Catherine Review

Catherine is a 2011 video game developed by Atlus Persona Team. This psychological horror yet romantic video game is comprised of both puzzles and dating like format it is this unique combination that helps give this game it's uniqueness and is guaranteed to be a game like no other.


Story

Catherine begins with a framing device. It starts off with a woman named Trisha introducing us to a TV show called the "Golden Playhouse" in which we follow our character Vincent Brooks, once introduced we then follow him through the TV screen and take control of him.

Vincent is surrounded in a neighborhood where residents die in their sleep due to some sort of curse, this curse only targets young men, this then spreads as rumors, as people say that those who died fell in their dreams and did not wake up before they landed, and as a result they died both in their dreams and in reality.

Vincent meets up with his girlfriend of five years Katherine McBride who drops hints that they should get married but he tries to put it off, it then fast forwards to him at the bar when a new comer named Catherine comes in and starts talking to Vincent, Catherine turns out to be his type of girl, after the gap we see that Catherine somehow got together with Vincent as she lies in bed with him.

After these incidences Vincent begins to experience rather strange nightmares that he cannot remember in the morning, it is these nightmares that he believes are the same ones all those who have died have also had, however he is not alone in this world as people from the real world have also gotten into this dimension but they all appear as sheep and think they are the only human ones present.

This is all I can really say about the story without ruining it, but even the first half an hour that I have explained is very unique and is enticing you to know more, the story for Catherine does not lose it's grasp on you, once the plot has became interesting to you it will stay like that until you have completed the game.

Gameplay

There are two main parts of this game, the nightmare stages and the bar. When Vincent is in the nightmare it consists of various floors, each floor requires Vincent to reach the top, whereas the final floor for that night will consist of a boss, but it will still involve climbing.

To climb in this part of the game players will have to push, pull and slide blocks to create a stairway to reach higher parts of the tower, however players cannot take all the time they want as the floor breaks and falls away one block layer at a time, the speed of which they fall varies on what stage you're at, some stages will have the floor fall fast while others move much more slowly, the boss is pretty much the same but you will have to out climb them, the bosses will be a lot bigger than you and will attack you doing various things, some bosses require you to stand under shelter, while others may only change blocks to make some unmovable. In between each floor in each night, you will be at a sanctuary where you can talk to the other humans/sheep there, by doing this you can learn new techniques and save some of the people's life's, after this you will go into a confessional room where you will be asked a question and you will have to answer, such questions are:

you're naked what do you do: quick hide/ i have nothing to hide 
you're partner is into baby play how do you feel: I'll try anything once/that's a deal breaker
what's more cheating: an emotional tryst/one night stand

you're answer to these questions will have an effect on the bar that appears at the bottom of the screen, this bar will determine what ending you get.

The second area in this game is the bar named "The Stray Sheep", from here you can get drunk, talk to the other customers and have a choice in how you'd respond to them, play an arcade game which is like the nightmare stages only alot harder and the stage doesn't fall so you can take as long as you need, and also reply to texts, every now and then you'll get a text from both Katherine and Catherine, you can reply to these by simply pressing the action button to get a line of text, if you like it press the action button again to get another line, if not then press back and press action again for a different line, usually you'll have three different options which will chose where the needle moves to on the bar, once you're done at the bar simple leave and move onto the nightmare stages again. 

The game also comes with two other modes, Babel and Colosseum, Babel is consisted of four stages, each stage requires you to climb to a certain level however it will always be randomly laid out so you could keep on playing this and it'll be different each time, this can be played solo, or co-op, Colosseum is a mode for two players, it is every stage in the game and is a race to see which player gets to the top first. 

Presentation

The cutscenes for Catherine vary in length some only a few minutes while others can be twenty minutes, either way you will hang onto every word that is being said. The game has two styles for cutscenes, the cinematic cutscenes have gone for an anime style of animation and will seem more like an actual anime than a video game (not that that's a bad thing), this style is very rarely used in video games and is really bold to go with it, as for the in game cutscene it uses the same style as the one gameplay uses with 3d characters and environments.

  

Rating

+ great story

+ innovative combination of gameplay

+ brilliant soundtrack

+ can play babel again and it will be different

- lacks a creation kit to make your own towers

 

 

9/10

Top 10 things I love in video games

Just to show that my view on video games aren't negative I'm writing one on the things I love about video games in contrast to my earlier post on things I hate in video games. So let's begin.

Cartoon Like Style

There's times where I still feel like a child and that's one of the reasons why I love cartoon like art styles, most of the time cartoony games manage to show alot more emotion and life, than realistic ones.

Creativity

Everybody loves creativity in a game, be it character creation, car customization or so on it's brilliant, you can make your character look like you and you'd have the feeling you're there in the game, making stuff in games can give you a great sense of accomplishment that players never get tired of. Do they?

Easter Eggs

Who doesn't love Easter eggs, it's a chocolaty ticket to diabetes ... oh wait not that kind. I love these in video games it's like a reward for the players who can find it (whether or not you used YouTube or Google). One example is Crash Bandicoot 2, all my childhood there was things in it I didn't question "Why is this room full of Nitro" for example, everyone will remember that feeling the got when they found a Easter egg like the Nitro room, turned out the wall at the back of the room didn't have a collider and it had another room behind it. They're so good aren't they.

Childhood + finding the secret warp room = mind blown

Morale Moments

I love these bit's in games, you know where it's a case of you can kill the person or let them live, I love them it just adds alot of adrenaline and can create a strong sense of guilt, justice and other emotions depending on you choice, I especially love the ones where it makes you loath and despise a character for so long then when you get to kill them you realize, you don't have to, part of you does still want them dead but another part feels sorry for them and wants them to live, these are moments in games that stand out and I remember them clearly, long after I've turned the console off.

BioShock 2, you were brilliant at this.

 

Music

No I'm not talking about Guitar Hero or anything like that. No I'm talking about game music, music in games can be amazing, my favorite's mainly come from the Sega and PS1 generation as the heavy use synthesizers worked wonder to the ears, sure the PS2 had some good soundtracks like the Silent Hill franchise but it seems to be a dying art now as less and less games have music in them or they do but they class music as banging noises, screeching and other random and eventually annoying noises. Music is a work or art. Simple.

Faith in PS3 music, restored

Speed

Speed is really cool in gaming it's amazing to see your character race by opponents and scenery, which is why the Sonic games are brilliant. Speed just makes everything better -not the drug- (yes I'm aware of the awful joke). 

The boosting in new Sonic games make it that much better.

Story

Let's face it we've all played a game -or a bunch- where the story in the game is way better than half the crap that Hollywood calls "movie plots" a game without a story is ... well the majority of the 90s games, games need to have stories now, it adds a layer to the game that players can immerse themselves in and feel compelled towards the characters own goals, such great game story lines such as Final Fantasy X  proves that a game can have a really emotional ending and it's not just movies that can make us cry.

Stylized Violence

I don't care if the game fights aren't realistic or if they're over the top, as long as it looks cool then that's fine by me, I love stylized violence, maybe it's because of the choreography, maybe because of the acrobatics, at the end of the day I'm not sure exactly what it is I like about it but hey, it's still pretty bad ass.

Superiority

I love it when games have the enemies really weak yet having alot of them on the screen, I do like stronger enemies to be in with the mixture from time to time too, but I love the feeling of superiority I get when I create a path of destruction with the enemies lying everywhere, it just makes you feel so much stronger.

Trophies

Okay not everybody like trophies or achievements but I love them, once I complete a game I look at all the trophies for that game that I missed, and I re-play the game to try and get as many as I can get, this adds replay value to my games and it also acts like challenges that the game presents us with, kinda of like bonus missions.

That felling you get when you get the platinum.

Top 10 things I hate in video games

Okay so everybody's played a game and there's been something in it that just really frustrates them and makes the game less enjoyable, everybody's experienced it at some point, but what would happen if they took my top ten most annoying gimmicks in games and incorporated it into one game ... Suicide. 

Bosses With Obvious Weak Spots

Okay listen developers, this isn't the 90s anymore we don't need bosses to have their weak points pointed at right in our faces it's almost insulting to gamers intelligence, we're not stupid we can figure it out. I'm looking at you Nintendo. 

It took me months to realize how to beat it, dam you subtle Nintendo.

Cutscene Events

We've all been there, a cutscenes on so we relax, put the controller to the side and watch, all of a sudden BANG, press (insert some random controller button). 

Oh no what happened were you not ready for that and you died cause you didn't react within the 1/8th of a second it gave you to press it. No of course you weren't nobody ever is, it ruins a game when you can't watch a cutscene as you look all over the screen for this one random trigger event button you're required to press because you died the first time and now you can't get the story. Resident Evil !

It's not enough it happened so suddenly but now we gotta keep pressing it.

Fallen One Attacks

Fallen attacks happen in RPG games mainly it consists of the boss using a over the top move (you know the ones where they tend to destroy a planet in a cutscene that takes about a minute every time they do it, and you can't skip it) which leave you with one hp left, I hate this because there's two options:

1. Keep fighting
2. You are meant to die in this battle

The problem is that you don't know what one it is so you either keep fighting and use all your items when you were meant to die. Or, you willingly die only for you to get a game over and have to start again.

Do I die or do I fight? DO I DIE OR DO I FIGHT !

Game Over Screens

It's not the fact I died that I hate them, I just loathe the ones that give you no option to retry, they simple state Game Over, put you back to the start screen only to have you watch a loading screen then start way back from where ever you last saved it which could be hours back, why is that a good thing developers? it's really simple to make it have a retry option.

It may mock you but it has a retry option.

 
Losing Abilities

I HATE games that start off with your character having everything, letting you get use to it, then taking it away like taking a toy from a child. It's awful, not only does it make most of the game about getting them back, it also makes you feel alot weaker as enemies that you could easily kill off now become stronger than you .... It's so pointless, sometimes even the way you lose your abilities are pathetic, look at metroid prime you lose them simply by being thrown into a wall, how does that even make sense ?

So obvious weak spots and losing abilities, you're doing well Nintendo.

Random Final Bosses

Final bosses in games always have a build up to it, allowing you to take it in and prepare yourself, but that's not always the case, in some games the final boss will start without any build up or warning making you wonder if it's really the final boss, if you die too bad you probably didn't think to save it so you could be miles back and I bet you didn't stock up on items either, no why would you, you didn't think the end was near did you it gave no indication?

Where the hell did you come from Necron?

Repeating Sections

Just because I enjoy a part from a game it doesn't mean I want that segment to come back again later on. Worst offenders, Super Smash Bros Brawl, it has you playing the entire game all over again near the end of it, that ain't fun. Also lot's of games tend to have the character face EVERY boss again before the final one ... Why? I already did it I don't want to do it again. Okami, you made me fight a boss three friggen times in one game, as if two times isn't enough.

You could at least vary it's strategy.

Repetitive One Liners 

Zelda:  Hey! Listen.
Resident Evil:  Leon.
Shadow the Hedgehog: You know what they say. The more the merrier.

For those of you who have played one of the above you know what I'm talking about, games where a character constantly says the same lines over and over again.

For those of you who have played one of the above you know what I'm talking about, games where a character constantly says the same lines over and over again.

For those of you who have played one of the above you know what I'm talking about, games where a character constantly says the same lines over and over again.

For those of you who have played one of the above you know what I'm talking about, games where a character constantly says the same lines over and over again.

Go .... Away .... NAVI !!!!

Survival Missions

Not to be confused with survival games, I hate survival missions, they appear all of a sudden, having you being attack all around you, didn't give you a chance to save, and oh yes makes you use all of your ammo then you run everywhere looking for some while being attacked from everywhere still ... Ah, it's easy to do oh wait no it's not, and then if you do survive it all which takes for god knows how long you have no more ammo or items of healing as you used them all making the rest of the game alot harder as all the time you spent getting stocked up has vanished within minutes. Genius.

Hope you aren't planning on completing this game with ammo to spare.

Underwater Levels

Why god why are these put into games? the changes in the physics are never for the better, the gravity is changed under water which can take time to adjust the characters new limits,  you move alot slower, and the laws of physics don't seem to apply (you float in water but not in the games somehow), these are always without doubt the most frustrating levels in any game. Period.

Am I right in saying everyone hated this?

 

Hard Boiled Wonderland and The End of The World Review.

If you are going to read this novel at some point do not read this as it contains major spoilers.

As long as this book title is "Hard Boiled Wonderland and The End of The World" by Haruki Murakami is a 1985 novel exploring the idea of the subconscious mind.

This novel takes us through two stories:

Hard Boiled Wonderland - odd chapters 

and

End of The World - even chapters

Like a few of Murakami's novels both these stories are connected somehow but it's only until near the end that we realize what the connection is.

Hard Boiled Wonderland follows the narrator (as no characters in this novel has their name mentioned but are named after their profession or looks), the narrator is a Calcutec.

Calcutecs are human data processors who are trained to use their subconscious mind as encryption keys. Calcutecs work for the System -the government- unlike their criminals counterparts with the same abilities known as "Semiotecs" who work for the Factory which is generally a group of fallen Calcutecs. The relationship between the two groups is simple: the System protects data while the Semiotecs steal it and sell it.

Hard Boiled Wonderland starts off with the narrator completing a task for the scientist/old man who is working on an evolutionary project of sound removal, with this project he can increase, decrease or completely silence specific sounds, for thanks he gives the narrator a strange looking skull which he is told to keep safe as the Semiotecs are after it,  during the course of this half of the novel we come to realize that the skull is that of a Unicorn.

Later on the narrator receives a phone call from the professors granddaughter who warns him the world will end and that he must meet the professor again in order to explain the situation better. 

When he meets with the old man he is told that out of all the people who became Calcutecs by infusing their brain with a processor of some sort, the narrator is the only one to have survived after a few years, and that it is his world (the narrators) that is ending within a few days, he is told that he will fall asleep and be in a dream like world that his sub-conscience mind has created and he will be in this world for all eternity, if someone was to kill him in the real world it wouldn't matter as he'd still be there forever as the chip infused with his brain has so much data on it that it will not slow time down in his dream but completely stop time making nano seconds in reality all eternity in his head.

Towards the end of the book the narrator spends his last few hours contemplating on whether he has affected anyone, or if anyone would miss him or even know he was gone. The ending of this story is the narrator sitting in his car in a deserted car park and simply falling asleep, choosing that option and not suicide.

End of The World, follows a narrator again, in this story we follow the narrator as he tries to come to terms with what is happening and escape from the town enclosed within an indestructible wall.

This story starts out with our character just about to enter the town, where he meets another character referred to as the Gatekeeper, the Gatekeeper separates him from his shadow as know town people have one, he is told that his shadow will die soon after due to the upcoming winter as they do not have alot of strength on their own (nor are they permitted to be fused with their other half) he finds out that peoples shadows are what holds their minds and when their shadow dies their minds are gone and he will be fully accepted into the town.

Since his shadow holds his memories the narrator has no idea what drove him to come to the town so he plans to escape with his shadow, in the meantime the narrator makes a map of the town to give to his other half, the narrator is given quarters and a job by the Gatekeeper as every resident has a job they must fulfill, the job the narrator has is known as "Dreamreader", dreamreading is a job that involves the narrator removing any traces of mind from the town which are sealed inside the skulls of Unicorns who live in the town and when they die due to the harsh winter colds their skulls absorb fragments of the townsfolk minds which are then read by the Dreamreader after the Gatekeeper burns the corpses and gives the skulls to the librarian who's job is to provide assistance to the Dreamreader.

Towards the end of the novel the narrator falls in love with the librarian but since she has no mind and therefore cannot love him back he is driven to seek out the skull which has her mind in it, true to his word he frees his shadow from his prison and attempts to escape with his shadow out of the perfect town and they realize that the town does have an exit as it would not be perfect if it was missing an entrance. This exit turns out to be the pool which connects to the river which goes outside the wall from underneath, this pool was feared by all as it was said to kill anybody who went in it, this lie was made in order to prevent the townsfolk from leaving, the narrator decides it's best to stay in the town while his shadow decides to leave through the pool, before the shadow leaves he tell his other half the truth as he has his memories and the truth is that they are in a town created by their own mind in which the shadow wishes to escape from.

This means the ending of the Hard Boiled Wonderland story where the main character falls asleep for every,  is the start of the End of the World story where he is outside the town and about to enter but as these stories are told simultaneously it is hidden from us for the majority of the novel as we are lead to believe that the town was a real place and that the scientist from Hard Boiled Wonderland somehow escaped from the town and obtained a Unicorn skull.

Overall this novel is a masterpiece for its amazing convey of atmosphere and the way it makes the ending to both stories sad yet beautiful at the same time, this is a novel that any fan should definitely read.

4.5/5

10 PS3 HD Collections that should, but probably won't be made

Ape Escape

 

What would be included ?

Ape Escape, Ape Escape 2 and Ape Escape 3

Why it should be remade?

This was one of those simple games from everyone's childhood that they loved (it may not be this one but every gamer had one). If this were to be remade every fan out there would be overjoyed at the return of Ape Escape -and not another spin off-.

Why it probably won't be made ?

You would think when the whole PS3 HD Collections came about that Ape Escape would be one of the first few to be made and released, but no, there are no signs of it ever being made as SCE Japan Studio still continue to make spin offs that don't sell as much as what the main series do, but do spin offs ever outsell the main titles ... any ?

 

Suggested Trophy - Capture all monkeys.

 

 

Crash Bandicoot

 

What would be included ?

Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2, Crash Bandicoot 3, Crash Team Racing and Crash Bash

Why it should be remade?

Come on who didn't love Crash Bandicoot ... Exactly,  having this re-released and in HD would be amazing and would boost Naughty Dogs sales through the roof as those who lost, broke or didn't have the game but played it at their friends can buy it again and relive those moments of their childhood, after all Crash Bandicoot 2 was one of the best selling PS1 games worldwide, what would make them not want to remake it ?

Why it probably won't be made ?

All the games (Excluding Crash Bash made by Universal Interactive Studios)  have already been released on the PSN store. Furthermore it seems more likely that if this were to be made it would consist of the less brilliant PS2 games that were not made by the original creators Naughty Dog. Also Naught Dog have contributed to the HD Collection already but with their games Jak and Daxter skipping the earlier title of Crash suggesting they had reasons not to make it and instead go with a more modern series of game - Jak.

Suggested Trophy - Find the hidden warp room in Crash Bandicoot 2.

 

 

Dark Cloud

 

What would be included ?

Dark Cloud and Dark Chronicle/Dark Cloud 2

Why it should be remade?

Dark Cloud was one of those dungeon types of games, yet this stood out from the rest and is most memorable by fans, I can't quite put my finger on it but there was something about it that was so captivating, maybe it was the idea of finding parts and building the village, or maybe it was the dungeon floor rules but either way to be remade would be amazing and would give the game a second chance to reel in new fans if they ever came across it in a store.
  

Why it probably won't be made ?

Level-5 seems to be far too busy making more Professor-Layton games -sure they're great- but it'd be awesome if they made these two great games again, it was a rumor that they were making a HD Collection as well as a Dark Cloud 3 for the PS3, unfortunately these rumors date back from as early as 2008, and still nothing, so it's looking very likely that Level-5 are aware of what fans want but are continuing with the Professor-Layton series, who knows maybe after they slow down on that series that may look back at Dark Cloud and decide to revisit it.

 

Suggested Trophy - Rebuild all villages to everyone's requests.

 

 

Kingdom Hearts

 

What would be included ?

Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Heart 2

Why it should be remade?

Because it's Kingdom Hearts, should I need to explain. Anyways, these are the only two non-hand held console based and main titled games in the series, they should be considered for HD revamp because it will give fans something to look forward to before they come out with Kingdom Hearts 3.

Why it probably won't be made ?

Square Enix has been making too many spinoff's and side stories for hand-held consoles, so I can't see them deciding to make a remastered version of the main games as there will be gaps in the storyline's, also Square Enix is making a HD game but of Final Fantasy X. 

Hard to believe it but the first two games were out when I was a teenager, now I'm an adult and still no third game, although they do wish to make their new one the third game, so basically it doesn't seem like they have any time to make one.

Suggested Trophy - Get the secret ending.

  Edit - Kingdom Hearts is now getting an HD collection. Yay

 

Klonoa

 

What would be included ?

Klonoa and Klonoa 2

Why it should be remade?

Klonoa is a platforming game that is just as good as Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, it may not have had extra challenges that don't need to be done, but are there for hard core gamers (like the gems in Crash Bandicoot) but this was still a highly enjoyable, imaginable and creative game that was a wonder to play.

Why it probably won't be made ?

The game was not well known so they decided to remake the first game for the Wii, if sales were good they'd consider making a third one, it came out in 2008 and no sign of a third one, so it's a no brainier as to why it won't be made.

 

Suggested Trophy - Release all bubbles.

 

 

Project Zero

 

What would be included ?

Project Zero, Project Zero 2 and Project Zero 3

Why it should be remade?

These games have went down as the scariest games ever made, so it's got a pretty big title for itself why would they not want to remake them. For a title as big as that they have not released many games, so by releasing an HD Collection it would be a clear indication that the developers still have an interest and would still like to make these games.

Why it probably won't be made ?

Project Zero/Fatal Frame won't be made, the second one in particular as it was just recently re-released for the Wii in HD with additional content, also Nintendo seems to have some control over the future of this series, now and I really doubt Nintendo will allow games to be revamped for their rivals console the PS3 do you ?

Suggested Trophy - Get the runaway ending.

 

 

Rayman

 

What would be included ?

Rayman and Rayman 2

Why it should be remade?

Rayman (like Klonoa) was another fantastic platformer that sadly did not get the reputation it should have it was merely pushed aside by Crash Bandicoot and Spyro and ignored or not known about by the vast majority of it's intended audience, now in a world without Crash Bandicoot or Spyro mainstream games and in a world where not many platformers are released it will give Rayman another chance at getting noticed.

 

Why it probably won't be made ?

Well lets see, released on the PSN store, they're busy making a third one in HD, and Rayman has never really received the status he truly deserved nor the number of fans, who knows maybe they will make one and release it prior to the third installment as a surprise.

 

Suggested Trophy - Unlock all cages.

 

 

Resident Evil

 

What would be included ?

Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3

Why it should be remade?

Let's face it, the original's were awesome weren't they  why shouldn't they get remade. This was truly a step forward for the horror genre in gaming, the fourth game changed horror again but sadly made it more action and less about surviving, so it'd be nice to remake these and show people what Resident Evil -and other horror games- were like before they decided to give it a revamp.

Why it probably won't be made ?

Well it won't be made because they've already made one entitled "Chronicles" also the original games have also been released on the PSN store so chances of them also being released in stores and in HD are looking pretty slim, further more if they were to make an HD Collection, Capcom would probably chose to make another version of Resident Evil 4 *Sigh* rather than the classics for the ps1.

Suggested Trophy - Kill Nemesis for good.

 

 

Siren

 

What would be included ?

Siren and Forbidden Siren 2 

Why it should be remade?

These games stayed true to the original concept of horror and was not action like (The second game came out after the horror evolution in gaming but remained true to the concept). They were very unique and highly creative, games like these tend to go unnoticed which is a real shame as it is these games that are truly amazing and for those who do discover and play them they realize that these games are without doubt some of the best made game out there.

Why it probably won't be made ?

Have you heard of Siren .... No, that's one of the reasons why it will probably not be made, not enough potential buyers , also the style of Siren is very unsettling and if it was to be revamped to meet HD standards that layer of disturbance caused by the HD art will be lost and the game would not have a big an impact as they once did.

 

Suggested Trophy - Complete the game without sightjacking.

 

 

Spyro the Dragon

 

What would be included ?

Spyro, Spyro 2 and Spyro Year of the Dragon

Why it should be remade?

Like Crash Bandicoot these games were amazing and remembered fondly by all, who didn't love the little purple dragon (not the horrible bad-ass looking one now). Having a HD release of this would encourage any fan to pick it up and jump straight back into their childhood.

Why it probably won't be made ?

Well they released all the Spyro games onto the PSN store, although the three stores, (PAL, North America and Japan) vary with what titles they have, with this being online and ready to download and relive, it is very unlikely that it will not be getting added to the HD Collection list.

Suggested Trophy - Collect all dragon eggs.

50 Games to Play Before You Die

Every once in a while a game will come along that I will always remember as it leaves a very strong impression on me, out of my whole library of video games (which is a lot) I have chosen just fifty that to me are the greatest games made so far that must be played by gamers everywhere.

1. 42 All Time Classics

This was one of the first games I had when I got a DS, what I love about this game is how many hours the individual can spend just playing ... well a collection of 42 games, that range from card games, to board games that rely on luck, board games that rely on strategy, bar games and ever single player games such as solitaire. 

The collection of games in 42 All Time Classics are also well know and relatively straightforward games everybody has played before, or they have at least heard of it. 

For certain games players can add more computer opponents or take them away, so a simple game of Ludo can have 2-4 players and it is your own choice how many opponents you want to be up against.

The top screen also adds more depth to each game.

 
2. Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing involves you either being a boy or girl moving into a new town, although you are human the towns occupants are all animals designed to look as cute as possible

The aim of his game is ... well there is none really, you can do whatever you want: fish, dig, send mail, buy furniture, buy clothes, design clothes, do gardening, talk to neighbours and so much more. 

The combination of an open world game with endless possibilities make this game amazing and I spend alot of my time aimlessly playing it with no real goal or aim in mind.

This game also has a hook that will make you want to keep coming back, if you do not talk to the villagers for a long time they will assume you no longer like them, so they move town and you will not see them, sure enough they will come back as the number of characters in the game is limited so its only a matter of time before the game has used every new character and old characters return to the town again but it can still make a player depressed if their favourite character in the game moves out and a little piece of you dies inside only to be filled with joy when that character returns.

Lobo - My favourite occupant.

 
3. Ape Escape
  
Ape Escape is one of my childhood games that has always stayed in my mind, I will admit it is a tad bit childish but it is these vibes that contribute to the game's brilliance. This was one of the first games to use the analogue stick and it worked wonders. 

In the game you play a human trying their best to catch all the monkeys that escaped, you'll have lots of weapons and gadgets to help you but the net is the one players will use more than the others as it is the only way to catch the monkeys.

The progression of the game is simple, find a specific amount of monkeys per level,  find monkey, catch monkey, repeat until the required amount is caught, next level, although this may seem to be a very tedious task that will get boring I assure you it will not as the platforming genre really fits well in this hide and seek style of game.

Unlike Pokemon' they can take the net and use it against you.

  
4. Bayonetta

Despite its cliche and dodgy plot Bayonetta is amazing for its game play and visual value.

What makes this game better than its brother Devil May Cry is the fighting, for example doing specific combos will take your hair, form it into a fist and give one massive punch to your enemies, the enemies which are angels also make this game superb as it is not your every day image of an angel, in fact it looks more demonic and evil than anything holy and pure.

Another feature that is awesome is the witch time feature, when an enemy goes to attack you, you can back flip or front filp to avoid them, but if you do this right before you get hit then witch time is activated, this is when time slows down for about 5 seconds giving you plenty of time to beat the living daylight into them, it is so slow that the enemies almost stay motionless, which is very useful for when its a boss fight as the bosses are like mountains compared to your size in Bayonetta.

It is also the settings that will amaze you, you'll start off in an Italian - renaissance styled religious city, but then move onto ruins, airships, heaven (which is also like ruins but with a dark vibe) and finally space it is these strange settings that also make it seem awesomely cool.

Katana's and even a lightsaber becomes available weapons. Nice.

5. BioShock 2 

Let's face it when playing as Bid Daddy it kinda rocks,this game is one of those games that is highly different from mainstream games, Bioshock takes place in the fictional metropolis Rapture located at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean, this game is brilliant for it's excellent use of scenery as the place does seem highly realistic, furthermore the emotional diadems the game gives you are really well thought of, as the notion of killing somebody by choice will cause an internal argument one wanting to kill the person while the other wants to let them live. It's hard to describe what makes BioShock so good but if you watch a video of it I'm sure you'll be captivated by it.

Kill her or change her back to normal?

 

6. Clock Tower

When talking about Clock Tower, I am mainly talking about the third game. 

Clock Tower 3 involves a young girl sent away from home and told to hide until her 15th birthday has gone and past, confused she runs home and that's when it starts, entities know as subordinates are killers from a point in history who are waiting for you to step into their time line, once there they will chase you in an attempt to kill you. 

When being chased by them you will be terrified as you'll panic if they're too close to you which is practically when they are on the screen, but also if you run too far and they are off screen but still being chased it's worse as you have no idea where they will pop up and images will form in your head of them appearing in front of you. 

Since you have no weapons you can only hide from them and hope they don't see you or know where you are. 

The chase sequences in this game really get the adrenaline going as it introduces a panic bar, this bar will go up if the killer gets to close, tries to hit you, or something pops out of nowhere. If the panic bar fills up Alyssa will go into a panic, falling down sometimes, and even stopping refusing to go where you tell her, of course this bar does go down in time but her panic bar also represents your adrenaline as the bar is almost in sync with your fear, if the bar fills up a bit you too will be a bit more scared, it is this idea of panic and hiding that makes me adore this game.

Who wouldn't want that guy to stay away from them.

 7. Columns

I had this game for the Sega and I have to say as far as simple arcade puzzle games go such as Tetris and Bejewelled this is my all time favourite

In this game a shape will slowly fall to the bottom of the screen, the shape that falls is portrait and consists of three colours, pressing the button will change the order of the colours, it is your job to get three in a row either vertically, horizontally or diagonally and basically keep going for as long as you can.

Like Tetris the shapes will fall faster and faster but this game also made it even more harder by adding in a few more colours at later levels much like Bejewelled. 

A simple but highly addictive game formula.

8. Crash Bandicoot 

To me there only ever was five Crash Bandicoot games and they were Crash Bandicoot 1, 2, 3, Crash Team Racing and Crash Bash, out of all of these I'll only talk about my favourite one.

Crash Bandicoot 2: The Wrath of Cortex is my personal favourite Crash Bandicoot game, what I cherished about this game was a few things, I loved the themes of the levels better than the other games, the themes being ruins, snow, space, sewers and so on, also the music in this game was better than the other games too as they're very catchy songs and highly creative.

The whole layout of the hub room is also my favourite as the one from Crash 3 was used in a few other games and made it too repetitive, as for the first one, it was good but something about it  made me think "Nah, the layout in the second game is better". 

The goals for getting some of the gems was also very creative as one of them involved not breaking a single box in the level, its these sort of Easter eggs and hidden areas such as a level being hidden by a walk through wall that made me love this specific game more than the others, and it is these reasons that the original Crash Bandicoot games must be played.

Who didn't love this level?

 9. Dark Cloud

Dark Cloud took the dungeon formula but added in new features that made this game stand out, for example how many games involved you finding buildings, people, environment and decorative that were in little pods, only to take them back to the wasteland that the village once stood on before it was destroyed by the dark genie and rebuild it, choosing where you want everything to be? Not many games I can tell you that.

What I also love about this is the progression, its pretty simple, on the floor you're on one monster has the key to the next floor but it is held be a random monster, so the only way to get it is to fight each monster you come across but be carefully as each time you use your weapon and hit an enemy the weapon will start to break, again simple, buy magic powder, use sword, when nearly broke use powder, sword restored, repeat. However if you do not use powder and the weapon breaks then it is gone forever (unless it is the first weapon you got in the game) and you will no longer have it.

Just imagine the amount of powder needed for a boss fight.

10. Day of The Tentacle

Although the title will make people think of some strange and rather taboo porn it was a puzzle game for the PC, this game involved you trying to stop one tentacle with hands and legs from taking over the world, the character you played had the ability to time travel however it was specifically 500 years into the past and the same amount but into the future. This time travel was essential as it held the key to solving the puzzles in the present day. 

Not much more to say about this game but it is the style, game play and how unique it is that make it a truly remarkable game.

Ahhh. The stereotype of a geek.

 
11. Dead Rising

The Dead Rising series takes the zombie outbreak scenario to a comedy level as the creative game allows players to attack zombies in a variety of different ways. From a realistic way of guns and blades, to the humorous methods such as plates, CD cases, stuffed animals and so on. It is the vast majority of weapons and the three ways to use most weapons (light attack, strong attack, throw) that make battling the horde of the undead that much more enjoyable.

As for the story and side story's they vary so they aren't repetitive which means players do not get bored of it. 

Sure this game is a must play simply for it's comical value on it's own but the missions give it a bigger boost.

So many zombies, so many different deaths.

 
12. Devil's Dice

Devil's Dice is a hidden gem it is a simple puzzle game, I will only explain puzzle mode in depth to you as it it the rules, game play and idea that makes it incredible. 

You play a small devil and have 100 main puzzles, after that it increases to 1,000 but 100 is the game completion mark, you start each puzzle either on top of a dice or on the ground around the dice, your job is to get rid of the dice but are limited with the number of times a dice can be moved, go over the limit and you die and have to try again.

So if the puzzle had two dice then both of them must be adjacent to one another with the both of them showing number two face up, if it was a puzzle with three dice then they must all be touching at least one dice and all of them must show three facing up. 

While this may seem very simple I can assure you it is not as the first couple are easy but will very quickly become very difficult.

The other two modes are multilayer and survival, in multilayer it is set on a huge board with lots of dice, your job is to rid the board of as many dice as you can, of course the dice will keep appearing so the board is always full but not too full that players cannot move their dice around, the player at the end of the time who has scored the most points win.

Survival is similar but with a few differences, you are the only player, there is no timer, the board doesn't stop filling up with new dice, so the game over is basically when every space on the board is filled and no dice can be moved.

If the one he's on moves up then they all show 3 face up.

 
13. Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy X is the only Final Fantasy game that I have played fully and I loved it, the story of it was amazing and I loved the fact that god itself was the boss which just made it so epic.

I loved how the majority of the game was just travelling from point A to B as it allowed me to look at the amount of work Square Enix put into their games environments, and with the occasional break by adding in the puzzles it made the game complete and very enjoyable.

Let's remember her as a summoner and not a singer.

14. Flower

Flower is a PSN game that has a very simple format, you play a petal and use the tilt function on the controller as movement, the petal is used to make other flowers bloom, make certain ones bloom and you move on to the next area, where in the end of the level you plant into the ground and become another flower.

The detail in this game is extraordinary as the effects of the wind is clearly seen as it manipulates each individual blade of grass, and the vast majority of the grasslands give the game a content and peaceful feeling that stirs inside the gamer. 

The movement mechanics are so smooth that it almost becomes a natural instinct.

In a way this game is a work of art.

 
15. Grandia

Grandia is a game not many are familiar with, personally this is better than any Final Fantasy game. 

To start with you are a boy filled with the desire to adventure but this becomes a reality as he leaves home in order to go to the mythical city Angelo. We follow him as he travels to the other end of the world a place people have never dared go, to finally getting to Angelo, to realising that he must destroy Gaia a monster born and thrives off greed.

The games fighting mechanics is one of the best I've ever played. There is a little bar at the bottom with all the characters and enemies on it placed randomly at different points, there is also two lines one near the end and on at the end. When a character gets to the first line they will input their attack and who to attack, this can be strategized as we are told what each enemies attack is, who it affects and we can guess when it will attack by judging how long it will take to get to the attack line. When any character gets to the second line they will attack and go back to the start of the bar again to repeat the process. When a character attacks an enemy or and enemy attacks a player, one or two things will happen, if it is a regular attack then the icon on the bar will freeze temporarily, however if it was a critical hit then not only will they freeze but sent back to the start of the bar again. 

This is excellent as it has allowed me to go into battle attack all the enemies numerous times before they attack me once as I strategized which one to attack and it allowed me to attack them again and again. 

I prefer this to the other RPG fighting styles where you attack then they attack. This bar method is much more awesome and fair.

This game is also longer than FFVII

 
16. Gunstar Heroes

An old school arcade Sega shooting game, Gunstar Heroes has something about it so amazing that I can't quite put my finger on it, in all the years I've played it I have only completed it once, all the other times I never got close, I guess I love the different weapons really as they all have a different effect and each player will find one gun they prefer and find it easy to use.

The reason why I've only completed it once, well play a boss fight and find out why (presuming you can make it to one).

A small amount of enemies onscreen for this game.

 
17. Heavy Rain

Not alot of games come out that have an emotional impact (unless you count awesomeness) but Heavy Rain is a very dark and depressing game but excellent none the less.

You'll find yourself playing various characters all trying to figure out who the Origami Killer is, this killer kidnaps children and then they die a few days later due to rain water.

The style of game play is very unique as you'll press the analogue stick, hold down buttons, rapidly push buttons and so on to complete simple tasks such as opening a door, picking up a phone and so on.

The music will also drive your emotions.

 
18. Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Hotel Dusk is a DS puzzle game, in short what makes this game amazing is two things, one the story and two its game play.

The story focus is about the character Kyle Hyde looking for his cop partner who he shot, his lead is at the Hotel Dusk but the story does drift and the side stories are also amazing as we realise that everyone staying in the hotel is all connected somehow, either to each other, a memory, Kyle, his partner and so on, it's these twist of events that make reading all the text worth it.

As for the game play I love the two screens one representing a simple map with a top down view, the other a detailed first person view.

You'll find yourself walking around in the hallways and other rooms collecting items used to solve a puzzle that is preventing the game's time from moving forward.

With a slider to change points of view makes the hunt for items harder.

 
19. Katamari

This is one of those games that make you wonder who came up with such an idea. 

In Katamari you roll around a little ball and pick up objects that are smaller than the ball in order to make it bigger so you could start off picking up small items like coins, then go to bottles, TVs, trees, buildings well you get the point

For some reason it is this idea and game play that makes the game so much more addictive.

I feel sorry for the people in those houses.

 20. Kingdom Hearts

It has to be the story of Kingdom Hearts that does it for me, you play a boy who has been chosen and wields a weapon known as a keyblade, this weapon is used against heartless, monsters that resemble shadow like creatures, although that is it at it's basic I will not say anymore as it would ruin the experience for those yet to play it. 

What really makes me appreciate this game however is how well it managed to incorporate Disney into it and bring several Disney characters together in a way that makes me fell like a little kid again watching a Disney movie for the first time.

Making another spin-off will make me die Sora.

 
21. Klonoa

Klonoa: Door To Phantomile was the story of a cat like boy on his quest to stop a villain named Ghadius from filling the world with nightmares, it is a battle between dreams and nightmares to put it simple. 

It is a 2.5D platformer game but it is one of the best out there really, it is amazing as each level has been carefully thought out and planned so the next level does not have the same obstacles in it.

With it's fresh and quirky music Klonoa is one of those games you'd have to play to appreciate it as no words can justify it.

The contrast from bright and happy levels to dark is sudden.

 
22. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Being the only Legend of Zelda game I have played I gotta' admit it I loved this game. 

The reason I think this should be on the list is for the use of the touch screen, especially the boomerang as drawing the path of where its to go has never been so fun (or time waisting), however I also loved the idea of the time you had in the dungeons going down when you are not in a safe spot.

Although this is not the most famous Zelda game its the only one I have played therefore I cannot put Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask on this list.

It holds the record for the most irritating side character.

  
23. Lemmings

For those of you who did not have a gaming life in the 90's (or are too young). Lemmings involved little people who would walk a set path that would eventually lead to death. It was your job to give a Lemming a tool to help it create a safe path and lead them to the doors and not to perform mass suicide.

What made this game so fun and entertaining was the simplicity of it and how easy it was to play, with intriguing puzzles that challenged you and required a fast mind Lemmings is one of those games you gotta' play.

If our friend jumpped off a cliff we'd surely follow.

24. Little Big Planet

This game is sheer brilliant for two reasons, one - Stephen Fry, and two - you can create levels beyond your wildest imagination.

Yes it's true this game is amazing because each level you play in story mode is an example of what can be made by yourself this is almost the sole reason as to why this game needs to be played as it will show you how creative you really can be.

Also for this little guy.

  
25. Mario Party

The Mario Party series takes a different form of game (board game) and combines it with another form (video games).

It's a simple formula really - roll the dice, move, other player, then a battle, these battles will award players in coins, which is then used to buy the star which you have to race to the space to get, it's these stars that rank the player in terms of whose winning and so on. 

Its the combination of a board game being put into the video game dimension, and adding video game features to it that make it so unique and terrific as well as having the battles so creative, unique and well thought out that it makes them a main reason why these games are terrific.

Party's this way guys !!!

 
26. Mirror's Edge

While its true Mirror's Edge is terribly frustrating when it comes to jumping off a ledge and grabbing a pipe, it doesn't mean that no one should play it, the simple colours and textures make this game visually impressive as its built on a foundation consisting majority of White's and blue's with red's guiding the way forward.

Its the idea of running around on rooftops and being a runner gives us an adrenaline rush, whether its running from law enforcers, jumping over gaps or even running around and making the occasional leap of faith is what makes this game so good.

Real life you wouldn't do this but in a game you wouldn't think twice.

27. Picross DS

A simple puzzle game but it does confuse alot of people, in this game you are presented with a grid, beside the squares you fill in are numbers, these numbers represent which squares can be filled in, but it ain't that easy. 

For example - take a 10x10 grid, one row has the number seven that means that seven squares in a row out of ten will be filled in, to work this out you start from the left and count seven boxes, then do the same from the right, you'll notice that some of them appear no matter what side you start from which is the middle four boxes, fill them in and move on.

Worked it out yet?

28. Plants Vs. Zombies

Sure the tower defence game has been made many times before, but Plants Vs. Zombies is the most successful, I love how well thought out it is, how each plant has a completely different attack and each zombie has a different form of attack too.

Also the layout is unique, tower defence games before Plants Vs. Zombies had a path set out and you put the defences beside but not on the path. However this game changed that and introduced a grid where plants would be placed in front of the zombies creating a barricade.

Fact - If a zombie outbreak did happen florists are most likely to survive

29. Portal

What is brilliant about this game is the simplicity of it, it's a complex game but with only the essentials in it so the features that are present in the game will always be used.

Of course the simplicity is not the only reason why you have to play it, the Easter eggs too are amazing (if you find them, without the Internet) but the fact you shoot portals to achieve the goal is simple outstanding, this is one of those games that you will play if you are a real gamer, no one can be classed as a gamer if they haven't played Portal.

Also GLaDOS is the greatest antagonist I've ever come across with help of the brilliant writing in the game she's even replaced Bowser from the number one spot of all time villains in video games, and she deserves it.

"This game is brilliant. Don't think about it. Don't think about it."

 
30. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

With an awesome platforming thing going on, it's hook that makes it really something is the fact you can rewind time, say you die or are about to die you could easily rewind time to prevent it and try it again.

It's this rewind feature that makes it a must have for playing it. Simples. 

I loved that death, wish I could kill him again, oh wait I totally can.

 
31. Project Zero

Also known as Fatal Frame in America I speak for all four games when I say you have to play each of them. In each game you play a character in a spirit infested place, you then find the Camera Obscura, a camera capable of killing the ghosts, use this camera to exorcise the ghosts along your journey as you try to understand how so many spirits got there and which one is to blame.

This game has the title of being the scariest game ever made and it has earned it's title as each game gets more scarier than it's predecessor.

Sae has to be one of the most terrifying characters ever made.

 
32. Rhythm Paradise

Also known as Rhythm Heaven this DS game is highly enjoyable for all music game lovers, especially if you have good rhythm. The game consist of lots of little games each one consisting of music, sense of rhythm and a strange mission whether it'd be filling a robot full of fuel, imitating the person next to you and so forth.

As long as you know the controls for each game then you can play and win each game without even looking at the screen as you let your ears tell you when to tap the screen as you lose yourself in the music.

aw, Aw, AW

  
33. Shinobi

No not the Sega ones but the PS2 version, this game is a must simply for its game play value, while its hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes playing this game amazing. 

The environments also make it better as a spectrum ranging from, forests, city, villages, shopping malls, water filled streets and traditional Japanese interior castles all help make the game that much more enjoyable, the ability to speed dash and stay on a wall makes this game what it is in a sense.

Even running around just to watch the scarf move about is entertaining.

34. Silent Hill 2

I love silent hill (even though 1-3 to me are the only ones) but 2 is the best. The story for it is sheer brilliant as it shows you how powerful the human mind really is, and it is this story mainly that is the reason why you have to play it, sure the game play and stuff is good but the story is a masterpiece.

WARNING SPOILERS:

In Silent Hill 2 you play as James Sunderland a man who lost his wife to a terminal illness, however he receives a letter from her saying she is in Silent Hill waiting in their special place (Lakeside Hotel) not alot of story happens until the end really when we find out that he murdered his wife and his personality changed as he forgot what happened, the letter he received turned out to be a blank bit of paper all along and the writing on the letter was just a vision in his head.

That isn't it each monster will represent something take Pyramid Head for example, I could write an essay on him and all that he represents (Literally). However what I will say is that in short Pyramid Head is James's dark side, it has been known to rape one of the monsters in a infamous scene, the monster it raped symbolised that of his dead wife, which hints at us that James may have raped Mary while she was bed ridden (this is why Pyramid Head should not have appeared in the film or any other games as he is James's own personal monster).

As for two particular characters Maria (the spitting image of Mary) and Laura (a girl who knows James but James does not know her) these two are very poetic, again I could write tons about these two however I will simplify it, neither character is real, Maria is a collection of the good points James had in mind for Mary, whereas Laura is all the flaws that James did not like about Mary.

While others argue that Maria is indeed real because the Xbox version had a chapter before James came to Silent Hill, it is false as she went to the park to wait for James, if she was real she would not do that, also Maria keeps getting killed by none other that Pyramid Head, an obvious reference and reminder that James killed Mary.

END OF SPOILERS

So it is this story that makes me adore it so much, but this little description is just the surface of a huge plain as even small details that go unnoticed in the game hold a significant meaning,

First sight of Pyramid Head, he's behind bars worked out what it represents?

 
35. Simpsons Hit & Run

Like Grand Theft Auto but more child friendly, this game needs to be played simply for its missions and references to older episodes in the game. 

The game is a very addictive piece of gaming as it has more than missions it has races and is an open world game so exploration is highly recommended.

A clear reference to Treehouse of Horror IV

 
36. Sims

If your reading this (you got this far, I'm impressed) and not played any Sims game then you have not truly lived yet, its obvious why you need to play it.

Build your dream house, decorate it, move sim in and control their life, with the Sims the possibilities are endless, no really they are.

She may have the clumsy trait, traits affect how your characters act.

 

37. Siren

Siren came from none other than those who made Silent Hill  (the original four Silent Hills). Siren involves zombies known as Shibito's these zombies run fast, speak demonically, and are smart as they can lock doors turn on TVs and cook. They also cannot die, that's right you can knock them out at best but they will get up again a few minutes later. 

These creatures not only look unsettling but act it too as you will witness them driving, doing their jobs, listening to radio or watching TV (despite it being static) to even sitting down to family dinner and talking, it is these everyday mundane tasks they do that make them all the more disturbing as it is as if they do not know they're dead.

Another thing about this game that is so good is Sightjacking, Sightjacking is an ability your character will have, this ability allows you to see through nearby Shibito's eyes, this is a very useful tool as you can learn where they are, the combination for a lock and so on, however while at first it is cool after a couple of minutes you will begin to get paranoid and freaked out by it and want it to stop watching.

Sightcrapping - Sighjacking and realising one can see you

  
38. Sonic

Although most Sonic games are now terrible (if it comes after Sonic Heroes and before Sonic Generations) Sonic is good for his speed -not the drug- at least he use to be before Sonic Heroes, if you play the original ones for the Sega you will see its charm as the platforming in it that once was moderate difficulty but is now amazingly hard will surely have you playing it for hours.

Did the pink water petrify anyone else in Chemical Plant Zone?

 
39. Spyro 3: Year of The Dragon 

While most say Spyro 1 is best or 2, I disagree and say 3 is the best for reasons such as this, the mood was better as it was bright and colourful for most levels whereas one had mainly dark colours that although would be good occasionally like the 3rd one did the first game simple had too much of it and was very depressing, and as for the second one you had to buy the ability to swim and climb ladders which sucked.

In Spyro 3 you are on the hunt to collect dragon eggs that have been taken away to another part of the world. Finding these eggs consumed alot of my childhood and will consume anyone for any given number of days, weeks or even months.

Also in this game we are introduced to new playable characters and this was also another new feature as to why it is better than it's predecessors, also a skating dragon ... need i say more?

One day I'll stop being cute and look bad ass and terrible.

 
40. Streets of Rage

In this Sega classic you chose one character and go to town on the criminals in the street -In a Nutshell-.

However everyone should try it at least once as the game play will be highly addictive, when you punch a character a retro punch sound effect will play, it is these sound effects that you wish they would add to some newer games as the specific sound effect gave us a depth of force that punch lead to.

Sure beating the characters senseless to death in the street is fun but it is also the ending to the first game that was so unique back in its time, there was two endings when up against the final boss he will give you a choice and let you join him or you could kill him, of course this does effect the ending, but also the multilayer version was also amazing, if you chosen one option and your friend chose another ,the boss would command you to fight to the death, this was brilliant as the friend right beside you who's played all the game along with you is now your enemy and will have no choice but to kill them or be killed (or do nothing and both die when the timer runs out).

You can either become a criminal and sit in the chair or take down the gang.

41. Super Mario 64

I simple love this game for it's miniature levels, the castle is the hub and the paintings are your levels, once in a level you will find yourself in a tiny little island, this island is all of the entire level and can be walked from one end to the other in a matter of seconds (if obstacles weren't in your way).

That's not all, its amazing how one minuscule level can have more than one mission in it, hidden areas and Easter eggs.

Welcome to the bizarre and wonderful world of Mario.

42. Super Mario Galaxy

To me this game is terribly addictive simply for its uniqueness, I love how you can go upside down on planets yet the camera won't move so Mario is upside down making movement difficult, I think everyone should play this game just to try out a platforming game at its best as each level is a wonder to the eyes with it's complex look yet simple and retro at the same time.

Stars sure have changed.

 
43. Super Monkey Ball

The whole roll the ball to the end of the level has been done by many but Super Monkey Ball is the best one out there. 

Take a little monkey put them in a ball and design levels ranging from simple to complex and have the player move the world in order to move the monkey.

Need I go on?

Can the game idea be any more simpler?

 
44. Super Smash Bros: Brawl

Since this is the only one in the series I have played I cannot speak about the other ones.

This game is brilliant as it takes fighting games such as Street Fighter, adds comical weapons to it, adds in more than one opponent, and also change the rules.

In Super Smash Bros: Brawl you chose a character and you'll be put in an arena and have to fight other characters, all characters start with a 0%, this number is how likely it is for the character to fall off the stage.

If they fall off the stage they lose a life, or you gain a point depending on what rules you chose. It's pretty simple, attack a player their percentage  increases, keep hitting them, eventually they will be blasted off the screen and lose a life, or you gain a point.

Trophies are another reason to play (no not achievements) when playing the game you will obtain coins, there are various other methods to get coins as well, you will then go to an arcade style of game and use the coins as ammo, wild trophies will appear and you shoot them with your coins, when shot enough times you will have that trophy and can display it in the game.

I think we all know who's more likely to fall.

45. Tetris

Who doesn't know Tetris, and who hasn't played it ... no gamer can call themselves a gamer until they play Tetris, to put it blunt in Tetris shapes fall to the bottom of the screen you must rotate them and make them all fit as best as you can, when a line has been made with no spaces in it, that line will disappear, although this may seem a bit tedious and boring it is far from it. 

Tetris must be played as it is one of the best selling games out there, and when you play it you'll know why.

The hours you can spend organising shapes.

  
46. Viva Pinata

Gardening has never been so much fun, you'll start off with a bit of horrible land, you will then grow grass which will attract your first pinatas, these are animal pinatas that have names that are a cross between the real name of the animal and a candy name, for example Sparrowmint, is a mix of Sparrow - the bird and Spearmint - as in the flavour of gum.

This game has often been compared to games such as Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing and the Sims, in sense of style and game play.

When your first animal appears it will attract a few other animals, but that will not attract them all, some animals may only come if you have specific conditions such as plant, water, trees and so on. 

You can also build them shelters and houses to live in, so it is this idea of placing flowers, lakes, houses and so on that make this game endless.

Pretztail has to be my favourite.

 
47. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves

Wario Ware involves levels filled with mini-games, allow me to explain, take level one for example, survive for a certain amount of mini-games to vs. the boss. In each mini-game players will have as much as just 4 seconds to complete the task, the description of the task will not be detailed as a few short words such as reflect will be all it tells you to do. Sometimes it is obvious as it involves hitting objects back, other times it will be hard to understand as it could involve you rotating a mirror to guide a laser to the mans hair to set it on fire. Yes that's right.

It is this idea of a game that makes it fun, the whole point of you having just 4 seconds to do a task makes it even more enjoyable if you have a group of friends.

It's like entering the unknown with this game.

48. Wii Sports

Wii sports is the first wii game really, you will never forget when you first play a game like tennis on it, and you will be amazed at how natural it feels and how better it is to swing you arm like in real life rather then pressing a button on a controller. Yes this is mainly the only reason you need to play it, simple for the fact that you will be amazed at how natural the controls will feel.

The only thing missing is the force really.

 
49. World Ends With You

Two things, story and game play are both what make this game utterly spectacular.

Story - You wake up on Shibuya Crossing not knowing how you got there, what you do realise however is that everyone around you cannot see you. Neku is in a place called the Underground, it is a place the dead go, you must play the reapers game, the game runs over a course of seven days there will be a mission every day, one person must do this mission before time runs out, if one person does it then everyone else has also done the mission. Survive for seven days and you get to go back to the realm of the living. Fail and you will be erased - erased is when you are gone for good as there is no such thing as the afterlife in this game. 

Although the reapers cannot attack you directly then can send monsters known as Noise to get you, they are the things that can kill you and if that happens yup, erased. 

You also need to make a pact with someone and work together, fail to do it and you are erased.

Game play - particularly battle when battling you will have pins (those little badge things) each pin will do a different attack such as fire, bullets, purge, throwing objects, create a line of barb wire, make icicles shoot out from the ground and so on. It is these badges that make the game play so amazing as it is so unique and brilliant.

Not to mention the fresh style and graphics.

 
50. Worms

Worms is a child-like war game, in this game you'll play as a team of worms each player take one shot at a time, with one worm at a time, your goal kill the opponents worms by the weapons at your disposal ranging from, bazooka, grenades, sheep bombs, suicide, shotgun and so on.

Although it may seem really simple that's just it that makes it so enjoyable and a must play for all.

The fun moments when your all alone.

So there you have it my personal 50 games you have to play before you die, what's your 50 and how many in my list have you played?