Tag: More Best Games Lists

Destructoid Picked Their Favorite Games for Sega’s 60th Anniversary

Sega is celebrating their 60th anniversary this week, and the staff of Destructoid has marked the occasion with a look back at some of their favorite games from the publisher.

The list is pretty evenly split between Sega’s halcyon days as a consolemaker and their current status as a premier third-party partner to Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. There’s even a few fond memories of Sega’s brief tenure as an arcade powerhouse.

CJ Andriessen kicked things off with a loving ode to The House of the Dead: Overkill, Sega’s grindhouse-inspired light gun game that launched for the Wii in 2009 (and was eventually re-released over the years for the PS4 and PC). Overkill was a great pick to start this retrospective, as everyone loves just how over-the-top and nasty it is, and for how it’s a fitting finale to the House of the Dead franchise… even though, chronologically, it comes first.

The rest of the staff each highlighted a different game from Sega’s history, and with each one falling into a different genre

Like Nintendo, Sega never let themselves be pigeonholed into a specialized niche, and their wide-ranging library includes titles that fall into every genre and subgenre, and the rest of the Destructoid staff picked games that reflect the company’s penchant for trying anything once:

▶ Jonathan Holmes selected Panzer Dragoon Saga, one of Sega’s epic RPGs from the Saturn era.
▶ Adzuken got behind the wheel of Out Run, Sega’s sunny arcade racer.
▶ Anthony Marzano confessed his love for Crazy Taxi, Sega’s kooky chauffeur simulation.
▶ Jordan Devore opened up about Yakuza 0, Sega’s sixth gangland tale from Japan.
▶ Josh Tolentino picked Sakura Wars, the first game in Sega’s anime-inspired strategy series.
▶ Patrick Hancock got colorful with Jet Set Radio, Sega’s dystopian graffiti game.
▶ And Chris Moyse stepped inside the circle for Virtua Fighter, Sega’s first attempt at a 3D fighter.

But as I said, Sega’s library is large and full of unique treasures. So be sure to dip into the comments at Destructoid for even more suggestions to celebrate Sega’s anniversary.

Edge’s “Feel Better” List Features Games to Escape to a Happier Place

The creators of Edge were forced to come up with something different for the newest issue of the long-running game magazine. Confined to their homes and forced to cancel a traditional print distribution for “E345” due to the coronavirus pandemic, the writers and editors sat down and channeled their feelings of frustration into “Feel Better,” a list of games that might just add some color to these dark times.

I’ll let the magazine’s Editor, Nathan Brown, explain:

The games we celebrate this issue share one defining characteristic. They make you feel better. Most are non-violent, or at least nonconfrontational – games for the monkey rather than the lizard brain, that are about helping others, not hindering them. Some combat the anxieties we all feel about the rapidly changing world around us; others offer an escape to a simpler, happier place. Most are suitable for the whole family. Above all they are games that will make you feel better when you stand up than you did when you sat down. We hope that reading about them helps in some way. It has certainly helped us to write about them.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is there, of course, as are Stardew Valley and Minecraft. But “Feel Better” goes beyond those three to feature a total of 52 games, and each one is a gem.

There’s the bright colors and boundless energy of found in games like Jet Set Radio, Katamari Damacy, and Splatoon 2. Or you can unleash your inner musician with DJ Hero and Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat. Readers are even encouraged to get on their feet with recommendations for Ring Fit Adventure and Wii Sports Resort.

“Feel Better” is Brown’s final issue at the helm of Edge, and he should absolutely be proud of his work. The entire list can be found after the break.

[Continue Reading…]

The Strong Museum of Play Helps Wired Pick “Every Year’s Most Iconic Video Game Since 1979”

It’s been slightly more than 40 years since Space Invaders transformed video games from a niche hobby into a global phenomenon. Picking up a year later from that point, Wired recently teamed up with curators from the Strong Museum of Play (which is also home to the World Video Game Hall of Fame) to determine “Every Year’s Most Iconic Video Game Since 1979.”

Jon-Paul Dyson and Shannon Symonds from the Strong Museum of Play dive into the last 40 years of video game history and come up with a list of some of the greatest games of all time. With memorable titles like Halo, Super Mario Bros., The Last of Us, Doom, The Sims and more, see which games were chosen as the most memorable and iconic of the year they were released.

[Continue Reading…]