Socks The Cat Rocks The Hill (1992 Super Nintendo)
Socks, the pet cat of President Bill Clinton, must get to the Oval Office to warn the president about a stolen nuclear bomb. To do that, he must defeat villains including Russian spies, the press corps, and former presidents Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush.

Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball (1991 Super Nintendo)
Basketball is supposed to be a non-contact sport. Not the way Laimbeer played it. As a Detroit Piston in the 1980s, he was well-known for frequent flagrant fouls and starting fights on the court. His notoriety led to this futuristic basketball game in which players punch, kick, push, and throw bombs at each other.

Michael Jackson’s Moon Walker (1990 Sega Genesis)
A drug dealer named Mr. Big has kidnapped some children and takes them to the Moon, where he plans to use a laser cannon to destroy the Earth. As Michael Jackson, you have to defeat Mr. Big and his cronies by using dance moves that shoot “magic rays.”

Toilet Kids (1992 Turbo Graphics 16)
A little kid gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and is sucked through the toilet into another dimension populated by creatures who look like bathroom fixtures. The Toilet Kid must then battle with tough toilet bodyguards and an evil giant urinal.

Parappa The Rapper (1996 Playstation)
PaRappa the Rapper was something of a sensation, mainly because it was so weird and nobody knew what the hell to make of it. Featuring the cartoons of artist Rodney Greenblat, PaRappa was a paper-thin rapping dog that went on a quest to learn more and more raps in order to impress a really hot flower named Sunny Funny. He hung out with other talking animals and learned raps from an onion with a black belt, a frog at the flea market and an Italian moose dictator named Mooselini. At one point, PaRappa had to out rap his mentors to see who got to use a truck stop bathroom first. It was bizarre as all get out, but had copious amounts of WTF! charm.

Face Training (2007 Nintendo DS)
Face Training is based on the principles of “facening,” or facial yoga, which aims to exercise the facial muscles to improve tone and therefore appearance. The game ships with a camera peripheral, which slots into slot two, and ends up on the right-hand side of the handheld because it is held in “book” view to play. The camera enables you to see your own face on the right-hand screen, alongside the instructions on the left.

Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure (1995 Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo)
Adventure as a caped hero who slings his own boogers to vanquish his foes. The hero of the game is a booger-tossing, noisily burping, fart-spewing man named Snotty Ragsdale. While he lives his normal life as an eccentric millionaire, his natural “in-stinks” come in handy when he dons the mask of the smelly hero Boogerman.

ToeJam and Earl (1991 Sega Genesis)
It centers on the titular ToeJam and Earl—extraterrestrials who have crash-landed on Earth—as they attempt to escape the planet. Players assume the role of either character and collect pieces of their wrecked spacecraft. ToeJam wears a large gold medallion and a backwards baseball cap, while Earl is marked by high-tops and oversized sunglasses; both outfits are “over-the-top appropriations” of 1990s urban culture.

Katamari Damacy (2004 Playstation 2)
The game’s plot concerns a diminutive prince on a mission to rebuild the stars, constellations and Moon, which were accidentally destroyed by his father, the King of All Cosmos. This is achieved by rolling a magical, highly adhesive ball called a katamari around various locations, collecting increasingly larger objects, ranging from thumbtacks to people to mountains, until the ball has grown large enough to become a star.

Shadow of the Colossus (2005 Playstation 2)
In a dramatic twist of the usual stuff you’d find in a game against giant stone creatures, you’re essentially running around an empty land. Incredibly lush and detailed, but an empty land nonetheless. That fact alone makes this game a really odd one to get used to at first, as you essentially have nothing to do for long periods of time but run around on your horse. And the craziest part? That doesn’t even get boring.

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Ultima 7 - The Black Gate (PC)
Someone got a little lazy with this one. Just a little.

Zero Cho-Aniki (PSP)
Thomas The Train stumbles across a scene that he will never unsee.

The Prisoner (Apple II)
Oh no! I’m stuck inside this apple!

Seaman (DC)
This one is a little self-explanatory.

The Great Giana Sisters (C64)
If you’re going to infringe on a copyright, it might not be a good idea to show elements of the game you ripped off on the cover art. On a side note: Someone is a tid bit nipply.

Winning Post 3 (PS1)
Ummmm
what?

Third World War (Mega CD)
It’s weird they could get these two together for a video game cover with all that was going on back then.

Cutie Suzuki No Ringside Angel (GEN)
Doesn’t look like an angel to me, look at those muscles!

Dance Aerobics (NES)
The OG Dance-Dance Revolution. I still wonder why it was obligatory to dress like a clown when working out in the 80s.

Cliffhanger (GEN)
What wears short shorts and hangs from cliffs: this guy.

Scrapyard Dog (Atari)
My, what a big nose you have.

Rafa Nadal Tennis (Nintendo DS)
A photoshopper’s dream.

Phalanx (Super Nintendo)
Yee haw, banjos and spaceships!

Pet Pals (Nintendo DS)
Never seen so many creepy looks. Why are all these people so happy that their pets are sick?

Pac Man (Atari)
Since when does Pacman have legs? And wouldn’t all that running make his legs a little less noodley?

Metro Games (PC)
I’m totally catching sweet air dude! Look at me!

Mega Man (Nintendo)
Mega Man has massive bowlegs, yet we’ve never seen him ride a horse. I think they were going for a Tron feel here.

Jackie Chan Stunt (Playstation 1)
Hey look, it’s Jackie Chan….doing a jump kick…..above the city…..with a pool cue.

Party Babyz (Nintendo Wii)
Maybe the most disturbing cover art we will ever see.

E.T. (Playstation 1)
E.T. look out! That guy is gonna come try and steal that plant you’re fondling oh-so-gently.

Donkey Kong (Atari)
Dunno what the weirdest part about this picture is, Mario’s Superman costume, his wicked mullet and sideburns, the absence of his cap, or those friggin fangs on Donkey Kong….If he has those things, why does he have to resort to barrel-chucking?

Dig Dug (Atari)
That’s right, dragon guy, Dig Dug is gonna blow up your manhood next.

Bayou Billy (Nintendo)
That’s not a knoife…….THAT’S a knoife. Obvious Crocodile Dundee rip-off is obvious.

Bad Dudes (Nintendo)
Terrorists, helicopters, chains, and throwing stars are no match for these BAD DUDES. Let’s go get a burger. Ha ha ha ha…

Anticipation (Nintendo)
We’ve come quite a long way from the days where every gamer was a bad sweater-wearing dweeb. Note to models: I think you’re supposed to be looking at the “game” and getting excited, not the camera.

Strider (Sega)
You are no match for my purple pants and my vibrating sword!

10. Magic Powder (Link to the Past, Link’s Awakening)
The first item on our list is particularly strange. For starters, you get the magic powder in Link to the Past by finding a magic mushroom and giving it to a witch. Once acquired, the magic powder has many weird uses, ranging from transforming your enemies to waking up a mysterious bat-like creature who makes your magic more powerful. The most awesome use of the magic powder, however, is transforming a cucco into a human in Kakariko, who ends up scolding you for teasing the other cuccos.

9. Light/Silver Arrows (All)
The silver arrows were introduced in the first Legend of Zelda game, and since then, they have made an appearance in almost every game in the series.
Most often, they are the only weapon capable of truly defeating Ganon. Since Ocarina of Time, the silver arrows have been replaced by the light arrows, which serve the same purpose. Most of the time, the special arrows are able to defeat regular enemies in one hit, which would be even more awesome if you didn’t acquire them so late in the game.

8. Bottle (All since Link to the Past)
Since the inception of the bottle in A Link to the Past, these handy items have appeared in all the main games. The bottles, while not having any use on their own, allow you to hold various items or potions. This provides Link with the ability to restore his health or magic in a dungeon, transport various items across the land, and even lets Link carry fairies around, which will revive him should he die in battle.

7. Boomerang (All)
The boomerang is one of the only items that have appeared in every game in the series. As one would expect, you throw the boomerang and it returns to you. The boomerang allows Link to stun his enemies and collect items from a distance. Another use for the boomerang is to reach switches that Link is otherwise unable to hit. In the latest Zelda game, Twilight Princess, the boomerang has undergone an overhaul and is known as the “gale boomerang” for the gust of wind that accompanies it when thrown, allowing for some new, creative game play options.

6. Iron Boots (Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess)
The iron boots, while being in three of the four 3D Zelda titles, serve a different purpose in each game. Perhaps least notably, in Ocarina of Time, the iron boots allow Link to sink while he’s in water, and are used mostly in the water palace. In Wind Waker, the iron boots make Link impervious to strong gusts of wind. The iron boots really shine (pun not intended) in Twilight Princess, where they retain their previous uses (sinking, resisting wind), but also allow Link to travel sideways and upside-down across magnetized surfaces, and have the added effect of damaging enemies that Link rolls into while wearing them.

5. Ocarina/Wind Waker (Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, others)
The ocarina was introduced in Link to the Past, where is was called the flute. When played in the light world, a bird comes and lifts Link into the air, and will drop him off at one of eight spots on the world map, allowing for faster travel and the ability to reach places that Link normally couldn’t get to. In Ocarina of Time, the ocarina plays a larger role, with songs to make it rain, change night into day, as well as songs to prove your connection with key characters. In Wind Waker, Link trades his ocarina in for a conductor’s baton, coincidentally named the wind waker, which affords him similar abilities as the ocarina, but notably allows Link to change the direction of the wind. Neither the ocarina or the wind waker made it into Twilight Princess, but you can play songs similarly on blades of grass.

4. Zora’s Flippers/Zora’s Scale/Zora’s Armor (Many titles)
Prior to Link to the Past, Link had no way of swimming, however this situation was rectified with the introduction of Zora’s flippers, bought by the Great Zora for a hefty price tag of 500 rupees. The flippers transform Link into a swimmin’ fool, and since their introduction, Link has been able to get his hands on a variety of Zora products that enhance his swimming/underwater abilities. Strangely, in Wind Waker, Link has inherent swimming skills, but that could be attributed to the land being almost completely covered with water.

3. Bombchu (Ocarina of Time, others)
The bombchu is an awesome item that travels in a straight line, detonating when it runs into an object or after a set amount of time. They debut in the bombchu bowling game, where you try to maneuver them into a target, while avoiding obstacles placed in the way. In Phantom Hourglass, Link has the ability to control what direction the bombchu move in, which allows for some new puzzles. The bombchu aren’t available in Twilight Princess, but in their place are the similar “bomblings” which are essentially the same, minus the ability to travel up walls.

2. Gust Jar (Minish Cap)
The gust jar was introduced in The Minish Cap and provided a great amount of innovation in the game. When used by Link, the gust jar sucks in air, along with surrounding objects or enemies, and allows Link to blow the air back out in a strong gust of wind. Link finds many uses for the gust jar. Several enemies have a weakness to the gust jar, it can extinguish flames, but perhaps the neatest use of the gust jar is using the bursts of wind to propel Link while he’s on top of lily pads in the water. The gust jar might have influenced the gale boomerang, and will hopefully influence some revolutionary items in future Zelda titles.

1. Hookshot (All since Link to the Past)
Ahh, the hookshot. Whether it’s the awesome sound it makes, or how Link is able to play Spider-man with it, the hookshot is a fan favorite. The hookshot is necessary to reach places that are across large gaps, but also allows Link to stun, or even grab certain enemies. The hookshot has appeared in some form or another in all the main games since Link to the Past. In Twilight Princess, the latest title in the series, the hookshot is replaced by the clawshot, serving an identical purpose. The best is when Link obtains a second clawshot, which opens up some awesome possibilities by allowing Link to grapple onto another point while he’s hanging on to the first clawshot, so Link can travel large distances without even having to touch the ground. All these reasons make the hookshot the best gadget in Link’s arsenal, and #1 on our list.

In the early days of gaming, games were often designed to be super difficult. They were a true test of a player’s skill. Developers wanted you to have trouble, and they wanted you to get frustrated. Nowadays most games are softer and easier, but here is a list of the toughest games to finish whether they are hard and/or annoying to beat.

Mike Tyson’s Punchout (Nes)
Getting to Mike Tyson isn’t that difficult, but to time all the uppercuts against him perfectly was unbearably difficult. Unlike Contra though, Tyson could be beat with hours and hours of practice. Still, Mike Tyson is one of the most noticeable signifiers for “Difficult Boss” in video game history. Every gamer is struck with fear in having to battle an opponent who could spell game over for you in 1 hit.

Back To The Future (NES)
Back to the Future was nothing like the great movie that preceded it. Walking down the street would prove to be one of the most difficult tasks in a video game ever. Then when you finally get through the walking, the game brings on even more hard and annoying challenges making it 1 tough game to finish.

F-zero GX (Gamecube)
GX took the blisteringly fast races from previous entries in the series, and added merciless enemy AI and excruciating track designs. Furthermore, GX saw the introduction of Story Mode, which upped the ante even further with its utterly impossible challenges and multiple difficulty levels. The game’s difficulty ramped up at a rate where players always felt like the next challenge was surmountable.

Bionic Commando (NES)
Bionic Commando must have been made to be intentionally difficult. The jumps you have to make in this game are some of the hardest in gaming history. Your swing mechanism was hard as hell to control and would often leave you dead in a ditch. The levels are long and the enemies are never ending. Now there was a trick to get unlimited lives, so it is debatable if it belongs on this list, but without that exploit how hard is the game?

Devil May Cry 3 (Playstation 2)
This is one of those games that knows it’s hard, and presents the challenge. It’ll initially seem very difficult to avoid getting hit in Devil May Cry 3. You can’t withstand many hits, and unlike in similar games, you don’t get some sort of invulnerability grace period after you’ve taken damage. So if five enemies attack you at once, you’ll take all five of those hits and will probably die. Making it one tough game to finish.

Contra (NES)
Most people may remember constantly dying in this hard game and resorting to using the cheat code. There are some claims that with some basic memory and after getting used to the patterns, Contra becomes relatively easy, but that is why this is considered one of the toughest games, but not impossible.

Mega Man 9 (Wii, PS3, Xbox360)
Making it to Dr. Wily’s castle is super hard, let alone beating it. Capcom ratcheted up the toughness several notches when they designed this new-yet-old game, and it definitely shows. Beware of vanishing platforms in this one, along with all the other challenges they threw in to make you pull out your hair.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)
Most gamers have fond memories of the Ninja Turtles from their 8- and 16-bit days - that is, unless they played the very first Ninja Turtle game. A side-scrolling action affair, Ninja Turtles was horribly unfair, riddled with glitches and frustrating to the max. Then there is the underwater level which took an already hard game and made it even worse.

Super Mario Bros. 2 (Lost Levels) (NES, SNES)
This isn’t the watered-down American version of Super Mario 2. This is the actual Super Mario Bros. 2, complete with wind and poisonous mushrooms. This is 1 tough game to beat, especially when the wind kicks in and you get swept off a platform you thought you’d safely mounted or when you go over the flagpole only to reach a teleport that takes you back worlds.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins (NES)
What kind of game puts you through hell to rescue the princess and then, once the final boss is defeated, tells you that you don’t get a REAL ending until you beat it all AGAIN? Ghosts ‘n Goblins does and you need to do it if you really want to beat the game.

Battletoads (NES)
Battletoads is one of the few games where, not only can you beat up your fellow player, you can EASILY beat them up. The field of action was just too small half the time to avoid hitting each other. Coupled with a glitch that rendered the multi player experience futile and levels requiring as much luck as lightning reflexes, Battletoads was nearly impossible to beat.

12. Gilgamesh (FF5)
Gilgamesh is a recurring character in the series, but he made his debut in Final Fantasy 5 as the main boss, Exdeath’s, right hand man. The main characters run into Gilgamesh a total of 6 times in the game, and all the genji equipment can be stolen from him. Eventually, Exdeath sends him into the void for repeatedly failing to defeat Bartz and the other characters, where he has a change of heart. The party runs into him again and he attacks them, mistaking them for monsters, but he eventually ends up helping them defeat one of the final bosses.

11. Yu Yevon (FF10)
Yu Yevon is a jerk summoner that is responsible for Sin, the giant jerk that has been destroying civilizations for 1,000 years. Yu Yevon isn’t a cool boss, and he’s not prominent in the game, but he is particularly villainous for being responsible for the mess of a game that Final Fantasy 10 was, and that’s enough to put him on this list.

10. Ultimecia (FF8)
Ultimecia is a sorceress from the future, bent on combining all time periods into one, because that sounds like a great idea. She sends her consciousness back in time, and takes control of Edea, then Rinoa, then Adel. The party eventually travels to Ultimecia’s time to destroy her. As time returns back to normal, Ultimecia finds her way to Edea, possessing her, and restarts the chain of events that leads to her ultimate defeat.

9. Rufus Shinra (FF7)
The son and eventual successor to President Shinra, Rufus is even more diabolical than his father. He was the main financier for the rebel group AVALANCHE, because he wanted to see his father taken out, so he could have control of Shinra Corporation himself. He eventually gets his wish, as President Shinra is killed by Sephiroth acting through Jenova. When first encountered by Cloud, Rufus proclaims that he will rule by fear, instead of ruling by money which his father did.

8. Garland (FF9)
The creator of Kuja and Zidane, Garland is directly responsible for the events in the game. He was created by the Terrans and given the task to find a new planet for them to live on. When he couldn’t conquer Gaia, he created Kuja to be his Angel of Death, killing Gaians to make room for the Terrans’ souls. Kuja eventually sends Garland to his death, but afterwards, a formless Garland reveals Kuja’s mortality, which sends Kuja over the edge.

7. Professor Hojo (FF7)
Professor Hojo is a sick individual that is mostly responsible for all the events in Final Fantasy 7. He injects his son with Jenova cells while he is still in the womb. This son ends up being Sephiroth. He ends up shooting Vincent Valentine over his objection to Hojo’s experiments on humans and leaving him in a coffin after conducting experiments on his body. He also performs tests on unwilling subjects including Cloud, creating more than a handful of failed Sephiroth copies. The party eventually encounters him in Midgar, where he injects himself with Jenova cells, turning himself into a powerful monster that is ultimately defeated by Cloud and Co.

6. Ultros (FF3/6j)
Ultros is a comedic octopus enemy that the party encounters multiple times in Final Fantasy 6. The party first defeats him on a raft, causing Ultros to invest his time in paying the returners back. He runs into the party at the opera house and tries to drop a 2-ton weight on Celes, but is promptly defeated. The best encounter comes after this, when the returners run into Ultros in the Esper Cave trying to steal the Warring Triad statues. During battle, Relm shows up and paints Ultros’ portrait, leading to his statement, “I’m nothing but a…stupid octopus!”

5. ExDeath (FF5)
Exdeath was a tree that housed evil souls, until the souls made the tree so self-aware it took on a human form. Exdeath was originally sealed by Bartz’s father along with the other warriors of dawn, however he manages to break the crystals that seal his power, and he rises to terrorize the world again. He eventually takes control of the void and returns to his form as a tree, before being beaten and consumed by the void. After this, he turns into Neo-Exdeath, whose sole purpose is to erase existence.

4. Zemus (FF2/4j)
Though Golbez is the main antagonist through most of Final Fantasy 4, the party eventually learns he is being controlled by a more sinister being known as Zemus. Zemus is a Lunarian who wants to conquer Earth. He was sealed away by the other Lunarians, who longed for coexistence with the inhabitants of Earth, but his psychic powers allowed him to reach out to the two characters on Earth with Lunarian blood, Cecil and Golbez. When Golbez is released from Zemus’ power, he kills him along with help from FuSoYa, however this just unlocks his ultimate form: Zeromus.

3. Kuja (FF9)
Kuja is a genome created by Garland to kill Gaians and speed up the process of the Lifa Tree. His early goal is to harness the power of the eidolons to defeat Garland and conquer Terra for himself, however this plan changes after he learns that he is a mere mortal. His next goal is much greater, as he wants to eradicate all life, with the justification, “Why should the world exist without me? That wouldn’t be fair. If I die, we all die!” After Kuja’s final defeat, the party encounters the final boss, Necron, who is a being awakened by Kuja’s fear, despair, and hatred.

2. Sephiroth (FF7)
Sephiroth is the son of Professor Hojo and Lucrecia, given superhuman strength due to being injected with Jenova cells before birth. He was an accomplished SOLDIER until coming across Shinra research about his creation, whSephiroth, Kefka, Kuja, Zemus, Exdeath, Ultros, Professor Hojo, Garland, Rufus Shinra, Ultimecia, Yu Yevon, Gilgameshich drove him to madness. He thinks that Jenova is his mother and was one of the Cetra, as did Shinra, which would make him the last surviving Ancient. This causes Sephiroth to believe that he is better than humans. Sephiroth eventually manages to control Jenova’s body, killing a bunch of people in effort to find the black materia which would summon the ultimate spell, “meteor”, to destroy the planet. He may be the most popular Final Fantasy baddy, but the top spot on our list belongs to:

1. Kefka (FF3/6j)
Ahh, Kefka. While Sephiroth was driven mad when he learned he was the result of a scientific experiment, Kefka is just flat out crazy. Kefka derives joy in causing chaos and pain. Kefka’s first awesome display of insanity is when he poisons the water supply of Doma, effectively ravaging the entire nation. After this he learns how to harness the power of magicite and kills almost all the remaining espers to turn them into magicite, making himself even more powerful. Kefka overthrows Emperor Gestahl, takes control of the Warring Triad, and becomes the God of magic, changing the entire face of the planet. Kefka rules from his newly built castle, leveling entire towns that oppose him. Eventually, the party catches up with Kefka and manages to destroy him, but not before he could cement his legacy as best Final Fantasy villain of all time. Thanks for reading, we’ll leave you with one of Kefka’s elegant quotes:

“I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate HATE YOU!”

Looks like Donkey Kong has a very special attack for Sonic in Super Smash Bros Brawl and Sonic doesn’t look very pleased.

WTH is going on here? You don’t want to know…

This character in the sims is walking around in his Birthday suit making us say WTH?

Nice underwear! Looks like his shorts got a rip while playing

That’s random, a deer inside smelling a lady. Don’t see that everyday or do you?

Looks like he is helping alright… Helping himself cop a feel.

That looks very very very painful.

I’ve heard of human pyramids, but this is ridiculous.

Maybe you should leave them alone, looks like these monsters had a rough night.

YOU know what he is trying to do…

Is that a guitar in your pocket or are you just really happy to see me?

Caught red handed!

13. Eternal Sonata
Kicking off our list is Eternal Sonata, a game in which you assume the role of Frederic Chopin. As you might imagine, a game based on such a prolific pianist features a stunning soundtrack. The soundtrack even incorporates some of Chopin’s classic works, such as Polonaise, Op. 53, Étude Op. 10, No. 12, and Étude Op. 10, No. 3. The theme featured is the battle music, which clearly demonstrates the theme of the game.

12. Wild Arms (Playstation)
Wild Arms is one of the only RPGs created with a wild west theme. Its soundtrack combines Country Western and Classical to purvey the sense of a fantasy wild west. The result is a blend of soft and gritty, familiar and unique. The featured theme is from the overworld map, and if it sounds familiar, then you might have heard the melody, which was derived from “The Ecstasy of Gold” by Ennio Morricone from the film “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”, which was sampled, more recently, by Jay-Z in his song “The Blueprint 2″.

11. Suikoden (Playstation)
Suikoden’s militaristic setting is enhanced by its soundtrack, consisting of many upbeat, marching-bandesque tunes. Suikoden was one of the first RPGs to make use of the increase in sound quality that the Playstation provided, resulting in what was one of the best soundtracks of its time. The sample track is the world map theme, which gives a glimpse of the setting.

10.Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox/PC)
Award-winning composer Jeremy Soule was asked to create an entirely original score for this Star Wars RPG. He managed to come up with an epic soundtrack that delivers the feel of the Star Wars universe with minimal use of existing Star Wars tunes. The sample to the left is the theme for the card game “Pazaak”, which is played frequently in-game.

9. Skies of Arcadia (DC/GC)
Skies of Arcadia is an epic game where you assume the role of an air pirate. In exploring the world you come across many different settings, and the music you hear is strongly influenced by where you’re at in the world. The sample is the main battle theme which is heard frequently throughout the game.

8. Secret of Evermore (SNES)
The second soundtrack on this list scored by Jeremy Soule, Secret of Evermore combined ambient noises to the music to create a higher sense of realism. Throughout the different worlds you travel, the music changes as well. Caveman themes dominate the beginning of the game, moving on to a hybrid ancient greek/roman/egyptian world, but where the sound really shines is when you get to Gothica and its medieval theme. The featured sample is from inside Ivor Castle, the first place you visit in Gothica.

7. Kingdom Hearts (PS2)
Save for the two J-pop themes in the game, Kingdom Hearts has a great soundtrack. The musical score consists of some arranged Disney themes as well as completely original music. Composer Yoko Shimomura stated that it was difficult to come up with the music for the game, because she had no idea what a hybrid Squaresoft/Disney world would sound like. She managed to create a wonderfully imaginative score, as evidenced by the sample featured, the theme to Traverse Town.

6. Seiken Densetsu 3
One of two games on the list that were scored by Hiroki Kikuta, Seiken Densetsu 3’s soundtrack builds on the epic music that was laid out for Secret of Mana. For some odd reason, this was the last Mana title Kikuta composed for. The sample is called Splash Hop, and is the theme song of Booskaboo, the totally awesome penguin-turtle-thing that you ride on in the ocean.

5. Final Fantasy 7
Nobuo Uematsu’s first effort on the Playstation was as expected and Final Fantasy 7’s soundtrack does a great job of mirroring the depth of the game. The somber melodies serve as a great backdrop to the dystopian setting, drawing out intense emotion. The featured song is the theme to the seedy Wall Market, home of the most disturbing brothel in video game history.

4. Secret of Mana
Hiroki Kikuta admitted that his first video game soundtrack was difficult to make. He was unsure he could express both his own style and the style of the game, while overcoming the hardware and software limitations that came with the Super Nintendo. That makes this soundtrack even more impressive, as the combination of upbeat, lively songs and somber melodies complete one of the greatest RPG adventures of all time. The featured sample is the theme of the ice palace.

3. Chrono Cross
Learning from the godfather of RPG music will do wonders, as Yasunori Mitsuda has become as prolific as the great Uematsu. Director Masato Kato personally requested Mitsuda, as he felt it was important to maintain the same feel from Chrono Trigger. Kato states that the ending theme made him cry. The featured theme is the home world map theme, which uses a melody from the previous Chrono title.

2. Final Fantasy 3/6j (SNES)
The greatest Final Fantasy title of all time also has the best soundtrack of all of them as well. With many memorable themes, including a song for each of the game’s series high 14 characters, Nobuo Uematsu set the bar too high on this one, as none of his work has touched this soundtrack. The featured theme is Relm’s theme song.

1. Chrono Trigger
In 1994, Yasunori Mitsuda gave Square an ultimatum: Either he was going to compose a soundtrack, or he was going to leave and find work elsewhere. He was given the duty to compose the score of the most epic RPG of all-time under the guidance of Nobuo Uematsu. At one point Mitsuda gave himself an ulcer due to how much stress he was under while finishing the soundtrack. Eventually Uematsu helped out with the rest of the soundtrack, composing a handful of tracks. The sample is the world map theme in the kingdom of Zeal.

Honorable Mentions: Final Fantasy 9, Disgaea, Xenogears,

This list consists of games that have never been officially released and maybe never will be? Some games have 0 chance of ever coming out and some have a very slim chance of it.

10. Tiberium (Xbox360)
Tiberium is a cancelled tactical first-person shooter video game title set in the Command & Conquer universe, that was in development by EA Los Angeles (EALA). Tiberium was initially revealed when shots of the January 2008 issue of Game Informer were leaked, but was officially announced by EA just a day after. Prior to the announcement, the game had been in production for two years.

9. Shenmue 3 (Xbox)
Since the release of the second installment, Shenmue III has been announced for development and cancelled at least two times. Most recently in August 2005, when Kikizo.com revealed that Shenmue III would be a compilation of the first and second installments plus the final chapters.[6] This, too, has apparently fallen by the wayside, as Kikizo later stated that Shenmue III is “worth forgetting about.”

8. Full Throttle 2 (Playstation 2)
The sequel to one of LucasArts best selling adventure titles of the 1990s, Full Throttle: Hell on Wheels revisits the same characters and settings as the original. Eventually, it was cancelled in mid-production in August 2003. Literally weeks before the game was announced as being binned, a trailer, assets and a playable build of it was shown at E3, but the game never made the light of day.

7. StarCraft: Ghost (Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube)
A military science fiction stealth-action video game under suspended development by Blizzard Entertainment. Part of Blizzard’s StarCraft series, the game was announced in 2002 and was to be developed by Nihilistic Software for the Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 video game consoles. Several delays in development caused Blizzard to move back the release date and the game has not yet materialized. Nihilistic Software ceded development to Swingin’ Ape Studios in 2004 before Blizzard bought the company, and plans for the GameCube version were canceled in 2005.

6. Sonic Xtreme (Sega Saturn)
Sonic X-treme is an unreleased platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was originally developed by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis but was moved to the Sega 32X and eventually to the Sega Saturn and intended to be released around Halloween of 1996, but after many problems and a long hiatus of development hell, it was finally cancelled in 1997. Had it been finished, it would have been the first fully 3D Sonic game and the first original Sonic title developed for the Sega Saturn. Because the game was cancelled, Sega released a port of Sonic 3D Blast for the Saturn in 1996.

5. Capcom Fighting Allstars (Playstation 2)
Capcom Fighting All-Stars was a 3D fighting game planned for the arcade and PlayStation 2 that was to be developed by Capcom. Like KOF: Maximum Impact, it was designed to translate a 2D fighting game series into 3D. This was done previously in the Street Fighter EX series, which Capcom co-produced with Arika. Capcom beta-tested the game, but after negative feedback from players and more months in development, the game was canceled in August 2003.

4. Star Fox 2(Super Nintendo)
An unreleased video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was to be the second of the Star Fox series and the direct sequel to Star Fox. Both Argonaut Games and Nintendo developed the game, with Nintendo planning to publish it. The Japanese version was completely finished except for minor debugging tools that weren’t yet removed. It is unknown if there are any complete English versions.

3. Earthbound 64 (Nintendo 64)
EarthBound 64, known in Japan as Mother 3: Fall of the Pig King, was a cancelled role-playing video game that was in development by Ape, Inc. and HAL Laboratory and to be published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64DD. It was later transferred to the Nintendo 64 after the Nintendo 64DD proved to be unsuccessful. It had several subtitles, including Forest of the Chimera and the aforementioned Fall of the Pig King. It was to be the third game in the EarthBound series, following EarthBound for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

2. Mario 64-2 (Nintendo 64)
A direct sequel titled Super Mario 64 2 was planned for the Nintendo 64DD. Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned at E3’s 1997 convention that he was “just getting started” on the project. In May 1999, Super Mario 64 2 was reported to be released in late 1999; however, the game was canceled due to the failure of the 64DD, as well as lack of progress in the game’s development.

1. Duke Nukem Forever (PC)
The ultimate in vaporware. A first-person shooter that has been in development since 1997 by 3D Realms. The publishing rights for the game still remain owned by Take-Two Interactive, although the future of the game remains unknown.

10. Phantasy Star 4 (Sega Genesis)
Phantasy Star IV is an archetypal console RPG in the spirit of the series, featuring the staples of exploration, NPC interaction, and turn-based combat. Building on its predecessors, it added a number of innovative features, such as pre-programmable combat maneuvers called “Macros”, combination attacks between two or more characters and manga-style panel illustrations for major cut scenes. Phantasy Star IV is also the first game in the series to have in-depth character interaction and development. It is debated to be the best of the Phantasy Star games by fans.

9. Suikoden (Playstation 1)
Suikoden may not make everyone’s top list, but it is a great game and opened the doors for many sequels to follow. In the game, the Hero takes up base in an abandoned castle and can recruit up to a grand total of 108 characters to his cause. They all have unique uses, ranging from a shop owner and blacksmith for your fortress to characters that help you fight in battle. The battle system in Suikoden features six person parties in combat, with each character being individually controllable, but also 1-on-1 duel and many-on-many war battles add an extra element to the game.

8. Star Ocean: The Second Story (Playstation 1)
Star Ocean features various deviations from the standard RPG format. Battles are much more action-oriented: they take place in real time, during which the player has manual control over their character, as opposed to choosing options from a menu. Battles take place on a broad battlefield, over which the player’s character can move without limit. Other party members will act on their own, depending on how you configure their AI, so you can set one character as a healer, have one of your characters preserve their MP, and so on.

7. Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast)
Skies of Arcadia is deemed one of the best RPG’s on the short-lived, ill-fated Sega Dreamcast console. It features an expansive world that you explore by airship, and has an engaging story. The game allows you to discover treasure and landmarks scattered all over the world map, with only vague hints to tilt you in the right direction. Finding all of the game’s discoveries is a satisfying challenge. One of the only complaints about the game was the high rate of random battles, which made traveling a test of the player’s patience. This was fixed to a small degree in Skies of Arcadia Legends, the enhanced port for the GameCube.

6. Secret of Mana (Super Nintendo)
Rather than using the traditional turn-based battle system of games like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, Secret of Mana utilizes real-time battling akin to the Legend of Zelda series, but also employs typical RPG elements such as gaining levels and buying new equipment. The “Ring Command” menu system allows you to access all the game’s options, equipment, items, and magic on the fly. With 8 different weapons to distribute between your 3 characters, a massive journey with plenty of boss fights, a killer soundtrack, and some of the best visuals on the Super Nintendo (Despite being released early on in the SNES’s lifetime), this is an unforgettable adventure.

5. Chrono Cross (Playstation 1)
The sequel to the epic Chrono Trigger, released in 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Chrono Cross focuses on a teenage boy named Serge who has the unexplainable ability to travel to an alternate dimension, in which Serge had died as a child. Serge endeavors to discover the truth of the two worlds’ divergence. 44 possible characters assist him in his travels around the tropical archipelago El Nido, though you can’t collect them all in one play through. Struggling to uncover his past and find the mysterious Frozen Flame, Serge is chiefly challenged by Lynx, a shadowy antagonist working to apprehend him. The third game to ever receive a 10/10 by Gamespot, Chrono Cross is an excellent sequel once you get past the differences from Chrono Trigger.

4. Final Fantasy VI (Super Nintendo)
The game’s story focuses on a group of rebels as they seek to overthrow an imperial dictatorship. Final Fantasy VI was the first game in the series to be directed by someone other than producer and series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. Final Fantasy VI has more battle customization options than its predecessors and has the largest playable cast in the Final Fantasy series to date, excluding spin-off titles. It remains widely praised for its storyline and characters, 3 of which made our Top 10 Final Fantasy Characters list.

3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox)
Knights of the Old Republic, or KOTOR, is a phenomenal fusion of role-playing and Star Wars. The game’s battle system is based on Wizards of the Coast’s Star Wars Role-playing Game, which is based on the d20 role-playing game system derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. Basically, you attack in real time, and your damage is decided behind the scenes by a roll of the dice. With the ability to travel to such planets as Luke Skywalker’s home of Tatooine, and Chewbacca’s home of Kashyyyk, among more, and the ability to choose to become a light or dark jedi depending on your choices make this game a treat for Star Wars fans and RPG fans alike.

2. Final Fantasy VII (Playstation 1)
Set in a dystopian world, Final Fantasy VII’s story centers on mercenary Cloud Strife who joins with several others to stop the megacorporation Shinra, which is draining the life of the planet to use as an energy source. As the story progresses, the situation escalates and Cloud and his allies must battle Sephiroth, the game’s main antagonist. Development of Final Fantasy VII began in 1994 and the game was originally intended for the SNES, but it was delayed when Chrono Trigger became a big enough project to warrant assistance from main designers. When development continued, they planned to release the game on the Nintendo 64, but as the system’s cartridges lacked the space for FMVs, Square decided to release the game for Sony’s PlayStation instead, ending Square and Nintendo’s nearly decade-long alliance, and propelling the Playstation to success.

1. Chrono Trigger (Super Nintendo)
Chrono Trigger combines standard console role-playing gameplay with several innovations, such as combining 2 or more character’s special attacks to increase damage and range, as well as eliminating random battles by allowing you to see all the monsters in the game, making most avoidable. The game is also revolutionary due to the use of time travel. There are 5 different eras you can visit, from prehistoric times to the future, where you discover that between present day and the future, a being named Lavos rises from the ground after hibernating for millions of years and devastates the planet, wiping out almost every civilization, leaving only dozens of struggling survivors along with plenty of mutants and robots. After learning the fate of humanity, the hero and his friends decide to journey back in time to find out how to stop Lavos from ravaging the planet and change the fate of the planet.

Honorable Mentions: Earthbound, Dragon Quest, Legend of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 3, Super Mario RPG, Final Fantasy 9