gaming experience for the rest of my life and beyond.