The ten video games I played the most (1983-1997)
Aug 13 '04 (Updated Nov 06 '04)
The Bottom Line Part III of my video game tetralogy.
This is part III of my 'Video game tetralogy'; each section is self-sufficient. Parts I, II and IV can be accessed here: My life as a video game player, Coleco visions: recollections, observations and anecdotes about the Colecovision and Philosophico-religious musings about video games.
As my title indicates, this list mentions the games I played the most from 1983 to 1997; they are not necessarily my favorite games, although some of them would qualify as such. I chose that format because a list of my true favorites would be too difficult to compile.
10. Super Street Fighter II (Arcade/Super NES, 1993-1994)
Street Fighter II Turbo served as my introduction to the Street Fighter series, but I devoted a lot more time to Super Street Fighter II. When the arcade version was released in the fall of 1993, a guy used to play it every day, easily defeating the CPU as 8-12 people looked in amazement; few dared to challenge him (I didn't). I eagerly awaited the release of the Super NES conversion for the better part of 1994, reading preview after preview. It did not disappoint me, and this was my main game that summer. As in other Street Fighter games, I preferred to play as 'fireballing' characters (i.e. Ryu, Ken, Sagat...).
9. R.C. Pro-Am (NES, 1987)
In the months before I received this game as a gift, I remember looking at its box art in the latest magazine of a local store. The 59,99$ (Can.) retail price was indicated under this image, and I couldn't wait to have it. Even though I remained stuck at race twenty-something, I kept trying to do better. This was one of the games I wanted to play again when I bought a used NES in 2000.
8. Ladybug (Colecovision, 1982)
This game was my first exposure to the 'Pac-Man style', and I played it a lot. The revolving doors introduced a new element of strategy to the standard formula, as did the scattered bonuses and letters to collect. The game started slowly but got difficult and even frantic in the later levels. As I stated in my piece on the Colecovision, some of the game's images and sounds unsettled me at the time, but it only added to its special aura.
7. Antartic Adventure (Colecovision, 1984)
One of the most famous of all Colecovision games was also a personal favorite of mine. Guiding the penguin from station to station (or country to country) while avoiding all sorts of obstacles (holes, seals, walruses, icy surfaces) and grabbing flags and fishes was particularly exciting. A Strauss waltz served as the central musical theme. The challenge was considerable but never frustrating.
6. Baseball Stars (NES, 1989)
This is the only game in my list that I have never actually owned (I would love to have it, though). I rented it many times, and also played it at my friend's house. Instead of playing each other, we shared duties: I pitched, and he batted. When we played together we mostly played exhibition games, and we often chose the Ninja Blacksox team, because the American Dreams were simply too powerful (besides, the Ninjas' number one starting pitcher, Sasuke, had a nice sidearm delivery). Games ended when one team had a 10-run edge, and I remember being especially proud of myself when I pitched a perfect game (even if it was only for a 3-inning duel). I know most of the players' names by heart, and loved to build my own teams.
5. Mortal Kombat II (Arcade/Super NES, 1993-1994)
I was not immune to the Mortal Kombat craze, whether I want to admit it or not. I had played the original game (and also owned the Genesis version), but the sequel had an even bigger impact on me. It is far and away the arcade game I played the most. I could witness firsthand the real cult that developed around this game in the arcades, as dozens of people lined up to play and/or watch... even losers seemed to enjoy being sacrificial victims. I bought and loved the Super NES port when it was released in 1994. The whole Mortal Kombat phenomenon still fascinates me in a certain way (more on that in my forthcoming article), but I have no desire to play these games anymore. Sub Zero was my favorite character in the first three Mortal Kombat games (I also liked the third and it was the very last Super NES game I bought, back in 1995).
4. Blades of Steel (NES, 1988)
Some include Ice Hockey in their list of favorites, others choose Blades of Steel; I'm in the latter camp, although I did like Ice Hockey. I must have rented this game at least ten times before someone offered it to me as a gift. The various teams did not have much personality, but the computer voice, smooth play and unique touches (i.e. the fights and shootouts) entertained me for hours.
3. Pepper II (Colecovision, 1983)
I played this game for hours on end. I don't even think it has an ending: after reaching 999999, the score resets at 0. Many of its aspects - the main musical theme (which I later learned was composed by Gounod), the background music/atmosphere, the sound effects (when dying, completing a section, finishing a level) - are forever itched in my memory. It offers two brilliant variations on the 'maze formula': zipping instead of dots to eat; the ability to navigate in four different mazes per level. The animation was also remarkably smooth.
2. NHL Hockey, NHLPA '93 and NHL '94 (Genesis, 1991-1993)
Much like kjell1979 did on his old top ten list, I award the second spot to more than one game. But I choose to include the original NHL Hockey as well, because it introduced me to 16-bit video gaming. In the summer and fall of 1992, I used to read the 2-page ad for that game (and the 8-9-8-8 EGM review) again and again. When I finally got the Genesis and NHL Hockey at Christmas (along with the uneven RBI Baseball '93) and actually played the game, all my expectations had been met. NHLPA '93 went a step further and included goal and assist credits and more realistic penalties. NHL '94 completed the concept by adding season play and a battery backup. All three games are so closely linked to me that I can't exclude any of them from my list.
1. Tecmo Super Bowl (NES, 1991)
This is far and away the video game I've played the most, and far and away my favorite video game of all time. Much like Blades of Steel, I rented it many times (in my very first season I finished 10-6 as the New York Giants) before finally buying it. I used to play entire seasons in two days; the game got me into statistics. In fact, I was so much into stats that I rarely completed the playoffs, because stats were not tracked by that point. Subsequent variations on this seminal game - a Genesis adaptation, Tecmo Super Bowl III: Final Edition - did not recapture its uniqueness. Whereas I was able to find worthy Genesis successors to replace by favorite hockey, baseball and basketball NES games, for football I had to wait until late 1995, with the Playstation game NFL Gameday; I no longer had my 8-bit and 16-bit systems by then, and as good as the Madden series probably was, it is as if I refused to let another football game take Tecmo Super Bowl's place while I still owned it.
Ten runner-ups: Time Pilot (Colecovision, 1983); Cabbage Patch Kids (Colecovision, 1984); Super Mario Bros. (NES, 1985); The Legend of Zelda (NES, 1986); Mike Tyson's Punch-Out! (NES, 1987); Mortal Kombat (Arcade/Genesis, 1992-1993); Tony Larussa Baseball (Genesis, 1993); World Series Baseball (Genesis, 1994); Earthworm Jim (Super NES, 1994); Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (PC, 1995).
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Some of my video game reviews:
NES - Battletoads, Dragon's Lair, Marble Madness, The Rocketeer, Swamp Thing.
Genesis - Earthworm Jim, Garfield: Caught in the Act, Mickey Mania, The Pagemaster, Ristar.
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