My Top 100 Games of All Time: #90-81

90. Donkey Kong Country Returns

(Wii, 2010)

When this game was announced back at E3 in 2010 words cannot express just how amazingly hyped I was for it. As you'll see later on in the list, the Donkey Kong Country games have a very special place in my heart and to hear that the series would be returning made me ecstatic. While this game didn't quite live up to the original trilogy in my eyes, it's still very much a fantastic game. The level design is often creative and fun, controls are mostly good (except for the small amount of motion controls), the music is great, and the overall game design is top-notch, just as we'd expect from Retro Studios. I assumed beforehand the game wouldn't be the "same" as the original trilogy - after all this game came out 14 years after Donkey Kong Country 3, the previous entry in the series. Also, this game was made by Retro, rather than Rare which made the originals. So going in I expected there to be changes. And I'm fine with most of them. But this game did not have that massive impact that the other games in the series did. Like I said, the game is amazing, and I can't recommend it enough for fans of the original DKC games or platformers. This is easily one of my favorite games on the Wii. I just wish it were a little more like the originals. But when we get down to it, it's like comparing an A to an A+ and there's no shame in place number 90 on my list.

89. F-Zero GX

(GCN, 2003)

I love the F-Zero series. This is easily one of my all-time favorite racing games. It's extremely fast and challenging with a pulsing soundtrack that pushes you along. The visuals are absolutely fantastic in this game as well. This game is such a fantastic racing game that I'd highly recommend it to anyone - racing game fan or not - as long as you're open minded and don't mind challenges. This game is very difficult - probably the hardest racing game I ever played. It also has a ton of variety, the ability to make your own racing crafts, plus 30 characters to choose from, each with their own stats, a story mode, and of course the traditional grand prix and time trial modes. I've played this game a ton during the Gamecube era and I could easily put another 50 hours into it if I wanted to. A true spectacle on the criminally underrated Gamecube. Oh, how I wish Nintendo would recognize how badly this series needs a new game.

88. Limbo
(PS3, 2011)

One of the most atmospheric and chilling games I've ever played. It's a short game and only available via download, but worth every single penny I spent on it. The game is fully in black and white and this artistic choice actually enhanced the mood of the game. The story is bare bones and there's barely any enemies in the game but it's a fantastic platformer with some puzzle elements. At times I even found myself stuck on how to progress. It feels like a journey, which is probably how it's meant to be, and one that I never wanted to end. Of course as we all know, every good thing must end, but looking back, this game might've been the perfect length for what it offers. I might even consider it a masterpiece, which is a bold statement to make. Long story short, it's a fantastic and memorable game that everyone should play.

87. Mischief Makers

(N64, 1997)

Developed by Treasure and Published by Enix, this game was one a kind on the N64. It's not a truly original game on its own, but one I found to be very memorable and highly enjoyable. I call it one of a kind on the N64 since there were only 2 side scrolling platform games on the system - Yoshi's Story and Mischief Makers. Though I'd say they were significantly different in gameplay style. This game has a lot of personality, the levels are mostly very creative, provides a lot of challenge, and on top of all that, there is a fantastic soundtrack to boot. A true hidden gem on the Nintendo 64.

86. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Racoonus

(PS2, 2002)

When I saw this game in Best Buy in 2002, I was immediately interested because of the cool cel-shaded graphics. Though cel-shaded visuals seem to have died off in the last 5 years or so, it was a big thing during the PS2 era. When I played the game, I was immediately hooked at how intuitive and fun the controls were. Playing a thief raccoon never seemed so fun. The gameplay is pretty simple but the levels are generally creative and always a blast to go through. The flow of the game is almost always in motion, there's really never a dull moment in the game, which is something I love about the game. I didn't like its sequels nearly as much as this game, though they were good, but this game is one of the great PS2 platformers.

85. Sonic the Hedgehog

(Genesis, 1991)

I have always been a Nintendo fan, first and foremost, and my experience with Sega systems is very limited, but I can see why people would love this blue hedgehog's games. I wouldn't say I grew up on Sonic but I was able to play the Sonic series on Genesis in the early 90's thanks to a nearby neighbor. My first impression was that Sonic was different from Mario but the same kind of game. To this day, I still have yet to beat the original Sonic, but it's still a fantastic game with a fantastic soundtrack. The Sonic trilogy on Genesis are easily the best games I've played on a Sega system and are probably still the best games I've played that were developed by Sega. I have yet to beat this game as it's a pretty difficult one, but I do tend to go back to this great game every so often just to see if I can get any further than I did the last time, and even if I don't, I still had fun doing it.

84. Mario vs Donkey Kong

(GBA, 2004)

Donkey Kong is one of my all-time favorite characters in video games and nearly every game he stars in seems to appeal to me in some fashion. Mario vs Donkey Kong takes the original Donkey Kong formula that was expanded on in the original Game Boy game of the same name, and stretches it even further. Mario vs Donkey Kong pretty much became its own series, which is great, because the games are a lot of fun. I knew I would like this game when I picked it up in 2004 as I am a big fan of Donkey Kong on Game Boy. I didn't expect the game to be as good as it was, though. I still play this game to this day, and though it's on the short and easy side,  it's fun all the way through and that's what counts the most.

83. Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

(GCN, 2003)

Mario Kart games have an wonderful ability to stay relevant and entertaining for a very long time. Every game in the series is just as playable today as they were when they came out. Despite additions and improvements the series has seen, I never find any difficulty in revisiting any Mario Kart game. Double Dash is easily one of my favorites for a number of reasons - I love the dual character gameplay, the character-specific items, the track selection, and the game was just overall very memorable to me. I have been hooked on Mario Kart ever since Super Mario Kart and have played the hell out of every game in the series.  Double Dash is also the best racing game the Gamecube has to offer.

82. DuckTales

(NES, 1989)

This game was a gift to me from my grandma when I was kid for my 8th birthday, just before she passed away, and as such I'll always associate this game with my grandma who I never really got to know. Personal sentiments aside, this game is just really good. It would be one thing if I got this game as a kid and hated it or liked it as a kid and later in life realized how bad it was, but this game was great in 1989 and it's still great today. So great that Capcom remade it. The remastered version is almost as great as the NES original, and I highly recommend you play it if you loved the original. This game started the string of fantastic Disney Capcom games (one more you'll see in this list) and remains one of my all-time favorite NES games. It's fairly short but actually remains somewhat challenging and infinitely replayable. I've probably burned through this game 20 times and I could still continue to go for more. Not to mention I was a huge fan of the DuckTales cartoon, so that helped too.

81. Shadow of the Colossus

(PS2, 2005)

I bought this game on a whim when it came out afterI heard many amazing things about it. Lest to say, it blew me away the first time I played it. I have since replayed it and while I still think it's great, it didn't quite blow me away a second time. Then again, few games do. For a concept that's so deceptively simple, this game had a lot of depth, required a good amount of puzzle solving - mostly how to kill the colossi - and most of all it had atmosphere. This game was perfect in how it set the mood. You were a lone wanderer trying to save a girl and in order to do so you must slay the 16 giant colossi that wander the land. And that's it. Sounds so shallow, but it's really not. They really made you feel like you were the one hero, lost in this giant world. And I'll never forget the first time I took down the first colossus - one of the most memorable moments I've experienced in gaming. Upon completion of the game for the first, I was even still in awe. That's how good it was. That's the true mark of a great game.

My Top 100 Favorite Games of All-Time: #100-91

Here it begins! The bottom 10 games in my list of top 100 games of all time! This list has been excruciatingly difficult to make especially since some games' rankings could change almost on a daily basis. But I think I have made a pretty accurate list. There wasn't much criteria I was going by when making the list - only whichever games I particularly enjoyed the most within the last 2 and a half decades of video game playing. Compilations are excluded since they contain multiple games and for games with multiple releases, I have chosen the version I have played the most or enjoyed the most, so you will notice many games on the list have been released on other platforms but I went with the one I enjoyed the best.

Anyway, I don't want to waste too much time since this is a big undertaking, but here we go - without any further ado here are game numbers 100 through 91. Enjoy!

100. Dr. Mario

(NES, 1990)

The game capturing the bottom spot in my honorable list of 100 favorite games is a classic puzzle game known as Dr. Mario. Growing up, this was the puzzle game for me. I played it a ton as a kid and even still play it from time to time. My parents even played it back in the day as well as my little sister. So you could say this was the one game that every person in my immediate family has played. I find that when I do play it I can't stop for hours. This is one of my absolute favorite puzzle games of all time and one that I can always go back to and have a great time with.

99. Adventures of Lolo

(NES, 1989)

A different kind of puzzle game than Dr. Mario, this game is another classic that spawned two sequels, which are equally as good, but I went with the original since it's the first in the trilogy and the first one I played. The sequels are also more of the same and do nothing to expand on the original. That said, this game is fantastic and is a great example of what a puzzle game can be when falling blocks or pills aren't involved. I always appreciate when games throw in the same kind of puzzle in other games, but this game alone is absolutely worth playing on its own. I played this gem as a kid but never finished it until about 6 years when I played it again on Wii's virtual console. A memorable puzzle experience that I have yet to grow tired of.

98. Kirby: Triple Deluxe

(3DS, 2014)

The newest game on my entire list, this game is one of the latest Kirby entries and is just as fantastic as all the entries before it. It doesn't do anything particularly new but every element of the game comes together perfectly and reminds me just how special the Kirby series is. The 3D effects are good and the level designs are even better. The game is just a whole lot of fun and even though I finished the game I absolutely will go back and continue it to get 100% and probably will even replay it several more times over the next decade or two. Playing this game also proved to me that even in 2014 Nintendo was still pumping out amazing games.

97. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

(PS1, 1997)

Forgive me if the ranking for this game seems low. I fully acknowledge how great this game is, but I haven't finished it, and didn't even play it until about 3 years ago, so I was late to game, so to speak. That's not to say I can't enjoy a game years and years after its release but I guess being that this was actually one of the last Castlevania games I played, my perception of the series is just a bit different from most others'. Clearly, I still like the game a lot, otherwise I wouldn't have put it on this list at all. I want to go back and give this game a fair shot and perhaps it might even work its way up the ranks. From what I played of the game (which is around 30-40%) the game is fantastic, is one of the best games in the series, and I can certainly see why this game changed the face of the series the way it did. Not to mention it has a fantastic soundtrack.

96. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

(3DS, 2013)

A fantastic game on the 3DS, and a worthy sequel to the original Luigi's Mansion. In fact, I actually prefer this game over the original. The original was very charming, different, and did a lot of things right. Unfortunately the gameplay was a little shallow and the game was incredibly short. This game is about five times as long as the original and has more puzzles. You don't have to figure out how to capture each ghost, which is the one thing I missed from the original, but there are more puzzles within the mansion itself. I didn't think I would actually like it as much as the original but I was happily proved wrong. They did an amazing job on this entry, though I still think it would've better suited the Wii U than the 3DS,but overall one of the best new games I've played in the last 5 years. Much like Kirby: Triple Deluxe, this game helped reiterate the fact that Nintendo still makes great games.

95. Advance Wars: Dual Strike

(DS, 2005)

I easily could've put any game in the series in this spot but I played Dual Strike significantly more than the others in the series. The first two on the Game Boy Advance are great in their own right but the touch screen controls just made perfect sense. Advance Wars is a currently dormant series, which is a shame since all of the games are fantastic, and this is coming from someone who doesn't even really like strategy games. This game was probably the most forgiving out of the series, had the most content, and the best soundtrack. If nothing else, this game turned me into a fan of the series and turn based strategy games in general.

94. E.V.O.: The Search for Eden

(SNES, 1993)

Enix had some real classics on the SNES and this is one of them. Absolutely one of the most obscure titles on my list, this one fetches a high selling price nowadays. Perhaps this is because it didn't sell well when it was released but is now being recognized as the wonderful game it is. I first played this gem on an emulator about 12 or 13 years ago and it was unlike anything I've played before. Even today, this is one of the most unique games I've ever played. It plays like a standard platform game, but with one significant addition - the ability to evolve. Gain experience points, add things like a tail, better teeth, or wings. And that's only the start. This game takes place over the last 1 billion + years, as you start out as a fish, then slowly evolve to a reptile, bird, mammal, and then finally a human. Truly a game for the ages.

93. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!

(NES, 1987)

Don't get used to seeing sports titles on this list because this is the only one. This is easily the best boxing / sports title of all time. It is an absolute classic that just begs to be replayed over and over for the next 100 years. I still have never beat this game but I've come very close so many times. One day I hope to actually finish it. This game has a pretty brutal learning curve but it tests your reflects and pattern memorization and in my experience it actually helps improve those areas. The Punch-Out!! sequel on the Wii is also a very worthy sequel as well as Super Punch-Out!! on SNES, but to me this is the ultimate Punch-Out and is every bit as enjoyable today as it ever was.

92. Wario Ware Inc.: Mega Microgame$

(GBA, 2003)

This game completely took me by surprise in 2003. I remember reading about it prior to its release and had no clue what it even was. I played it on an emulator just after it released and was hooked instantly. I love every game in the series but this one earns extra points for being the first one and the most original. The game is very quirky and almost introduces a whole new genre to video games. It's great to play in short doses or in long hauls. Either way, Wario's got you covered! I just wish they would release one on 3DS already!

91. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

(XBOX, 2002)

Talk about a game that sold me a system! I bought an Xbox just to experience this gem. Prior to this game's release, I have never played anything like it. I only ever dreamed of a game of this size - a game where you can literally wander the entire world and do whatever you want. My friend got this game when it released and called me over to check it out- I was hooked instantly. I have wanted an open world game for so very long, and still to this day, this game boasts the biggest fictional world I've ever seen in a video game. You could create any type of character you wanted to, go anywhere in the world whenever you wanted...it was pure magic. Few games have given me this much freedom and choice, even its sequels Oblivion and Skyrim didn't match the initial love I had for this game. Unfortunately I no longer have an Xbox and though I can play the PC version, it's just not the same to me since I strongly prefer playing on a console. But despite that, I'd love to revisit the game one day, and will hold onto the memories of wandering aimlessly in a foreign world til 5 in the morning during my college years for a lifetime. Oh, and I didn't even mention the game's soundtrack - composed by the legendary Jeremy Soule, this game's soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece, just as they are in the rest of the series.

My Top 100 Games of All Time: Honorable Mentions

Over the next few weeks I will slowly be posting my Top 100 All-Time Favorite Games, 10 games per post. This is a project I've wanted to do for a long time but always found it difficult to narrow my favorite games down to under 300, let alone a mere 100. I've probably played over 1500 games in my lifetime so giving 1400+ games the axe is not an easy task. That's not to say that the games that don't make it to my top 100 list aren't good - I've played a lot of wonderful games, and just because they aren't on my list has no bearing on whether or not I liked it.

Making a list of 100 games might sound like an easy task but I loved so many games I played over the last 25+ years that it's borderline impossible to only choose 100. But guess what? I'm doing it. I tried to imagine a situation where I could only choose 100 games to play for the rest of my life and never see or play any game other those 100. It would be hard giving up a lot of games but I'd be okay as long I have no regrets with the 100 that I chose.

Any game I've played qualifies for the list - be it on a Nintendo platform, Sega, Sony, a SmartPhone game, a PC game...literally any game I've personally played. (Spoiler: There are no SmartPhone games on my list!) I started at the top of list with my favorites, since those are the easiest to figure out, but as I got further down the list, towards #100, it became harder and harder to distinguish which games made the cut and which didn't. So that's why I am making this post - a list of games that were the "runner ups" of the list - the honorable mentions. The games that I wish I could fit on the list but couldn't. These may or may not be #'s 101 through 110, I don't know what numbers I'd give them. I just wanted to mention a few great games that barely missed the cut and thought they deserve being mentioned at the very least.

As always, please remember this list as well as any others that will follow is comprised purely of my own experience, so chances are, you will disagree with me at some point. These coming lists are not the games I think are "best" objectively but rather the games I personally have enjoyed playing the most. Anyway, without any further ado, here are the honorable mentions of my favorite games...

Catherine

(PS3, 2011)

It honestly kills me that this game couldn't make it into my Top 100 Games list. When I played this game last January I was honestly pretty amazed how unique, fun, and challenging it was. The story really sucked me in and I could never wait to see what would happen next. The puzzles in between the story scenes were always challenging, sometimes even incredibly frustrating, but the fact that the story was so good, it only made me try harder to get through the following puzzle - just to see what happens. Easily one of the more surprising games I've ever played, and a game I picked up for a mere $12 on a whim, I really had no idea what I was in store for when I first popped this hidden gem into my PS3. Catherine may not have made the Top 100 but it was certainly worth mentioning if only for how memorable and unique it is. I doubt we'll ever see anything quite like it again. It is truly one of a kind.

Heavy Rain

(PS3, 2010)

Like Catherine, this is also one of the more unique games I've ever played. Like Indigo Prophecy before it and Beyond: Two Souls after it, this game plays pretty much like an interactive movie. The graphics are phenomenal,  the story is great, and the characters are all well written. Mostly a murder mystery with a decent amount of surprises, the choices you make ultimately affect the ending you see. I didn't find that it was worth playing through the game multiple times (which is what it kept it off my Top 100 list)  but the experience I had playing it was memorable and I will always remember this game fondly. I think I always wanted a game like this - a completely interactive cinematic experience - I just never knew I did until I played it. I always love when a game fills a void that I never knew existed. That's why this game is absolutely worth mentioning.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

(DS, 2005)

Just like the last two games on this list, Phoenix Wright really took me by surprise. Based on the description alone, there's no way I'd ever want to play this, but for some reason I did anyway, and ended up loving it. Phoenix Wright is, on the surface, a visual novel courtroom comedy. To me, that does not sound appealing. But I swear it's fun. And not just the original Phoenix Wright - all of them. I just chose the original for this list since it was the most memorable to me. You play as Phoenix Wright, a defense attorney, in a point and click style adventure, solving murder mysteries, looking for clues, and then proving the culprit's guilt in a court room trial. Only this isn't your typical courtroom drama - it's actually very over the top and very funny, which to me  is its main draw. They managed to take something incredibly boring like a court trial and made it into a ton of fun. Easily one of the best, if not the best  "point and click" style adventure game I've ever played. The game gets bonus points for opening me up to a new genre of game, but unfortunately just barely misses the Top 100. Still a game series very much worth playing.

Portal 2

(PS3, 2011)

Once again we have another uniquely fantastic game. This game was recommended to me during a visit to Gamestop one day in 2011 and initially it did not sound like something I would like, but a few weeks later I bought it on a whim, and ended up loving it. Portal 2, much like its predecessor which I never got to play, is a unique First Person Puzzle game. Your only weapon is a gun that shoots portals and your mission is to figure out each puzzle room to move onto to the next using this portal gun. It's a lot more interesting and fun than it sounds - I promise! Weaved in with the ingenious mechanic of the portal gun are endearing and hilarious characters as well as a pretty interesting story. The game itself is almost like a series of trials and is often pretty challenging, but so satisfying when you figure out a puzzle that's stumped you for some time. One of the most unique games I've ever played and one I wished would've made it to my Top 100 but absolutely needed to be mentioned on my honorable mentions at the very least.

Luigi's Mansion

(GCN, 2001)

One of the launch games for GameCube, I actually didn't play this one until a few years after its release. I had heard it was short and easy and not worth buying, so I never did. Eventually it became a cheap "Player's Choice" title and I figured I might as well give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised as it played almost like a kid-friendly version of Resident Evil or how you'd imagine a Ghostbusters game would play. You play as Luigi, who just "won" a haunted mansion, where Mario was kidnapped. In searching for his brother, he has to hunt down ghosts to eventually find him. Capturing ghosts was sort of a puzzle in its own way, as not every ghost could be captured the same way. I enjoyed the uniqueness of this title and the puzzles it gave me. I just wish this game was longer. Fortunately, it spawned a sequel that managed to improve on most of its flaws.

Illusion of Gaia

(SNES, 1993)

Finally we come to a game that's on the older side, this action RPG was developed by Enix and was the second in a series (between Soul Blazer and Terranigma). This game had a fun battle system, a decent story, fantastic music, and overall memorable locations. It played similarly to Secret of Mana, or Zelda games in some ways. It was definitely one of the better action RPGs on SNES, and one I found to be very enjoyable and memorable, but not quite as fantastic as other games in the genre, which is why it just barely missed the Top 100.

Little Nemo: Dream Master

(NES, 1990)

Going back even further, we have this gem for the NES. I absolutely loved this game as a kid, and while I still enjoy it today, it doesn't hold up quite as well as I hoped. It's still worth playing and even moreso worth mentioning. It is notable for each level taking place in dream-like areas, with the main character, Nemo, feeding candy to certain animals to gain their abilities. It sounds weird at first, and it is, but it's a very fun game (if somewhat challenging) on the NES. One of the more memorable NES games I've played as well, which is why I decided to mention it here.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles

(GCN, 2004)

Had I made my Top 100 Games list a few months ago, this game would've absolutely made it on the list, but I have since replayed it and unfortunately realized the game isn't as great as I remember. Don't get me wrong - it's still very fun and worth playing - but the Achilles' heel of this game is the need for more players. Sure, you can play the game alone, but you're missing out on the core experience. Playing this game alone feels very shallow and you only wish you had at least two more people to adventure with. With four players though this game is awesome, which is how I initially experienced it 10 years ago. Not only do you need multiple people to fully experience the game, but everyone needs a Game Boy Advance and a GBA to GCN link cable. If this wasn't such an inconvenience, the game would've been so much better. It's a shame because for a good decade I've loved this game but after trying it again as a lone player last year, it just wasn't the same. Still a great game if you can get a few people together with GBAs and the link cable which can be found cheap online. Playing alone however? Not as worth it. But I still really enjoy the locales in the game as well as the superb soundtrack - one of my absolute favorite soundtracks of all time actually.

Yoshi's Story

(N64, 1998)

Yet another game I really wanted to include into my Top 100 list but unfortunately just got beat out by other games that were just slightly better. I highly anticipated this game back in 1998 since I loved Yoshi's Island on SNES. No, this game did not live up to its predecessor but it's still a great game in its own right. I loved the textured backgrounds - certain levels looked like they were constructed of cardboard, fabric, cotton, glass, etc. It was a fun graphical style that heightened my enjoyment of the game. The level designs were all pretty fun and unique, too. One design choice that is kind of mind boggling, and the reason why I couldn't find in myself to put it in my Top 100, is the level structure. By this, I mean there are no end goals - the level ends when you get 30 fruit of any kind. By eating particular types of fruit, you gain more points but ultimately it doesn't matter which fruit you eat if your only goal is to get to the next level. Who cares about points in a platform game anyway? In addition, each playthrough only gives you access to 6 levels, one from each world, rather than the traditional level progression where you conquer each level in a particular world before moving onto the next. This means to see every level you have to play through the game a minimum of 4 times, but in order to open new levels in worlds past the first one, you have to find hidden hearts. The more hearts you find in a level, the more levels you're able to access in the next world. It's a confusing decision that was made and it kind of ruins the game a little bit. Overall though this game is still very fun and worth playing, even if it doesn't quite live up to Yoshi's Island.

Chibi-Robo!

(GCN, 2005)

Another unique title on the Gamecube that I enjoyed a lot. This game puts you in the role of a 2-inch robot that cleans the house and does other tasks for the family who purchased him. The game is very quirky and has a lot of charm. It's also very unique. If playing as a little robot, cleaning the floors, picking up trash, and finding lost items sounds boring, it's because you haven't tried anything like this game. You won't find anything quite like it anywhere else. It's a highly enjoyable title and just barely missed the Top 100 list.

So with a few honorable mentions out of the way, there are plenty more that deserve to be mentioned but if I talked about every game worth playing, this list would be a few hundred long. But I figured I'd at least give some mention to a few games I really wanted to put in my Top 100 but they just barely missed it.

Continue to check back for the next 10 posts to read about the 100 games I found to be my personal favorites - games that I could probably replay 100 times over each and never grow tired of them. I will post 10 games in each post, beginning at #100 and working my way down to #1. Stay tuned and keep checking back as we count down my all time favorite games!

My Top 20 Music Tracks in RPGs

RPGs are known for having some of the best music in the business and I often listen to the music outside of the games they are in. Picking favorite music tracks is very difficult but I think I managed to do it pretty well here. Since there are so many games with great music, I am restricting myself to one track per game  because otherwise this list would just be the entire Earthbound soundtrack. So in fairness to the rest of the games, only one entry per game. Also, please note that there may be spoilers in my explanation of the tracks, so if you're worried about any spoilers, just listen to the music and skip my text.

So, without further ado, here are my top 20 music tracks in RPGs. Enjoy!

20. Kingdom Hearts - "Traverse Town"

A great game with a very good soundtrack, this is the theme of the central town known as Traverse Town. It is very fitting to the very weird world that you arrive in. 

19. Illusion of Gaia - "The Town by the Sea"

The theme from the first town in the game, South Cape. It is another beautiful piece in a great action-RPG on the SNES. It's the perfect theme for the humble beginnings of a grand adventure.

18. Breath of Fire III - "Casually"

One of my favorite RPGs on the original Playstation, Breath of Fire III is a showcase to a lot of great music. My favorite track belongs to the first overworld, when the main character Ryu is just a child. Later in the game, he grows up and the music changes. The second overworld theme is still good but I just prefer this one.

17. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - "Twilight in Dreamland"

This game has an absolutely amazing soundtrack and it was very difficult to single out any one track since the soundtrack as a whole is a near masterpiece in my eyes. This theme is from the Mushroom Forest, the second dungeon/area of the game. It is more of an ambient piece than a catchy one but it is just an amazing piece I could listen to on a loop for hours.

16. Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard - "Cherry Tree Bridge"

Despite having never played this particular game, I've listened to the entire soundtrack and it is wonderful. This is the theme of the fourth dungeon in the game and is by far my favorite track in the entire series.

15. Final Fantasy XIII-2 - "Eclipse (Aggressive Mix)"

This game has one of the most unique soundtracks in the Final Fantasy series. Not only do they forego the typical RPG music fare but it's very upbeat and electronic. This theme is plays at a time when you're about to get into battle, which switches from the more easy going regular "Eclipse" track and turns it into a more clubby, aggressive beat. I was surprised I liked it so much since what I played of this game has been so-so for the most part, but despite the different approach they went with the music, it's actually very good.

14. Terranigma - "Crysta"

Sadly, this Super Nintendo gem  never made it to North America officially, but thanks to other means to play games, I played this one about 15 years ago and still remembered the beautiful music of the game. This track is from the first town in the game, Crysta and reflects its humble beginnings perfectly.

13. Chrono Cross - "Dream of the Shore Near Another World"

Though Chrono Cross did not live up to its predecessor in my opinion, it's still a great game with a fantastic soundtrack. This is my absolute favorite piece from the game and you hear it when you first travel to the alternate universe. It displays the mystery and a feeling of being lost perfectly.

12. Final Fantasy XII - "Boss Battle"

This is the boss battle theme from Final Fantasy XII. The soundtrack as a whole is very underrated though it is more of background music and ambience rather than catchy tunes of other Final Fantasies. This boss battle music is truly epic, and one of my favorite boss battle themes in all of gaming. It definitely makes the battle feel as epic as possible.

11. Pokemon Diamond / Pearl / Platinum - "Route 209"

A very epic sounding track to a fun adventure in the Pokemon series. It almost feels like there should be lyrics to this song since it's so wonderfully composed. I have probably spent a few hours on this route in the game just to listen to this music.

10. Final Fantasy IV - "Troian Beauty"

The theme of the town of Troia, city of warrior women. It is just a beautifully composed piece and feels like  a nice relaxing break in the game from an otherwise dark adventure.

9. Secret of Mana - "Spirit of the Night"

This theme is first heard when the player's character gets banned from his home town after pulling the mana sword from its resting place, causing monsters to run rampant. The music is beautifully composed and reflects the sadness and sympathy for the character being kicked out of his home land.

8. Legend of Mana - "The Wind Sings of a Journey"

This game is criminally underrated and its soundtrack is one of the best in all of gaming. The game itself has a very storybook-like quality to it, which is breathtaking even 15 years later. The music is mostly very fitting and this is my favorite track in the game. The song just reeks of adventure. 

7. Mother 3 - "Mind of a Thief"

Yet another gem that never made it to North America, this game is the sequel to the cult classic Earthbound. The music in this game is fantastic, though different in tone than its predecessor. This is my favorite track in the game, which is Duster's theme song. He is supposed to be a thief with a limp and ever since, every time I see someone with a limp I always think of this song.

6. Final Fantasy IX - "Theme of Tantalus"

My absolute favorite Final Fantasy game, this theme represent's Zidane's thievery troupe known as Tantalus. It reflects their intentions and personalities perfectly. It's a very fun listen and is easily my favorite piece in an overall fantastic soundtrack.

5. Pokemon HeartGold / SoulSilver - "Route 47"

From my understanding this route and track were not in the original Gold and Silver and were added into the remakes. It is also my understanding that this is a hidden post-game route. Music in the Pokemon games is usually hit or miss but this is the absolute best music track in the entire series.

4. Earthbound - "Pokey Means Business"

Surprised to not see Earthbound at number one, huh? If I were judging entire soundtracks of any given game rather than individual tracks, Earthbound would absolutely be at the top. It's very difficult to pick any individual track since the entire soundtrack is one of the most consistently amazing soundtracks in video games. This is the music of the final battle of the game and is an absolute masterpiece of music.

3. Chrono Trigger - "Corridors of Time"

Chrono Trigger might not be my favorite game on the list, but it is a great one, and its soundtrack is pretty amazing as well. There are several tracks from this game that could've easily made it into my top 5 but I could only choose one for the sake of fairness. This track is as close to perfect as it gets, to be honest. It plays during your trip to the Kingdom of Zeal in the Dark Ages, towards the end of the game. It reflects the mystery of the era perfectly.

2. Final Fantasy X - "Movement in Green"

Final Fantasy X"s soundtrack is pure perfection and this is the best example of such quality. This track is one of my absolute favorites and is easily the most memorable in the game. This track plays on Moonflow, and because of this music, it is my favorite area in the game. I could literally listen to this for hours.

1. Secret of Evermore - "Secret of Evermore"

Surprised? Don't be. This game's soundtrack is criminally underrated and an absolute gem. But, before I go on, it must be noted that I kind of cheated. Yeah, actually this track isn't even in the game. But it is in the official soundtrack, so it counts in my book! It is an absolutely gorgeous track and is the definition of perfection in video game music. The game itself is a very good one and most of the music is ambient -some tracks are even just background noise - but I really wish this track made it into the game because it is just my absolute favorite piece of video game music of all time.

Top 10 Most Influential Games (To Me)

This list is not about games I think were most influential in the history of video games. This list is about games that were most influential to me personally. So of course this list is 100% subjective. Video games have long been my favorite hobby, ever since I first played Super Mario Bros. on NES back in 1987. There have been times where I thought I had grown out of video games and would move on to something else, but that has never happened for more than a few months at most. I always find my way back to them. Sometimes it takes a lot of games to pull me back and other times it's just one that changes me forever. In any case, this list is about games that have influenced me as a person and as a gamer. There have been more than 10 influential games in my life (probably closer to 100) but I'm choosing the 10 I feel have affected me the most. These games are ones that I will never forget, even if I never play them again. I can remember specific moments in my life playing these games and just hearing music from the games could bring tears to my eyes and waves of nostalgia to my mind. This list would be completely different for pretty much everyone, but these are the games that, for one reason or another, just really hit home with me and changed my life in some way, be it on a minuscule or grand scale.

Without further ado, here are my top 10 most influential games in my life, and why they were influential.

10. Resident Evil

Resident Evil on Gamecube was my origin story for my interest in survival horror. This game single-handedly made Resident Evil one of my favorite series in gaming. The love has been lost since I dislike almost every game in the series after Resident Evil 4 but it had a good run. This was both my first Resident Evil game and my first survival horror game. While I haven't played many survival horrors in my life, this game at least made me interested in them. I've never liked being scared before this game. In fact, I was downright terrified the first time I played this game. However, for the first time I felt a rush from being scared while playing a game. I liked it and I wanted more of this. I went on to play Resident Evil Zero, 2, 3, and one of my all-time favorite games, Resident Evil 4. Not only that, I went on to play Silent Hill, Silent Hill 2, and Silent Hill 3. I'm still on the lookout for a survival horror that scared me as much as this one, but there probably will never be one. Playing the game now, I don't get scared anymore since I know what to expect, but I remember that first rush of fear that came over me, playing this game in the middle of the night with the lights off. I loved it.

Where would I be without this game? Well, I might never have gotten into the Resident Evil series or survival horror in general. That would be a shame since I might not have ever played Resident Evil 4, which, like I said, is one of my all-time favorites. It's possible that I would've gotten into the series by other means, but there's no way to know. I'm not even sure what initially attracted me to this game in the first place. I'll bet it was the fact that there really wasn't a whole lot on Gamecube at the time, I just wanted a new game, and this game just looked really cool in screenshots. In any event, my experience with this game is one of my memorable.

9. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

First, a little background story. Back in the Nintendo 64 days, my friend and I had an idea for a game we called "Life 64", which was basically an open world game with no clear objective where you could just run around, doing anything you wanted for fun. At the time, there was nothing like that. The Sims came out on PC in 1999 which was the closest thing to our idea, but not quite what we wanted. Animal Crossing on Gamecube was the next closest thing, and another fantastic game, but again not reallt what we were looking for. Enter Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, also known as the game that made me buy an Xbox. Prior to this game, I didn't want an Xbox, but the day my friend showed this game off to me, I knew I had to have it. It was the absolute closest thing I could imagine to our idea of "Life 64". You could go anywhere, do anything, be whoever you wanted to be - it was absolutely fantastic. This game realized that open world type game that I've been craving. Open world games are big nowadays but back then they were far and few between. I remember playing this game for hours into the night during my college years - often staying up until 5 in the morning every night. This game made me feel like an adventurer and opened my eyes to exploration and made me want to see other places both in-game and in real life. I learned the value of having true freedom and I came to love being able to do whatever I wanted at any given moment. This game turned me onto other games in the genre like Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Fallout 3, and even turned my interest towards MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, since the gameplay of the Elder Scrolls series was basically that of a single player MMORPG.

Where would I be without Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind? Well, I might have missed out on a ton of games.  Had I not played Morrowind, I certainly wouldn't have bought an Xbox, thus never having played Fable. Not only that, I never would have bought a Playstation 3 just for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which was the game that made me want a PS3 in the first place. Prior to that game's announcement, I had zero interest in the PS3, even if it meant missing out on the next Resident Evil or Final Fantasy. I played a lot of good games on PS3 and without Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind introducing me to the series and to open world RPGs, I might not have ever bought a Playstation 3. On the positive side, I could've also saved myself a lot of money. But then I wouldn't have the wonderful memories of playing Morrowind or any other game in the series.

8. Pokemon Red

When Pokemon Red and Blue were released in 1998 in North America, no one could predict what a giant phenomenon this series would ultimately become. Along with Mario, this series has the highest selling games of any Nintendo series. I remember reading about Pokemon in Nintendo Power and thinking how cool battling, catching, and trading monsters would be. My friend was interested in it as well so it worked out that there would be two versions, one for each of us. When we rushed out the day of its release, he got the Blue version and I got the Red version. We were hooked from the get-go. We probably played over 200 hours apiece and by the time we were done with the games, we both had all 151 Pokemon. Our hype was so great for this game, I went out and bought a Game Boy Pocket just for this game. I previously had an original Game Boy but my dad convinced me Game Gear was better (it wasn't) and I traded in my Game Boy for that. Fast forward to 1998 and I am once again a Game Boy owner. Anyway, I digress. Pokemon was such an addicting concept and it clearly worked out well for Nintendo. Pokemon Red & Blue also came out at exactly the right time in my life. I was just starting high school and everyone in school had their Game Boys with them and played the game as well. I never got to battle or trade with any classmates but our mutual interests sparked conversations between myself and people I wouldn't have talked to otherwise. After my friend and I's hype died down once we finished the game, I figured there would never be another one. Eventually, Pokemon Gold and Silver were announced, and I was relatively uninterested. I figured it would be more of the same (and it was) but I didn't care enough to run out and buy it. Eventually I bought Pokemon Crystal for cheap and enjoyed it, and moved onto Pokemon Sapphire on Game Boy Advance, my interest was renewed and the rest is history.

Where would I be without Pokemon Red? Well, I'm willing to bet I'd have been introduced to Pokemon some other way. But my love for the series wouldn't be as deep as it is today. Had Pokemon Red come out years later, I don't know if I'd ever have gotten into it. It just happened to come out at the exact right time for me to fall in love with the series. I also give credit to Pokemon Sapphire since it was the game that brought me back to the series. Had I never picked that up, I probably would've just remembered Pokemon Red as "that game I played in high school" rather than the start of my love for the Pokemon series, which continues on to this very day.

7. Donkey Kong Country

Another one of my favorite games, Donkey Kong Country really pushed my interest in the Super Nintendo. Prior to this game, I only had played Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart, both which were highly influential, but without Donkey Kong Country, I might not have ever played the rest of the series, which is one of my favorites, and I also might not have ever had much interest in the Super Nintendo to begin with. I only bought Super Nintendo for Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart. When I got mine in 1994, the system was near the end of its life, and I missed out on most of its great games. My interest in games was strictly limited to platformers, puzzle games, and Super Mario Kart. A classmate convinced me to borrow his copy of Donkey Kong Country, which I actually initially hated, but eventually came to like it, and ended up buying my own copy. I then moved on to Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3, which are two of my all-time favorite games. Donkey Kong Country is one of those games I could literally play over and over and never get tired of it, just as I can with its sequels.

Where would I be without Donkey Kong Country? Well, for one, my interest in Super NIntendo and possibly even gaming itself, might have died off completely. Super Mario RPG might have revived my love for Super Nintendo some, but there would have been nothing between Super Mario Kart and Super Mario RPG for me, and I might have moved on to a totally different hobby. Donkey Kong Country and its sequels definitely kept my interest for a long time and it's hard to even imagine a past without them, seeing as the three Super Nintendo DKC games have been some of my absolute favorite games of all time. Had this game nor its sequels never come out, I might have missed out on Donkey Kong 64, Diddy Kong Racing, or any future Donkey Kong related release. I'd have one less series that I'd be passionate about, and my love for video games would probably be lessened overall. Donkey Kong Country is just one of those games that needed to exist and I'm certainly glad it did.

6. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

When I saw this game advertised on TV, I knew I wanted it because it was a Mario game. I had no idea what "RPG" meant but that didn't matter to me. I knew I would love it just because it had Mario in it. One day, my dad brought it home for me by complete surprise and I immediately dove right in - only to be very confused. I didn't understand why I could've just jump on a goomba to kill it. Why was this taking me to a different screen to choose my fight commands turn by turn? What was going on? The whole concept of an RPG was brand new to me - I've never played one before this and I was really put off at first. I kept playing and eventually came around to it. By mid-game I was completely hooked. I found this type of game to be very difficult for me but the more I played it the more I loved it. By the time I finally finished the game several months later, I was desperate for more RPGs. I was opened up to a new genre of game, during a time where I played primarily platformers and puzzle games. I went out to Blockbuster almost immediately after completing this game and found a game called Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals, which judging by the back of the box, looked like an RPG, and sure enough I was right! I didn't really get into it during the few days I played it initially, but I still wanted to keep looking for more. I went back to Blockbuster and found a game by the name of Earthbound. The rest is history.

Where would I be today without Super Mario RPG? Well, I'd probably have been introduced to RPGs eventually by different games, but most likely years after this. I might have never played Earthbound because of this game, or other Super Nintendo RPGs. Had this not been my first RPG, it's likely that Final Fantasy VII would've been, which I played several years after Super Mario RPG. I'd have been okay had this game never existed but I'm glad it did, because not only do I have the memory of playing this for the first time and remembering the origin of my RPG love, but I have the memory of quite possibly the biggest random surprise gift to me, since my dad bought it for me at complete random. So not only will I remember this game forever, I'll remember that moment my dad gave it to me, now and long after he's gone.

5. World of Warcraft

Love it or hate it, no one can deny the gigantic impact it had on gaming. If it wasn't for my college friends, I might never have played this game, which might've been a good thing. Not all games on this list have had a positive impact on me. This is an example of a game with a strong negative impact on my life. Sure it had some benefits but I mostly regret ever getting into this game in the first place. For one, I played this game for nearly a decade, off and on. I often neglected other games to play this game just because this game is a massive time sink. Not only that, I have paid well over $1000 over the course of 10 years just to play this game, between subscription fees, the price of the expansions, and any other digital content I may have purchased, such as character transfers or in-game content. This game made me come to hate a portion of the gaming community, as it felt like most people I was forced to play with in-game were nothing more than real life assholes. They say the internet brings out the worst in people and I mostly agree. This game is unplayable without other people and without being connected to the internet and by association, this game brings out the worst in people. It is sickening how much I have witnessed people going nuts over something as stupid as an in-game sword or other item, none of which has any effect on one's real life. However, this game is designed in a way that if you don't dedicate a large portion of your time, if you don't become one of those rabid people who fight over inconsequential items, and if you don't enjoy playing with large groups of random people who may or may not be complete douchebags in-game or in real life, then you're at a huge disadvantage while playing this game. Not only is your character much weaker because you don't have the best items, but you miss out on a ton of content that only the people with the most free time, the best stuff and highest tolerance for greedy douchebags get to see. How is this fair? It's really not. Why I put up with this game's rules for so long, I'll never know. Perhaps it was the drive to feel a part of a community. Perhaps it was simply out of boredom. Either way, this game took over my gaming life for the majority of the last decade.

On the bright side, this game opened me up to MMORPGs, even if I only played 4 of them in my life, and I will likely never play this or any other MMORPG again. Also, despite the fact that assholes ran rampant throughout the game, there was still a decent number of cool people I got to talk to and play with. When I played I tended to stick to my guild, which was comprised of people who wrote for a blog called WoW Insider, as well as fellow readers of the site. They had a strict no tolerance for BS which was the main draw for this guild. The people in it were very friendly and understanding, and never pressured me into anything. They even helped me see content I wouldn't have otherwise seen just out of good will. Unfortunately it took me a good 7 or 8 years to find them but once I did, I was in. Prior to that, I played with a few co-workers on a nightly basis, which was great because it helped me get to know them more and it made me feel like I was part of a group for a while, which I have rarely felt in my life. Eventually, one person in the group became addicted and far outleveled everyone else while the rest of the group grew tired of it and stopped playing, leaving me all by myself.

So you see, it's not all bad. Mostly bad, yes, but I did get enjoyment out the game while I was playing it, and did make a few friends because of it, both online and offline, though none of them stuck around. In any event, the game had a big influence on my life, for better or for worse. So where would I be without World of Warcraft? I'd probably have a lot more games in my collection, most of them completed, and more money saved. But I wouldn't have those memories of meeting new people and making friends.

4. Final Fantasy VII

Where Super Mario RPG got me started on RPGs, Final Fantasy VII put that love for the genre into high gear. This was my first Final Fantasy, and a game I became obsessed with for years. At the time, it was the game with my absolute favorite story and characters. I dreamt about being friends with the characters and being part of the game. I wrote my own sequel to the game, starring myself, and after admitting my draft was completely terrible, I moved on to actually writing my own stuff. Though I don't write fiction much anymore, writing was a secondary hobby I had for a good 12 years. I hope to get back into writing one day, but now is not the time. Final Fantasy VII single-handedly made Final Fantasy a favorite franchise of mine. Though I'm not in love with the series nearly as much nowadays, it was my favorite series for a long time, possibly longer than any other had been. I've gone on to love almost every Final Fantasy in the series, and other RPGs by association, and really just the story aspect in games in general. Prior to this game, I really had not cared about stories in video games. This was the game that showed me what an epic tale a game could tell. It was mostly about the gameplay for me prior to this. Final Fantasy VII was a complete game changer for myself and the entire gaming world. It is doubtful any game in the future would be as influential as this game or any other on this list

Where would I be without Final Fantasy VII? I might never have gotten into Final Fantasy games, my love for RPGs might have died off, and I would've never gotten a Playstation, or any Playstation afterwards. I only bought a Playstation for Final Fantasy IX, since I played FF7 and 8 on PC initially. Had I never played FF7 or 8, I wouldn't have played 9, and as such would've never gotten a Playstation. In effect, I wouldn't have wanted a Playstation 2, since Kingdom Hearts nor Final Fantasy X would have interested me, and then furthering the influence all the way to present day. Who knows what games I would've missed out on had this game never existed?  This was, at one time, my absolute favorite game of all time. It's not quite at the top anymore, but I still hold it in high regards. I just can't argue about what a fantastic ride playing Final Fantasy VII for the first time was.

3. Earthbound

If you know me personally, not putting this game at #1 on this list might come as kind of a shock to you, since I am not shy about my love for this game. In terms of pure influence, this game pales in comparison to others on this list, but the fact that my feelings for this game go far beyond just the video game medium, is what keeps it on this list, and also my all-time favorite game. Opinions on this game are pretty divisive - some people tend to hate it, while others love it to the point of obsession. I am in the latter group. Though I am not quite as insane a fan as I once was, this game is still my all-time favorite and likely will continue to be so for the rest of my life. Few games were as memorable, as charming, and as heart-warming as this one, at least in my experience. Something about this game just really spoke to me. It came out at the exact right time for me to experience it at the perfect age of 13, the supposed same age as the characters you play as in the game. This game was as much about coming of age as it was saving the world. Age 13 is during puberty for most people and playing through Earthbound felt like I had almost graduated from being a child to a teenager. This game's personality also almost matched my own. If I could boil down every aspect of my personality and make a game based on it, this would be that game. There is no other game that is more "me" than Earthbound. I found out about this game simply by seeing the oversized display box in Blockbuster just after completing Super Mario RPG, when I was desperate for more RPGs. I remember reading the back of the box thinking "This looks like an RPG. I'll give this a try." Little did I know, I would be embarking on the journey of a lifetime. Moments before seeing that box in the store, I never even heard of the game. And for years I never knew anyone who had. The game has gained much popularity and recognition over the years but back then I felt I was the only one who loved or even knew about this game. That was okay by me, since it only heightened the sense that this game was made just for me. By no means is this game objectively perfect, but it was perfect for me. It is my video game soul mate. There has not been any other game that comes close to matching just how emotionally attached I am to this game.

Without this game, where would I be? I'd be a totally different person. I might never have found my one true video game love. I'd never have felt like anyone or anything understands me. Earthbound gets me. Even if most people don't, I can play Earthbound over and over and feel that there is a group of people out there who made this game, and one guy who wrote it, that gets me, even if they don't know me personally. Without Earthbound, I'd be lost as a gamer, playing games only because I enjoy them. There's nothing wrong with that, but Earthbound took my enjoyment to a whole different level, enabling me to see video games as an experience rather than just a piece of entertainment. The Earthbound experience is still one of my most memorable and cherished memories in my life.

1. Super Mario Bros.

It would be impossible to talk about my most influential games without mentioning Super Mario Bros. This game was not only one of the most influential games to me as a person, but one of the most influential games in the history of video games. This game single-handedly made me a gamer. I didn't know I would like it, nor did I even ask for it, but when I got this game, packed in with Duck Hunt and my first Nintendo Entertainment System, I was unknowingly at the very beginning of a very long journey through the world of video games. This game took me many years to actually beat, but despite being a horrible gamer as a kid, I still loved this game. This is where the whole thing began for me. My earliest memories of life started with this game. I barely remember anything in my life prior to first grade but playing Super Mario Bros. in my living room for the first time at the young age of 4 might just be my earliest memory ever.

Without Super Mario Bros, where would I be? I could be a totally different person than I am today. I could've become a jock or a drug addict. I could've been a business man or a doctor. Who can say? All I know is without this game, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I might never have become a gamer and in turn would've missed out on a lot of cherished memories I have associated with them. Super Mario Bros. not only changed my life, it downright defined it. There's almost no competing with that. Except for...

1. Super Mario 64

Finally, we have the game that is the single most influential game in my life. It may not be the best game on the list, nor my favorite, but if it wasn't for this game, I'd likely be a totally different person than I am today. Super Mario Bros. may have revived the gaming industry and got me hooked on video games, but somewhere around 1996/1997, my love for video games was dying. I had just gotten Super Nintendo only two years prior, barely had any games for it, and new games for it were far and few between with Nintendo 64 just around the corner. My first impression of the Nintendo 64 was a harshly negative one. I hated the way video games were becoming 3D as I was still stuck on sprite-based graphics. I hated the new controller and its analog stick, insisting that every game is better played with a digital pad. I remember very specifically saying that I had no interest in Nintendo 64 and that I never wanted another gaming system after Super Nintendo. I was very adamant about it, and I'm not really sure in what direction my life would've gone in had I not changed my mind about the system, but it's highly doubtful I would've ever been brought back to the video game scene. Super Mario 64 saved video games for me. Just when I was about to lose all hope and move onto something else, I saw Super Mario 64 in Blockbuster. I was immediately criticizing Mario's blocky head and how terrible the textured looked. I was still convinced that sprites were better, but I gave it a shot anyway. Within moments I was hooked. I couldn't believe how amazing playing Mario in 3D was. Running around the castle grounds and exploring the insides of the castle was like nothing I had experienced up until then. Within a good 20 minutes of standing there, playing the game, my mind was made up - I had to have Nintendo 64. I wanted Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64 more than I had every wanted any game or any system in my life, including those that came afterwards. I even rented a Nintendo 64 console just to play Super Mario 64. I then bought a Nintendo 64 with my birthday money in March of 1997, but wasn't able to buy any games for it. I then rented Super Mario 64 yet again, along with various other Nintendo 64 games along the way. Eventually I was able to buy Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 from Funcoland in September of that year, and continued to to enjoy what I felt was the greatest game of all time. I still think the game is near-perfect and one of the best games of all time. I still play the game every so often and it never ever gets old.

Without Super Mario 64, where would I be? Well, I probably wouldn't be a gamer. I'd never had owned a Nintendo 64. I'd probably not be a Nintendo fan even, since my original NES eventually broke and was thrown out and I probably would've sold my Super Nintendo and my games for it and when I would look back at the games I played, the list would be very short and would be relegated to something I did when I was a kid but grew out of. Super Mario 64 took what Super Mario Bros. did and blew all expectations for video games out of the water. Super Mario 64 redefined what a video game could be and what I could get out of one. It revived my interest in gaming which hasn't died yet, and hopefully never will. Without Super Mario 64, I would've never met a friend I had from middle school through college since we shared the same passion for the game, Nintendo 64, and gaming in general. My memories of playing Super Mario 64 are some of my strongest memories and I wouldn't trade them for the world. Without Super Mario 64, the person I am today would not exist.