#56 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Game: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
System: Nintendo Gamecube
Genre: Adventure



Yep: the sailing is too long and boring, the Tingle quest near the end is annoying and it does feel like there are a few dungeons missing (Greatfish Island anyone?) but this is still as charming and clever as any other Zelda game. The dull sailing is counterbalanced by the excitement of finding a new island and some of the dungeons and bosses (including the ending) are ingenious. It's also the best looking of all the Zelda games, I've never understood why people keep wanting realistic-looking games when they could have games that look like this.

#57 - Donkey Kong 64

Game: Donkey Kong 64
System: Nintendo 64
Genre: Platformer



There is an awful lot of collecting in this game, each of the 5 Kongs has their own colour items for everything and there is an awful lot of each to find so I think it sets some kind of obsessive collecting record and I suspect I wouldn't like it half as much if I went back and played it today. At the time though, I absolutely loved it, playing as Donkey and Diddy in 3D was amazing to me and it is a fun game with some well-designed levels. I love the addition of Lanky Kong but don't understand why Dixie and Kiddy had to be replaced by Tiny and Chunky (Chunky is ok but Tiny? Ugh). I also really liked the DK rap and was surprised to find out that most people didn't. No sense of humour...

#58 - Okami

Game: Okami
System: Playstation 2
Genre: Adventure



Okami is just about the closest I've seen a videogame come to art, every screenshot looks like a painting thanks to the overlayed "parchment" effect (removed on Wii for some reason) and the animation is poetry in motion. I especially love the effect of the flowers that spring up behind Amateratsu with every step she takes and the design of the other animal gods. It's also a very good adventure game with plenty to see and do and some really great side-quests (in particular feeding the animals comes to mind).

#59 - Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Game: Mario Kart Double Dash!!
System: Nintendo Gamecube
Genre: Racing



I really liked the double character idea from this, and the expanded character roster that came with it, regardless of what anyone else thought. I also especially liked the return to character specific items. The real reason I have fond memories of this though is because it was released while I was in college which meant it ended up getting played at Gamessoc a lot which was great fun, even when a certain someone still won after giving us all a lap headstart and playing with his feet...

#60 - Grand Theft Auto 3

Game: Grand Theft Auto 3
System: Playstion 2
Genre: Action



I've completely gone off GTA now but back when I first played this I thought it was great. It seemed so realistic and going on a killing spree, crashing your car or getting a 6 star wanted level were still novelties. It was even fun just to sit and listen to some of the radio stations. GTA3 was my favourite but I'd almost include Vice City and San Andreas with this because they were also pretty good (though San Andreas may have been a bit too big for it's own good).

#61 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Game: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
System: Nintendo Wii
Genre: Adventure



Maybe part of why I liked Twilight Princess so much was because it was my first Wii game so I got a huge kick out of using the Nunchuk and Wiimote but it is also a very good game. Midna is a brilliantly cheeky sidekick, playing as Wolf Link is pretty cool and the Lord of the Ringsy graphics make a refreshing change from the (equally) great graphics of Wind Waker. The dungeons are very clever, highlights being Snowpoint Temple for being designed as a mansion gone bad, the Temple of Time with the clever statue puzzle and the Stallord boss from the Arbiter's Grounds fought entirely using the brilliant new Spinner item.

#62 - Shadow of the Colossus

Game: Shadow of the Colossus
System: Playstation 2
Genre: Action



Words like "breathtaking", "jawdropping", "incredible" and "stunning" are often bandied about without really meaning anything but their use to describe Shadow of the Colossus is totally justified. The "David vs Goliath" battles with the 16 massive Colossi are some of the most exciting moments I've ever had in my game-playing life. It also manages to be quite an emotional and morally troubling game despite the almost complete lack of dialogue. I definitely need to replay this now that I have a bigger tv.