Silicon Valley 10 & 1 07.06.10: Top 10 Favorite Games

Posted by Justin Weinblatt on 07.07.2010

From Bioshock and Super Smash Brothers Brawl to Mass Effect 2, Resident Evil 4, Halo 2 and more, 411's Justin Weinblatt ranks his Top 10 Favorite Games of All-Time! Plus former WWE Diva Lita is our &1 Model of the Week!



Hello and welcome back to The Silicon Valley 10 & 1 by Justin Weinblatt. We're getting to know each other a bit better this week by discussing my personal favorite games. We've already seen numbers 11-20, so lets get on with the top 10.

Last week: The Silicon Valley 10 & 1. Top 20 Favorite Games: Part 1
Let's take a look at...



10.Weston Smith: Seeing ToS, MMX, and then MFing CvsSNK2 all in a row made me a fan of this list, regardless of what else is on it.

It was a tough choice over whether to put Street Fighter 2 or CVS 2 on this list, but CVS2 is so underrated I had to give it some love.

9.Dylan: Skies of Arcadia, Tales of Symphonia, Metroid Prime AND Eternal Darkness?

Great choices.
Although I would put Skies over ToS.

And it's a pretty big f*** you to those who think the GCN didn't have amazing games.

I've probably played my cube more than any other console. Quality over quantity. As for TOS vs SOA, they're both great, and it was a tough choice. I like the story and characters of Skies a bit better, but TOS has stronger gameplay. Still, you can't go wrong with either game. Thanks for reading and commenting.

8.Shane Silver: Wario Ware: Smooth Moves is the worst of the series. I didn't have the feel or the charming eccentricity of the first few games.

The orignal for the GBA and TOUCH! for the DS are far superior and much more enjoyable.

I disagree. I thought Touch was the weakest entry in the series, by a wide margin. But, to each his own. Thanks for reading and commenting.

7. Guest: I'm calling you on this. KH2 killed the exploration aspects that were in the first game and simplified them.

I consider that a good thing. I have no issues with exploration (after all I have Metroid Prime on my list of favorite games), but the exploration in Kingdom Hearts wasn't done very well, and slowed down the pace of the game too much. I much prefer the pacing of KH2 to the original. Thanks for reading and commenting.

6.Guest: ive never played most of these games and the ones i have played wouldn't be on my top 20.

Well, that makes you one of the millions of people who have a different opinion than me. Congrats, you're in an exclusive club.

5.Boby: I personally don't think Devil May Cry 3 is hack and slash. Hack and slash implies just that, that all you do is mindlessly hack and slash. If your on any difficulty above hard, especially on the original version(not the version they made because it was too hard), you gets obliterated if all you do is hack and slash.

I also don't see of ToS is similar to final fantasy 10 in any way, except maybe a few characters. Either way, if you haven't played tales of the abyss, you best do that, as it improves on ToS in every way, as is better than the 360's tales of vesperia(although still a good game).

To me a beat em up is a game where your primary activity is destroying legions of enemies. Hack and Slash is the same thing, just with swords instead of fists. Beat em ups (and hack and slash games) have gotten a bad rap, because early games in the genre were very simplistic, but like all other genres they've evolved. Into Devil May Cry 3. Hack and slash is, in my mind, not an insult at all.

As for TOS, I think the theme of the Chosen sacrificing herself for a temporary peace, was similar to the summoner's quest to temporarily defeat
Sin. There's also the manipulative church which is actually part of the evil it seeks to destroy. Of course, there's a lot more going on in both games,
but those similarities jumped out at me. Thanks for reading and commenting.

4.Sean: You have superb tastes, sir. And you just reminded me, I'm only about four chapters away from finishing Eternal Darkness. I've been on an "older" games kick lately, which currently also includes playing MGS 2 & 3 and Final Fantasy VII and VIII.

Indeed I do. :) Thanks for reading/commenting.


3.Scotty Exact: "Unfortunately, the VMU minigame is gone"

Well duh. How exactly do you propose they do the Skies of Arcadia VMU minigame on the Gamecube? With the Gameboy?

And looking at it now, you should probably explain exactly what a VMU is for the youngsters out there.

Those who know what a VMU got the reference. Those who didn't could still easily enjoy and understand the article.


2 Oh Limping Hero: .Lita has a smoking body man.

Hope to see RE2 and 4 in your next ten. And you're crazy putting in WM 2000 over No Mercy. NM improved on everything from WM2000 and added a boss ladder match!

That she does. As for Resident Evil, you might see one of those games on my list...

1. Some Dude: WCW World Tour was absolutely fantastic and somehow WCW Revenge polished its gameplay to be damn near perfect. I'd say WM2000 was the ramp for No Mercy in that way. All the great gameplay from THQ/AKI with more features, then No Mercy polished THOSE to perfection. The CaW feature was better, the psychology was better, to take nothing from WM2000, but No Mercy was/is the perfect wrestling game.

There were a lot of comments regarding the WM2000/No Mercy debate, with most favoring No Mercy. I've been meaning to play that for about 10 years, so maybe I'll get around to it soon. Thanks for reading and commenting.



Now we get to my top 10 favorite games of all time. Remember, this is not meant to be an objective look at the best ten games in history. It would be impossible for one man to compose such a list. This is simply a list of the top games that I personally enjoyed the most. Before we get down to business, lets take a look at some honorable mentions, and have a recap of #s 11-20.

My Top 10 Favorite Games

Honorable Honorable Mention- I feel the need to give an extra honorable mention to Metal Gear Solid, as it is probably the biggest omission out of games I've actually played. I really loved Metal Gear Solid, which was pretty shocking since I HATE stealth games. The fact that it still won me over says a lot about its quality. If I was a fan of the genre, this would probably be way more than an honorable honorable mention.

Honorable Mentions Street Fighter 2, Pokemon Red/Blue, Shadow of the Colossus, Psychonauts, Super Mario Brothers, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Super Mario World, Kirby's Canvas Curse, Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby's Adventure, Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy X, Mega Man 3, Astro Boy: The Omega Factor, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, New Super Mario Bros. (DS/Wii), Punch Out!!! (Wii), Soul Calibur, Shenmue, Power Stone, Street Fighter Alpha 3 (GBA), Golden Sun 1 and 2, Super Mario RPG, Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga, Super Smash Brothers Melee, Marvel vs Capcom, WWE Day of Reckoning, Guitar Hero 2, Rock Band, Metroid II Return of Samus, Metroid Fusion, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES), Street Fighter 4, Sonic the Hedgehog 3/Knuckles, Fire Pro Wrestling (GBA), Banjo Kazooie, Viewtiful Joe, Killer 7, Wario Ware, Wario Ware Twisted, Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64.

Phew. That's a long list. And I still probably left out a few great games. Maybe I should have gone for top 30. Anyway, for those of you who missed it, here is a recap of what we've already had.

20.Skies of Arcadia, Legends.
19.Devil May Cry 3
18.Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
17.Kingdom Hearts 2
16. Tales of Symphonia
15.Mega Man X
14. Capcom vs SNK 2
13.Wrestlemania 200
12.Metroid Prime
11. Eternal Darkness

And now...The LIST!
10. Mega Man Legends (PSX, N64 as Mega Man 64, PC, PSP in Japan)


I can see people complaining about this one. After all, from a completely objective perspective, Mega Man Legends should definitely not rank above games like Metroid Prime. Like most early 3D games, Mega Man Legends hasn't aged too well. Textures are blurry, characters are blocky, and the controls are awkward, especially since the game predated the Dual Shock.

So why do I love this game so much? Honestly, I can't give a clear answer. Certain games just strike a chord with certain people. Maybe it was the Metroidvania-lite exploration elements. Maybe it was the rpg-like leveling up. Maybe it was the colorful cast of characters, including the most awesome villain team ever. Maybe it's Data the Monkey, the most awesome video game character ever. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I still drag out the old PSX to play this game now and then, and every time I do, I enjoy it thoroughly.

At any rate, I'm not alone in my love. Mega Man creator, Kenji Inafune, has cited Legends as one of his favorite games, and there is a small, but incredibly devoted, group of fans constantly lobbying for a third entry to the series.

9. Kirby Superstar (SNES, DS as Kirby Super Star Ultra, Virtual Console)


Here is another sentimental favorite that I don't expect would make many gamers' top 10. The Kirby series is one of the absolute best for introducing people to gaming. They're easy games, but not easy enough to be patronizing. Kirby's Dream Land was the first game that I was able to beat on my own, and that started a life long love of Kirby. As any Kirby fan knows, Kirby Superstar is the best of the series.

Kirby Superstar is simply a joy to play, from beginning to end. Unlike most Kirby games, which are divided into worlds, Kirby Superstar is split into 7 separate mini-games, each with a slightly different spin on the Kirby formula. The platforming mechanics are as polished as you'll find on the SNES. Like most Kirby games, you'll be eating enemies to gain their abilities, but this time each power gives you access to a variety of moves. Acquiring a new way to beat down bad guys every few minutes keeps the gameplay from getting repetitive.

What sets Kirby apart from many platformers of the era, is the co-op gameplay. Games such as Donkey Kong Country, and Mario World, featured very limited co-op modes. Not so with Kirby. At any point in Kirby Superstar, you can turn an enemy into a partner, which a second player can control. The result is one of the best co-op experiences ever, and the perfect game to use as an introduction to gaming.

8. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Gamecube, Wii)


When the Gamecube debuted, Nintendo had gamers salivating with a trailer of Link fighting Ganon. Many were irate when this trailer turned into Windwaker, a cel shaded adventure. For years, gamers awaited a return to a realistic version of Hyrule. They would have to wait for Nintendo's next console, where The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess would be a launch title.

Twilight Princess sticks closely to the original Zelda formula, with a few refinements. Epona is now more than a mode of transportation, as Link is able to battle on horseback. Link is also be able to transform into a wolf; a mechanic that works a bit better than the time traveling from Ocarina. Finally, the game makes use of the Wii's functionality, allowing you to swing your Wiimote to attack, and aim your bow with precision. Of course, you can always go for the Gamecube version if you suffer from motion sickness.

Deciding which of the 3D Zelda's to put on this list was a tough choice. Ocarina is a timeless classic, and I really enjoyed Wind Waker as well. However, I think that Twilight Princess features the strongest dungeon design in the franchise. Link has more sword attacks at his disposal, and I really did enjoy the Wii controls. Still, all 3 are fantastic games (haven't played Majora), and are all deserving of a spot on my list.

7. BioShock (X-Box 360, PC, PS3)


I'm not a huge fan of shooters (as you can probably tell by this list), but I am a fan of dystopian literature (1984, Fahrenheit 451, etc). BioShock's story won me over, and changed the way I viewed shooters.

BioShock tells the story of Rapture, a city built under the sea, to avoid the meddling of government and religion. By the time we enter Rapture though, it is a dreadful wasteland. As we control our protagonist in his escape, we gradually learn the story of Rapture, and see what happens when genius exists without the constraints of morality.

It would be futile to explain the story of BioShock in full here, but in my mind it's not unreasonable to compare it to the classic tales of Orwell, in terms of quality. By combining the chilling story, with amazing visuals, and a haunting soundtrack, BioShock creates one of the most authentic feeling worlds that any gamer has ever traversed.

6. Super Mario Brothers 3 (NES, GBA as Super Mario Advance 4, SNES in Mario All-Stars, Virtual Console)


Super Mario Brothers revolutionized the video game industry, by blowing everything that came before it completely out of the water. Super Mario Brothers 3 improved on Super Mario Brothers in every conceivable way. The game was larger, had more enemies, better power ups, better boss battles, better graphics, and better music. What really made the game great though, was the level design. The levels were far more varied than those in Super Mario Bros, or anything platformer of the time. Each world featured its own unique theme, and even within those themes there was a ton of variety. Almost every single level has it's own gimmick to separate it from the pack. Few games can really make the claim "there's never a dull moment", but Mario Brothers 3 certainly can.

5. Super Smash Brothers Brawl


In a way, I'm glad Nintendo has such a crappy online service. I've wasted many many hours playing Smash Brothers online. I shudder to think how much time I'd have wasted if Nintendo's online service was up to snuff.

Smash Brothers takes various characters from Nintendo's illustrious history, and lets them loose on each other. Ever wondered if Link's antique weaponry could stand up against Samus' power suit? Do you want to see Mario and Donkey Kong settle the score once and for good? Do you just want to see Bowser bite Pikachu's face off? You got it.

Smash Brothers Brawl features a unique fighting engine, where your objective is to send your opponent flying off the screen, rather than draining their health. Each of the 36 (last time I counted) characters features an incredibly unique play style, and playing with a variety of characters keeps everything feeling fresh. The game's simple control scheme hides a considerable amount of depth.

What sets Smash Brothers Brawl above other fighting games is its versatility. If you have a group of hardcore gamers, you can arrange a one on one tournament, turn weapons off, and engage in epic spacing battles. Alternatively, if you have a group of casual gamers, you can put items on, have four players join the fray, and watch the chaos unfold. Whatever your gaming need, Smash has you covered. The varied single player modes serve as icing on an already delicious cake. I've spent more of my life on Smash Brothers than any other game. Time well spent.


4. Mass Effect 2 (X-Box 360, PC,)


In Mass Effect 2, you can unlock a special character, by killing one of your party members. It's a pretty dick move. On my first playthrough I went the goodie goodie paragon route, and kept the original party member. On my second playthrough, I was a badass renegade, so I decided I'd kill my loyal crew member to acquire the services of this possibly sociopathic stranger. However, when the moment of truth came, and my hand hovered over the button that would sentence my crew member to death, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Even on a third playthrough my guilt prevented me from going through with the dastardly deed. Perhaps I'm just overly sentimental, but I grew far too attached to my new character to sacrifice her life, even with the promise of a new character, and a new ability. It just goes to show how well crafted BioWare's characters are.

Characterization is the name of the game in Mass Effect 2. Throughout the game, you're gathering and readying a crew for a deadly mission. Through an excellent story, exceptional dialogue, and the best voice acting in the industry, you become attacked to your party members, and legitimately care whether they live or die. Obviously, there's no way to really capture the feeling of leading men into combat, but this is the closest thing in any artistic medium. In addition, BioWare fixes up the various flaws in the original, creating one of the best games ever made.

3. Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube, PS2, Wii)

The Gamecube didn't have the largest library out there, but sometimes that was a blessing in disguise. Due to the small volume of games, it was hard for any of the great ones to slip through the cracks.

I was never a fan of the Resident Evil series (although to be fair I never game it much of a chance), so Resident Evil 4 wasn't a game that I was eager to play. However, the Gamecube had so few great mature titles, and the game was getting rave reviews, so I stepped out of my comfort zone, and gave RE4 a try. I was glad I did.

Resident Evil 4 is a success on nearly every level. The game is visually stunning, and is among the very best of its generation. The various sounds, from the blast of a shotgun, to the haunting chants of Los Ganados, drag you deeper into the experience. The gunplay is superb (even if you can't walk and shoot), and the weapon variety is good. The game even managed to pull off escort missions, and QTE's well.

Resident Evil 4's biggest strength is its nearly perfect pacing. The game alternates between slower paced exploration sequences, and balls out action. The game has an ebb and flow to it that keeps you from getting burnt out on action sequences, or bored of exploration. There's also a surprising amount of variety in the different shoot outs. Plus, it had Del Lago.

As good as the Gamecube original was, the Wii's version of Resident Evil 4 is the best. It maintains the superior graphics of the 'Cube version, and the additional content of the PS2 version. In addition, the motion controls work well, adding heightened precision and immersion to an already amazing experience.

2. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)


I actually liked Super Mario Sunshine, and I didn't understand why it received the hate it did. That is, until I played Super Mario Galaxy. People hated Sunshine because they knew that Nintendo was capable of creating something much better. Mario Galaxy is the true successor to Super Mario 64, and one of the greatest game of all time.

I imagine that Super Mario Galaxy was created in a Willy Wonka like factory, where Nintendo employees were hard at work distilling the essence of fun from puppies, fireworks, and roller coasters. At the core of the gameplay is Mario Galaxy's unique gravitational system. Every planetoid or platform in the game has its own gravitational pull. This innovative mechanic allows Mario to return to his routes. While Mario 64 was about exploration, Galaxy is all about platforming.

While Mario hops from platform to platform, Nintendo throws innovative challenge after innovative challenge at gamers. You'll turn into a spring, and scale giant robots, surf on sting rays, race penguins, scale waterfalls, float in bubbles, invade air fleets, travel through gravity bending 2-D worlds, blast off with launch stars, crawl across giant bees, climb massive towers, battle giant eels, and more. Each star provides a novel and fun new challenge. The amount of creativity in Mario Galaxy is nothing short of amazing, and helped Nintendo prove that they are still the best in the world at what they do.


1. Halo 2 (X-Box)


I hate to go with the obvious answer, but then again I'm not going to pull a swerve just for the sake of pulling a swerve. Halo 2 is simply the greatest game of all time, and there's no point in denying it.

For years PC gamers had been enjoying excellent first person shooters on their PCs. Console gamers were more or less left in the dust. Then Halo came along. Not only did it give console gamers a first person shooter to call their own, but it gave them a first person shooter that far surpassed its PC cousins. The result was the one of the greatest games ever created. There were only two things Halo was missing. Swords, and online play. Halo 2 came in and delivered both.

Halo 2 ushered in a new renaissance in multiplayer gaming. Featuring perfectly balanced weapons, a variety of different play modes, perfect controls, and the amazing X-Box Live Network, Halo 2 is the greatest multiplayer game ever, without question. However, people frequently under-rate the game's single player component. Halo 2 features the deepest, most nuanced plot in all of gaming. Master Chief was the first video game character to earn a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, and he damn well deserves it. He is the most interesting and well rounded character every to grace a console.

The only problem with Halo 2 is that it set an impossibly high standard that will probably never be matched. In fact, I'd recommend that game developers stop trying to create anything better than Halo 2. It's futile. Instead, they should make FPS after FPS, with little or no innovation, to try to recreate the magic that was Halo 2.

Just kidding. Here's the real #1.

1. Mega Man 2 (NES)


What separates a quality game from a truly great game? Love. If the developers love what they're working on, it shows up in the final product, and the gamer will love it too.

Mega Man 2 has an interesting story behind its creation. The first Mega Man game was only moderately successful, partially due to the atrocious box-art, and Capcom did not want to produce a sequel at the time. Kenji Inafune and his team convinced Capcom to allow them to make the title, but they also had to work on other projects concurrently. The team worked their asses off, and the results speak for themselves.

What makes Mega Man 2 so great is its amazing design. There is no element in any stage that felt out of place, or just thrown in for the hell of it. The graphics were amazing, the controls were pixel perfect, and the game was beautiful. It was arguably the best looking game of its time, and even now looks attractive. Each Robot Master had his own unique stage. Whether you were climbing Crash Man's tower, sliding across Flash Man's slick floors, or dodging Quick Man's lasers, the game never felt repetitive.

Then, there is the music. Mega Man 2's music is, in my opinion, the best to be featured in any game ever. The midi tunes are amazing, and help to give each stage its own unique feel. Wily's Castle theme is the best bg track in all of gaming.

Mega Man 2 is a game that I've played through at least 20 times (that's an incredibly conservative estimate), and my most recent playthrough was just as much fun as the first, over 15 years ago. I have no doubt that in another decade I'll still be playing Mega Man 2, and enjoying every second.


Well, that's my top 20 favorite games ever. Those are just the opinions. Now that you know me a little better, I'd like to get to know you. Write down a favorite game or two, or ten if you're feeling ambitious, in the comments section.


Since this is a two part list, it's only natural that we get a second helping of Lita goodness.






Well, that about sums it up for this week's Silicon Valley. Keep an eye out for me on 411, and be sure to check out 411 on Twitter.

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Till next time.