30 Days of Video Games - BONUS: Why Do You Play Games Pg. 142

[Thigolf]

 

Rayman

While plenty of other series have games that I have more fun with than with the Rayman series, the Rayman series is one of the, if not the only series, I can say "I enjoy every single game of it" about. Rayman, while being hard as balls, is still a great, fun platformer, Rayman 2, despite its few issues, did age rather well in my opinion, Rayman 3, with great visuals, gameplay, music and especially humor, is a game I hold close to heart, and Rayman Origins and Legends gave me much more fun than most 2D platformers I played in the last few years. Every single game oozes with charm and fun and, most of the time, great level design, letting me have a blast every time I pop one of those games into my consoles.

[gato]

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

 

 

Looking at the past thread I see I said Starcraft (again) so let's go with my second choice.

 

 

 

Command & Conquer

 

 

 

Ahh, the series that pretty much set the RTS genre on the map (together with Warcraft and Dune II... And the later was made by the same studio that did C&C). Command & Conquer is set in an alternate (yet at first not so different) future where 2 factions face against each other for the control of the Earth and the harvest and use of a mysterious alien substance that has fallen into our planet and which people decided to call Tiberium. Tiberium seems to have some very unusual properties and could be seen as a revolutionary and renovable energy source for humankind but is also incredibly lethal and spreads at an alarming rate and this is where the 2 factions of the game are divided.

 

* The GDI which would be like a conglomerate of the most influential military powers in the planet (and backed by the UN) believe that the Tiberium should be used with extreme caution and responsibility (and as the game goes the objective drastically changes into a desperate struggle to get rid of the thing).

 

* The NOD on the other hand (huehuehue game related joke) is a terrorist/religious group that believes Tiberium should be used to its full potential and sees it as a gift from the heavens, it helps the organisation that the substance has given some third world countries something to fight the big powers with (and their objectives also vary greatly between what the Brotherhood claims and what their leader The Freat and Fabulous Kane actually wants).

 

 

As mentioned before, the game sets you in what for a lot of time was considered the standard RTS scenario, you start with a small base and begin building your forces and smash your opposition with it, the game is a bit barebones but at the time it was novel. The next time we'd heard about the franchise (ignoring expansions) would be with the game known as Command and Conquer: Red Alert

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb-gI_pFog0

Bask in the awesome music! Something this franchise is known for.

 

 

 

Red Alert... Didn't really differ a lot from the original game, it boosted new units and graphics but the core units were more or less the same, the story took an interesting turn tho with Einsten messing up the timeline big time. It was supposed to be a prequel as to how the world of Tiberain Dawn came to be but some retcons later both games would become their own thing as kickstarts of their own series and I personally feel things greatly improved from that point.

 

Tiberian Sun would be from here on the Original C&C sequel and it makes a massive overhaul to the world, now we go a few decades in the future and humanity sees itself in a full fledged sci-fi setting, the nations under the GDI are forced to go back in some locations as the Tiberium has grown uncontrollably and has the effects of it's influence begin to show, mutations or outright killing of every lifeform that makes contact with it, destructive weather to the point that entire cities get leveled if close enough, entire nations crumble and in the meantime the NOD takes this developments to rack more and more followers by giving support to the countries that were left behind by the GDI and encouraging them to accept the Tiberium as the natural progress of our planet and the next step in human evolution. To make things worse for the good guys, not too long into the story and we find out Kane is alive and is rallying his forces to another world war. and then you find out there is an UFO crash-site that contains vital info about the Tiberium including but not limited to info about what sent it and what's its purpose for out planet.

 

 

 

The game also had a bit of a graphic upgrade, and the music is still awesome.

 

 

 

In this sequel now both factions are clearly different, they each have a lot more unique units (IIRC only 3 units are shared between the factions and those are the generic light gun infantry the engineer and the mining unit) which means a lot of different ways to fight against your opponents, both of them are fun in their own way and that's something I love to see in a game of this kind.

 

As I mentioned a few paragraphs above, the atmosphere on this game is also pretty engaging, you are in a near apocalyptic scenario either as the good guys doing a final desperate push to keep the world order or be the cult that wants to bring everything down and rebuilt it from scratch, the music reflects that, the units look very sci-fi-ish and better than ever... The voice acting could use some (a lot of) work but other than that playing this game for me was a pleasure form beginning to end (also, did I mention how awesome Kane is? I should do it every 2 paragraphs). I can only wonder if my experience would have been better if it weren't because I played some newer games before this one.

 

 

 

And yes, by that I mean that my CnC fanboy streak didn't start with any of the above games, it all begun with the one I'm going to talk about now! As I said before the CnC franchise decided to separate it's first 2 games into different canons, CnC 1 would become what we just saw and Red Alert would go it's own way with a very very awesome sequel...

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7jSig5_N3o

Bask in the even more awesome music!

 

 

Awww yeah! While the Tiberium series went all dark and serious on us the Red Alert side decided to go crazy (and crazier in every instance) and I loved every single second of it, as shown above the music stopped having a focus on ambiance and became more rock/electric (with some ambiance thrown in the middle) the units while not reaching the futuristic status from the Tiberium series became more stylish and crazy-awesome like thanks armed with 2 giant Tesla Coils, Giant Squids, Dolphins, Tanks that can disguise as trees, people with mind controlling powers, giant magnets, UFOs and the list goes on. The game is really fast paced (more than most of the RTS I've played even in the same series) and frantic, add this to the uniqueness of each faction (which is a trend that started in the previous game and kept going as the series went on) and you have a very fun mix.

 

Also for what is worth, last time I checked this game also had one of the most prolific modding communities out there (mind you, "last time I checked" was 4 years ago XD) and has released products that could almost be labeled as fan sequels if it weren't because of how they are limited to use the very same engine the original had. (Mental Omega comes to mind... ehehe... mind...)

 

 

 

Generals was also a very awesome thing, even if it strayed away a little from the original CnC formula.

 

 

 

And as much as I'd like to talk about the rest of the series I think I need to stop here because of time reasons, lets just say that the Tiberium Series became more and more epic (until it crashed and burned thanks to Tiberian Twilight), the Red Alert series became crazier and in the middle of this we had "Generals" and "Renegade" both games with their own charm but with varying degrees of success (Renegade is often named as the reason EA ended up disbanding Westwood). So all in all this is a long running series full of addicting and time consuming games, actually, witting this gave me an itch to play them again! (Sucks I don't have any of the games installed on this PC :< )

[azoo]

On a side note I completely forgot to mention Kirby on my list. It's easily one of my favorites, probably moreso than Rayman so I feel bad for not mentioning him. LOL (I guess I was a bit desperate to pick something not directly Sega or Nintendo related..)

 

EDIT: SO I WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

 

Originally I posted my revision here, but I'mma gonna post it in the actual original post.

[Danj86]

Damn, hard to pick just one! Umm...

 

Day 4: Favourite Series - Kirby

 

 

Gosh, if stretched I would have to pick the cute pink puff ball, Kirby as my favourite video game series. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy the exploits of a fat Italian plumber, sound break running hedgehogs or feuds between angels, demons and humans.

Far from it, dood!

 

Kirby games tend to be bright and colourful while being easily accessible to all players with simple mechanics and controls. I always liked how the game always lets you know if you've missed something in a level. Other games may force you to mindlessly search all areas for missed collectables while Kirby tells you exactly were you need to be to find something.

 

It's also one of the few platformers that can achieve a good multiplayer experience. Though that number has increased significantly over recent years. Interestingly, while game play mechanics may change ever now and then, the charm that the series maintains is always intact. That being the simplicity, visually colourful and ridiculously cute.

Here's some examples of Kirby trying something different.

Kirby's Dream Course - SNES

 

Kirby Tilt n' Tumble - GBC

 

Kirby Air Ride  - NCG

 

Kirby Power Paintbrush/Canvas Curse - DS/DSi

 

Kirby Epic Yarn - Wii

 

Kirby Mass Attack - DS/DSi

Those in the spoiler tag are examples of Kirby breaking away from the usual game mechanic successfully. Even though he might go into alternate routes once in a while, it's always nice for him to return to his roots, and he always does. If anything, one fault I do have with the series is how easy the games can be, but then again...I'd say that it's also part of there charm.

 

Considering all that. Another reason I'd say he should be my top franchise is how he and the other characters manage to be off the charts on the scale of cuteness! Don't deny it!!

[Silencer226]

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

 

What is this godawful excuse for a JRPG? Why it's Hyperdimension Neptunia. I know this series quality wise is not really good or amazing, but I love it to death. I love all the characters, especially Neptune who is my favorite. It's given me laughs, and facepalms over the past few years haha. It does it's job well of taking shots at the gaming industry and creating plot points about piracy, consumerism etc. 

[Badnik Mechanic]

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

Command & Conquer

 

Also lets not forget it was also the series which gave us these two gems...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hda_tCnh5pE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIRPcICB-iY

[Tori Himemiya]

DAY 4 OF PRESIDENT CROW'S FAVORITE SERIES!

Oh ho! For once I can't say Brutal Legend for this since its one game. However there is a series deep in my heart just like Brutal Legend and that is...

The Touhou Project!

I couldn't find a better picture...

Touhou is a series of bullet hell games where you obviously dodge a lot of bullet patterns. So what makes these games stand out amongst every other bullet hell? Well firstly instead of having robots and space ships it has a massive cast of characters that are all female, save for a few guys who appear in other official works. At this point there's probably a character for everyone. It does go without saying if you aren't a major character in the series you probably don't have much character. And secondly this entire series was made by 1 guy named ZUN, who does all the programming, art, and music for everything. He does get some help for the fighting games but that's about it. Its notable that ZUN's art isn't that great, though he's improved since UFO and that his music is pretty creative and memorable. And lastly probably because of the last things I've mentioned, Touhou is stupidly popular but it gets to the point where fans will do a lot for this series, from creating fan games to fanime which most look nearly professional. I wish I was joking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w337ij3wtXA

^This was created by a fan group and got dubbed by a different fan. Talk about being blowhards!

Anyways, there's usually one reason or another to get into Touhou from either the games or music or perhaps you liked the characters designs. I'm an all around fan who enjoys everything from this series. The games themselves are pretty hard, especially at first but you'll get used to it eventually I suppose. Its definitely challenging and you can keep playing these games until you memorized every bullet pattern in the game. The music is definitely unique and is very memorable. There's a couple of songs that won't leave my head at all cause they can be that catchy. And hell the fan made stuff is pretty top notch that I enjoy it from time to time. For just a simple bullet hell series it does really stand out amongst a lot of other games and it has just way too much charm that I love it so much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJXUt9H9OZM

Don't try this at home kids until you can get that good

And so that's my entry for Day 4. Until next time SSMB!

[super saiyan weegee]

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

Okee-dokee, let's-a go!

 

 

 

Man I'm sorry, I really am, but I just had to choose Super Mario. I've loved it ever since I was introduced to it with New Super Mario Bros. (DS), and I still love it oh so much.

 

Cue the music!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yoa5faRBqSk

 

The 2D classics set the foundation for platformers to come, and man they always provide me with a good time, with their simplistic but enjoyable level design, fun power-ups and catchy tunes, Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA) being my favorite of which, especially the Advance port. Even with the NSMB games of more recent years (which I actually kinda prefer to the classics in some ways pls don't kill me), 2D Mario is always showing of quality games, at least to me. 

 

Mario Kart, which is to me the best of the spin-offs, is endless fun, especially with other people to play with. To it's colorful courses, fun items, and modes of gameplay, it's always my first stop for my racing fix, and I eagerly await Mario Kart 8's release. Mario Party is always great fun as well, with it's minigames and it's boards, it's a good time, especially with other people, as with Mario Kart. I also get a kick out of the sports games, Mario Strikers Charged being my favorite of them (see wut i did ther), with how they take sports you know and (maybe) love, and turn them all wacky by adding in Mario elements, they're always a good time. The RPGs, with their humor, fun gameplay, and the stories they tell, are great fun too, with my favorites being Bowser's Inside Story and Super Paper Mario, for all the entertainment they've given me. The Luigi's Mansion games are amazing as well, for all their charm, puzzles, and use of Luigi (my favorite Mario character) as the main protagonist, their great replay value, they're just good fun, man.

 

The 3D games are all especially great, man. Super Mario 64, while definetly showing its age these days, is a prime example of how to do a collect-a-thon, and it's fun to go back to, but personally more-so with the DS verison, with its added missions, power-ups, and characters that add a new level of depth to an already great game. Super Mario Sunshine is a game that I think followed up on Super Mario 64 pretty well, actually. I found FLUDD real fun to screw around with, and I especially like how the levels were more connected than they were in 64, and man I really love the setting of Delfino Island, as well. The Galaxy games managed to take a series like Mario, and made it epic, with grand music, huge scope (what, with being in space and all), and a whole lot of fun. Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World are my personal favorites of the 3D games, 3D World especially. They took the 2D gameplay of the series, and meshed it wonderfully with the 3D gameplay, creating what I believe to be the best feeling controls and gameplay I've ever experienced in Mario games. They also brought the series more down-to-earth (quite literally), and man top it off with the great music and variety, they're just my favs of the whole series.

 

Not only do I adore the games for what they do, but, I just...I love Mario because it gives me a form of escapism that most other games don't match. It always cheers me up whenever I just need to get away from it all, to pop in a Mario game, and just have fun. I also admire the Mario series so much because, well, it serves to me as an inspiration to my own creations of my cartoon series. Like, a lot of it has been influenced by Mario, among other great series, and just...while it may be a pipe-dream (HA), I hope to have something like Mario one day. Ridiculous, yes, but the thought keeps me going in regards to creating my stuff. 

 

So yes, I just adore Mario. It's a lovely game series that fits my tastes perfectly, and a great inspiration too.

 

/garbled fanboy rant

[gato]

Also lets not forget it was also the series which gave us these two gems...

 

*videos*

Wow! I've never seen or heard of that second video before!

I might need to go on an archive binge on EA's channel.

[#AR]

Day 4: That one damn collection of games that Ren keeps oooooooooon playin!

 

time for me to be one of the prime oddballs of today!

Backstory: It all started with Harmonix, a company who made slightly obscure, yet REALLY GOOD games called Frequency, Amplitude, and EyeToy Antigrav (last one's debatable.) in 2005, them suckas started the biggest music game revolution since...well...Dance Dance Revolution. That junk was called GUITAR HERO! (which was actually based off of another series of games that Konami did but anywayssssss) They made a couple kick-ass entries until Activision got it. So what did Harmonix do? They went home the end-

 

WROOOOOOOOOOOONG!!!!

 

They got back up and made this:

 

 

Ren's Favorite Game Series: Rock Band

 

I'd have put Tony Hawk like the last 30 Days, buuuuuut I decided to keep the THPS gushing to a minimum...besides, that mobile game though...ick.

 

ANYWAYS, WHY THE BALLS THIS MOFO PICK RAWK BAND OF ALL THINGS?! AIN'T NOBODY PLAT DAT SHIT NO MO!

WELL I TELL YA WHY MY HOMIE DAWG G!

 

So Guitar Hero was already pretty damn good, so what could Harmonix do to up the ante? Well...They made it so Bass can be played WITHOUT Co-op, they threw in some Karaoke Revolution in there too so that yer mama can sang them old rock songs, and last but not least: DRUMS! (also inspired by an old Konami thingy). Now that's cool and all but what's cooler than that? How about all four of 'em...AT THE SAME DAMN TIME?! That's right, Rock Band allowed four people to play in the same room at the same time.

 

Rock Band 1 was an excellent start to the franchise. It had a damn good licensed soundtrack, the full band play was sweet, and hey, the game didn't look half bad either. It honestly blew Guitar Hero 3 (which came out that same year) out of the water.

 

Shortly after the game was released, Harmonix started releasing songs as DLC. Reasonably priced at $1.99 (or 99 cents), this DLC helped to expand the setlist by adding a lot of popular and obscure songs. The better part? They released it WEEKLY. Every week, from the day they started until last year, there was new stuff for everybody!

 

Then comes Rock Band 2. Engine-wise, it's definitely one of my favorites. It's got a BIGGER soundtrack, the gameplay's been fine-tuned, the world tour mode was a lot better, and the online play was greatly expanded (4 vs. 4 online score battles?! HELLA SWEEEET). Also not to mention that new copies come with a code for 20 FREE SONGS. Also, you liek them songs on Rock Band 1? Well all but like 4 or 5 songs were exportable to Rock Band 2, bringing the potential setlist from 80+ to about 150+! Is Harmonix awesome, or is Harmonix awesome?

 

Now we move on to 2009 and we have Lego Rock Ban-waitaminute, WHAT THE HELL

 

Well, damn. Lego Rock Band. Now you're probably thinking: "(Why did/I never understood why) Rock Band had a Lego Game" and neither do I, but hey, they really made the most of it. The setlist, although "kid friendly", had some damn good songs (also exportable into Rock Band 2). The game's trademark aesthetics had been Lego-ified (those bricks as the notes made me chuckle so hard) and it kept the Lego spirit by adding a bunch of crazy and funny challenges. Hey, you like the Ghostbusters theme?

 

Moving on from that, we get on to what is possibly the best game in the franchise and probably my favorite rhythm game of all time:

 

 

THE FLIPPIN BEATLES ROCK BAND.

YEAAAAAAAAH THERE'S A WHOLE DANG ON GAME BASED OFF OF THE BEATLES. And it is LEGENDARY. I already like the Beatles music, but seeing them get an entire game (especially after very little-to-no representation in the main series) gave me such delight...and then I played it, and was greeted by this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnZI7fkUGOA

 

Dammit, when Harmonix goes in, they go in hard. The rest of the game looks abso-fucking-lutely beautiful too. It's so WONDERFUL.

The game was a bit on the easy side, since The Beatles aren't a metal band or anything like that, but it was an experience. The game changed the instrumentality up a little by allowing multiple vocalists to sing different parts in harmonies! Unfortunately, the game's soundtrack couldn't be exported into other RB games due to the massive Dreamscapes, but hey, pretty much the entire Beatles Discography can be obtained via DLC, each with some Dreamscapes too. That's cool!

 

 

Alright and next we have another band game...not as prestigious as the Beatles and one of the few bands you'd expect to get a game:

 

 

Yeah, I'll admit: hearing this announcement after the Beatles game came out is like hearing that you won the lottery...and then you got a 20 dollar coupon to a grocery store. I wasn't really that big a fan of Green Day (only heard American Idiot, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, and Know Your Enemy at the time the game came out), but I picked it up anyways, because 40+ more songs. Ended up liking them by the time the game finished. They're a pretty group. The last three albums they made were alright. The venues, although DEFINITELY not as flashy as Beatles RB, were still pretty great-looking. (I will never understand how they managed to get the word "shit" uncensored in the chorus of one of the songs...shih-uuuuuh...you clever bastards you)

 

And last but not least on this long post of oblivion:

 

 

The last entry in the main series. Alright, so Beatles RB and Green Day RB pretty much perfected the engine, how can RB3 bring it?

okay, harmonies are still there. cool.

Wait, a KEYBOARD? You can play keyboard parts now? Sweet. What else-

Pro Drums? Playing the Drum Parts with charted cymbals, so now the drum charts are pretty much accurate? Sweet...That's already pretty coo-

Wait...a pro guitar and pro bass mode? YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH PLAY REAL GUITAR/BASS USING A SPECIAL FRETTED CONTROLLER? AND THEN TAKE THOSE SONGS YOU LEARNED AND PLAY THEM ON AN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT?! WOW CAN THIS GET ANY BET-

ALL PAST EXPORTS AND DLC ARE COMPATIBLE WITH RB3, INCLUDING MOST OF RB2'S SETLIST?!

Yep. Harmonix brought the noise with this one. They pretty much perfected the rhythm game formula.

 

Unfortunately...Activision got trigger happy with the Guitar Hero games so rhythm games aren't as prevalent...but hey, Harmonix already has plans to bring this series and the Dance Central series to the next gen, So I'm excited for that.

 

IN CONCLUSION:

Rock Band gave me awesome music, great instrument peripherals, actual instrument skills (Not even kidding, I learned how to play drums through Rock Band. No lessons, no tutorials, just Rock Band), and cool friends who like it and love to talk about it as much as I do. Harmonix are truly wonderful people.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQYtNHKCV7M

 

This was the last song released as DLC...Please come back soon Rock Band ;___;

[Mr Loopone]

Day 4: Favourite Series

 

This one is like the other 3 tricky to come up with a favourite since to be honest most series, only played a fraction of the games due to whether some games weren't available in my region (Super Mario RPG), some of the games weren't ported and as a result not played (e.g. Virtua Cop 3), have what are considered the best of a series or only played the first of a series until the publishers/developers decided to change focus of the series. There are also some games where it is a stand alone game with no sequels that I really liked. I was originally thinking Ratchet & Clank however I haven't played all of the games and still working through the series (currently up to Size Matters and had to skip Deadlocked/Gladiator) so I can't get an accurate opinion at least for this year. Other options would have been the Mario series (haven't played the Mario Galaxies yet), Burnout (haven't played 2, Revenge or Crash, didn't really enjoy Dominator that crashed the console), the Donkey Kong series (not yet played DKC Returns and haven't played Jet Race) and the Sonic series would apply however like the others haven't played all the games. Silent Scope was fairly close to be considered due to the gameplay and that the Xbox was lucky enough to get a complete series pack even though I can't remember much of 3, similar for Metal Slug. Luckily though I had the perfect series in mind since lucky enough I managed to not only have all 4 games but also a HD collection of it (and a bit unsure whether to get the Vita pack).

 

 

(Wanted an excuse to post the JP artwork of the Sly Collection and sets up the theme for the post, would have used the artwork for the first game except that for some reason they changed his name however it is similar enough.)

 

Sly Cooper. For ones who haven't played the series, Sly Cooper is a master thief in a long family of master thieves who has his friends Bentley (an intelligent turtle) and "The" Murray (a strong hippo who also drives the van) help on heists. Sly has both enemies and rivals to deal with from Interpol police officer Caramelita Fox that Sly has a bit of a crush on to Clockwerk who hated the Cooper family line, there are a few more however they are considered spoilers though. For anime fans, it is sort of a cartoon raccoon Lupin against Inspector Zenigata since the developers were inspired by that series. The first game is a linear platformer rather like Crash Bandicoot however the latter 3 are mission based where Sly and the gang to towards a city/area mixing small open worlds with various types from linear platforming (like the first game) to mini games. These are from bombing targets from a helicopter, driving a RC car, flying a plane, a modern day version of Tapper to name a few.

 

What made it my favourite series was that it was during Sonic's downtime when games such as Heroes, Shadow and 06 were deep in my mind (even though I was enjoying Sonic Rush and later got Rush Adventure), I felt like gaming was drifting away from me bearing in mind that after OutRun 2006 came out, I pretty much went handheld only until 2012 due to that my interest in games went rock bottom and only played on games on holidays. Luckily at a now closed gaming store had Sly Raccoon (Sly Cooper and the Thievous Raccoonus elsewhere) and it was pretty cheap so I thought this game looked interesting so I decided to play it, really enjoyed the game. So I ended up getting 2 and 3 very close to launch however I got stuck at 2 (it was 1 bottle short) and didn't get to play 3. When I got my PS3, I got the HD collection and managed to play all 3 games back to back. Then literally got Sly: Thieves in Time Day 1 even though sadly I knew it didn't sell well... At least I managed to enjoy that game twice, once on the PS3 and again on my free Vita version. Now to explain why.

 

As someone who focuses on the gameplay rather than story, I was delighted regarding the mechanics. "Jump and press the O button". Oops... What I liked with the gameplay was climbing up pipes, sneaking on ledges, smashing bottles (not in 3), cracking safes, pickpocketing, walking on tightropes, swinging from hooks. It was like I felt like a master thief but the best part was that unlike real life where it is illegal and moralably wrong, it felt good stealing from enemies. Bentley and Murray (as well as the other characters) also controlled well with later games having extra moves to unlock as well. As for the minigames, the controls felt straight forward and worked like they did. With presentation, the sound design of when you sneaky around and the cel-shading graphics with 4 looking really detailed yet cartoony (even though I prefer the Vita version in terms of Sly's model since it looked closer to the older games) really appealed to me. Apart from a few crashes, the series felt like there weren't any bad bugs from a techincal point of view. The collision detection didn't feel unfair, the camera angles mostly were where you wanted to go (especially during the early 2000s where camera angles weren't always the best and thankful that some had the other analog stick to move it) and controls felt responsive. Well except one boss on Sly 1 HD due to input lag that Sanzaru didn't adjust for the console (HD TVs/Dual Shock Controller also being factors). Sly 1 is still one of my favourite games with Sly 2 and Sly 4 not too far behind. Sly 3 is the weakest of the series due to the focus on the other characters having less focus on the main three with more minigames than platforming and that the development felt rushed due to that it had to come out a year after Sly 2. Sly 3 had a 3D gimmick with the glasses (before 3D TVs were common) and apparently that effect only works up to the Holland stage. Even with that in mind, I still enjoy Sly 3 plus the challenges are challenging.

 

It's not to say the story was rubbish and skippable. The story in all 4 games appealed to me since the cutscenes were done in an animated style (well more of a comic book/limited animation type) and actually got to like most of the characters in the series due to that I found them quite well written as they explained their motives and Sly himself is not quite a hero but not quite a villain if you know what I mean. Also I like the voice acting in the games whether it is Sly, Bentley and Murray or one of the various villains (and heroes) that the games goes through. For some reason one of the Coopers sounds like the Prince from the 6th generation Prince of Persia series.

 

I know the Sly series isn't as popular as Zelda, Pokemon, Mario, GTA, Call of Duty, Tales, Assassin's Creed or even Metal Gear and know that many people wouldn't choose it as a favourite however I got my full enjoyable out of the series and am looking forward to the movie. Even though Sly has been redesigned a couple of times and has changed a voice actor or two (more if we are talking about Carmelita in every game) rather like Sonic, the changes haven't affected my enjoyment. Sly is still Sly. While Sonic Generations brought me back towards gaming, at least Sly Cooper was there to pass the time and after.

[TearForFear]

 

Guess what, my favourite series is Zelda.

 

Because every game is different from each other, despite having a similar structure they always offer a different and enjoyable experience.

 

Even the last A Link Between Worlds: at first I thought it was just a soul-less modernization of A Link To The Past, instead thanks to the mechanics such as turning into a living graffiti, it's as original as all of its predecessors.

 

Furthermore, each game (well, maybe with the exception of the first two..) provides colorful and memorable characters (God bless Lineback, Midna and Groose), fantastic plots and incredible pieces of music.

 

And it all started because a young kid wanted to live an adventure in a small cave behind his house (true story told by Miyamoto himself!)

 

Love this series.

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

Favorite series took a bit of deliberation, but I choose...

Yep, the Mario series! What more can I say about this franchise that hasn't already been said? It has everything from classic 2D platformers to groundbreaking 3D ones to sports games to pretty much the originator of the whole mascot kart genre. But my absolute favorite installments are the RPGs, as they really give you a chance to experience the Mario world and all of the charming characters and locales that rest within it. And the best thing is that EVERY game has completely different locations and a new twist on the gameplay, so you're always in for something unique with every new adventure. Plus, that's not even mentioning the fact that they typically have absolutely hilarious writing. Every time a new one is announced, I celebrate.

[MegasonicZX]

My number one favorite series would of course be the sonic series (like you didn't see it coming). This series is basically the holy grail for me, great characters, gameplay, story (on occasion), charm and most importantly that little blue guy sonic, ever since the day I played the sonic adventure demo I was just intranced by this franchise and all it has to offer and while I can't really think of much of anything else to say at this point (that hasn't already been said before) this is definitely the best series I've ever had the pleasure of following.

 

My second favorite would be the megaman series, next to sonic this is my favorite platforming series and funnily enough I was actually introduced into this series through megaman x7 (a game which I liked at the time and still kinda do) the black sheep of the series, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless and paved the way for me to get into the rest of this awesome series of games.

 

Special mentions  go to Kingdom hearts and the Mario RPGs, honestly the best RPG games ever and also my third and fourth favorite series'.

[SuperStingray]

Day 4 : Metroid

 

I'm a very... spacial person.  If there's anything I love in games, it's exploration.  Becoming oriented in an unfamiliar world, finding things that were trying their hardest to not be found.  I'm more about conquering scenery than people.  And Metroid is just that.  The US commercial for Metroid Prime put it best: "Only one thing is alive and well here: evil.  It must be destroyed, decimated, exterminated.  But first, it must be found."  That is Metroid in a nutshell.  No big supervillain speeches.  No terrorist attacks or Machiavellian manifestos.  Only looming threats, secrecy and subtlety.  Metroid isn't just about destroying the enemy, it's about unearthing them before it even makes itself known to the universe.  Metroid isn't about explosive and violent ends, it is about the slow and painful ones.  Parasites.  Poisons.  Pollution.  Watching life slowly disappear from the world around you.  There is always a sense of dread and finality around you, even in the most beautiful areas.  That's what I think makes it stronger than most horror games at eliciting dread and terror.

 

But it is also about hope.  That in the unknown there are things that can help you.  New items and abilities.  Things that can make you stronger and more able to conquer the evil around you.  They aren't just keys, they're a sense of empowerment.  These are what make the journey worthwhile.

 

My favorite games in the series are Metroid Prime 1, Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Fusion.  Tallon IV and Aether are among my favorite game environments ever because of the sheer depth of their worlds, and Fusion does a great job of building a feeling of isolation and dread, with the iconic suit that once gave you power now trying to hunt you down.

[Nast]

Day 4: Favorite Series
 
 

 

Sonic the Hedgehog
 
oh man I broke the rule
 
I have a couple of favorite series that I think are more consistent in quality than Sonic, but I'm not gonna lie, this is the one that means the most to me. My first contact with the series was when I was like 4 or 5, when I played the original Mega Drive game at a friend's house, and I immediatly fell in love with it. It was just so full of personality, so different from other games I had played at the time, that that one time I played it was ingrained in my mind, and is one of the most vivid memories I have of my childhood.
 
Since then, the series has been through a lot of shit, but regardless, it's given me a lot of good memories, and so I'm still here looking forward to new installments every time they're announced. I have a whole shelf dedicated to the games, comics toys and other things. I've replayed a lot of the Sonic games I own like a million times and I would have absolutely no problem playing them again. I don't know, it just has a very special place in my heart, as cliché as that may sound, and while my other interests may change throughout the years, I don't think I'll ever lose interest in Sonic.

 

 

Honorable mentions in the spoiler.
 

Super Smash Bros.
I said Melee was my favorite, but I do like all the games, and am SO pumped for Smash 4. Incredibly fun and addictive series. Not much else to say, since I've already talked about Melee.

 

Kingdom Hearts
The outlandish concept of Disney and Final Fantasy characters coming together was what caught my attention, but what really made me a fan was the flashy, exciting gameplay and the super interesting, if corny and convoluted, story. Also, the music is goooood. Personal favorite is Kingdom Hearts II.

Touhou Project
This is a more uncommon one, I'm sure. xP Touhou is a series of japanese vertical-scrolling bullet hell shooters for the PC, where you control magical girls and dodge very pretty but insanely difficult bullet patterns. The games are very fun and replayable, and the characters and general setting have a very unique charm to them. And just like Kingdom Hearts, these games have amazing soundtracks.

 

Ace Attorney
I once saw a LP of this game, and just from watching the first chapter, I liked the characters and the humor so much, and found the gameplay so intriguing, that I had to give the game a go myself. I didn't regret it at all. Still need to play Dual Destinies!

[KrazyBean]

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

 

What is this godawful excuse for a JRPG? Why it's Hyperdimension Neptunia. I know this series quality wise is not really good or amazing, but I love it to death. I love all the characters, especially Neptune who is my favorite. It's given me laughs, and facepalms over the past few years haha. It does it's job well of taking shots at the gaming industry and creating plot points about piracy, consumerism etc. 

 

I've seen this game everywhere on the internet...why is it so popular?  Just asking.

[Chaos Incarnate]

 

How could I not place the Mass Effect franchise at the top?

 

Mass Effect is a series that does so much right for me. It crafts my single most favorite Sci-Fi story, with a rich universe and mythology, consisting of several alien cultures, new technological advancements, memorable characters, and rich sense of mystery and exploration for the huge galaxy out there. I love how you can import your highly customize-able Commander Shepard into all three games, crafting a huge level of personal connection across the entire trilogy. At the end of the day, Mass Effect is an experience, taking you through a giant journey and exposing you to several elements along the way. It's hard to talk about the whole entire trilogy in one go, but I will say this: if it weren't for the compelling characters, I don't know where the Mass Effect series would be. 

[kalion]

Day 4 - Favorite Series

 

I think that at this point it's pretty obvious that my favorite series is Persona, especially since I said so in my favorite game answer.

 

You see, Discoid, this is the problem I have this question=.= It kinda leads into repeated answer..you could've paced it apart, bro.

*sigh* Be a bit strategic about it? I can only hope.

 

So in the same vein..

Day 4: Favorite Series

This picture represents my series and my feelings towards this question being asked now.

I mean-SERIOUSLY? after that question what else could it be..

 

I'll elaborate a bit more on Ace Attorney as a series here. I sometimes find the investigations a drag..but later games in the series make it more hilarious and more character. And poking around crime scenes fills my need OCD-need to...well..poke everything to see what they'd say.(Stepladder, nuff' said) But those trials are where it's at. The way the gameplay is constructed and leads you on to make you feel like you figured it out is genius. Especially when the cornered theme plays and it gives you question after question where you feel like lil' Mac giving knockout punches in the defensive corner. And it's the perfect handheld game that you even can play it one-handed. The osts are good ranging to superb but no matter what, they do enough to set the mood in the courtroom. The characters are interesting and at times can make you invested in them. (Not all are great-Apollo Justice-wise). And again, I'm glad it flourishes with its fanbase and I hope it continues getting localised.

...sorry, I just don't like repeating myself. I just hope the questions get better..or better-paced at least.-.-;;

 

[BakingBluePotatoe]

2-for-one for me today!

Day 3: Favorite Boxart

 

Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (GCN)

Hate to pull the Sonic Card so early, but I just can't help this one! It really shows what the game is about... a battle between light and darkness, good vs evil! Also, the Chao being there makes it even more awesome, especially as they're placed in appropriate spots.

 

 

Pokemon Black & Pokemon White (DS)

Can't mention one without the other! I really like these covers, despite not caring for the games themselves as much. It's a simple black and white theme with both of them... It's even more interesting to note that the games have a Pokemon that's OPPOSITE of the titles. Truely, the boxes side by side really show how the theme of the games are Yin and Yang. 

 

 

Crazy Taxi (PC/GCN/PS2 Version)

Quite a simple cover for this version. Just the logo against a yellow background. But ya know, it really tells you all you need to know. You're gun' drive a taxi, and it gun' be CU-RAY-ZEE!

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

Truthfully? Sonic. But I'm not going to talk about that. Instead, have my second favorite:

 

 

 

POKÉMON!

 

I dunno why, I always liked it since I was a lil kid. It all started with the trading cards, and I'd try and collect them all. I didn't get the acctual games until my 12th or so birthday, when the first Mystery Dungeon games where new, and I wanted them... but my dad got confused and got me Sapphire instead. For a while, I was upset, and didn't really care for it... then I really got into it. the Diamond and Pearl came out, and my friends where pressuring me to get the new ones, so I eventually got Pearl. HOLY FUCK IT WAS AMAZING! And the rest is history really. I only ever stopped playing Pokemon during the times when my DS was broken... I went through quite a few before I made the jump to the 3ds.

 

I'll admit though, I wasn't fond of Gen 5. Not having a working DS for about half of it did not help matters much. Looking back on it, the Dream World seemed kinda cool... I didn't think so at the time though, as I was never able to access it except once or twice... which I gladly did for the ARCEUS EVENT! WAAAAAAAAAAAH. Going to the Dream World and befriending FREAKING GOD was 'bout the coolest thing ever!

 

Of course, I got sucked RIGHT back in for X&Y. I'll admit though, the 300 or so hours on my save? I only beat 2 gyms. I just spent almost all my time breeding and collecting what I could. For some reason, I want to see if I can complete the whole Pokedex without beating the story first.

 

Oh dear, I'm rambling. I better stop.

[Willsy]

Is it okay if I join in?

Day 4: Favourite Series

I know we're supposed to try and refrain from posting Sonic, but I'm not sure how I could not say Sonic. Even though the franchise has had it's ups and downs, it is still a franchise that I have loved from a young age. I did have a break from Sonic from around when Unleashed came out up until just before Generations. Generations was the game that reignited my love of the franchise and even made me discover and play some Sonic games that I hadn't even played before.

As for how I got into Sonic, I'm not entirely sure. I played Sonic 2 with either a friend or a sibling when I was little, and then I played Sonic Heroes. I watched Sonic X a lot back then too. I think I was probably in awe with Sonic's abilities, and the games felt full of energy and exciting. Sonic Heroes was one of my favourite PS2 games as a kid, and I played it a lot. I also played Sonic Rush a lot when I got a DS, and really enjoyed that until I got stuck with the special stages.

Overall, I can only really say Sonic, because the franchise has given me so many fond memories.

[Nepenthe]

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

I'm doing the hard version of this topic and avoiding Sonic-based answers, so despite the fact that it's my most favorite series due to the amount of personal investment in it at this point, I won't elaborate on it here, but that in turn makes answering this question more difficult, because it's hard to pin down a surefire favorite outside of that one. I either have a series where I've only touched a few titles but what I love, I really love (Zelda, Rayman, CoD, AA), or I'm into a series that's more ubiquitous and thus more relevant, but may not have as many titles or moments that I considered up there with the former option (Mario). Thus, the closest series I can think of that satisfies both options is this one:

 

 

Me and this series have been through some times together. I'm still a fervent fan of the original trio; the tough-as-nails platforming, the interesting cast of heroes and villains, the mystical and atmospheric graphical style, and of course the music. Dave Wise's soundtracks for these games are God-tier. And unlike other series, my desire to play them hasn't really diminished as much as time has went on. I find it easy to immerse myself in just the aesthetics of everything, and their difficulty makes sure that I will probably never really find everything there is to find, still leaving a breadth of content to one day aspire to achieve along with the sheer joy of just playing the main game. Diddy's Kong Quest has to be my favorite. Dixie's a much-welcomed addition with her gliding ability, as is the unique way the pirate theme was melded together with other level tropes like castles and volcanoes. Plus, Stickerbrush Symphony.

 

It's also a series that didn't hit a generational ceiling. After a years' long absence, Retro managed to knock it out of the park with Returns. The nostalgia for missing Kremlings and Wise's music didn't particularly mar the experience at all, and should I get a Wii U I know Tropical Freeze is going on the list. It's good to have an old friend back.

 

Speaking of which, Rare's franchises seem to be in good hands when they're, well, not being done by Rare. The Returns line and Killer Instinct 2013 are legitimately amazing games. Hoping that Conker is farmed out one day.

[Jolt_TH]

Day 4: favorite series

 

Hmm, this one is also rather difficult, I have many series I enjoy, aside from Sonic of course, for the sake of the topic I'll choose another series.

 

 

Starfox

I can't remember when I got into the Starfox series, but it is definately one of my favorite series, ever since I played the original on a SNES emulator and eventually Lylat Wars on my friends N64, Adventures on my sisters GC and then my own copy of Assault (that i searched high and low around the country for) on Christmas day, I have fallen in love with the series and its gameplay. I love the on rails shooting levels and the all range levels from Lylat Wars, Assault added the ability to get into and out of the Arwing (a feature I really like) and some TPS elements that I feel actually worked really well. The characters are engaging and I love the character of fox a lot! (so much so that I always played as him in Melee and Brawl before even hearing about the tier lists). I loved the series for its simple gamplay but engaging story, but the later entries add some mechanics that I feel add a whole lot more to the gameplay (have you tried taking out a friend with a sniper rifle while on the front of your moving Arwing? it is satisfying as hell!) and no I havent played Command.

 

Smash Bros

This is another series I really enjoy, mostly because of the whole premise of an all star Nintendo fighter. wanna pit Mario against Samus? now you can, Link against Pikachu? Sure go ahead! The game is just a blast to play on your own, and its even better with friends, I used to have friends over almost every day after school just to play Smash Bros and it was always a ton of fun! the controls are easy to pick up easily and the whole game is a great time waster that you can spend anything from 5 minutes to 5 hours on the game.

[SuperLink]

Day 4: Favourite game series (what do you mean "where were you for Days 1-3"?)

 

I doubt my post is gonna be nearly as impressive as some of the others I've seen here, but boy is this is a tough call.. my mind changes on this one changes at least 3 times a year, but I'm gonna have to go with the series that is most.. impressive to me, rather than the one that I've had the most fun with.

 

So sorry Pokémon, maybe next time (I fuckin LOVE you tho, you and your excruciatingly happy feelgood all-inclusive nature)

 

The Legend of Zelda

 

Big surprise there, they don't call me "SuperLink" for nothin' afterall. I don't even know where to begin with this one, but I guess a little anecdote about how I got into it-

 

It was the late 90s, and I had recently gotten an N64 after spending my childhood as a SEGA kid, I was initially disappointed cause I wanted a Saturn but after playing Mario 64 I wasn't super disappointed anymore. I was a petty, opinionated kid (surprising no one) and I got pretty annoyed at this one game that everyone seemed to think was better than my precious Mario 64, "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time". It sounded so dumb to me! I played Super Smash Bros., and felt genuine shock and surprise to know that Zelda was actually called Link?? (true story) But long story short I then played Ocarina of Time at my friends' house and loved it instantly so lel.

 

Not long after, while I wouldn't get my own copy of OoT until it came bundled with Wind Waker, I bought Oracle of Ages, Seasons, and Majora's Mask.. which was one of the first games I bought with my own money and actively sought a copy of, N64 games were getting harder to find in stores and as a result my role as a gamer became much more active. Majora's Mask utterly and completely engulfed me, I would panic like crazy when the moon was about to fall, I would run away scared from the music house in Ikana Canyon, and shout in frustration when I failed to save Kafei's mask. Even when I had fully completed everything there was to do, I used the 3-day cycle to invent new challenges for myself, or watched how my favourite NPCs lived their 3-day cycle, kinda fascinated by the well-oiled nature of it all, how everything clicked together and made sense, even though most game NPCs I'd encountered before then barely moved from the same spot, let alone had lives.

 

It was after those purchases that I became fully and completely a follower of the franchise. Zelda (and Pokémon) was the franchise that got me buying game magazines, poring the pages for the latest news, reading reviews to see if any other game could captivate me the way those did, buying magazines just for the tiniest bit of video footage of Wind Waker or Twilight Princess, bringing a magazine into the store just to make sure the clerk knew 100% what I meant when I made sure I would get the OoT bonus disc for pre-ordering Wind Waker (which was, by the way, the first game I ever pre-ordered, and these were the days where pre-ordering wasn't a huge thing yet and barely anyone shopped online).

 

I love the way the Zelda series builds off itself and references itself despite all the different settings and time periods, I love the way its art design changes from game to game, sometimes radically, in an industry where almost no other game does this. If any other game changed from WW to TP style in the space of a few years, we'd call shenanigans! But with Zelda, we're used to it, and that's incredible and unique. Even the timeline has had me interested from point one, I used to make my own timeline theories and argue pretty vehemently about why I thought a certain game may be set where.. and I was wrong about some of them, but on the other hand I loved the official timeline even more because it helped reassert that Zelda games are unique, the timeline is just a by-product of the amount of love and self-reference the series gets.

 

I dunno, Zelda isn't just a game to me, it's fascinating, it's something that always keeps fans guessing and getting new things, even when the gameplay is arguably stale, there's something in each and every game that's impressive in some way, the change or art style, a reference to a fan favourite character or moment, or a new fan favourite being accepted in an instant, becoming a classic, well known character despite being from a completely different kind of Zelda to the likes of Navi or Saria. I was gonna say Zelda is art, but I'm not sure I could get away with being that pretentious despite how absurdly sappy this post has become.

 

PS. Pokémon was here, Zelda is a loser

[Shane]

I've spoken enough about Donkey Kong Country, but it is my favourite series, so...

 

Keep in mind that Donkey Kong 64 and Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat are excluded from this for very obvious reasons, heh. (Though Jungle Beat does actually have pretty good gameplay if nothing more.)

 

Donkey Kong Country is the anti-Mario. Despite starring talking apes and spiders that wear sneakers, It takes place in a grounded, realistic world that feels like it could actually exist. There are no floating platforms, no faces on inanimate objects, none of the "magic" that Mario seems to be filled with.

 

All the platforms in this screen are attached to something, creating the feel that this is a living, breathing world.

 

Speaking of worlds, there is so much variety beyond the jungles that games like Smash Bros. will have you believe dominate the series. Let's just look at one world from Donkey Kong Country 2 to see this variety in action.

 

 

The world is called Krazy Kremland, and it's based around a Kremling theme park on hostile territory. Is starts on the outskirts of the park, inside a giant beehive, which is the home base of the Zingers:

 

If you sit long enough on the honey, the Kong will start eating it.

 

The next stage, you're in the heart of the theme park:

 

The Casino Night inspiration is obvious here.

 

Then you hit the skies, in one of DKC2's iconic Bramble levels:

 

One of the fan-favourite levels in the series.

 

You cross another rollercoaster and then you hit up a marsh:

 

Flitters are designed to be flat like platforms. Rare adopted Nintendo's design philosophies for this game.

 

This is all just one world. And even when it does come to jungles, the variation is fantastic:

 

Donkey Kong Country's are the basic African-inspired jungles we see in Mario spinoff games. Still beautiful. These levels are mostly at the beginning of the game.

 

Donkey Kong Country 2's jungles are part of a secret world for skilled players. They look totally different from the predecessor's jungles.

 

The final world in Donkey Kong Country 3 is where you'll find its jungles. Again, totally different. Mario, are you taking any notes?

 

Tropical Freeze has a jungle world near the end of the game, but with a twist: It combines the "jungle" archetype with the "factory" archetype. It takes place at a factory that makes fruit juice-based products.

 

And that's just looking at the jungle cliche!

 

 

This is a world I want to live in.

 

 

The gameplay is fantastic too. The original Donkey Kong Country and the two new Retro Studios games revolve around keeping a flow going through the stage (much like the older Sonics) while DKC2 and DKC3 are more slower-paced games, built around exploration. DKC3 does this better than DKC2 and it was probably my favourite game of all time before Tropical Freeze came out.

 

Oh, and the music. David Wise is fantastic, Eveline Fischer (now known as Eveline Novakovic) is also fantastic.

I won't barrage you guys with music, so here's a song from the newest game that I feel symbolizes the series and its music best:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Boqy0Q-4c_M

 

 

Donkey Kong Country is a heck of a series. I wish it wasn't associated with Mario (due to them being 2D platformers) or with the lack of Metroid games right now (due to them sharing a developer) because it's among Nintendo's finest.