Nsider 2’s Greatest Games of the Last Decade: Week 1

Here at Nsider2, we like to write long paragraphs about interesting new bits. This is not one of those posts. No, this is something the news team has been cooking up for about a month now. Presenting, “Our List of Really Good Games of the Last Decade (by US Release Dates) Compiled and Put Together By All of Us in Separate Articles,” or rather, OLRGGLDUSRDCPTBAUSA. But because we want to be on Santa’s nice list this year, let’s just call it “NSIDER’S NEWS STAFF’s GREATEST GAMES OF THE LAST DECADE!” (you’re suppose to shout it in a very deep, heroic voice on top of a mountain) The news staff is going to post their own personal list every Thursday, starting today, until the end of the year.  Someone had to pull the metaphoric short straw and post their not-so metaphoric list first. So here it goes, Ballad’s amazing games of the last decade!

New Super Mario Bros
Released – May 2006

In a return to its classic roots, New Super Mario Bros really highlights why the Mario series is so great. Boasting impressive visuals and great level design, NSMB is an addicting and bulky experience that is sure to please. And it must have pleased a few people, to gain almost 20 million copies sold, a titan of a game. In fact, NSMB is still flying off of shelves, increasing its numbers every week. We may be looking at one of the longest and fastest selling games of all time. And don’t think that a sequel might slow the sales, quite the opposite. A few weeks before the sequel was released, sales spiked and continued to increase after that. A game doesn’t sell like that unless it is an impressive experience, and certainly New Super Mario Bros is just that.

Pokemon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum
Released – April 2007 (DP), March 2009 (PT)

These games get the spotlight for being the first in the series to go online. In a widely competitive multiplayer game like Pokemon, the ability to go online put the series on a whole new level. It allowed people to complete their Pokedexes faster, and give those without many people around them a reason to bother playing past the main game. Diamond/Pearl and Platinum also change the mechanics of the game to make moves more logical. Instead of having certain types use certain stats, it changes it so that it relies on the moves. This makes the moves more logical, and easier to figure out in battle. It also helps change things up, giving a boost to many Pokemon who needed it.

Animal Crossing
Released – Sept 2002

Although all of the games in the series are pretty much the same, I chose the original to highlight, because, well, it’s the original. Animal Crossing started its life as Animal Forest for the N64, and was released only in Japan. When it came to the rest of the world, Nintendo decided to remake the game for the Gamecube and release the enhanced remake as a whole new game in the west. If there ever was a game about doing nothing, Animal Crossing is it. There really is nothing to Animal Crossing. You do mundane tasks like fish, garden and gossip with neighbors. However, somehow, Animal Crossing makes all that incredibly addicting. The Animal Crossing series is like a drug addiction. What will Nook sell today, will it be a rare item? Oh, I have to play otherwise my favorite neighbor might move! Oh, today is the last day for the Arapaima, I have to play! Oh, maybe there’s a special guest in town today! And it continues until you have 800+ hours in a game about nothing and realize that Nintendo must put something in the water that makes this game/series so fun and addicting.

Mario Kart DS
Released – Nov 2007

Mario Kart DS was my first DS game ever, so it holds a special place with me, however, that’s not to say it is not a great game. Mario Kart DS took the winning formula of Mario Kart 64, and mixed it with the newer elements of Mario Kart Double Dash. It introduced new items to the series that brought something new to it. It also featured the return of a full track map from the original Super Mario Kart. Taking a little bit from every game in the series, Mario Kart DS shines out as the greatest in the series. Even better than just enhancing the best of every game in the series, Mario Kart DS does one better and adds some of the best tracks from each of the previous four Mario Karts and sprinkles them into the already well designed DS tracks. By adding that little touch of nostalgia, Mario Kart DS really pushes the envelope. It was also the first DS game to feature Nintendo WiFi, and even though the online mode is dated, it still continues to maintain strong and have an active community.

Mario Galaxy
Released – Nov 2007

Everyone who owns a Wii should know what Mario Galaxy is. Sporting the finest graphics ever seen on the Wii, a compelling and well told story, and some of the greatest music ever heard in a video game, Mario Galaxy is leagues above other games in production value. Mario Galaxy takes a slightly different approach to a 3D Mario game. Instead of a totally open world, Mario Galaxy returns to its roots with set objectives and a set path to get there. The game receives some criticism for this approach, but it really does set Mario Galaxy apart from past 3D Mario games. There really isn’t much more to say about Mario Galaxy that hasn’t been said countless times before, other than Gusty Garden Galaxy has the single greatest piece of video game music ever composed, and that song alone is reason enough to respect Mario Galaxy.

Metroid Fusion
Released – Nov 2002

Also called Metroid IV, Metroid Fusion was released side by side with Metroid Prime. While Metroid Prime took a different approach to Metroid, Metroid Fusion stuck to the traditional side scroller format. However, that’s where similarities end. Metroid Fusion features a radically different looking Samus, a totally different location for the game, and a whole new way for the game to be played. While older Metroid games and Metroid Prime had the player exploring and finding their objections through exploration, Metroid Fusion presented its objectives right to the player, with a detailed map and a richer, more dialog heavy Metroid game. This is also the only Metroid game where Samus has lengthy dialog scenes. It’s also the first game that actually compelled me to beat it more than once, just because of all of the amazing secrets the research carrier holds. Because of all of those reasons and more, Metroid Fusion was the must-have game on the Gameboy Advance.

Pokemon Gold and Silver
Released – Oct 2000

Many Pokemon fans claim Gold and Silver are the two greatest Pokemon games to be released; and they would be right to say so. Pokemon Gold and Silver took the winning formula of Red and Blue and added more features, a bigger game (second in size only to Diamond and Pearl), and over 100 new Pokemon that fit in perfectly with the old Pokemon. Features of Gold and Silver were not even brought back into Pokemon until their remakes this year; and no Pokemon game has quite made the mark since then.

Smash Bros: Melee
Released – Dec 2001

What many consider the pinnacle of the series, and of the Gamecube, Smash Bros Melee was a very early Gamecube game that never aged. In fact, it sold brand new copies right up until the release of its sequel, often at the same price it was when released. Melee was the best (and fastest) selling game on the little blue box. Topping in at 7 million copies, Melee ranks as one of the best selling games of last generation. Melee gets its respect from its advanced strategies and intense multiplayer action. Communities have been built for the sole reason of hosting tournaments. At one point, Melee was considered an official game for the Major League of gaming. It’s legacy lived on with Smash Bros Brawl, however, many feel that nothing will ever top Melee.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Released – May 2003

The Gamecube was renowned as the system that Nintendo took chances with in expanding its series and trying new things. Never before had a Zelda game not looked serious. Instead of what fans were used to with previous games, Wind Waker provided a fun atmosphere and a cartoon appearance that made it stand out from other Zelda games. And that difference is what many people claim makes this game not enough like a Zelda game. Very early on, Wind Waker received heavy heat from fans, who wanted another Ocarina of Time. Even upon released, with fantastic reviews, many fans still looked away from the “toon” Zelda game. Only until recently has Wind Waker’s true praise come, as fans slowly begin appreciate the style of the game, bringing something new and fresh to the series.

Metroid Prime
Released – Nov 2002
During the Gamecube years, Nintendo was starting to take their established franchises in new directions. One of the earliest examples of this comes in Metroid Prime. Outsourcing to Retro Studios, Nintendo took a huge chance with their beloved franchise. Retro decided to turn the series into a first person adventure game that would reinvent the series. Instead of the side view, and the 2D sci-fi exploration game, Metroid Prime was a first person game, set in a more natural setting, with more action infused into it. Retro managed to not only change the entire Metroid series, but they did it well. Even with the new camera angle, Metroid Prime was able to bring the feelings of the other games in the series, and present it in a different view. Metroid Prime currently holds the highest Metacritic score of all Gamecube games, and even the Wii release of the entire series is regarded as one of the best games this decade. Metroid Prime is a treasure of a game that really defined Nintendo’s plan to reinvent their old properties.

Stay tuned next Thursday for another exciting list!