The 25 Games You Need to Finish Before You Die

The apocalypse is nigh. Or maybe it's not. Who knows. Either way, you're going to want to finish these games before the Grim Reaper taps you on the shoulder.
6/25/2009 7:35 AM | 51 Comments | Page 1 of 3

Scott Jones
Scott Jones
Status: Coffee makes me feel 4-percent sexier.
Death.

It's inevitable. One day -- and let's hope it's not today, because we totally did not make our beds or even shower this morning -- we will all have to go "into the light." You can't escape it, unlike Dick Clark or those crafty kids in "Final Destination." (What a movie!)

But before you go into the great beyond, instead of visiting the pyramids or making peace with your alcoholic father, make certain that you've guided these 25 games through to their final credits. [Crispy Gamer Pro Tip: Print out this list, tack it to your fridge, and cross out the games as you work through them.]

If you don't finish these 25 games, don't come crying to us when you're on your deathbed, and all your people are singing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and you have this strange sense of unfinished business. You won't be able to come crying to us anyway. Because you will be on your deathbed. And even if you could come crying to us, all we would say is: "We told you so."

The 25 Games You Need to Finish Before You Die
25. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (Dreamcast/PlayStation/N64; 2000)

What you'll miss out on: Virtual skateboarders were free to explore huge, outdoor environments. (And unlock secrets, like the hidden pool in the "School II" level.) No interest in skateboarding? Shut up and play it anyway.


The 25 Games You Need to Finish Before You Die
24. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2; 2005)

What you'll miss out on: The story of a boy, his woefully short sword and his quest to save a very pale girl. Bringing down the game's big, sad giants is somehow satisfying and troubling at once.


The 25 Games You Need to Finish Before You Die
23. Resident Evil 4 (GameCube/Wii/PS2; 2005)

What you'll miss out on: The guy wielding a chainsaw with a burlap sack over his head. And he does not appear to be here to give you candy. Nothing, and we mean nothing, in Resident Evil 5 holds a candle to this moment.


The 25 Games You Need to Finish Before You Die
22. God of War (PS2; 2005)

What you'll miss out on: The best hydra battle of all time. It makes what King Kong did to that T-Rex in the original movie look like a game of patty cake.


The 25 Games You Need to Finish Before You Die
21. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PlayStation; 1997)

What you'll miss out on: Unlocking Dracula's second, more bizarre castle.


The 25 Games You Need to Finish Before You Die
20. Super Mario 64 (N64; 1996)

What you'll miss out on: Sliding/racing with a giant penguin in the "Snow Mountain" level; swimming with a gigantic sea monster; seeing coins float in three dimensions.


The 25 Games You Need to Finish Before You Die
19. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES; 1992)

What you'll miss out on: The story of a pudgy boy named Link, his woefully short sword and his quest to find a princess with the name of an exotic dancer (Zelda). Face it: This game is better than the windy, less-focused Ocarina of Time.


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Comments

  • KingArmery

    10/8/2009 6:54:32 PM

    I have this list on my fridge. Currently trying to beat Shadow of the Colossus.

    Reply »
  • girlgamer21
    girlgamer21

    9/18/2009 2:15:45 PM

    beyond good and evil was an amazing game i could play that game over and over again im still waiting for beyond good and evil two to come out.

    Reply »
  • CG-Prophet

    8/21/2009 11:51:18 AM

    @GusMastrapa:

    In Soviet Russia you don't finish Tetris, it finishes you.

    Reply »
  • GusMastrapa
    GusMastrapa

    8/21/2009 10:45:07 AM

    @WTF OBY CANT BR:

    How do you finish Tetris?

    Reply »
  • WTF OBY CANT BR
    WTF OBY CANT BR

    8/19/2009 7:22:51 AM

    WHERE IS TETRIS ATTACK ON THIS LIST?

    I'm sorry, you guys goofed on that one.

    Reply »
  • D_Luniz
    D_Luniz

    8/5/2009 12:05:34 AM

    good luck finding a copy of mike tyson's punchout
    the medical bills you leave will probly be less than what you'd pay for it off ebay

    Reply »
  • Waldschatten
    Waldschatten

    8/4/2009 7:27:47 AM

    FFVI was the best of the series. VII was the most overrated. I'm not saying VII was bad, it just didn't deserve anywhere near the amount of credit it received.

    Reply »
  • Crowquill Z
    Crowquill Z

    7/6/2009 2:52:07 PM

    A few missed gems:

    Psychonauts (XBOX,PS2,PC) - You'll want to play it to the end just to milk it for funny dialog. Also you'll play through a level as a 50-foot giant terrorizing a city of lungfish. Another level you fake out secret agents by grabbing some flowers and pretending to be a grieving widow. Another level looks like a blacklight-lit velvet painting. Every level is almost completely different.

    Einhänder (PS1)- Side-scrolling 3D shooter from Square. You start out invading the Earth. By the end you're deemed a traitor and your own forces are against you. Might need cheat device to finish it, though.

    Guardian Heroes (Saturn) - Side-scrolling beat-em-up with numerous branching paths which unfold a very complex story. Almost every enemy you meet is also playable in a 6-player free-for-all battle mode.

    Okami (PS2, Wii)- Not just a pretty face. The quest rivals that of Ocarina of Time.

    Tomba! (PS1)- Side-scrolling platform game made up almost entirely of little side-quests. From the creator of Ghosts N Goblins.

    I agree with most on the list that I've played. The only one I disagree with is Tony Hawk 2 and only because TH Underground is the pinnacle of the series for me. If you beat it twice the ending is even more satisfying.

    Reply »
  • johnteti
    johnteti

    6/29/2009 1:42:15 AM

    @Atman:

    <[zoom]=== <---- Joke




    O <---- You
    -|-
    / \

    Reply »
  • bkrohnin
    bkrohnin

    6/28/2009 7:44:34 PM

    hmmm i dunno about the zelda choice i've played link to the past and ocarina but personally my favorite zelda game is majora's mask. The whole three day thing was so cool and has suprisingly and disapointingly never been redone. I don't think any other zelda game has such an immersive, dramatic and dark storyline where every last chracter has a part to play.

    Reply »
  • Atman
    Atman

    6/28/2009 7:08:31 PM

    @johnteti:

    No. Wrong. FF8 Was a horrible game.

    Reply »
  • flechett3
    flechett3

    6/26/2009 1:46:32 PM

    @collman0: You're wrong about the doom picture as well. It is indeed from DooM, not DooM II. The picture is taken on E2M1 "DEIMOS ANOMALY."

    Reply »
  • CG-Prophet

    6/26/2009 9:49:04 AM

    You know what's great about a list like this - everyone has their own interpretation of what should be in there. For example that Tony Hawk game - not in my list. I don't care about it.

    But MOO, MOM, X-Com, Shadowgate, LSL 1, Quest for Glory 1, Pool of Radiance, Ultima VI, Ultima VII, Final Fantasy Tactics are all games i'd want somewhere on my list.



    Reply »
  • JasonMcMaster

    6/26/2009 7:50:32 AM

    @johnteti:

    There's two things to know about Teti:

    1) Never get into a Final Fantasy argument with him.
    2) He's 437 years old and has walked the Earth with many different faces.

    Reply »
  • Aeon
    Aeon

    6/26/2009 6:17:22 AM

    @collman0:

    I think not, sir. Clearly the Bob's Iguana Bits Stand shown in the picture must be the Bob's Iguana Bits Stand from Fallout 1. Sheriff Justin Green being "seen" must be the Sheriff Justin Green from Fallout 1. Also, long-haired, black leather jacket, blue jeans, Ian looking character must be the one and only Ian from Fallout 1.

    Seeing as you were wrong about the Fallout picture, I think it's safe to assume that the Doom picture used is correct as well. Because I'll admit I haven't devoted too much time to Doom 1 or 2.

    Oops. Double Post.

    Reply »
  • Aeon
    Aeon

    6/26/2009 6:10:37 AM

    @collman0:

    Reply »
  • collman0
    collman0

    6/26/2009 4:41:03 AM

    just fyi, the pics used for Doom and Fallout were actually used from Doom 2 and Fallout 2

    Reply »
  • Nintendo_Girl
    Nintendo_Girl

    6/26/2009 2:23:06 AM

    Seriously.......wtf, #20 should have been in the top 5 >=[

    Reply »
  • CG-Prophet

    6/26/2009 2:21:47 AM

    @johnteti:

    Final Fantasy Mystic Quest for the SNES FTW.

    @RyanKuo:
    Yeah that is the extent of depth you get from an action game from that era.

    Reply »
  • johnteti
    johnteti

    6/26/2009 1:45:32 AM

    @CG-Gabe:

    I actually thought FF8 was the best FF7. It had that little something extra.

    Reply »
  • spikeflail
    spikeflail

    6/26/2009 12:16:25 AM

    @gigamosh57:

    Sephiroth = the best baddie in the history of gaming

    Really? Kefka accomplished his goal, Spehiroth didn't.

    Reply »
  • CG-Gabe

    6/26/2009 12:02:15 AM

    @ScythedBlade:

    I was just looking up tautology, and honest to god, it gave as an example, "Because FF7 was the best FF7 ..."

    Reply »
  • ScythedBlade
    ScythedBlade

    6/25/2009 11:49:02 PM

    FF7 > FF6

    Sadly, there's a reason why FF7 was given the Anthology =). Because FF7 was the best FF7 ...

    I won't bother defending my opinions because:
    Thousands of gamers and polls can't be wrong ... =/

    Reply »
  • johnteti
    johnteti

    6/25/2009 11:05:41 PM

    @gigamosh57:

    FF6: Huge parties, Sigfried, the opera house, Nobuo Uematsu's finest score by far, playable Moogle, side quests galore, story that makes sense, high point of 16-bit sprite design, hugely diverse battle techniques, mid-point character death you can actually prevent (Shadow), deranged Kefka exposes Sephiroth as the one-note Hot Topic-shopping ball of emo that he is.

    Surely there can be no further debate. And thus, the FF7 vs. FF6 debate is finally settled by all objective measures. Millions of angry, emoticon-laden message boards have culminated in this glorious moment. Great job, everybody, that's a wrap. And congratulations to FF6; the best game truly did win.

    Reply »
  • cancerbombs
    cancerbombs

    6/25/2009 10:47:05 PM

    @gigamosh57:
    FF6 does all of that but does it BETTER. FF6 has chocobos, many characters have shocking and touching scenes akin to aries' untimely demise, and impending apocalypse? you PLAY THROUGH the apocalypse in six. And anyone who says that Sephiroth > Kefka either hasn't played FF6 or was an adolescent, impressionable girl when the first game came out.

    Reply »
  • gigamosh57
    gigamosh57

    6/25/2009 9:32:42 PM

    Yeah, I'll get you started... FF7 > FF6.

    Chocobos, Weapons, the Midgard Cannon, Sephiroth = the best baddie in the history of gaming, worldwide revolution, impending apocalypse, Tifa, what happens to Aerith, countless minigames...

    do I really need to say any more?

    Reply »
  • RyanKuo

    6/25/2009 6:28:53 PM

    @CG-Prophet:

    Man goes to Mars, man meets Cyberdemon, gamer falls in love?

    Reply »
  • CG-Prophet

    6/25/2009 6:19:35 PM

    @RyanKuo:

    I agree on Quake. You write your own story in Quake, like most early action games, with buckets of blood and gibs. Doom doesn't have a story either but it's awesome, as is Serious Sam.

    Reply »
  • RyanKuo

    6/25/2009 5:41:46 PM

    @jerjer:

    Ikaruga is a special one, though I'm terrible at it. What are your other favs?

    Reply »
  • jerjer
    jerjer

    6/25/2009 5:36:10 PM

    I don't enjoy games with gratuitous violence. I don't regret not trying mafia or riddick. From God of War, I only played a demo which included that hydra fight, so no regrets.

    I share the comments about adventure games, to which I owe some of my greatest gaming moments. I feel sorry for all who have missed the Last Express, for instance.

    Shooters (shoot'em up) wrote an important part of gaming history. the post-modern ones (after the hype has passed, like radiant silvergun or ikaruga) had enough subtlety to be intensely gratifying.

    and then of course there is Rez.

    Reply »
  • Mr_Adam
    Mr_Adam

    6/25/2009 5:28:37 PM

    Looks like I'm actually going to have to buy Bioshock. I've been on the fence for about a year.

    Reply »
  • LudaChristian
    LudaChristian

    6/25/2009 4:58:16 PM

    The Splinter Cell franchise is pretty gangster, IMO. Great bodily control of your character in this series, too, which you don't find in most 3rd-person action games.

    Reply »
  • CaptainHomeless

    6/25/2009 4:54:19 PM

    @JasonMcMaster:

    I didn't say I agreed with all of the choices here. :)

    Reply »
  • RyanKuo

    6/25/2009 4:44:02 PM

    @JasonMcMaster:

    You could make up some kind of story for Quake, too. It's actually hard to think about games that have no narrative aspect whatsoever. Maybe something like Tetris....

    Reply »
  • JasonMcMaster

    6/25/2009 4:20:11 PM

    @GusMastrapa:

    Certainly more than Quake, point taken.

    Reply »
  • GusMastrapa
    GusMastrapa

    6/25/2009 3:49:04 PM

    @JasonMcMaster:

    Princess lost. Princess found, but wait she's in another castle. Princess found but Bowser in the way. Bowser defeated. Mario reunited with princess.

    Textbook dramatic structure.

    Reply »
  • JasonMcMaster

    6/25/2009 3:46:19 PM

    @CaptainHomeless:

    Sure, but where's the story in Super Mario Bros?

    Reply »
  • CaptainHomeless

    6/25/2009 3:37:43 PM

    @CaptainHomeless:

    BTW - I've beaten ten of these games and seen Ico played to completion. Woo. I've never owned a Sony console, so that hurt me some.

    Reply »
  • CaptainHomeless

    6/25/2009 3:37:08 PM

    @Foe_Monkey:

    But Quake had virtually zero storyline and one of the most notoriously crappy endings ever. Top 25 Games You Should Have PLAYED? Sure. Top 25 Games You Need to Finish? Nah.

    Reply »
  • Galigus
    Galigus

    6/25/2009 3:34:55 PM

    @Foe_Monkey:
    I'll pass most of those games were for PS - being a pc gamer I missed out on a lot of those I only regret not playing Shadow of the Colossus.

    Reply »
  • Galigus
    Galigus

    6/25/2009 3:34:00 PM

    @Foe_Monkey:

    Reply »
  • Foe_Monkey
    Foe_Monkey

    6/25/2009 3:23:53 PM

    I know it is easy to poke holes in a list, but what about QUAKE? That game changed everything.

    Reply »
  • abcadaba
    abcadaba

    6/25/2009 3:19:56 PM

    Great list of games. I have actually finished most of these (except for the older games, because my hand eye coordination was too poor when I played them [i.e. Punch-Out]). However I think that GTA 3 should be changed to GTA San Andreas (Best of the series IMO).

    Reply »
  • CG-Prophet

    6/25/2009 2:49:05 PM

    @CG-Gabe:

    yes.

    I loved Quest for Glory, LSL, Goblins, Shadowgate.
    BTW Shadowgate for the NES should be on this list.

    Reply »
  • CG-Gabe

    6/25/2009 2:35:44 PM

    @CG-Prophet:

    Are you racist against adventure games?

    Reply »
  • dr_anomaly

    6/25/2009 2:24:36 PM

    Fantastic list Crispy People, I better get cracking.

    Reply »
  • Shimarenda
    Shimarenda

    6/25/2009 1:32:14 PM

    Is Bioshock available with the executable on the disc yet?

    Reply »
  • CG-Prophet

    6/25/2009 12:58:40 PM

    @CG-Gabe:

    Yeah, the entire discussion here is probably going to devolve into that kind of thinking.

    This is a great list of games though.

    Reply »
  • DavidThomas

    6/25/2009 12:34:36 PM

    I think you should add The Sims, then sit back and watch people as they try to finish it.

    Come to think of it, maybe that's how you cheat death:

    "Waitaminute Mr. Death Guy!" I haven't finished The Sims yet!"

    Reply »
  • RyanKuo

    6/25/2009 12:19:19 PM

    @CG-Gabe:

    Those were the only games I ever finished......

    Reply »
  • CG-Gabe

    6/25/2009 12:14:25 PM

    This list reminds me that I miss when adventure games didn't suck. No Monkey Island? No early Gabriel Night?

    Reply »

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The Games That Time Forgot

The Games That Time Forgot


The games we're pulling together in this feature won't appear on any of those best-of lists and get confused looks when you mention them in conversation. Just because time has forgotten these titles, though, doesn't mean you should forget them, too.

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