Games Throughout Our Lives

[Nominus Experse]

The point of this thread is as follows:
List and/or talk about the games throughout your life/childhood/existence that you have found to be incredibly interesting, lead you to certain elements of life or video games, thought were amazing, or somehow in some manner made a lasting impact on you. Pictures will help.


===================================================

Nominus' List


1990
3 years of age

This is where it began:

http://whatthecrap.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/super-mario-bros-dx-big.jpg

I was three. Most children of this age can't :skull::skull::skull::skull: on the toilet right. I was one of these kids. However, I was still a kid that could play Super Mario Brothers... kind of. This is what introduced me to video games, as it likely is for most individuals.


1993
6 years of age

The second game that captured my awe was Dragon Warrior III.

http://sydlexia.com/imagesandstuff/nes100/dragonwarrior3.png

Dragon Warrior III also happened to be the first of many things, as seen in the following list:

Dragon Warrior III was the game that introduced me to RPGs. Nigh instantaneously, I was thunderstruck with excitement and zeal.

Additionally, this was the first game that showed me that games are another mode in which an intricate story of heroes, villainy, religious and philosophical ideas can all come together as a video game.

It also happened to be the very first game that required attentive care on my part with how I made decisions. I was used to seeing something, mashing A, B, or both and then praying that I won. Dragon Warrior was different, being an RPG, and it was an extraordinary change for me.

It was also the first game that caused me to wake as early as I could so that I could play it for hours prior to my mother coming down and requiring that I keep track of how long I played it (I had a game time limit of 2 hours per weekend... that I managed to stretch to around 16 without them knowing...).



1997
10 years of age

The third game that captivated me was Master Blaster.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/d/d0/Blaster_master_01.png

Master Blaster was absosmurfinglutely HARD when I was a wee lad of kindergarten, and to this day, that are areas in this game that make me rage like a lost child hooked on anabolic steroids.

However, even when smashing my face against the television screen (which I did actually do at one point when so incensed), I smurfing LOVED this game. It didn't matter that it would take me hours to get to level three, get to the boss, and then get immediately raped three times over, thus ending my continues. Maybe this game brought me a liking to pain and abysmal situations - it crafted a masochist out of me. I couldn't get enough.

I hadn't a clue why I was really following this frog pet of mine down this strange world. All I knew was that this was the first time, and only time, pink could be considered fansmurfingtastic.

:sophia: smurf YEAH, LOOK AT THIS :skull::skull::skull::skull:! ...but in the hands of a retarded child, it could only make it to level 5...


1998
11 years of age

The fourth game that came around was orgasmic in every possible manner:

http://pixhost.eu/avaxhome/avaxhome/2007-12-24/SuperMario64Box.jpg

When I watch the Youtube video of the "Nintendo 64 Kid", I realize that I was the exact same way. I ran around the house screaming much of the same as the video recorded retard.

This game was the first one that brought me to a virtual world that could (kind of) depict an amazingly 3D setting in which I could interact with. I played the royal :skull::skull::skull::skull: out of this game. If you could have sex with this game, I would have - I liked it that much.


1999
12 years of age

The fifth game was one that made me think - or at least attempt such a thing. This game was Myst.

http://www.creatrixblog.com/wp-uploads/2006/11/games4girls_myst.jpg

Myst was, in many ways, much like Dragon Warrior was to me when I first discovered it - just so completely novel in how it presented a gaming experience that I couldn't get enough of it. The intrigue of the two brothers Sirus and Achnar and those damned books was the first time I can recall truly becoming - obsessively, even - immersed in the game's storyline. What makes Myst so good as well, is that it then lead to Riven, which just blew me out of the water AGAIN.


2002
15 years of age

I bought a PS2 specifically so I could play this game: Final Fantasy X.

http://www.ffcompendium.com/chara/10-lulu.jpg

I had played Final Fantasy I and IV as a child, but they failed to truly "hold" me. They probably couldn't because they didn't have the graphical prowess of the PS2, which allowed the characters and landscapes to be drawn in such a way that young teenagers like myself at this point could do nothing but consider playing the game just to see more of the story Lulu breasts and Auron's badassery. But FFX held me, and it was a vice that I could not loose myself from for a great length of time. Lulu's boobs may have had an effect. The numerous 800+ hour saves remind me of such.

I could talk about more of FFX, but instead I think I'll just reminisce on Lulu's breasts and tangled mess of belts...


2004
17 years of age

And then that god damned addiction Diablo II and its expansion came along.

http://www.battle.net/images/battle/diablo2exp/images/quests/cow05.jpg

I can describe everything about me and Diablo with one simple comparison.

Diablo II = Similar to a crack cocaine addiction


2004
17 years of age

http://www.dignews.com/admin/screenshoot/morrowind04.jpg

And then Morrowind came along and I forgot to bathe, eat, see my girlfriend during a preset date (dinner and such), etc... Morrowind was and still is amazing to me, and I know for a fact that I have logged upwards of 2000 hours into that game.


2006
18 years of age

God of War I & II.

http://pub.tv2.no/multimedia/TV2/archive/00244/God_of_War_II_300_244087m.jpg

Some aspects of this game ought to be laughable, but it didn't matter, because everything about was made to be impossible. But it was the type of impossible that made me say heartily and vengefully, HAH smurf YES.

The game play was suburb, the pacing nigh perfect, and the fact that it was able to interweave puzzle aspects with fast, hard-hitting, gratuitous violence was just amazing to me. I loved it - and still do.

And I mean, smurf, you slay Ares. What's more kick ass than that? Lulu's boobs...


2007
18 years of age

Shadow of the Colossus

http://uk.gizmodo.com/shadow-of-the-colossus-20050927025333795.jpg

This is one of the few games that I could be completely lost/distracted, and not give an ounce of care. The game cast you into an environment that I felt was more intriguing then anything Myst or anything else had shown me, and this gave me such pause that I would sometimes simply rotate the camera around the hero in order to further take in the surroundings. And the fact that the game was masterful in its sound direction and ambiance was a huge plus for me, personally.

This is a game that I will forever keep close.

[Quindiana Jones]

Nominus, my dear lad, you have fantastic taste in games.

I can't remember much, myself. But I'll go through the important stuff. Mostly the various transitions from PS to Xbox, then back, then back again.

Firstly, I got a free PS1 from a lodger after he left. I spammed the crap out of Nuclear Strike. A while later, I bought FF9. I still own this game, and that PS1. I will get rid of neither. Along with FF7, but that was only bought a year or so ago.

So, time went buy, and I played many games. Apocolypse, Ape Escape, FF9 about 20 times from beginning to end, and many others. I can't remember when or why or how, but eventually I got a PS2. I must've saved like a bastard for that.

PS2 went buy pretty much the same as the PS1. Lots of games, can't remember much. After a yearish of PSing, Halo 2 appeared. I'd played Halo at my friends house, and thought it brilliant. But it wasn't worth getting rid of the PS2. I remember doing a tally of games for the Xbox and PS2, and deciding which I liked more. However, when Halo 2 came out (well, a year or so after actually) I traded in the PS2 and bought an Xbox. I simply didn't and don't have the money to have both.

Xbox was good. Fable and Halos blew my mind. Ish. Well, not really. But I'm onto a 360 now and I still have both. However, I got bored after a while, because the titles on the Xbox weren't all that special for me. So off went the Xbox, and back came the PS2.

The second PS2 marked the beginning of the time which I like to call "The Golden Age". FF12, Okami, Shadow of the Colossus were all played and kept for a very long time. Like Nom, I would just ride around and look at things of SotC. However, Halo 3 came out, and I had already been mesmerised by the Halo story.

So, onto a decision I still partially regret. A few months ago, off went the PS2 and games. Fair enough. Easily rebuyable. But, alas, in my frenzied excitement for getting the 360, and the fact that my tiny little wallet was crying, I also traded in the memory card. I kept that memory card when I bought the first Xbox, so I don't know why the buggery I got rid of it this time. Dumbass.

Anway, I'm still with the 360 and I'm happy. Lost Odyssey, the Halos, some old Xbox games, Force Unleashed, Oblivion, The Darkness and Ass Creed keep me satisfied. Actually that's a lie. Lost Odyssey and Oblivion keep me satisfied long term, whereas the others are a quick bang at the local or something. I just keep forgetting to trade in the others.

[KentaRawr!]

I just know that my first game was Super Mario Bros. :cry:

[Old Manus]

199? - Stunt Car Racer on my parents' Amiga 500

Can't remember bugger all about this apart from playing it so much that the Amiga actually broke :cry:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b5/ST_Stunt_Car_Racer.png


{large gap where i never had a games console}



1998 - V-Rally for PS1

First game I played properly. Still haven't completed it. By today's standards this is the worst driving game ever, but it was pretty fun at the time

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/04/Need_For_Speed_V_Rally.jpg




1999 - Star Wars: Episode 1 for PS1

Holy http://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gif this game is smurfing awesome simply because of the amount of bugs, glitches, and retarded dialogue. Srsly, I was even playing it earlier today.

http://www.gamershell.com/static/screenshots/575/16174_full.jpg



1999 - Age of Empires II

One of those games that never gets old as long as you have the option to create randomised maps

http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/GAMES/large/aoe2aokpc_006-large.jpg



2000 - Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear for PC

Probably the best of all the R6 games in terms of depth and possibly gameplay.

http://www.cdaccess.com/gifs/screen/rogesbt1.jpg



2000 - Final Fantasy IX

Hi guys

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/mongoliansk/ffix_b2_screen024.jpg



2001 - Rollercoaster Tycoon for PC

One of those lazy sunday afternoon games, but it was so addictive it soon became an early monday morning game. Play it and lose sleep

http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/2003/xbox/rollercoastertycoon/0422/roller_screen002.jpg




2004 - Star Wars: Battlefront for PS2

Pretty neato. Literally spent around a year playing this every day.

http://isnani.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/star-wars-battlefront-4.jpg



It brings a tear to my e-eye :(

[theundeadhero]

Somewhere around 1986/87 my Dad came home with a Nintendo system and The Legend of Zelda. I spent the next month watching in amazement. After he had beaten it I started to play and it was completely wonderful. It showed me everything any video game in the future could be. Not many people can say they beat The Legend of Zelda when they were five.

http://www.juegomania.org/Legend+of+Zelda+%5bClassic+NES+Series%5d,+The/fotos/gbadvance/0/725/Foto+Legend+of+Zelda+%5bClassic+NES+Series%5d,+The.jpg

After that it was a long time before any game held me the way Zelda did. There were plenty of good NES games that I liked over the years, included of course Zelda: The Adventures of Link. Then sometime in the mid-90s a friend of mine introduced me to Wing Commander: Privateer on the PC. Man, that game was awesome. I spent countless hours playing through that game enjoying my space adventures.

http://www.winload.de/bilder/screenshots/43095/WingCommander_PrivateerGeminiGold.gif

Not too long after that the same friend brought over FF1 one night. I was in seventh grade. I had played through Dragon Warrior I a few times before but it just seemed okay to me. This game did everything Zelda did so many years ago. I would wake up early to play before school. I would stay up late in the basement playing it. It was fun.

http://www.ps2fantasy.com/archive/articles/final_fantasy_numerology/01-ff1-nes.jpg

Somewhere in there my cousin had this game called Jagged Alliance: Deadly Games. You basically hire mercenaries and then go out and perform missions. I asked my Mom to get me it for Christmas shortly afterwards and she did. I spent many weekends playing the crap out of that game and still play it from time to time.

http://agdb.net.ru/images/jagged_alliance_2.jpg

When I was in 8th grade I moved in with my Dad. Shortly after that we got a computer. It came with Duke Nukem 3D. That was my pretty much the beginning of me playing first-person shooters along with Doom shortly before then. I mention Duke Nukem 3D here mostly because it started my playing games over the modem. My cousin also had the game and we would play it with each other all the time, along with whatever mod we downloaded for the game. I also started playing Jagged Alliance online with him.

http://www.juegomania.org/Duke+Nukem+3D:+Kill-A-Ton+Collection/fotos/pc/1/1026_t/Foto+Duke+Nukem+3D:+Kill-A-Ton+Collection.jpg

The next game that really caught my attention was Warcraft 2. I never really got into Warcraft but the same cousin had the game and it was fun so I asked my Dad to buy it for me. I then spent so much time playing through all the levels. I don't think I ever beat all the missions without cheating. I would also play this game over the modem with a friend from school.

http://i.idnes.cz/bw/22/warcraft2_1.jpg

The next year was when Diablo came out. I was a freshman in high school :p Once again my cousin talked about it a lot so over at his house I played it and it was awesome. I then didn't eat lunch at school for two weeks so I could save up enough money to buy it. I played it every day after school until I went to bed. I think my parents worried because I played it so much. That cousin and I had a two-person clan that we played on Battle-net and everyone who ever met us grew to hate us. Oh man, I miss those days of Battlenet v1.4!

http://12gemme.gilda.it/gpc/diablo/diablo_ss4.jpg


After that, no game has really captured my imagination so much that I remember, except in early 2007. Jump to 2007 and that was the first time I play Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. I went through that game so many times with so many combinations to do so many different things. I think I'll replay that soon.

http://www.konsolen.net/tests/xbox/images/star_wars_kotor_xbox_7.jpg

[Roto13]

I'll see if I can come up with something like that. :P

[LunarWeaver]

I also want to make a colossal post nobody will ever read. Now with extra colossal.




My first was Zelda. What adventurous music it was. Being so small and stupid, I always thought Link's name was Zelda, even though that makes no sense.

http://www.se51.net/devnull/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/legend_of_zelda_nes_screenshot1.jpg

I had some Castlevania in my day. Simon fooled me into thinking whips were easy to use. They are not.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/gencid/blog/castlevania_ii__simons_que.jpg

I never played Mario much. Mario is for deaf people who poop themselves. I owned a Sega Genesis and not a SNES. I played much Sonic. Pretty much all of them on the system. Though I did abuse my cousin's SNES at times. Yay Street Fighter II.

http://www.videogamecritic.net/images/gen/sonic_the_hedgehog.gif

Mortal Kombat games taught me violence is acceptable. It also taught me that, given the choice, I always pick the female, my brother makes fun of me, he picks the male, and then I win. Picture... not representing that too much.

http://us.games2.yimg.com/download.games.yahoo.com/games/buzz/content/p/8/20558/mortal_kombat1fatality.jpg

Then my dad bought us a Sega CD. I played the one Sonic game on it. It's too shameful for a picture.

I got a Playstation like an intelligent human being after that. I played a zillion gabillion games. That number is not made up. YOU'RE made up. Think about that one when you shower. Anyway, some chief ones:

Resident Evil. I loved being bitten by a zombie and watching more blood than the human body even contains fly out and disappear. I loved how Jill and Chris had different stories. I loved they held the combat knife in different ways. Back then everything was magical and interesting to me. Oh, to be 10-years-old... I went on to play all the Resident Evil games that mattered. I bought a Dreamcast for the sole reason of playing Resident Evil: Code Veronica. Then I learned "exclusive" meant "exclusive for 5 minutes then ported".

http://www.productwiki.com/upload/images/resident_evil1.jpg


Then the biggie! Final Fantasy VII when I was 11 (lol rhyme). This game taught me that stories and characters in video games could be awesome. It totally blew me away. It was my first RPG too. I will always remember my jaw dropping the first time I got out of Midgar and realized there was an entire world out there, not just one city. I still love VII to this day. Now remember back then there was not the fanboy battles and all the idiocy, just pure fun and enjoyment. I was also just getting old enough that boys made my face red, and I do believe Cloud was my first video game crush. Which is so sad since he's not only fictional but basically a block. Hey, I didn't have much to work with. This made me a huge fan of the series, and I rushed out to get all subsequent games except XI. I did eventually play VI, but never beat any beneath that. I also bought Chrono Chross and Xenogears only because Squaresoft was on the cover.

http://www.gamethink.net/IMG/jpg/playstation_Final_Fantasy_VII-Combat.jpg


Ah, Tomb Raider. I loved you so. I have gone on to play all of them if you can believe it. Even Angel of Darkness. Jesus Christ. She was cool and I was cool with her. The moving ponytail in II up enthralled me like a circus. Like I said, as a kid I was easily impressed.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/images/article/inline/6108-TombRaider1.jpg


Then my dad bought me Tenchu over Metal Gear Solid. It wasn't awful, but Ayame ran like a goose-monkey and in general it wasn't great either. To wash the taste out of my mouth, I bought Metal Gear Solid for myself. And by that I mean mom did when I begged her. Like Final Fantasy VII, it made me realize games could be an art form that surpasses even movies. This also granted me the patience to sit through long cutscenes without any beef about it. I went on to play 2 and 3, equally impressed, and have yet to play 4. I'm sure I will someday.

http://www.videogamenews.org/wp-content/uploads/metal_gear_solid_pal.jpg

Silent Hill. The first game's http://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifty graphics actually enhanced the fear. The first time I ran down that alley, the light fading away little by little, a bunch of children with knives or something coming out to kill me... That's some good eats, cowboy. I went on to love 2, 3, tolerate 4, and I have 5 in the mail coming.

http://brettdalley.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/silent-hill-1-image-5.jpg

Diablo. Ohhh Diablo. My brother's friend stole this from the store and then gave it to us. I played it obsessively. Mmmm~ Diablo II took up even more of my time, and then the expansion pack even more of my time. Diablo II has soaked up about 90% of my life. I had a hardcore group of friends when it came out. Then I quit and went back to it, then quit, and finally went back when EoFF did. It all provided me with much lol.

http://www.armchairempire.com/images/classics/diablo/diablo-1.jpg


Final Fantasy X is getting a picture even though I mentioned I played it. Because it's just that smurfing fabulous. It remains my favorite game to this day.

http://media.gamespy.com/columns/image/article/693/693430/final-fantasy-x-feature_1143503453.jpg

Somewhere in here I bought a Gamecube and played some stuff, but who cares about that.

Back to important things. I covered a lot of Ps2 games while saying "I went on to play..." But allow me to aim for Kingdom Hearts. You hooked up with Donald and Goofy to whack heart-consuming creatures with a huge key and occasionally talked to people like Cloud and Winnie the Pooh. It was quite frankly the dumbest thing I've ever seen, and I was in love with it. I also loved II :}

http://www.emuparadise.org/soundtracks/KH/Kingdom%20Hearts.jpg

Xenosaga. I was so obsessed with these games. I joined a forum and talked about all kinds of theories forever. They aren't perfect, but I overlooked flaws for the greater delicious. I am sad they didn't sell better.

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z267/Angel_Kairi8/Xenosaga/xenosaga13jf6.jpg

The 360. This opened up quite a few games I'd skipped over. I got to play KOTOR finally. I was a Sith prick and destroyed everything possible. Jade Empire. I was nice in that one. Halo 1 and 2. Some other stuff I've probly forgotten. I also played tons of 360 games. Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Mass Effect, Tales of Vesperia, Call of Duty 4, Gears of War, blah blah. I did eventually play the much anticipated Halo 3. Going online was a bad decision for me. I got yelled at a lot for being awful by strangers. A lot. I don't take being yelled at very well, and much thumb sucking occurred. I wanted to play with others on my friends list, but felt guilty for being bad at the game, leading to me wanting to play with them and also wanting them to leave at the same time. Overall it turned me into an insane pregnant woman and I sold it before everyone hated me completely.

http://jenslapinski.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/halo3_002200692510555.jpg





And so my 360 days continue. I will continue to play it until it breaks down or explodes or whatever. It happens to all of them eventually. When it does, I will buy another one instead of a Wii. I am like that.

[Dreddz]

1993 - Sonic the Hedghog

Well my brother had owned a Megadrive since 1990 but I had never really gotton into the system. It wasn't till around 1993 that I matured a little and began to appreciate the system. While not the first video game I'd played, Sonic the Hedghog was definitely the first game I'd invest serious amounts of time into. The first three games are easily the fondest memories of gaming I have. Because back then we weren't buying games often so we stuck with the Sonic games. I must of literally beaten all three titles well over a dozen times each.
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/9278/sonic2hj6.jpg

1994 (ish) - Phantasy Star II

My first RPG and probably still the best. This game toughened me up as a gamer and the sheer hours just grinding certainly helped me gain a lot more patience with other RPG's later on. One of those games I can't see any flaws in. Its a very basic RPG by todays standards and a hell of a lot tougher but because everything is done flawlessly It pulled me through to the end. Despite my love for this game its one I could probably not go back to now.
http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/871/phantasystarii1lf1.png

1995 - NiGHTS Into Dreams

Moving on from the Megadrive we went and bought a Saturn. Despite the generally opinion that the system failed I actually have some of my fondest memories on the system. The most glaring one is NiGHTS which at the time seemed like the most visually amazing game ever made. It was one of those games that saved me money as I didn't have much incentive to buy many other games around that time.
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/6716/243837619c22e931c69otb7.jpg

1998 - Tekken 3

I bought a Playstation around 1997 and unfortunately missed out on Tekken 2. I had played other fighters such as Street Fighter 2 but still hadn't allowed the fighting genre to fully take over me. So when I got around to playing Tekken 3 my life changed forever. I had never obsessed over a game like Tekken 3. Me and my brother literally put our lives on hold to play Tekken 3. The swift reflexs of my youth meant I got incredibly good at the game. I wasn't a man when playing the game, I was a god. Thats what happens when you put in around 300 hours into a single game.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/8220/tekken3py6.jpg

1999 - Sonic Adventure

Ahhh yes, another Sonic title. This one maybe not as widely praised as the Megadrive ones but just as revered by me. This came with my Dreamcast and I couldn't get enough of it. The corny dub and trashy theme song for each character added even more charm to the game in my opinion. But the stage music is just plain awesome. Some of my fondest moments in the entire franchise dwell in this game. The Lost World stage has to be one of my all time fondest moments in gaming. Ill always defend this game from the Sonic haters till I die!
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/9251/3dfxvoodoobanshee2004socu0.jpg

2000 - Deus Ex

Despite having acquired a taste for only RPG's and fighting games at this point it was sheer luck that I got around to playing Deus Ex. We had recently upgraded our computor and to take advantage of this I took the oppotunity to start buying some PC games. Nearly all of them first person shooters. I had Serious Sam, Half Life and all the Quakes and literally taking a shot in the dark I picked up Deus Ex as well. I had never experienced a game like Deus Ex so at the time I was blown away. The music, atmosphere and story all had me glued to my PC. Cannot name a single fault in this game. Perfect.
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/386/img4966deusex001450x360bp8.jpg

2006 - Shenmue

One of those games I was very late to the party to. Despite owning a Dreamcast since 1999 I never owned Shenmue till 2006. And it turned out to be one of the biggest joys to play. I sometimes regard this as my guilty pleasure game as in all honesty, it isn't terribly good. The controls are awkward and broken, the dubbing is atrocious and the last act simulates you doing a fork lifting job. Oh and it had one of the worst final bosses in any game ever. But in an unholy act of god, all this comes together to be oh so satisfying. I wouldn't change this game in any way.
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/8538/shenmuead1.jpg

2007 - Virtua Fighter 5

Probably the most satisfying fighter I had played since Tekken 3. I sunk an unthinkable amount of hours into this one. I was a fan of the series since Virtua Fighter 3 but it wasn't until now that I finally nailed the intricacies of the series and became really really good at the title. With the fighting genre slowly dying this game almost felt as though it was my swan song for the genre. Perfect in every way that I almost feel there is no need for another fighting game to be made.
http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/1982/newcharactersfromvirtuaea7.jpg

And that about wraps things up. While I may have the staus as some kind of Sony devotee I am a Sega man through and through.

[Bunny]

I'll bite.

1990: Birth of a Nerd: Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord / Destiny of an Emperor

http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/167/wizardrythefirstcg9.png http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/6310/destinyoftheemperormy3.png

The two games that started it all. While most people my age started out with Final Fantasy or Super Mario, I started out with these two gems. The level of difficulty found in both of these games is something I admired as a child and, while I have never beaten either of them, they continue to provide hours of entertainment and joy to this day.

1995: A Return to the Norm: Final Fantasy IV

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/65/Ff4wiki.PNG

Between the years of 1993 and 1994, I rarely played games. This was a result of both my Nintendo and my Super Nintendo (along with around 250 games altogether) being stolen from my family by a "friend". However, I recovered from that heart-wrenching tragedy and continued on with Final Fantasy IV. This game single-handedly rekindled my interest in gaming (an interest further fueled by Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, and Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom). I played this single game more often than any other at the time and managed to beat it, despite plenty of setbacks (in the guise of fat stupid siblings). By this time, my whole heart belonged to RPGs and I knew I was in love for the very first time. Unfortunately for me, outside influences would make it difficult to continue that love for a few more years.

1995 - 1996: Self-imposed Exile, AKA: Revenge of the Stupid Brothers

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4e/Atomic_Orange_N64.jpg/250px-Atomic_Orange_N64.jpg

smurf this system and all of it's gaming library. During the time between 1995 and 1996, two different systems were released: The Nintendo 64 and the Playstation. My mother, with her infinite wisdom, decided to give three pre-pubescent morons a choice between the two. My brothers, always jumping at a chance to make my life an absolute pain, leaped at the chance of getting a Nintendo 64. I, of course, wanted a Playstation. The N64 had absolutely no appeal on me, the gaming library was horrendous and the controller looked like a drunk, retarded monkey designed it (which, admittedly, would've been a selling point had it been true). Regardless, 2-against-1, we were the proud owners of a Nintendo 64. I grudgingly played through games like Super Mario 64 and Goldeneye, the latter providing me with a certain degree of joy while I played my revenge.

Late 1996 - Early 1997: A different kind of gaming: Heroes of Might and Magic II

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/53/HoMM2_screenshot.png

With my brothers scheming against me and spending their time with the loathsome Nintendo 64, I began to take interest in PC gaming, starting with Heroes of Might and Magic II. It was different than my previous experiences with gaming and it provided more control over my gaming habits. I played it for hours on end, building up massive armies just for fun.

1998: The Internet, Diablo, and You

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2198/diabloqe5.png

Continuing my interest in computer gaming, I turned to Diablo. It was also my introduction to the online world and I made quite a few friends from around the world during this time. I played it almost addictively and managed to slay Diablo several times both on and offline, as well as maintain a well-geared warrior. I continued to play Diablo for several years, on and off, while I ventured back into the console world of gaming.

2001 - 2002: It's never too late: Soo-ee-ko-din?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2e/Suikoden_screen01.jpg

Yes, I know the Playstation was released years before. Yes, I also know that around this time the Playstation 2 was making it's debut. Blame my brothers for my very, very late return to console gaming. Suikoden was probably the best thing to ever happen to me in regards to gaming. I stumbled upon it completely by accident on Amazon.com and begged my mother to buy it for my birthday. She eventually broke down and made the purchase which led me to find my favorite series of all-time. I eventually found, and bought, Suikoden 2 in a random act of luck. Both of these games remain two of my favorites.

2003 or: How I Learned to Stop Buying and Research the Game

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/72/FFXbattleexample.jpg

Don't get me wrong, I despise the game and always will, but I would be lying to omit it from the story of my gaming life. It was my first Playstation 2 game ever and profoundly effected my stance on buying games without first researching them, a practice I still adhere to. That is all, move along.

2004 - 2006: The Affair

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/5615/wowscrnshot090608161425vs1.jpg

I continued playing Playstation and Playstation 2 games steadily throughout 2004 and 2005, mainly RPGs, but very few sparked my interest like those in the earlier days of gaming. So, when a friend of mine demanded that I purchase World of Warcraft, I jumped at the chance. I had never played an MMO before and had little idea what to do in the beginning, but with his knowledge, I flourished and eventually began understanding what I needed to do (after all, how hard is it to collect 8 Goretusk Livers (http://www.wowhead.com/?item=723)?)

And that is where I am today. This took way too long and I am regretting typing it all out the way I did. Hope you enjoyed the peak into my boring life.

P.S. My character is completely hammered in that WoW screenshot.
http://img362.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

[I Took the Red Pill]

I am far too apathetic to write little anecdotal blurbs with each one. But a Google Image search, now that I can do.

http://whatthecrap.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/super-mario-bros-dx-big.jpg

http://retromedia.ign.com/retro/image/article/872/872715/punch-out-20080508031407590_640w.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HJHVG06ML._SL500_AA280_.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Descentcover.jpg

http://www.freewebs.com/palumba/Croc.jpg

http://www.myps3.com.au/img/game/Crash-Bandicoot-1.jpg

http://i.testfreaks.com/images/products/600x400/28/star-ocean-the-second-story.537116.jpg

http://www.ffnet.org/images/chrono_cross_box_art.jpg

http://www.surfxchange.net/_gfx/airblade_large.jpg
(facepalm)

http://www.gamewithabrain.com/wp-content/gallery/adventure/ico.jpeg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51309Q9P73L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

http://media.strategywiki.org/images/thumb/b/b0/Final_Fantasy_X.jpg/250px-Final_Fantasy_X.jpg

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/images/in/infogramme-civilization-iii-pc.jpg

http://cogra147.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/kingdom_hearts.jpg

http://www.civilgame.com/civ4/pic/Civilization4.jpg

http://www.gameguru.in/images/rainbow-six-pc-patch-2.jpg

http://www.usnews.com/dbimages/master/1783/Halo3_logo.jpg

Yeah so I put quite a few there. Thank God I didn't write for any of them.

[Tavrobel]

I was once a fragile and cruel little boy. But the times have changed me. I am just simply pure evil now.

1990-1997: Hello Helicopter, are you here to stay? Maybe you'll make my life a living hell.
It began with the NES. I don't ever think it was mine, considering that from what I can remember, there was always two of them. One at grandma's and one at home, connected to this godforsaken, broken TV with bad colors. It was like, always yellow, and the outer lining was purple. It sucked, but alas the days of TV damage from video games was long lived.

But, I had a gun. I was hard. Shoot damn things all on the screen, hold it sideways, and let the sound break your ears. And the television screen when they got too fast.
http://www.retro-gameshop.nl/Nes/lightgun.jpg

If I didn't want to play with that, I picked up a sword and went to town on some ninjas. Or I dropped marbles into the deep abyss below. I still can't get past Stage 4.
http://www.lauppert.ws/screen1/marble_madness.png

1997-2002: Hello Helicopter, will you be my friend? Will you let me catch 'em all?
But eventually, I got exactly what I wanted, and it was something I liked to call the N64, only the greatest invention known to man. And I played. I didn't stop. I can even remember most of the games in order of how I got them. Well, I tried, but the only ones that matter are the first two. Yeah, I played Mario Kart, I played Goldeneye, and even Perfect Dark, where I would just get the turret guns and hide in the small building in the middle of the arena with my cousins, raking in the kills. But they aren't quite the same.

Physics is scary. In fact, I'm even listening to the Wizpig race song on eternal loop.
http://www.freewebs.com/hakura99/Spiders%20Nick%20Nacks/PP_2.PNG

1600+. Corneria, Meteo, Katina, Sector X, Macbeth, Area 6, Venom hard-route. Can't be done any other way. 176 + 303 + 177 + 253 + 158 + 377 + 227. Final score, the top of my engineered feats (on Normal Mode).
http://media.strategywiki.org/images/d/d2/Star_Fox_64_Planet_Map.png

And then there were Pocket Monsters. On the N64 and on paper. Fighting. Hello, Transfer Pak. Nothing more needs to be said.
http://www.ugo.com/images/galleries/supersmashbroscharacters_games/supersmashbroscharacters_24.jpg

1998-2000: But I have a mistress now. And she's a real bitch.
Call her PeeCee. Long did I play, obsessively and long into the day. The opportunities I would steal away from my sister's computer were the best ones. Eventually I got my own computer, and all I could run was those two games. It didn't have space for anything else.

I met Age of Empires I and II and their expansions in this time. Creating maps that would always be terribly in my favor, abusing the Mirror Towers, and make myself impenetrable fortresses. My first stint of online gaming came from the Demo versions; I remember how to do the Hittites mini-campaign that came with it, and how NOT to spend gold. Chariots, yes, please. Something like this, but think more epic. And cliffs.
http://www.gameogre.com/reviewdirectory/upload/Age%20of%20Empires.jpg

1998-2006: Blizzard storms. Close the door or else you'll let the heat out.
1v1 lotr sd, ill be mordor ggnormkthxbai
soj ft
sex 4 godly
7v1 compstomp no bs ally alert nigz
korean defense no n00bs
coa 4 anni+10hr
Ko + Vex + Pul + Thul
Ber + Mal + Ber + Ist

No images required. In fact, there's quite a few people at EoFF who know just how much of a jerk I can be when gaming.

2002-2007: And this one time, at bandit camp...
Consoles again. That is, while I wasn't busy getting my ass kicked online more pew pew less qq, I started playing the FFs with a knowledge that this was a good series to play. Then FFX-2 and FFXII came out. Dropped it: http://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gif sux dun watch. smurf anachronisms. Then KHII came out. At first I was all like
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff312/JoshuaTA/roxas.jpg
But then I was like
http://www.finalfantasyworld.co.uk/khextreme/kh2/images/artwork/KH2_Org_Artwork_Saix.jpg
But then I went
http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/kingdomhearts/images/thumb/a/a0/Kh-sora-model.jpg/200px-Kh-sora-model.jpg

2007 and on: Dig deep. Don't dive. The pool is only 17 meters down.
I pretty much only play DotA (WCIII) and Median (DII), now. How far I've fallen. Yeah, I know, I'm an ass.
http://modsbylaz.planetdiablo.gamespy.com/MXLA1_big.jpg

[Roto13]

There are way too many "significant" games in my little timeline so I'm not going to do one. I'll say I played Super Mario Bros. in 1988 when I was 3 and I've loved video games ever since. :P

[Yar]

I don't have the time or the patience to write about video games that I've played a lot. I'll just go play them. :p

[Momiji]

Well, let's see. The first game I ever recall playing was some Bandai Golf Challenge Pebble Beach (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH2QG0ewjf8) for NES when I was two or three (1992-1993). Soon after that was the obvious: Super Mario Bros. I loved this game to death when I was a kid. From 1993-1997, I pretty much always played Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, and 3, and Tetris, Dr. Mario, Legend of Zelda/Adventure of Link, Donkey Kong, etc.

Somewhere in between there I met a game which still has a special place in my heart to this day.

http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/766/766120/kirbys-adventure-virtual-console-20070220054935026_640w.jpg

Kirby's Adventure. Oh hell yes. This was easily my first true favorite game. (Ironically, I didn't 100% complete it until about 5 years ago.)

Even when I got a Super Nintendo in oh, 1996? I still preferred the NES.

Around 1997-ish, I was introduced to a game that sparked my now-fading obsession over RPGs. That game was....

http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20061006/dragonwarrior_01.jpg

Dragon Warrior! It's easy to say I was obsessed with it.

Then I met Super Mario RPG, which was my favorite game for quite a while. I also adored

http://bulk.destructoid.com/ul/89512-/touchfuzzy-468x.jpg

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Touch fuzzy, get dizzy. Good times ensued.

Then the Nintendo 64 came out and I got my hands on games like Super Mario 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo-Kazooie, and

http://www.henryjenkins.org/Zelda%20OoT%20Cucco.jpg

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Now, I had played Zelda games before this, and I liked them. However, after I played Ocarina of Time, my perspective on the whole series changed, and I still find the series to be very near and dear to me today, even if all of the releases Ocarina of Time have felt lackluster in comparison.

Then came the year that made me fish out my old green Game Boy Pocket from the dusty bottom of the bottom drawer. 1999. I finally decided to jump on the bandwagon (everyone else was playing it!) of

http://www.trsrockin.com/images/m.jpg

Pokémon. I was absolutely obsessed with the series-- playing every single version when they came out, getting every card I could (I had 2 Charizard cards at one time), etc. This went on for a very long time. I'm still a big fan of Pokémon. Jump to 2002.

http://news.filefront.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/img4bebf083zikdzj.jpeg

Kingdom Hearts. The game that introduced me to Final Fantasy. This game was the one I played during a very rough time in my life (I got it for Christmas 2 days after my parents divorced) and found comfort in. It's still a very special game to me, and I'll never get rid of it. But because of the memories behind it, I find it hard to play without feeling sad or bitter. However, this opened me up to Final Fantasy in general, and if it wasn't for Kingdom Hearts, I likely wouldn't be here on this forum today. My Final Fantasy obsession lasted until 2006-ish, and then it slowly began to die. I still like the series in general, even if I don't like any of them since FFVI. Final Fantasy X was the first Final Fantasy I ever played. Anyway, around 2004, I started getting into other random RPGs, one of my favorites being

http://www.animegalleries.net/albums/userpics/46217/Attack-Indignation%20Judgement%204.jpg

Tales of Symphonia.

Then came late 2005. I set almost all console games aside. I took a hiatus from EoFF. I dropped everything for

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/opiate_eyes/screenGatheringRO025.jpg

Ragnarok Online. I was never very good at it due to my lack of patience and hatred of grinding (the picture in the link is a bad representation of how I was, because I never even transcended (rebirthed, whatever)), but I used to know that game in and out. Then I found out how much the server I was playing on sucked, and I left when I was banned. :p However, it's easy to say I was addicted to it, and I loved playing it, even if it turned me into a lifeless zombie for hours on end. I was pretty inactive here at EoFF from September '05 to December '06.

Around 2007, my liking for long games faded, and I'm very much a casual gamer these days. My favorite game that I played in 2007 was probably...I would have to say

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/638/638798/trauma-center-under-the-knife-20050803095734755_640w.jpg

Trauma Center! It's still one of my favorite games now.

2008. This year.

http://forums.eyesonff.com/picture.php?albumid=54&pictureid=358

Do I even need to say it? It's the Project Touhou series! (That picture was taken by me, by the way.) This series sparked my interest in shmups altogether, which are like the ultimate casual games, since they only last a short time, but have lots of replayability value.


And that's just a summary.

EDIT: I totally forgot Ragnarok Online!

[Shoeberto]

There are way too many "significant" games in my little timeline so I'm not going to do one.
Yeah, geeze. Maybe I'm just overly sentimental but a ton of games have been significant to me. It'd take way too long to do a write-up like that.

[Momiji]

There are way too many "significant" games in my little timeline so I'm not going to do one.
Yeah, geeze. Maybe I'm just overly sentimental but a ton of games have been significant to me. It'd take way too long to do a write-up like that.

Same here, but I decided to pick my favorites of my favorites-- or rather, the games that meant the most to me in their respective time periods.

[Wolf Kanno]

There are way too many "significant" games in my little timeline so I'm not going to do one.
Yeah, geeze. Maybe I'm just overly sentimental but a ton of games have been significant to me. It'd take way too long to do a write-up like that.

This is my sentiment. It would take me too long to get past Atari 2600, NES, and of course the PC adventure game scene from the 80's and early 90's. By the time I even got to the PS1 generation this thread would be on page 3 or 4... I guess all I will say is that I am very old (I feel it after reading Nominus' post. Mario 64 at 11?! :eek:) and a total nerd who has too many games that are important to me...:cry:

[Vermachtnis]

http://www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Mega_Man_4_NES_ScreenShot4.jpg

I can't remember if this was truely my first game or not, but I tell everyone it is. :p I am pretty positive that Skull Man was the first boss I ever beat.

http://th01.deviantart.com/fs23/300W/i/2008/024/7/4/A_Link_to_the_Past_by_8_bit_Painter.jpg

After playing on the NES I (read: My aunt) upgraded to SNes and I played Legend of Zelda for the first time. It's important cause it was one of the first games I completely beat.

http://www.rvgfanatic.com/mediac/400_0/media/DIR_190401/Sonic2.jpg

Ahh, Sonic 2. It was the first game I bought for my self. I bought it and Genisis at a yard sale. It was awesome. And it was the first game I played long enough to get a head ache.

http://takegame.com/rpg/pictures/phantasystar2.jpg

My first RPG. And being my first RPG and being a hard, hard game and me being little, I didn't get very far.

http://www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Pokemon_Red_Version_GBC_ScreenShot1.gif

Pokemon Red. First game I was truely addicted too. It also drained alot of my parents money.

http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/n64_super_mario_64_start.jpg

My first foray into 3D. Very fun, also probably the first game I played for over six hours straight. But that was later.

http://www.theadventuress.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/dragon_covetous4_hi1.jpg

Ultima Online, my first online game. First game I played all night.

http://cheapebaygames.com/wii/metroidprime3.jpg

Metroid Prime 3. First game my friend banned me from playing. All because I shooted the people caused the turrent to come and broke the turret and made a bigger one come. Didn't break that one.

[Roto13]

There are way too many "significant" games in my little timeline so I'm not going to do one.
Yeah, geeze. Maybe I'm just overly sentimental but a ton of games have been significant to me. It'd take way too long to do a write-up like that.

Same here, but I decided to pick my favorites of my favorites-- or rather, the games that meant the most to me in their respective time periods.

Even so, I've been gaming for like 20 years. xP That's still a lot. I considered limiting myself to three for each console generation and two for each handheld, but that's still over 20 games. :P

[Dr. Acula]

My memories are all muddled, so this "timeline" will be too.

Alex Kidd was the first video game I remember. I don't even know how old I was. Probably about three or four.

Final Fantasy VII came out when I was five, and that was when I really started to get into video games.:D
It wasn't the first FF I played though. I didn't actually start playing video games until years later. I think my first game was FF4 or FF6.

Then I think it was Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time which I played for about 5 minutes in an electronics store, and it made an impression on me. I have no idea when that was.

Dungeon Siege was the first game I ever completed. That was five or six years ago... approximately. As I said, my memories are muddled.

Somewhere along the line I got addicted to the Tekken and Pokemon games, thanks to Tekken 2 and Pokemon Yellow. Note that I'm not addicted to Pokemon anymore.:D

Deus Ex: Invisible War is special because it just is. Same with Halo. Both are SUPER SPECIAL.

[Krelian]

There are way too many "significant" games in my little timeline so I'm not going to do one.
Yeah, geeze. Maybe I'm just overly sentimental but a ton of games have been significant to me. It'd take way too long to do a write-up like that.

Same here, but I decided to pick my favorites of my favorites-- or rather, the games that meant the most to me in their respective time periods.
I'll try to do that as well. I also have way too many games I could list, but I'll limit it somehow. It's still going to be long, I guess.

[KentaRawr!]

Metroid Prime 3. First game my friend banned me from playing. All because I shooted the people caused the turrent to come and broke the turret and made a bigger one come. Didn't break that one.

If you get to Level 3 on the Turret thingy, everything blows up. They have some serious security systems.

Edit: My goodness, I just quoted somebody by using italics. I've got to stop going to Gamefaqs.

[Momiji]

Even so, I've been gaming for like 20 years. xP That's still a lot. I considered limiting myself to three for each console generation and two for each handheld, but that's still over 20 games. :P


Okay, then narrow it down further. You aren't THAT much older than me, and I've been gaming for 15-16 years now. I narrowed my favorites to 10 games, so you should be able to narrow it down to at least 15 or so. Maybe 2 for each console and one for each handheld?

[Bunny]

There are way too many "significant" games in my little timeline so I'm not going to do one.
Yeah, geeze. Maybe I'm just overly sentimental but a ton of games have been significant to me. It'd take way too long to do a write-up like that.

Same here, but I decided to pick my favorites of my favorites-- or rather, the games that meant the most to me in their respective time periods.

Even so, I've been gaming for like 20 years. xP That's still a lot. I considered limiting myself to three for each console generation and two for each handheld, but that's still over 20 games. :P

I managed to do it and I've been gaming for about 20 years. :P

[Old Manus]

Well I've been gaming for 25 years so suck on that

[Levian]

Well Pacman was based on my life.

[Roto13]

There are way too many "significant" games in my little timeline so I'm not going to do one.
Yeah, geeze. Maybe I'm just overly sentimental but a ton of games have been significant to me. It'd take way too long to do a write-up like that.

Same here, but I decided to pick my favorites of my favorites-- or rather, the games that meant the most to me in their respective time periods.

Even so, I've been gaming for like 20 years. xP That's still a lot. I considered limiting myself to three for each console generation and two for each handheld, but that's still over 20 games. :P

I managed to do it and I've been gaming for about 20 years. :P

Yeah, but see I'm more hardcore than you. ;o

[Momiji]

Yeah, but see I'm more hardcore than you. ;o

Excuse me for having other hobbies. :D DAMN IT ENOUGH WITH THE QUOTE PYRAMIDS, THEY'RE MESSING ME UP.

[Roto13]

No, it's ok, I'm obviously more hardcore than you, too. :P

[Momiji]

But can you do this? Can you? CAN YOU? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeNLHl1jIX4)

:p

[Roto13]

You mean sit through another one of your bullet hell videos? No, I don't think I can. ;P

[Momiji]

I rest my case then. ;)

[I Don't Need A Name]

199? - Stunt Car Racer on my parents' Amiga 500

Can't remember bugger all about this apart from playing it so much that the Amiga actually broke :cry:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b5/ST_Stunt_Car_Racer.png

oh my god, i forgot this existed. this game was awesome.

[scrumpleberry]

I'm too lazy to post screens or explain them. All games which I've been proper obsessed with at one point or another -

1. Spyro the Dragon (very first game, bought to shut me up whilst moving into new flat <33333)
2. Grandia
3. Final Fantasy IX
4. Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (yeah I don't really know either.)
5. Grandia II
6. Final Fantasy VI
7. Guild Wars
8. Ocarina of Time

Pretty much in that order. The sims 2 doesn't count because it didn't do anything good for me except for greatly increase my interbuttz browzing skillz as I was a proper downloads h0r.

edit: HOW COULD I FORGET POKÉMON RED AND CIVILISATION II AND THE SETTLERS IV

[theundeadhero]

I've also been gamig for over 20 years. I just picked the most impressional games of the times. I could have easily listed more games for every system out there.

[Wolf Kanno]

I've also been gamig for over 20 years. I just picked the most impressional games of the times. I could have easily listed more games for every system out there.


Yeah but what if you have alot of games from each system that was very impressionable on you? For instance, I would have to talk about the arcade scene cause it had a big impact on me back in the day. There have been many games that have drastically changed my view. I couldn't pick just one or two from that list for each gaming era. :D

I will still attempt it but it will take awhile to gather my thoughts.

[Roto13]

I think I'm just going to make a huge list and post it in installments in my blog. :P

[demondude]

It starts with Baldur's gate 2, and ends with it.

[Momiji]

I think I'm just going to make a huge list and post it in installments in my blog. :P

You mean sit through another one of your blog entries? No, I don't think I can. :p

;)

[o_O]

Keystone Kapers (Atari 2600)
This was the first video game I ever played. It was pretty rubbish really, but as a three-year-old I marveled at the interactive T.V. program. I remember it being ultra-difficult.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/KeystoneKapers.png

Alex Kidd in Miracle World (SMS)
This is one of the games I wasted the most time on as a kid. I played it from the time I got my Master System until I'd saved up enough pocket money to buy Wonderboy 3. I never finished it as a kid, 'cause I never realised that you could rest up against the spikes in the water section of the magic castle. Not to mention the "cheat" that NEVER worked, because there were 15 different button combinations it was rumoured to be.
http://www.mac-emu.net/IMG/AlexKidd02.png

Wonder Boy in Monster Land (SMS)
I never owned this game, but I still played it enough for it to have easily made this list. I never did finish it because I always missed the bell on the level where you get the legendary boots and got frustrated. Maybe that's something do do if I ever start playing games again.
http://www.captainwilliams.co.uk/sega/ms/wonderboy/images/wonderboy2_shot2.png

Wonderboy 3: The Dragon's Trap (SMS)
This is probably my favourite game on Master System. You're a kid who for some reason is trapped in a castle and has to fight a dragon to escape. Only thing is, defeating the dragon turns you into a Lizardman, and you have to go on a journey killing dragons until one turns you back to a human instead of some other animal.
http://www.captainwilliams.co.uk/sega/ms/wonderboy/images/wonderboy3_shot2.png

Golden Axe Warrior (SMS)
If Wonderboy 3 isn't my favourite game on SMS, then this is. It's a Zelda clone, though it's a hell of a lot better than any &lt;16bit Zelda. It also features the greatest video game track of all time (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMUc6B37NDA).
http://www.gamespite.net/img/wiki/games/spot_gaw08.png

Sonic series (SMS and Megadrive)
I practically lived at my friend's house when these games came out, because a) he owned them and b) he owned a Mega Drive. They really shouldn't need any description. :p
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/SMS_Sonic_the_Hedgehog.pnghttp://www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Sonic_The_Hedgehog_2_GEN_ScreenShot3.jpg

Pokemon Red (Gameboy)
I emulated this with no$gb, back before the author crippled the emulator by making it shareware. This was awesome because you not only did you get a sweet Pokemon Red frame around the game window, but the game displayed in limited colour. I ended up cheating to get all the pokemon and then losing my save because I tried to be a smartass and get a party full of Missingnos.
http://www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Pokemon_Red_Version_GBC_ScreenShot4.gif

Chrono Trigger (SNES)
I emulated this game too, 'cause you pretty much couldn't get Super Nintendos in New Zealand. I don't really know what to say about it other than I did absolutely everything there was to do too many times, but not as many times as Spatvark did. It's still one of my two favourite games.
http://pressthebuttons.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/04/27/chronotrigger.png

Pandemonium (Playstation)
This was the first Playstation game I owned. I played it for hours on end 'cause the demo CD that came with the console got kind of boring. I'd never heard of cheats before this game, aside from the level select cheat I accidentally discovered while button mashing between levels in the original Wonderboy (why I was button mashing then, who knows?). I was fascinated by the crazy environments that were in this game; I've since realised that it must have been developed my people tripping on acid. Plus, Greg Proops voiced one of the main characters, and I thought Whose Line is it Anyway was just the bees' knees.
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/screenshots/2/198252/pandemon_screen002.jpg

Final Fantasy VII (Playstation)
My other favourite game. Again, if this needs anything more said about it, maybe this message board isn't for you.
http://www.forceforgood.co.uk/screenshots/ff7_1.jpg

Diablo II (PC)
This was another huge drain on my time and my parents' patience, of the days when "doing my homework" was a euphemism for "pulverizing rakanishus". I never played online, but the single player mode was pretty damn kickin' rad. I don't think I ever physically screamed at a computer when I wasn't taking down Duriel, one hit at a time.
http://www.blizzard.com/store/screenshots/diablo2_ss/diablo2_4.jpg

Morrowind (PC)
Well, this is probably the best western RPG in the universe. Way better than Oblivion. I hate Cliff Racers.
http://img.hrej.cz/25/0ac88e1fec8468fa47eb08e8463139.jpg

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC)
The last game I really played properly. It took me quite a while to get this game because I was terrified of the sheer size of the map. I would definitely say this game kickstarted my career in carjacking, drug dealing and blowing up cities with Harrier jets. I need that http://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gifhttp://forums.eyesonff.com/images/smilies/rpg_009.gif you drive.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8953/00gta1hydra98ax.jpg

[Bolivar]

Wow, this is a great thread, Nominus! Here goes:

http://www.twingalaxies.com/images/generalinfo/articlePic_2005_1_5_761_Super_Mario_Bros_3_Title.pnghttp://http://images.webmagic.com/klov.com/screens/T/xTiger-Heli.pnghttp://http://images.wikia.com/openserving/sports/images/3/34/RBI_Baseball.png

^ I guess 3/4, late 80s to early 90's, the NES was a big thing for me. When my dad would pick me up, he would sometimes take me to his friends' houses where SMB, Tiger Heli and Tetris were the order of the day. SMB 3 really left an impact on me on how much you can do with an imagination, cool colors, and great music. RBI Baseball and Tecmo Bowl all are some of my favorites.

http://www.jamba.de/storage/view/546/0/so/Sonic_The_Hedgehog_Part_21.jpg

I was too young to be caught up in a console war, but after playing sonic somewhere, i know I wanted a Genesis. I got one with Sonic 2 and it blew my mind. Seeing my friends with super nintendo's, Genesis games to me were faster, louder, and just more in your face than anything I had played up to that point or seen at the time. Sega channel was insane for me. It got me into so many different genres and games, but there was one which really stands out:

http://www.rpgamer.com/games/shin/sf2/screens/sf2title.gif

I don't know where I would have gone in gaming without this. It was my introduction to RPG's, and the story, artwork, strategy, characters, and just amazing epic time I had playing through it left a big impression on me. It's definately one of my favorite games of all time. On Sega Channel I played Shadow run, Landstalker, Phantasy Star, Sword of Vermillion, and others, and I was hooked on RPGs, but this is definately my favorite from then. However,

http://www.armchairempire.com/images/feature-articles/ps2-ff7/final-fantasy-vii-2.jpg

^ This changed it all. I always find it ironic nowadays how certain 16-bit traditionalists say that this game lacked compared to what came before it. I will never understand this argument. As an RPG fan leading up to its release, this was everything we were waiting for, without realizing we were waiting for it. It was the coming of the video game revolution. On every aspect, from story, to sound, to graphics, to the ways it presented the events, it was a huge leap, and changed many ways in which games are presented. I don't know why I got a PSX instead of a saturn, but I'm glad I did. Other honorable mentions: Spyro, Midieval, Cool Boarders, Twisted Metal and MEGA MAN LEGENDS.

http://www.gamerevolution.com/images/games/ps2/final_fantasy_x/final_fantasy_x_004.jpg

The christmas when PS2s were abundant was about the same time FFX was released. There was only one feeling I could feel as a PS owner - rewarded. It brought gaming to the next level, and is cited as the first game that really showed what the PS2 can do. This was also when I got into metal gear, so it was great times there. GTA, Guantlet DL, Tony Hawk 3, Agent Under Fire, there's way too many, so I'll leave it at that.
http://www.nivel22.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/metal_gear_solid_4_guns_and_patriots.jpg

Up to the present day. Kojima stated he chose to make Old snake the protagonist, because he himself, and the fans as well have all gotten older over the course of Metal Gear. As gamers, we have all gotten older over this journey. This game for me is a beautiful portrayal of life that really transcended games. Being older I can appreciate it, I think it speaks to the gamer who is an adult now, reflecting on the exploits of their youth, and going out for one more adventure. I really can't wait to start my 3rd playthrough, and I can't wait to see where games go next. The responsibility for developers is now to challenge themselves as much as they can, which is now more arduous than ever. Kojima has given me faith in that, and that's why the new generation should be discussed just as much as the old.

[Wolf Kanno]

Well, I started with my uncle's Atari 2600 playing, Frogger and other Atari classics. I was pretty young and loved the games but I rarely saw him. When the NES came out I really wanted one but my mother was against video games at the time but eventually she caved in and I got it for Christmas one fateful year. I loved playing through Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda but my true love came when I discovered a little game called Mega Man 2

http://dorando.emuverse.com/images/mega-man-2.e_00.png

I loved this game and the whole Mega Man series. The music the levels and the wild characters were just out of this world for me. My other favorites I picked up on were Castlevania and SMB 2 and 3. I loved my NES but my father would take my interest elsewhere...

http://www.the-commodore-zone.com/articlelive/content_images/cover_battletech_infocom.jpg

Battletech for the Commodore 64 was my first real foray into PC gaming and to a lesser extent RPGs. It had a pretty amusing plot and its gameplay was fun. I love mecha and war stories and this game satisfied both. I used to play make believe in my backyard concerning this game (and Mega Man 2) :D

Course my old man wasn't finished there and I also played a game that made me far more knowledgeable about adult matters than all of my elementary school peers.

http://adventure.if-legends.org/images/Sierra_On-Line,_Inc/larry1enh.jpg

For those who have not heard of this series except for its blasphemous party game console knockoff starring Larry's retarded nephew. This is an adventure game where the goal is to score with a lady of the fairer sex. Adult humor and hilarious deaths ensued including a drowning in a bar bathroom cause the toilet overflowed and the door was locked and having unprotected sex with a rather skanky girl that results in you blowing up when you leave the room. And people wonder why I was odd as a child... Its cause I thought you blew up if you had unprotected sex!

About this time the SNES was released and the Sega Genesis was on the scene. My family being too cheap or broke (depending on which parent) left me at the mercy of experiencing modern gaming through a friend and their system. I remember playing Super Mario World and Sonic the Hedgehog series at many sleep overs at friends houses. It was a fun time cause I got to enjoy the console wars and the battles between Sega and Nintendo.

Being fortunate to live in the city, I was exposed to the arcade scene. My father didn't particulary care for it til I got him hooked on a gem of a game called Gauntlet and of course Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a game based on a series I loved in my childhood days. The game was awesome, it also taught me the horror of porting games from arcade cabinets to inferior consoles.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a299/otto_retardo/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2.png

Around this time another game was making a splash at the arcades and it was very different from what I had played before. I was a huge fan of martial arts and this game gave me a chance to act out my fantasies...

http://www.gamefabrique.com/images/shots/street-fighter-2-plus-champion-edition-3.png

I got my ass handed to me by veteran players but it never stopped me from enjoying the game. Even if it did get a little expensive. Finally I was able to talk my father into getting me a new console system. Having been a PC man he understood the concept of upgrading to more powerful machines. Course he gave me a decision. Genesis or SNES? I knew enough about both to understand their pro's and cons. I liked both of their gaming libraries and though I preferred the Genesis' library of games more, what ultimately made me decide on the SNES was my love for Street Fighter II :love:

I got my SNES, SFII:Turbo Edition and Mario All Stars. My library became more fighting games (MKII) and beat em ups but I had this friend in middle school who kept raving about this series called Final Fantasy... I borrowed FFIII (VI) and initially hated it. The plot was intriguing but the menu based battle system was slow and stupid to a guy partaking of the fighting game genre. I gave it back to him but he decided to try again and break me in easier. He gave me...

http://profile.ak.facebook.com/object2/1757/123/l15886950621_767.jpg
Secret of Mana, its action combat system kept me entertained and the story hooked me from the get go. The music and the locations were awesome. The variety of weapons and that damn Sage!!! I eventually bought his copy of the game from him for $25 dollars. After that I decided to try the FF series again. I had some issues with my first foray into VI cause I accidentally found the glitch that either messes up your equipment or erases all the save files. I sheepishly gave it back without finishing it. I found and bought FFIV and enjoyed the hell out of that game and eventually found a copy of FFVI

http://www.planetemu.net/php/articles/files/Image/Tixu/Final%20Fantasy%20VI/opera.PNG

Up until this point I played games solely for mindless fun. It wasn't until FFVI that I came to relalize that games could have real depth to them. I never really cared about a group of pixelated characters before until I played this game. I relaized that games could be seen more as an artform than just a form of digital amusement. It also made me look back at older games and see more depth to them than I had previously thought was there. VI made me appreciate FFIV and SoM more than I had when I originally played them. I've still never had a game do this before. Open my mind to a degree where I can see past efforts more deeply and favorably. Its why its still my favorite game in the series. :cool:

After this I made fighting/action games my hobby in the arcades while I focused my console efforts onto RPGs. I was introduced to the Breath of Fire series, Lufia and a wonderful little dream project called Chrono Trigger. All these game had wonderful stories and casts accompanied by excellent combat systems and world designs. By this point, my RPG friend was getting me hooked a few games for the Sega Saturn. NiGHTS is still a game I have very fond memories of. I also remember playing Virtua Fighter and the coming of the 3D era.

That era really started to take hold at first in the arcade scene. Both Street Fighter and MK were annoying people with constant rehashes This little game called Virtua Fighter was getting some attention cause it was a fighting game in total 3D. I finally got a chance to play with it but walked away less than impressed. 3D was becoming the "in" thing with both Nintendo and Sega chatting on about it being the "wave of the future". Even Sony came out of nowhere and was talking about making a CD based console with 3D games. Most of us felt Sony might fail like the Atari Jaguar had. I always felt most of the 3D games back then were rather fugly and simple in design. The only exceptions were NiGHTS and a little title that shocked the world called FFVII. Beyond that I also felt 3D was not far enough to make games fun. It was more of a novelty back then than an actual gameplay platform, at least to me that is.

The next generation swept in and I was once again left behind. I supported Sega cause the Saturn seemed to be the only system with a great library. The N64 was progressing slowly with Zelda and Metroid being postponed from the launch (Later Metroid was canceled) and the PlayStation was trying hard to be the edgy system with MKIII and Twisted Metal. Finally FFVII was released and Sony got a boost. Magazines were raving about this game and though my friends were awed at first most of them stopped talking about it after they finished it. I finally talked my father into buying me a PS1 for Christmas. I even bought FFVII for my birthday in anticipation of getting the PS1, 2 months later.

http://www.vgfrequency.com/wp-content/uploads/final-fantasy-vii-safer-sephiroth.jpg

I read the manual religiously and counted the days. My friends tried to warn me not to get my hopes so high. One of them was busy playing a few gems that would change my life but before that I finally got my hands on the game and played it for most of my Christmas Break from high school. By the end of the first disc I felt it was the greatest game of all time. When I finished it, I felt it was the greatest disappointment of all time. After that, I fought with most other gamers concerning this game and it became a taboo subject for me.

In my despair of having my hopes crushed, my friend lent me two games that not only softened the blow but really changed my mind about games as they were the first two games I could truly say were "mature"

http://www.destructoid.com/elephant/ul/91791-final-fantasy-tactics.jpg

Final Fantasy Tactics was my first foray into strategy and games heavy in politics since the days I played Battletech. At first I had a difficult time understanding and getting into the system but by the endo of Chapter 1 I was hooked and played it like a man possessed. Despite its terrible translation (something I was used to from playing Ted Woosely games :rolleyes2) I felt its story was more epic and groundbreaking than games I had played in the past. I liked the idea of a game having a truly bittersweet ending and a tale of corruption that didn't entail ancient magic powers or aliens.

The next game he lent me was a low profile game I had seen on shelves but hardly heard about. Most people were still either talking about FFVII, talking about the upcoming FFVIII, or this other game called Metal Gear something or other... Anyway, it intrigued me cause of the awesome anime designs of the characters and the prospects of playing an RPG with giant robots.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a164/bryspace/screens/xenogears.jpg http://members.aol.com/metalgear132/images/xenogears%20sig%202.jpg

Xenogears was a convulated wonder of religious and philosophical wonder. It was fun, intriguing and made me expand my knowledge on subjects concerning religion and ethics. I probably learned more from this game than I ever did at my high school. FFT was historical, while Xenogears was Philosophy and theology. Both games still remain my top favorites and easily the games I feel that have not truly been surpassed in terms of story, world, gameplay and music. It has been a decade since their release and their are very few games that have reached the level of these titles in my eyes.

The rest of the PS1 was playing many of Square's outstanding non-FF titles. In fact, until FFIX I had been rather disappointed with VII and VIII. FFT, CC, Xenogears, Threads of Fate, Brave Fencer Musashi, and Vagrant Story, had all been outstanding games. I also jumped into more Breath of Fire, Street Fighter Alpha 3 (by this time the arcade scene was on its last leg) and Suikoden. My PS1 library is mostly RPGs with a few fighting games to keep me sane.

The only other title to impact me at this time was Metal Gear Solid
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r74/dsargueta/sony-psx-metal-gear-solid-screensho.png

I had heard wonders about this game but didn't get hooked until I got a hold of a demo. I grew up on 60's spy shows and James Bond thanks to my mother and so I have a weakness for espionage and political conspiracy theories. I got the game rather late and thus must suffer the penalty of always having a copy of the game that features the obnoxious green "Greatest Hits" logo on it. It took me awhile to get used to the game but its story and visual blew me away and it quickly became one of my most played PS1 games. Interesting enough, I recently got my GF hooked on this series and despite starting with MGS3, she was still amazed and loved this game. :love:

In High school, a friend and I went to the last remaining arcade stronghold in the city. Celebrity and Boardwalk were gone and all was left was Fun Plex, now renamed "Fat City". My friend and I saw people crowding around a psychedelic machine emanating some music. We watched a few people play and get thrashed horribly. We took a chance and played the game and though it ended with middle school girls laughing at us, we both had damn fun and it became a ritual between us to play Dance Dance Revolution. To this day its still one of my favorite series. I've also become rather good at it as well. :cool:

http://www.daveberlin.com/images/blog/ddr.jpg

I waited on getting a PS2, until games I actually wanted were to be released so basically MGS2 and FFX. Like with my PS1, I got it as a gift for Christmas and just like before, I owned both games before I got my PS2. MGS2 was fun but its overly convulated plot and lackluster brain twisting ending left me feeling a bit jipped (despite this, I'm one of the few people who was pleasantly surprised by the Raiden plot twist). FFX left me very cold. I really felt the game was mediocre and it was the first FF I ever got truly bored with. Since then I have given the game several chances and each time I walk away hating the game more. Its easily the worst FF in my book. Its only strong points are its graphics, its mostly good voice acting (except Yuna and Seymour) and its half decent soundtrack. Everything else was terrible and it pretty much killed my faith in the FF series. I had hoped to get some enjoyment from SE's side projects but they were very few and only Kingdom Hearts and Star Ocean 3 were somewhat enjoyable. Just when I was thinking gaming was disappearing and becoming digital films, I finally found a copy of a game that had intrigued me since the PS2's debut: Ico

http://www.gamewithabrain.com/wp-content/gallery/adventure/ico.jpeg

This game redefined my concept of what a game could be. Its simple yet one of the most challenging games I had played in ages. Though there was little dialogue, the story and the characters were amazing and its ending is still one of the most touching in gaming. Its psuedo sequel Shadow of the Colossus was also truly groundbreaking and redefined my views on not only gaming but how a story can be told. Its at this point I understood the flaw in SE's games at this time. They were cheesy movies with a combat system tied to them. Team Ico showed me that the gameplay and the story don't have to be seperate and in fact, when they are combined correctly, create even deeper immersion.

This game restored my faith and after that I expanded my horizons and basically took a break from SE games. Suikoden and Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter kept my RPG needs at bay. I went a long time without playing new PS2 games until Konami released Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

http://images.psxextreme.com/wallpapers/psp/MGS3-Substance.jpg

When EA first started out the slogan they used was "Can a game make you cry?" When I finished MGS3, I can honestly say yes. I am not a very emotional person, generally I'm told I'm rather cold and insensitive so most of my friends are taken back when I tell them that this game moved me to the point of tears. In terms of story, gameplay, and immersion. This game is not only the best MGS, I feel its one of the best games of all time. Even after MGS4, I can still say 3 is easily the most touching and powerful game in the series. Its probably my all time favorite game to be honest. Subsistence just made it better :cool:

My interest had changed and I was hoping to play a new RPG. It seemed like a drought of good RPGs was going on and then I stumbled upon a gem of a game called Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne

http://ui10.gamespot.com/1449/shinmegamitenseinocturnepaper2_2.jpg

I have always been interested and intrigued by the occult and the idea of a game focusing on it had me quite curious. It took awhile to track down but once I got started on it: I couldn't put it down. The game was like Pokemon on steroids... In fact the thing that made me really happy about it was its unforgiving difficulty level and its high emphasis on strategy rather than grinding. Its story was dark and unusual for an RPG, the world is destroyed 15-20 minutes in, you wake up in a post apocalyptic world as a demon where other demons fight to make their ideal world a reality. The most intriguing part is that you can choose and help sides but pretty much all of the ideals are imperfect. There pretty much is no happy ending to the game and yet it touched upon ethnic cleansing and defining value in life as well as true redemption. It had been a long time since I played an RPG with a maturity level this high. I instantly became a fan of the series.

By this time, KH2 and AC had come out and I was beginning to feel SE had hit bottom. KH2 fixed most of the gameplay issues of the first game but sacrificed good storytelling in the process in favor of more of Nojima's convulated nonsense he is mistaking as good writing. FFVII:AC was exactly what I had expected, a two hour snuff film designed to please the die hard fans of the game. XII had been delayed for almost two years and I was rather hesitant. On the one hand, SE had been releasing alot of mediocre titles and was starting to port old games and make sequels. I disliked X so much, I was hesitant to get my hopes up for XII. On the other hand, the game was being developed by Matsuno and his FFT/VS team which I felt were two of the strongest titles Square released in the PS1 days. Matsuno's disappearance made me really worry. Yet the game looked amazing even though the Star Wars inspired airship battles and the combat system put me off. Despite all this, I pre-ordered it, went to the midnight release and started the game on Halloween of 2006.

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/reviews/ps2/final-fantasy-xii/final-fantasy-xii-a.jpg

Lo and behold to my surprise that the game was amazing. Its cast and story was mature, the combat wasn't as controlling as I thought and the world, oh my god the world design was incredible. I'm rarely impressed with graphics but the amount of detail in the cities and landscapes were awe inspiring so I would find myself just sitting there staring at the landscape. Its world was alive which is something I cannot say for 99% of the games out there. It truly is a groundbreaking game in many regards and I hope that future games will partake of its wisdom.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n26/nameless_liberty/persona3_ps2.jpg

Persona 3 is an amazing game that also showed me other ways a game can be immersive. Its one of the few games I can truly say I care about everyone and its one of the few games I can honestly say builds an emotional bond with the player. You not only want to help people in this game, when the game starts talking about how hopeless the situation is, you even begin to believe it and this is coming from a jaded gamer who feels he has seen it all. Its story is slow but beautifully told and living in the P3 world (and I do mean live) you get a better immersion and connection to the characters than you would have had it been done like other JRPGs. The bond might still be there but it wouldn't be as strong.

I picked up a Wii cause I felt Nintendo was onto something when they said innovation is the future. If I knew then What I know now, I might have held off on getting a Wii but then again I would have missed out on playing Twilight Princess
http://www.ugo.com/images/galleries/zeldatwilightprincess_games/zeldatwilightprincess_11.jpg

I love the Zelda series, even the overhyped ones like the painfully mediocre Ocarina of Time but Z:TP was not only a giant leap for the Zelda franchise but its utilization of the Wii system was awesome. When I talk to people about the Wii's potential for interactive gaming, I'm thinking of this game. The Wii-mote fixed the failure that was the Z targeting system and combat was much more fulfilling than before. Its even designed in a way that rewards careful use of special moves instead of just thrashing the controler about and getting tired. Z:TP is an amazing game but what made it really stand out for me was how it used the Wii to make it a deeper and more immersive game.

http://www.collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Metal_Gear_Solid_4_PS3/metal_gear_solid_4_image_screenshot_ps3__small_.jpg

It always seems like Kojima is the only one who knows how to do things right. Now while MGS3 is still my favorite I must commend MGS4 for one thing. It proved to me that there are some designers who understand how to combine storytelling and gameplay. Team Ico pioneered it and MGS4 proves its a good student (MGS3 as well). Some of the most intense scenes in the game are actually interactive gameplay scenes. From trailing a resistance fighter in Prague, to escaping Gekkos in a bazaar in South America, to walking across a room filled with microwaves... (need to see it to understand) Thegame marks a new standard for combinig story and gameplay. Sure you die sometimes but it just makes the scene's more intense knowing you have to somewhat play for keeps. Its truly one of the better games to define the current generation of consoles and what should be expected from it.

[Rostum]

Master System
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
This actually came as a default game for when no other game was in the Mega Drive, and it was such a fantastic game! I sometimes even still hum the music to this day.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/5935/19922si5.jpg

Sonic The Hedgehog
I had both a Master System and Mega Drive, so I had played the other Sonic first, but I loved this one more, especially the music in the jungle stage.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/4525/smssonicthehedgehogsa0.png

Wonder Boy
I absolutely loved how you could ride dinosaurs and a skateboard.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/2407/wonderboyte2.gif

Nintendo
Super Mario Brothers
First game I have played. Well we had an older Atari with Pitfall, but I was too young to remember it like I do with Mario.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/1346/supermariobrosdxbigqf1.jpg

Super Mario Brothers 3
This just took Mario and made it awesome. My sister and I would play this all the time.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/7787/supermariobros34dd3.png

Contra
A friend and myself used to love teaming up in this game. Even though he sucked and I kept dying because he fell behind.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/2771/contraokwo7.jpg

Super Nintendo
Zelda: A Link to the Past
My first introduction into the more action/adventure/rpg type of games. I had only ever really played racing and platform games. This brings back heaps of awesome memories.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/8799/zelda1tp1.jpg

Battletoads & Double Dragon
I love battletoads, and I love double dragon. This game is absolutely brilliant! Even better with a second player.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/6851/battletoadsdoubledragonii8.jpghttp://img388.imageshack.us/img388/8223/doubledragonbattletoadsnt5.gif

Aladdin
Well as I said I was a huge platformer fan, and this game was extremely good. The Mega Drive version was alright as well, but the Super Nintendo veresion blew it out of the water.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/6430/aladdinsnesscreenshot2zt6.jpg

Mega Drive
Sonic and Knuckles
I actually liked the original Sonic better, but for some odd reason I have more fond memories of this game. Love Knuckles.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/5851/sonicknucklesgenscreensma9.gif

Earthworm Jim 2
Absolutely love the quirkiness of this game. The cartoons were awesome too!
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/4327/earthwormjim2ot4.png

Mortal Kombat 3
Spent a lot of time on this game. Too much time in fact!
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/2671/mortalkombat3amc2.jpg

PC
Riven
My introduction to the adventure genre. This game is a beautiful masterpiece. High quality rendered backgrounds, with absolutely stunning musical ambience, a great story and great live acting. The atmosphere of this game is just so unique and the only thing that has ever come close is Shadow of the Colossus in that regard.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/836/riven3jz4.jpghttp://img388.imageshack.us/img388/5858/riven03ld6.jpg

Grim Fandango
Okay, probably the best LucasArts adventure game, and right up there with Riven. It's got my favourite theme; film noir. And they mix it up with aztec legend and great art deco designs. Brilliant script and pacing, and nice gameplay.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/4917/grimfandangojl3.png

Final Fantasy XI
Very first MMORPG I had played, and still play to this date. The hype and community building up to its release was phenominal! Such a good online game, even though frustrating at times. Tarutaru's are the cutest, as a Mandragora's. Definitely a lot of great memories with this game.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/9965/139987158f42eda86b7rb9.jpg

N64
Mario 64
While not my first introduction to the 3D platformer scene (I had played Jumping Jack Rabbit before), it was the first that I really felt did well at the time. I had competitions with friends for who could get so-many stars before the other, and it was just really fun.
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/6228/mario64rn0.png

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
While after Link to the Past I had played other Zelda titles, none had topped this. It is absolutely brilliant, and a great 3D introduction to the series.
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7572/n64zeldaootyw6.gif

Mystical Ninja staring Goemon
Haha I thought this game was so cute and quirky. I loved the fat guy.
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/4126/6271bt6.png

PSX
Motor Toons Grand Prix 2
First 3D game, and it is a racing game. I don't know HOW long I spent on this game; a damn long time I bet. Didn't have two player, but had time trials that I did with friends, and its just so wacky that it's a great racer. (I actually couldn't find an in-game shot!)
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5035/motortoondn5.jpg

Final Fantasy VII
Introduction to the RPG's series. While not my favourite anymore, it was a huge impact in my life and I love it for that. It is also quite a good RPG, no matter how many people will rag on it for whatever reason.
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/2527/ff7sc3zn4.gif

Chrono Cross
A beautiful RPG; graphics, sound, story, characters.
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7721/chronocross002ea1.jpg

PS2
Final Fantasy X
First game on PS2, and I really did love this game, while still not my favourite in the series it definitely kept me hooked.
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/5011/finalfantasyxfeature114hd3.jpg

Psychonauts
Another masterpiece from Tim Schafer, the guy who made Grim Fandango.
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9959/psychonauts4ub7.jpg

Xenosaga 1, 2, 3
I won't count these as seperate games. While I had only played them in the last year or so, they are quite amazing. It's more like watching a movie, but a great movie at that, and the game play can be quite good!
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/1610/xenosaga1aka3.jpg

Wii
Mario Galaxy
Recently played through. I think this is incredible; they have brought back to life the platforming genre with this game, by giving it mechanics that were never thought of. They really broke the mold of platforming, just when you think it couldn't have anything new. Graphical it is also very beautiful.
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9267/galaxy1fx8.jpg

There are so many awesome games, a lot have been mentioned in this thread thus far, and so I thought I'd change it up. There are heaps of games that have influenced me and impacted on me in many ways, however I can not mention every one of them in this thread. These pictures do none of these games justice, go out and play them!

Edit: Fixed.

[Roto13]

Mystical Ninja staring Goemon
Haha I thought this game was so cute and quirky. I loved the fat guy.
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/4126/6271bt6.png

That game was awesome. It was a mix of Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time with the always-great Mystical Ninja theme. And there was a giant battle robot. With a theme song.

And a giant space peach.