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Zookstar’s Top 12 Favourite Video Games Of All Time

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Well, well, well. It’s about time I did something like this huh? Well I’ve had a good 2 and a half years to think about it, and my opinions on most of the games I’ve been known for reviewing have changed ever since. I know I’m almost a year late since last year, Gexup announced his retirement by showcasing his 12 favourite games of all time, but better late than never right? Now keep in mind guys, I’m not as much of a gamer as I use to be so my list will be VERY different from others on the site. And after all, this is my FAVOURITE games of all time. Not games that I think are the greatest. I am fully aware not everyone considers these games to be the best (hell, some of these games aren’t always considered the best in their respective franchises). But again, it’s all based on MY OPINION. MY OPINION. We good? We’re gud. Now before we start, here’s a list of things I want to address.

So with all that said and done, you guys can now experience Zookstar1000’s Top 12 Favourite Video Games of ALL TIME!

12. Crash Team Racing

Now I really wanted to add a racing game on this list, and over the years, I can safely say Crash Team Racing is my overall favourite racing game. I honestly prefer it over any Mario Kart game out there (though I still appreciate the Mario Kart series since it did come and start the formula first). And this is due to the fact that it’s a lot more fast paced than Mario Kart 64 was at the time (to be honest, I found Mario Kart 64 WAY more cheap than this game). The tracks were really fun to race on and would reward you some great shortcuts if you explore the track a bit. The tracks themselves are the most memorable the Crash racing games has to offer, and the powerups were unique and not just copies of Mario Kart. I also liked the addition of hub worlds, something the Mario Kart series never did, although Diddy Kong Racing did do it first. The game also has a lot of challenges to reward the player with new unlockable characters and some new tracks. Not to mention, I think the time trials the series has been known for, work a lot better here than in Crash Bandicoot: Warped, because since the game allows you to be as fast as you can to get the best time, it’s a lot less tedious. But it’s not really a surprise, since this would be the last Crash game Naughty Dog would ever produce. As for the sequels, I honestly feel they fall flat in comparison to this game. Crash Nitro Kartfelt like it was trying way too hard to follow in the footsteps of CTR and Crash Tag Team Racingwasn’t even a full racing game, as it was mainly just based around boring adventure fetch quests.

Overall, Crash Team Racing seems to be one of those games that I just love more as I age. I don’t know why that is but who cares? It truly earns it’s place as my favourite racing game of all time.

11. Spider-Man 2

Ah yes, I’m sure you’ll all know that I added this game as my number 1 favourite movie based game on a list I did years back. Why is that exactly? Because unlike most superhero games I’ve played, Spider-Man 2 actually gives you the feeling of being a superhero because of the HUGE exploration factor. Like, you can literally explore the entire city of New York. Granted this means you could easily get lost but only if you don’t use the map all that much. But this means you aren’t limited AT ALL and you can just explore the whole city discovering some secrets as you go along, that it can really keep you motivated to play the game. Most of the missions were fun to do, however I can admit it does have it’s tedious moments like several side missions that interrupt you when you are exploring the city and the combat system isn’t as polished as I would’ve liked it to be. But aside from the weak combat, I have to say, the controls are also the best part of the game. I always feel like I’m in control of Spider-Man and the controls were well-responsive making the exploration factor just even better. Good controls in a movie-based? Sounds rare dunnit? All that said, my opinion on the game has not changed one bit ever since I made that Top 10 Movie Based Games back in 2011.

10. Super Mario World

YAY, we get to the platformers now! And how ironic that the first one on my list is a Mario game. The Mario games have been known for staying consistently good as it releases more games every year. But to be perfectly honest, even with games like Super Mario 64 and Galaxy, Super Mario World just comes on top as my favourite in the overall franchise. It is simply the most memorable out of them all for me. For one, the challenge, while can be cheap at times, can provide the most fun factor, the levels were designed uniquely well and the powerups were creative (although they were a bit of a downgrade from Super Mario Bros 3.). And of course, who could the forget that this was the debut of everyone’s favourite baby dinosaur, Yoshi. He comes in extremely handy in the game and expands on the fun factor. And you can use him all the time you want whenever you find him. And out of all the 2D Mario games I’ve played, I can agree with a lot of people that World controls the absolute best. No stiffing handling and no awkwardness, smooth and fluent. How it should be in a 2D platformer. But why is it so low on the list? Well, I know Mario was the first ever platformer icon, but his style of platforming just appeals to me less than the other platformers on this list. But I can still fully appreciate the series for bringing this wonderful genre into the world of gaming and we wouldn’t have the rest of the other platformers on this list without him. WAHOO!

9. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

*GASP* I put Cortex Strikes Back on the list and NOT Warped?! CURSE ON ME!!! Well as I said, my opinions have changed over the years, and nowadays I find myself enjoying Crash 2 a lot more. The reason is because, in terms of replay value, I feel 2 offered the right amount. Yeah sure, 3 had a lot more gameplay styles to offer, but playing 3 again, I find myself annoyed at some of the swimming and bike racing levels. Plus, I referenced this in CTR, and I’ll explain. I didn’t really enjoy the time trials as replay value, due to only the sprint powerup being the only thing allowing me to speed throughout the levels. I still really enjoy Warped though, don’t get me wrong. But I feel Cortex Strikes Back had the most charm out of all Crash games. While some of the levels were rehashed from Crash 1, they feel a lot more fleshed out and polished. Plus, this game had the most creative and wacky amount of enemies and designs to face in any Crash game. Not to mention, the amazing amount of secrets to find. Yeah, I’m gonna guess 99% of you didn’t know that one secret was in a bottomless pit. The boss fights may not have been the most memorable in the series, but they were still a lot of fun to fight. Yeah, Warped did offer a lot more, but in some cases, less is better. Which in this case is Crash 2. I just felt beating the game normally with the crystals and then getting the gems to get the true ending was enough to satisfy me than the relics in Warped. Again, don’t get me wrong, they’re both really solid platformers, but Crash 2 just does it more for my tastes. Oh and I also love the soundtrack in this game. Definitely my favourite of the series.

8. Spyro: Year of the Dragon

Ooooooh boy. Let me tell you right now folks. After playing and beating all 3 Spyro games back to back earlier this year, deciding which one was my favourite was no easy feat. These games truly hold a special place to me in my childhood. Spyro 1, while had a lot of room for improvement, had the best atmosphere. Spyro 2, while way too easy, was the most magical and had the best soundtrack. However, I still stand by and say Spyro 3 is still my absolute favourite because it has the most fun and exploration factor. Yeah, I know a lot of people nowadays don’t like the 5 playable characters added in, but I still didn’t mind them at all. They fit very well in the Spyro universe and the majority of the game is still played by Spyro anyway, so I don’t why people complain too much. Although I will admit, Sheila is now my favourite character to play as instead of Agent 9. But, the game just had a ton to do and a lot of creative levels to explore. Though I said Spyro 1 had the best atmosphere, Spyro 3 still has a lot of bright and unique environments to really motivate you to explore more in the levels. And while I prefer Spyro 2’s soundtrack simply because it was more breathtaking, Spyro 3 still boasts a kick ass soundtrack with many memorable tunes, especially Fireworks Factory. Though it is Stewart Copeland. lol And though I don’t play skateboarding games, playing Spyro on a skateboard really spiced things up and added to the replay value. Granted, SOME missions were really annoying, in fact, Haunted Tomb is now my least favourite level in the game than Charmed Ridge thanks to those terrible turret and Agent 9 missions. But I just can’t bring myself to loving Spyro 3 any less. I can totally get where people are coming from when they say they prefer Spyro 2, but like I said, I’m not supporting the popular opinion and Spyro 3 just holds dear to me the most.

7. Sonic Adventure

 

Now I REALLY got a lot of explaining to do here. I use to prefer Sonic Adventure 2 out of these two games, but after playing that game, for some reason, I have less fun with it than I use to. In fact, whenever I replay that game, I only go into the Chao World more often than the actual levels. And I really find the treasure hunting levels in that game to be HORRENDUS. Now I prefer Sonic Adventure 1 because it had better atmosphere and since I like exploration factor in games, it offered a lot more. Even though Adventure 2’s story was more structured, I prefer the story in Adventure 1, simply because it’s probably the most fitting out of any 3D Sonic game I’ve played, with 6 characters given their own story. For Sonic’s first leap in the third dimension, it is an outstanding effort to me. The levels with Sonic are a blast to play through and the controls are smooth to make the experience all the more better. The hub worlds to me, were a welcome change in the series since they add a lot to the atmosphere from exploring the city of Station Square to the peaceful jungle ruins of Mystic Ruins. Tails and Knuckles were also brought in just perfectly and while I still find Knuckles’ levels relatively easy, they are both still a joy to play as. For the other characters, yeah Amy was pretty sluggish but still had good moments of platforming, the same can be said for Gamma. And for Big, well, I know almost EVERYONE hates his levels, but for some reason I don’t mind them that much. Yeah, they are REALLY unnecessary for a Sonic game but after so much high speed platforming, sometimes you wanna take a break and have some fishing. lol

Oh and the soundtrack. Oh my God. Sonic games have always been notable for their great soundtracks, but Sonic Adventure is just phenomenal. Each level has it’s own individual theme, from the rockin’ hard music in the fast paced levels to the calm and peaceful tribal music in the Mystic Ruins level to the jazzy tunes in the casino levels. I can’t think of one song I didn’t like. Now, with Sonic Adventure appearing on this list, does this mean I like it even better than the Genesis games? Truth be told, yes. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the Genesis games, especially Sonic 3, but again, this is just my favourites and in terms of atmosphere and tastes, I can say with confidence Sonic Adventure is just my favourite Sonic the Hedgehog game as a whole.

6. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

Ah yeah, you knew this was coming. When I think of a perfect, top notch platformer, the original Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy would be in that position. Naughty Dog sure knew how to bring the platformer genre onto the PlayStation 2 and boy, it really shows. While I appreciate the changes made in the sequels, I just dig the first game a lot more since it’s that rare kind of 3D platformer that will never see the light of day again. It’s got great controls, amazing graphics, great environments, no need for unnecessary lives and continues and no loading times whatsoever. I honestly question anyone who loves platformers and hasn’t played this game at all. Over 10 years, this game has aged perfectly. I guess my only gripe with it is that the villains in the game are not that threatening or memorable. But other than that, when I play a game that I can play at night cosy in my bed for a casual experience, Jak and Daxter is up there with me. Like I said, Jak 2 and 3 are still really good games, but they just don’t have the same feeling this game brought to me when I first played it. Honestly, what else is left to say about this game that hasn’t been said already?

5. Ratchet and Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal

Ok. I use to say that Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time was my favourite Ratchet and Clank game of all time. I mean, I still love that game for it’s story and gameplay styles, but nowadays, I find myself replaying UYA more. And it’s the Ratchet and Clank game I hold dear to me most. Truth be told, it was the first Ratchet and Clank game I played (when I tried the demo on Sly 2) and I regret nothing. It just meant I had try out another 2 games that came before it. But UYA was really a phenomenal experience. A great story (although not as good as ACIT), the best line up of weapons to use, the variety of missions, probably the most and creative memorable levels in any Ratchet and Clank game, a wonderful soundtrack and oh and who could forget the comedy. Definitely the best out of the series (heck I’ve made TWO lists of my Top 10 Funniest UYA Moments). The Ratchet and Clank series has also been known for staying consistently good throughout it’s main series (although I will admit, I’m not as much of a fan of Deadlocked and All 4 One as before) and it’s earned a fine reputation as one of the PlayStation’s most popular franchises, but popularity aside, UYA earns the title of my favourite in the series as of today. And when you’re a Scottish guy like I am, you will laugh your ARSE off at the sub-title….. ARSE!

4. Metal Gear Solid

If you know me really well, I’ve stated plenty of times that I’ve always had an interest in the stealth genre of gaming. I’ve always liked the idea of using thinking and clever wit to avoid the attention of your foes rather than just go in for attack. So naturally I would pick a Metal Gear Solid game in this list, and the candidate is none other than the original on the PS1. Why? Well, I haven’t really played the sequels yet. Yeah I know, but like I said, I’ve moved away from gaming a bit. But I can safely say the original is truly a classic stealth game. The story for it’s time really revolutionised how gamers thought about story-telling in games, and it proved that sometimes, stories are one of the most important aspects in a game. Aside from that though, the game really does enhance the stealth genre to the max and really gives you the feeling you are there sneaking around enemies and avoiding detection. Also, whilist I didn’t like the boss fights back when I first played it, I’ve gotten use to it by now and they are really tense boss fights. The first time I played this game was buying it off the PS Store on the PS3. I never really owned a physical copy of it although I wish I did, but better than nothing right? I still fell in love with this game the minute I played and my interest in the stealth genre grew even stronger. This is a classic for a reason. Heck, I’ve heard some people still enjoy this game who aren’t into the stealth genre much. And if I ever get into gaming again, I’ll try the sequels.

3. Tomb Raider

Nope, not the 2006 remake and especially not the 2013 reboot, the one and only original on the PS1 (yeah, just because you made a franchise more gritty and “badass” doesn’t mean it’s always gonna be good, Bomberman Act Zero has proven that). But why have I put it so high on this list, especially above most of the platformers and Metal Gear Solid combined? Well it’s hard to explain, but it’s more about the atmosphere and not the gameplay. Yeah that sounds extremely biased but let me explain. This is what I like to call a “loner’s game”. Basically what I mean, is that you control a character in a environment where they are left to face many dangers and rely on nobody but themselves to fight it back. I love that kind of idea since I can identify with it as I am an introvert and a bit of a loner in real life. Lara Croft became the most well known female video game icon in the 90s, and this is probably the best portrayal of the character we’ll ever get. In a way, I can identify with her, as awkward as that sounds since I’m a guy. She wasn’t the overly sex symbol or overly “tough girl/tomboy” stereotype she is now, she was just “yeah I’m a woman, so what?” which I what I loved about her in this game. Not to mention the level design is very fitting for the game, a lot of puzzles to solve and a variety of many dangers to face like deadly traps, vicious predators of the animal kingdom, dinosaurs, thugs and weird mutant creatures, this woman has fought more than Nathan Drake has ever done. You really felt vulnerable in the game but could still get through it through patience and clever wit. For some reason, I just liked that kind of atmosphere (better than being so overpowered and in your face about it). All these reasons is to why I think the original Tomb Raider remains my favourite of the series. The sequels were alright but they never left a last impression on me like the original did and I never cared for the next gen games. I will always look at the original as the overall best in the series. In fact, I would’ve added it even higher but since the controls and combat system haven’t aged terribly well, I’d think it should remain in 3.

2. Tie breaker between Sly 2: Band of Thieves and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

Bet you weren’t expecting this now weren’t you? Well ok, you knew I was gonna add Sly Cooper this high on this list since I’ve been a huge fan of this series since day 1. I love Sly 1 but my only gripe with it is the life system as it was released at the time when lives and continues were starting to become outdated. Since I started reviewing, I’ve always said Sly 3 was my favourite but here’s something I’ve noticed whenever I play both Sly 2 and Sly 3 back to back. After playing one of the games for days, I always get the feeling that I miss playing the other game. Meaning that when I play Sly 2 a lot, I start to miss playing Sly 3 and vice versa. It’s become a neverending cycle for me, but it’s no surprise since they were some of my most favourite games I’ve played ever since I started playing them. Why is that they both take the spot rather than Sly 3 alone? Well I can agree with a lot of people who love Sly 2 a lot saying it’s the most stealthiest out of the game whereas Sly 3 did downgrade that. I do admit that Sly 3 really added a bit too much gameplay stuff in it (I did state before that the multiplayer was terrible and rushed and the 3D gimmick was just uncalled for even if it was optional) but I still have a lot of enjoyment in Sly 3 since I feel it put more effort into the missions than Sly 2 did. With 2, I didn’t like how most of the levels were based around for Sly, making it tedious to get around when playing as Bentley and Murray and the missions were you used a turret (namely one where Bentley had to destroy a dam) were just annoying. And much like with Spyro 3, I didn’t mind the main playable characters much (except for Dimitri but he only gets 2 missions in the whole game).

In terms of stories, I find them to be equal in terms of how compelling and well-structured they are. Sly 2 for it’s plot twists and atmosphere and Sly 3 for it’s character development and more inside of the Cooper backstory. I’ll admit I have more nostalgia for Sly 2, but nostalgia really doesn’t mean much when it comes to quality. I know I should be choosing one game, but in this case, I just can’t help but put both games in the same spot. They both really mean much to me and the reason why I’m a huge fanboy of the series. lol

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Ok, ok, I’m know what I’m gonna get. “Ooooooh you just choose this game because Gexup did, you big copycat butt kisser!1(9!!!11!!@#!”. Ok, just stop. Just stop right there. Just because we happen to share similar opinions on stuff, especially our favourite games of all time, doesn’t mean we’re plagiarising one another. I really hate it that I can’t have an opinion just because it so happens to be similar to someone else’s. Like we all love cookies right? We must be copying each other because of that then. And really, I have my own reasons for having GTA: San Andreas as my favourite game of all time.

Honestly, I can say with huge confidence that GTA: San Andreas has everything a game should have. First off, it’s definitely different than any other GTA game out there. Sure it has the usual stuff like killing pedestrians, jacking cars and such, but this game actually focuses and story and character development rather than being all “serious and badass and gritty” which I’m not a big fan of (except for Jak 2 since it also had a great story). And the story is just well-written and very compelling as it deals with main character CJ, going outside of his gangster lifestyle and experiencing what the real world is all about. I can’t think of another GTA game that has done that. And the characters are really memorable and unique, whether it’d be a blind calm Chinese guy, a weird hippie on weed, a wannabe rapper or a scary FBI officer. The story is also the darkest out of all the other games, yes even darker than GTA IV, since it has subtle conspiracy theories that could really give one the willies. The cast is also filled to the brim with celebrity voices but they never feel out of place or are just thrown in for pop culture reference. They actually fit their characters, namely Samuel L. Jackson as Tenpenny and the awesome James Woods as Mike Toreno.

And the gameplay for GTA San Andreas really is outstanding for me. As you may have noticed, I’ve placed games with exploration factor on this list a lot and San Andreas offers the best it could have. And the best part is I can freely explore by myself without any interruptions (coughcoughgtaivcoughcough) Granted, you have to do the storyline missions in order to get access to other areas, but it’s really worth it in the end since the missions are a lot of fun to do as well. The best thing about San Andreas’ exploration is that you don’t just go through cities like the other games. You can also explore the countryside and deserted lands which was a very welcome change (ok, GTA V has done it too but San Andreas did it first and better). The atmosphere for the exploration is just incredible and the fact that it’s set in the most beloved decade, the 90s, it’s just even better. I always find myself motivated non-stop to explore more. The variety of missions, cars and weapons to use just makes it all the more addicting. Not to mention the soundtrack. Since the game is set in the early 90s, it is filled to the brim with 90s songs that came out at the time whether it be rap, rock, pop and such. But it also adds country music to the table and I’m gonna be honest here. If it weren’t for San Andreas, I wouldn’t be the country music fan I am now. That’s something no other video game has done. Whenever I travel through the countryside bits of the game, I always switch to K-Rose, the country music station and listen to all the classic country songs, which provides a wonderful experience for me. I think the soundtrack really does a great job capturing the atmosphere of the 90s and makes you feel like you’ve just gone back in time!

I own both the PS2 and PC version of this game, and while I prefer beating the game and playing it for fun on the PS2, the PC version has the most fun mods more than any other PC game at least to me, and I don’t even bother much with mods. I haven’t played the online multiplayer but it’s one of the only old online multiplayers I know of that is still played on to this day. Almost 10 years and this game has still stood the test of time for me. I don’t care how many people who are addicted to GTA V tell me on how “bad” the graphics are, in my opinion, GTA San Andreas is a masterpiece of a game and the one I’m proud to call my favourite video game of all time. Rockstar North. I salute you. And thank you.

Well there you have it guys. I really do apologise if I talked way too much about these games, but a lot needed to be said after a long hiatus of procrastination and such. As I move away from gaming to pursue other things in life, like a career in story writing, I will still look back at these 12 games and enjoy them whenever I have the spare time. Thank you all for your support and I hope you can be satisfied with the list I made.

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