I personally believe that Thanksgiving is the lowest common denominator of holidays- Food, consumerism, and a gross misrepresentation of history at least and a celebration of genocide at most. I love it. That said, I am providing you with the lowest common denominator of internet content….A TOP TEN LIST!!!! These next ten games are the game I am most thankful in no meaningful order. Some games I am thankful for because they give me joy, some games just keep coming back to me like a plague and I want to thank them. Enjoy the list and enjoy the holiday!!!
1) Armored Core Series (PS1, PS2 era)- The Armored Core series was the first series I bought sight unseen and the first series I ever really “collected”. I played a demo disc on PS1 that had a small taste of this slow plodding robot mech simulator.
I was obsessed. I love robots, I love wacky controls that barely work until you master them and I love customization of said robots. This game had it in spades. I absolutely loved Masters of Arena. The story is about private military factions fighting and other stuff but I love this series and am thankful to have played it.
2) Flat Out: Ultimate Carnage- This is my favorite racing game ever. The physics engine and the mini games are great. This was one of the first 360 racing games I played, This was also the first game i reviewed for the Denisonian when I was in college at Denison University (the Harvard of the midwest, BOOM). This is one of the few game I ever finished. It hit all the check points I like- crazy cars, driving through malls, and great heavy- arcade but not unrealistic driving physics. The progression system is very rewarding. Moving through the career from dirt tracks to racing circuits is a lot of fun. Thank you Flat Out UC.
3) Pokemon- I can’t stop playing this beast. Every year I start one and play it….and tell myself i’m done. It’s the only RPG that I know i can play with no guides and no help and make progress. I get emotionally attached to my Pokemon (Shinx) and love watching the series progress. Pokemon has also helped me create bonds with a lot of people like Andi, Adam, and many others.
4) NBA Jam- NBA Jam taught me how to play basketball and made me the man I am today. Cool as fuck.
5) Lollipop Chainsaw- This is one of 2 zombie games I love (Dead Rising 3). The protagonist is really funny and gorgeous. The story is dark but the sense of humor is fantastic. Graphically, the game has a fantastic comic like art style. I love the combo system and the music is awesome. Every time i hear the song “Mickey” I think about this game. This game is like Bayonetta but slower and makes more sense. You carry around your boyfriend’s head in this game. Thank you.
6) Rogue Galaxy- This is most beautiful PS2 game ever. Ever. It’s kind of cel shaded, and the colors are vibrant. This is an open world-ish, action RPG from Level-5. The story is heart wrenching. The weapon system is fantastic. This game rewards both reflexes and planning. It’s a really cool universe. When I was in college my roommate Andrew, and my man Phil both played this game too. We all marathoned it because the game is so engrossing.
7) Sonic Colors- I have already reviewed this game, but I will say that this title renewed my hope and love for Sonic the Hedgehog. It also laid the foundation for Sonic Generations. Who can’t be thankful for that? Then Sonic Boom happened….
8) Sonic 1 & 2- Classics. Instant classics. I have rebought these games so many times. Every time I hear the music from these games, my heart swells. I think about my childhood. My time plying Road Rash with the Dotterwiechs and Alex Cohen. All of us renting games and being amazed at what gaming could be. Sonic opened those doors for me, and I always be thankful for that.
9) Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix- The. Perfect. Fighting. Game. For me. This game is the definitive fighting game in my world. This game is colorful, Balrog is OP, and its fast. I love fast fighting games. my biggest issue with SF4 is that I feel like it’s plodding. This game is so fast its mind numbing. The net code was great. I played so many online it was scary. I probably played 1000 ranked matches in a month (and I was pretty damn good). Thank you.
10) Super Mario 3D Land- When I was applying for jobs during the end of my days in Wisconsin I had to fly a lot. Flying scares the dickens out of me. I don’t care if it’s safer than driving, I don’t drive at a million miles above sea level. That said, Mario 3D land helped calm my nerves at the airport and on the plane. I played this game nonstop on all of those flights. I’d like to think it helped me get hired. The colors are great and the game uses the 3D of the system masterfully. The controls were spot on, and the music was great.
I am also thankful for anyone who actually reads this list. Thank you! Have a happy thanksgiving!
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J3Blackgamer 