Chapter 5: 55-45

Stunt Race FX
[Nintendo - Super NES - 1994]

While this isn't as a glamourous looking game today, it was a pretty big thing (at least to me) to hit the Super NES since Star Fox. Stunt Race FX marks as the first true 3-D racing game that is actually fun and engaging to play. When SRFX debuted, I had never seen or played any game like this at the time, where there was some actual geometry, elevation changes and pretty much everything we see in today's racing games. On top of the standard racing events, there were stunt courses, in which you needed to collect stars scattered about in an arena full of challenges. Stunt Race FX may not seem like an impresive game now, it is one that started my love for the racing genre.

Vegas Stakes
[Nintendo - SNES/GB - 1993/95]

There has yet to be a casino game released that has the same level of depth and fun Vegas Stakes has, at least in my opinion. The one thing that seperates this game from the other casino games made is the role-playing element, the interaction with other people with pleads and propositions that can affect your bankroll. This is the only casino game I've played that doesn't make you feel like you're alone in the casino you're attending. It would be great to see Nintendo update this franchise, and maybe even actually secure licenses from real Vegas casinos and resorts for a more genuine feel.

Donkey Kong Country
[Nintendo - Super NES - 1994]

Donkey Kong Country's debut was nothing short of a revolution. For years, platform games were pretty much relegated to hand-drawn 2-D sprites. Then Rare introduced a technique that would drastically change the landscape of how games looked called Advanced Computer Modeling (ACM). A better word would be "pre-rendered" sprite, as that is actually what they are. But this look was unlike anything we've seen in video games past. The visuals had much more depth than a typical flat 2-D sprite. After DKC's debut, the ACM-like games started rolling out more and more. This influence is even seen in Capcom's Resident Evil series, as the backgrounds are pre-rendered. Oh, I forgot to mention, DKC had some pretty good gameplay to boot, with plenty of stages and secrets.

Super Mario Bros. 2
[Nintendo - NES - 1988]

Super Mario Bros. 2 is kind of the "dark horse" of the Mario series. It's not because it was bad, but because the design was much more different than what we saw in the first and future SMB titles. The stages had more of an open-ended design to them, where there was a lot more exploration to be found than the original SMB. Also, the roles of some of the characters changed. For one, Princess Toadstool (Peach) has an active role, as well as Toad. And Bowser and the Koopas are nowhere to be found. This adventure may have been tough to accept at first, but it is still a classic.

San Francisco Rush
[Atari Games/Midway - Arcade/N64 - 1996/97]

When I first played SF Rush on the N64, I didn't like it that much. Maybe it was because that the handling was tougher than say, Cruisn' USA or Mario Kart 64, or maybe I just didn't realize there was more to this game than racing. Upon playing the game more, I realized that there was a lot to discover in this game, from the shortcuts to the keys hidden all over the city (the arcade version doesn't include the keys, just to note), and the overall insane stunt-racing aspect of the game. It just goes to show you that some games deserve a second chance. If you don't, you may miss out on a great experience.

STUN Runner
[Atari Games - Arcade - 1989]

STUN Runner was an arcade game that had the look of a slightly sharper Super FX game. It wasn't a highly remarkable game gameplay wise, it was actually a lot like Road Blasters, but I really liked the game as a kid. I remember that this one Chuck E. Cheese we used to go to a lot that had STUN Runner, and spend almost all of my tokens on that machine. Years later, I still kind of like the mindless blasting nature of the game, and I'm really looking forward for Midway finally including the game in the Arcade Treasures compilation due this fall of 2004. (Screenshot from Lynx Version, the arcade version looks sharper than the image seen).

River Raid
[Activision - Atari 2600 - 1982]

Personally, River Raid is pretty much the only Atari 2600 game worth playing. Sure, there are those who like Pitfall, as well Pong and what not. But River Raid is actually one of the more complex games on the system, due to the fuel management aspect on top of the shooting action. It's also one of the better looking games on the system (although that's not saying much).

Vigilante 8
[Activision - PS1/N64 - 1998/99]

When it comes to vehicular combat games, one series that comes to mind is the Twisted Metal series. That's fine, and all, but I'm probably one of few who enjoyed the short-live Vigilante 8 series more. On top of the combat, you had some side objectives, such as protecting or destroying a building (in fact, almost everything was destructable). But even more, the "theme" of the game was a lot more enjoyable. Every character had a great sense of personallity, and the 70's timeline sort of gave the game a more "relaxed" feel. I don't know. It was less doom and gloom, and more funk and groove.

Mega Man X
[Capcom - Super NES - 1994]

After almost 3 years, Super NES gamers finally got their first SNES Mega Man game. Mega Man X was a new type of entry into the Mega Man series. The bosses were different, the techniques were different and the feel was different. Mega Man X was a more comic-book style design rather than a cartoon. As Nintendo's system matured, so did Mega Man. While this is one of the easier games, it's design is just as solid and memorable as the early NES entries.

Metroid
[Nintendo - NES - 1986]

The original Metroid is pretty much my least favorite in the series, for a couple of reasons. One, there is no map. When Super Metroid included a map feature, it made playing the game a lot easier, and made the instances of backtracking less frequent. Two, the password. Sure, Nintendo may have made the game sound interesting by slapping on "Passord Series" on the cover, but it made continuing the game a pain in the ass. But it's hard to ignore the game's presence and influence over the years. Without Metroid, there would be no Super Metroid or Metroid Prime, and we probably would have had to wait longer for a non-linear platform game to arrive.

Metropolis Street Racer
[Sega - Dreamcast - 2000]

Does Metropolis Street Racer sound like a familiar game to you? No, well how about Project Gotham Racing? Ah, now it makes sense. MSR is the first PGR, and it made it's debut on the Dreamcast. MSR was not your typical street racer. As the game says, "it's not how fast you drive, but how you drive fast". MSR introduces the concept of adding style to your racing. By doing proper slides, clearing sections without crashing and completing a stage on a higher difficulty, you can earn "Kudos", which can unlock new stages. Another draw to MSR was it's accurate detail of the cities. Using some pretty good photo-realsitic textures gave the cities an almost realistic look. Then there's the use of the DC's internal clock which was used to provide a realsitic "time-of-day" for the city you're in. While the game has been much more refined in PGR 2, MSR still has a couple of features you still won't find in other games.

Take Me To Chapter 6, #44-34

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