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Thread: The greatest game, as voted by UK readers of Retro Gamer mag

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    ServBot (Level 11) tom's Avatar
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    Default The greatest game, as voted by UK readers of Retro Gamer mag

    It's not right, but UK game players didn't know many USA classics of the 80s (not many had a VCS, even less had an 8-bit computer with a disk drive), so a real lack of C-64 or Atari 8-bit disc titles (as in Ultima series, Bards Tale series many EA softs (MULE anyone?), Broderbund, SSI, and many more.) Only one VCS classic (Pitfall) so to speak (not counting coin-up conversions), that is a real crime.

    1 Elite by Acornsoft for BBC computer
    2 Super Mario World
    3 Manic Miner by Bug Byte for Spectrum computer
    4 Final Fantasy VII
    5 Zelda: Ocarina of Time
    6 Space Invaders
    7 Jet Set Willy by Software Projects for Sepctrum computer
    8 Sensible Soccer by Sensible Software for C-64
    9 Doom
    10 Pac-Man
    11 Sonic 1
    12 Bubble Bobble
    13 Super Mario Kart
    14 Tetris
    15 GTA: Vice City
    16 Zelda: A Link to the Past
    17 Super Mario 64
    18 Halo
    19 Tomb Raider
    20 Frontier: Elite II by Game Tek for ST/Amiga/PC
    21 Lemmings
    22 Knight Lore by Ultimate for Spectrum computer
    23 Paradroid by Graftgold for C-64
    24 SMB
    25 Wizball by Sensible Software for C-64 computers
    26 Goldeneye
    27 SF II
    28 Chuckie Egg by A 'n' F for Spectrum/C-64 computers
    29 Civilisation
    30 Rainbow Islands
    31 Boulderdash
    32 R-Type
    33 The Secret of Monkey Island
    34 Dungeon Master
    35 Head over Heels by Ocean for C-64/Spectrum computers
    36 SMB 3
    37 Resident Evil
    38 Half-Life
    39 Ghost 'n Goblins
    40 Skool Daze by Microspher for Spectrum computer
    41 Chaos
    42 Sonic 2
    43 Speedball II by Bitmap Bros for ST/Amiga
    44 Out Run
    45 Imposible Mission
    46 Sabre Wulf by Ultimate (Rare) for Spectrum computer
    47 Dizzy by Codemasters for Spectrum computer
    48 SF II Turbo
    49 Galaxian
    50 Gubstar Heroes
    51 Atic Atac by Ultimate for Spectrum computer
    52 Jet Pac by Ultimate for Spectrum computer
    53 Lords of Midnight by Beyond for Spectrum computer
    54 Kick Off II for ST
    55 Mortal Kombat
    56 Sensible World of Soccer
    57 Sonic 3
    58 Yoshi's Island
    59 Football Manager by Addictive for Spectrum computer
    60 Worms
    61 Cannon Fodder
    62 Ultima Underworld
    63 Laser Squad by Blade Software
    64 Streets of Rage II
    65 Flashback
    66 Shenmue 2
    67 James Pond II Robocod
    68 The last Ninja II by System 3 for C-64 computer
    69 Match Day II by Ocean for Spectrum computer
    70 MGS
    71 Magicland Dizzy by Codemasters for Spectrum computer
    72 New Zealand Story
    73 Repton by Superior Software for BBC computer
    74 Secret of Mana
    75 Soul Calibur
    76 Turrican II by Rainbow Arts for Amiga/C-64
    77 Donkey Kong
    78 Exile by Superior Software for BBC computer
    79 Jet Set Willy 2 by Software Projects for Spectrum computer
    80 Mario Kart 64
    81 Mayhem in Monsterland by Apex for C-64
    82 Mr. Do!
    83 Oids
    84 Pirates
    85 Pitfall
    86 Shining Force
    87 Star Wars
    88 Double Dragon
    89 Super Metroid
    90 The Last Ninja by System 3 for C-64
    91 Championship Manager by Domark for Amiga
    92 Delta by Thamalus for C-64
    93 Final Fantasy
    94 GT 3
    95 GTA 3
    96 Missile Command
    97 Resident Evil 2
    98 Sim City
    99 Spy Hunter
    100 Turrican by Rainbow Arts for C-64

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    Ladd Spencer (Level 17) Sniderman's Avatar
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    Actually, I find this list interesting due to the games in the Top Ten. There are several titles that I don't recognize. And there are other titles that I *do* recognize, but that would never appear in my Top 100, let alone Top Ten....

    For example, 1 Elite by Acornsoft for BBC computer ? I've played Elite and it *is* a good game. But Number 1? And 7 Jet Set Willy by Software Projects for Sepctrum computer . I'm familar with this game and I know of its popularity in the UK. But it's not exactly a US property.

    No problems with 2 Super Mario World ; 4 Final Fantasy VII ; 6 Space Invaders; 9 Doom; or 10 Pac-Man in the Top Ten. I wouldn't have gone with 5 Zelda: Ocarina of Time , but rather the original Zelda.

    And I have NEVER heard of 3 Manic Miner by Bug Byte for Spectrum computer or 8 Sensible Soccer by Sensible Software for C-64. A soccer game in the Top Ten of all time . Well, I betcha one of the Maddens would appean in a US list, so it's only fair.

    It's an interesting look at what's insanely popular in the UK. Thanks for posting it. Gives me a few titles to check out to see what the hubbub's about.
    Still Around...Still Gamin'...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sniderman
    And I have NEVER heard of 3 Manic Miner by Bug Byte for Spectrum computer or 8 Sensible Soccer by Sensible Software for C-64
    SERIOUSLY! U NEED THESE GAMES!
    except get a newer sensible soccer, the amiga one!

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    ServBot (Level 11) tom's Avatar
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    The Spectrum computer with a tape recorder was the best selling computer in the UK (of the 80s), because games sold on tape for $3.00 or so (as compared to $40.00 for a VCS game)

    Most UK Spectrum games were USA rip-offs (Manic Miner was a clone of Miner 2049er). A Soccer game in the Top Ten? Yep, only in the UK (Well, it could happen in Germany too)

    Elite at number 1? Not in my book either, as I played the C-64 version, which stinks.

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    Quote Originally Posted by tom
    Elite at number 1? Not in my book either, as I played the C-64 version, which stinks.
    i so agree with u there... Bubble Bobble should be there

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    ServBot (Level 11) tom's Avatar
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    Star Raiders (Atari 8-bit version) belongs at number 1

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    Elite is very well regarded over here in the UK. It was THE killer app for the BBC Mirco.
    You have to realise that during the eighties in the UK most people owned home computers (including myself) such as the commodore 64, sinclair spectrum, amiga and the atari st.
    During primary school (kindergarden) i never knew anyone who owned an atari games console. It was only in the late eighties/early ninties that consoles like the NES became popular (in my area at least). Consquently i rarely if ever atari 2600 cartridges.
    STOP! Its HammerTime!

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    The big difference between the Retro Gamer list and our lists are the BBC Micro/Spectrum titles. These computers are more or less unheard of in the US. I think most of us would choose titles like Sim City, Secret of Monkey Island, Zork, Ultima IV, etc., as far as early computer titles are concerned.

    Mario 64 at 16 though? Way too low. It's also odd to see Tetris so far down the list - I don't remember a US top 100 with Tetris out of the top 5.

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    Yeah i was a bit dissapointed when i saw Elite at number 1.. and Gunstar Hero's at 50, outrageous..

    On a more positive note, If you turn to the Arcade Hunt section in issue 9, the section on Arcadia was written by yours truely..

    Joe.
    Xbox Live Tag - GunstarHeroUK

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    How can FFVI not make the list

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    Really interesting list. It gives a great perspective of what European gaming
    was all about 10-20 years ago.

    Not surprised Elite is the king in the UK. That game has a major cult
    following. I loved playing Elite on my 64 in the mid 80s. But only in the UK
    could Frontier Elite II make best games list. That game improved on much
    but ruined the game with quite possibly the worst space combat system in
    game history. It was supposed to be 'realistic' but it really was a bore and
    the graphics were really quite lame compared to what Origin was doing at
    the same time. I tried so hard to like that game.

    I'm not surprised at the lack of 2600 titles, Pitfall and a few others are really
    the only worthy exclusive games for any 'best of' list. The 2600 offered
    weak conversions of arcade games which is where the real talent was up til
    1984 or so. I'm surprised so few arcade games made the list, actually perhaps
    I more surpised at the lack of Williams arcade games on the list.

    Paradroid is a cool 64 game that is worth a look on an emulator.

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    Quote Originally Posted by slip81
    How can FFVI not make the list
    Because it (as FF3 in the US) was never released in Europe. Neither was FF2 (FF4), Chrono Trigger, Earthbound and a wealth of other RPG titles. About the only major titles Europe got were Secret of Mana (18 months after the US release!), Terranigma (ironically not released in the US) and I think Secret of Evermore.

    Most people were not into importing back then, so they went pretty much unnoticed apart from mentions in the magazines at the time raving about them. The only problem was many of them didn't work with the converters either, so people would need an NTSC SNES to go with it...

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    Well, the Europeans didn't get much. The Spectrum and the Commodore 64 used tapes when the rest of the world was using disks. The reason these computers sold so well was because they were extremely cheap. (The BBC Micro is sort of like the Apple II of the UK, everybody used one in school, far fewer owned one.) I'm surprised at the lack of Sgea Master System titles on the list (considering it was far more popular than the NES, Also, Final Fantasy I for the NES was never released in the UK, so I am surprised to see it on the list at all.

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    Ok they didnt add MS2 time to get angry

    /angry

    there we go

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    Elite rocked my bloody world when I first played it. I'm glad to see it at the top of somebody's list. It may have been surpassed by other series (Wing Commander, Privateer (which was a lot like Elite) Tie Fighter etc.) but, for me, it still had that feel of "wow, I'm in a huge freaking Universe and I can go anywhere I want to as long as I can dock with the damn space station and afford fuel and repairs." No game prior to that (that I had encountered) gave me that feeling.

    Can you imagine being in the U.K. and playing that game for the first time when you were 14 or so? I'd say that's a memory that would stick with you and I bet that played into a lot of people making it their top choice.

    It's also probable that nobody voting on the list put Elite at number 1, but if it appeared consistently in everyones top 5 or 10 that could put it at number 1 if their other choices varied widely enough.
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    i am shocked and quite happy to see Bubble Bobble at 13
    Eyes - Pete and Pete, Bullet Ballet
    Ears - Exploding Hearts , Tattle Tales
    Hands - Neutopia II, NBA Live 05

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    heh finally some love for shenmue and mr.do
    U GAIZ JUST DONT LIKE CHANGE , (builds a artificial foundation here)

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    honestly that list seems ok. some oddities of course due to regions but yes its ok.

    and atari games dont belong anywhere near top 100 lists. sure they were cool back then, but they got their ass kicked so hard and all over the place once 8 bit took over i dont even wanna look at the vcs.

    they were great then, but now honestly i cant stand to play one for more that 5 minutes. id rather be playing minesweaper.

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    I find it interesting what games are on that 100 list. I wouldnt exactly agree with it and would definitly have some of the lower rated games in the top 10, but its still interesting. A shame europe didnt get that many atari games. To many good ones like Yar's Revenge and Megomenia that deserve mention in a top 100.

    I would never put ET on that list. Maybe top 200, but never top 100.

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    Remember, this a a UK list only, not Europe.

    In Germany for example, the outcome would be different as most people had a C-64 or an XL with Disc Drives, so did France.

    Only UK believed in tape as a storage medium during the 80s.
    (Hence the cheap and horrible Spectrum stuff)

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