Chapter 7: 33-23

Amplitude
[Sony Computer Entertainment - PlayStation 2 - 2003]

Like Tetrisphere, Amplitude is another one of those games that has a really intimidating look to it, but once you start actually playing the game, you'll find it hard to stop. Amplitude is also a game that made me realize that the PS2 is actually capable of producing some original games, instead of the generic crap I keep seeing. Amplitude is a game that really brings back the true hand-to-eye (or shall we say, hand-to-ear) coordination that some people bring up when they discuss video games. Timing is everything if you want to bring the big scores to the table, and there is a great satisfaction where you can do a very complex bar of capsules without thinking about it. Not only that, Harmonix really went out of their way to give each song a world of their own, and these worlds are very colorful and complex. It's pretty much one of the only PS2 games that I own that I play anymore. If you haven't had the chance to experience Amplitude, do yourself a favor and get a copy NOW! Or when you're done with the list, either way.

The Legend Of Zelda
[Nintendo - NES - 1987]

This, I believe, marks as the first console adventure game where you can actually pick up where you left off without a password, thanks to battery-backup. Zelda has influenced gaming in many ways. For one, it's design is one that is often imitated, modified or based upon. Zelda was not a traditional platform game like we've seen in the past, and the exploration elements were bigger and better than any game of this nature before it (like Atari's Adventure). Then there's the battery back-up feature. Adventure games, RPGs, and many future games would not be the same without some sort of way to save your progress and pick up right where you left off, or keep what you had earlier. Legend Of Zelda was not only a revolutionary game for the NES (at the time), but it's effects can be seen in many games today.

Blast Corps.
[Nintendo - Nintendo 64 - 1997]

Like Pilotwings 64 and Tetrisphere, Blast Corps. is another one of the N64's lost gems. Developed by Rare, BC is all about smashing, crashing and blowing sh*t up. It really was unlike any other game that was around that time, and even years after it's release. The idea is to clear a path for a runaway nuclear missile carrier, and you must clear the path by any means neccessary. While you may think "smashy smashy" is the answer to your problem (for a few stages, it is), you have to approach some bulidings differently. Some can only be destroyed from the air or by a TNT crate. And some stages you have to go beyond clearing buidings. You may also have to fill in holes, or bridge in gaps with boats or trains. Blast Corps. remains as one of the most original games I've played, and that fact still rings true to this day.

SSX 3
[EA Sports BIG - PS2/Cube/Xbox - 2003]

The SSX series has always been consistently great within each installment, and SSX 3 emerges as the best in the series. In fact, SSX 3 is such a great snowboarding game, that you might just forget about 1080. It's that good. SSX 3 is designed much more differently than the previous SSX titles, or pretty much any other snowboarding before it. Instead of racing/riding on a certain number of mountains in different places in the world, SSX 3 sticks to just one mountain with three peaks. This really works out to the games favor, as you can actually go from the highest part of the mountain, all the way to the bottom in one run. It may take you half an hour to do so, but you CAN do it, and without any lagging or loading along the way. You can also go on freestyle runs to explore the different peaks and courses you play through, and encounter special challenges to earn extra money. While I wish there were a few more events, I was still very much hooked to SSX 3 for hours.

Gran Turismo
[Sony Computer Entertainment - PlayStation - 1998]

I pretty much picked up Gran Turismo with a little bit of pessimism when I was new to my PlayStation system. I wasn't sure if I would be able to get into this game, since I was not used to simulation-type games (lets face it, the N64 sucked at not having racing sims). But after taking quite some time with the licnese tests, I slowly began to get used to the fact that I ACTUALLY have to use the brakes if I want to turn. After some time, I got better and better at driving, learning the driving lines, when to brake and things like that. Now, I just can't get enough of games of this type. Well, pretty much racing games in general.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
[Nintendo - Super NES - 1995]

Some like the first DKC more than the other games in the series, but DKC2 stands as my personal favorite. The graphics are better, as well as the sound, but the stage design and variety are much better as well. I think this has been one of the only games I've rented multiple times just to beat the game. DKC 2 was just a better and more challenging game than it's predecessor, and that's what a sequel should be and do.

Legend Of Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link
[Nintendo - NES - 1988]

Zelda II is a unique entry in the franchise because of the fact that this is an adventure game that plays like a platformer. Sure, you do have the classic Zelda-like view when you're exploring the world, but when you engage in combat, enter a town, cave or castle, it's presented in 2-D. I personally liked the change, I'm not sure if many others did, though. Another interesting element to the game was that you can actually increase the levels of your attributes as you would in an RPG. This added a bit of depth to the game, as you can choose which attribute to increse, provided you had enough points to do so. A strange, yet welcome design change to the series.

Super Mario Kart
[Nintendo - Super NES - 1992]

Often imitated, rarely duplicated. Super Mario Kart is a series that has spawned so many games in this genre, in fact, the game created the "kart" genre. While the newer 3-D Mario Kart releases are ok, they seem to lack the challenge of the classic Super NES edition. The 150cc cup is still some of the toughest racing around. Plus, we can't forget the multiplayer batle mode, which also kind of started the idea that there was room for multiplayer games and modes in the market.

R4: Ridge Racer Type 4
[Namco - PlayStation - 1999]

Ridge Racer Type 4, R4 for short, is the best game in the series, as well as one of the best racing games made. Although the graphics aren't as sharp today, R4 really did push the PS1 hardware as hard as it could. On top of that, the racing was tight, and the grand prix mode had some story elements to make the game a little more interesting. While I wish there were more GP modes thrown in, it's still fun to try and unlock every car the game has to offer (and there's a lot). It also takes a bit of skill to do so as well, you have to know what to place to get a new car or an engine upgrade. On top of that, R4 has one of the best original soundtracks ever done for a video game.

F-Zero
[Nintendo - Super NES - 1991]

F-Zero was a pretty unique game when it hit the shelves as one of the first Super NES titles on debut. The look was different to what we've seen in the past. Presented in a pseudo-3D stlye, in which you can move your vehicle 360 degrees, it was different from the isometric (RC Pro Am) or limited-range of movement racers of the past (like OutRun). F-Zero was also about speed as well, and as a futuristic racing game, it should be fast. Fun, challenging and fast, that pretty much sums up F-Zero. And if it weren't for F-Zero, we wouldn't have the WipeOut or Extreme-G series.

Sonic The Hedgehog II
[Sega - Genesis - 1992]

Before I had a Genesis, I would play with the other kids that had one (including my brother's rat-faced friend). And if they had Sonic II, that was pretty much the only game I would play. That's pretty much how it is for me today. Like with the Sonic Mega Collection on the Gamecube, Sonic II is pretty much the only game I would play. I think the reason why I enjoyed the game so much is because Sega got the formula right. It felt tighter and faster than the first Sonic, and the stages were a lot larger and contained a lot more secret areas. Sonic II is still just as fun to play today as it did over 10 years ago, which is more than we can say for the current Sonic offerings.

Take Me To Chapter 8, #22-12

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