If you’ve been paying attention over the last two weeks, you’d have noticed that everyone here at Lazy HQ is posting their top ten gaming lists. Victor already had a turn and was fired for Molyneux reasons, while Zoe picked up the pace with her ten best games. Now it’s my turn. Brace yourselves.
I’ve taken a different tact with this list. I’m writing down the first ten games that enter my brain-space, because there’s now way that I could condense the best titles of forever into such a small number. Here we go, prepare to be hit in your nostalgia bones. In no specific order:
Freelancer
If there’s one space game that I’m going to include in this list, it’s going to be this masterpiece which narrowly edged out several Wing Commanders and Starlancer to make it here. Never before had I managed to explore a galaxy so vast and detailed before.
And I didn’t just have to fight my way through the main game. Hell, I could traffic anything I wanted to in my bulky Rhino freighter, from water to desert planets, drugs for richer worlds and containers that really should have had oxygen pumped into them for all those slaves.
Freelancer was massive, beautiful and had a fantastic story to boot, making it one of the last great space games ever made before World War Two took over the gaming industry.
Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage
Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can. Stars in a crap game, catches bad ports just like flies, look out! Here comes a Spider-Man game!
That’s pretty much how I felt with every single Spider-Man game released. Most of them were terrible, and failed to capture the spirit of the webhead. But then LJN of all developers, managed to make not only a great game featuring the amazing arachnid, but one that stayed true to the comics.
You had the nimble Spidey beating up random goons, Venom acting as heavy muscle, multiple paths and secret boss fights. All that, in a blood-red cartridge that made church groups shudder when they saw the symbiotic spawn of Satan inviting players to blow him and insert said device into a Megadrive.
Pokémon Emerald
If there’s one constant with Pokémon games, it’s that a new generation of of pocket monsters will always get summed up into one new re-release of a game. That makes fans pay twice for exactly the same game at the end of the day.
And still, I fall for it every single damn time. But out of all those repackaged Pokémon games, Emerald is my favourite. Hell, I paid R400 for the game when it came out. Which in student money, is absolutely insane. Especially when I saw the exact same game at a cash crusaders for R70, which caused me to break down and blubber man tears.
But it was worth it. The third generation of Pokémon has always been my favourite, and Emerald added a ton of content to what I had already played. Content which I’m still playing to this day.
Brutal Legend
Do you wanna rock? RAWK! Brutal Legend was everything that I ever wanted from a game based on classic rock and metal music. A world that looked like it was ripped from an Iron Maiden and ManoWar album cover. Ozzy Osbourne giving you lip. A car that would make Brian Johnson write a ballad about it.
And of course, Tenacious D’s Jack Black on vocal duties, easily carrying the entire game. Brutal Legend was more than just a great sandbox with awesome tunes. It was a love letter to Metal music, and one of the best games that Tim Schafer and his Double Fine studio ever made.
Final Fantasy 8
A lot of folks reckon that Final Fantasy 7 is the greatest game that ever emerged from that franchise. Well they’re all wrong and have stupid faces, because 8 was waaaaaaay better. It had everything you could want from a Final Fantasy game on the Playstation One.
Great graphics, audio and a storyline. The Junction system has to be one of the most underrated methods of using magic, while the Guardian Force side-quests to unlock extra battle monsters to fight with you was just icing on the cake.
It’s the best Final Fantasy ever made, and if you disagree with me, I’ll fight you in a dark alley.
Blur
Contrary to popular belief, I love a good racing game. There were plenty that I would have slotted here, from Project Gotham Racing 4 through to Forza Horizon, but Blur has to be an unappreciated classic.
It was stylish, fast and the kind of game that Mario Kart titles wanted to grow and be one day. But what I loved the most, was how easy it was for newcomers to get into it. I’ve got great memories of playing that game with my dad, in races that usually ended with him calling me a little bliksem and losing badly.
Good times man, good times.
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
How do you improve the already phenomenally fantastic Age of Empires II? Easy, throw Jedi, lasers and TIE Fighters into the game, and keep the formula intact.
As a massive Star Wars fan, this was the game that I spent way too much time on. I assembled armies of Stormtroopers, created entire Jedi cultures and used the map editor to create a scenario where I finally got to give Jar Jar Binks the laser-based punishment that he deserved.
It was beautiful, and the game smelt like burnt Gungan whenever I finished playing. What more could a fan want at the end of the day?
Blade Runner
Even though the film flew over my head with its questions into the state of humanity and other…stuff, I still loved Blade Runner. And long before LA Noire rolled around, it was a perfect marriage of point ‘n click and detective work.
It was a fantastic example of doing a movie game right, and absolutely massive as it shipped on four, count ‘em, four CD-ROMs. I never found it if I was a replicant or not in that game. Or who the murderers were. Or any other crime culprits. Because I sucked at my virtual job, it seems.
Batman: Arkham City
Many reviewers believe that Arkham Asylum was the best Batman game in the Dark Knight trilogy of current-gen titles. But personally, it was Arkham City for me. Sure, Asylum had a tighter story and didn’t throw as many villains as possible at the player, but AC brought something else to the table for me.
I love me some Batman, and AC was the caped crusader on a larger stage, showing just how lethal one man with a trust fund and parent issues could be when faced with overwhelming obstacles. It also capped off a fantastic end to the voice-over career of Mark Hamill as the Joker, with an ending dripping in nostalgia and foreshadowing.
Unreal Tournament
Man, if you never attended a proper LAN, then you’ve missed out on something in life. A small room, dozens of gamers, white towers as far as the eye could see and CRT monitors attempting to open up a crack in time and space with their cathode tubes helped paint an iconic scene.
And then there was the unmistakable sound of a dozen mouse clicks a second as players fragged and dominated their way through skyscrapers with shock rifles and double enforcer pistols. Quake 3 Arena almost took this spot, but even years after it was released and sequelised, Unreal Tournament ( Not Unreal Tournament 2000 as I was just reminded) just took the cake for me.
You might say that it was…UNSTOPPABLE!
Last Updated: November 5, 2013
Admiral Chief Ninja
November 5, 2013 at 15:32
Interesting list dude, agree on some of them, but not as top 10
Axon1988
November 6, 2013 at 07:51
I have this theory that this might have been a top ten down memory lane… except for Arkham city of course. But these were most surely games that I have fond memories of.
Gerhard Davids
November 5, 2013 at 15:32
Darryn wins this so hard. FF, Pokemans, Freelancer, Star Wars RTS… My childhood summed up.
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
November 5, 2013 at 15:35
haha. You highlighted the same ones I did hehe
GalacticLordCaptainAwesomeness
November 5, 2013 at 16:53
Darnit, only have one upvotes i can gives….&*^(*&(*)*
Codefridge
November 7, 2013 at 07:43
Dat Freelancer. MOAR UPVOTES FOR YOU!!1!!!!1!1!
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
November 5, 2013 at 15:34
Freelancer, Galactic Battlegrounds, FF8.
I approve this list.
your taste in gaming is impeccable sir!
CaptainNemo42
November 5, 2013 at 15:35
FLAK MONKEY!
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 5, 2013 at 15:35
Out of that list I’ve only played Batman AC & UT. Spent many, many hours on UT. Brutal Legend is on the backlog.
Admiral Chief Ninja
November 5, 2013 at 15:36
Spend a LOT of my youth jammin UT, BL also on backlog
Unalighned John (JJ)
November 5, 2013 at 16:05
Same here.
Vampyre Squirrel
November 5, 2013 at 20:02
BL also on my backlog, have had it for ages.
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:47
It’s a totally awesome game man. Awesome music and great gaming mechanics (not new, but well put together).
Unalighned John (JJ)
November 5, 2013 at 16:04
No Galactic Battlegrounds? How? You are human right?
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 5, 2013 at 16:08
I am a GODDAH!
Unalighned John (JJ)
November 5, 2013 at 16:34
Fine. You’re excused.
As long as it’s not anything against Star Wars.
DarthofZA
November 5, 2013 at 15:37
Your list is the best one so far! FACT.
DatKofGuy
November 5, 2013 at 15:37
Yes! Final Fantasy 8 gets some recognition again.
Dean
November 5, 2013 at 15:38
UT with the Vampire and Ripper Only mods. Those were the days.
Admiral Chief Ninja
November 5, 2013 at 15:39
There was this one mod with realistic weapons, can’t remember the name, but jammed that extensively!
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 5, 2013 at 15:41
I remember that. I was always partial to insta-gib.
Admiral Chief Ninja
November 5, 2013 at 15:42
hehe, loved me some shock rifle altfire prime fire explosions!
Unalighned John (JJ)
November 5, 2013 at 16:05
Ah, me too
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
November 5, 2013 at 15:41
Freecell…
ElimiNathan
November 5, 2013 at 15:44
Wow thought I was the only person who enjoyed Brutal Legend
TiMsTeR1033
November 5, 2013 at 15:46
I never played it… But dirt cheap if you can find it lol. So always made me wonder..
ElimiNathan
November 5, 2013 at 15:47
Some good clean fun
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:48
CLEAN? We talking about the same game? 🙂
ElimiNathan
November 5, 2013 at 15:51
Haha, its actually pretty gruesome and has some pretty porno dialog, but its clean man!
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:52
CLEAN!? One name for you! OZZY OSBORN! LOL
ElimiNathan
November 5, 2013 at 15:57
Just Rince it then it will be clean, and keep repeating
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:58
BOOM!
ToshZA
November 5, 2013 at 15:50
Its on Steam. I think on GoG as well.
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:47
No way man. LOVE that game.
Mark Treloar
November 5, 2013 at 16:14
Best soundtrack ever
Lardus-Resident Perve
November 5, 2013 at 15:45
UT!!! Liked Freelancer, but not as a top 10 for me. Still, UUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTT!!!
ElimiNathan
November 5, 2013 at 15:45
Blade Runner was EPIC!
Matewis Jubilai
November 5, 2013 at 17:49
Best game I have ever played – unrivaled atmosphere… Give Darryn a Bells!!
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:46
Brutal Legend, FF8 and Batman FTW Well done Darryn, damn fine list sir.
Unavengedavo(aka. IceCreamMan)
November 5, 2013 at 15:48
I would’ve been shocked if he didn’t include a Pokemon game 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 5, 2013 at 15:49
I’m shocked he only included one.
ToshZA
November 5, 2013 at 15:49
This.
Unavengedavo(aka. IceCreamMan)
November 5, 2013 at 15:50
I think he learned from Vicky’s mistakes 😛
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 6, 2013 at 12:04
I must see what makes this Pokemon series so great…
SaintsRowNigri
November 5, 2013 at 15:49
Love your list. Spiderman Maximum Carnage was hellishly difficult on the Mega Drive back in a day, wasn’t it? I rocked the UT bot matches so hard, when I got to play it at a lan for the first time, I just handed all wannabees their arses on a plate…
oVg
November 5, 2013 at 15:51
FOR THE LOVE OF GAMING AND SQUAREs RESURRECTION
Give us a darn remake of FF 8 already.
AND NOT IN FUCKING 3D OR WITH VOICE ACTING DAMMIT.
Just imagine how sweet they can make those static backgrounds not to mention some kick ass GF animations.
These are GFs. Not that silly transformer shit it FFXIII
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
November 5, 2013 at 15:56
I wish I could give you more than one upvote man
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:57
Me too. Who was your favourite GF?
TiMsTeR1033
November 5, 2013 at 16:01
Mine was that one with all the castles cant remember the name… Siren
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 16:02
Alexander you mean?
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
November 5, 2013 at 16:06
Shiva. Hamunahamunahamuna
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 16:06
Cold man, COLD! It would fall off!
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
November 5, 2013 at 16:11
Lulz
oVg
November 5, 2013 at 16:19
Not the lesbian bikers 😛
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:58
Well said man. For once I am not (that) ashamed of being related to you.
SaintsRowNigri
November 5, 2013 at 16:02
Girlfriend animations? Sorry… GF’s. It is foreign to me…
oVg
November 5, 2013 at 16:10
This game was so ahead of its time. Back when the tools allowed good narrative. Before modern graphics and voice acting constricted it.
ToshZA
November 5, 2013 at 15:54
Pokemon & Freelancer for sure! UT loses to Q3A for me. Star Wars: GB? Wow, ok your list mate. The rest, I’ve never played.
Captain GUZ
November 5, 2013 at 15:54
Nice list, freelancer was epic, and I nearly destroyed many a mouse playing UT
FoxHoundZA
November 5, 2013 at 15:55
VICKY GOT FIRED 🙁 🙁
Major Commodore 64 Darryn B
November 5, 2013 at 20:26
Vicky gets fired about five times a day to be honest.
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:55
Oh man, I just remembered how much I loved Star Wars: Galactic Battleground. The game kicked arse on so many levels. *Goes off looking for it.
ToshZA
November 5, 2013 at 15:56
Really? It wasn’t that great. I mean I enjoyed it for a while, but it’s not top 10 material.
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:57
*Opens black book ‘ToshZa’. Closes Black Book…
ToshZA
November 5, 2013 at 15:58
It took you this long for that? Really? I thought I was on there like a month ago already.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 5, 2013 at 15:58
He’s a slow writer. *run*
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:59
This is the OTHER black book. The one where pictures of Margaret Thatcher in a shower torture lives 0-O
Weanerdog
November 5, 2013 at 15:57
I was really expecting 4 pokemons 5 old WWE titles and a my little pony game
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 15:57
WIN 🙂
Johan du Preez
November 5, 2013 at 15:57
I was more a quake gamer than UT really never could get into it.
SaintsRowNigri
November 5, 2013 at 16:01
We’ll try and not hold that against you 🙂
Deano
November 5, 2013 at 15:59
Nice list.
But would have swopped original C&C for Starwars and
Unreal 2003 in the place of 2000 for mine 🙂
Major Commodore 64 Darryn B
November 5, 2013 at 20:25
I had Command and Conquer Red Alert 2 almost edge out SW:GB there. It was close, but I remembered it later.
Deano
November 5, 2013 at 16:01
I think in April next year you guys should do a top 10 of all games ever!
And put Call of Duty at #1 just to troll. 😛
Unalighned John (JJ)
November 5, 2013 at 16:04
Nice list. That Spider-man, so many memories. And of course, Galactic Battlegrounds was just awesome.
Rock789
November 5, 2013 at 16:05
Pretty shweet list Dazza. And the fact you include Blade Runner…? Definite bonus points for you! That was an amazing game! 🙂
RinceandRepeat
November 5, 2013 at 16:11
Never played it, but great list.
Rock789
November 5, 2013 at 16:15
You missing out! Sure it’s on Steam or somewhere for dirt cheap… Truly awesome game. First game I knew of that had over 10 different endings, depending on what you did during the game. Spent many an hour replaying differently to see the endings… Got to see 13 of them!
Ultimo_Cleric N7
November 5, 2013 at 16:08
Freelancer = YES!
Bladerunner = DOUBLE YES.
Darryn, do you remember a game called The Dig? Was written by Steven Spielberg as a movie plot, but was converted into a CD-ROM game similar to Bladerunner. That one is in my Top Ten
Rock789
November 5, 2013 at 16:16
What is this “The Dig” you talk of? Like Blade Runner? I must have it!!!!
HvR
November 5, 2013 at 16:56
Adventure game, you play an astronaut that gets transported to deserted alien planet. I think it is closer to Myst though than Blade Runner. Brilliant story, I think think Orsen Scott Card also had a hand in the writing.
Took me months to complete the game, no internet or walkthroughs, when I got stuck I would play something else for a few days before going back and trying it again.
Alex Hicks
November 6, 2013 at 11:54
I spent a large number of hours playing that when it came out. Took my PC (large white tower case and CRT monitor that weighed a ton) with me to the coast to try and finish it after matric exams too. Okay – that plan didn’t work out since I spent most of the time trying to hook up with a girl I met there; but it was my plan.
Yes – I matriculated in 95 …
Ultimo_Cleric N7
November 6, 2013 at 09:57
SImilar ….ish.
I will talk to you about it later.
Major Commodore 64 Darryn B
November 5, 2013 at 20:25
Man, I wosh I had played that game. Never heard of it, but it sounds rad.
Ultimo_Cleric N7
November 6, 2013 at 09:57
Well I still have my old copy. If you are ever in CT, let me know and you can borrow it.
Its very Sci fi. About an asteroid take is coming close to hitting earth. So a team of astronauts is sent in to nuke and change its course. Only after they do, the asteroid turns out to be a very old spaceship. The astronauts are caught in it and transported to the alien world, where the aliens have long since died out.
Thats just the first 15 minutes of the game…….
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 6, 2013 at 10:34
Man.. I registered just to say WIN! Quite possibly one of my favourite games of all time. This game is so underrated. Major Commodore, please get this. You can probably get it from http://www.gameswin.biz, it might be freeware by now..
Ultimo_Cleric N7
November 6, 2013 at 11:57
Without a doubt one of my favourite games ever. The music was so good, the storyline was incredible. And the world design was possible one of the best I have ever seen. Imagine what it would look like with today’s tech…….*drool
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 6, 2013 at 12:00
I’d pay R600 for a re-make.. We should toi-toi!!
Ultimo_Cleric N7
November 6, 2013 at 12:11
VIVA COMRADE!
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 6, 2013 at 10:37
When I was watching Gravity all I could think of was The Dig. The opening scene…
Ultimo_Cleric N7
November 6, 2013 at 11:56
I KNOW DUDE!!! So glad there is another person who appreciates how awesome that game was.
Mark Treloar
November 5, 2013 at 16:12
Freelancer deserved a sequel, so much unexplored
Scruff304
November 5, 2013 at 16:31
Unreal Tournament 2000!!! Oh my word I loved that game… Spent so much time playing it…
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
November 5, 2013 at 16:47
Apart from Final Fantasy 8 (comeon, 6, 7 or 9 give you Awesome hipster gamer Platinum status for life), I’d say that’s a damn impressive list. Once again Mr Bonthuys, you impress this banana!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
November 5, 2013 at 16:49
And because I’m impressed I give you HAM BANANA ROLLS! Make them tonight! Feast on the glorious creation that merges bacon with bananas!
Major Commodore 64 Darryn B
November 5, 2013 at 20:24
BANANAS? You trying to kill me with that stuff man?
ElimiNathan
November 5, 2013 at 21:11
!!!! That’s pure death!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
November 5, 2013 at 16:47
Blur was an underrated gem! 🙁 Such a pity it didn’t do well in retail.
Xelus
November 5, 2013 at 16:54
I am sooooooo agreeing to Unreal Tournament Darryn. That game was a legend. The new ones don’t do it justice, well at least not Unreal 3 that is. Use to make maps for it that we played back in the day at LAN parties, man, those were the epic days of LAN parties. Missing them old days man.
Hesperus Phosphorus
November 5, 2013 at 17:29
Nice list!
Matewis Jubilai
November 5, 2013 at 17:52
I wish I could have posted earlier (got caught up on gog’s newest release : Race the Sun)
Kudos to you Darryn for including Blade Runner!! 🙂 I’ve played many great games over the decades from Commander Keen 1 to Arkham City but no game has ever beaten Blade Runner in terms of raw atmosphere. Best game I have ever played…
Blackhawk
November 5, 2013 at 18:31
Starting and ending with the best! Freelance and UUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTT for the motha-f*ckin’ WIN!! GODLIKE!
Brenz
November 5, 2013 at 23:47
I accept your challenge, name the dark alley and I shall wait there, with spikey hair and excessively large sword in hand.
Axon1988
November 6, 2013 at 07:50
We had a server at our office running UT 24/7. We were talking about implementing it again… Friday is game day at the office after all, and Friday is not that far… Instagib!
Zubayr Bhyat
November 6, 2013 at 08:02
Man, Freelancer and UT 🙂 <3
Kromas
November 6, 2013 at 09:26
I still remember the freelancer ads.
Commander: “You need to infiltrate the base and rescue the princess.”
Freelancer: “No … I think ill go blow up cargo ships for money”
Commander: “OH … okay … carry on then”
First radio ad for a game in SA as I recall.
Devourer of Small Bunnies
November 6, 2013 at 09:38
There is so much win here Brenda! Im nearly proud. Almost. Kind of. Ok, can we just go with “Thatll do pig thatll do”
Schalk Engelbrecht
November 6, 2013 at 10:15
No mention of the freelancer discovery mod? Definitely worth checking out
Lupus
November 6, 2013 at 13:48
Blade Runner was awesome, I still need to finish Brutal Legend I keep getting distracted 🙂
Werner
November 7, 2013 at 22:38
Some of my favourites. The Monkey Island series, Metal Gear Solid (1 & 2), Comander Keen (going back a bit there), FEAR (the first one), No One Lives Forever 2 , Farcry 2 (the Afrikaans speeking mercenaries made my day). LAN wise it was Starcraft, Age of empires, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake 2 and Unreal Tournament.
Eric
November 25, 2013 at 13:13
Darryn wins just for Freelancer in my books