System: Game Boy
Developer: Bullet Proof Software
Release date: August, 1989
For its relatively short life, the video game industry has been dominated by Japan and by the United States, by England and by France. In 1984, however, the U.S.S.R. made a hugely significant contribution to the video game world with Tetris. Designed by Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris appeared on a number of personal computers throughout the 1980s, but its Game Boy version is the one that catapulted the game to stardom. Bundled with the Game Boy in 1989, Tetris introduced huge audiences to the greatest puzzle game ever made and created a generation of Tetris-addicted kids. The object of the game is to prevent blocks from piling up and reaching the top of the screen. Endlessly imitated but never duplicated, Tetris is the alpha and omega of puzzle games.
System: Playstation
Developer: Core Design
Release date: November 18, 1997
Its very title indicates that the cult of Lara was already in full-effect by 1997, but Tomb Raider II is surprisingly non-exploitative; Lara Croft continues to be one of the industry’s greatest heroines, not merely an object of sex. In Tomb Raider II Croft is once again raiding tombs, crypts, caves, and long-forgotten temples. Her latest target is the Dagger of Xian, which is also coveted by a dangerous Italian mobster named Marco Bartoli. Although Tomb Raider II uses the same engine which made the original Tomb Raider such a hit, it improves upon the graphics and play control of its predecessor. Environments are bigger and are capable of presenting larger and more complex polygons. Tomb Raider II is more action-oriented than the original, and the first Tomb Raider game to feature vehicles.
System: Nintendo Gamecube
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Release date: March 24, 2003
Unfairly criticized for its cartoonish appearance, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker features some of the most memorable and vibrant graphics of any Zelda adventure and boasts, without a doubt, the most visually expressive Link of any franchise game. Set on a huge, never-ending great sea, The Wind Waker is the story of Link’s quest to rescue his captured sister. Unlike other Zelda games, in which Link travelled by foot or on horseback, The Wind Waker asks its players to navigate across the vast ocean in a small sailboat. Aside from its gorgeous graphics, The Wind Waker boasts a terrific soundtrack and a deep, sometimes unpredictable story complete with several mid-game revelations and a truly shocking ending.
System: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Release date: November 12, 2007
Over the years Mario has accumulated a long and impressive resume: plumber, tennis star, golfer, go-kart driver, doctor. Now you can add astronaut. In Super Mario Galaxy, Mario for the first time has an extraterrestrial adventure, a jaunt among the stars which owes a lot to Super Mario 64, but which dwarfs it in size and scope. Super Mario Galaxy introduces an innovative physics system to accompany its spherical platform engine, whereby Mario can circumnavigate small planetoids, all the while a gravitational pull keeping him from flying off into space. The Wii remote and nunchuk are employed conservatively in Super Mario Galaxy, used mainly to perform a spin attack or to remotely collect “star bits,” colorful star-shaped gems used to defeat enemies or bypass obstacles.
System: N64
Developer: Rare
Release date: August 25, 1997
Before the release of GoldenEye 007 in 1997, most first-person shooters were corridor shooters that had one simple philosophy: shoot first, ask questions later. These shooters, mostly clones of Doom, asked their owners to shoot everything that moved, and little else. GoldenEye changed the prevailing paradigm by introducing mission objectives that demanded a combination of firepower and brainpower. GoldenEye is perhaps most famous for its legendary multiplayer modes, which allow four friends (or enemies) to shoot at each other in a number of environments with a variety of weapons. The legacy of GoldenEye is most evident when this fact is considered: console games released post-GoldenEye which did not feature a multiplayer mode were considered somehow incomplete.
System: SNES, Genesis
Developer: Capcom
Release date: June 25, 1994
For some strange reason, Street Fighter II Turbo is generally considered the best console version of Street Fighter II, but it pales in comparison to Super Street Fighter II, the game with the most characters, moves and modes. Super Street Fighter II features sixteen playable characters, twelve carried over from the previous games and four new to the franchise: Cammy, T. Hawk, Fei-Long and Dee Jay. Other novelties include eight color schemes for each character’s costume, new moves and new animation frames, music and sound effects, as well as adjustable game speed. Its greatest achievements, however, are its new game modes, which include time trial, group battle and tournament battle, an eight-player single elimination tournament.
System: N64
Developer: Rare
Release date: November 20, 2000
The much-anticipated sequel to Banjo-Kazooie again pits the bear-bird duo against the evil witch Gruntilda along with her two wicked sisters. As in the first installment, players explore several enormous game environments with hidden collectables, the most important being “jiggies,” golden jigsaw pieces that allow the player to progress through the game. Additions include the ability to play as former non-player character Mumbo, new moves, and the option to split Banjo and Kazooie apart, thus taking advantage of the unique skills each possesses. The varied and expansive worlds include a prehistoric wasteland, an amusement park, and a factory. Banjo-Tooie also features several hidden Easter eggs which first appeared in Banjo-Kazooie.
System: Playstation
Developer: Square
Release date: September 7, 1997
Originally slated for release on the SNES, Final Fantasy VII was originally pushed back for release on N64. But when the storage space on the N64 cartridge was deemed insufficient, developer Square decided to release the game on Sony's Playstation. Thus began a decade of Sony exclusivity for Final Fantasy, and a decade of decline for Nintendo -- although the two are only tangentially related. So Final Fantasy VII had a big impact on the industry, but it had an ever larger impact on public perception of RPGs. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to claim that FFVII was the first mainstream RPG -- it has sold 10 million copies, the most of any Final Fantasy game -- and was one of the first games to place a huge emphasis on story and production values. In fact, the game cost $45 million, the most expensive game of its time, and required a team of roughly 120 artists and programmers. It's not the best Final Fantasy game, but it's certainly the most influential.
System: Dreamcast
Developer: Namco
Release date: September 9, 1999
Many people consider Soul Calibur to be the greatest fighting game ever made. It's difficult to argue with them. Soul Calibur is the continuation of the Soul series, which debuted in arcades as Soul Edge and found a home on the Playstation console renamed as Soul Blade. Like its predecessor, Soul Calibur is a 3D weapons-based fighter. Each colorful character uses a distinct weapon and employs a specialized fighting style. Unlike its predecessor and unlike every 3D fighter to come before it, Soul Calibur introduced a revolutionary 8-way run, where fighters could move freely in three dimensions. Soul Calibur also features a “mission mode,” in which players can complete mission objectives to gain points, which can be used to purchase costumes and artwork.
System: Xbox 360, PC
Developer: 2K
Release date: August 21, 2007
Designed with elements of survival-horror games and role-playing games, BioShock is a first-person shooter that truly transcends its genre. Players control Jack, an unlucky man whose passenger plane crashes over the Atlantic Ocean. In a nearby submarine bay he discovers passage to Rapture, a hidden city beneath the waves. Once there, Jack encounters the twisted and gruesome inhabitants of Rapture, who stop at nothing to eliminate him. Jack can interact with almost everything in the underwater metropolis, including enemies, containers, machines, and audio diaries, scattered throughout the city. In Rapture, players can upgrade weapons and create custom ammunition; they can also alter Jack’s very genetic code, infusing superhuman powers into his body in the process.
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