Since the beginning of time, it would probably go something like this:
-Pac Man (Arcade): When the game released back on Smarch 31, 1374 (I may have gotten the date wrong), it was a phenomenon. There were news stories, songs, movies--Pacman Fever was a very real thing and I was infected. Half of my class died from it. It was horrible.
-Super Mario Bros. 3 (Nes): For a while, video games were sort of unique. Every one of them was kinda new but when all was said and done, they were just games. Super Mario 3 was no ordinary game. My bro and I tackled it one weekend with our Nintendo Power strategy guide in hand. Every level and every world just kept getting more and more epic. Mario and Luigi seemed like they were in over their heads but they just kept pressing on. When those credits rolled, my bro and I were no longer game boys. We were game men.
-F-Zero (Super Nes): When I saw this game running in person, it was like looking into the future. The 3D perspective and how smoothly it looked just seemed like the pinnacle of human achievement to me. Graphics would never get any better.....
-Starfox (Super Nes): ....until one day, graphics DID get better. Those crude polygons on that SNES cartridge immersed me in the world of Starfox like I couldn't believe. Not only was I moving in 3D space, it FELT like I was moving in 3D. I knew it was some sort of breakthrough.
-Donkey Kong Country (Super Nes) gave me a similar feeling but in 2D space. The animations, the music, the gameplay. Even with the PS1 and Saturn arriving soon, it seemed like the old Super Nes was delivering a better experience with half the power.
-Chrono Trigger (Super Nes): Probably the first JRPG I ever played. I never experienced a story so deep in a video game. The time travel mechanics were superb. Plant a tree in the past. A forest was there in the future. Still one of my go-to games when I'm looking to get away.
-Super Mario World (N64): Super Mario World. Nuff said.
-Wave Race (N64): Maybe a month after being blown away by my new hardware, it happened again. The water in Wave Race was such a sight to behold and the game played as well as it looked. The graphics and tech didn't take a back seat to the fun. I would just ride around Dolphin Park looking at the water and smiling.
-Tekken 2 (PS1): After a while, good N64 games were releasing few and far between. Meanwhile my neighbor had come from the military with a PS1 and Tekken 2. The character animations were so smooth and the CGI was jaw dropping! I went to purchase my PS1 almost immediately after. Even had Tomb Raider and Resident Evil paid for before I even got the system! Speaking of which....
-Resident Evil (PS1): Was unlike anything I experienced before. The gore, the tension, the graphics, the camera angles--It felt like I was playing a movie. I didn't know what I was getting into but by the time I finished the game, my idea of what a game could be was shattered forever.
-Metal Gear Solid (PS1): Had a similar effect. I always liked cinematic games since the time I played Ninja Gaiden on the Nes. I was also a fan of the Nes games (Yes, even Snake's Revenge. I didn't know it was supposed to suck!), too. This game gave me a sense of emotion that I'd never felt before. When Sniper Wolf died, I could almost feel tears building up...but I didn't cry.
This things, getting long. I'll just say:
-Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time (N64)
-Soul Calibur (DC)
-Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2)
-Call of Duty 4 (360)
-Medal of Honor (PS1)
-Street Fighter 2 (Arcade)
-Mario Kart (SNES)
-Sonic The Hedgehog (Genesis)
-Gears of War (360)
-Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube)
-Skyward Sword (Wii)
-Metroid Prime (GC)
-Heavy Rain (PS3)
-Eternal Darkness (GC)
And I'm sure there are others. And what do ya know? No Pikmin 3. Hmm. I guess my OP was wrong. Maybe Pikmin 3 was the last "Great game" I played and not a game that blew me away. I did defy expectations, though. Anyway, this whole thread was basically a response to the old guy who wasn't "Blown away" by inFamous: Second Son. Maybe it didn't blow him away but games that blow you away don't come along all of the time. They're special moments. It can still be a good/great game and not blow you away. Don't walk into it looking to be blown away. Walk into a new game looking to have fun. If it blows your mind, that's even better.
