Conversation Corner: My Most Nostalgic Games

Growing up as a gamer, there have been plenty of titles that I have had the pleasure of playing that have been burnt into my brain. Whether they were titles that I enjoyed playing with my brother well into the wee hours of the morning or games that were best played alone, they are titles that, when I think, write, or talk about them, instill that comforting, warm feeling of nostalgia. While some of these titles have gone on to explode into full on series that are still alive today, it’s the games that kicked off these current successful titles that truly grab my heart.

The following are my top 5 nostalgia inducing games:

1.  Resident Evil

Though Resident Evil may not be thatgood by today’s standards (some have even called the game unplayable), there was a certain quirkiness about the title that clenches tightly onto my still beating heart. The atmosphere, the poor voice acting, the, at-times, creepy creatures all melded so well to create an experience that you’d typically find in a campy horror movie – especially one that you’ll never admit to liking. It was clever, and no matter how badly you wanted to laugh at the characters, you couldn’t help but like them – most of them.

My fondest memory: Cutting my pinky finger on a ceiling tile after jumping for joy when (spoiler alert) Rebecca gets shot.

2. Metal Gear Solid

While I had been playing video games well before 1998, it wasn’t until Metal Gear Solid that I found myself deeply rooted with them. Before Metal Gear, I had never been so deeply involved in every aspect of a game. From the storytelling to the outlandish cast of characters, there was a charm to Metal Gear that sucked me right in. Graphically, the game is quite abysmal to today’s standards, but the fleshed out plot, intelligent dialogue, and musical score still surpasses a bulk of the titles released on the current generation. If there were one thing that I remember standing out to me after my first play through, it would have to have been the score. The KCE Sound Team Japan, TAPPY, and the collaboration of Rika Muranaka and Aoife Ní Fhearraigh created a soundtrack that fit the tone of the game perfectly.

My fondest memory: Playing and replaying the demo that came with an issue of the Official Playstation Magazine.

3. Mutant League Football / Hockey

How these titles were not remade is beyond my knowledge (though EA Replay did include a version of Mutant League Football). The Mutant League series, if you’ve never played one, is a ridiculous take on common sports. Gamers take control of a team of Mutants, ranging from robots to skeletons to trolls, and duke it out across a veritable mix of dangerous fields and rinks. Outfitted with land mines, black holes, and other deadly dangers these arenas are just the tip of the ludicrous iceberg. Players can murder the other team with such power-ups as explosive hockey pucks / footballs and chainsaws or try to bribe the referee into calling false penalties. If the ref has been bribed against you, don’t worry – you can always just call and audible and kill him. Words cannot describe just how enjoyable the Mutant League games were, and anyone looking for an alternative for EA’s sport series should try to get their hands on a Sega Genesis.

My fondest memory: Realizing how badly I’m loosing and switching my tactics to “get the highest amount of kills”.

4. WWF Wrestlemania

I may have only been upwards of five years old when I got my hands on WWF Wrestlemania for the NES, but I have no problems remembering that catchy MIDI version of Hulk Hogan’s legendary intro song, “Real American”. Despite my young age at the time, I have no problems remembering facing off against my brother and being able to perform nothing more than running attacks. Wrestlemania was amongst the first titles to introduce me to video gaming and it did so with characters that I was growing to idolize. Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Bam Bam Bigalo, The Honky Tonk Man – these were the stars of my younger years, and I got to use them to beat up my slightly older brother. While I know I wouldn’t be able to pick up a copy of WWF Wrestlemania today without wanting to scoff in disgust, there’s no doubting that the memories will always be an integral part of my gaming career today.

My fondest memory: Watching the character select screen just to hear Hulk Hogan’s theme.

5. Nightmare Creatures

I’m sure this one will get me a lot of weird looks and unfavorable responses, but Nightmare Creatures was, unavoidably, a big part of my early gaming years. Poor hit detection, less-then-stellar graphics, and somewhat drab environments did little to hinder my love for this game, especially after I came across cheat codes that allowed me to play as Adam Crowley’s creations. Being a big fan of gothic horror and all things ghastly, the creature designs and London backdrop did plenty to keep me intrigued.  

My fondest memory: Despite being released shortly after Resident Evil, Nightmare Creatures was my introduction to Video Game Zombies and Monster, thus being a big influence on the demented mind that now controls my actions and motives. Slicing that first zombie in half – it sticks with you.

 Runners Up:

Ghostbusters: The Video Game; Tekken 2; Rampage

If you were to list your top nostalgic games, what would they be? Is your childhood laden with gaming memories, or is your time behind the controller more recent?