Top 50 Video Games of All-Time...
10. Baseball Mogul (Series)
Platform: PC
Year Released: 1999-2009
Publisher: Sports Mogul
Est. Hours Played: 200+
Why It Made The List: I decided to put the Baseball Mogul series as a whole on the list rather than an individual year because it's basically been the same game for 10 years, just each year gives a new add-on, stat feature, expansion, etc. For those unaware, Baseball Mogul is a PC baseball simulator. I have bought ever iteration over the past 10 years. Baseball Mogul 09, 08, and 07 were the last three PC games I bought. That's how important it is to me. For baseball fans, I would say definitely give it a shot. At $20, you don't have much to lose. To give you an example of what can be done: you can start a career with the 1900 Boston Red Sox, and play 200+ seasons, incorporating new players as they would have come into the league in a rookie draft. So you could draft A-Rod in 1993, Greg Maddux in 1982, hell even draft Willie Mays in 1951. You get the chance to re-write history how you see fit.
Year Released: 1999-2009
Publisher: Sports Mogul
Est. Hours Played: 200+
Why It Made The List: I decided to put the Baseball Mogul series as a whole on the list rather than an individual year because it's basically been the same game for 10 years, just each year gives a new add-on, stat feature, expansion, etc. For those unaware, Baseball Mogul is a PC baseball simulator. I have bought ever iteration over the past 10 years. Baseball Mogul 09, 08, and 07 were the last three PC games I bought. That's how important it is to me. For baseball fans, I would say definitely give it a shot. At $20, you don't have much to lose. To give you an example of what can be done: you can start a career with the 1900 Boston Red Sox, and play 200+ seasons, incorporating new players as they would have come into the league in a rookie draft. So you could draft A-Rod in 1993, Greg Maddux in 1982, hell even draft Willie Mays in 1951. You get the chance to re-write history how you see fit.
9. College Hoops 2K6
Platform: PS2
Year Released: 2005
Publisher: 2K Sports
Est. Hours Played: 125-150
Why It Made The List: To give you an idea of how enthralled I was with 2K6, my college roommate and I each had a Microsoft Access Database compiling the stats for every season, player, and recruit that played for "our" teams in the career mode. I went through 4 careers. That's 160 years of recruiting, team management, and the occasional playing of games, all while logging every stat from every player. Sadly, after 2K6, the next two versions of the game (2K7 and 2K8) focused too much time on the mundane tasks associated, leaving you with a season that could take up to 4 hours to complete. 2K6 had the perfect balance of features, level of involvement, and time spent (I could blow through a season as quickly as 45 minutes in 2K6).
Year Released: 2005
Publisher: 2K Sports
Est. Hours Played: 125-150
Why It Made The List: To give you an idea of how enthralled I was with 2K6, my college roommate and I each had a Microsoft Access Database compiling the stats for every season, player, and recruit that played for "our" teams in the career mode. I went through 4 careers. That's 160 years of recruiting, team management, and the occasional playing of games, all while logging every stat from every player. Sadly, after 2K6, the next two versions of the game (2K7 and 2K8) focused too much time on the mundane tasks associated, leaving you with a season that could take up to 4 hours to complete. 2K6 had the perfect balance of features, level of involvement, and time spent (I could blow through a season as quickly as 45 minutes in 2K6).
8. LittleBigPlanet
Platform: PS3
Year Released: 2008
Publisher: SCEE
Est. Hours Played: 50 and growing
Why It Made The List: Because it was the first game in a long while that did nothing but make me smile. Using nothing but a d-pad and 2 buttons, Media Molecule were able to create the most adorable game since the original Super Mario Bros. The ability to join friends online and complete levels with your own customized sackboys just added fuel to the fire. The very notion of a sequel to LittleBigPlanet just makes me laugh, because there is honestly no need (Ed. Note: Now that LBP2 has been announced, totally pumped with new features being incorporated. C'est la vie). This game on its own can live on with user-created levels and the occasional DLC levels like the Metal Gear Solid pack or Water pack.
Year Released: 2008
Publisher: SCEE
Est. Hours Played: 50 and growing
Why It Made The List: Because it was the first game in a long while that did nothing but make me smile. Using nothing but a d-pad and 2 buttons, Media Molecule were able to create the most adorable game since the original Super Mario Bros. The ability to join friends online and complete levels with your own customized sackboys just added fuel to the fire. The very notion of a sequel to LittleBigPlanet just makes me laugh, because there is honestly no need (Ed. Note: Now that LBP2 has been announced, totally pumped with new features being incorporated. C'est la vie). This game on its own can live on with user-created levels and the occasional DLC levels like the Metal Gear Solid pack or Water pack.
7. Tony LaRussa Baseball 3: '96 Edition
Platform: PC
Year Released: 1996
Publisher: StormFront Studios.
Est. Hours Played: 150-200
Why It Made The List: Oh, man. Where to begin? Considering the baseball games that I played before it were NES or SNES games, having the ability to use licensed MLB players in a full-season (or career) mode was something that I never experienced before. I strongly state that without TLB3, I would not be a baseball fan today. It kept comprehensive stats in every thinkable way season after season. It updated an all-time leaderboard, so when Albert Belle jacked 81 homers in a year (which he often did), the leaderboards updated. The part that made this a great game into an iconic game was the ability to import the game "Old Time Baseball", also developed by StormFront, into the game. That meant you could import all of the classic player and stadiums into the already amazing 96 edition. Start the season off with a "Fantasy Draft" and you can select Bob Gibson, Matt Williams, Mordecai Brown, and Josh Gibson (Old Time featured a Negro-League All-Stars team) and have your home field as the Polo Grounds. I got this game originally in 1996, but I was still playing it when I went off to college in 2002.
Year Released: 1996
Publisher: StormFront Studios.
Est. Hours Played: 150-200
Why It Made The List: Oh, man. Where to begin? Considering the baseball games that I played before it were NES or SNES games, having the ability to use licensed MLB players in a full-season (or career) mode was something that I never experienced before. I strongly state that without TLB3, I would not be a baseball fan today. It kept comprehensive stats in every thinkable way season after season. It updated an all-time leaderboard, so when Albert Belle jacked 81 homers in a year (which he often did), the leaderboards updated. The part that made this a great game into an iconic game was the ability to import the game "Old Time Baseball", also developed by StormFront, into the game. That meant you could import all of the classic player and stadiums into the already amazing 96 edition. Start the season off with a "Fantasy Draft" and you can select Bob Gibson, Matt Williams, Mordecai Brown, and Josh Gibson (Old Time featured a Negro-League All-Stars team) and have your home field as the Polo Grounds. I got this game originally in 1996, but I was still playing it when I went off to college in 2002.
6. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Platform: PS2
Year Released: 2004
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Est. Hours Played: 60-80
Why It Made The List: The finest hour in the GTA franchise in my opinion. While GTA IV was the most realistic in the franchise, San Andreas was the most fun. When you take away the parachute in GTA IV, you take away about 15 hours of gameplay from me right there. Launching vehicles off the top of the mountain, only to bail and parachute your way down the the town below never got old. Adding the RPG element to the character-building of CJ (running more increases your stamina, weightlifting adds muscle, eating junk food adds fat, etc) made you appreciate your character even more. I have no evidence to back this up, but the story arc in GTA:SA seemed much longer than in GTAIV. It felt like months from the time I was introduced to CJ to the time I was careening around in a jet pack at Area 51. Another stellar soundtrack and great voice acting from the likes of Sam Jackson, James Woods, and even Andy Dick, were just some of the reasons why this game almost made my neighbor fail out of college due to his addiction with it.
Year Released: 2004
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Est. Hours Played: 60-80
Why It Made The List: The finest hour in the GTA franchise in my opinion. While GTA IV was the most realistic in the franchise, San Andreas was the most fun. When you take away the parachute in GTA IV, you take away about 15 hours of gameplay from me right there. Launching vehicles off the top of the mountain, only to bail and parachute your way down the the town below never got old. Adding the RPG element to the character-building of CJ (running more increases your stamina, weightlifting adds muscle, eating junk food adds fat, etc) made you appreciate your character even more. I have no evidence to back this up, but the story arc in GTA:SA seemed much longer than in GTAIV. It felt like months from the time I was introduced to CJ to the time I was careening around in a jet pack at Area 51. Another stellar soundtrack and great voice acting from the likes of Sam Jackson, James Woods, and even Andy Dick, were just some of the reasons why this game almost made my neighbor fail out of college due to his addiction with it.
5. Gran Turismo 4
Platform: PS2
Year Released: 2005
Publisher: SCE
Est. Hours Played: 100-150
Why It Made The List: It's the only PS2 game that I never sold and still have in my collection. Even thinking about getting this game to 100% makes my thumbs hurt. 700+ cars, 50+ tracks, and graphics that make you wonder if it's game or reality. The introduction of B-Spec mode helped with some of those Endurance Races, but before any of you go criticizing me for "simming" races, I still completed the 24-hour Nurburgring race damnit! The only downside of GT4 was it's greatness. It's been almost 5 years since we've had a new full GT game (don't get me started on Prologue), and I honestly don't think I can wait much longer.
Year Released: 2005
Publisher: SCE
Est. Hours Played: 100-150
Why It Made The List: It's the only PS2 game that I never sold and still have in my collection. Even thinking about getting this game to 100% makes my thumbs hurt. 700+ cars, 50+ tracks, and graphics that make you wonder if it's game or reality. The introduction of B-Spec mode helped with some of those Endurance Races, but before any of you go criticizing me for "simming" races, I still completed the 24-hour Nurburgring race damnit! The only downside of GT4 was it's greatness. It's been almost 5 years since we've had a new full GT game (don't get me started on Prologue), and I honestly don't think I can wait much longer.
4. Resident Evil 4
Platform: PS2
Year Released: 2005
Publisher: Capcom
Est. Hours Played: 40-50
Why It Made The List: One of the most enjoyable single-player experiences I have ever had in gaming. The combination of action, thriller, horror, and puzzler genres all rolled into one masterpiece, RE4 is the high-point of the franchise. It also contained some of the scariest, god-damned, enemies ever. The PS2 exclusive bonus "challenge" levels were insanely fun. Just an all-out survival fest, seeing how long you could last with hordes of baddies trying to chase you down.
Year Released: 2005
Publisher: Capcom
Est. Hours Played: 40-50
Why It Made The List: One of the most enjoyable single-player experiences I have ever had in gaming. The combination of action, thriller, horror, and puzzler genres all rolled into one masterpiece, RE4 is the high-point of the franchise. It also contained some of the scariest, god-damned, enemies ever. The PS2 exclusive bonus "challenge" levels were insanely fun. Just an all-out survival fest, seeing how long you could last with hordes of baddies trying to chase you down.
3. Tecmo Super Bowl
Platform: NES
Year Released: 1991
Publisher: Tecmo
Est. Hours Played: 125-150
Why It Made The List: When I first started playing Tecmo Super Bowl, I would do the standard of selecting 1 maybe 2 teams to control as I played through a season. I quickly learned this wasn't enough. After 2 seasons, I found that if you controlled ALL of the teams, and just selected what team you wanted to be for each game, you could have a LOT more fun! Having the ability to call specific plays and even change your playbook to get rid of those shitty draws helped you customize your strategy for your specific team. Even though you could exploit the CPU with the zig-zags of Barry or Bo, or plowing through with Christian Okoye, it was still fun just to see how massive of numbers you could put up.
Year Released: 1991
Publisher: Tecmo
Est. Hours Played: 125-150
Why It Made The List: When I first started playing Tecmo Super Bowl, I would do the standard of selecting 1 maybe 2 teams to control as I played through a season. I quickly learned this wasn't enough. After 2 seasons, I found that if you controlled ALL of the teams, and just selected what team you wanted to be for each game, you could have a LOT more fun! Having the ability to call specific plays and even change your playbook to get rid of those shitty draws helped you customize your strategy for your specific team. Even though you could exploit the CPU with the zig-zags of Barry or Bo, or plowing through with Christian Okoye, it was still fun just to see how massive of numbers you could put up.
2. Rock Band 2 (Platform)
Platform: PS3
Year Released: 2008
Publisher: MTV Games
Est. Hours Played: 500+
Why It Made The List: When Rock Band 2 came out, the "Rock Band" name quickly became a platform, not just a single game. With import capabilities, DLC, and track packs, there was no way for me to define it as a game, therefore I am counting the entire Rock Band platform as one spot on this list (hence the 500+ hours played). As a music lover, it's hard for me to even look at this as a game, but rather a new way to experience the music I love. With over 600 songs owned and thousands of dollars spent, Harmonix has earned a customer for life. I wasn't even a huge Beatles fan, but still bought the Beatles:Rock Band bundle. 5-6 hour "jam sessions" are not uncommon on the weekends. As with College Hoops 2K6, keeping an updated spreadsheet of every score on every instrument keeps the game from going stale (even though without the spreadsheet, it still wouldn't go stale). It's easy to imagine this eventually overtaking the #1 spot, but until then....
Year Released: 2008
Publisher: MTV Games
Est. Hours Played: 500+
Why It Made The List: When Rock Band 2 came out, the "Rock Band" name quickly became a platform, not just a single game. With import capabilities, DLC, and track packs, there was no way for me to define it as a game, therefore I am counting the entire Rock Band platform as one spot on this list (hence the 500+ hours played). As a music lover, it's hard for me to even look at this as a game, but rather a new way to experience the music I love. With over 600 songs owned and thousands of dollars spent, Harmonix has earned a customer for life. I wasn't even a huge Beatles fan, but still bought the Beatles:Rock Band bundle. 5-6 hour "jam sessions" are not uncommon on the weekends. As with College Hoops 2K6, keeping an updated spreadsheet of every score on every instrument keeps the game from going stale (even though without the spreadsheet, it still wouldn't go stale). It's easy to imagine this eventually overtaking the #1 spot, but until then....