N - Novabug's Desert Island Games, My Top 10 Games Ever

You know this age old question; what would be the 10 songs you would have if you were stranded on a desert island? Or is this case, video games. In a fashion, these should be my 10 favourite games of all time, and that's exactly what they are, mostly. This is a mixture of classic titles and games with a large amount of re-play value, just so getting bored on that island is a far off thing. Obviously the concept is silly and unworkable in reality, but if I had the choice of playing only a handful of games for the rest of my days, this collection would be it. My top 10 desert island video games. If you have read my A to Z challenge up till now, the top 3 will come as no surprise!

Dizzy had never quite got the hang of knock-knock jokes

#10 Fantasy World Dizzy - To pick one of the Dizzy games was a difficult choice, but the third installment would be it. It's the first Dizzy title I really gelled with, it introduced the menu function and had puzzles that were not bordering on impossible to work out. The two previous titles did present a bit of randomness about finding certain items, but FWD merely required a little bit of thought and everything makes sense. The music is also uplifting and jolly, solid bright graphics and with the inclusion of the Yolkfolk and other featured characters,  it's the best game of the series for me. Also, the second game,Treasure Island Dizzy, would just constantly remind me of the predicament I would be in. Depressing.

#9 Metal Gear Solid - Solid Snake's first 3D outing is still the best of the Metal Gear series has to offer, and so repeated plays of practicing sneaky silent neck-breaking, mindlessly picking of the rats with a sniper rifle and finding a new way of pissing off your evil brother Liquid would provide a fair amount of enjoyment. The cut scenes alone would take up a good chunk of time too, as would the wonderful soundtrack. It could have the potential to give me ideas to escape an isolated island too, Snake would bloody manage it!

#8 Super Mario World - Most people would chose at least one of the Mario games to keep senility at bay, so it's the Snes's superb Mario platform caper that gets my vote. It's a big game for starters, so completing all the levels is one thing, but also would give me time to finish bonus levels like Outrageous without flying over it, or trying to beat the game without any of the Switch Palaces activated. Would be a tough challenge, and keep a grin on my face for a long while.

#7 Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting - No best-games list is complete without one of the Street Fighter games, and the fast, multicoloured Hyper Fighting would be perfect for letting out that pent up anger and loneliness. I could master every combo, find new ones, and endlessly insult Ken about his stupid daft eyebrows. It's also a game that has stood the test of time, so would always be a joy to play again and again. Maybe I could teach the local primates to play too for some 2 player action.

#6 Tetris - Even now it's a game many of us fall back on as something just to pass a few minutes by, so it's no surprise this classic Russian puzzler takes a place here. Endlessly addictive in the most basic of ways, Tetris has a half-life of about 5000 years I would assume, so setting your own personal goals is the key to longevity. Be warned though, the music could just drive you utterly insane, losing all communicative skills leaving only the notes of the famous music. You may even start calling yourself Dr Spin...

The budget airline route from Japan to Hawaii was grueling

#5 Pang - The GX4000's crowning title, I would have to have this balloon popping shooter as to remind me of the fabled but flopped Amstrad console. The game is tricky, so beating it over and over would be very satisfying, but hearing those classic 8-bit tones would provide a goose-bumping experience for a passing moment.  It would also bear memory fruit of the real world, with the in-game background images of London, Paris and such like. A great game bursting with fun.

#4 Starfox (Starwing) - If I were to choose a first person space shooter that captures all that makes a great space shooter without hanging off the fame of Star Wars, Starfox would be the one. With it's choice of courses, levels of difficulty, it's excellent polygon enhanced visuals and epic sci-fi soundtrack, it's a title to get the juices flowing and too immerse yourself into some hardcore firefight action. I could also shoot Slippy down just for the pointless thrill of silencing the dumb amphibian!

#3 Rez - Not only would this give me a fix of high quality gaming off the PS2, but it would also fulfill the gap left by the absence of dance music. The tracks included in Rez would be more than sufficient, because you can always play the game poorly and produce a different tune. The unlockables in this are also very long-winding to complete, so that would be something to achieve. There is a way, so I have heard, that you can complete the game and give it's final boss, Eden, the salvation she begs for. That would be an emotional end and something to savor.

#2  Final Fantasy VII - Need I say more? No? Ok, I won't. Oh alright then, I will. Final Fantasy VII; one of the best games ever to grace a TV's pixels. Anybody that calls himself a gamer will have played or read about this title. It's that good. I could try beating Emerald with just Cloud, or produce a Master Materia for all magic for every member of my party... (I really do sound a bit sad sometimes don't I?) Anyway, it's one of the greatest games ever. Nuff said!

Duck Hunt 2 never came to fruition, so Mana stole ideas

#1 Secret of Mana - Just pipping FF7 to the top spot is another JRPG, and only because I found it the most awe-inspiring game I had played at the time of it's release, and this would stand me in good-stead if I were pottering about on some desolate sandy island. Playing SOM just makes me smile, makes me reminisce, makes me happy and gives me a warm glow of good feelings. The story, the music, the playability; it should be no shock to my regular readers that this IS my all time favourite game. Ever. The most indispensable game for my personal tastes.




A pretty far-fetched list this one I know, but it does show you what I find great and what I look for about video games. There is a wide selection of genres here, so something to keep the boredom to a minimum. Of course, even these games would eventually become unbearable over a long period, but it's the best I can do. What would your picks be? What is your favourite game of all time? Tomorrow we take a different turn on things and look at the most ridiculously hyped games there has been in my opinion. Is GTA3 really that good? We will find out tomorrow as I continue the A to Z challenge of video game top 10's.


Bug... 'Out!

M - Musical Marvels! My Top 10 OST of Video Games

Since the dawn of the 8-bit systems, the music that makes a good game a great game has been always developing. Original compositions are the best, because it shows the developer has really put the effect in. Too many games merely have a selection of popular tracks by established artists just to appease the gamer. I prefer a soundtrack that had been carefully selected or purposefully written to enhance the game playing experience. This is my top 10 of video games with the best music, the music which is unforgettable and gives the game a stamp of uniqueness and quality. Some are a full collection of music written for the game, while others are a mixture of this and released artists tracks that fit the game like a glove.

Iron Man in his medieval days

#10 Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts - With cues from the original score from the first game, this Snes exclusive made one of the hardest games a joy to listen too. With some fitting creepy and dramatic ghoulish themes, atmospheric tracks followed your journey and made the endless deaths much more bearable. Lots of piano, strings and wide organ work made the BGM quite superb  This is one of many Super Nintendo games that feature in this list, because the Snes had a talent for great 16-bit musical scoring.

#9 Super R-Type - Shooting games have a bit of history with good music, Xenon 2 having the most fame with the track Megablast. R-Type's BGM is a cracking selection of tracks, all created for the game specially and sound wonderful. Again, it's that marriage of toughness and top music that works, and brings to back to play again. The title track sets the standard high, but the second stage son "Wet as a Fish" is awesome, calming and fitting to the them of the level. The music also brings an important element of urgent feelings and excitement to the proceedings too.

#8 Grand Theft Auto - With a mixture of specially written tracks and US chart hits, the radio in the car you steal provides a fun aside to the carnage that you are involved in. It adds the much needed drive and thrill to the game, as the top down view can be a little dull at times. It's eclectic mix of various genres that cannot fail to raise a smile or two. From dance, to rock to country, its a wide soundtrack that encapsulates the ethos of GTA. It would not be the same game without it.

#7 Final Fantasy VII - From the title music, to the Midgar escape to the Aerith death theme; all the excellent music contained in this illustrious title is of a high standard. Would you have expected any less? Carefully written and included with need, the music of FF7 adds the effect of drama, mystery and intrigue to the game as you progress. The range of styles is vast too, but all works, even the insanely annoying Gold Saucer track is even accepted as important, and a nod to the memorable battle theme, but none more so than Sephiroth's 'One-Winged Angel' theme. Haunting and appropriate to the climax of the game.

#6 Beyond the Ice Palace - An often forgotten 8/16-bit fantasy platform romp, the game itself was rather mediocre, but the title theme was inspired. It even sounds good on the AY chip of the Speccy and CPC, but the Amiga's PAULA chip made it an epic musical piece that seems to tell the story of the game. It has two distinct parts; an intro of anticipation and a main riff of dramatic suggestions. Playing while you read the scroll at the beginning  it's a theme which outweighs the quality of the game, but also makes you want to play it just for title music. A rousing theme indeed.

#5 Starfox (Starwing) - This groundbreaking sci-fi shooter had it all, and none more so than a typical but accomplished space-motivated soundtrack. The big band sounds are all present, the strings, the drums, everything. The title theme could pass easily for a high budget sci-fi flick, and the stage BGM is all so brilliant, en-rousing and goose-bumping it's sheer class. The opening Corneria track gets things off to a fine start, with it all ending with the dramatic and serious Andross theme. Wonderful space-war audio goodness!

#4 Wip3out - The racing soundtrack to die for! It's dance music frenzy for sure, but nothing would do any less to fit the high speed aggressive nature of the Wipeout format. I must admit, I'm slightly biased here as my favourite band feature in the game, Orbital's 'Nowhere to Run' just underlines everything that is magnificent about this game, and the adopted main theme of the game is Sasha's 'Xpander', a trance classic. The fit of futuristic racing, outstanding visuals and the truly mind blowing music makes the whole package a highly fine game.

#3 Super Castlevania IV - The most famous track of the Castlevania series 'Bloody Tears' appears in one of the final levels, and that tells you how good the music is beforehand. With re-made tracks from previous games and new tracks such as the 'Dungeon' theme, the assisting tunes are excellently conceived and placed within the game. It starts with a hard hitting and tension building theme, and finally ends with the quick paced and dark composition to the final battle. It's full of organs, horns and harpsichord, bringing with it the feeling of the dark forces and other realm settings. Creepy and engrossing, the best castlevania soundtrack ever.

#2 Secret of Mana - From the moment the solemn piano of 'Fear of Heavens' opens the game, you know you are in for a treat in terms of musical excellence. The theme and mood of the game is captured wonderfully with the consistent variety and depth of the tracks, all underpinning the scenes and lands in which you are placed. The minimalistic Pure Land theme sends chills down your spine, the battle music is rampant and exciting, and the final techno-madness of the Dark Lich is stressful and scary. Every piece is vital to the game to enhance the experience, and nothing is out of place. Masterful.

The Mariana Trench diver uncovered some weird surprises

#1 Rez - Few games have such an importance and high priority for the music Rez has; it has it be first class due to the very nature of the 'Synesthesia' gameplay that makes Rez the unique title it is. If the tunes were no good, the game would be awful. However, the music contained is utterly marvellous, cleverly implemented and brings a presence and creativeness out of the player. The outlines of each level BGM flows as the player's actions manipulate the effects, riffs, and beats as they progress. It's very intelligent stuff, making the music fundamental to the game. Due to this originality and relevance to the play, this is my top pick, as it's not merely music, but a key part of the game-playing experience.


With a final crash of the cymbals, that brings the curtain down on another top 10 list. What has been your favourite BGM in video games? Are you a fan of the 8-bit classic or the orchestral masterpieces of the RPG genre? Music in games is often overlooked, but like my number 1 pick demonstrates can be vital to the success of the game. Big one tomorrow, I list my all time top games, ever! N - Novabug's Desert Island Games if you please!

Bug...'Out!