3 - Diddy Kong Racing

Diddy Kong Racing was my first N64 game, and one of the games I’ve dedicated more hours to, so of course this third spot in my list is, based a lot on nostalgia. Yes, Mario Kart 64 multiplayer, especially the battle mode, is unbeatable, although I had very good times playing with three friends, but the adventure mode alone, which provided a real sense of progress for the solo players, is enough to make DKR the definitive arcade racing in the 64 bit console. Three different vehicles, lively tracks with different paths, a story mode which borrowed many characteristics from Rare’s platformers, among them the overworld, and, of course, a wonderful soundtrack (I still find myself humming some of the tracks).

Unlike Mario Kart, the “fixed” power-up system (you’d always find the same power-ups (attack, defense, speed or magnet) in the same place), a tricky course design and the absence of a “lakitu” that rescues when you if you fall, made luck less decisive, making multiplayer less thrilling, but it gave the game a more strategic stance and encouraged the player to improve and continue playing until knowing every little detail of every course.

2 - Super Mario Bros 3

Super Mario Bros 3 took everything that made Super Mario Bros great and brought it to the next level. Not only scope of this game was mind-blowing, but it was perfectly executed. The world map, the Mario Bros minigame for two players, the infamous sun level, the magic flute, the flying ship levels, the 8^th World, with its dark map, the wonderful gameplay, the graphics… Super Mario bros 3 made things that I thought impossible before.

Didn't LoD stand for 'Lord of Destruction'?

#2: This game introduced the slide.

Nice, I got one.

Mega Man 3

Yep:)

Time for some Honourable mentions now that my #2 game has been guessed.

These are 20 more games that gave me a lot of fun over the years. Some have even been quite important for their help in the development of my gaming life, or for me personally. Then some have a huge nostalgic, sentemental value. They could enter the main list every now and then, but mostly, like this year, they would hover just above. Needless to say, they are all excellent and fully deserve to be mentioned.

• Age of Empires, Real-Time Strategy, Windows PC, 1997
• Age of Mythology, Real-Time Strategy, Windows PC, 2002
• Banjo-Kazooie, 3D Platformer, N64, 1998
• Blast Corps, Puzzle-Action, N64, 1997
• Empire: Total War, Turn-Based Strategy, Windows PC, 2009
• Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Strategic Role-Playing, GBA/3DS, 2005
• The Legend of Zelda, Adventure, NES, 1987
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Adventure, Wii, 2011
• Medieval II: Total War, Turn-Based Strategy, Windows PC, 2006
• Pong, Arcade Sports, Various, 1972
• SimCity 2000, Construction & Business Management, Mac OS, 1994
• Soccer, Sports, NES, 1987
• Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, First-Person Shooter, Windows PC, 2000
• Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Real-Time Strategy, Windows PC, 2001
• Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, Third-Person Shooter, N64, 1997
• Super Mario 3D Land, 3D Platformer, 3DS, 2011
• Tekken 3, Fighting, PlayStation, 1998
• Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Adventure, PlayStation 3, 2011
• Virtua Tennis, Sports, Dreamcast, 2000
• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, Real-Time Strategy, Windows PC, 2002

Hint #2 - Your rival is the son of the former leader of this mafia group.

2 Hint: At some point you can pay a guy and his dog to slay enemies.

#2 The Legend of Dragoon

The Legend of Dragoon is a game that deserved so much more than it got. The story and characters were memorable, the battle system had a great unique twist to it with the combo system and the graphics were very good for the time. Had it not been for the average at best voice acting and numerous mistakes in the translated script, this would be a near perfect game in my eyes. I have played video games for over 25 years, and only one game has ever surpassed this one. 

And here's a hint for my #1 game of all time:

If you've read my articles recently you know exactly what game this is. If not, its a game that in many ways was intended as an homage for the entire series that came before it.