Inagural Post + Start of New Series

Hello everybody, and welcome to my shiny new blog!

For those of you who already know me and my writing, thank you for following me here!  I feel like a blog like this will be a much better vehicle for expressing my ideas rather than having to wrestle with the formatting issues of Facebook, and I will have access to a larger potential audience.  I've been in a bit of a slump creatively lately, but my last post reinvigorated my mind and soul for videogame writing (Though I apologize that it didn't flow very well). To that end, I would  like to try to write something at least once a week, maybe more so I don't lose my edge.  I enjoy different opinions and enjoy an audience, so if you enjoy what I write for some reason I encourage you to share it! :)

For those of you I don't know who arrived here due to sharing, word of mouth, or pure serendipity - Welcome!  I like to keep things relatively low key and try not to take myself too seriously.

The primary focus of this blog is articles on Video Game History, Video Game Analysis, Video Game Reviews, Video Game Culture and any other random things having to do with Video Games, but I may once and a while post articles on a different topic such as Music, Movies, Anime, Food or Travel.

So, without further ado, let's get started!

I really don't want to start out with anything too dense or heavy, so let's go with a staple of light video game writing - Top X Lists!

Ah yes, the Top X List.  Easy to write, easy to read, so everyone wins!  I've encountered several lackluster "Top Ten X" lists in my life, so I'm going to strive to make mine high(ish) quality with attention to detail.

A few ground rules:

• Every game on the list is one that own and am familiar with.  Nothing annoys me more than lists including games the author obviously hasn't played.  If your favorite game isn't on the list, it's possible I haven't played it, and I encourage you to recommend it to me!  I'm always looking to expand my video game horizons.
• Every list will include a concrete description of the genre or category I am making a list about.
• Limit one game per series per list.  This will prevent things like "Top 10 2D Platformers" from becoming "Top 10 2D Mario Games."
• Every list is my personal opinion, and it may differ from yours.  This is not meant to be an end all list pertaining to the quality of all games in a genre, nor do I feel myself qualified to make such a judgement.

Alright, with that out the way, on to the list!

So, those of you who know me are probably reacting with surprise right now.  I am in no way, shape or form a racing game aficionado, but I can certainly appreciate them.  That being said, this causes me to judge the merit of a racing game based more on fun factor as opposed to technical merit, but I feel like it will still make a good list.  Plus, I wanted to say I wanted to keep this first entry light; entries within my specialties like my top RPGs or top Fighting Games will probably be the length of a short novel.

Anyway, to qualify for this list, a game must fit into the following criteria:

1. The Primary Gameplay Goal is to cross a finish line or other predetermined point before the other participants.  Note that doing this is some games reward you with objects to advance the plot, making collecting these items the Primary Goal, but the Primary Gameplay Goal needed to collect these objects remains the above listed.  Secondary goals, such as gaining points, collecting objects, etc. are not mandatory but do not disqualify a game from this list.
2. The game must contain multiple closed courses.
3. The game must have some kind of multiplayer component.  While single player racing games do exist, they are much more of a niche genre and may be interesting for a future list.

So I mentioned above that I am not a racing game aficionado.  It is curious then that number five on my list is the latest entry in the quintessential racing aficionado series.  Such is the power of Forza.

A racing game that accompanied the release of Microsoft's Xbox One, Forza 5 prides itself in being arguably the premier realistic racing simulation game at the time of writing.  It's only real competition in the field is Gran Turismo, though that series seems to be petering off as of late.  Out of box, the game boasts 200 cars from 50 different manufacturers, as well as the digital realization of 14 real life international courses to race them on.

Yeah, that's a screenshot

Turn 10 Studio's attention and dedication to detail is as exquisite as it is mind boggling; every single vehicle and track is lovingly rendered to a point  that it can only adequately be described as "car porn."  I never really got the obsession that some guys have with cars, but I will admit that some of the montages in Forza 5 game me a tingly sensation.  The game also has numerous car customization options; allowing you to micromanage separate parts inside and outside your vehicle or create works of art to adorn your car with.

Doing it right

One thing I personally appreciate about Forza 5 is the fact that it caters to players of all skill levels.  I am terrible at simulation racing games, so I appreciated the option to rewind and correct my (numerous) mistakes, as well as the numerous options to facilitate driving such as suggested lines to follow and the game automatically slowing me down if it sensed I was going to fast approaching a curve.  Of course, if you're hardcore all of these handicaps can be switched off for extra rewards, as well as the satisfaction of knowing you are superior to plebeians like myself.


Another system of note unique to Forza 5 is the "Drivatar" system.  An amalgamation (nailed it) of Driver and Avatar, the game studies the way you drive and creates an AI racer based on your tendencies.  You can sort of think of it as an always active time trial ghost.  This fosters an interesting competitive online element, as people on your friend list automatically have their Drivatars added to your races, allowing you to compete with them in a more indirect way.

Of course, there is one issue I have with the game; it is number five after all.  While the courses are gorgeously rendered, there just doesn't seem to be a lot of variety to me.  Part of this I'm sure is due to the fact that I am not familiar with the real life courses, nor am I a fan of professional racing, but it's my opinion.

How you can play this : Sadly, the price of entry is kind steep at the moment as it is an Xbox One exclusive.  If you have an Xbox One and don't have it for some reason I urge you to purchase it.  If you don't and can't afford it, just come visit me :p.

Okay, I'll admit my bias here.  Cruis'n USA was the first racing game I really got into, and I have fond memories of driving through the desert, redwood forests, and other various locales in both the arcade and sitting on my butt at home.  Of course, I have less fond memories of that damn blue car, I set a curse upon him and his house.

In my mind (and I'm sure in the mind of many others in my generation), Cruis'n USA really codified the simulation racing genre.  Developers finally had the power to create fully 3D environments and car models, and Cruis'n USA brought that effort into the mainstream.  Featuring high energy racing, unique courses and a high degree of scantily clad individuals, the game was a powerhouse of the mid nineties.

In retrospect, the fact this didn't really titillate me was probably my first clue

Like many racing games of the era, Cruis'n USA also utilized a system known as "Rubber Band AI."  Meaning, if you got too far behind the  other cars would slow down to allow you a chance, but if you got too far ahead the cars would magically become faster to try to catch you.  As infuriating as it could be, it did add a good degree of challenge, and the controls were precise enough (by the days standards at least) that the game rarely felt unfair.

One of Cruis'n USA's best strengths lies in it's course variety.  Even today I can picture some of the courses - that's major impression power.  Of course, it had the benefit of using recognizable locations is the US, such as San Francisco.

I mean, you get to drive through a tree!  How cool  is that?

One of my fondest childhood memories is playing Cruis'n USA at Owen's Center Skating Rink in Peoria while waiting for my sister to finish her figure skating (I took lessons too, so sue me).  The other kids and myself would compete with each other for better times, and our minds were absolutely blown when we figured out how to access the secret cars like the police cruiser.

How you can play this: Cruis'n USA is available as both a relatively cheap N64 game as well as on the Wii's Virtual Console.  If the arcade experience is more your style, they have a full body arcade machine at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Bolingbrook, IL, though it is a little small.

Yes, another N64 game, though a significantly more obscure one.  Snowboard Kids 2 is the second installment in the Snowboard Kids franchise, and would be followed by the good but not great SBK for DS.  Definitely the most unique racing game on this list, Snowboard Kids is exactly what it says on the tin - Snowboarding Kids, albeit with monsters and demons and the like.  While the tone and general mechanics are similar in both games, Snowboard Kids 2 is significantly more refined than it's predecessor.

Snowboard Kids 2 plays quite a bit like a typical racing game - you start at the beginning of a course and strive to be the first to reach the bottom, but there are a couple of ripples.  The most notable is the ability to perform tricks to earn coins that go towards improving a character's board.  Similar to many "Mascot Racers," there are items picked up on the course via tiny presents that can help you or hinder your opponents, but in this game you can actually use well timed tricks to deflect malicious items.  This makes the game feel much more fair and can result in many epic and heated multiplayer matches.

This game absolutely oozes with personality.  Every character is developed and likable, if in a very cartoonish way.  Most of this development takes place in the Story Mode, which chronicles the rivalry between the Snowboard Kids and the Evil(?) Damien.  The story is, of course, lighthearted and often indulges in humor, so it's perfect for me. :p

In terms of courses, there is a lot of variety and imagination at work here.  In fact, the game seems to revel in taking you out of environments you would expect to snowboard in.  One level takes you to a tropical island, while another shrinks you down to microscopic size.

And, of course, SPAAAACE

How you can play this:  Sadly, as is the fate of many obscure good games, Snowboard Kids 2 is kind  of uncommon.  The going price on Amazon seems to  be ~$35 at the moment, but if you want a CIB you'll probably have to  pay more.

And another N64 game.  At the time of it's release, Diddy Kong Racing was somewhat maligned as a "follow the leader" during the time when Mascot Racing games were all the rage.  Thankfully, it proved us wrong with a host of innovations for the genre, a veritable trove of secrets to uncover, and some of the tightest gameplay available.

The first and most apparent innovation are the various vehicle types available.  In addition to the  standard go kart, you also had access to a high flying plane and an incredibly awkward hovercraft.  This adds a significant amount of variety to gameplay, as your approach to any given course can change dramatically depending on what vehicle you are piloting.

Said vehicles are bestowed unto you by a stereotypically Indian elephant genie...  Yup...

The game also had a story mode featuring a hub world design that was incredibly unique for a racer at the time.  Essentially, the player has a map they are free to drive/fly/hovercraft around in, and it's up to the player to find the entrance to the various courses.  Winning courses awards the player with Golden Balloons, which they use to access subsequent courses, in a somewhat similar fashion to Mario 64's progression system.

Of course, the game also featured attack and support items as expected of it's game type, but it added an extra twist to this system.  Which item you would pick up was designated by different colored boxes, and picking up boxes of the same type in a row would power up your weapon.  For example, a red box gets you a standard missile, running into another red box upgrades it to a homing missile, and collecting a third red box upgrades it to ten standard missiles that you can rapid fire.

In addition to the racing, there are also several party type minigames available to play with friends, perhaps the most infamous being the dragon eggs minigame.

Much like Snowboard Kids, Diddy Kong Racing has personality in spades.  Even though there isn't a tremendous amount of lore on the game's universe, there are still die hard fans of Timber the Tiger, Tiptup the Turtle...  I didn't even have to look up their names!  The courses are colorful, varied and imaginative, and Whizpig makes a wonderful bad guy.

Also, he races you on a rocket...  IN SPAAAACE!

As a testament to how well the gameplay holds up, Diddy Kong Racing is a very popular Speedrunning game.  If you're looking for a racing game speedrun, I would highly recommend googling Toufool's runs, as they are very entertaining to watch.

How you can play this: Diddy Kong Racing is available as both an N64 cartridge as well as on the Wii's Virtual Console.  The game was also remastered for the DS, but that version is a bit maligned.

So yeah, I apologize for all these N64 games, but I didn't put a limit on systems and it's my list, so there!  Really though, I can't think of any of game that could possibly deserve the number one spot.  This game basically spawned the subgenre of "Mascot Racer" (while the original was obviously one, it didn't really explode until 64 released) and is fondly remembered by gamers everywhere who were fortunate enough to grow up in the 90s.

The controls are really just about perfect, and take full advantage of the N64's...  Unusually designed controller.  The game is designed so well that it gives you an unmistakable sense of speed, yet you never feel out of control, and every mistake you make is clearly your fault.

Personality wise, the game is populated by characters we all know and love, so it doesn't have to work very hard to grab our attention.  The levels are all incredibly creative, well designed, and based off of properties just about every gamer is familiar with.  Who can forget the first time they played Rainbow Road, or the first time they drove off Royal Raceway to find the complete Mario 64 Castle?

It is said that there are only two games that can irreparably destroy a friendship - Mario Party and Mario Kart 64.  It's kind of interesting that what many people find most endearing about Mario Kart 64 is something most gamers would hate normally - the game is just about as much about luck as it is about skill.  You could be in last place, but get a star, a super mushroom or (dare I speak it's name) the dreaded blue spiny shell and you've won yourself a potential ticket to first place.  Nintendo obviously realized this, as this is kind of the basis of Mario Party and is definitely present in future Mario Kart titles (though I would argue they swayed way too far in the luck direction in recent installments), but the balance that is present here is so remarkably perfect that I doubt we'll see another game strike that perfect balance in a very long time.

Destroyer of Worlds, Devourer of Dreams

In addition to races, the game also features an addictive battle mode that drops you into brilliantly designed multiplayer courses.  As a child I enjoyed experimenting in these courses almost as I enjoyed playing against others.  One of my favorite pastimes was 'confusing'  red shells - that is, going to double decker and shooting a bunch of red shells into the lower level.  The auto target system would try to seek out a racer, but it wasn't sophisticated enough to deal with multiple levels, causing them to fly around randomly or in circular patterns.

As far as production values, the games visuals have aged with surprising grace, and the audio, while definitely not orchestral quality, still remain catchy and recognizable.

How you can play it:  Mario Kart 64 is available as both an N64 cartridge as well as on the Wii's Virtual Console.

So that's it, there's my list...  I hope you found this post entertaining and informative.  Do you agree?  Disagree?  Have any games you would recommend to me?  Let me know in the comments below!