Tell that to Tellah.

Hint for the game #11: While not the most accurate representation of a memorable decade, the atmosphere was so perfect and involving.

   12

   Anno 1602

   US Name: 1602 A.D.

   System: PC
   Genre: City-Building
   Year: 1998
   Rank last year: 13 (^ 1)

 The third game in a 1998-streak on the list is Anno 1602, one of the defining pieces of the city-building genre. Even though one of it's successors (Anno 1404, #32) made a valiant effort, the original game in the series is still the best. The game takes the player to the year 1602, at the start of the colonial era, to colonize islands and build a thriving city while providing your population with wealth and goods.

The series in popular in Europe, especially in it's native Germany, but also here in the Netherlands. I'd like to think this first game has something to do with that. It's never stated in the game, but it's probably based on my country's 'Golden Age' (late 16th century to around 1700). 1602 is the year the Dutch East India Company was formed and the maritime and trading theme is obviously what our country was all about. On top of that, the architecture of the buildings has a very 'Dutch' look.

It's not why this game is so high on the list though. As there were three games at the start of this list which ran for the title 'first game I ever played', there are also three games that could run for the title 'game I played most'. Obviously all those are somewhere in the top. This game is one of those, because I played it so much, it's combined playtime probably exceeds the lifespan of a regular pet animal. It was released in 1998, a long sixteen years ago, yet I still play this game, to this day.

Oh yeah, I forgot about him. Poor bastard. But his sacrifice was the one that impacted me the least, and it's the ONE death that is permanent =P

Game #11

During the exciting reveal of this game, something was shown that never made it to the final product due to hardware limitations, much to the disappointment of fans. That won't be a problem for a new game anymore though, and we'll finally see it's equivalent next year!

Nuts, after Peelman again! Maybe he won't see it...

Hint for #12

This game reverted back to an overhead perspective after its predecessor experimented with side-scrolling.

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Rats! Why must I click away once more .

You should change your name to Mr_YES

No one? Okay.... I'll give you something else to work with then:

that "device" is the core, the most important part of our lives, because it produces our oxygen.