My 100 Favorite Games of All Time

#60 Burnout 3: Takedown

	EA Games	Criterion Games	Playstation 2, Xbox	2004
	Who says racing needs to be realistic and tedious? The Burnout series sure as hell doesn't, as this arcade style racing game goes a long, long way to show us that what really makes a good racing game is lots of high speed thrills (and over-the-top wrecks). Burnout 3: Takedown is a racing game for those who like driving at high speeds, and creating awesome crashes- which is probably about everyone. The result is one of the best examples of the genre, simply because it makes so enjoyable what realistically wouldn't be.

#59 Rome: Total War

	Activision	Creative Assembly	PC	2004
	If you look up the world "epic" in the video game dictionary you will surely find Rome: Total War listed. This is one strategy game with a penchant for epic battles, and that is exactly what you find in this large, engrossing game. It hurls you back to ancient Rome and pits you in the midst of some of the largest battles you've ever seen. And it does it all practically flawlessly, making its spot on this list an easy choice.

#58 God of War II

	Sony Computer Entertainment	Sony Computer Entertainment	Playstation 2	2007
	With the original God of War being the one of the most entertaining action adventure titles ever made, it should come as no surprise that Kratos' second outing manages to offer the same kind of bloody awesomness that the first did. God of War II continues to provide great controls, combat, pacing, epic music, and of course, over the top brutality. By doing more of what made the first game so great, God of War II deservedly earns a spot on this list.

#57 Final Fantasy IX

	SquareSoft	SquareSoft	Playstation	2000
	Final Fantasy IX was billed as the game to "take the series back to its roots". Whether or not it did so is debatable, but either way we ended up with another highly enjoyable RPG. With a lighthearted story, memorable characters, and tried and true RPG mechanics, Final Fantasy IX is just a joy to play. I don't know that this game took the series back to its roots, but it definitely borrowed from years of RPG experience to produce a great RPG in its own right.

#56 Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

	Blizzard Entertainment	Blizzard Entertainment	PC	2002
	Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos continues Blizzard's legacy of providing real time strategy games with amazing depth and balance, yet making them accessible at the same time. Once again, we have four completely different races, each with their own units, and it all feels extremely balanced. The units themselves are interesting, and the campaign is also top notch. Warcraft III is a great example of a real time strategy done right.

#55 Donkey Kong Country

	Nintendo	Rare Ltd.	Super Nintendo	1994
	Next to Mario himself, Donkey Kong could make the claim of being one of the founding fathers of platformers. After retiring as Mario's nemesis, Donkey Kong spawned his own series of platformers- all of which are excellent. Donkey Kong Country was the first, and it succeeded by providing lots of large, detailed levels, as well as solid controls. Add in two player cooperative play and some of the best graphics the SNES ever saw (perhaps the best), and it becomes clear why Donkey Kong Country makes this list.

#54 Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

	Konami	Konami	Game Boy Advance	2001
	Ever since Symphony of the Night, the Castlevania series has followed a pretty standard pattern. While each subsequent entry has surely been top notch, Circle of the Moon stood out to me as being the best of the bunch. Its more action focused design lended itself to a stiff challenge, which in turn led to a more engaging game. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon was more than an excellent nonlinear adventure, it was also a stellar action game in its own right. And it was this combination that created one of the best 2D action adventure games ever made.

#53 Mario Kart DS

	Nintendo	Nintendo	Nintendo DS	2005
	As the lastest installment in Mario's long running kart racing series, Mario Kart DS has led the series to new heights in every regard. It has possibly the tightest controls in the series, tons of great tracks to race on, and perhaps most notably, it offers free online play. This game was one of the first to take use of Nintendo's WiFi service, and it works like a charm. Mario Kart DS would pretty easily be the best Mario Kart game ever (and therefore best kart racer ever) without online support, but that addition just lifts it heads and shoulders above anything that claims to be its competition.

#52 Final Fantasy XII

	Square Enix	Square Enix	Playstation 2	2006
	The latest installment in the long running Final Fantasy series is none other than Final Fantasy XII. This is one RPG that proves that gameplay is the heart and soul of any good game- everything else is just icing on the cake. This can be seen through the revamped battle system that makes grinding more enjoyable than ever, as well as the license system that allows for high levels of customization. Of course the icing is still there, via a top notch presentation and a ton of content. All of this makes Final Fantasy XII a great RPG.

#51 Viewtiful Joe

	Capcom	Clover Studios	Gamecube	2003
	Viewtiful Joe is a marvel of an action game. Here we have a technically 3D game, yet it is in the style of classic 2D action games- "beat 'em ups" if you will. The controls are fluid, the enemies and levels have superb design, and perhaps most noteworthy, this game's got style. The cell shaded art style in the game is awesome, but we also have catchy one liners such as "Henshin-a-go-go baby!", as well as characters with names like Hulk Davidson. All in all, the whole "Viewtiful" experience is quite unforgettable.