I know this list is much belated. I decided not to focus on any certain series, cause I'm sure that it's just as boring to read about the same things over and over as it is to write them.
Video Games have been around awhile. And anything that has been around awhile has its heroes and its epic failures. This is a list of those pioneering companies that I think of when I hear "great games". This list is dedicated to William Higinbotham, the late great inventor of the video game.10. Apogee: Apogee hasn't really been prominent in these last years, but it still has its place in VG history as an excellent early game making company. From games like Pharaoh's Tomb to the original Duke Nukems to the unforgettable Commander Keen and his Bean-With-Bacon Megarocket, it's clear that Apogee was an early fore-runner to the industry. But it wasn't able to progress after its initial rush, so chances for another Keen game are very slim.
9. Activision: Activision is the prince of more "realistic" games with series like Tony Hawk and the Guitar Hero. They allow players to play out their lifelong dreams in any profession, with the exception of trucking, but we'll forgive them for Big Rigs... but just this once.
8. Namco: Namco has survived the test of time, enduring even today. They're the ones responsible for fundamentals like Pac-Man, Dig-Dug, Galaga, Xevious, and all sorts of other classics.Sure, they were a major cause of the worst disaster in Video Game history, but they've redeemed themselves in more recent years with out-standing titles like Soul Calibur, Tekken, and one of my favorites, Klonoa.
7. EA: "EA Sports. It's in the game." We've all heard this countless times from countless titles. Though the company has flooded the industry with innumerable sports games, it cannot be denied that EA knows how to make them well. And if Activision is the prince of "realistic" games, EA is the King, with staples like the Sims and all those great James Bond titles... Okay, mostly GoldenEye.
6. Konami: Konami makes the list at #6. They are the creators of widely popular series like Contra, Castlevania and the infamous Metal Gear Series. Also quite notable is the company's pioneering into the rhythm genre with all sorts of arcade hits, but most notable of these being DDR. One of my favorites from Konami is the old TMNT for the NES. Sadly, Konami won't be heading up TMNT's newest title, Smash Up.
5. Rare: Rare made many of the games on the N64 that are now considered classics. Responsible for most of the good Donkey Kong games of the age, Rare showed an ability to make good games regardless the genre. Even though Donkey Kong 64 has received a mixed bag of reactions, I highly enjoyed it and consider it on the same level as Mario 64. Rare also gave us the Banjo-Kazooie series which is also widely recognized. But one title that sticks out in my mind is Jet Force Gemini, which, sadly, is sequalless as of this day. I have fond memories of playing this with my friends, but somehow I was always stuck playing as Floyd.
4. SEGA: SEGA needs no introduction. It's sad that SEGA is found synonymous with Sonic in recent times, while many of their other great titles are blown off or not fully recognized as their work. Titles like Streets of Rage, Crazy Taxi, the finally revived NiGHTS, and one of my favorite long-running fighting series: Virtua Fighter. Does SEGA do what Nintendon't? Sometimes, but as seen throughout the Sonic series, they've had trouble pinning down exactly what works in a game and what doesn't. They've already gotten everything right, it's just a matter of getting it all right at the same time. I also think that their great systems are underrated. I still play my SEGA Saturn (even though it lost its ability to hold memory years ago) and sometimes I'll break out the Dreamcast for a little Power Stone or MvC. I'll finish this company with a simple question: Coffee? Tea? SEGA!!!
3. Square: Square is what made RPGs great. The amazing thing is that they made it great in so many series in so many ways. It's most famously known by its Final Fantasy series which has branched into many genres and mini-series itself. It also created the Chrono series which nailed time travel down perfectly. It's also responsible for favorites like Xenogears and one of my favorites, Super Mario RPG. Yes, the masters of the NES are also masters of the RPG genre.
2. Nintendo: There isn't much I need to say. Nintendo has become the pop symbol for video games, and there's a good reason for that. Nintendo knows how to make a good game. In fact, they can make any kind of game: shooters (Metroid), adventures (Legend of Zelda), RPGs (Pokemon), strategies (Fire Emblem), puzzle (Tetris), their signature platformers (Mario Bros.), they can even put together decent fighters (Smash Bros.). Their cast of characters is instantly recognizable: Mario and Luigi and the gang, Link, Donkey Kong, Samus, the list goes on. No one can say Nintendo doesn't know how to make good video games. What they can say is Nintendo doesn't always make good video games. They've flubbed it up a couple of big times, too. Remember the CD-i? Virtual Boy, anyone? For goodness sake, Nintendo bought part of the Seattle Mariners! Also, Nintendo has taken a bad rap as a "kiddie" company (earned or not). These are the reasons Nintendo aren't at the top of the list: the ratio of good games to mediocre or bad is closer than that of the #1 company:
1. Capcom: Capcom makes games. That simple. Capcom hasn't had any considerable comercial failures for a good reason: they know how to make good games. They're just as expansive as Nintendo when it comes to the genres the company spans: shooters (Resident Evil, Devil May Cry), adventures (Onimusha), RPGs (Breath of Fire), strategies (Namco x Capcom), puzzle (Puzzle Fighter), platformers (Mega Man), but they're best known for their beat-em-ups (Final Fight) and their signature fighters (Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Power Stone, etc.). Mega man has contributed a huge part to video games in general. Where WOULD we be without Mega Man? Also, where would we be without Street Fighter? Street Fighter has become synonymous to fighters as Mario has become to platforming. Both Nintendo and Capcom have laid the foundations for what video games are today and both continue to contribute. Yes, maybe Nintendo has had a "bigger" impact, but Capcom has shown more than enough mettle to be able to say "I'm one of the best." And that's why I consider them the best.
Excellent post =)
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