Sid Meier’s Civilization V: The Complete Edition
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
From the Publishers: A Quick History of Video Games
Introduction
Chris Watters
Author
As you read through this book, odds are you will reach a moment when you wonder, “Why isn’t such-and-such game in here?!” Though I’ve made this list full to the bursting with some of the best games ever made, I had to impose some limitations, as much for the sake of the book as for my own sanity.
The most notable of these boundaries is the online realm. I’ve spent countless hours relishing the triumphs and tribulations of online multiplayer play, but such experiences are, by their very nature, fleeting. Though titans like World of Warcraft and Counter-Strike continue to draw crowds more than a decade on from their original releases, there are hundreds of other online worlds and arenas whose time has come and gone. If online multiplayer is the primary mode in which a game excels, I’ve left it out of the book in the interest of creating a list that will stand the test of time. Or at least, hold out a bit longer.
In addition to doing what future-proofing I can, I’ve endeavored to cast the net wide to encompass a broad range of gaming experiences. Some are exactly as you imagine them, while others might not be what you’d expect. I encourage you to give them all a try, because in each there is a spark capable of igniting a passion for the deeply creative, wonderfully diverse, and downright awesome world of video games.
Oh, and one more thing. Paring down the list was hard enough; ordering it was impossible. The games are arranged randomly, with the exception of Spelunky, which I put first because it is my favorite (Being the author has its perks, after all).
If you’d like to talk about game you found in here, ask me politely about a game you didn’t, or generally chat about all things video games, you can reach me on Twitter at @CTWatters. Now get busy reading, or get busy playing. Preferably both.
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* Loading bar indicator for organizational purposes only. Games are not ranked in order. Rank them yourself on the My Bucket List page at the end of the book, if you DARE!
Spelunky
PC, X360, PS3, VITA, PS4
First Released Jul 4, 2012
When you first venture into the caverns of Spelunky, you may smile at the first snake that sedately slithers towards you, waiting to be dispatched with your trusty whip. You may puff up with confidence the first time you use a bomb to blast yourself a handy shortcut. “I’m a regular Indiana Jones,” you might think to yourself, “I got this.” This two-dimensional platformer can seem welcoming with its cartoonish characters and lighthearted vibe, but you’ll soon learn the truth. A snake isn’t so sedate when it’s hiding a jar to ambush you, and a bomb can kill you as easily as help you. Runaway boulders move a lot faster in Spelunky than in the movies, and you most definitely do not “got this.”
You will die. A lot. Sometimes you’ll laugh at your misfortune, other times you will rage. You may survive for minutes upon minutes, or you may die in a matter of seconds. Spikes, arrow traps, exploding frogs, carnivorous plants, lava people, yetis, vampires, crocodile men, and more all wait to claim your life, and claim it they shall. Over and over and over again.
But with each death, you learn. The levels change when you die and you begin each attempt with the same starter kit of items, so you have a clean slate and new caverns to face with each new life. The only difference between your 1st playthrough and your 401st playthrough is the knowledge and skill you have earned. You come to realize that your tens, hundreds, thousands of deaths have not been separate attempts,