NN ORIGINAL: My top 5 games of all time!

Today was pretty busy for me getting ready for my last year of school to start...possibly ever. Anyways, these next couple days are for moving in and classes start Wednesday so there might not be too many posts this week as I get settled in. But once I get in a groove I'll post more frequently. Since I didn't post much news today I figured I'd put up something that tells you a little more about me.

A pretty common question among the nerd community is, "What are your 5 favorite games of all time." For me the list is constantly changing, sometimes day by day, but I love hearing other peoples' lists and it's always nice to find some common ground in this list that we all hold so dearly. So, without further ado, my top 5 video games of all time are:

5. Super Mario Bros. 3: Do I even have to justify this game being in my top 5? From incredible level design to awesome secrets that we learned along the way, there is almost nothing in Super Mario Bros. 3 that I dislike. Who among us didn't squeal with adolescent excitement when we fired up the Tanooki Suit for the first time! Who cares that it makes no sense because Raccoons don't fly? It was freaking awesome! And when you didn't use the flutes to blast through the game in like 3 worlds total, there was so much to enjoy. I remember it being one of the first games that kept me deeply engrossed for a very, very long time. Always fond memories when I revisit this game.

4. Metroid Prime: Now I'm a little young to have truly enjoyed the original Metroid so this was the first game featuring Samus Aran that really grasped my attention. Wow, did it earn it too. From the first level spent sprinting out of the self destructing ship, that little Gamecube pumped out all the graphics it could muster to present us with this gorgeous environment we got to explore in Prime. How pumped were you each time you got to upgrade your suit or find a hidden upgrade to your missiles or health? Beating the game without a guide is still one of my best moments in gaming. Not only is the final boss fight incredibly intense and awesome, using all the tools you got throughout the game to take him out, but the battle with Meta Ridley beforehand is considered by some to be the best boss fight in video game history. Can you argue that? Blasting into the earth trying to keep your composure as Ridley bore down on top of you made us all feel like the biggest badasses in the world. And that shot at the end of the game, when Samus removes her helmet, standing atop her ship as the planet catches fire before her...chills. And a nice reminder that this incredible hero we've been playing as is a girl...so so awesome.

3. Bioshock: Remember how you felt that first time you saw Rapture? That underwater voyage as you listened to the propaganda from Andrew Ryan. A utopia beneath the waves where scientists are not bound by these morals of the weak minded, where a man can become whatever he wants by the sweat of his brow. A society that would be allowed to flourish deep in the depths of the ocean. Then you step out into the aftermath of this madman's dream...chaos. Sent headfirst into an intricate world ripe with secrets to be discovered and evil to be defeated. A guide who you don't know whether or not to trust and a constant choice of whether or not to save these creepy little girls that posses the power that runs Rapture. The story sweeps us into this gorgeous world full of both wonder and horror and at the end I was honestly left speechless. Are you pumped for Bioshock: Infinite? You should be.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: I completed this game on my 3DS a couple of nights ago and it was a nice reminder that it truly is one of the greatest games of all time. The first game of it's scope, Ocarina of Time opened our eyes to the awesome potential that these three-dimensional games possessed. Although the classic story of a princess that needed saving, Ocarina took us to gorgeous, complex, challenging and truly awesome places. Try playing through the Water Temple without using a guide and be reminded that it remains, to this day, one of the most challenging games that has ever been made. I will not hesitate to admit that I refer to the guide on several occasions; but that doesn't take away from my experience in the slightest. Do you remember the first time you defeated Ganondorf, felt the awesome relief of having beaten one of the most complicated games you've ever played, been annoyed that now you had to escape the falling tower, then been left in shock as Ganon rose from the ashes and knocked the Master Sword out of your hand? An incredible game that showed us the epicness that could be achieved from games, it's ALMOST my favorite game of all time.

1. Pokemon Blue Version: Go ahead, judge me if you want. No other game have I returned to as many times or found as much enjoyment as when playing Pokemon Blue. I remember when it first came out and I was 6 years old. I had that old, original Gameboy, you know the massive grey one with no light. Well this was the first game that made me defy my parents by staying up past my bedtime. Trusty flashlight propped on my shoulder, head buried beneath my covers, I fell in love with this world inhabited by these strange little creatures called Pokemon. 15 years and several new versions later, (some great and some just so-so) I still find myself returning to that original Blue version more than any other game. I don't know why, perhaps it's pure nostalgia, but I know there are a good number of us who believe no Pokemon have ever been as great as those original 150. I'll never forget those late nights hiding under my covers and letting myself be swept away by the awesomeness of Pokemon. It's my favorite video game of all time :)

What are yours?