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d21lewis on 24 October 2014
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The Masterpieces (at the time of their release)

  • Super Mario Bros 3 (NES):  When I first played this game, it was a mindblowing experience.  The music, the graphics, the physice (of the falling mushroom), the scope.  After finishing that game, I was sure I'd never find another experience as fulfilling.  My brother and I conquered all 8 worlds one Saturday morning.  Chomped by the Big Bass in the Water Land.  Falling to our death in the Sky Land.  Overwhelmed by the armies in Dark Land.  And when it was all done, we were grinning from ear to ear.
  • Chrono Trigger (Super NES): A game that spanned from the beginning of time to the end of time (Literally!).  Not a lot of games can do what Chrono Trigger did.  Every character had a compelling story.  The battle system was superb.  The music was sublime and the graphics were unparalleled.  Every time I played the game, there was more to discover.  In the desert, you would plant a tree in the past and a forest would be waiting for you when you arrived in the future.  To this day, still one of my fondest gaming memories.
  • Metal Gear Solid (PS1):  I was always drawn towards more cinematic gaming experiences and back in 1998, I had hit the mother load.  Metal Gear wasn't just a game.  I was the main character in a Hollywood movie.  The innovations this game provided were second to none.  The whole game was just one epic moment after another until it eventually built towards a conclusion that made my jaw drop. Some of the best boss battles, ever. Incredibly engaging.  I still play through the game on an annual basis.
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time(N64):  People look at this game and say it's overrated.  I couldn't disagree, more.  I sold my N64 back in 1997 so I missed the game when it released.  I had heard great things about it.  It wasn't until I pre-ordered Wind Waker for the GameCube that I got to experience this masterpiece.  Even knee deep in the 6th gen, the game sucked me in like I couldn't believe.  When I wasn't playing the game, I was thinking about it.  A game made with love and it showed.
  • Soul Calibur (DC):  I was always a fan of fighting games.  I used to beg my mom for a quarter so I could play one more round of Yie Ar Kung Fu.  When Street Fighter came along, I was blown away.  I considered myself a fighting game master.  Soul Blade, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, etc.  They were all heralds to the one true king.  Soul Calibur.  The balance, the depth,  the graphics, the characters.  Whether alone or against a friend, the game was virtually flawless.  It's the fighting game that other fighting games wish they were.  SCII was also great but not as impactful.  The series has gone downhill a little since the Dreamcast game but I still have fond memories.
  • Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2):  How many games suck you in so much that they can make you cry?  MGS3 did that for me.  When the game was first announced, I wasn't even excited.  That all changed when I finally got my hands on it.  This game was serious.  The stakes felt real.  The story felt personal.  When it was all said and done, Naked Snake (AKA Big Boss) was cemented in my mind as the single greatest character in gaming.
  • Super Mario Galaxy (Wii):  Another example of a game that I didn't really have high hopes for.  It took roughly two minutes of playing for me to realize that I was in the middle of something good.  The motion controls felt natural and not forced.  The music was outstanding.  All of this took a back seat to the gameplay.  Pure platforming perfection and a level of imagination that showed why Miyamoto is a gaming god.  A reminder of why I started gaming in the first place.
  • Super Street Fighter 4:  Yeah, the gimped my precious Chun Li but it's okay.  The opportunity to take my personal favorite fighting game online against all comers in a game that played like my childhood favorite on steroids?  Sign me up.  Even today, I'm always ready for a fight.  "One Match" can easily turn into a full day of playing.  Of all the games on this list, if I could just pic one to play for the rest of my life, this one would be it.  No matter how good you are, there's always room to improve.
  • Batman:  Arkham City:  Why?  Because I'm Batman!