Resetera's Essential Games

[Aurica]

Obviously, "essential" is entirely subjective, but if you were to make a list of games that someone who wants to be educated on the best/most influential/most inventive/most historically important games (it's up to you what your take on "essential" is!), what would you recommend? You can talk about however many games on however many systems as you wish, and you don't need to rank them.

In most elementary/middle/high schools, there is required reading. If you are a film major in university, it's likely expected that you've seen a number of films one would find on the American Film Institute's top 100. So, I think we can treat gaming the same way.

If someone wants to be knowledgeable about games, which games would be must-plays?
Give at least a little reasoning as to why the game is included. One good sentence is enough. Don't just post your favorite games because you love them. Attempt to be objective a bit—don't go "it's the best!" without giving some detail about why. This doesn't mean you shouldn't include unpopular opinions; if you can make a case for it, go ahead! It'd be boring if we all had the same answer.

An example of what's acceptable, and won't get you coal in your stocking this Christmas.

PS2
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence - The story is well told, the characters are interesting, and the mechanics are conducive to making a creative stealth game that lets you explore different ways to get past your enemies. You can also eat snakes or throw them at people to scare them. Until I played this, I'd never been so moved by a cutscene, so I think it was emotionally valuable, too.

Resident Evil 4 - Resi4 was my first foray into the Survival Horror genre, and though I had a hard time starting it in my youth, I was blown away by the enemies' movement and AI. The mechanics feel phenomenal, and the tension has not gone away on later playthroughs. Despite (and really, I love it) the cheesiness of a lot of the dialogue, the game is still fun, scary, and one of the best games I've played to date.

SNES
Chrono Trigger - A highly influential JRPG that broke the mold in many ways and still inspires developers today. It's beloved even now, as new players discover it. I personally love how there isn't a different screen for battles, as they take place right where you run into enemies. No random battles, either! The cast is varied and interesting, which is great, because you spend a lot of time learning about them and where they come from. Robo's theme sounds like "Never Gonna Give You Up," and that lights up my life.

Super Mario World - Here's a really polished platformer with tons of inventive levels and fun powers. It's the reason why I fell in love with Mario, and it's hard for me to pick a favorite between this and Super Mario 3 (which is also amazing). The music will stay with you forever, and although the bosses are pretty easy, they're quite memorable. I believe this game set the template for many games to follow, and it still holds its own as one of the best platformers.

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An example of being a person who makes Aizō's avatar dog sad.

All the zeldas - Obvious.
Red Steel - Multiplayer was really fun, and it's my favorite shooter on the wii.
Final Fantasy VII - The best JRPG.
The Last of Us - GOAT. Anyone who disagrees has shit taste. Best written game ever, too.
Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite - It's the most modern version. So fun!
Mario Bros. - It's a classic.
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - It's the most fun Elder Scrolls game.

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P.S.
Please do try not to shit on other people's opinions. If someone wants to make a case for that Final Fantasy game you hate or the worst Mega Man, go ahead and let 'em.

Mod edit:
Please don't do "reserved" posts. This is just so you can get "dibs" on the first page, but hell, if you can't put the effort into your post now, and your post appears on page 2 because of that, then so be it.

 

[Doskoi Panda]

PC
DOOM 2016
If you've never learned to play FPS games with a mouse and keyboard, DOOM 2016 is an accelerated course that will have you fragging motherfuckers like nobody's business within 10 hours flat. I thought I was hot shit on a M&KB before I played DOOM 2016. Now, I am hot shit.

A Bethesda open-world game
Pick one. Mod it. Make your own perfect RPG, the likes of which you could never find anywhere else.

Dishonored
An amazing Thief-like that gives players unique powers and then tells the player, 'you're the strongest guy in the world, so go get your shit together'. The first time you play it, on console or PC, you'll probably use your powers pretty conservatively and separately from one another. I consider this game an essential PC game because hot-keying powers allows you to pull off insane combos once you understand how the powers can combine to begin with. Within short order, you can feel like a god when you're able to swap to the exact power you want at the press of a button, and execute combos without interruption.

 

[Aurica]

Feel free to post as many games and systems as you'd like.

 

[Blabadon]

PC
DOOM 2016
If you've never learned to play FPS games with a mouse and keyboard, DOOM 2016 is an accelerated course that will have you fragging motherfuckers like nobody's business within 10 hours flat. I thought I was hot shit on a M&KB before I played DOOM 2016. Now, I am hot shit.

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It's weird because I enjoy this game more with a controller because the weapon wheel is really nice for me on a controller.

 

[Neptonic]

smh at PS2 version of RE4 over the GameCube version OP


The PS2 Ace Combat trilogy:
The Holy Trinity of Ace Combat 4, 5, and Zero represent the peak of the series and still hasn't been touched. The almost Metal Gear blending of a realistic world with anime storylines and plot takes a very good set of arcady sim dog-fighting games from great to iconic. These games are so unique and just dripping with style, and as of now the PS2 is the only place you can play them.

Sure there are other games out there that should be obvious things that you should play on a system, but these 3 are the ones that stick out to me as the most important.

 

[Deleted member 249]

SWITCH:

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  One of the greatest games ever made, and a masterpiece of emergent game design. Zelda is a game that constantly takes your breath away- from the gorgeous and lush world that it lays out for you to explore to the impeccable mechanics that come together to deliver a dynamic experience unlike anything else, Breath of the Wild is the rare game that is proactive rather than reactive. It's a fundamental paradigm shift and rethinking, not just for Zelda, but for open world games in general. Cannot recommend this enough.
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  The second Switch game I would recommend as a must have is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and that's because of how singularly well suited it is to what the Switch is. Its quick pick up and play nature makes it perfect for short sessions of play, of course, but the way it lends itself to spontaneous mutliplayer- and the way Switch itself lends itself to that- makes this a unique marriage of the hardware and software that I think makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a must for all Switch owners.

 

[Aurica]

smh at PS2 version of RE4 over the GameCube version OP

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It was an example. Either version is fine with me, and I didn't exclude other versions or claim that it was the best, ultimate iteration of the title. This is just how I first experienced the game. While the gamecube version has better graphics and changes your costume within radio sessions, the PS2 version had additional content the Gamecube one didn't (at least at the time that I played it).
Also,

Please do try not to shit on other people's opinions. If someone wants to make a case for that Final Fantasy game you hate or the worst Mega Man, go ahead and let 'em.

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[Deleted member 16576]

PS3
The Last of Us

The Last of Us may be brought up by a lot of people in this thread for many reasons, and it deserves it. I feel as though The Last of Us is the culmination of Gen 7s technology and game design. Gen 7 was about a lot of things, but for the Xbox 360 and the PS3, games were starting to merge storytelling and game design with the technology of the medium that was not possible during the PS2 era. Naughty Dog as a developer applied everything they learned from Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, and Uncharted to create a masterpiece with well developed characters, great gameplay that is intertwined with the story both in systems and set pieces, and a beautiful game engine that is the perfect send off for the PS3's cell processor. The Last of Us may not impact everyone in the same way it impacted me, but I think it is impossible to deny the impact this particular game has had on the industry. If you own a PS3 or a PS4, and have not played this game, it is essential if only for its historical significance.

 

[Deleted member 1849]

I feel like the required list on PC is so varied and person dependent it might as well be impossible, but I would say:

Strategy games:
A 4X game: Civilization V
A classic RTS: Homeworld
Grand Strategy: Europa Universalis 4

An FPS:
The Valve Complete Pack - An instant library of a few of the best PC FPS's ever made, many of which are historically significant to the platform. From the original Half Life and its mod community, to the early days of Steam with Half Life 2 and The Orange Box. Often available on sale for incredibly cheap too.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl - An FPS/RPG Survival game which still has people talking about it years later because of the unmatched atmosphere and tension of living in the Zone. Mod community is great for this series too.
Crysis: I really, really like the original Crysis, okay? Especially the first 2/3 of the game I feel are up there with some of the best FPS's I have ever played. After that... not so much. It is also the last true cutting edge PC AAA release, designed to really push the PC's that existed at the time to their limits. Console version was a disaster.
Quake 3 Arena: An instruction manual on how to do Keyboard and Mouse FPS controls, and a great arena shooter.
For a more modern FPS, Doom 2016 is pretty great on PC as well.

Management:
Sports: There's the big two: OOTPB of whatever the current year is for Baseball, or Football Manager similarly if football is more your thing. Both games are only on PC and offer incredibly complex simulation of each sport.
City management: Cities: Skylines. What Sim City should have become.
Other: Factorio. Build a factory, managing your resources. An example of early access done right.


CRPG's:
Planescape Torment for a classic example. Nearly everyone who plays it recognizes just how good the story is.
Divinity OS (OS2 I assume as well, I haven't played it yet) or Pillars of Eternity for good modern examples.

I also want to give a shout out to Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines here. Both as a great example of what an RPG can be on PC and also as an introduction to how mods can fix broken games.

A true Racing Sim:
Something like Assetto Corsa, or Dirt Rally if rally is more your thing.

"You would never, ever see this on console": Dwarf Fortress. If you can stomach it.

All of these genres are either best on PC, or in some cases nearly exclusive to PC. It's also varied enough that nearly everyone would find something that they could probably get into. I have also tried to bring in a few classic games, as I feel learning about older PC titles is key if we are doing some kind of "recommended reading" type list.

 

[bshock]

Xbox One: Sunset Overdrive

Quite possibly one of the best open world arcade shooters ever designed. An expertly crafted city map with traversal mechanics that are not only a blast to use but are integral to your survival.

Bright, colorful, visuals bring a frivolous tale to life that's only downfall is that it leaves you wanting more.

Required play for any owner of the system.

 

[Deleted member 1378]

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos and Croc 2 - PlayStation 1

Alright, so this is a bit of an odd pick - but bear with me. Croc is a franchise developed by a western based studio, Argonaut Software. Originally, Croc had been created to demonstrate the potential of an N64 Yoshi 3D platformer - keep in mind, at this point, Super Mario 64 had not been revealed to the public. So, at this point, Argonaut had created what was essentially the first proper, working 3D platformer engine. Nintendo denied this as they were not open to letting a western third party use their characters yet, so ultimately - Argonaut found a publisher in Fox Interactive. Unfortunately, Croc was still a ways away - and launched a full 15 months after Super Mario 64.

Despite this, they managed to release the game to positive reception, and the game went on to sell well over a million copies on the PlayStation alone (the game was also available for Sega Saturn and PC, where it saw support as well but not to the extent of the PlayStation userbase [along with demakes for the GameBoy Colour]) - and for good reason! The game oozed charm, and was incredibly unique in terms of level design and controls for a platformer.

You see, Croc as a franchise was controlled with a pseudo-tank control scheme. You used the left and right d-pad buttons to turn Croc, and the up and down d-pad buttons to move forwards and backwards. While it wasn't nearly as fluid or intuitive as Super Mario 64, it still felt good in your hands and made precise jumps fairly easy, especially once you became accustomed to the controls. It truly is a unique experience to play, and it stands out for that. It was something different in a sea of 3D platformers that had been flooding the market at the time.

The level design was awesome, too. Rather than the linear hallways of Crash Bandicoot, or the sprawling hub levels of Spyro and Mario, Croc found a sweet compromise. The levels progressed in the linear structure of Crash, but you very commonly found yourself with the options to explore horizontally and vertically in the levels to collect what you wanted.

The score was very entertaining, as well. Composed by three people (two of whom went on to work in movies and television), it was varied and dripping with a colourful aesthetic. The main theme alone inspires this idea that the game truly is the grand adventure it wanted to feel like.

In spite of all of this, time has not been kind to the Croc franchise. It never was to see a sequel, with a third game for the PS2 generation being cancelled far before it would see completion. And, since it was not a genre defining Superstar - nor was it an extremely niche game - Croc found itself brushed aside in many discussions over the years of quality titles for the PS1 (along with the sequel, Croc 2).

I implore you to give Croc a chance. To this day, Croc is incredibly cheap on the PlayStation 1 - like, $10 a copy. It's truly worth your time. Unfortunately, due to it being in IP limbo, it never saw a digital re-release on any platform. Not even the PlayStation 3 via the PSone Classics program.

Croc 2 has been included in the recommendation of this post as well because it's literally just a more polished sequel to the first, though it's very iterative.

 

[Sotha_Sil]

For the OG Xbox, Halo is the obvious choice, but I'm going to say KOTOR, Jade Empire, and Morrowind. KOTOR and Morrowind are rightfully legends in the RPG canon, but Jade Empire is an often overlooked title. Secretly, it's my favorite Bioware game. I can't believe that after all these years, it never got a sequel and no one's tried to make a game like it.

 

[Tagyhag]

For PC RTS'es, I think the 5 essential ones are Age of Empires 2, StarCraft, Warcraft 3, Red Alert 2, and Total Annihilation.

There are a ton of other great RTS'es out there but I feel like these were the most influential.

Age of Empires 2 perfected the pixelated graphics and was just an all around superb experience that had no big flaws.

StarCraft brought RTS'es to a global audience and showed how good online MP could be for RTS.

Warcraft 3 was the evolution of the genre and in a way it was the foundation for MOBAs.

Red Alert 2 was frantic and really paid attention to its singleplayer campaigns, especially with the FMVs.

Total Annihilation was the horde RTS before all others, it had fantastic mod support, and was incredibly technologically advanced for its time.

 

[Deleted member 1378]

For PC RTS'es, I think the 5 essential ones are Age of Empires 2, StarCraft, Warcraft 3, Red Alert 2, and Total Annihilation.

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ok. why

 

[Tagyhag]

ok. why

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Ah sorry, I didn't catch that part in the OP. :P I'll update it in a bit.

 

[Argot]

Famicom Disk System

Otocky



Let's say, by some bizarre turn of events, you've found yourself in possession of a Famicom Disk System. Congrats! Think this is how you'll be able to check out all those Japanese gems that never made their way onto your fine shores? Well, kinda. A lot of the most interesting FDS games either arrived on the NES (sometimes a bit worse for wear, sure, but nothing game-ruining) or are text-heavy adventure games that haven't even received fan translations yet. One of the big exceptions I've found? Otocky, a music-based shmup that uses the FDS' considerable sound capabilities to let you have a blast. Designed by artist Toshio Iwai (who returned to video games decades later with Electroplankton), what sets this shooter apart is that each of the eight directions you can shoot will produce a unique tone and the powerups you find along the way will change these shots' "instrument" . If you're expecting a Gradius you might be disappointed, as it's more of a sound playground where the goals in place are more to give a loose structure to accompany the joy of simply aimlessly making music, but if you vibe on its level it's a one-of-a-kind, genuinely artistic experience.

 

[capnjazz]

Wii U: Wonderful 101, it's the best game on the system and criminally underrated.

 

[Aurica]

Wii U: Wonderful 101, it's the best game on the system and criminally underrated.

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Could you elaborate a bit more? I really like the game, but for those who are unfamiliar, your post doesn't really sell them on it or tell 'em much at all.

 

[Digital]

Assuming this is for someone with a PC who's looking for a reason:

PS4

1. Bloodborne -- You've already heard everything about this game. Probably the best of its genre. Enjoy it.
2. Destiny -- If you've played D2, you've only sampled what an FPS/MMO hybrid can be. This game is one of a kind. 3 great raids that you can't miss, a wealth of quests and strikes, and well over 100 exotics to collect. Build optimization, class customization, perk rolls -- so much content.
3. The Last of Us: Remastered -- Same song as Bloodborne. 60fps on this game is so great. The gameplay is surprisingly the highlight for me, not the story.
4. Infamous: First Light -- I'd recommend Second Son if it had an Arena mode. The Infamous gameplay loop is seriously underrated.

There's a ton of other praised games I think are largely overrated (Uncharted series, Horizon, Until Dawn, R&C 2016, etc.), but you could try them cheap I guess.

 

[Deleted member 7156]

Gamecube

F-zero GX

Developed by Sega's Amusement Vison and headed by Toshihiro Nagoshi, the game brings out all of Sega expertise in arcade games to the Nintendo franchise, to create one of the finest arcade racing games there is.

The game features a host of characters each with their own personality, and more important, their own vehicle with it's own quirks for the player to master. There's a great degree of satisfaction that comes from fully mastering any of the machines.
The GP mode is challenging but fair, rewarding those that take risks and play it smart, allowing players to focusing on finishing first or simply getting ride of pesky opponents that are close in score to the player.

For those looking to a bigger challenge the game features a "story mode", compromised of a few missions, this mode is infamous for it's difficult even in it's easiest setting, and unfortunately often confused for the game main mode due to it's name and center position in the menu.

The franchise faded out after this entry, and Sega "arcade games" output has since long declined, but in the brief period of time that was 2004 the mix up of both gave us the culmination of both their strengths into the game that is F-zero GX.

 

[Tecnniqe]

PC is a hard platform to select essential games from, as the genres vary so much and there's endless games, I'll list a few I think everyone should experience or had great influence over the system and their genres;

Doom — Oh yeah, we're talking old school here. Perhaps one of the most influential games in history. Not that the new Doom is bad, not by any means, but this is something to behold.

Wolfenstein 3D — Some will argue that what I think of Doom applies to Wolfenstein 3D too, as it also helped shaped the industry.

Command and Conquer — One is my most beloved franchises. Great RTS series from a great studio of passionate people; not to forget that they also did a hybrid shooter, 'Renegade', Westwood and Blizzard, with the Warcraft series started a long competitive battle that pushed RTS genre forward.

Warcraft III — A game perhaps more known for its custom game maps and modes than the default game itself; it together with StarCraft assisted in kickstarting both the MOBA genre as well the more hero styled combat brawlers.

Grand Theft Auto V — Personally, on PC this shines as a masterpiece open world game with a modern setting. With addition of modding, you can do so much in this sandbox and even play online on RP community servers.

Civilization V — Whew, do you have a year? I don't know how to explain this game, it's a time vampire strategy game.

I mean, there's so many games and genres that became defined and is essential to the system, it's almost impossible. I just touched on a few I found influential as well as a recent example of a game that's great and I enjoyed a lot which also adepts to the platform strengths in mod-ability.

 

[Asbsand]

PS4: Bloodborne, Uncharted 4, Witcher 3, Nier Automata, Persona 5
XB1: Dark Souls 3, Witcher 3, Halo Master Chief Collection, Xbox 360 games and Xbox Originals
Switch: Breath of the Wild, Mario Odyssey, Sonic Mania, Sonic Forces, Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
3DS: Ace Attorney Dual Destinies, Spirit of Justice and the crossover. Kid Icarus Uprising, Zelda ALBW

 

[Burrman]

Reserved

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Can you explain to me what's the point of this reserved thing. I don t get it

 

[Tagyhag]

Would anyone consider Battlefield 2 to be essential now?

 

[Tecnniqe]

Would anyone consider Battlefield 2 to be essential now?

Click to shrink...

I would, if it worked as it used to be. I did consider it along with a Medal of Honor title but they might be too far gone to experience.

For your sneaky ninja edit:
I also think StarCraft with AoS inspired WarCrafts DotA map so they're both guilty of the MOBA genre.

 

[Tagyhag]

I would, if it worked as it used to be. I did consider it along with a Medal of Honor title but they might be too far gone to experience.

For your sneaky ninja edit:
I also think StarCraft with AoS inspired WarCrafts DotA map so they're both guilty of the MOBA genre.

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That's my issue with it, it's just not the same now.

And yeaaah I forgot about AoS, I didn't play enough custom StarCraft maps.

 

[MathUser]

Croc is great on PS1. I think it's aged really well. It showed then that PS1 could compete with N64, far as 3d games go.

 

[Cryptosporidium]

PS2​

Destroy All Humans 1&2​

• No other game handles referential humour so well.
• No other game lets you anal probe japanese schoolgirls and fight giant lobster men.
• A large amount of great weapons and abilities
• hilarious stories and side quests
• An amazing sample of PS2 sandbox games

Metal Gear Solid 3

• The peak of Kojima
• The last great MGS game
• Incredible gameplay that goes hand in hand with the story. No narrative dissonance here!

 

[Aurica]

Arcade
Ninja Baseball Bat Man

If you like beat 'em ups, you have to check this one out. I've beaten practically all the famous arcade beat 'em ups, and a lot of them aren't very memorable. Most of them become pretty dull fast. Due to a wider variety of attacks/specials than much of the others, many inventive enemies, colorful graphics and fun effects, this one really hits it out of the park.

Gameboy Advance
Fire Emblem (7/Blazing Blade)

Likely the first Fire Emblem many of us on Era ever played, it's still a contender for one of the great tactical RPGs. The fun animations (especially for critical attacks) make your heart pound in the moments when you're near death. The characters you meet make you smile. The game is just a blast. Some of my favorite characters in the franchise are all from this one right here.

Mega Man Zero 2

I love the different weapons and skills you can unlock. I love the tough levels and bosses that require good use of weapon use, dodging, jumping, and wall climbing. The local game shop manager called me Mega Man as a child, because I mostly just bought Battle Network, original Mega Man, X, and Zero series games. This one sticks with me as a truly high point. I'm not a completionist, but I really enjoyed unlocking all the different forms and cyberelves (which are used for different powerups).

 

[Mugen X]

PS4- UC4, Horizon, BB, Until Dawn, P5, Yakuza 0

Switch- Zelda BoTW, Mario Odyssey

 

[catvonpee]

PS4/XB

Zombie Army Trilogy is a great game played either single player or with 3 friends. I'm not crazy about competitive multiplayer games. So co-op is perfect for me.

I like to play it single player with the enemy count turned up to 2x. It's the closest thing to Resident Evil 4 there is without being Resident Evil 4. Also, the slo-mo kill cams beak up the tension a little so it isn't as grueling killing hundreds of zombies all swarming you.

It's also fun to get up high and snipe zombies and set booby traps to defend your position. You can set off awesome chain-reaction explosions amd cause all kinds of havoc.

I also love the John Carpenter-esque/ Goblins 70s horror porno soundtrack.

Switch

Mario Kart (duh).

PS360
FIGHT NIGHT CHAMPION
Possibly my favorite game of that generation besides Fallout 3.

 

[Ian Henry]

All ya'll always pick out the popular ones. Let me add some flavor to this.


PS2
Haunting Ground
May 10, 2005
An overlooked Survival Horror gem on the PS2. Is an offshoot of the Clock Tower series. About a girl named Fiona Belli who wakes up in a dungeon of a castle and later befriends a white shepherd canine named Hewie. Together they explore the castle in means of escaping and unravel the mysteries of the location and inhabitants. The game despite clunky at times, it's a very unique experience. It's 3D environments were amazing and lavish. Presented a dog companion that would help you out with attacking enemies. Commanding him allows you to survive the game only if you befriend and gains his trust. If not, then the player would have to find ways to defend on their own. Fiona is can also get exhausted and in panic which can respectively slow her down and cause the player to actually lose control of her. Overall, it's a very challenging and intense game. Honestly, it's a very important game as it defines the direction and movement that Capcom did with the Survival Horror genre in the mid 2000s. Creepy, intense, grotesque expressionism, and a psychological trip filled with paranoia would later influence and follow with games such as F.E.A.R, Rule Of Rose, Dead Space, Fatal Frame, And even the more mainstream Resident Evil 4.
An essential title

PS2/Xbox/GameCube
Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time
October 28, 2003
The reboot to one of the most prolific franchises of all time. Legendary developer Jordan Mechner teams up with UBisoft Montreal to give the franchise a new light. The outcome would indeed prove successful. As the formula would shape the landscape of games for years to come.
Unity in time and place......defines the concept that the games atmosphere. Players plays as the unamed Prince whose father attacks a rival city at the instigation of its Vizier. During the event, the Prince acquires an artifact known as the Dagger Of Time while his army captures an hourglass containing the Sands Of Time. Visiting the city's ruler, to which he presents the hourglass as a gift. The vizier tricks him into transforming the population into sand monsters. To correct his mistakes, he teams up with the rulers daughter, Farrah, to return the Sands to the hourglass. Eventually bringing things back to they were.
Gameplay is based upon the Prince's platforming abilities which presents a free flowing execution. If one makes a mistake, then they can use the Dagger Of Time to rewind and also to kill and freeze enemies. The Prince wall run in which he can run up to and along a wall for a set a set of distance to land or jump off a platform. He can also swing on ropes, walk along/climb up beams, climbing along/across ledges, etc. Environmental Puzzles are also a huge apart of the game and demonstrates the cooperative relationship between The Prince and Farrah. The writing and dialogue is excellent. Presents a sophisticated and crisp atmosphere. Combat is free flowing in which it is based on position and directional movement.
In the end, this game definitely is another essential. Just like the originals(And their influence on games such as Another World, Ico, Tomb Raider, Flashback, and Legacy Of Kain), It's simplistic yet immersive design would be imitated and appreciated by a new wave of games such as God Of War, Uncharted, Infamous, Batman: Arkham series, and even Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed. If anything this franchise as a whole should be in the conversation as one of the GOATs as it's influence and legacy stands clear. It's a shame that Ubisoft hasn't produced a new entry to the series.....or maybe the time is now

 

[YukiroCTX]

PSVita - Tearaway and Killzone Mercenaries. I've found both games to be excellently designed around the limitations and features of the Vita. Tearaway is a charming game, incredibly stylistic visuals, fun platforming.

Killzone is one of the few handheld shooting games that I've ever enjoyed. The mission structure of the SP is well suited towards the handheld nature and MP mode is excellent with some great levels, bot mode which makes for some great road trip experiences. The game looks stunning with some fairly strong oppressive art and atmosphere which helps make it stand out.

PS4 - The Last of Us Remastered. Wonderful story with some really interesting character interactions and relationships. The combat is incredibly satisfying with guns and melee having punch and impact with some really well designed levels.

Bloodborne - There's very few games that have given my huge satisfaction and sense of accomplishment. The huge tension that arises when you've just got one hit left and a single mistake can cost you. The game's got one of the best art I've seen and an incredible twist to the setting as well.

SWITCH:

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  One of the greatest games ever made, and a masterpiece of emergent game design. Zelda is a game that constantly takes your breath away- from the gorgeous and lush world that it lays out for you to explore to the impeccable mechanics that come together to deliver a dynamic experience unlike anything else, Breath of the Wild is the rare game that is proactive rather than reactive. It's a fundamental paradigm shift and rethinking, not just for Zelda, but for open world games in general. Cannot recommend this enough.
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  The second Switch game I would recommend as a must have is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and that's because of how singularly well suited it is to what the Switch is. Its quick pick up and play nature makes it perfect for short sessions of play, of course, but the way it lends itself to spontaneous mutliplayer- and the way Switch itself lends itself to that- makes this a unique marriage of the hardware and software that I think makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a must for all Switch owners.

Click to shrink...

This is basically what I would recommend as well for the Switch and for similar reasons.

 

[Ian Henry]

PS2 - Jak & Daxter 1-3, God Of War 1 & 2, Final Fantasy 10 And 12, Tekken Tag & 5, Twisted Metal Black, Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2, Ratchet _ Clank series, GTA San Andreas,

On the PS3/PS4 front I'm not gonna give a full detail on why they are essential but just a list

PS3 - God Of War III, Uncharted trilogy, Killzone 2, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time, R&C: Tools Of Destruction, Infamous 1 & 2, Puppeteer, Little Big Planet Duology.

PS4 - Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, The Last Of Us Remastered, The Last Guardian, Horizon: Zero Dawn, UC: Lost Legacy, Infamous: Second Son


Multi platform - Bioshock: Infinite & 2, Batman Arkham Asylum And City, Assassin Creed 1-3, Dishonored, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Dead Space 1 & 2, Injustice 2, And many more to name

 

[capnjazz]

Wonderful 101 was my first Platinum game and I didn't really know what to expect going in but it ended up being my favorite single player game (tied with Bloodborne) in the past decade. The overall atmosphere and story of this game is likened to Gurren Lagaan and Saturday morning super heroes. It definitely isn't above poking fun at itself and while it is mainly lighthearted, there are still some serious moments throughout the game.

Unfortunately, for some, the game requires you to dig deep and really learn its mechanics or else it punishes you over and over. Frustratingly annoying to control at first, it doesn't really start to get enjoyable until the combat starts to click in your head but once it does you'll find that the controls are extremely fluid and responsive. The combat consists of using either the gamepad or joysticks to draw your desired weapon on the screen and then bond them to form a giant version of that weapon. (Fist, sword, gun, whip, hammer, claws, time slowing bomb) Switching from weapon to weapon efficiently is key to doing well in the game. Honestly, it's a game that every Wii U owner should at least try once.

PSVita - Tearaway and Killzone Mercenaries. I've found both games to be excellently designed around the limitations and features of the Vita. Tearaway is a charming game, incredibly stylistic visuals, fun platforming.

Killzone is one of the few handheld shooting games that I've ever enjoyed. The mission structure of the SP is well suited towards the handheld nature and MP mode is excellent with some great levels, bot mode which makes for some great road trip experiences. The game looks stunning with some fairly strong oppressive art and atmosphere which helps make it stand out.

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+1 for Killzone Mercenary. I think I beat that game in 2 sittings because I was actually having a great time and handhelds are my preferred way to play games.

 

[MrMoggy]

Based on every system I've owned (limiting myself to 2):

Atari 2600
No strong feelings on any game.

Commodore 64
Bubble Bobble - This is probably based on nostalgia more than anything, but i think this was the first game that hooked me.
- Great for Single Player and Co-op (with competitive elements).
- Unique gameplay hook + full of secrets and challenges.
- Catchy music (admittedly, may repeat too much if I played again now).

NES
Legend of Zelda - I missed this growing up and only played it on the NES Classic earlier this year. It's incredible how ahead of it's time this is compared to most other games on the system, and how well it holds up today. Having only properly played this, Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time this last year, I feel it was justified having a spot in the top ten of Polygon's latest list of the top 500 games of all time. I do think LttP is slightly better, but the majority of what makes that game great is represented here too.
- Great mix of action, puzzles, exploration.
- Notable example of both an action RPG and an open-world game (before the term was really even coined).

SNES
Super Metroid - Probably one of the best designed games on the system. The way this game opens up on a first play is amazing.
- Possibly a perfect example of a 2D platformer (Tastes will always vary though).
- Also a key factor in the popularity of the Metroidvania genre.

Chrono Trigger - Easily one of the best games of all time. Delivers everything a good turn-based RPG should, while also building in so many other systems behind the scenes that may never even get noticed until the next playthrough. Add an all-star development team to the mix and you've got a gold standard for J-RPGs that has never really been beaten.
- Great story, characters, art, music, etc.
- Robust turn-based RPG systems.
- Multiple, varied engings for replayability.

Megadrive/Genesis
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - I don't think Sonic ever really got to Mario's level, but this game was a blast. I do feel Sonic 3 (and/or Knuckles) is comparable as well, but I prefer less story and more pure platforming.
- Gotta go fast, flow between platforming and speeding through levels is great.
- Clever level design that incorporates a difficulty change depending on how well the player plays.
- Beautiful art, iconic music.

Gameboy
Tetris - Best launch title for a system ever? Not sure what it was like for the rest of the world, but this seemed to lead the Tetris craze in Australia.
- Perfect game for a portable system, quick games, nothing lost if you have to quit out.
- Skill based learning curve means there's always a reason to come back to it.

Pokemon Red/Blue - Incredible flip on the RPG genre. Pokemon was a cultural phenomenon. I can still remember battling/trading kids after school.
- Gotta catch 'em all gameplay coupled with robust battling system.
- Amazing amount of things to uncover/understand about the game.
- Incredible use of the Gameboy hardware (what other reason was there for the Link port?)

Playstation
Metal Gear Solid - Phenomenal for the time and still amazing today. Opened my eyes to what was possible through videogames. Best game of all time (so far) from my point of view.
- Pioneer of including "cinemeatic" qualities in games, not many games of that time match the maturity in storytelling techniques in this game.
- Pillar of sandbox gameplay as we know it today, mechanically intricate.
- Unique fourth-wall breaking uses of the system.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - Or you could pick 3 if you prefer. I don't think this game is as important as some of the other ones on this list, but its easily one of the best to just pick up and play.
- Easy to just drop in for a session every now and again.
- Great punk rock soundtrack.

Jeez... this is going forever... I'm just going to summarize the rest. (Sorry OP, I tried)

Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64 - Set the template for how 3D games should work and nailed it on the first try.

PS2
Metal Gear Solid 3 - See Metal Gear Solid, take it to the next level.

Xbox
Jet Set Radio Future - Such a unique game, only available on this system. Where's the re-release Sega?

Wii
No More Heroes - Flawed but so different and interesting. There needs to be more games like this.

PS3
Uncharted 2 - The closest I've come to playing a movie. Incredible set pieces without getting in the way of playing the game.

Nintendo 3DS
Nothing really stands out that much, but if i had to pick something i'd pick Fire Emblem: Awakening.

PS Vita
Nothing really stands out.... I ended up playing a tonne of great indie games that seem purpose built for Vita (100's of hours in both Spelunky and Binding of Isaac) but i don't know if that really counts.

PS4
Too early to call.

PC
Whatever the current trending online game is. PC is such a dynamic and storied platform that "Essential" takes on another meaning. A lot of classic games are going to be there forever, but a lot of modern games that might one day be considered classics are only going to last as long as the official servers do/there are people playing. If you want to understand the PC system, and what games make it unique, play the big online multiplayer games like PUBG or DOTA/LOL while you can.

Mobile
???

 

[Deleted member 1413]

N64: Super Mario 64 - Still the best version of that particular game. Still feels fantastic to play outside of the camera which isn't too terrible most of the time

GameBoy/Color: Link's Awakening and Mario Land 2 - the best games for the platform that still hold up to this day.

PS2: Kingdom Hearts 2 - My favorite in the series. Looks and plays great for a game of its era

Wii: Super Mario Galaxy - One of the best games of all time and takes great advantage of what works with the system. Pointer controls to pick up star bits adds a tiny little extra to do while you're playing around with a great controlling 3d platformer

Wii U: The Wonderful 101 - just an outstanding new IP with very unique gameplay ideas. It's super long for a character action game, has amazing music, fantastic voice work, and superb gameplay

Switch: Breath of the Wild - Showcasing a new era of Nintendo. Being able to take on of the biggest games in the industry on the go and having it look and run really well is very surprising and it's the Switch's promise fulfilled

PSV: Persona 4 Golden - perfect for the platform, allowing you delve deep into a personal JRPG about relationships with friends and family.

3DS: Super Mario 3D Land and Link Between Worlds: Kind of the same deal with the gameboy. Best of the platform and a great fit for 3DS. Great 3D.

 

[Aurica]

There have been some interesting games posted, and people are mostly elaborating on their choices, so that's nice. Pretty sure list threads aren't allowed on Era, so I appreciate the effort you all are putting in. I know it's much easier to just write a bunch of titles without explanation.

 

[Seductivpancakes]

At the moment I can only think of Mount and Blade: Warband for the PC. In my opinion it does medieval multiplayer combat great, especially the mounted combat. There's also tons of good mods.

It is of course visually outdated, but the sequel Bannerlord is will be soon. Eventually.

I know there's a few of you mount and blade players in here.

 

[Aurica]

I noticed many people are only writing one or two games per a console, which is fine, but maybe my example was misleading. You can write as many as you want. If it seems like too much to write, you can be very brief with bullet points showing features you like.

 

[kami_sama]

PC
HALF LIFE 2
One of the most loved FPS in history, it holds up after more than 10 years since it's release.
It was a revolution for games back then. Now it is still a great game, but if you've been playing modern games, it won't be as revolutionary.

 

[Morrigan]

Please don't do "reserved" posts. This is just so you can get "dibs" on the first page, but hell, if you can't put the effort into your post now, and your post appears on page 2 because of that, then so be it.

I've only deleted one so far, but I want to prevent this from happening. In the past, we'd often have many such posts that don't even get edited at all later on, making this even more annoying. Just don't do it.

 

[Kill3r7]

For the OG Xbox, Halo is the obvious choice, but I'm going to say KOTOR, Jade Empire, and Morrowind. KOTOR and Morrowind are rightfully legends in the RPG canon, but Jade Empire is an often overlooked title. Secretly, it's my favorite Bioware game. I can't believe that after all these years, it never got a sequel and no one's tried to make a game like it.

Click to shrink...

Agreed. I would add Crimson Skies, NGB, Shenmue II, Panzer Dragoon, Breakdown, PGR2, Chronicles of Riddick, Mech Assault 1&2, Splinter Cell Trilogy, Fable, Otogi and Freedom Fighters.

Crimson Skies
Arcade arial combat that ushered in the age of XBL. Addicting MP and fun SP campaign made this game stand out from the competition. They just don't make games like this anymore.

Freedom Fighters
Superb AI, solid controls, mission design and gameplay make for an absolute thrill ride. The downside being that the game is rather short.

 

[Aurica]

Please don't do "reserved" posts. This is just so you can get "dibs" on the first page, but hell, if you can't put the effort into your post now, and your post appears on page 2 because of that, then so be it.

I've only deleted one so far, but I want to prevent this from happening. In the past, we'd often have many such posts that don't even get edited at all later on, making this even more annoying. Just don't do it.

Click to shrink...

I thought it was funny when I saw it, because this thread very clearly won't get enough posts for that to have been worth it in the case that the user did come back and edit it later.

—

The essential RPG thread did it right by offering prizes so that people participate. I recognize my thread asks for a time commitment many are disinterested in. People wanna post lists. Can't have a list thread.

 

[NICHIJOUDENSETSU]

I like to go with games that aren't immediately obvious.



NES

Puzznic — One of the finest 8-bit puzzle games ever made, especially its alternate gravity-shifting mode, Gravnic. It's a match-two style game in its regular mode, but Gravnic requires you to clear the screen within a certain number of moves while shifting all pieces up, down, left or right at the same time, and some of the later puzzles will drive you bananas.

The Guardian Legend — Mix a brutal vertical shmup with a labyrinthine, top-down adventure akin to Zelda with Metroid-style weapon acquisition. Oh, and the game's currency is what powers your special weapons, so there's always a question of whether you want to kick ass or save money. Might have the best 8-bit soundtrack of all time, too.

Crystalis — To me, the best Zelda game ever made was released in 1990, and it was made by SNK. If you haven't played this, find a way, I don't care how you do it. It's still amazing to this very day, and that's saying a lot. Soundtrack is also godtier.



SNES

Soul Blazer — Quintet's unsung hero. Top-down Zelda-style gameplay mixed with some absolutely great stages and what might very well be the best basslines in any VG OST ever.

Front Mission: Gun Hazard — Square should have released this in the US. It's a side-scrolling "real robot" mecha action game. If you've ever liked shit like Armored Trooper VOTOMS, this will be your new addiction for the next two weeks or so.

WarpSpeed — Not the best Wing Commander clone ever made, but it's a fun distraction if you have the patience for it. Graphics are meh, but the gameplay is surprisingly solid for such a basic title.



N64

Mischief Makers — If it's made by Treasure, it's a legitimate treasure. That's an iron-clad law of videogames, I'll reference it later on, and this absolutely adorable beat-em-up follows suit.

Forsaken 64 — Once you get the controls set right, it's a lot of fun. It's essentially multiplayer Descent on hoverbikes, giving combatants 360 degrees of death-dealing ability.

Blast Corps — One of Rare's finest hours, imo. You demolish shit in a bevy of vehicles and contraptions. That's as simple as it gets, and it's utterly fantastic.



Wii

Zack & Wiki — An unsung gem in the Wii library. It's an environmental puzzle game featuring a kid pirate and his golden shapeshifting monkey, and it's one of Capcom's best games on the system.

Warioware: Smooth Moves — The best game on the Wii, hands down. If you're not having fun with this collection of, you're broken inside, imo. I'd explain in greater detail, but I feel like it's better to not spoil anything about the game. It's like the Matrix; nobody can tell you what it is, you have to experience it for yourself.

Punch-Out!! — The best reimagining of an old title I've ever witnessed. If you're going to reboot a classic series, do it like this. Motion controls are okay, Wii Fit balance board integration is a cool thing as well, but using standard controls bring you right back to the 80s. It's fantastic, and the music takes it to that next level, especially how each opponent has their own version of the classic theme.



DC

Project Justice — Not only is it the sequel to one of my favorite fighting games ever made (Rival Schools), it has what very well may be the best OST in a fighting game this side of Guilty Gear Xrd. All the music is awesome. All of it.

Bangai-O! — If it's made by Treasure, it's a legitimate treasure. Pilot robot, blow stuff up, repeat. It's simple fun that never gets old.

Virtual ON: Oratorio Tangram — Pilot giant robots in one-on-one fights to the death. In my opinion, this is the greatest arcade game of all time, and it's shocking to me how many people don't know about it. Also has a killer OST. If I'm ever lucky enough to pilot a giant robot, Into The Crimson may very well be the song I do it to.


More systems later.

 

[Chitown B]

Can you explain to me what's the point of this reserved thing. I don t get it

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they're self important and need to be on the first page, even though they aren't ready to post yet.

 

[borghe]

Switch
Mario Odyssey, Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8, and Splatoon 2 - Anywhere from minor (MK8, Splatoon) to major (Mario and Zelda) updates to classic franchises that are literally among (or are) best in class.

JRPG
The classics are the classics, but for modern games, Persona 5 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 are the best mainstream JRPGs have to offer right now, and that is meant in a good way :)

"Cinematic experience"
Uncharted 4 or Horizon Zero Dawn - not much more need be said.

"I'm not sure I believed graphics like this could ever exist"
Cuphead. Ridiculous.

 

[purseowner]

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos and Croc 2 - PlayStation 1

Alright, so this is a bit of an odd pick - but bear with me. Croc is a franchise developed by a western based studio, Argonaut Software. Originally, Croc had been created to demonstrate the potential of an N64 Yoshi 3D platformer - keep in mind, at this point, Super Mario 64 had not been revealed to the public. So, at this point, Argonaut had created what was essentially the first proper, working 3D platformer engine. Nintendo denied this as they were not open to letting a western third party use their characters yet, so ultimately - Argonaut found a publisher in Fox Interactive. Unfortunately, Croc was still a ways away - and launched a full 15 months after Super Mario 64.

Despite this, they managed to release the game to positive reception, and the game went on to sell well over a million copies on the PlayStation alone (the game was also available for Sega Saturn and PC, where it saw support as well but not to the extent of the PlayStation userbase [along with demakes for the GameBoy Colour]) - and for good reason! The game oozed charm, and was incredibly unique in terms of level design and controls for a platformer.

You see, Croc as a franchise was controlled with a pseudo-tank control scheme. You used the left and right d-pad buttons to turn Croc, and the up and down d-pad buttons to move forwards and backwards. While it wasn't nearly as fluid or intuitive as Super Mario 64, it still felt good in your hands and made precise jumps fairly easy, especially once you became accustomed to the controls. It truly is a unique experience to play, and it stands out for that. It was something different in a sea of 3D platformers that had been flooding the market at the time.

The level design was awesome, too. Rather than the linear hallways of Crash Bandicoot, or the sprawling hub levels of Spyro and Mario, Croc found a sweet compromise. The levels progressed in the linear structure of Crash, but you very commonly found yourself with the options to explore horizontally and vertically in the levels to collect what you wanted.

The score was very entertaining, as well. Composed by three people (two of whom went on to work in movies and television), it was varied and dripping with a colourful aesthetic. The main theme alone inspires this idea that the game truly is the grand adventure it wanted to feel like.

In spite of all of this, time has not been kind to the Croc franchise. It never was to see a sequel, with a third game for the PS2 generation being cancelled far before it would see completion. And, since it was not a genre defining Superstar - nor was it an extremely niche game - Croc found itself brushed aside in many discussions over the years of quality titles for the PS1 (along with the sequel, Croc 2).

I implore you to give Croc a chance. To this day, Croc is incredibly cheap on the PlayStation 1 - like, $10 a copy. It's truly worth your time. Unfortunately, due to it being in IP limbo, it never saw a digital re-release on any platform. Not even the PlayStation 3 via the PSone Classics program.

Croc 2 has been included in the recommendation of this post as well because it's literally just a more polished sequel to the first, though it's very iterative.

Click to shrink...

I love you for this. Two of my favourite games ever.

 

[Syril]

Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Jr./Mario Bros./Balloon Fight/Super Mario Bros.- Playing all of these in order is a great way to see the development of Nintendo's platforming gameplay. Super Mario Bros.' controls are the synthesis of everything introduced in the preceding games: Donkey Kong's jumping over hazards, DK Jr.'s climbing, Mario Bros.' momentum and bashing enemies from below, and Balloon Fight's "swimming".

 

[Aurica]

Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Jr./Mario Bros./Balloon Fight/Super Mario Bros.- Playing all of these in order is a great way to see the development of Nintendo's platforming gameplay. Super Mario Bros.' controls are the synthesis of everything introduced in the preceding games: Donkey Kong's jumping over hazards, DK Jr.'s climbing, Mario Bros.' momentum and bashing enemies from below, and Balloon Fight's "swimming".

Click to shrink...

That's a cool point. They really do build on each other pretty well.