GadgetJax Reviews: Tadpole Treble for Wii U and Steam

Image from the games page on Steam

What defines a video game? Is it the thrill of action that you get from a complex (or in some cases, simplistic) battle system? Is it the invigorating narrative that gives a game an engaging story to tell? Or maybe it could be the excitement of competition, where several players go head-to-head for one to arise champion and proclaim him or her self the victor?

Now, how would you feel if I told you that it's entirely possible to design a great video game that features none of those traits? For some, this might not sound like a video game at all, as most games feed from the concept of challenge. Yet, today's game does just that.

Our review for today is Tadpole Treble.

But just what is Tadpole Treble? The name of the game is unlikely to ring any bells. So, I present a quick bit of backstory on the development of this uncanny title.
Tadpole Treble was primarily developed by Matthew Taranto. The name isn't immediately recognizable, though, because good ol' Matt isn't known for game development at all! Rather, Matthew is renowned for writing Brawl In The Family, a Webcomic series primarily about Super Smash Brothers and the games each Smash character comes from.
The original strip ran from 2008 to 2014, mostly focusing on Kirby from the Kirby Dream Land series. Perhaps one or two of you have heard the line 'I'm gonna get you, Kirby' online at once. Or, maybe you've noticed the immense popularity of Waluigi as an internet meme icon - yep, you have Brawl In The Family to partly thank for that.
Development for Tadpole Treble started with an online Kickstarter to raise funds for the game's overall development. Thanks to the loyalty of dear readers, Tadpole Treble was successfully Kickstarted, eventually releasing in 2016 for both the Wii U and Steam services.

Tadpole Treble has no major plot, so to speak; It's about as simple as any game you might have played from the 80's. You play as Baton, a young Tadpole who gets washed away from the rest of her family and must return home by swimming through excess lines of sheet music. Nothing special, but a thick story could have detracted from the rest of the game, so I won't complain.
Gameplay is simple as well: Just guide Baton through the musical score, dodging obstacles that represent the notes to each song. You press up or down to move Baton, and hit any button on the controller to slap your fin. This fin slap can hit bamboo chutes for extra points, whack cymbals for a quick jump, or knock away pesky mosquitoes. It couldn't get any more simple than that.
The music of Tadpole Treble is the driving soul of the game, but it isn't of the 'over-energetic' style you would expect in your usual game. Each land you swim through uses new instrument styles, like pianos and flutes. Not exactly something you would expect in the digital age, would you? A few of the lands you visit even feature songs with full vocals; there are only about three of them, but they're some of the most memorable parts of the experience. Thunder Creek is the best of the three.
I must compliment the art direction of this game as well. Matthew's track record as a web cartoonist really shines through here. It has vague similarities to a children's picture book, in both style of art and animation. A new dimension of experience is opened up by the picturesque style achieved here.

The most annoying thing about this title, though, is its length. Tadpole Treble is a very short game, totaling at just a bit over an hour. Short games aren't bad, but the $9.99 price tag may have you thinking twice before you invest in this title.
There are plenty of bonus challenges to take on, as well as a fun level designer mode that lets you compose your own music and swim through it, but the base game is still a bit on the light side. If you aren't a bit of a 'completionist', you'll find yourself putting down Tadpole Treble once the main quest is through.

Don't take the small story mode as a disincentive, though. Tadpole Treble satisfies not as a game, but as an experience. It has a unique gameplay premise, as well as flavorful music and graphics to match. Fans of Brawl In The Family will get an extra kick out of the game, as there are several continuity jokes peppered throughout the adventure.
If you're in the mood for something new, Tadpole Treble is right for you.

...drat, did I just unintentionally make a rhyme? Suddenly it's like a 'discount rhyme warehouse' in here.

Read the Brawl In The Family comic strip at this link: http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/

Here is the trailer for game: 

GadgetJax Reviews: Cave Story (PC, Wii, 3DS)

   After two months of doing shortened reviews, I think I would like to go back to a more explorative review. This time, we won't be covering a book OR a movie. Rather, we're going back into the wonderful world of video games, and the game of today is Cave Story.

What is Cave Story? Well, of course it's a story, and it's probably about a cave, right? Or, maybe it's a story about Cave Johnson from Portal 2. Nah, I take that back: It's probably just about a cave.
      Before getting to the actual game, though, I would like to cover a bit of Cave Story's history: This game was independently created by just one man, Daisuke 'Pixel' Amaya, and released completely free of charge in 2004 (In Japan, the game is subtitled as 'Dokutsu Monogatari'). The game slowly garnered attention from the western gaming community when it was given an English translation. Within the following years, Cave Story amassed a huge fanbase, as did 'Pixel'. This fad continued to grow as 'Pixel' teamed up with Nicalis Inc to develop updated versions of the game for WiiWare, DSi, 3DS, and Steam. In some respects, Cave Story could be considered one of the first and most influential Indie games ever created!
      To avoid spoiling any of the game's story (haha, get it?), I'll just be covering the first bits of monologue during the game. You wake up in a large cavern with no idea who you are (you won't learn your name until later) and where you came from: after searching around, you meet a village full of rabbit-like denizens known as 'The Mimiga'. These creatures tell you that an evil Doctor has been kidnapping their kind, and you head out to rescue them. Of course there's much more story than that to find in the game, but I recommend living that story yourself: This is NOT the game you would want to spoil. Really, don't spoil it for yourself or anyone else.
     
      Now, onto gameplay: Cave Story is known by many as a 'Metroidvania' title. Unlike traditional platformers, a Metroidvania platformer does not have segmented levels. Rather, the entire game is linked together as a singular world that can be independently explored at any time - as long as you can access that area in the story, anyway. Your main character can run, jump, and shoot in any horizontal or vertical direction.
      Upon booting up, you'll start with just a single weapon, the Polar Star, but you'll slowly collect more and more. Your arsenal expands to include a missile launcher, a fireball blaster, and more. What makes Cave Story's weapons different is the unique Experience System: Every time you bust an enemy, they drop EXP for you to collect. If you pick up enough EXP, your weapon will eventually level up. Each weapon maxes out its power when it reaches Level 3. The catch? If you receive any damage, your weapon will lose some of the EXP you collected for it. You'll want to play carefully to get through the caves with your weapons still at max power. Here's a diagram to see how the EXP system works for your first weapon:

      Cave Story's weapon system is more dynamic than just its experience system, though: some weapons can only be unlocked by trading certain weapons away, and some needed to be crafted by fusing together one or more weapons. There are a total of 10 weapons to be found: 5 of them are found naturally, and the other 5 are optional through trades or combinations. The extra weapons are fun to find because they add lots of replay value to each Cave Story experience.
     
      Advice to new players: this game is incredibly challenging. There are no difficulty options in the freeware version; only the versions of the game on Steam and Nintendo include Easy Mode. Cave Story will infuriate you to no end if you aren't up for a fight. Cave Story also features a secondary ending, but accessing it without knowing where it is in advance is nearly impossible. Even if you do manage to find it, you'll have to fight your way through an extra dungeon. Oh, that last dungeon is a heartache and a half.

Final Thoughts:

Cave Story is awesome. Why use words to describe this great game when you can just play it right now? You can download the original freeware version at this link: http://www.cavestory.org/download/cave-story.php - The updated versions of this game on Nintendo and Steam will cost a bit more, but are worth it for players who want the definitive Cave Story experience.

Recommendation Level: Maximum (Worth every penny - or, try the original version: you won't regret it either way.)

GadgetJax's Definitive Guide to Dance Dance Revolution!

Man, has it really been a month since the Lock-in party at the Highland branch? That thing was amazing! The cake was cool (even though I haven't read Harry Potter), the activities were fun, but what topped off the event for me was Dance Dance Revolution!

Dance Dance Revolution started out as a simple Arcade game released in 1998 by Konami. The premise of the game is simple: step on arrows that match the beat of a song played on the machine. Hitting notes correctly would give you points and raise your groove bar, while missing notes would decrease. While practically anyone can pick it up and play it because of the simplicity of it, DDR is by no means a casual game. The franchise is infamous for being one of the hardest video games you'll ever play, as the hard songs can force you to step at over 400 beats-per-minute, not to mention just how much of a workout the game is when played at a hard difficulty. 

    Because of how unique and fun the game was when it released, DDR became one of Konami's biggest franchises at the time, causing their income to increase by 270 percent upon the release of DDR Extreme!! ...but since then, DDR has sort-of declined in popularity. The most recent DDR game was DDR 2013, which is a Japanese exclusive, and the latest DDR game in English was DDRII, which was a 2011 release!! So, if you want to play DDR nowadays, what can you do? 

    That was a rhetorical question, goofball. You're reading this article, so you clearly know that I'm gonna give you the best DDR prep tips, right?

STEP 1: CHOOSING YOUR CONSOLE

While DDR has been released on several consoles over the past 15+ years it's been around, the 3 consoles with the biggest DDR libraries would be the PlayStation 2, the Nintendo Wii, and the XBOX 360. If you're already a passionate gamer, you'll probably just choose the console that you already own, but if you don't have any of these 3, then I'll show you which one to get.
    Here's a list of all the DDR titles you can find on these 3 consoles...

PlayStation 2:
Dance Dance Revolution DDRMAX 1 & 2
Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 1 & 2
Dance Dance Revolution Supernova 1 & 2
Dance Dance Revolution X & X2

XBOX360:
Dance Dance Revolution Universe 1, 2, and 3
Dance Dance Revolution (2010)

Wii:
Dance Dance Revolution // Hottest Party 1, 2, and 3
Dance Dance Revolution (2010)
Dance Dance Revolution II

It should be obvious from here that the PlayStation 2 has the most game to choose from. The PlayStation 2 has the best Konami Original selection & is generally balanced for each music style out there. As for the XBOX360, I would not personally recommend this console because the first 2 Universe games are riddled with bugs and Universe 3 has a generally poor song selection. The Wii is also pretty good, but be warned: Dance Pads for the Wii connect through the GameCube cable slots on the console. Some Wii models released within the recent years do not have GameCube cable ports, meaning you can't play with a Dance Pad on there.
   
This article will be assuming that the PlayStation 2 will be the console chosen.

STEP 2: CHOOSING THE GAME

There are a ton of DDR games, but it'll obviously be hard to get 'em all, right? Well, now is the perfect opportunity to go over which game is the best to get. Most of the games listed on PS2 can be found around $5 at your local GameStop, which is nice because the average DDR game has around 60 songs to play.

Song Description Key
-
Konami Remix (A liscensed song that has been remixed by one of Konami's artists)
Konami Original (A DDR-exclusive song that has been written by one of Konami's artists)
Game Music (A song from a Konami-developed video game)
Boss Song (A song in the game that is exceptionally difficult to complete. Final Boss Songs are the hardest songs in the game, Primary Boss Songs are songs that are labeled as Boss songs but not the final one, and Secondary Boss Songs are other songs that are notably hard to finish, but not labeled as a Boss Song.)

Notable DDRMAX songs: (click here to see full songlist)

I Like To Move It
Darude Sandstorm
Rhythm & Police K.O.G. G3 MIX (Konami Remix)
AM-3P (Konami Original)
Jam & Marmalade (Konami Original)
Matsuri Japan (Konami Original)
Gradiusic Cyber AMD G5 MIX (Konami Original; Gradius Game Music)
Trip Machine Climax (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song)
Candy Star (Konami Original; Primary Boss Song)
Max 300 (Konami Original; Final Boss Song)

Misc: DDRMAX doesn't contain too many liscensed tracks, and the game is pretty difficult as well. There's no Beginner mode, either. I would only recommend this to someone who wants a classic DDR Experience at an insane difficulty.

Notable DDRMAX2 songs:

Conga Feeling
Dream A Dream
Let's Groove
Long Train Runnin' (Konami Remix)
D2R (Konami Original)
TSUGARU (Konami Original)
End of the Century (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song; Beethoven Remix)
Paranoia KCET (Konami Original)
Kakumei (Konami Original; Chopin Remix)
MAXX UNLIMITED (Konami Original; Final Boss Song)

Misc: While DDRMAX2 contains a few more liscensed tracks, I would say that DDRMAX 1 is the better choice. Sure, you don't get as many popular songs, but I would take quality over quantity any day.

Notable DDR Extreme songs:

Believe (Konami Remix)
Kick The Can (Konami Original; Can-can Remix)
Kids In America
Ladies' Night
Move Your Feet - Junior Senior
The Reflex
YMCA
V [For Extreme] (Konami Original; Vivaldi Remix)
Drop Out (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song)
Trip Machine (Konami Original)
Absolute (Konami Original)
Maximizer (Konami Original; Primary Boss Song)
The Legend of MAXX (Konami Original; Final Boss Song)

Misc: DDR Extreme excels in a good blend between Konami Originals and Liscensed music. The game is generally easier than the average DDR game, but the secondary and final boss songs make up for it. Trust me, they feel impossible.

Notable DDR Extreme 2 songs:

Captain Jack // Grandale Remix (Konami Remix)
Cartoon Heroes // Speedy Mix (Konami Remix)
I will Survive (Konami Remix)
La Copa De La Vida
Oops! ...I Did It Again (Konami Remix) ((Ugh, this song is awful. It's popular, but awful.))
Play That Funky Music
Speed Over Beethoven (Beethoven Remix)
1998 (Konami Original)
Candy Heart (Konami Original; Remix of Candy Star)
Heaven is a '57 metallic gray (Konami Original)
La Bamba (Konami Remix)
SAKURA (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song)
TwinBee Generation X (Konami Original; Twinbee Game Music)
Burnin' The Floor (Konami Original)
Dynamite Rave (Konami Original)
Afronova from Nonstop Megamix (Konami Original)
Paranoia Survivor MAX (Konami Original; Final Boss Song)

Misc: If Extreme had a great balance between Konami music and liscensed music, then Extreme 2 is absolutely perfect. Bring this game to a party and you're sure to please everyone. The Konami Original selection is also some of the best in the entire console series, only second to DDR Konamix on the original PS1.

Notable DDR Supernova songs:

Battle without Honor or Humanity
Centerfold (Konami Remix)
Funkytown
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Jerk it out
Let's Dance
Since U Been Gone
Flow // True Style (Konami Original)
True Love (Konami Original)
Curus (Konami Original)
No. 13 (Konami Original; Beethoven Remix)
RED ZONE (Konami Original)
Xepher (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song)
Blue Impulse [For EXTREME] (Konami Original)
Matsuri // J Summer Mix (Konami Original)
Healing-D-Vision (Konami Original; Primary Boss Song)
Fascination MAXX (Konami Original; Final Boss Song)
CHAOS (Konami Original; Primary Boss Song)

Misc: Supernova is a great mix, mostly because of the time-based selection of music. Most of the liscenses are from the '60s and '70s, while most of the Konami Originals first debuted right around the time of this game's release. Also, the Boss songs in this game are disgusting. Fascination MAXX in particular features 800BPM streams!!

Notable DDR Supernova 2 songs: 

Eternus
Le Freak (aka Freak Out)
Take On Me
Arrabbiata (Konami Original)
Freeway Shuffle (Konami Original)
Bag (Konami Original; Imposter Boss Song)
Calico Cat Rock (Konami Original)
La Bamba (Konami Remix; Not the same version as the one in Extreme 2)
Trim (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song)
Fascination // Eternal Mix (Konami Original; Final Boss Song)
NGO (Konami Original; Primary Boss Song)
Trip Machine Pheonix (Konami Original; Primary Boss Song)

Misc: I do not recommend Supernova 2. There aren't too many good liscenses, and the Konami Original selection is pretty average. It's not the worst DDR mix, but there just isn't enough substance to make you want to jam to it.

Notable DDRX songs: 

30 Lives // Up-Up-Down-Dance Mix (Konami Remix; Contra Code Parody)
Dub-i-dub // 2008 X-edit
U can't touch this
Blind Justice // Torn Souls, Hurt Faiths (Konami Original; piece from 'The Epic of Zektbach')
Bloody Tears IIDX (Konami Original; Castlevania Game Music)
Poseidon (Konami Original)
Saber Wing (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song)
Trust // DDR Mix (Konami Remix; Gurren Lagann Main Theme)
Trigger (Konami Original; Primary Boss Song)
Pluto (Konami Original; Seconadry Boss Song)
Pluto Relinquish (Konami Original; Final Boss Song)

Misc: DDRX could be described as a gold mine, but not in a good way. There are a few really good songs like Blind Justice and U Can't Touch This, but there is so much mediocrity in the rest of the soundtrack that I would just say to pass this one. On a side note, you should know that DDRX uses a 1-20 scale for song difficulty instead of 1-10. Most songs have been adjusted specifically for this rating chart. For example, U Can't Touch This is normally a 7 chart, but X re-rates it as a 10.

Notable DDRX2 songs:

Daft Punk is Playing at my House
Ice Ice Baby
Let's Get It Started
Viva La Vida
A Brighter Day (Konami Original)
G.R. Special Challenge charts for AM-3P, B4U, BRILLIANT2U, Dynamite Rave, and D2R.
Freeze (Konami Original)
Keep on Movin' (Konami Original)
La Bamba (Konami Remix; This is the version from Supernova, not Extreme 2)
La Senorita Virtual (Konami Original)
MARS WAR 3 (Konami Original)
Nadeshiko (Konami Original)
Ubertreffen (Konami Original)
Dance Dance Revolution Main Theme (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song; Main Theme from DDR First Mix)
Pluto: The First (Konami Original; Final Boss Song)
Kimono Princess (Konami Original; Infamous for internet parodies)
Roppongi Evolved (Konami Original; Secondary Boss Song)

Misc: Despite the fact that this is a sequel to DDRX, this is a surprisingly good mix. There are some pretty good liscensed songs, and the Konami Original selection is also nice. This is a solid pick if you want some variety, and you're sure to pull out your hair while trying to beat Pluto: The First.

Out of all the DDR games to choose from, I would say that Extreme 2 and Supernova are the best to get, followed by Extreme 1. Max is the best game to pick if you want a dedicated challenge, and DDRX2 is also pretty fun. Remember: The PlayStation 2 can play PS1 discs, so you can use DDR 1st Mix and DDR Konamix on the PS2!

Now that you know exactly what DDR game you'll be playing, it's time to find the thing that makes DDR so special in the first place: The Dance Pad!

STEP 3: CHOOSING YOUR DANCE PAD

The whole reason this game is called Dance Dance Revolution is so you can dance, so you'll obviously need a dance pad to get maximum enjoyment from the game. Yes, you could play just using the basic PS2 Controller, but what's the fun in that? Playing like that makes the game too easy, not to mention that it involves no dancing.
    There are 3 main Types of Dance Pads to select from: Soft Dance Pads, Foam-Filled Dance Pads, and Metal Dance Pads. This picture below lists their appearance.

Soft pads are the most common pads you can find, as they are usually packaged into the console games. The pads are made of a pretty basic material, almost like a rug. These dance pads aren't too bad, but they move around very easily while playing and they're not very good for constant step streams. These pads can usually be purchased online for about $20, so they're the cheapest pad variety out there, but the quality may not be up to par with what a serious DDR player would need. I recommend this pad variety for players that will play on easier difficulties, mostly because easy mode doesn't cause the pad to move around as much.
   Foam-Filled pads contain pieces of foam inserted inside the pad itself, which keeps the pad straight and prevents it from moving as much. This pad variety is the most affordable kind if you want a serious challenge from DDR, and it's the kind of pad I use at home. These pads are a bit more expensive, usually between $35 and $45, but the price is honestly worth it. Besides, the average video game controller is $50, so this dance pad isn't THAT bad of a deal. I recommend this pad kind to anyone that wants to enjoy DDR at brutal difficulty levels.
   Metal pads are exactly what they sound like. Most of them are designed around the official dance pads you'll find in arcades, and as such, they're the best kind of pad you can find. Some metal pads also come with built-in barrier bars, simulating the appearance of the arcade pads. Of course, since the pad is made of metal, it's price is pretty high. A typical metal pad will be about $100, and probably even more if you get one that has bonuses like multible console cable connectors and handlebars. I don't recommend getting a metal pad unless you want to play DDR like a king.

Okay, I think we've covered everything now. So, once you start playing, what'll a serious game look like? Well, here's a video of my current DDR setup at home. I play on the PS2, I use a Foam-Filled pad, and the games I own are DDRMAX, Extreme 1, and Extreme 2.

(Shameless plug.)

Pretty good, huh? It's takes lots of practice to get good at Dance Dance Revolution, but it's worth it. Dance Dance Revolution is one of the very few video games out there that makes you feel good about yourself - not to mention that it's a great workout when playing at a high difficulty level! 

GadgetJax's Top 10: Favorite Video Games!

Around here, I'm usually known as 'The guy that only reviews things he doesn't like', and it isn't a lie. Like I've mentioned, I prefer to tackle things that I think are bad, because comedy is richest when it is derived from something that isn't pleasing.

However, instead of being the usual me, I want to step out of my comfort zone and do something different. Something that is, dare I say it, ENJOYABLE! (dun-dun-duuun) And, honestly. I don't think that I can find anything more enjoyable than Video Gaming.

I've never personally done a Top 10 here before, but like I said, that comfort zone is pretending to be on a coffee break today. He isn't here, so I can make this list however I like. So, my personal Top 10 Favorite Video Games I've ever played! Any rules for this list? Just one. I'm only list 1 game per franchise, so don't expect to see 2 or more 'Sonic' titles on here.

So, as 'The Black Eyed Peas' always say, "Let's get it started in here!" Top 10, go!!!

#10 Pac-Attack (SNES, GENESIS)

Pac-Attack is nothing more than a simple puzzle game. Think along the lines of something like 'Tetris' or 'Dr. Mario', and you should get the picture.
Tiles and Ghosts are falling down, and you direct them to the bottom of the screen. Once in a while, a Pac-Man will start falling, and it will eat any ghosts in his way. The game is simple, relaxing, and absolutely a blast to play with friends, thanks to the inclusion of a nifty 1 on 1 mode. Combine it with a catchy soundtrack, and I'd say that Pac-Attack is quite a pleasure.
My family has owned the game ever since the days of the original Sega Genesis, and I've played it ever since I was three. Any age should be able to find out how to play quickly, and even a grand-parent could learn it, earning this number 10 spot easily.

#9 Dance Dance Revolution Extreme (PS2, ARCADE)

Music games, you love 'em or hate 'em. Me? Love 'em. It is kind of hard to grasp them if you aren't talented in the rhythmic category, but DDR Extreme is still a blast.
All you have to do is hit notes as they rise to the top of the screen, while following the beat of music. The reason I chose DDR Extreme over any other DDR game for this list is because it has my personal favorite selection of songs to play to, including 'YMCA'.
The more curious thing about DDR Extreme is that even though the Arcade version was Japanese exclusive, many spots in the USA have cabinets for the game, including Six Flags Great America. If Six Flags can import DDR, you KNOW they have good taste. Don't question it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkiD66ASXMQ

#8 Cave Story (PC, Wii, 3DS,)

Many games can take a huge team to develop. Some games even require the work of several companies! How many people made Cave Story?
Just one man, named Daisuke 'Pixel' Amaya.
While the game does have a very simplistic art style, this can be forgiven easily thanks to pretty much everything else in the game. As the name implies, Cave Story has a very grand tale that contains many heart-warming moments, along with even a few plot twists that might jerk a tear out of you.
The gameplay is incredible, mixing up Metroid-Vania exploration with the brilliant projectile combat from the Mega Man and Contra franchises. The worlds are varied, the weapons are all unique, and that soundtrack.
THAT. SOUNDTRACK.
Cave Story is brilliantly composed, with a varied amount of tracks that always mix up the tone of the game in just the right way. Some are catchy, some are dark, and others just feel so nice.
If you haven't played Cave Story yet, there is literally no reason not to. The original japanese game is a free download from the creator itself, and you can probably find a translation patch for it without much difficulty. The game has also seen several re-releases on WiiWare, Steam, and just a few years back, a 3D remake was released for the 3DS. All the versions are great, so pick up at least 1 of them!

#7 Gunstar Heroes (GENESIS)

Most of my descriptions for the other games on this list have all been because they mix solid gameplay with a very nice atmospheric feel.
Well, Gunstar Heroes takes those games and throws them into a First Class airplane sent to Norway, because this game is crazy!
Gunstar Heroes is a mess, in a good way. It was developed by Sega alongside Treasure, a company that is famous for many cult classics like Dynamite Headdy, Sin & Punishment, and even Alien Soldier.
This game is truly madness incarnate. The game starts up quickly, you choose a weapon and level, and then go. Enemies are all over the place, the soundtrack pumps up every moment of the game, and everything is just, WOW. Literally, the best word to describe this game is with the word 'wow'.
Oh, and the boss battles. If you want to play a game just for boss battles, play Gunstar Heroes. Right now, guys. The boss battles are awesome.
Couple everything I just mentioned with a fantastic 2 player mode, and I don't really think anyone can call this game 'bad'. It may not be my favorite game on this list, but is probably one of the most flawless of the bunch.

#6: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (GameCube)

Mario is the Mickey Mouse of gaming, really. Pretty much every Mario title out there is great, and Paper Mario TTYD is my favorite.
I'm not really an RPG guy, but I can really say that Paper Mario TTYD does an excellent job of mixing story telling, unique art styles, and swell combat. Everything is user friendly, and isn't hard to learn at all.
Experience Grinding is nowhere to be found here, which really allows the user to control the pace of the game. Do you want to continue your quest, or do a side quest first to obtain a new item? The little choices like that help make the game feel fresh in spots that would normally feel mundane.
Paper Mario TTYD (I should stop calling it that) is almost like a children's pop-up book. Everything is so delicately crafted, and anyone that can still afford a copy of this game should defenitely play it. It is worth it in every way.

#5 Pokémon TCG 2: Here Comes Team Great Rocket! (GBC)

If it wasn't painfully obvious by the constant notes I leave at the end of my entries, then I'll say it again: I love the Pokémon Trading Card Game to death. So much so, that this game is the only entry in the list that was exclusive to Japan!
So, if this game is Japanese, how have I been able to play it? Simple. English Patch, works every time.
Onto the game itself, it's the Pokémon TCG, no duh.
Here Comes Team Great Rocket features Base Set, Jungle Expansion, and Fossil Expansion from the first game, and much more. The biggest addition to the game is the inclusion of Team Rocket, the set released after Fossil. In addition, many cards that were originally Japan exclusive, like the Vending Machine cards and promos from the Ivysaur vs Wartortle Deck Set are available, and it really helps make the battles feel varied, based on the kind of deck you choose to play.
Outside of the cards themselves, many of the players you fight against in the game have their own rules on how to play against them, such as Lightning Types doing more damage, or Special Energy not allowed. The little things like this help this game go from a simple TCG to a curious melting pot full of lots of creative ways to play.

#4 Little Big Planet 2 (PS3)

If my 6-year old self knew what LittleBigPlanet was, he probably would have fainted from happiness.
I love Level Editors. A lot. I've always wanted to make my own game, and thanks to Little Big Planet 2, I've been able to create so much.
Little Big Planet, as a franchise, isn't about the main campaign and the standard platforming it features. It's about that amazing Creator mode. I'm serious when I say that if you can think it, you can probably make it in LBP2 in one way or another. An battle tank? Sure. A jet-propelled sled? Probably. An entire castle to explore through? Go right ahead. I've been able to create a headset that fires blobs of glue that cement themselves into traversible platforms. Yeah.
There is nothing else like Little Big Planet 2 in terms of creativity scale. There is so much you can do in this game, if you know how to.
Do you know limitless this game is? I found a playable level that recreates the entirety of the first dungeon from the first Legend Of Zelda game.
There. Is. No. Comparison.

#3 Super Smash Brothers (2014) (Wii U, 3DS)

Nothing can even begin to descripe Super Smash Brothers, and it is honestly the greatest Nintendo franchise in existence.
Super Smash Brothers has a perfect blend. Unlike more complicated fighting games like Street Fighter and BlazBlue, Super Smash Brothers plays out more like a platformer game where you fight other players. The controls are really simple to pick up and learn, allowing for pretty much anyone to start winning within a round or so.
Because of the near-endless amount of customization, you can change the game from an ultra competitive 1 on 1 match, to a randomized 8-player brawl with randomly spawning items. On the more technical side, Wii U/3DS Smash excels over Melee and Brawl because of how much balance there is in the speed. Melee was too fast, Brawl was too slow, but this one is just right.
Oh, and the character roster? Probably the best of any video game ever made. You have your popular guys, like Mario, Link, Sonic, Pac-Man, Pikachu, but then there are the more obscure ones and fan favorites, like Mega Man, Robin, Ness, Shulk, Wii Fit Trainer, and more. The sheer amount of diversity in the choice of characters is so grand, that pretty much anyone could find someone that they can cling to.
The soundtrack may just be one of the most diverse ever written. In addition to several original compositions, the game features several remixes of songs from other games, of many vary genres.
Super Smash Brothers for Wii U and 3DS is kind of hard to really give a true opinion on, because you really have to go into the technical portions of the Smash chronology to really be able to make opinions about it. So, I will leave you with this:
Super Smash Brothers for Wii U and 3DS is my favorite Nintendo game ever made.

#2 Mega Man Battle Network 6 - Cybeast Falzar (GBA)

When I started getting older, I'd say about 10 years old, I went through a phase where I started noticing flaws in video games much easier. Many of what used to be my favorite games, like Mario Party 5, Sonic Adventure 2, and movie tie-in games. Yet, there was one game that I could just go and play any time, and I would feel nothing but happiness...
As I've said before on this blog (An obscure DS vs PSP post) and elsewhere, I really love Mega Man Battle Network 6, more specifically the Cybeast Falzar version. The gameplay is kind of like an RPG, but throws so many curveballs into the mix that the game ends up feeling like nothing else.
Battles are done on a 6x3 grid, and fights are played through in a complex formula revolving around 'Battle Chips', which are kind of like Pokémon cards to a certain extent.
Just like the Pokémon TCG, the huge amount of Battle Chips is what allows for complex design when building your strategy, and the game has a very futuristic art style and soundtrack that compliments each of the characters very well.
The story is very difficult to understand if you haven't played through 1-5, but it is quite an interesting conclusion to the series.
Mega Man Battle Network 6 is a greatly underrated game, and it's a shame that not many people have played it. Considering that Battle Network 1 and 2 have already come out as downloads for Wii U, it's just a matter of time before the eShop sees the release of this one. It's defenitely worth the price, as I've spent 100+ hours on this game already!

#1 Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (Genesis, PC, GameCube, Wii, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox360, DS)

Sonic is a great platformer series. It combines complex platforming with incredible speed that can literally be found in no other game. On the top of that Sonic pyramid is Sonic 3 and Knuckles, which is my favorite game ever made.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 was originally planned to be a complete title, but it had to be cut in half because of release date deadlines. The second half was later released as a sequel called 'Sonic & Knuckles', which featured a special bonus cartridge slot that you could connect many other games to. So, what would happen if you connected Sonic 3?
Boom, now you can play Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
Not only does it allow for the entirety of the game to be played in 1 straight save-enabled file, but it allows you to play as any of the 3 characters, along with many new soundtrack changes and slight variations to certain levels.
As for the game itself, It's brilliantly designed to the point of near-perfection. Every level is unique, and none of them are dull. Because of the endless supply of alternate routes in each level, the game allows for lots of creativity in the choice of traversing through each level.
Just like every other game I've listed, the soundtrack is great. However, what makes it so great? Well, a very special person helped compose it. A fellow you might know by the name of Michael Jackson.

I have already played through and Completed Sonic 3K at least 7 times, and I would be willing to do it again any day. In fact, I think I might do that right now.

If you happen to have a favorite video game, leave your thoughts below. The viewership is what helps this blog stay alive, so all opinions are appreciated!