Quote:
Originally Posted by
metagloria
Hey remember this thread? Took a couple of snow days off, but I'm back and ready to talk classics.
Let's begin with perhaps the most difficult call on the pod, although one that will end up near the bottom regardless of how it shakes out. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games are, with the notable exception of the first title, pretty much side-scrolling beat-em-ups in the vein of TMNT 2 for the arcade and NES. TMNT 2 had some awesome levels, like wintry Central Park and the Shogun Dojo. It was challenging, but also a blast to play with a friend. Hyperstone Heist was basically a variation on the theme of Turtles in Time (the SNES entry) for the Genesis. It had fewer stages, though each had multiple parts, and the gameplay is a bit more refined by the simple virtue of later development. By that token, it should clearly be the better game...but it also wasn't as memorable as TMNT 2, nor did it have the legacy or influence. In retrospect, it does play a bit like a knock-off of Turtles in Time. So I think the original Arcade Game gets the nod here.
Kirby's Adventure is a fun and legendary NES title, riding the success of the handheld Dream Land game, adding color and ability copying via enemy consumption. This wildly entertaining mechanic kept young gamers occupied for many hours, navigating through a surprisingly large world of complex and varied levels full of secrets and minibosses. It's difficult at times, but also not terribly annoying for a game of its generation. Reminiscing about it actually caused me to move it up a couple of spots; this is a really good, classic game. But "classic NES game" evokes one name above all others: Mario. The second title featuring the plucky plumber is, as we all now know, not really a Mario game – it's another weird platformer called Doki Doki Panic with Mario and company shoehorned in – but the psychedelic trip of a world that it brought us to was beyond imagination. As quickly as they had appeared and taken over our lives, gone were goombas, koopas, and Bowser in favor of shyguys, snifits, and Birdo. Suddenly we were yanking vegetables from the earth, floating on whalespouts, and creating doors with potions. And yes, this is all explained away by a classic trope of an ending, but who cares? You're not playing Mario for the story. You're playing it for the game, and this was a crazily entertaining game. Its weirdness gives it an aura of mystery, an enchantment that perseveres even to this day. Why Nintendo hasn't turned their eyes back toward this game during their 2D renaissance is baffling.
Skipping ahead a few console generations to the PS2, we have Dark Cloud and Kingdom Hearts II. I have nothing to say about Dark Cloud that Pumpkin didn't already say. I've played it one and a half times, with the half being me giving up because I couldn't figure out the first major boss. But once I got over that hurdle, I found a really interesting, creative, and deep game. Random dungeons, city building, and multiple characters incorporated (and balanced) very well all make for a fun game. But it was also lacking a certain charm, so it's not one of the top-tier games from its era. Kingdom Hearts II, however, is. They polished the great experiment of FF-meets-Disney into a near-perfect shining gem with this title. While the first thing I think of when I remember KH2 is the negatives – painfully long intro section, Tron, Pirates of the Caribbean – that doesn't outshine the awesome levels and addictive nature found throughout the game. Like I said, almost everything that made KH great is just greater in this game. It's been a long time since I played it, but I'm greatly anticipating getting my hands on 2.5 HD Remix so I can experience the magic again.
Three games left: Zelda, FF, and FF5. Let me surprise nobody by rating Zelda as the least-best of these. Yes, it launched one of the greatest franchises in gaming history. But it's hard to overlook the flaws, difficulty, and antiqueness of this game. Don't get me wrong, it's still incredible for what it is; a plethora of puzzles, mysteries, and complex dungeons, situated in a massive open world (what a crazy concept!). Nothing gets the eyes wider than exploring that fascinating map. But speaking of fascinating maps, Final Fantasy V had three of them. You know I love some overworlds, and the SNES era of FF indulged that affection by putting multiple worlds in each entry. Plus FF5 had the first truly great incarnation of the job system, a beautiful storyline, memorable characters, awesome dungeons, outstanding music...I can't say enough good things about it. It sucks me back in regularly, and is easily my favorite FF of the 16-bit era.
But my heart beats for 8 bits. I've been playing Final Fantasy since I was 4 years old. I devoured the supplementary materials that the game gave you: a world map, equipment chart, partial dungeon maps, bestiary, and half-strategy guide in the form of an 80-page instruction manual. I played with Game Genie for a decade, so I never really got the full experience, but now I know better (and the game is actually easier because of it). But man...that world...those quests...discovering Lefein and how to enter the Mirage Tower for the first time...almost brings a tear to the eye just thinking about it. The myriad remakes are decent, because they make the game more fun and replayable, but you really don't understand if you haven't played the original in all its glory. I kept the nostalgia high for many years, and called this my all-time favorite game, until one day I had to finally concede that another had surpassed it...but I'll never move it down very far. You can't convince me that nearly three decades of graphical improvements, deeper stories, bigger worlds, and better mechanics have improved on this cornerstone. Final Fantasy. Whatever that may mean to you, it means everything to me.
FINAL RANKINGS: POD F
F1. Final Fantasy
F2. Kingdom Hearts II
F3. Final Fantasy V
F4. The Legend of Zelda
F5. Super Mario Bros. 2
F6. Dark Cloud
F7. Kirby's Adventure
F8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game
F9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist
