FAVE FIVE FRIDAY
Michael Pugliese’s Top Five Favourite Games
By Michael Pugliese - November 14th, 2008
When asked to list my favorite games of all time, I thought it would be something I had to sit and think about. When I actually got settled and ready to write this however, I found that surprisingly the list came quite readily to me. The games I’m about to go through aren’t really in any particular order other then the order they popped to mind, but they all for one reason or another are very near and dear to my heart. So without further ado, and in my best Sound of Music voice: these are a few of my favourite things.
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. for the NES is probably the one game that makes everyone’s top list as, if you are like me, it was one of your first forays into the realm of gaming. One of my fondest memories of this game was actually getting to play it for the first time on my newly gifted Nintendo Entertainment System (thank you, Uncle Bob). This was truly a game that everyone in my family got into, even my Dad who kept telling me that games were just a waste of my time and his money. Seeing him wildly swing the controller to try and make Mario jump will always be something I remember, as will fighting with my brothers over who would be Mario and who got stuck as Luigi.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
I still remember the first time I played a Legend of Zelda game, I mean really played. The NES entries to the series were not really something I was totally into for whatever reason, and it wasn’t until A Link to the Past that I really appreciated the green clad hero. I still remember when I got hooked: I was sitting with my cousin, who had graciously let me have a hand at his new game. This play test lasted for hours with us passing the controller, if sometimes forced, back in forth. This was truly the first “Epic” gaming adventure I had embarked on, and led the way for my love of every subsequent entry in the series to this day.
Phantasy Star Online
The first and perhaps only surprise on my list is a title that not many of you may think of as a “classic” in the truest sense of the word. When Phantasy Star Online debuted on Sega’s ill-fated Dreamcast console, I had never really played any of the original games from which the title derived its name. As the first true console MMO, PSO pulled me in, and in my opinion, showed me for the first time where I wanted the future of console gaming to go. Between the online and offline modes, various difficulty levels, and desire for that next red drop, I think this is probably the title I have put the most time into over my gaming career.
Metal Gear Solid
Now that the oddball on my list is out of the way, I’m going to bring things back to the norm and list Metal Gear Solid as a favourite. The funny thing about MGS is that I was never caught in the hype surrounding its cinematic style of storytelling, and never really cared about what stealth or tactical gameplay meant. It wasn’t until I borrowed the game from a friend that I was instantly hooked by the intriguing story and the aforementioned way in which it was presented. I played through it enough times to unlock a tuxedo-wearing Snake (consecutive play-throughs, I might mention), and have returned afterwards many a time to enjoy Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece again and again.
Final Fantasy VII
The final entry on my list almost came down to a tie, but finally the game whose commercials made me need a PlayStation edged out Parasite Eve for the remaining spot. The spiky haired Cloud Strife and the rest of the cast of Final Fantasy VII instantly drew me in, and although I had loved Final Fantasy III for the SNES, this is the title that made me a SquareSoft (now SquareEnix) fan for life. It perfected the art of cinematic cut scenes in games, and I was blown away at what they had accomplished and relished getting to that next cut scene that would continue to push the story forward. I was appalled at the loss of a main character, a testament to the developers, and even though it was a long game I never wanted it to end.
There are of course many other games that could have been listed here, but this has been a little look at what games really shaped me as a gamer. This piece has been a joy to write as it’s given me the opportunity to look back at some amazing moments and memories in gaming, and I hope that everyone reading this is able to put together a list that does the same for them. Here’s looking forward to the future, and what amazing games it may hold.
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3 responses so far:Your favourite games are surprisingly old school, considering you’re all about that newfangled PlayStation 3!
Hey what about the Tiger handhelds? Those are pretty cool, too. We should do a feature on those. And by “we” I of course mean “you.”
PSO FOR THE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!! One of teh best game EVAR!!!!!!
Bugsy has a PS3? Dude, what the hell are you doing with all this older stuff? You can like older stuff all you want, but NOTHING more current has made your top 5? I think that may entitle one of us to take away your PS3 and give it some mad props.
SHATTON ===> You, Adam, and Jorge should also post your top five lists. Not only will it narrow down my own choices for whatever we get next, but I’ll man up and do my own top five list, too… for tabletop games! Once I get and play a whole lot more of’em, that is… :)