#16: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Platform: Super Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Square
Release: 01/06/1996

Though I played a lot of games as a kid, my exposure to the thorough catalogue of gaming genres was initially quite limited. Platforming games were my forte, and represented the biggest chunk of the library, whereas sports were a non factor for me back then, and until Looney Tunes B-Ball, I never owned a single sporting game.

Similarly, it took the presence of Mario for me to ever take interest in an RPG game, a foreign concept to me at the time. Upon first renting it, my sister and I watched the opening animation; our minds shifting from wonderment at the graphics to confusion over the flow of battles. Mario leapt forward from a formation, made an attacking animation in the direction of a stationary enemy, who proceeded to explode. But wait! He didn't even touch it! What sorcery is this?

And so, we began our first RPG. Alright, our first turn-based RPG, because in some minds, games in the Zelda series are entries in the RPG genre, though I myself disagree.


Anyhow, Mario RPG follows the same premise as a great number of Mario games; Princess Toadstool has been kidnapped by Bowser, and Mario sets out to rescue her once again. Of course, genre aside, this game is not the same as other Mario games, and this is clear from the moment you see the first level set within the walls of Bowser's castle. For this traditional series of events is merely a skein to the greater adventure, truly one of Mario's most epic, colourful and unique quests.

One of the marvelous things about Mario RPG is that it's a wonderful clash of two worlds: the familiar characters and platforming aspects of Mario, with the story elements and combat style of RPGs like Final Fantasy. Of course, this is because the game was made by the very creators of Final Fantasy, Square, who were churning out quality titles en route to their peak of the late 90s.

This was certainly a cerebral entry in the Mario series. Though more RPGs would follow, the battles were more difficult and tactical in this one, borderline brutal on occasion, and as such, Mario RPG still stands in many people's minds as the finest example of the genre for a Mario title.

It still remains fresh in my mind, all these years later, despite how apathetic Nintendo appear to be towards it. Geno's 'blink and you'll miss it' cameo in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga caused quite a stir among the fan community, and this is indicative of how much love the game still holds.

The game does have a subtitle, after all, and we still wonder if maybe, someday, we'll see another one.

#17: Pikmin

Platform: Nintendo GameCube
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Release: 03/12/2001

When the GameCube was first getting off the ground in the early years of the new millennium, one of the key things we were promised was a world of imagination. To my mind, certainly, the console delivered. From the quirky Animal Crossing to the charming Wind Waker, the GameCube tried to define itself as being unique, rather than simply assimilate into the new world of high definition graphics and mature storylines. Put simply, with the GameCube, Nintendo tried to give gaming a soul.

Unfortunately, on a sales standpoint, the system failed. In my eyes however, it was a glorious little piece of magic, and it wasn't Nintendo's fault that gaming has become saturated with first person shooters and moronic gamers. I'm glad that the GameCube happened. Perhaps most of all, because the GameCube introduced us to the Pikmin.

The first thing I wondered when I heard about Pikmin was... why does the title sound like Pokemon? Is it an offshoot? I still may not have quite deciphered that eerie similarity, but Pikmin is a unique world all of its own. Your hero, one Captain Olimar, has crash landed on an alien planet (Earth), and must collect all of the pieces of his spaceship to escape.

Unfortunately, the gaffer is pretty useless on his own, and he's about the size of a nickel. So he enlists the services of the titular Pikmin, and the fun begins. Though they each have one of three unique sets of abilities based on their colour, and you must use them correctly in order to solve your goals, one of the fun things about Pikmin is that you have the freedom to control your troops as you see fit.


Will you hover over all 100 out on the field at all times, to oversee their actions? Or will you delegate them to tasks before moving on elsewhere, returning later to find your Pikmin had fallen victim to a hungry monster? Will you utilise an even mix of all three? Or will you load up on your favourite colour? Will you very carefully and tactfully battle ravenous enemies? Or will you simply fling Pikmin haphazardly into the fray? It's up to you.

Shigeru Miyamoto once made the iconic character of Link based on his own adventurous childhood. He decided the lead animal in Star Fox while visiting Fushimi Inari-taisha, the head shrine of Inari. And he envisaged the Pikmin world while watching the actions of ants in his garden. The way the man takes in the world around him is truly special, and Pikmin feels vibrant and alive as a result.

The number of levels is limited, but each feels completely different, and you won't know what to expect next. Each new discovery... each new challenge... The scope of the world feels grand and daunting, and you'd have to be a pretty bland person not to at least appreciate the game's ambitious nature.

The second Pikmin game introduced two new species of Pikmin, a second playable character, and 'dungeons', multi-leveled subworlds full of treasure for you to explore. And though it is indeed a fine game; fuller and more robust than the original, with an increase in difficulty that is simply enormous, the first title still holds my heart.

Primarily, it's because I prefer the level design in Pikmin 1. But also, it's because we got the chance to try out this new experience for the first time. From when we first yanked Pikmin #1 from the dirt, and got that little red sucker to do our bidding, we were ushered into a fresh universe.

I've been waiting far too long for Pikmin 3 to come out. What new imaginative experiences will it offer?

#18: WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth

Platform: Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Yuke's Media Creations
Release: 13/11/2002

As you might have fathomed from the first two entries, I've been a Nintendo fanboy for about twenty years now. So when I started to get into pro wrestling in the late 90s, my first exposure was through the WCW vs. nWo and WWF No Mercy games on the Nintendo 64.

When the next generation of consoles came out, something went sour with Nintendo and rasslin'. Wrestlemania X8 was a disappointing premiere, and furthermore, it was released half a year after the PS2 had already got its own inaugural WWF title; the third edition in the SmackDown! series.

On that note, Just Bring It was a disappointment in its own right: as soon as it hit shelves, it was dated. It lacked any presence of the WCW/ECW 'Invaders', an angle that had begun roughly nine months before the game's release.

Couple that with ugly graphics and dreadful commentary, and JBI was a gruesome beast. But hey, I enjoyed it at the time (the omission of the Invasion angle being my biggest disappointment), and when the next title, Shut Your Mouth, surfaced, it was, in my mind, the biggest advance in the series, and a complete wrestling experience.

The WWE games generally don't seem to offer a whole lot of advances from title to title (a streamlined story mode and retooling of the counter system the highlights of the next title, Here comes the Pain), so in all likelihood, the fact that SYM was just so much better than JBI might glorify it in my mind.

The story mode was given a complete rehaul, and it remains the only prolonged wrestling story mode that I've played all the way through. The graphics were, for their time, magnificent. This was especially evident in the character model for one of the game's most significant inclusions; one Hollywood Hulk Hogan.


On that note, this was the game's major selling point for me: its roster. It was released during the ill-fated nWo angle, which meant that long-absent classics like Hogan, Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash made an appearance, plus all of the WCW/ECW guys missing from the last game; primarily, my boy Lance Storm. Oh hell yeah.

The formula may have been done a little bit better with each title that came, but the pinnacle for me was easily SYM. The intense multiplayer skirmishes friends and I engaged in remain fresh in my mind, our once-laughable created wrestlers now looked respectable, and we didn't face the same disappointment after sifting through the available characters.

Furthermore, the real superstars were given the highest stat total. Guys like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. They were the best of the best, just like they should be, and not the later whelps like Brock Lesnar, John Cena or the horribly disappointing Goldberg.

SYM was WWE done right. And as it was released during what was possibly the height of my passion for wrestling, it maintains a glorious sheen no wrestling game will likely ever recapture in my eyes.

We Are Tony's World

And what a strange world it is...

Pardon me for interrupting my top 20 video games, but I thought I'd express my recent obsession for the song We Are the World. That's right, the 1985 mega-charity effort by some of the biggest stars of the USA.

It only recently occurred to me how many of my favourite artists recorded the track, and that's beyond just the ones that immediately spring to mind. We all know Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder were involved... But did you know Harry Belafonte was a member of the chorus? How about Bette Midler? Did you notice the Pointer Sisters in there?

Indeed, it was a veritable melting pot for musical superstardom. But of course, there were many, many names missing. I have taken it upon myself to tweak the roster a little, how I best see fit. I'll try to minimize the amount of original performers as best I can, because that would be awfully boring and most of them would still make the cut.

So of course, this is no disrespect towards anyone from the original I omitted. I just wanted to be creative. Also, as a challenge to myself, I've set this fictional re-recording in the year 1991. As a result, Louis Armstrong and Jake Shears will not appear. As much as I'd like for them to.

1991 was pretty much the mark that I had set to include as many of my favourite artists as I could, a number that could have been adjusted if Freddie Mercury hadn't been taken from us prematurely.

Anyhow, let us rejoice! Let us regale! Let us be mighty confuzzled...


We open with Lionel Richie reprising his original opening role, just as he should. He was heavily involved in both versions of the recording (the other being the 2010 version, which is not at all my cup of tea), and he shall appropriately remain entrenched in the '91 iteration.

He then gives way, still, to Stevie Wonder, who in my opinion has the greatest voice of all time. If I were having too much trouble securing my multitude of names for this project, my backup plan is to simply have Stevie Wonder sing every single part in a plethora of disguises.

The last in a streak of original reprisals is Paul Simon, who I was otherwise going to tuck away into the chorus. But upon watching the '85 recording, he looks so damned nervous. I fear that if he were demoted, it would just destroy him.

Next, playing the role of Kenny Rogers, is Peter Gabriel. He will twitch around eerily and produce various props made of clay, like he does in the music video for Sledgehammer. It will look terrifying, but it will sound awesome, trust me.

Following this eccentric display, Barry White will surface, singing lines once belonging to James Ingram. Just listen to that bit in the song, and picture it being done by Barry White, it's freaking sexcellent. Barry White got people laid for thirty years with his voice, and hopefully he can work his magic here, too. Assuming the chick involved is particularly easy and can be won over in six seconds.

We now return to the familiar sight of Tina Turner and Billy Joel. Their duet remains untouched, as long as Billy Joel keeps his beard, and has the same cheeky look on his face as he had in 1985. That's one of my favourite bits to look at. I'm sure you'll agree.


Michael Jackson sings the chorus from his mysterious studio in an unknown part of the world (or space). If anyone dares try to ever make a version of this song without Michael Jackson, I will hunt them down and scold them.

This next bit supposedly requires a 'diva', as it was sung by Diana Ross and, later, Barbra Streisand. Instead, I present you with Angela Lansbury. She will be a delight to work with, and she will solve any crime that occurs during the recording process.

Now, and I know that Angela Lansbury bit got you pumped, we bring in Shirley Bassey in place of Dionne Warwick. She is dressed in gold, and for that matter, she might just end up singing Goldfinger instead. I haven't entirely decided yet.

She gives way (perhaps) to Michael Bolton, in a segment once sung by Willie Nelson. I liked Michael Bolton before all you kippers jumped on the bandwagon this year, for the record.

Al Jarreau has now morphed into Phil Collins. You might cry foul, stating that the original group was called 'USA For Africa', and that Collins was found instead among the names in Band Aid, but I defiantly note that Dan Aykroyd and Bob Geldof aren't Americans, either. So I keep my goddamn Phil Collins, thank you very much.

I quite enjoy Bruce Springsteen's work, but I'm not a fan of his contributions in the 1985 edition of We Are the World. He looks and sounds like he's passing a kidney stone, and that's no fun at all. To remove the tension of lines that were once snarled out maliciously, I have handed the role to Grayson Hugh, whose silky tones will put you at ease. That is, if The Boss doesn't get to him first.


Following this, I assumed upon listening that the next part was sung by a woman. I then discovered it was actually Kenny Loggins. I likes me some Loggins, but his androgynous vocals kind of freak me out a little. Instead in 1991 we feature Ali Campbell. He's one of my favourite reggae artists, and he doesn't look at all Jamaican, which is silly fun.

In what is one of my most shocking decisions, I omit Steve Perry, who is routinely excellent, and replace him with Meat Loaf. Giving Steve Perry the chop makes me feel dirty, and as such, I had to inject a heavyweight like Meat Loaf. I hope the decision will serve me well.

Calton Coffie then makes a random appearance in place of Daryl Hall. He is wearing sunglasses and waving his dreadlocks in the breeze. There isn't a breeze to be spoken of as we're indoors, but don't tell him that, he's having way too much fun.

Huey Lewis is the last of the original participants, reprising his unenviable role as the man who precedes the vocal gymnastics of the next verse. He doesn't mind, though, because Calton Coffie is having such a jolly good time nearby.


You have to be careful with this next bit, because it requires a powerful and versatile voice, like Cindy Lauper's or Celine Dion's. As such, I go with the big guns and pull out some Whitney Houston. What years of abuse have done to her voice is a crime of nature, but this is 1991, and she nails every note with panache.

Kim Carnes almost returns, simply because Bette Davis Eyes is such an excellent song, but for now, Kylie Minogue fills in. I'm not proud of my obsession for early Kylie Minogue, but I sure as hell have it. Perhaps after this, you shall, too?

We hit the chorus now, a point where you are introduced to a field of anonymous superstars who I'll list later, but among them, Kate Bush, George Michael, Sting, Patti LaBelle and Eric Clapton get their own miniature solos, just as was done in the 2010 edition. Consider it sneaky to insert concepts from the Haiti rendition, but I had a few big names I had to get rid of somehow and I was running out of opportunities.

The Bob Dylan bit is my least favourite. It just doesn't work, in my opinion, so instead, I'm ramping up the stakes and using Elton John. He is sitting on a Mexican chair person. How glorious!


Ray Charles respectfully gives way to Ben E. King for the next part. Sacrilege, I know, but Ben E. King doesn't get the props I feel like he should. Did you know he's still around and kicking to this day? That's awesome, innit?

In the original edition, we would now be brought back to Stevie Wonder. This is Stevie's best bit, as it allows him to show off his impossibly magnificent voice. For me to forgo Stevie Wonder is a massive thing, and that's why I'm not pulling any punches here. Stevie Wonder's chorus solo shall be done by Freddie Mercury. It might not be Mercury's finest work, as his health is fading rapidly, but Mercury at 10% is better than nearly every other artist at their greatest.

Joining Mercury in what was initially more Springsteen, is Rick Astley. The man deserved a more fruitful career than he had, and he is rewarded for his talents by getting a fictional duet with Freddie Mercury. ...Somehow, that sounded like a better prize in my head.

If you thought I was going to forget David Bowie, you were incorrect. James Ingram got himself another bit of airtime here, but I'm a generous man and spread out my love evenly, giving only Michael Jackson multiple segments. Bowie brings us along towards the end of the powerful magnificence that is the imaginary 1991 We Are the World, and then, it happens...

Enya. That's right, Enya. She is entirely out of place, she's frightened and she's lost, and she's filling in for Ray Charles to lead us out. Can Enya hit those notes? I have no idea, but I love her so and have entire faith in her musical abilities, so I reckon she'll do dandy. As the music fades out, people all across the world are absolutely puzzled. Enya, baby, ENYA!


But before we go, let's take a look at who else I had in the chorus? I've basically just plonked in all of my other favourite artists of the time, but I'm sure that if these musicians came together in actuality, it would sound so magnificent, you would go deaf once it finished, because nothing could ever sound that good ever again. Unless Stevie Wonder started singing again, but that's a moot point.

Say hello to Peter Cox, Rod Stewart, Danny Elfman, Ed Robertson, Lonnie Gordon, Maurice White, Mike Love, Neil Tennant, Billy Ocean, Ralph Tresvant, Roland Gift, Steve Winwood, Andy Bell, Tom Cochrane, Marie Fredriksson, Andy McCluskey, SWV, Holly Johnson, Levi Stubbs, Peabo Bryson, Roger Whittaker, Robert Goulet, Jack Hues, Desmond Dekker, Maxi Priest, Seal, Tracy Chapman, Nathan Lane, Alanis Morrisette, Paula Abdul, Reney Pena, David Ogden Stiers, Thom Yorke, the Everly Brothers, Sydney Youngblood, Warren Zevon, HYDE, Jenny Berggren, Tim Curry, Chynna Phillips, Tina Arena, Shirley Manson, Dion DiMucci, Ty Taylor, Rob Paulsen, Tony Hadley, Will Smith, Lindsey Buckingham, Douglas Hodge, Tom Hulce and Colm Wilkinson.

But that's not all! Keen observers will also note the presence of TLC. In case we were feeling game, we could get Lisa Lopes to give us a rap verse, but that doesn't belong in We Are the World, now does it? (Not so subtle jab at 2010, btw)

Nobody knows who Jack Black is in the distant year of 1991, but he's all sorts of fun and a welcome presence. Similarly, Raine Maida won't go on to form Our Lady Peace for another year, but it's close enough. Perhaps his appearance in We Are the World propelled him to stardom first?

I have no idea whether Adrian Legg and Kenny G can actually sing, but they're such brilliant musicians I chucked them in there, anyway. If all else fails, they can just sing the chorus through instrument, or some such.

Lene Nystrøm shan't be part of Aqua for another three years yet, but there she is, too! I have a knack for discovering talent.

Prince appears via live telecast, just like he perhaps might have in the original. He leers at others like they were Chris Tucker. Delicious, Prince thinks to himself.

I don't know under what circumstances Prabhu Deva qualifies, but he's dancing himself up a storm. Indeed, he's knocking others over on the limited space of the podium. People are up in arms, but fortunately, Calton Coffie is keeping spirits up, so nobody comes to blows.


For those of you who think I show too much bias against 25 for Haiti, you might note that I have included the singing talents of 3T, my only holdovers from 2010. I don't know how old they were in 1991, but Waiting For Love is aces, and they needed something to build them up to that, methinks.

Oh look! I've seen fit to include Lucille Ball of television fame and- oh no wait, my mistake. That's Mick Hucknall.

Filling the great big shoes of Dan Aykroyd and/or Vince Vaughn in the 'what the hell are they doing there' category is my surprise addition, Donovan McNabb. This made a lot more sense before I added the '91 stipulation to the mix, seeing how McNabb is only a sophomore in high school at the moment, but I love listening to anything the man says. I'm sure it was the same when he was in high school. Belt out a tune, little Donny!

And oh yeah, participant #100, Paul McCartney is there, too. Blink and you'll miss him. I just thought it'd be amusing to give lead vocals to Angela Lansbury instead. Tee hee.

#19: Super Mario World

Platform: Super Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Release: 01/01/1990

It might seem campy to state that the first game you ever owned, and if memory serves, ever played, remains one of your all-time favourites. But in my case, it's absolutely true. Super Mario World remains one of the most endearing and treasured games I've ever played. The concept of it seeming dated at all isn't just unlikely, it's downright false. I had just as much fun playing it on the GBA when it was re-released in 2002, and I look forward to the day when my children experience this game for the first time. By their standards, it'll be ancient. But if I know SMW the way I believe I do, it'll prove a classic.

Picking the best Mario game is like picking your favourite child; you love them all for their own merits. To many, the series' peak (or plateau?) was with this game's predecessor, Super Mario Bros 3. To me, however, what World did was take everything that made that game great, and increase it tenfold.


Obviously, World won't be looked back on as being the most revolutionary in the series. However, it remains one of the most refined. The exploratory nature of this game trumps other attempts half its age, and I still remember the excitement I felt exiting a level in a new way, and watching a fresh path appear on the overworld map. Where was I going? How far ahead have I jumped? And will I be able to handle these new challenges? Exploring the map felt like a game unto itself; going down pipes, leaping from warp stars and entering exotic little locales... Fantastic.

Add in fun new mechanics, like the multicoloured Yoshis and the spin jump, and near-unrivaled level design, and World simply remains one of the most polished, timeless classics on the SNES. Frankly, you can't have a SNES without Super Mario World, in the same way you can't have a N64 without Super Mario 64. Mario owns Nintendo consoles in a way only Link can challenge.

I mean, come on. What's there not to like about Super Mario World? The only possible fault you could hold against it is that it didn't push new borders like SMB3, but in my mind, a bigger, better and more robust edition of one of the greatest games of all time is a champion in its own right.

#20: Animal Crossing

Platform: Nintendo GameCube
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Release: 15/09/2002

We open with a game that captured my imagination, got me hooked, and made me feel responsible for the fortunes of a small village and its people. Back when I heard about the game being developed for the N64, I thought it seemed kind of odd.

After being in the works for what felt like a decade, it hit the GameCube, complete with underwhelming N64-style visuals. Despite this, I was encouraged by reviews, and when it finally came to Australia in 2004, I was happy to have it in my possession.

What delighted me about Animal Crossing was the game's unique personality. You don't have that many goals to accomplish, and you can do them whenever you like. Or not. Tom Nook may hassle you about paying off the loan, but if you never ever do, you won't suffer much more than a cramped living space.

Me personally, I wanted to go fishing instead, and hang out with a bitchy mouse named Limberg. It's definitely a pop in and play game; talk to the townspeople, do a favour here and there, then pop out. Dedicate as much or as little time as you want.


When I first slacked off in my playing duties, I felt dismayed that my house was infested with cockroaches, the town had been overrun with weeds, and all of my animal friends had been wondering where I was. I had to work hard to fix all this!!

So I spent hours fixing the decrepit condition of Überg. After I had cleared my conscience, it occurred to me: none of these creatures exist. Why in the hell should I care that they were unhappy with me?

That's the kind of thing Animal Crossing can do to you. Even though there are only six different personalities the animals can feature, you begin imagining extra quirks that make them feel different, even though they're just random occurrences. The sporty frog, Costeau, was often out and about and hard to locate. Goldie the dog lived next door and was always my first visit in the morning. And my boy, Alfonso the crocodile, he had an appetite like no other. The characters are limited, but nevertheless charming.

My friends and I would often try to outdo each other by furnishing our houses with the best gear, making the animals like us best with letters and gifts, and race to pay off the loan first. These small aspects of an actual community made the game even more fun.

The sequels, Wild World on the DS and Let's Go to the City on Wii, really didn't wow me much. They were minor improvements on the original without ever feeling much different. I had already invested my time and emotion on Überg, how could I forge that much interest in Calicove and Kamooka? I didn't. I simply stuck with my GameCube, and played my NES games, next to my completed skeleton of a tyrannosaurus rex. And that suited me just fine.

Tony's top 20 video games ATM

Since the last countdown of Titans players went so well (in my mind), I've been inspired to keep on chugging along with my favourites.

This time, in the much more volatile and ever-evolving medium of video games. I added the tag ATM (at the moment), because this list changes on a nearly daily basis. Rarely do games dip in or out of the top 20, but they often change position. I doubt I'll ever be entirely convinced of how they truly rank, but this list is, for now, solid.

The only rule I've enforced is that if a series has multiple similar entries, I'll only include my favourite. So whilst I could have Super Mario World and Super Mario Galaxy from the same series, I can't have Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, being similar entries. Righteo.

Also, unlike the Titans countdown, I won't be preceding each entry with these cumbersome rules and statutes. Thank goodness!

Jump to any entry right here...

#20 Animal Crossing
#19 Super Mario World
#18 WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth
#17 Pikmin