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My Top 10 Single Player Games of All-Time


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10. Duke Nukem: Time To Kill (PS1)

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This game was basically Tomb Raider on steroids. Hand grenades, jet packs, strip clubs, pig cops and aliens make up a hell of a game in this third person shooter. I also enjoyed the different settings in this game - the city, medieval Euro, ancient Rome, and old school western. "It's time to kick ass and chew bubble gum, and I'm all outta gum!"

 

9. Super Mario RPG (SNES)

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This was the first role-playing game in the Mario series and it fully delivered. It didn't use random encounters which was liked by many so you could evade any unnecessary battles. The unique turn-based fighting with the 3D graphics, which were amazing for its time, made this one a classic. 

 

8. Soul Blazer (SNES)

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Soul Blazer was a hidden gem for way too long, and still is IMO. Amazing action -RPG elements in a dungeon crawl type setting. You play the role of a servant trying to get the captured the souls of each village before going to the "World of Evil." I'm glad I got this game when it was cheap - the cart alone goes for $75 today. 

 

7. Super Mario Bros 3 (NES)

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I had to include SMB3 on the list, wouldn't be right not to. It is one of the highest selling games of all-time and took the series to a whole new level with over world maps, Tanookie suit, hammer and frog suits, climbing vines, being able to float and fly, warp whistles etc etc. 

 

6. Illusion of Gaia (SNES)

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This was the second game for the Quintet series after Soul Blazer. The game avoids the experience system of typical role-playing video games; instead, the game has a more novel system for advancing the player character's statistics through jewels to boost attack, defense and your health meter. It has a very odd plot, but the game play advanced nicely compared to the first one. 

 

5. COD: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3/XBOX 360)

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Even though I played this online I couldn't leave it off as my friends and I played it a ridiculous amount of hours. This game took a major step forward from COD 4, and to date is still my favorite COD game released.

 

4. Doom (PC)

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This game was truly amazing and addicting for its time that I'm not sure can be matched again. It was installed on more computers than Windows 95 and was know as "the number one cause of decreased productivity in businesses around the world." Amazing FP shooter that went over and beyond what we saw out of Wolfenstein 3D the year prior. 

 

3. GTA: Vice City (PS2)

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The player controls the criminal Tommy Vercetti (Ray Liota) and completes missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. Loosely based on Scarface and shades of Miami Vice this controversial game put Rockstar Games on the map. Amazing missions, setting, characters, new unlocked properties, and soundtrack made this a gem. 

 

2. Earthbound (SNES)

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This is my favorite JRPG game ever released. It had a quirky theme around Americana and many real world settings throughout the two-dimensional world. You called your dad to save the game, you can use ATMs to get cash, visit stores to buy new weapons and armor, or stay at the hospital and hotel. Incredible game with a large cult following and now heft price tag around $150 for an original cart. 

 

1. Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)

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Regardless of any new game, I don't think it can top this Zelda game based on the timing of playing it when I was young. Perfect action RPG with great graphics, solid soundtrack, boomerangs, bombs, arrows, potions, fortune tellers, parallel worlds, and great combat that never seems dull. This one tops all others. 

 

 

This list was impossible to make as there are so many games I'm not sure how I left off of here. I didn't include any sports games. What are you favorite games that I was stupid to not include? 

Edited by BIG ERN
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8 minutes ago, BIG ERN said:


I knew I'd take some heat without a FF game. It was hard to leave them off, but I actually enjoyed II and III on the SNES better. 7 was solid as well for the PS1

FF7 changed gaming with the story elements and the breaking of classic video game/comic book tropes. Since it's being remade, I'll put the breaks in a spoiler:

Spoiler

 

1) Tragic death of a main character who stays dead

2) The protagonist turns out not to be special but just some guy. The villain is the special one

3) First game with romance options (or at least the first one I'm aware of)

 

 

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Great topic, and great list. Nice to see a ton of SNES representation. 

 

10. Chrono Trigger - My favorite SNES RPG on a system absolutely stacked with them. Great story, great combat, art by one of the best Japanese artists of the period, and replayability for months. 

 

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9. Resident Evil 4 - Saved the franchise, and was the harbinger of the wave of 3rd person, over the shoulder shooters that flooded the market. Revolutionized the horror genre, and is possibly the best game on two separate systems. 

 

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8. Skyrim - Who among us has not lost days to this incredible, open world RPG? An absolute masterpiece. 

 

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7. Super Mario 64 - Redefined what 3-D gaming could be, as it pushed both Mario and Nintendo into the next century of gaming. 

 

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6. Super Mario Bros. 3 - My favorite Mario game. The amount of growth and polish from Super Mario Bros. to SMB 3 is staggering. Plus, the Raccoon Leaf is just cool. 

 

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5. Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past - Sets the template for what future Zelda games would aspire to be. Love, love, love this game. 

 

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4. Super Metroid - The pinnacle of 2-D exploration games (Super Metroid would lead to another game that could be on this list in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night). I absolutely love the mythos behind the Metroid games, and creepy tone that they set is almost perfect.  

 

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3. Mass Effect 3 - I debated either putting Mass Effect 2, or the whole series here, but this is my favorite of the three, and my favorite 3rd person shooter. It melds the RPG elements of the first with gameplay improvements of the second, plus the cast surrounding you is one of the best in the medium, bar non. That, and the character progression system, where you play the same character throughout the series and decisions made in the first game, affect the second, and so on, is immense; I imagine I have at least 500 hours across the 3 games with my Commander Shepard. 

 

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2. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - The standard by which Zelda games (and any game professing to be the best of all time) are measured. An absolute masterpiece of gameplay and storytelling.

 

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1. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - The newest game on the list, but my god, what a game. Nintendo takes the Zelda formula they had stuck to for 20 years, flips it on head and makes one of the most immersive, enjoyable experiences I've had since I first picked up an Atari controller. This game is an absolute masterpiece, and completely reinvents one of the most beloved series of all time. 

 

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I tried my hardest to not make my list about 70% Zelda titles, but I could if I really wanted to.  

Edited by Cdog923
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17 minutes ago, Cdog923 said:

Great topic, and great list. Nice to see a ton of SNES representation. 

 

 

 

I tried my hardest to not make my list about 70% Zelda titles, but I could if I really wanted to.  


Solid list. I tried not to make all mine SNES games since I think that's the best system ever. I wasn't even able to bring up Super Metroid, Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore, Earthworm Jim, FF series, DK series etc. 

Edited by BIG ERN
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10- MGS4

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This thing was the sum of me and a buddy playing this series for 10 years.  What a game.  Has everything the first 3 were and then some.  A bittersweet ending to a storied series.  Yes I know there is a 5 and it sucks so I pretend there isn't.

 

9. Twisted Metal 2

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While I logged countless hours with friends doing multiplayer, the single mode was the best.  Such over the top action and crazy storyline.  The game play was fantastic at the time.  Long live Sweet Tooth and Minion.

 

8. Metal Gear Solid 2

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I played the first one so much I wore it out.  I was ecstatic when this came out.  Great game play and improved graphics and techniques.  The story gets kinda wonky though, but still terrific.

 

7. Grand Theft Auto 5

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Far superior to GTA4 in my opinion.  We are all familiar with the series.  This storyline is just fantastic from start to finish.  Great replay value.

 

6.TMNT 3 Manhattan Project

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I love this game.  The characters and graphics and side scroll style are all just so much fun.  This is also just head and shoulders better than the first in the series which is difficult to the point of insanity.

 

5. Monster Rancher 2

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I could just as easily listed the first one.  Anyone unfamiliar, this is basically Pokemon on roids.  You insert random CD's into the PlayStation and it gives you specific monsters that you train and battle.  This thing is a bit of a cult hit, but anyone familiar knows what i mean. 

 

4. MGS3

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Metal Gear prequel, Cold War, Improved graphics.  Yeah this game is freaking amazing.

 

3. Cowboy Kid

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This game would be UBER offensive today.  That said, it is an AMAZING side scroll NES game.  Think Mario with Cowboys/Indians.  And instead of junping on Turtles, you shoot bad guys.  I can't imagine the hours spent playing this.  It's an obscure title and a bit valuable, snatch a copy if you ever see it.

 

2. Super Mario Bros. 3

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This game IS the NES.  No other game can compete with it's replay value, even if you know all the secrets.  The art, gameplay and level mapping are top notch.

 

1. Metal Gear Solid

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No game has resonated with me more than this one.  I can't count how many times or hours I have spent playing this thing.  Just an absolute masterpiece of a game.  Solid Snake is a badass.  The entire ensemble of villains is stellar.  The storyline is so in depth and intriguing.  Seriously can't recommend it enough.

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