favourite game of all time

[Tom The Funkee Homosapien]

My favourite  game of all time well two series fight for it in my list are both Shenmue games and the metal gear solid series (starting from the playstation). Both amazing I could spend hours on MGS running around in a box or wearing a crocodile hat and in Shenmue just trying to taking in the sheer beauty of both games.
What are yours and their defining moment?

[Jemble Fred]

Hmm. Dizzy Prince of the Yolkfolk on the Spectrum +3. It's a fucker just choosing one of them –although the first is too basic and Crystal Kingdom and the console version seem barely canon. I could have gone for Fantasyland or Spellbound or especially Magicland. But POTYF was the first one I fully explored on my own without my brothers chipping in advice. Defining moment? Working out the whole Evil Dizzy/thorn/spanner trick. Fiendish.

[Spiteface]

All-time Favourite Game

Has to be Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

I think this was Sonic the Hedgehog's peak.  Epic scale, compared to Sonic and Sonic 2 (The "acts" of each level were much longer than in previous games).  More challenging than the earlier games.  The story was more complex than just Eggman wanting the Chaos Emeralds.  This game saw the introduction of Knuckles into the mix. He was an enemy for much of the game, but not "evil" or a "villain".  He was just happened to be there when the Death Egg crashed on the "Floating Island" on Mobius (Later known as "Angel Island"), and Eggman led him to believe that Sonic and Tails were the real bad guys, after the Chaos Emeralds he was supposed to be guarding.  The way that in the last few stages of the game the plot develops was just mindblowing to me at the time, and still makes me smile when I play it now.  The other thing story-wise I liked was that it was the last game in which Eggman really was a bad guy to be reckoned with(Sonic Adventure was the first to break this trend, with Chaos being uncontrollable).

The gameplay of this game was good as well - the level designs meant that playing as any of the 3 characters enabled you to reach something the others couldn't - Knuckles could get to places the other 2 couldn't etc.  There was speed, puzzles, exploration, bit of everything.

I bloody well love this game.

[Cardinal Tit Storm]

It would have to be Baldur's Gate 2 for me. It improved on the already fantastic first game by adding a more coherent plot and an excellent baddie (with good voice acting). It was huge, the combat was challenging, and the story was interesting. It even managed to make something of the god-awful AD&D rules.  I was completely addicted to it for months. No Japanese RPG I've played is even in the same league.

Fallout came close, but the gameplay and graphics weren't quite up to the same standard as Baldur's Gate. Can't wait for Fallout 3 though - I just hope it's not as disappointing as Oblivion, since I read it was being made by Bethesda using the same game engine.

[inuyasha]

Tough choice,either super mario world,zelda a link to the past or super mario 64,all total perfection.

[Hank_Kingsley]

Undoubtedly Civilization 2. I like all the Civ games but that was such a step-up and an endlessly replayable game.
I've got pretty crap co-ordination so i've always liked turn based games or adventure games where it's hard to die.
The exceptions to that would be Wrestlemania 2000 & No Mercy for the N64. The create a character functions were so perfect for a group of silly stoned teenagers to have hours and hours of mindless fun with.

[chocky909]

Probably Goldeneye, Ico, PGR2, Halo, Moto GP, Sensible Soccer, or Secret Of Monkey Island. But there are so many recommended games I've missed out on so it's not like I'm picking these over them. They're just games I played to death and enjoyed every minute. I'm really enjoying my new DS at the moment too.

[BJB]

Lylat wars. One day i SHALL finish that game by myself.

Thats right. Laugh.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

This is an utter bastard of a thread as my enthusiasm to want to post on it is only equalled by the difficulty of deciding on one game.

Strictly talking about my very favourite games I can remember:

PC: Transport Tycoon, Theme Park, Grand Prix Manager, Discworld, SimCity2000, The Nomad Soul, Half Life, Civilization II, Medieval: Total War, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Doom, Grand Prix 2, Magic Carpet, Graham Gooch's Cricket, Football Manager

PS1: Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider II

Xbox: Halo, Morrowind, PGRII, Ninja Gaiden, Top Spin

DC: Shenmue

Some of these are or were the indisputed kings at one time or another, some of which I've just played to death and would happily continue to do so. I'm tempted to go for Shenmue but I was preparing a huge post about Theme Park also, so I clearly haven't reached a conclusion yet. I'd be surprised if it isn't one of those.

[chocky909]

Ooh Top Spin, I forgot about that.

[biggytitbo]

Head Over Heels. Only Monkey Island 1, Broken Sword and Half Life 2 have come near its splendour.

[alan nagsworth]

Damn, I'm so torn. Dungeon Keeper Gold, Donkey Kong II: Diddy King's Quest, Final Fantasy IX, The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time...

The latter two are phenominal in plot and gameplay combined, I'm crazy for old RPGish stuff with epic stories... would probably have to be FF IX though, I seriously obsess over that game.

[weekender]

Multiplayer

Super Mario Kart.

It's simple enough that almost anyone can pick it up fairly easily, but subtle and complicated enough to have lots of great tips and tricks to make it interesting.  It also has a 'random' factor - will you pick up a red shell?  a green shell? a feather? - which evens out the contest between two fairly well-skilled players.  A better two-player game I have yet to come across.

Single player

Super Pang.

Now ostensibly this is about a little man at the bottom of the screen running left to right and pressing the button to make a harpoon fire at some bubbles which bounce and then split equally in two - both smaller bubbles bouncing off in both directions - until they become very small and you kill them. 

Playability-wise, it's a work of genius.  You're hemmed in at the sides, so you have to take into account the fact that the bubbles will eventually bounce off the walls.  If you kill two large bubbles in fairly quick succession, each of them splits in two, thus creating four bubbles - two of which are probably heading towards you and two of which are heading to the walls.  Therefore the ones which are bouncing towards the walls are going to come back and hit you shortly.  This game really does require a great amount of co-ordination.

Then it gets more subtle.  You get little ladders and things that you can walk up and down.  You get ice levels where you slip a bit unless you pick up snow shoes.  You get dynamite, which pops every single bubble into the smallest bubble - thus sometimes creating a travesty situation where it's almost impossible to avoid death.  You also get blocks that you can destroy - sometimes these give you bonuses, like a clock which makes time stand still, sometimes they really fuck you up.  There are some blocks which give you extra lives.

Then, the evil bastard who has introduced the bubbles to your world, introduces hexagons!  These hexagon bastards don't follow the laws of gravity like the bubbles do, oh no.  These follow a set path, probably at 60 degree angles, which is fine - but now you have to process them, their patterns, the splitting of them, at the same time as you're trying to co-ordinate the gravity bubbles!  Sounds easy?  IT FUCKING ISN'T!

There's a lot of clones of Super Pang around, and most of them are shit.  The only versions I consider to be decent are the SNES version, and the arcade version.  I haven't found a good ROM on MAME as yet, if anyone knows of one, please let me know.

Also, when you complete both versions - I completed the arcade version at University and it remains, to this day, the only game I have ever completed at an actual arcade - you get some gorgeous music and a history of the screenshots.  I still play it on the SNES when I want an escape, it keeps my reflexes in check and I get to hear the music at the end, which really is awesome.  I've been looking for an mp3 or other rip of the end-music for ages, can't find one.  If any of you more experienced gamers/ROM people can tell me where to get it, please do.  For now, I shall stick with playing the game.

[Tom The Funkee Homosapien]

I agree with weekender on Mario kart as a multiplayer game. What's more satisfying then watching your friend scream in anger as you fire a blue shell and hitting him just before the finishing line only for you zoom past laughthing your head off. BJB would know the feeling. But it's not the greatest multiplayer.

[weekender]

fire a blue shell

WHAT THE FUCK IS A BLUE SHELL?

[Sovereign]

Doom, without any doubt.

[eluc55]

Multiplayer
Smash Brother's Melee on the gamecube. A perfect game, in my view. Intense, at times insane,  easy to pick up and satisfying to master. Countless options, a surprisingly fun (if basic) one player mode, and endless nostalgic value in the form of charachters, items, levels, music, secret tracks, trophies... just wonderful.

Single Player
Hmm. Tricky for obvious reasons, but games that spring to mind include Metroid Prime, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Super Mario World: Yoshi's Island, and despite the frame rate issues, Perfect Dark. I'm sorry, but it would be a crime to cut any one of those from my list, so five favourite games you must have.   

[Borboski]

I've played Footie Manager so much, and PES less so, that they have to figure.  But I had some times with the SNES as a kid, Secret of Mana, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World is a perfect platformer and Super Tennis I both really enjoyed.  Earlier, on my Amiga, Syndicate, Populous, Speedball 2, and FUCKING Cannon Fodder (ahhhh).

Once I had my first PC X-Com was great, and Civilisation, and Doom.  Then the Baldurs Gate series were fantastic.

For more modern games GTA: Vice City took my fancy, plus Half Life 2, FEAR.  Bioshock is pretty great, but I've probably been most impressed by Deus Ex as an example of where games could go... and for that matter some of the nice touches on Doom 3.  The game was pretty forumuliac, but there were some great filmic little bits.

[Jemble Fred]

WHAT THE FUCK IS A BLUE SHELL?

One that speeds right up to the leader and kicks them up the arse.

I'd go for Mario Kart as best multiplayer too, but the N64 incarnation definitely.

[Borboski]

God not the N64 version, it had a ridiculous catch-up feature, where if you were behind you automatically went faster!  SNES all the way.

[ziggy starbucks]

God not the N64 version, it had a ridiculous catch-up feature, where if you were behind you automatically went faster!  SNES all the way.

I agree with you 100%

try telling that to jemble though, the man is the personification of wrongness

[Jemble Fred]

I wrote the Prima book on the N64 version (Got me through my first year at Uni, that). It is, and always shall remain, exquisite. Unlike the UGLY UGLY UGLY SNES version, which felt dated an hour before it went on sale. It's the flattest game I've played – Buggy Boy on the ZX Spectrum felt more involving.

[Borboski]

I'm right about the catchup feature, e.g. not making it up?  It felt like that PS game wipeout, two, like you slid everywhere.  Still, horses for courses, eh?

[falafel]

eggman eggman eggman

Now. Repeat after me:

Ro-Bot-Nik.

[Jemble Fred]

Still, horses for courses, eh?

Well, quite – the only real point is that completing every course with every character on the N64 version just seemed a 100% perfectly balanced challenge, catch-up feature or no. It had brilliant shortcuts too. It just showed the way, in my opinion – the GBA version was built on it, and that was great too. I'd love to have played the DS and Wii versions, they probably out-do the N64 version, but... I don't have either console, or the money to find out.

[BJB]

BJB would know the feeling.

Fuck.right.off

[Spiteface]

Now. Repeat after me:

Ro-Bot-Nik.

You are wrong.

Eggman has always been known as Eggman.  In Japan at least.

Robotnik was used in the US/european verisons, up until Sonic Adventure, when Eggman was used, although I beieve he referred to himself frequently as "Robotnik" and known relatives also carried the Robotnik name in the 3D games (his Grandfather Gerald, and cousin, maria, both appearing in Sonic Adventure 2)

Due to a split storyline between the Japanese and American/European Sonic games, the character of Robotnik/Eggman has been known by several names in the various media and adaptations of the Sonic franchise.

In Japan, the character has always been known as "Doctor Eggman" since his introduction in the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. However, in early American and European game versions and other media he is known as "Doctor Ivo Robotnik." Although, despite this, both names slipped occasionally in the different regions.

In Sonic the Comic comics, the character was originally "Ovi Kintobor". But an explosive accident involving a rotten egg reversed his kindly personality, and also the letters of his name, so he became "Ivo Robotnik." The Sonic the Hedgehog tv show further expanded on the name variation by proclaiming the character's first name is "Julian," while the Sonic the Hedgehog comics proclaimed the character's full name is "Julian Kintobor of the House of Ivo," and his relatives have the family name "Kintobor."

Beginning with Sonic Adventure, Sega began a process of joining the American and European game stories to the Japanese version, including introducing the concept of calling the character "Doctor Eggman" in the American and European versions. Initially, both names were used in the English language version, as he referred to himself as "Robotnik" while others called him "Eggman." In the sequel, Sonic Adventure 2, he also refers to himself as "Dr. Eggman", although the words "Robotnik Empire" mixed with "Eggman Empire" appear in the backgrounf of one scene. In addition, his grandfather and cousin have the family name "Robotnik". In later games, and in the English dub of Sonic X, the name Robotnik was dropped almost entirely but still pops up on occasion, such as most of the airboards in the game Sonic Riders being credited as being built by "Robotnik Corp." It is also featured on some promotional material[citation needed], in the French Sonic X dub, and in the character's eyecatch profile card from the Japanese version of Sonic X[5]. The latest usage of "Ivo Robotnik" was in a DVD-ROM flash comic that came with Sonic and the Secret Rings, where Sonic referred to the character as "Dr. Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik

as explained on Wikipedia, and this explains it better than I could.  Both names are "Canon" but I prefer to use Eggman these days, seeing as the japanese versions use this more and this is his official name now.  Personal preference and that.

[chocky909]

I played Batman The Movie on the Amiga to death as it was one of my only games at that time. I remember how fast my heart beat when I was getting closer to the end of the first level where you shoot Jack Napier. When I finally did it, I was absolutely ecstatic. I'll never forget that feeling and I've never come close to the exhilaration I felt playing that game. The second level (Batmobile) was a hell of a reward for finishing it too.

It's hardly an all time classic, but it's holds a special place in my heart and possibly a few other gamers my age who bought or were bought the Amiga 500 'Batpack'. Also included, New Zealand Story (which I'm currently replaying on the DS) and F18 Interceptor, all of which I played a lot. I think the best loved games are the ones you spent a lot of time with. There are games I've been more impressed with and would rate as 'better' but I can't give a game the title of 'favourite' unless I spent hours and hours playing it.

[falafel]

You are wrong.

No, I'm just not Japanese, and - unless I'm much mistaken - nor are you.

Personal preference and that.

Well, yeah. I don't want to come across all Comic Book Guy or anything.

[El Unicornio, mang]

Well the GTAIII series goes without saying, so I won't include it, but just to say that Vice City is my favourite and the whole idea of roaming freely around a great big landscape with all sorts of weapons and vehicles at my disposal was the ultimate video game come true.

Anyway...as far as video game goes, I'm probably going to go for NHL'93 on the Megadrive. Fast-paced, ace little fighting mini-game, smashing the barrier glass with the puck, the great animations of the players and a hoot to play two player.

Computer game: Monkey Island II, no question. Great humour, lovely imagery, fiendish puzzles and at the time it was the closest I could find to the free-roaming game I dreamed about. Not being able to die was a plus point for me too. Playing it on the Amiga was a bit of a pain as it came with about 10 disks, but it was worth it.