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How Good Was It Really: A Weekly Poll Here's the deal, there have been so many video games to come out over the years. We're talking at least two hundred video games. Maybe more! Some of these games we look back on with fond memories, some we have forgotten but all deserve the chance to be looked back on in a different light. Times have changed. Some games have aged badly and look different in a present light, others were ignored in their day but have stood the test of time. In this thread we're going to look back on the games of the past to judge with the fair and measured eye that only goons can offer. Each week we'll do a deep dive on a particular game to decide just how good was it, really? So here's how this works. Every game will be rated between 1 and 5 and at the end of the week I'll tot up the average to give the game its final score. All votes must be whole numbers, we don't accept any of that decimal poo poo round these parts. And finally the most important rule of all, every vote must be combined with at least one sentence to explain your reasons. This thread isn't just about numbers, it's about inspiring fun and spirited conversations! It's a pretty simple concept so there aren't any more rules than that, let's crack straight on with things! (And if you have a game you think we should discuss then shoot me a suggestion by PM and I'll add it to the list!) Rankings 1. Super Mario 64: 4.38 2. Doom: 4.22 3. Street Fighter II: 3.94 4. Grand Theft Auto III: 3.28 5. The Sims: 2.8 6. Gears of War: 1.97 Rarity fucked around with this message at 09:23 on Jun 29, 2019 |
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May 18, 2019 13:13
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 21:44 |
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Week 1: 18th May - 24th MayNext Generation posted:It represents the new high-water mark of both gameplay and graphic sophistication. Official Nintendo Magazine posted:A masterpiece of game design. Warren Spector posted:No game has done a better job of showing goals before they can be attained, allowing players to make a plan and execute on it. SOLD ALMOST 12 MILLION COPIES RATED 94 ON METACRITIC FIRST GAME TO GET A PERFECT SCORE FROM EDGE MAGAZINE WON THREE SPOTLIGHT AWARDS HIGHEST SELLING GAME ON THE NINTENDO 64  SUPER MARIO 64 (N64, Nintendo, 1996) Our first game to discuss is one of the biggest game changers of all time. Super Mario 64 revolutionised video games by dragging them into the third dimension, it created gameplay conventions that persist to this day and it was a whole lot of fun to boot. But gosh darnit, how good was it really?    
Rarity fucked around with this message at 21:37 on May 25, 2019 |
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May 18, 2019 13:29
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5 Mario 64 has defined movement in a 3d space in a legacy that has lasted for 25 years and pioneered player controlled cameras.
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May 18, 2019 13:40
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5 I played through Mario 64 again a few months back and it's scary how tight its controls are, and that's the key thing. I think there's a level of joy in the game lost by a lot of us old folks because at this point we've played it so much and memorised so many of its secrets that we can't ever have that feeling of discovery back, but even then I think just the feeling of getting around in that game (with a decent stick and not a beaten and battered old N64 stick like mine) is good enough to override it. Also slides are good and it's a god drat crime that no other 3D platformer got them as right.
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May 18, 2019 15:22
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3 Clunky, fumbling first attempt at 3d completely surpassed by its successors but laid the foundation for 3d Camera, movement in a 3d space, and stage design for a console generation and for its genre beyond that. At least its better than the Mario games that came before it, thats for sure.
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May 18, 2019 15:30
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5 One of the rare historically important games that's still perfectly playable today.
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May 18, 2019 15:42
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4 Despite being a first attempt it holds up pretty well and is still a solid play today. Bonus points for having a fascinating history of speedrunning, but 3D Mario is still inferior to 2D Mario.
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May 18, 2019 15:45
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4 camera is clunky but mario himself controls incredibly well, many 3d platformers of today (well, the ones that exist anyway) wish they had movement this smooth and layered. stage layouts are a bit boring and occasionally actually aggravating but the stars themselves present a good variety of scenarios. there's only seven songs in the game but they're all good
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May 18, 2019 15:53
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5. This game's the real deal (and the soundtrack is excellent). Please do any 3D Mario game that followed instead for some real hot takes next time. Or any other 3D platformer collectathon really. This is the one inspired game in a pretty lame genre. The game's still very special in how movement and the camera handles so it feels more like you're navigating 3D space rather than a series of 2D areas fit together. It's hard to describe but it's a very unique feeling game because of it. It's like in other games you'd see a far away area and think of it as a distinct section of the level and in Mario 64 the stages are laid out and presented in a way that you don't really see the stage as a series of distinct components, it all sort of blends together. It's still hard for me to put into words what's different about it but once you play it you see how different the 3D feels. This got lost in all of the sequels and I don't know any other game that's captured that same sensation. It's one of the last times that goombas and boos and toads felt like they belonged rather than a corporate obligation. The game's still Mario without being overly cute, princess' castle looks super cool inside, the stained glass and painting motif for choosing levels is great, everything came together and cohered beautifully. No Wave fucked around with this message at 16:38 on May 18, 2019 |
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May 18, 2019 16:22
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5 Would you give Neal Armstrong a 4 for only walking a few feet on the moon?
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May 18, 2019 16:36
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bushisms.txt posted:Would you give Neal Armstrong a 4 for only walking a few feet on the moon? I have to take marks off for saying "man" instead of "a man"
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May 18, 2019 16:39
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bushisms.txt posted:Would you give Neal Armstrong a 4 for only walking a few feet on the moon? I dont praise The Jazz Singer unequivocally, no.
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May 18, 2019 16:40
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Hwurmp posted:I have to take marks off for saying "man" instead of "a man" We get it, you owned a Saturn. But don't take take rage out on the game.
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May 18, 2019 16:43
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5 Never before had a console game that gave me such a feeling of freedom. To be able to go where I want, to look where I'm curious and try platforming that was so different than 2d, it changed gaming forever. For better or worse. And all with the strangest looking controller.
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May 18, 2019 16:50
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5 It's still one of the few 3d platformers that understands that the collectibles scavenger hunt is only as fun as the movement & traversal. that lesson can even be extended to a lot of modern open world games too
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May 18, 2019 17:09
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bushisms.txt posted:Would you give Neal Armstrong a 4 for only walking a few feet on the moon? I think this brings up a good question, should a game rate higher for its impact on the industry even if it was surpassed by games that came after it. Or to use your analogy, if Buzz Aldrin had followed Neal up with a full contempory dance routine would Neal's walk still be as good? To bring this back around to SM64 it's always been a bit of a weird one for me because I didn't play it until a good 6 months after I played Banjo-Kazooie which to me is better than SM64 in every department meaning SM64 never had the same impact on me. Sure, SM64 invented 3D platforming but Banjo-Kazooie refined all of its systems. It's like the difference between a prototype and a finished product. It's why I'm going to rate SM64 a solid 3/5
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May 18, 2019 17:13
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5 Not all historically important games are fun to play anymore and not all old games that are still fun to play are historically important. It's not perfect, but context makes up for those tiny imperfections. It ushered in 3D polygonal gaming. Also: one of the best onboarding/tutorial implementations of all time and for a paradigm shift game at that.
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May 18, 2019 17:14
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5 Mario is still using the same drat moveset 23 years later, just with additions for each new game's gimmick. When they took away even a single one of his jumps in Sunshine people hated it. Mario 64 might actually have perfect movement. e: and also it gave us Pannenkoek who is also 5/5 so Mario 64 is really like, 10/5. That's just math.
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May 18, 2019 17:16
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Rarity posted:Or to use your analogy, if Buzz Aldrin had followed Neal up with a full contempory dance routine would Neal's walk still be as good?
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May 18, 2019 17:29
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3 It had some fun things to do in the levels but it wasn't anything special compared to other stuff that was coming out at the time like Resident Evil, Final Fantasy VII and King's Field. Much like Donkey Kong Country it's an above average game for kids that is canonized because people are superfans of the publisher and/or played it when they were impressionable and their options were limited.
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May 18, 2019 17:40
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5 out of 5 Mario 64 is a rare example of a game that looks better in comparison to games released afterward. The movement not only feels remarkably good for a first effort, it communicates a sense of joy found lacking in its peers. Nintendo would later develop a bad habit of giving characters too many voice clips (see: Yoshi's Story, Link to the Past GBA), but Mario's exclamations here make it clear he's having a great time and set the mood for the game. The levels at times look, visually, like bizarre proof of concept drafts, but playing rom hacks with beautiful yet less tightly designed worlds really puts the design in perspective. And kid me greatly appreciated the crystallization of Nintendo's philosophy that you shouldn't have to master a game just to see the ending. I would dock a point for the wonky and uncooperative camera, but that they decided to contextualize the third person camera as a friendly Lakitu reporter documenting the action is absolutely inspired and I love it.
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May 18, 2019 17:47
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Rarity posted:but Banjo-Kazooie refined all of its systems. It's like the difference between a prototype and a finished product.
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May 18, 2019 17:51
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4. Good game still holds up, dreadfully plain. Also gently caress that level with the big snowman.
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May 18, 2019 17:53
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movement in banjo is way stodgier and less fun and 'ugh this one sucks to get' is a way more common issue banjo has more personality and a better hub world but its a worse game imo
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May 18, 2019 17:53
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Hoo boy if we do Banjo next we're gonna see some loving takes on that one.
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May 18, 2019 17:53
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Mario 64 also gets points for dropping the run button and the corresponding need to hold it down at all times
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May 18, 2019 17:57
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Looper posted:Mario 64 also gets points for dropping the run button and the corresponding need to hold it down at all times Yes thank gently caress even the best 2D marios are a little bit awkward because of this
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May 18, 2019 17:58
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5 if you've never played Sunshine, Galaxy or 3D World, 3 if you have, so overall 4
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May 18, 2019 18:03
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I got a caveat on this one: are we taking into the account that this is an N64 game and therefore bound to that incredible piece of poo poo of a controller, or what I genuinely think the camera itself isn't bad, especially given it's near as damnit a first go; I think it's let down by the controller's digital-only camera control (the C buttons/stick). Ditto Mario's controls with the actual stick; precise when the controller was fresh, dogshit after a few months. (edit) Actually either way I think 4 is about right Ciaphas fucked around with this message at 18:42 on May 18, 2019 |
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May 18, 2019 18:30
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That being said do Pilotwings 64 next so I can rate it 7 and get mad at everyone who does less
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May 18, 2019 18:32
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5. There was nothing like going to Best Buy friday nights as a kid to play the Mario 64 demo. When I played Super Mario Odyssey I had an amazing time but the voice in the back of my head was saying "this isn't Mario 64".
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May 18, 2019 18:45
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4. Parts of the game haven't aged well at all, but like others said, it did pioneer some important stuff, such as a workable camera (though it wasn't without its issues). And somehow, even games today have worse cameras. It's a bit clunky today, but that's pretty much on the level design, and certainly not a problem with Mario's movement and moveset, which are very top notch. Especially for an N64 game.
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May 18, 2019 18:47
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i never played it
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May 18, 2019 18:48
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Bogart posted:i never played it Wow, I'm kind of amazed there's still people out there who haven't! Even though that totally makes sense! Don't worry, I'm choosing games to cover a wide range of consoles and genres so there'll be stuff coming up for everyone 
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May 18, 2019 18:57
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5, it's not perfect, but I beat it just a few years ago and had a lot of fun with it. Galaxy 2 and 3D World has it beat, but it absolutely holds up.
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May 18, 2019 19:11
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Do ocarina of time next so I can explain why it sucks
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May 18, 2019 19:39
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precision posted:Do ocarina of time next so I can explain why it sucks We'll get to it in due course!
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May 18, 2019 19:56
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SM64 was nothing short of revolutionary back in '96. It did a lot of new things and it did all of them well, and it's one of the very few early 3-D games that have aged gracefully. By modern standards, the camera is kind of bad and the levels are restrictively small, but it's still fun to play in TYOOL 2019 and it's rightfully a classic. Final score: 5
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May 18, 2019 20:01
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I've only really played the DS remake, would that count?
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May 18, 2019 20:33
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 21:44 |
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Accordion Man posted:I've only really played the DS remake, would that count? Unless it's a total overhaul a la RE2 I don't see why not
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May 18, 2019 20:45
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