My 10 Favorite Video Games

Hey everybody! Allow me to amaze you with my philosophical skills.

Ha ha, just joking. I'm not Hannah. And wasn't her last post pretty? I've read it like three times already. Anyway, I thought I would submit you to something really cool.

My 10 Favorite Video Games! Yay! Huzzah! Hurrah!

I've always considered myself a bit of a geek. I make obscure references to things all the time, although I'm not as extreme as most. I'm just a girl that is fond of the digital media. Throughout the years, I've encountered several video games that I loved, and I thought I would share them with you. My list of favorites changes constantly, so this is just kind of basic list. Let's start with number 10:

NUMBER 34

(oh shoot, my countdown is messed up. One sec)

NUMBER 10: Advance Wars
Platform: GBA
Genre: TBS (Turn based strategy)

I don't know about you, but I simply suck at chess. However, I simply adore the concept of chess and all its little details and strategies. Advance Wars is like chess, except instead of chess, you get people who shoot each other with tiny, adorable guns.


Awwwww!

I found Advance Wars when I was but a wee lass, nine or so, and discovering the glory that is video games. To be fairly honest with you, I was really bad at it, but I loved it to death. I've never been very good at logical reasoning. I'm more of the type of girl who throws a rock at a door until it opens kind of girl. Still, the brilliant gameplay and the cute character design still hold a chunk of my heart, and I play the first and second games from time to time.

HONORABLE MENTION: Fire Emblem, Radiant Dawn

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is fantastically awesome, but so incredibly difficult at any difficulty besides easy that it is harder to approach than Advance Wars.

NUMBER 9: Yoshi's Island 3
Platform: GBA
Genre: Platforming

I think Yoshi's Island is probably the best 2D platformer ever, with Ratchet and Clank taking the 3D category. I cannot imagine a better set up. In it, you are Yoshi, attempting to rescue a baby Mario from the forces of evil by fighting your way through adorable and crayola-colored landscapes.

And you get to eat giant, sentient flowers. BONUS!

This game is easy enough for a nine year-old to play, but has enough nuances to please someone of any age. I'm also a die-hard Yoshi fan. I mean, he's a dinosaur that poops eggs. I love it.

NUMBER 8: Pokemon Snap
PLATFORM: N64
GENRE: Platforming, I guess.

Some of you might not of heard of Pokemon Snap. It's okay if you haven't. It's actually kind of obscure for a Pokemon game. Basically, it is an on the rail shooter, except instead of shooting things, you are taking pictures of Pokemon that pop out of the grass. It's awesome. In no other condition can you throw an apple at a Charmeleon, knocking it into a pit of lava, which causes it to evolve into Charizard, so you can take pictures of it.

You don't think he'll hold a grudge, do you?

Pokemon Snap is fun because of its surprising depth. There are hundreds of different shots you can take, and all are judged by professor Oak, the best one, you know. Its sound track is pretty relaxing, and there are a lot of different areas to explore. And, it's family friendly. Can't go wrong with that.

HONORABLE MENTION: Pokemon Puzzle League
It's like Tetris on Steroids.

NUMBER 7: Pokemon Gold
Platform: GBA
Genre: Adventure

I've played several generations of Pokemon, but Gold is my favorite. It has a plot, kind of, and this is before all the Pokemon started to look like deformed animal fetuses. It also has Entei, the lame but very pretty flame Pokemon who spawned the weirdest Pokemon movie ever. So we kind of owe it a lot.

HONORABLE MENTION: Pokemon Ruby
Simply because it was prettier and it had Shroomish.

NUMBER 6 (All I can think about is the anime now): Beyond Good and Evil
PLATFORM: PS2
GENRE: Platform, stealth

Didn't I just kill you?

Beyond Good and Evil is awesome in a can. It is set on another world that is being dominated by a mysterious company. Jade, photographer, must investigate the company by sneaking in and taking pictures of incriminating evidence that will prove that the company is up to no good. There are also mind-wiping aliens and a giant talking pig. It's also awesome for its action elements. For the most part, the enemies of the game are much, much stronger than you, so it fares you better to sneak around them instead of fighting. If you do get caught, only reflexes and timing can save you. The voice acting is great, Jade is an awesome main character, and the plot is wonderful. The game didn't do well in stores, so some people don't know about it. Play this game though, seriously.

HONORABLE MENTION: Ratchet and Clank(Any)
Ratchet and Clank is loads of fun no matter which one you play. I just prefer Beyond Good and Evil's gameplay mechanics.

NUMBER FIVE: Final Fantasy IX
PLATFORM: PS
GENRE: RPG

Oh, how I do love this game. Final Fantasy IX is great because it embraces all of fantasy's greatest strong points and meshes them together. It isn't as dark as VII or VIII, and doesn't take itself too seriously. It stars a sky pirate Zidane, who can not rival XII's Balthier by any means, but his monkey tail is pretty cool. The plot emerges after a kidnapping of a princess goes horribly wrong. I mean, kidnapping princess is always good fun, right? I LOVE kidnapping princesses. I do it in between lunch breaks.

The gameplay isn't as good as its predecessors, but its still approachable. It might hold my favorite sound track for a Final Fantasy game. It's also very pretty for a PS game.



Preeeeeeetty.

THE COUNTDOWN CONTINUES SOON! ESTHER NEEDS TO GO TAKE A NAP NOW!

Hugs and Kisses to all of the men, and winks to the girls,

Esther Perisho