I’ve played a ton of games in 2016, and beat more games than your average gamer.
With titles ranging from 1987 through 2013, spanning 13 different home consoles, I’ve
experienced plenty of gaming greatness.
So on today’s episode of 5 games I present My Top 10 Best Games of 2016.
First up we have Disney’s Aladdin, released for the Sega Genesis back in 1993.
At the time, the game was praised as being on the same level as the Sonic series, but
this one certainly hasn’t aged as well as the Blue Blur.
With some weird difficulty spikes, curious gameplay choices, and at times lacking the
polish found in some of the best 16-bit games of the era, Aladdin doesn’t have quite the
same appeal in 2016 as he once did.
That said, I still find the game to be rather charming.
For starters, the graphics and animation are top notch and do a wonderful job capturing
the mood of the film, from the sprite work to the movie inspired set pieces.
And thankfully, Aladdin plays just as good as he looks, with responsive controls, excellent
jumpinging mechanics, and fun combat.
I also appreciate the moderate length, decent challenge, thoughtful continue system, and
terrific soundtrack.
These may not be the richest synthesized instruments found on the hardware, but the compositions
and melodies are ripped straight from the film, and are just as catchy as ever.
Overall, Aladdin is still pretty great, and I’m glad I was finally able to take down
Jaffar and cross this one off my backlog.
Coming in at number 9 is Grabbed By The Ghoulies, developed by Rare and released on the Xbox
in 2003.
This was met with a lukewarm reception, but I find with the expectations of what a Rare
game should be now a thing of the past, the game can finally be appreciated for what it
is.
And that is a solid 3D Beat-em-up with plenty of gameplay and control gimmicks really setting
it apart from other beat-em-ups of the era.
First, there is no attack button.
Instead, you utilize the right joystick to attack in the desired direction.
Sort of like a twin stick shooter.
Next, instead of just defeating all of the enemies to unlock the next area, you have
to follow the given rules to succeed.
This might be defeating certain kind of enemies, being limited to certain weapon types, time
limits, and dozens of combinations of different requirements.
If you fail to abide by the rules, Death will come after you, allowing you to break the
rules if you aren’t into that sort of thing.
The unique combat, unique rules aspect, and a ton of items and powerups to collect, make
Grabbed by the Ghoulies a rather entertaining endeavor.
Not only is Grabbed the Ghoulies a ton of fun to play, it looks and sounds terrific.
The art direction itself is amazing, looking like something straight out of a storybook.
The texture work is some of the best found on the hardware, and the lighting effects
are simply outstanding.
The fun gameplay and awesome presentation make this one, a no brainer.
Number 8 brings us to the curious 3DO.
While often labeled as one of the worst game systems of all time, the 3DO also happens
to have some fantastic games, imagine that.
Kenji Eno’s D was first released on the 3DO for example, and is one of my favorite
FMV titles ever.
What the game does so well is take advantage of the strengths offered with the FMV genre,
while also understanding the interactive limitations.
The result is a game that feels completely different than anything else I’ve ever played.
First and foremost, you don’t have direct control of the heroin Laura, and instead press
a direction and then watch her move.
This makes the game feel more like a point and click adventure, only it’s very easy
to visualize the 3D space.
Basically all you need to do is explore a section of the castle, figuring out where
to use an item, to unlock the next item, and then figure out what to do with it.
There is also some minor puzzle solving, which again fits the overall feel of the game.
Most impressive of course is the mood, atmosphere, and story.
While it doesn’t look like much here in the footage, this is a spooky game with plenty
of jump scares and generally unsettling content.
I won’t spoil too much of the story for those that haven’t played it, but basically
you need to unravel the mystery behind your father going on a killing spree in an old
hospital.
If you don’t have a 3DO, Saturn, or PlayStation, you can also buy this for $6 off Good Old
Games.
And you should, because D, is awesome.
Coming in at number 7 is Darkwatch, developed by High Moon Studios and released on the PlayStation
2 and Xbox back in 2005.
Being a late release, a new I.P., and developed by a little known company, Darkwatch didn’t
exactly light up the sales charts.
However, this game is pretty freaking great and contains one of my favorite single player
campaigns found in a shooter.
First, the atmosphere is just awesome.
You play Jericho who turns into a Vampire after being bitten by Lazarus.
This gives Jericho some sweet powers, like blood vision and a double jump.
And the whole vampire tale takes place in an alternate old west, with plenty of nods
to steam punk.
While the atmosphere is just plain cool, the gameplay is even better.
Basically, this is Halo.
You can only carry two weapons at once, your dead friend is basically Cortana, there is
a Coyote which controls like a warthog, your shield recharges, and the melee attacks actually
do something.
This isn’t a knock on the game either, Halo set a high bar in terms of gameplay, and Darkwatch
matches it tit for tat.
Add in some awesome period appropriate music, and some beautiful visuals, and you have an
excellent first person shooter.
Surprisingly, the 6th best game I played through in 2016 was yet another 3DO game.
This time, Electronic Art’s The Need for Speed.
It’s hard to believe this venerable series started out on the 3DO, but here it is, and
it’s pretty damn good.
While the game attempts to be a simulation, and no doubt has some realistic nods in terms
of acceleration, speed, and braking, at it’s core this is arcade style checkpoint racer.
The Need for Speed certainly looks a bit dated, with low polygon car models, a line scrolling
sprite engine, instead of true 3D, and a choppy frame rate by today’s standards, but what
The Need for Speed absolutely nails is the controls.
The steering feels excellent, with each of the game’s eight 90’s sports cars exhibiting
their own characteristics, and all being an absolute blast to drive through the game’s
lengthy tracks.
Unfortunately there are only three different courses, but they are of sufficient length,
containing some exceptionally fun sweeping bends and rolling hills matching the lazy
characteristics of the sports cars at hand.
A track racer, this is not.
Of course, released during the peak of the FMV era, there is a ton of full motion video
here, with a protagonist exhibiting plenty of 90’s ‘tude.
For me, the enjoyable full motion video, and awesome open road driving nature the game,
is an intoxicating experience, and one of my favorites from this year.
As we cross the halfway point we arrive at Black, another first person shooter released
for the Xbox and PlayStation 2.
With the Xbox 360 already on store shelves, and the PlayStation 3 launch looming, it was
a bit odd for Electronic Arts to release a AAA title on dieing hardware.
But they did, and my God is this game fantastic.
Black comes to us from the developers of the Burnout series, and man does it show.
Black is a nonstop assault for the senses.
First and foremost, the various guns take center stage.
These are extremely detailed, highly exaggerated, and sound amazing.
Every single bullet is an event, and when you combine a bunch on the screen at once,
you are left with an orchestra of destruction.
After getting used to surreal audio experience, you’ll find there is also a polished First
Person Shooter lurking underneath.
Enemy encounters are fun and varied, requiring the use of sniping, well timed grandes, and
good old fashion fire fights.
The variety of tactics is carried onto the maps.
These are generally well designed, guiding you forward through lighting, object placement,
and of course the locations of enemies.
On top of this, you often can’t backtrack thanks to the lack of a jump button.
Again, this all aids in Black being a terrific shooter, as you don’t have to think about
things like “where do I go next” and instead only think about what to shoot next.
It’s beautiful, sounds stunning, and Black is a blast to play.
Pun, intended.
At number four we have Voodoo Vince, a 3D platformer released right as interest in 3D
platformers was waning, and exclusively on the Xbox, a system which attracted fans of
shooters, not platformers.
Unfortunately, this created the perfect storm of a lack of interest from the public, as
well as critics who had grown tired of the genre.
And this is a damn shame because Voodoo Vince is an amazing game.
The controls are smooth and responsive, and landing on platforms is never a problem.
The attacks are also solid, if not a little too similar to a certain bandicoot.
But the main gimmick here is the Voodoo powers.
After collecting enough beads, the game is set in Louisiana after all, Vince can perform
a special attack involving self harm, which will take out all enemies within a certain
blast radius.
If you aren’t into collecting widgets, you don’t have to either, as the collectables
in Voodoo Vince are completely optional, which is nice.
Also nice is the level design.
The difficulty curve here is nearly perfect, starting out nice and easy, and ramping up
into some truly tricky platforming near the game’s conclusion.
Combine this with one of the most fitting soundtracks ever found in a game, along with
set-pieces fitting Louisiana, instead of cookie-cutter locals like desert and snow, and you have
one of the most refreshing games I played this year.
Sonic Advance marked Sega’s debut on a Nintendo platform.
Sonic Adventure 2 was also released on the GameCube on the same date, but that was a
port, not an all new adventure.
So yeah, Sonic Advance was a pretty big deal.
It also marked Sonic’s return to his roots, in a proper 2D side scrolling adventure.
And man, this game rocks.
Like the classic titles, the structure is the tried and true, 2 acts and a boss fight
making up each zone.
Even better, the balance of speed versus platforming feels spot on, with plenty of loop-de-loops
mixed in with great vertical elements and tricky platforming.
Being co-developed by Dimps, there are some occasionally obnoxious bottomless pits, but
these are few and far between.
Like the Adventure series, there are multiple characters to unlock, including Tails, Knuckles,
and Amy.
Tails and Knuckles have their trademark flying, gliding, and climbing, making many acts a
touch easier, in addition to adding alternate routes through the levels not possible with
Sonic.
Amy changes things up completely, as she doesn’t spin while in the air, making her vulnerable
at all times.
She acts as a Hard mode, and beating the game with her is a satisfying accomplishment.
Where Sonic Advance triumphs the most, is capturing the classic Genesis series in terms
of art direction, level design, and soundtrack.
Seriously, the compositions here are excellent, and take advantage of the unique hardware
and software solutions required to get good sound out of the hardware.
The end result is an awesome platformer catering to both fans of the classic series, as well
a whole new generation.
Quite the feat for sure, and a must own for the system.
As we near the finish line, we arrive at yet another Sonic game.
This time, the one that started it all.
Sonic’s 1991 debut needs no introduction.
Instead, let me gush about the things that still hold up 25 years later.
First and foremost, the controls are simply brilliant.
The running and jumping feel spot on, and the physics engine is quite advanced for the
time, with Sonic interacting perfectly with elevation and speed changes.
The result is one of the tightest controlling platformers, ever.
Next, the graphics are still beautiful.
Featuring a bright, vibrant, color palette, and some extreme speed, Sonic the Hedgehog
is a visual tour de force for the Genesis, with an art style still mimicked to this very
day.
And then there is the soundtrack.
The synthesized instruments sound absolutely amazing.
With an emphasis on horns and drums rather than strings, Sonic the Hedgehog demonstrates
that in capable hands, the Sega Genesis could hang with other systems of the time in terms
of richness and depth.
Like Aladdin, Sonic the Hedgehog isn’t perfect by any stretch, lacking infinite continues,
occasional enemy and spike placement issues not matching the flow of the acts, and some
pacing issues depending on your preference of speed versus platforming.
But even with some mild blemishes, few titles tickled my gaming fancy quite like Sonic the
Hedgehog.
This brings us to the best game I beat in 2016, New Super Luigi U for the ill-fated
Wii U.
This marks a true high point in 2D platformers, with an attention to detail almost unmatched.
Nintendo could have simply made this New Super Mario U with Luigi tossed in for good measure,
but they didn’t do that.
Instead, the levels are all rebuilt specifically for Luigi’s ultra high, ultra floaty, controls.
Next, the game is under a strict timer, adding tension to the gameplay.
The levels are shorter to compensate, but there is little doubt the platforming is also
tougher, which is something I find immensely appealing.
The rest of the classic elements from the New Super Mario franchise are all present,
with vibrant graphics, looking even better in high definition, a high amount of variety
from the different set pieces to the different level gimmicks, and a soundtrack as magical
as the visuals.
Basically, New Super Luigi U is one of the greatest 2D platformers I’ve ever played.
Every single platform and enemy seems purposely placed creating a sort of level flow that
is nearly unmatched.
Somehow, even with Luigi’s bizarre jumping characteristics and recycled graphics, New
Super Luigi U is undeniably special, making this the best game I beat in 2016.
So there you have it, the top 10 best games I played in 2016.
Of course, these might not be the best games of all time, and I’m sure all of you have
games you absolutely adored during 2016.
So be sure to leave a comment and let me some of the best games you played this year.