Ah another year older, well guys today its my 24th birthday and i decided to commemorate my birthday by listing my favorite games ever (and everyone seems to be doing a list of theirs as well lately anyway 
). Ive been gaming for quite some time and there have been many games that have come and gone but i feel these ones stood out more for me.Although its been a while since I've played some of these so forgive me for forgetting some details about them, but i still remember the affect they had on me when i played them. A few will also have my favorite piece of music from each game so give those a listen too when you get a chance. Thanks for reading guys
Top Ten Favorite Games Ever
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10. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Platform: Gameboy Advance
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: January 10, 2005
This is a zelda game that is very under appreciated in my opinion, but i found it to be one of the best. It has awesome 2D visuals that create a fantastic world for link to explore, and he can explore it in more ways than one. The world of the minish people was crafted very well and the story behind the game was just as awesome. This game does everything that A link to the past did right but even better from its music to its exploration etc. Exploring a smaller unseen world was very cool, and the kinstone system was implemented well which added plenty of side-quests to keep you busy. Although the game is very short it is great the entire time and anyone who owns a GBA and is a zelda fan should check this game out, its definitely a great entry into the series.
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9. Oddworld: Strangers Wrath
Platform: Xbox
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: January 25, 2005
A strange game as the name implies, although its different for all the right reasons. As a bounty hunter aptly named "stranger" you set out to claim bounties on scum across the land, all the while saving up for a mysterious surgery. The world in this game is truly unique and it completely sucked me in the more i played it, its very dark and organic but the characters within it have a good sense of humor. Using live creatures as ammo added quite a twist on the word live ammo but they all worked well and cohesively created a combat system that mixed first person shooting with third person melee and a bit of stealth in certain areas. The developers of this game (oddworld inhabitants) always deliver top notch stories that usually have clever undertones that imply the dangers of pollution and other problems that we face in the real world. Yet again this is a severely overlooked game that caught my attention and became one of my favorite games ever.
Favorite Theme: Fighting Outlaws
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8. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
Platform: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: April 16, 1998
Although this choice may seem odd to some I happen to like this under appreciated game quite a bit. This is a fantastic game about ninjas in a comical cartoon version of japan. Taking a note from zelda and mario games Mystical Ninja takes the best parts of both by having plenty of platforming and also dungeon exploration along with the ability to acquire new weapons and abilities. You can play as four different ninjas (Goemon, Sasuke, Ebisumaru, and Yae) on their journey to save the land from the evil group known as the peach mountain shoguns who apparently want to turn the world into their own personal concert stage. Throughout the game you can traverse a massive overworld where you can uncover many secrets and meet many characters that will aid or inhibit your progress (especially one guy who tries to rob you every time you walk by him). At first i had overlooked this game but when my cousins convinced me to rent it i was hooked and i loved every comedic moment in the game, it even has a laugh track in the background One of the games best aspects though is its music which sounds authentically Japanese but very upbeat and memorable for every area which adds to the atmosphere.
Favorite Theme : Gourmet Submarine Castle Medley
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7. Shadow of the Colossus
Platform: Playstation 2
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date: October 18, 2005
A game that many people love is one i also happen to enjoy quite a bit. A testament to the ps2's fantastic library SOTC is one its best and rightfully so. Taking down massive creatures feels so realistic and poetic at the same time since its done so well. While there isn't much story it isn't really a problem because the world and the creatures are just so fantastic. With booming music and enormous odds you must take down 16 colossi as a young man with nothing but his horse and his sword (arrows too). Despite being a rather short game it makes every moment memorable and one you'll never forget.
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6. Super Mario 64
Platform: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: September 26, 1996
Mario's Jump to 3D is one that has had an impact that will never disappear. Other than the fact that every 3D platformer owes everything to mario 64, nintendo blew my mind with this game. It improved upon everything while maintaining what made mario games good to begin with. Getting every star in this game became an obsession and each new stage offered a variety of challenges that i couldn't wait to meet and exceed. Although the camera was wonky at times the controls were as tight and precise as ever. Fighting bowser was one of the highlights of this game for me, i mean how can you not have a smile on your face when swinging bowser around by his tail for the first time in all of Mario 64's 3D goodness (that's right you cant ).
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5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Subsistence
Platform: Playstation 2
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: March 14, 2006
My favorite PS2 game ever MGS3 is a game that made me realize that game characters can still be very complex and creative even after all these years. As Naked Snake you are sent to the Russian jungle for your next mission "virtuous mission", and what unfolds is a fantastic story the likes of which you have never seen. Before this game I was never much of a fan of stealth games but this game changed my views completely, it was just so much fun trying to figure out the best way to attack a situation instead of running in there guns a blazing like most other games. The game has some of the best boss fights I've ever experienced and they are each interesting and important parts of the story. Snakes relationship with the boss and the other characters really made me sympathize with the character more so than any other character ever. The writing is great and it weaves a complex story of espionage and international warfare while adding some fantasy within it to keep things interesting. And I don't want to ruin anything for anyone who hasn't played the game but the ending of this game was one of the most meaningful endings in any game i have ever played, and its something ill never forget.
Favorite Theme: MGS Main Theme
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4. Final Fantasy VII
Platform: Playstation
Publisher: Square
Release Date: September 7, 1997
As you all know FF7 is a landmark entry for the series and signified its first entry into 3D, and it also made RPG's mainstream. I can still remember the day i bought it too, i had reserved it at sears and i was so excited to pick it up. I knew the game would be good but little did i know how much I would like it. With fully CG cutscenes this game had a presence like no other and as a kid this blew my mind. Its characters were interesting and very different from anything i had seen before and their world seemed limitless in its potential. This was the very first time i actually cared about the characters in a game, and i couldn't wait to see what lied ahead of them on their journey. Sephiroth the main villain struck a very serous cord that no villain in my experience had before, his actions elevated him to a more than just a normal villain which made him something different rather than just a bad guy and more interesting as well (hence my screen name). Although the game has not aged very well i still love every bit of it from its music to all of its memorable moments. And with the many spin offs Square enix has pretty much saturated the market with its FF7 offerings which has also gained the game many haters. But I will always enjoy the game and it remains to this day my favorite RPG ever, haters begone
Favorite Theme: Main Theme/ World Map Theme 1
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3. Super Mario Bros. 3
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: February 12, 1990
Possibly the greatest Platforming game I've ever played mario 3 has always been one of my fondest gaming memories. The jump from 2 to 3 was enormous and the amount of memorabilia and stuff you would see in magazines was incredible for the time, its just one of those things where you just had to be there to experience it. First off the introduction of so many power ups/ suits was awesome, i especially liked the frog suit even though its rather hard to deal with outside of water. The overworld and multiple paths was something i had never seen before and it made each play through very unique. To this day i still play this game and enjoy the quirky worlds and suits, and i always will.
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2. Super Mario Bros.
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: October 18, 1985
I had a very difficult time deciding what mario game I liked more, Mario 3 or Mario 1? But in the end I felt I had to put Super Mario Bros. above all other mario games. As with most people this was my first gaming experience, no other game will ever match what this game means to me except maybe number 1 . I beat this game when i was 3 years old and i used to play it till i got blisters on my fingers (no lie), it has had a profound effect on me, and it has changed my life forever. It introduced me to the world of gaming and as a child it took my imagination to places i couldn't even dream of. With tight controls and excellent platforming this game is in my opinion the cornerstone of all gaming and it shaped platforming games for years to come.
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1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Platform: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: November 23, 1998
As if you all didn't see this coming a mile away What can I say about this game that hasn't already been said before, i mean its awesome in every way imaginable. From the scope of the quests to the people/friends and weapons you will gain on the journey. This game came out at a very good time in my life and the memories of playing it and enjoying every minute of it will be with me forever. I even got a tattoo to commemorate this game and the time in my life when it was released. The music is my favorite soundtrack ever, every song is memorable and perfect for setting the tone and ambiance of the area. The Ocarina was implemented great with link learning new themes from characters hes met and the way it was used as a key element of the game, and traveling between time was when the game went from awesome to legendary for me. Nintendo has always made quality games but this game for me is truly gaming nirvana, i don't think any game will ever dethrone it as my favorite. I could go on about the game for days but I think you get the point.
Comments
seens the number one from a mile away since you didnt put super mario bros first
That's also a nice list!
After seeing your game list. It made me want to buy an XBOX so I could play some XBOX only games.
BTW,Happy Birthday
"Gotta go and...bag Jo Momma...hehe." Oh my god that was probably my favorite quote from Stranger in that game.
The simple fact he laughs after he says just makes it so much more awesome.
Ooooh, nice list, nice list. It's good you have Final Fantasy VII there. So is Super Mario Bros, and 64. Good hehe
mystical ninja was a good game. i have fond memories of playing it with my friend at the time. we had no memory card, so we just played non-stop for the whole day, trying to get to the end. it's a bit of a japanese epic. konami should remake it, because the original was not perfect my any means.
happy bday, by the way. ;-)
@siLVURcross - yea they appear on pretty much everyones list
@Kid_Black_Star - haha yup
@Desulated - Thank you
@EpiphoneMan2008 - I had a feeling you would
@Kleeyook - yea there are a few good xbox only games but they usually got overshadowed by other games unfortunately
@Vyse_Legends - lol i forgot about that line, yea he did have some funny dialog. and the characters had pretty funny names too like fatty mc boom boom
@TriEdgeFury26 - You should definitely give it a try, while its not as good or refined as the new zelda games it is really good if you consider the time when it came out.
@Brianfox1, @LuigiRulze, @GrandCross21, @blackwingzero - Thanks guys
@eternalcube - yes indeed it does
@asian_pride69 - Yup Im pretty ancient
and i really feel my age among some of you guys, but its all good. And yes i couldnt make this list without FF7 or Mario 64.
@reo-117 ,@Nintenkid49 , @chocolate1325 - Thanks guys, i appreciate it
@MissMorphine - Thanks, and its ok i know alot of people haven't played some of these games, there's always time to check em out though.
Thanks again for all the great comments guys, i wanted to make the blog longer but i exceeded the amount of letters that can be used in one so i had to cut out a few things as well as the songs for mario 1 and 3
That was a nice list to read and I am surprised by some of those choices, but I love surprises. That Top 3 you chose is awesome!
I loved Minish Cap for its visuals, quests and creativity, but as you said it is too short for me to consider it one of the best Zelda games.
Even though phantom hourglass technically has better graphics then minish cap, i still like the look of MC a lot more.
Still have to get shadow of the collosus though. Sounds pretty epic.
@Pierst179 - Gerudo Valley just stands out as one of the best songs in any game as far as im concerned, it fits the area so well and adds to the atomosphere. Thanks, yea some of my choices are curve balls but they were unique enough for them to be very memorable, and my top 3 are ones that im pretty sure will never be outdone (although you never know). Yea I agree Minish Cap's biggest flaw is its length, but within its short play time i found it to be very enjoyable and one of those games that leaves you wanting more but at the same time youll be satisfied with the ending and the entire quest, its definitely underestimated by many people in favor of other zelda games.
@thomassmash - thanks, yea strangers wrath is truly a hidden gem among xbox games
@DaViD_99 - Phantom Hourglass did look good for a handheld game but it lacked the kind of atomosphere that Minish cap had, although to tell you the truth i just didnt care for Phantom Hourglass very much to begin with. It's a good game don't get me wrong, but i just dont think it succeeds as a zelda game and it just felt very flat IMO. Glad you enjoyed Minish Cap as much as i did though
@bugbag - thanks, yup gotta love shadow of the colossus
@Jessicasagitta - thank you very much
@unknown37 - thanks
@SquareEnixFan13 - you should definitely get to playing ocarina of time
, and thanks @Katzenbalger - thank you, its rare to find another Mystical Ninja fan *pulls out conch shell and summons impact*, *impact theme music begins to play* It was a great game indeed
Also, you deserve a pat on the back for your list. Amazing games are amazing.
I've just had mine too ^_____^
I hope you had a really great day, sir! Oh, and I like your list of games, too! I've actually played most of them, too. Which is unusual. Usually people make lists like this and I haven't even heard of half the games.
Happy birthday. You can never go wrong with Zelda, haha. I can't believe that I haven't played FFVII yet ... it irritates me! Heheh, and I forgot about that Ninja game for the N64 
That game was fun!
And happy birthday!
heavenboy666