So i thought as a start here i'd try to make a list of my top ten games... obviously, this is totally subjective and greatly shaped by what i grew up with/had access too, as well as my own preferences for game types in general. for example, i know that there are a handful of really good, well produced survival horror games, but im not much for survival horror, so you won't find those here. also, i'm kinda making this up as i go along so i'm not sure i'll feel the same way tomorrow, or in a week, or when i finally get to play ACIII, but i think it still counts for something ;) here goes... 1) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) _+_this game holds a special place in my heart, and may be the only thing on this list i am 100% sure of. it was the first to truly suck me in and i played until 100% completion, repeatedly (in fact, one of the few games i've ever felt compelled to do so). it's perfectly balanced mix of engrossing story, lively soundtrack, diverse open world with a pioneering degree of freedom and extras, challenging but seldom frustrating puzzles, and thoroughly satisfying gameplay are unmatched in my mind. for years after my first play through, no matter what game, my save name was often "sheik." _^_ i would love a FAITHFUL HD port, or well done reboot (think goldeneye), but i know this is probably just asking for trouble... 2) Mario Kart 64 (N64) _+_ i can't count the amount of hours i've spent playing this with various friends over the past 15 years, or by myself for that matter (and it may be depressing if i did, but hell if that doesn't point to the staying power of this title). _^_ quite simply, the game is near perfect save it's length. it's in need of some new circuits, and like ocarina, if it got a direct HD port i would be pretty thrilled. no mario kart game has quite matched the magic of this one since, though MK Wii is a good effort. 3) Resident Evil 4 - Wii Edition (Wii) _+_ while i love horror movies, i'm too d@mn anxious to actually play survival horror/super high tension games, so i guess its good RE4 goes more for action over nerves. it was lucky i tried this when i did --in need of my first good wii game and reading nothing but positive reviews -- otherwise i would have continued to overlook it. at first i tried it with the classic controller, as i've never been much for the wii motion controls, at least in shooters. after dying repeatedly however, i picked up the wand and logged 40 hours in less than 2 weeks. sh!t was not only the best wii game i'd played to date, but also the best shooter, period. _^_ RE games have only gotten worse since this gem... 4) Fallout 3 / Fallout New Vegas (X360) _+_ yeah, yeah, i'm counting them as the same, gtf over it. to be fair, i haven't spent much time in new vegas yet, but from what i can tell it's just as awesome as F3 (too soon to say if it's better, personally), so for now they're both here. i don't even know what to say... fallout 3 blew my mind again and again. the sheer amount of sh!t you can do or say is more than the content of the other games on this list put together. _^_ oh, with greatness come great glitches. i lost ALL of my stuff from my megaton house-- stuff in every. single. storage container. after over 80 hours of play. yeah. i haven't forgiven the game yet, but i know i'll be back. how could i not?? 5) Assassin's Creed II (X360) (ok, i'm dropping the plus/delta format from here on, that sh!t's way too much effort for all ten.) anyway! like with RE, i was an AC skeptic, especially after a frustrating bout with the first entry. lets just say the sequel changed all that --i'm a believer now. work of art, this one. 6) Burnout 3: Takedown (XBOX) in addition to injecting life into the all but dead arcade racing genre, this game made me remember why i used to love - and could again - simple, no frills racing (it's all relative... see MK64). though the soundtrack leaves a great deal to be desired, the brilliantly captured sense of speed, well balanced boost/nitrus mechanic and deeply satisfying crashes more than make up for it. and for the uninitiated, it must be said: do yourself a favor and turn the DJ off. 7) Super Smash Bros (N64) fracking classic. still my favorite brawler. samus 4evr. 8) Fable: The Lost Chapters (XBOX) this gorgeous and addicting fantasy adventure is one of the pioneers of what is now almost standard boilerplate RPG stuff - namely, choice and consequence. the expanded TLC version adds additional content to the first Fable, fixing its chief weakness: it's brevity. (this one time i blogged about fable and queers... among other things: http://writingtotransgress.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/intermission-episode-iv/) 9) The Walking Dead Series (X360) so much has been written about this lately that there's little i can say. believe the hype, TWD is where it's at. it presents a wholly unique type of gameplay and a focus on storytelling - on GOOD storytelling - that's seldom seen these days, but is hopefully a sign of things to come. 10) Mirror's Edge (X360) a first person free-running adventure set in a chic urban dystopian future starring a (non-stereotypical) asian (non-sexualized) woman who kicks ass to save another (non-sexualized) woman? what's not to like? oh, and the gameplay is some of the most exhilarating i've ever experienced. it's just too bad it ends about halfway before it should. (FYI, its quite far from an FPS, which it's classified as on this site for some reason... you use guns fore roughly 2% of the game, which - and i say this as a shooter fan - is very refreshing.) ***Honorable Mentions and Special Awards*** AKA sh!t that didn't make the cut but i couldn't let go... *Psychonauts and Oddworld: Strangers Wrath (XBOX) - both of these games are exceedingly original and have unique aesthetics and stories. while neither reinvented a genre (platformers and shooters, respectively), both put a wonderful twist on the formula and offered something truly inspired. the case of the FPS-3PS-sandbox hybrid Strangers Wrath is unfortunate, however, as many copies of the disc contain a game-stopping glitch during the final boss battle -- not to mention it's one of only a handful of amazing original XBOX titles that aren't backwards compatible. *Just Cause 2 (X360) - for being just plain, stupid fun. also the biggest open world game i've ever played. (points off for piss-poor --and some pretty racist--voice acting.) *Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffy Jr. (N64) - still my favorite baseball game- or any sports game, for that matter (i don't play many, 'case you couldn't tell). simple, satisfying, old-school arcade style. don't believe the h8rs.