For me it’s Chrono Trigger. I always want to play it. I want to show it to my children. I hope it will be regarded as a masterpiece for generations to come.
I have a few answers, but I agree that Chrono Trigger is one of those games you come back to again and again. I think there are many excellent games which wouldn’t qualify because they are too firmly rooted in their time, or perhaps don’t feel timeless due to the limitations of their interface, but here are a few titles that are not just my favorites but I also think compare boldly across systems, genres, and time. I may have got carried away :|
edit: formatting, I’mma Lemmy newb
Sega Master System
Columns: the best iteration of this tetris-esque game series imo
Choplifter: what a brutal, unforgiving game, and you feel so horrible when you crush people you’re trying to save
Sega Genesis
Samurai Showdown (Genesis): A fighter oozing with personality, weapons, and a good balance of combos, strategy, and special moves that reward you just enough to want to learn that next move without feeling like you can just mash buttons
PC Engine / Turbografx 16
Ninja Spirit (PC Engine): hard as hell, but also cool as hell
Devil Crush: ultra-stylish, demonic pinball
Blazing Lasers: OK, this one might be an easier title, but it’s so much fun to cause so much carnage, and the layered parallax backgrounds are lovely
NES
Ninja Gaiden: I still haven’t beat it, but I can’t not keep trying
Kirby’s Adventure: what a charming, vibrant world
SNES
Super Street Fighter 2 series: gold standard fighter
Earthbound / Mother 3: a unique, unusual, and psychedelic RPG
Zombies Ate My Neighbors: wacky, stylish top-down mayhem with an excellent responsive control and fun music
ActRasier: Interesting cross of management and platform game where you play a deity manifesting to take care of its people against monsters and famine alike
PSX
Castlevania, Symphony of the Night: Beautiful gothic horror metroidvania-action-rpg with great music
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2: killer moves, combos, wipeouts, and soundtrack
PS2
Guitaroo Man: Wacky superhero/superrockstar rhythm game supreme
Katamari Damacy: obsessive, rainbow-splashed fun and mayhem
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: my favorite title in this series
Xbox
Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2: Bioware RPG storytelling and environments at their finest
Psychonauts: a stylish and funny masterpiece by Doublefine (except that fucking meat circus, ugggggh)
Jet Set Radio Future: a vibrant, cell-shaded wonder in unmistakable sega style
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay: a surprisingly tight, atmospheric, and narratively compelling stealth game
PC
Doom 1 and 2: well yea
Minesweeper: man, I sill get sucked into this game
Grim Fandango: a heartwarming and funny point-and-click noir adventure about death and a life worth living, beautifully styled after Mexican day-of-the-dead visuals and themes
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: you may think you know what a text adventure game is, but this game will expand your mind
Minecraft: OK, there are a LOT of versions and updates to this game, and it has become so complex, but whether OG vanilla or latest edition, there is nothing like loading up a clean, new world to explore, survive, and shape in new and exciting ways####___
Skyrim, actually. It’s quite dated by today’s standards, but just recently I started another playthrough on a whim and ended up playing 20h or so even though I’ve played the game a bunch of times for several hundreds of hours throughout the years already.
Will be interesting to see if TES6 will replace Skyrim as the sort of mainstream culturally relevant icon of gaming.
After all Morrowind and Oblivion were both massively popular cornerstones of gaming in their own right in their time, but Skyrim has definitely overtaken them as fas as mainstream recognition goes.
Oblivion was good, but even at the time of the release the graphics, especially faces, are potato. Skyrim is probably peak graphics at release, and still beautiful even now. Gameplay is a little dumbed down, but still enjoyable for both casual and hardcore gamers. Combine that with active modding scene and continuous support from Bethesda, Skyrim ages longer than any game has right to be.
Love that game, even if its combat system is pretty dated. The world and the writing are top notch. If you get it, make sure you get the community patch so it’s not buggy.
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I have a few answers, but I agree that Chrono Trigger is one of those games you come back to again and again. I think there are many excellent games which wouldn’t qualify because they are too firmly rooted in their time, or perhaps don’t feel timeless due to the limitations of their interface, but here are a few titles that are not just my favorites but I also think compare boldly across systems, genres, and time. I may have got carried away :|
edit: formatting, I’mma Lemmy newb
Sega Master System
Sega Genesis
PC Engine / Turbografx 16
NES
SNES
PSX
PS2
Xbox
PC
Good job. Saved.
That’s a damn long list, but I see Grim Fandango in there and thus I must upvote!
Diablo 2, I love the grind and come back to it every few years.
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Re-volt was so good!
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You could also cover mods like Skywind, where fans basically port an old game to a new engine.
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Skyrim, actually. It’s quite dated by today’s standards, but just recently I started another playthrough on a whim and ended up playing 20h or so even though I’ve played the game a bunch of times for several hundreds of hours throughout the years already.
Will be interesting to see if TES6 will replace Skyrim as the sort of mainstream culturally relevant icon of gaming.
After all Morrowind and Oblivion were both massively popular cornerstones of gaming in their own right in their time, but Skyrim has definitely overtaken them as fas as mainstream recognition goes.
It’d be cool if it did, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it did somewhere down the line.
Oblivion was good, but even at the time of the release the graphics, especially faces, are potato. Skyrim is probably peak graphics at release, and still beautiful even now. Gameplay is a little dumbed down, but still enjoyable for both casual and hardcore gamers. Combine that with active modding scene and continuous support from Bethesda, Skyrim ages longer than any game has right to be.
Morrowind feels like returning home, every time.
Hearing the music and the cry of a silt strider just makes me feel home
I say “You’re not what I expected. You’ve earned my trust!” several times a week, honestly.
The Legend of Zelda. My kid finished Breath of the Wild and Tears and wanted more, so I put him on the original.
Hasn’t aged a day. Still mind blowing. Still a ton of fun.
I would say Chrono Trigger, but if Chrono Trigger was timeless, what would be the plot? :P
My dude. Chrono Trigger is my Lord of the Rings of video games. I keep coming back to it now and then because it’s such a good playthrough.
I’m a fan of some even earlier RPGs… Miracle Warriors, Phantasy Star, Phantasy Star II and Ys.
The best crack? OG WoW.
Portal 1&2
Portal 2 is still beautiful 12 years after its release and puzzle games will be relevent even in 50 years.
Definitely Golden Sun.
Considering the limitations of the console it’s incredible just how high quality the game is, the music especially. Timeless masterpiece.
And it’s direct sequel, The Lost Age.
Doom (1993), Diablo (1996), amongst others like Chrono Trigger people have mentioned.
I mean, Doom is like a meme at this point “can it run Doom?” And so on.
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines
Love that game, even if its combat system is pretty dated. The world and the writing are top notch. If you get it, make sure you get the community patch so it’s not buggy.