User blog:GalacticAttorney/GA's Top 5 Video Games

This here is my list of my personal picks for my top 5 favorite video games. For each entry, I will be providing a short summary of my history with each title as well as analyzing the games based on these criteria:

Premise/Plot

The more interesting the plot of a game, the easier it is to lose yourself in it. NOTE: I'll do my best to avoid spoiling the whole plot of the games listed.

Music

Pretty self-explanatory here.

Characters

This will include characters' personalities, design, overall charm, and uniqueness. Main characters are especially important.

Replayability

The ability to pick an old game back up and play it again feeling like it's the first time all over again is part of video gaming's greatest appeal. The more replayable a game, the more it will continue to entertain the player.

#5: Sonic Colors
One of the best modern Sonic games as far as I'm concerned, Sonic Colors was a game I originally owned on the DS, which meant I got to fight the [SPOILER DS-EXCLUSIVE SECRET BOSS] on top of playing this absolute blast of a game. It was my first actual Sonic title that I got to play.

Premise/Plot

The typical song and dance of "must stop Eggman from making robot circus" rings loud and clear with this game, with the introduction of the power-wielding aliens known as Wisps adding a sort of diabolical twist to the game. Eggman is collecting planets and enslaving the Wisps that live on them to fuel his weapons and machinery, and it's up to Sonic and Tails to... oh, you know how it goes already. Overall, the plot is nothing groundbreaking for Sonic, but it's interesting enough to keep me going along.

Music

Oh, my GOD. Where do I even start? Colors has one of my favorite Sonic OSTs of all time, and almost every single level has an amazing theme to it, each act sharing a common musical theme but varying just slightly in all the right ways. Terminal Velocity, Tropical Resort, and Asteroid Coaster Boss are among my favorites from this godly soundtrack, along with the typical fan favorites Planet Wisp and Aquarium Park.

Characters

Say what you will about the blue blur, but I really enjoy Sonic's character all-around. His personality, design and character traits are all appealing to me, making any Sonic game I play that much more enjoyable. The Wisps are all cute and add a good bit of liveliness to the atmosphere, and Eggman's bits of dialogue here and there across the amusement park continued to make me chuckle when I was first playing.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Replayability

<p style="font-weight:normal;">One does not replay Sonic Colors for the memorable story moments or the in-depth plot. Heck, nobody replays any typical Sonic game for those. People replay them to experience the levels again, to hear the music again, and to collect items in the level they missed the first time. That being said, blasting through previously completed levels for missions and/or for fun was always enjoyable with how vivid the levels are and the beautiful score that accompanies them.

#4: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
<p style="font-weight:normal;">I remember buying my copy of Red Rescue Team for the GameBoy off eBay for ten bucks when I was six. To this day, I still play it and enjoy the absolute hell out of it, and to me it's a shame that I don't see it being appreciated as much as other aged Pokémon titles.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Premise/Plot

<p style="font-weight:normal;">With the dual Rescue Team titles being the first of the series of ensuing Mystery Dungeon titles, the idea of a human entering the body of a Pokémon in a world full of the talking creatures was especially revolutionary to six-year-old me, especially when I'd only heard them say their own name a bunch of times before then. The plot that the game sets up even past that new concept never fails to not only make me feel for the characters in the game (I cried the first time I completed it, no lie), but it also keeps me interested and wanting to push further and better myself so I could help the world of the game. That's powerful for a video game.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Music

<p style="font-weight:normal;">While I haven't ever really had one of the songs from Red Rescue Team stick with me over the years, that's not to say that the soundtrack isn't absolutely lovely. With an all-you-can-eat buffet's worth of beautiful, ambient tracks that add a sense of peace to the dangers of every dungeon, RRT really pushed the limits of the GameBoy's speakers, and I'm sort of upset with younger me for not taking the time out of rushing through the game impatiently to relax and enjoy the melodic tranquility bestowed by the game's music.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Characters

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The main character is always delightfully cliché in that they are completely clueless to the magnitude of their role in the story, which I find humorous and enjoyable to behold in a game. The main character's partner is one of the best characters I've ever come across in any video game. They come across a complete stranger, and within the week they're the best of friends that just want to make a difference. Especially later in the game when the partner Pokémon really proves just how devoted to you they really are, it really gave me the courage and strength as a player to face up to the dangers of the game ahead, which is something that a good character can always do. The rest of the game is chock full of funny and interesting character Pokémon, but the two main ones are the real stars of the show.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Replayability

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Mystery Dungeon titles are extremely replayable to me, the original Rescue Team titles being the extremes of this fact as far as I'm concerned. Seeing as how it's an almost completely unique experience every time you play a single dungeon, let alone the entire game, it keeps the player on their toes and invested in what's going on, and the memorability of the characters in the game always put a smile on my face no matter how many times I'd gone through that very same scene before.

#3: Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
<p style="font-weight:normal;">The third installment in the Shantae series is by far the best of the current four games, even surpassing its modern competition, Half-Genie Hero. Pirate's Curse was my first introduction to Shantae both as a character and as an IP, and it was love at first sight in both aspects as well. I picked the game up on a whim because of the Shantae for Smash hype that was going around, and it didn't take me long to get hooked on it.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Premise/Plot

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Shantae games usually revolve around Shantae fighting off some evil that's threatening Scuttle Town, but Pirate's Curse pushes that a bit further with the threat being a potentially global-scale one. As a result of this, Shantae has to team up with her worst enemy, Risky Boots, and the typical hilarity that's to be expected from a Shantae game ensues on her adventure. Nothing too extravagant, nothing too drab and overdone. It was enough for me.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Music

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Shantae games always have a great soundtrack that goes with them, and Pirate's Curse is absolutely no exception. With We Love Burning Town, Run Run Rottytops, and more decorating Jake Kaufman's composing career even further. The man really knows how to get me to swap along to the rhythm as I play. Shantae music has always been lively and full of energy, just like the titular half-genie herself, and I can really get down with the kind of spin they put on their music with that kind of energy.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Characters

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Shantae is as delightfully cute and innocent as ever, along with her returning friends bearing similarly enjoyable personalities. Risky Boots gets character development up the wazoo, which really brought her from the typical main bad girl archetype to a very in-depth character with a painful backstory that stays with them (though Half-Genie Hero would seem to suggest otherwise...). Designs are as vibrant and enjoyable to look at as always, and the likability of almost every character practically gushes through the screen.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Replayability

<p style="font-weight:normal;">All the Shantae games are replayable to me, since all the levels are expertly crafted and I never get overly frustrated or bored maneuvering around them. There's always something new to be discovered in each world as you get more abilities with Risky's gear, and this adds a replaying aspect within the main game itself. And the game stays fresh even after the first experience, as I find myself having a great time playing through it even after beating it initially.

#2: Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies
<p style="font-weight:normal;">My passion for Ace Attorney might not have started with Dual Destinies, but oh man is it where it's concentrated. It's my favorite game in the series to date for a lot of reasons, and it's got a lot of good things going for it. It IS rated M because of all the blood in certain cutscenes, though, so, sorry little kiddos, no courtroom for you.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Premise/Plot

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Dual Destinies comes after Apollo Justice in the Ace Attorney timeline, with Phoenix Wright returning to the bench after getting his badge back, alongside returning Apollo and newcomer to the agency, Athena Cykes, who the main antagonist of the story revolves around. It's nothing too special for an Ace Attorney game, but it's engrossing enough to keep you guessing and involved, rewarding you heavily with moments where you can say, "Hey, I remember that one minute detail that's now super important!" or, "Yes, now I'm finally on the right track!"

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Music

<p style="font-weight:normal;">As is to be expected from looking at what it has to live up to, Dual Destinies has a very satisfying score that hits all the right places in your head in the middle of a trial or an investigation. While it's not much to listen to outside of the game, each song is certainly very appropriate for its intended scenario and adds to the atmosphere that I really enjoy Ace Attorney games for. Oh, and the Pursuit theme? Don't even worry about it. Solid gold.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Characters

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The kind of characterization you can expect from an Ace Attorney game at this point is alive and well within Dual Destinies, but the characters themselves are absolutely amazing and very in-depth, especially the ones who show up multiple times. As the new main character on the block, Athena Cykes in an extremely rounded character with several layers to her personality, and her design, along with the vast majority of the cast, is very easy on the eyes. The kind of charm from the humor and liveliness the characters in this franchise exude is still here, too, making for plenty of hilarity-ridden moments and scenes that just make you smile.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Replayability

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Ace Attorney as a whole isn't famed for its replayability, and I'm not going to try to play it up to anything it's not. The game is meant to stick in your head and force you to remember it with its cast of memorable characters, innovative trials, and heart-pounding moments of euphoria, which is the case with most Ace Attorney games. All this makes it an excellent installment to the franchise, and personally, sets it above the other games for me.

#1: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
<p style="font-weight:normal;">And sitting pretty at the top of my list is the only non-party Mario title where you can beat baddies senseless as the Koopa King himself. Bowser's Inside Story is one of the games I owned on the original DS that I still remember vividly, and after replaying it recently it's risen to the top of my favorite games once again.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Premise/Plot

<p style="font-weight:normal;">In the beginning of the game, Bowser's Inside Story doesn't try to set itself apart from the plot of a typical Mario game: Bowser tries snatching Peach and Mario blows him out of the water. But after Bowser gains an odd inhale ability from a cloaked villain, the story rapidly shifts and twists into a league of its own, turning into an immersive and totally enthralling adventure to save the whole world. At its core, it's nothing new for an RPG, but for a Mario game, it's pretty innovative and fun to experience with memorable characters alongside you.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Music

<p style="font-weight:normal;">A lot of the game is spent walking around or in fights, so there's not a lot of time you won't be eargasming at the game's incredible soundtrack. "They're Pretty Tough, Should We be Careful!?", "SHOWTIME!", and "In The Finale" are all beyond stellar, and I've even caught myself humming along to some of the overworld themes as well, Plack Beach's theme in particular being an extremely catchy diddly. Hell, I sing along to the TITLE SCREEN theme. That alone should speak for how amazing the soundtrack is.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Characters

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The Mario cast looks incredibly clean in this game. The spritework for every single character, overworld and in-combat, is jaw-droppingly good, from the playable three to a character as insignificant as Toadsworth. Every character has a unique personality that makes you grin from ear to ear every time, and uniqueness is something that Mario characters have always had in spades, so there's plenty to be gorged on for a fan of vivid characters here.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Replayability

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Playing through Bowser's Inside Story for a second time is an absolute blast simply because of how enjoyable, lively, and overflowing with charm it is. Everything from the dialogue to the combat makes consecutive runs incredibly satisfying and just as enjoyable as an initial run. The only real issue that Bowser's Inside Story has with replayability is that it lacks a post-game sequence where you can continue to explore the world, but given how Nintendo wrapped up the game at the end it's understandable why there couldn't be a post-game.