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J's Top Video Games: 20-16
By J - 02.20.03
20. Chrono Trigger
1995 - Super Nintendo
 The SNES was a haven for RPG fans. Just about every notable 2D role-playing game is for this console, and there are a many. Chrono Trigger is one of Squaresoft's (appearance #2 on the list) finest achievements - mixing traditional RPG conventions with some innovations unique to this game, creating an in-depth (but not overly complex) storyline, and providing very different, and very engaging characters. In short, it's everything a good RPG should be.
I'm assuming most people have played this game, so I won't spend time going into the storyline here. Even if you haven't had the chance to play it, you probably wouldn't want the quintessential part of any RPG ruined for you, especially not a story so famous and cool. Instead, I'll go over some of the reasons this game is special, and why there is such a huge (and sorta scary) cult-like following surrounding this game.
One of the things I liked the most while playing it was the seamless interaction between exploration and battles. Unlike other RPGs where the screen randomly spins and transports both you and the enemy somehow to a big open field, in a land where you have an inexplicably higher resolution, enemies in Chrono Trigger just jump out, and the turn based battle sequence begins. And (unless you play the terrible PSX port [well, terrible emulation, badass anime cutscenes]) there's no waiting between fighting and walking and fighting again. I think it's the only turn-based RPG that can boast this.
Another cool thing was the magic system - in particular, the dual and triple techs that your party would learn. The seven members of your team (in which 3 are in play at a time) could team up for simultaneous, powerful magic attacks (or in some cases, to heal your party really fast!). This added a lot of depth to who you would put in your party, because not only did you have to balance fighters with magic users with healers and what not, you also had to think of the best way to utilize these combined attacks. Sometimes you would use different parties for different areas, giving everyone a lot of gameplay. I think this is such a cool idea, especially in RPGs where some characters are basically useless (Final Fantasy 9), or in others where it doesn't matter a whole lot who's in your party, since all the characters are basically just malleable empty shells (Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 8).
I think I've said enough about this game - good luck hunting down a copy of the cartridge to go and play it.
Oh, and if you don't think Frog is a badass, you just don't ever deserve to play video games you sick freak.
19. Donkey Kong Country 2
1995 - Super Nintendo
 RARE - probably the only British video game company worth mentioning. Nintendo's third party powerhouse from 1994 - 2002, RARE can be credited with such masterpieces as Starfox 64, Perfect Dark, Donkey Kong 64, Jet Force Gemini, Blast Corps, Banjo Kazooie, Banjo Tooie, and the Donkey Kong Country Series. Donkey Kong Country 2 is the best of the trilogy, for being simply a fantastic 2D platform game.
Donkey Kong Country was really the first notable platform adventure game to come out since the Super Mario and Sonic series. DKC2 took that formula and improved it, with a new character (which added a surprising amount of options), bigger levels (and more of them), and better graphics. Let's do the first thing last - graphics. This is probably what makes RARE so special - taking the systems they design for to their limits, and making all of their games look absolutely spectacular. The game boasts about 7 or so worlds with 6 to 8 levels in each world. Each world has a boss and some bonus games, while each level has a variety of coins to collect (either hidden the level or hidden in mini-games). Some coins unlocked pieces of the ridiculously hard Lost World. Seriously folks, I had to sell 28% of my soul to be able to finish this secret world (but oh god was it worth it). In DKC2 you actually do not play as Donkey Kong - you play as Diddy Kong (a mysterious relative of DK's introduced in the first DKC) and the new Dixie Kong (a Confederate monkey trapped in time who is lured by the sultry Diddy). Dixie is my favorite DKC character, because she picks shit  up with her hair and can hover around by spinning her ponytail really fast. Granted, she's not as fast as Diddy, but come on - flight - how are you going to pass that up?
If you're asking me what the story is, don't worry about it. You just gotta save Donkey Kong and get tons o bananas like a good monkey should. Donkey Kong Country 2 cannot be missed - balanced, varied difficulty, fun for seriously every type of gamer, and trust me - there's lots and lots of this game to be played.
Get a copy and try to get 102% [like me ;-) ].
Oh, and several other classic game characters make cameos in this game…try to de-crown them! (see picture).
18. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1992 - Super Nintendo
Some call it an adventure game. Some call it an adventure RPG. But in the end, it doesn't fucking matter - it's Zelda, and you're simply not a gamer if you haven't played this series of games.
You need this game. Like, this game should be pumped into all people intravenously. If you have not played this game, you are 39.7% of a person, max. You are not close to complete without massive quantities of A Link to the Past. It makes you feel good while playing it. Advanced researchers in Japan are developing ways to merge yourself with this game to take you to a new level of understanding (of Zelda).
But let's be serious here folks (I mean, the game is only 18th on the list). But if you've ever played a Zelda game you can understand my level of enthusiasm. A Link to the Past is really what transformed the Zelda series from great into Legendary (hahahahahahahahahaha - I made a funny!). It refines and perfects the good starts of the NES Zelda games and makes something truly special. There is always something to do in this game. If I were to pick up my ten year old copy and pop it in my SNES, I would still find heart pieces to get, and secret screens that had not been explored. The game does a great job telling you where to go, but the speed of progression is totally up to you. You can chug through all the dungeons as fast as possible, or take time to find secret areas, abilities, hearts, and other ways to make Link stronger and your journey more fulfilling.
The reason people are still trying to figure out what the genre of this game is is because the game is so unique - fulfilling from start to finish and beyond, this simple tale of good vs. evil is sure to please. In short, it is a Zelda game - a genre on its own.
Oh, and when you're playing, go find a chicken and hit him with your sword a whole bunch of times. A classic and highly entertaining secret…
17. Super Mario Bros. 3
1990 - Nintendo Entertainment System
Although it's not his first appearance on the list, it's the first traditional game of his to be on the list. And while all of the Mario games are exceptional (stay tuned to this list for more on that), Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of the best, and one of the most remembered. It is the best game for Nintendo's long lived NES, taking that grey box to the limit of its capacities.
You're an Italian plumber, traveling through 8 worlds with up to 10 levels each, and you can't save. If this game came out today, people would get mad pissed off. But the difficulty added to the challenge, and to the pride you felt if you could master it. I can remember many a weekend when I was little playing through the entire game in a single sitting - no warping. The replay value was limitless, and never stopped entertaining. Even now my generation likes to whip out this fond memory and play through the game, smiling when they remember the warp whistle in level 1-3, or that goddamn tank level in level 8.
This game brought new innovations to the Mario series - the power of flight, and three badass animal suits. With the feather or a P-Wing you grew a tail and took to the skies like you couldn't before. With the tail you could also learn to hover, and even hit stuff with it. Along with the tail there was the raccoon suit, which did the same thing as the tail but looked way cooler. There was the frog suit, which made traveling  on land a bit tougher, but allowed you to swim like a champ. Then there was the Tanuki (no, I don't know what it is either…maybe a weird hedgehog thing or something?) suit. This suit was pretty useless, but it did turn you into an immobile statue! And really, if it's called the Tanuki suit, does it even need a useful ability to rock hard? I thought not.
Anyways, you were probably reliving fond memories of this game right along with me, so best not to dwell. Dust off your old copy, blow in it a couple times (who woulda thought we weren't supposed to do that?), stick it in your NES and kick some Koopa kid ass.
Oh, and if you were in the know, you could get an early look at Super Mario Bros. 3 in the god-awful Fred Savage movie The Wizard. Was chunking out a few precious bucks for a look at brief footage of the new Mario worth it back then? Yeah, probably.
16. Goldeneye
1997 - Nintendo 64
You may have noticed this game was conspicuously absent when I sang RARE's praises back on number 19. Well, it wouldn't be right of me to spoil a game on this list, but fear not - this amazing game (and RARE's best and most famous effort) has most definitely not been forgotten about. Goldeneye was a big part of my middle school and early high school video game time with my friends (and I'm sure I'm not alone on this one) - an entertaining four player (that was a new thing back then!) console shooter with limitless options, guns, levels, and modes to entertain many an adolescent male.
The first player campaign was pretty true to the James Bond film which shares a name with this game. There were 23 (25 if you were good) levels of varying length and difficulty, with multiple objectives. As Bond, you used tons of guns and your knowledge of the level as you passes time trials, assassinated villains, protected key characters, and even drove a tank (that was so badass I still can barely handle it). Whether you were planting bombs or trying to hunt down Trevelyan, the single player will keep you entertained for awhile.
But what makes this game stand out is the multiplayer. This was the shooter to play in the last generation of consoles. Who doesn't remember camping out in the complex and lining the floor with proximity mines? Or racing to that body armor on that thin bridge suspended above the caverns? Even today countless people have the maps of this game etched into their memory, with a bunch of memories and strategies crammed in there too. This game changed multiplayer from something you and a friend did from something all your friends could take part in. With four controllers, you could alternate players between missions with little downtime (or even have a couple consoles running for maximum fun times). It invented this multiplayer shooting genre in the console world, paving the way for games like Timesplitters, Red Faction, and Halo.
Even with these new games on the market, it'll be awhile before a shooter can top the magic of Goldeneye. Revolutionary, long, graphically impressive, fun for hours, and James Bond - no other game can boast all that.
Oh, and does anyone remember how fucking hard the Control Center was? God I hated that level!!! Natalia always died when she was trying to disable the fucking satellite. ANGER!!!!
Geez! All five games this time were on Nintendo consoles. Well, fear not - there will be plenty of appearances of other consoles in the rest of the list. In fact, only 2 games of the next 5 are from Nintendo (just an ever so slight preview ;-) ). See you in a week!
J
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