Last week we counted down our top 10 most anticipated games of E3, if you missed it (and judging by the number of hits most of you did, shame,) check it out here.

The odd thing about E3 is that while we may be sad to see it go back into slumber for another year we’re thrilled that soon we will get to play all those shiny new games. Now as with most things in life, there are winners and losers and let’s face it, some games shown at E3 were real stinkers (cough, Style Savvy, cough) but we’re not here to talk about fashion sims, we’re here to talk about the absolute best of E3 2009. Now this list was hard to put together, mostly due to the amazing amount of quality games shown last week in L.A. so it’s very possible your favorite didn’t make the list.

With that out of the way we bring you the top 10 games of E3 2009.

10 – The Legend Of Zelda (Wii)

• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Developer: Nintendo
• To Be Released In: 2010

Just to show how big the announcement of a new Zelda game is let’s look at the facts. The game was not shown (or mentioned at the Nintendo press conference), it was not on the show floor, neither in trailer or demo form, hell it doesn’t even have an official title yet, but when Shigeru Myamoto shows off one piece of concept art the internet goes crazy! The next title in the acclaimed Zelda series promises to be darker and more mature then ever and we can’t wait to get our hands on Link’s next adventure.

9  - Scribblenauts

• Platform: Nintendo DS
• Developer: 5th Cell
• To Be Released In: Fall 2009

Here’s a game that got lost in the craziness that is E3, and it’s a real shame because Scribblenauts might be the most ambitious and creative game ever to appear on the Nintendo DS and maybe even all time. The game mechanics of Scribblenauts are simple, you have to reach a star piece to advance to the next level, naturally their is an obstacle in the way, so how do you get past? With your imagination of course! Have a shark infested lake to past? Simply write ‘toaster’ and drop it into the lake to electrocute the shark. Want to witness an epic battle? Write ‘Kraken’ instead and answer the age old question of who would win a fight between a Kraken and a shark. With thousands if not millions of possibilities Scribblenauts could possibly the greatest game that no one has heard of.

8  - Alan Wake

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360 / Windows PC
• Developer: Remedy Entertainment
• To Be Released In: Spring 2010

E3 2009 was the big coming out party for the long awaited ‘psychological action thriller’ Alan Wake. Sporting amazing graphics and a dark and disturbing story the game promises to re-define the action and horror genres. Playing a little like Luigi’s Mansion players will need to use light as their weapon on their quest to find Alan’s missing wife from the haunted forest of Bright Falls. As you advance through the game the narrative is spoken in a sort of 3rd person speak giving the impression that player is playing a virtual book.

7  - Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

• Platform: Sony PSP
• Developer: Kojima Productions
• To Be Released In: 2010

You thought Metal Gear: Rising was it for Hideo Kojima and his team over at Kojima Productions? Pfft. The creator of Metal Gear is hard at work on not one but two new entries into the storied franchise (not counting  the new Castlevania game as well) and the one that caught our attention was Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for the PSP. The game is a sequel to the PS2’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and will deal with Big Boss and his team sent to Costa Rica to stop a military takeover. Sporting some of the best visuals ever seen on the PSP, Peace Walker quickly became our most anticipated game for Sony’s handheld, which makes 2010 look like a great year for gaming on all systems.

6  - Super Mario Galaxy 2

• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Developer: Nintendo EAD
• To Be Released In: 2010

Nintendo’s E3 press conference was full of surprises, and one of the biggest ones was that Super Mario Galaxy, one of the highest rated games of this generation is getting a sequel. The game will use the same graphics engine with a few extra tweaks here and there, but don’t think for one second that this will just be the original all over again. Featuring  a more difficult single player mode and all new game mechanics like the ability to control Yoshi, all mixed together with that classic Mario charm and you have a sure candidate for game of the year 2010 with Super Mario Galaxy 2.

5  - God Of War III

• Platform: Sony Playstation 3
• Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
• To Be Released In: March 2010

We knew it was going to be big, we knew it was going to blow us away, we knew we would love it, but nothing could prepare us for God Of War III’s amazing gameplay demonstration during the Sony press conference. All the brutal action and mature attitude we remembered from God Of War one and two is  back in beautiful (yet grotesque) high definition and you can be sure that Kratos’ wrath and the blood will flow like wine when the final chapter in the God Of War trilogy is released next March.

4  - Project ‘Natal’

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360
• Developer: Microsoft R&D
• To Be Released In: 2010

While not technically a game it was the project ‘Natal’ demo that left me picking my jaw up off the floor. Using your full body as the control method has had in the past both it’s success’ and failures (hello Sega Activator) but ‘Natal’ is taking it to a whole new level of interactivity. Whether it’s breaking blocks, balls or throwing paint at the screen or just chatting with creepy British children, ‘Natal’ seems like a window into the future of gaming an we can’t wait to ‘jump in’.

3  - Modern Warfare 2

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360 / Sony Playstation 3 / Windows PC
• Developer: Infinity Ward
• To Be Released On: November 10th 2009

Last week we named Modern Warfare 2 our most anticipated game of E3 (guess that sorta gives away the ending eh?) and it did not disappoint. Everything about Modern Warfare 2 seems to out do the original which was one of the best games of 2007, all new environments like under water stages, intense action with snow mobile chases and the obvious refinements to the multiplayer modes will surely make Modern Warfare 2 one of the best games of 2009, just like it’s big brother did two years earlier.

2  - Metroid: Other M

• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Developer: Team Ninja / Nintendo
• To Be Released In: 2010

After last year’s E3 Nintendo fans were feeling pretty down. Unless you loved collecting useless crap in Animal Crossing (I know I do) or pretending to play an instrument in Wii Music you probably fell in the disappointed category. So what would Nintendo do to redeem themselves at 2009’s event? Sure Super Mario Galaxy looks amazing but the hardcore want a game of their own, and that game is Metroid: Other M. With Team Ninja’s experience in designing brutal action games and Nintendo’s reputation for quality hopes are high for this game that has since become my personal most anticipated game.

1  - Assassin’s Creed II

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360 / Sony Playstation 3 / Windows PC
• Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
• To Be Released On: November 17th 2009

Of all the games, of all the companies, of all the trailers, of all the demos, it was Assassin’s Creed II that stole our hearts. Taking everything that made the original game great and multiplying it ten times over, this is the game that will finally really make you feel like an old world assassin. Everything from the perfectly recreated 15th century Venice to the Da Vinci flying machines to the way you sneak around has been painstakingly done to give an air of realism to the game. Thankfully Assassin’s Creed II is only a few months away and you can bet that I will be one of the first in line for my ticket to Venice.

This concludes our look at this year’s E3. But stay tuned to 360blog.org as we continue to look at all things gaming. Here’s a hint at next week’s top 10: What’s worst then cigarettes, drugs and beer put together? Find out next week, only at 360blog.org.

    Welcome to a special edition of the 360 Sunday Games Top 10. As we get ready for E3 the amount of hype for certain games is absolutely through the roof. In fact some of these games don’t even more then one trailer released and are already being considered as game of the year by some people! Now the only condition to make this list is that the game has to be announced, sorry secret Kojima project. So to make sure you know what to look for come next week, we present to you to the top 10 most anticipated games of E3 2009.

  These are the show stealers.

10 – Time Splitters 4

• Platform: Unannounced
• Developer: Crytek UK (former Free Radical Design)
• Genre: First Person Shooter

  From the people who brought you Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark and of course the first 3 Time Splitters games comes the latest installment in the series. While we may not know a lot about this game, mostly due to recent restructuring of the company, we still have high hopes for Time Splitters 4 and all the monkey craziness that will ensue. From the early teaser trailer we can see that the game will poke fun at other video games, with examples like a monkey using a Big Daddy suit (Bioshock) or wearing Master Chief’s armor (Halo). Now that’s a game I wanna play.

9  - The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

• Platform: Nintendo DS
• Developer: Nintendo
• Genre: Action / Adventure

  How can you possible not be excited for a new Zelda game. The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is set to launch later this year with all that classic Zelda adventuring you know and love, while at the same time sporting all new features, like the ability to control enemies into doing your bidding. Gone is the ocean from Phantom Hourglass and in comes a railway system, and we can’t wait to see where Link’s conducting will take us.

8  - Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360 / Windows PC
• Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
• Genre: Stealth Action

  Sam Fisher is back and things are different this time around. Sam is now a man on the run and must use his experience as a Splinter Cell to evade government agents, blend into large crowds and get to the bottom of another nefarious scheme. This is the Splinter Cell series’ 5th game, and all the previous installments have been nothing short of spectacular, which is why we have nothing but high hopes for the Xbox exclusive.

7  - Diablo III

• Platform: Windows PC / Mac OS X
• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Genre: Action R.P.G.

  The long awaited Diablo III is almost here and we can’t wait to wear out our keyboards with it. Featuring an all new 3D game engine, new character classes and an all new darker story (don’t really know how they could make it any darker then Diablo II but oh well), Diablo III is ready to set the world on fire, and could be a strong contender with Blizzard’s own World Of Warcraft for the title of world’s most addicting game.

6  - Red Steel 2

• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Developer: Ubisoft Paris
• Genre: First Person Shooter

  The original Red Steel was a launch title for the Wii all the way back in 2006, and while it was a fun and innovative game, it had it’s issues. Well fear not, because the sequel is on its way and is out to rocket this franchise to stardom. Utilising the Wii Motion Plus accessory, Red Steel 2 aims to deliver full 1 to 1 precision sword fighting as well as precision gun aiming that Wii fans have been screaming for, all wrapped up in an original futuristic western setting. All this enough to make Red Steel 2 our most anticipated Wii game of E3.

5  - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

• Platform: Sony Playstation 3
• Developer: Naughty Dog
• Genre: Action / Adventure

  It’s easy to see why the sequel to one of the Playstation 3’s best games is getting so much hype. Uncharted 2 takes everything (and it’s a lot) that made the first game great and cranks it up even further. Stunning visuals, compelling characters, intriguing story, online multiplayer and co-op! This is a perfect example of taking a 9/10 game and pushing it for that perfect 10.

4  - God Of War III

• Platform: Sony Playstation 3
• Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Santa Monica
• Genre: Action / Adventure

  Nothing beats a good revenge story and Kratos delivers some of the best around. This time the god killer will take his vendetta to the HD shores of the PS3 and from what we’ve seen so far it’s one of the best looking games on the system. With all the deadly combos, gory finishing moves and weapons steeped in Greek mythology intact we can easily see God Of War III becoming one of the best games of the year. Of all time if they include another sex mini-game.

3  - Assassin’s Creed II

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360 / Sony Playstation 3 / Windows PC
• Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
• Genre: Action / Adventure

  The Assassin’s Creed experience was all about sneaking around and killing off your targets in brutal ways. Now the sequel is on it’s way, we’re changing locations, from Roman occupied Israel to Renaissance era Venice, complete with a Da Vinci inspired arsenal. Now if you weren’t hyped for Assassin’s Creed II by that last sentence I suggest you get yourself checked out. Ubisoft has already promised to fix all the little out of place details from the 1st game and make Assassin’s Creed II the game to steal the show at E3 2009.

2  - Mass Effect 2

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360 /Windows PC
• Developer: Bioware (Edmonton)
• Genre: Action R.P.G.

  If their is one thing that Bioware is great at it’s storytelling. Knights Of The Old Republic spun a tale that was better then the entire prequel trilogy put together. But it would be Mass Effect that allowed Bioware to tell their own story and really give the player seemingly limitless options as to how to play the game, a pattern we hope to see repeated with Mass Effect 2. Recent trailers have revealed more and more about Shepard’s fate after the events of the first game, a fate which we cannot wait to play with.

1  - Modern Warfare 2

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360/ Playstation 3 /Windows PC
• Developer: Infinity Ward
• Genre: First Person Shooter

 Sure it may be another first person shooter based around real world events (just be thankful it doesn’t feature Space Marines or is set in WW2) but Modern Warfare 2 (dropped the Call Of Duty name) is all set to pull us back in with an in depth story mode and addictive multi-player that will surely take over our lives once it is released in November. But the single reason this game has reach the top spot on this countdown is the absolute fanfare that follows any word of a new trailer or announcement. I mean when was the last time a sneak preview for a game was given during the NBA playoffs? Now that’s excitement.

  Make sure you tune into 360blog.org tomorrow evening, as we will be recapping all the big happenings from Microsoft’s E3 press event as well as the numerous 3rd party announcements that are sure to take us all by surprise. Also be sure to be here next Sunday as we count down the top 10 games of this year’s E3 event.

  But right now we want to know what your most anticipated games of E3 are, so leave a comment in the section below.

  Check out other countdowns from past weeks here! 360blog.org features a new countdown video game related countdown every Sunday!

  Forget all this touch screen and multimedia capability nonsense, back in the day all you needed to enjoy a game on the road was four AA batteries and a green screen. The original Game Boy was handheld gaming at its purest form, featuring only 2 buttons, a D-pad and a monochrome screen. The system was a best selling item from its launch in 1989 to its replacement by the Game Boy Color in 1998, in that time selling over 70 million units! Now we didn’t think it would be very fair to include GBC games in this list (we’ll get to them later), so the only condition for a game to be considered is that it had to be in black and green.

  So without further ado, here are the best games from the original portable brick.

 10 – Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge

• Publisher: Konami
• Developer: Konami
• Year Released: 1991
• Genre: Action / Adventure

  After the first Castlevania game for the Game Boy met with lackluster reviews and success, Konami went back to the drawing board for the sequel. Belmont’s Revenge brought the experience of a console Castlevania game to a handheld for the first time, with features like secondary weapons, selectable levels and a password system to continue your progress, this game started a long legacy of great vampire hunting on the go, which is still evident in newer games like Harmony Of Dissonance for the GBA and most recently Order Of Ecclesia on the DS.

9  - Kirby’s Dream Land

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: HAL Laboratory Inc.
• Year Released: 1992
• Genre: Platformer

  Kirby’s Dream Land holds a special place in many gamers hearts. Not only was it the debut of Nintendo’s little pink err… white puffball, but the game proved to be the perfect ‘on the go’ game. With only 4 main levels, it was perfect for that lazy car ride or a quick go through at recess. Like Castlevania is seems the Kirby saves his best for the handhelds, with Kirby: Squeak Squad and the more recent remake of Kirby Super Star continuing to provide hours of handheld gaming bliss.

8  - R-Type

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: Irem
• Year Released: 1991
• Genre: Horizontal Shooter

  When it came to N.E.S. and arcade games finding their way to the Game Boy the result was usually less then perfect. But when it came time for R-Type to debut on the gray brick it broke the mold. Featuring everything that made the console versions great, the Game Boy version of R-Type was a must own, not only for fans of the series, but any gamer on the go.

7  - Donkey Kong Land

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: Rare
• Year Released: 1995
• Genre: Platformer

  Donkey Kong Country quickly became one of the Super Nintendo’s best games, so when it came time for Rare to developer a Game Boy version, expectations were high. Luckily for us, despite only having a fraction of the power of the S.N.E.S. at their disposal, Rare managed to cram everything that made Country great into a small yellow cartridge and create Donkey Kong Land. The game provides all that smooth gameplay that gamers have come to expect from the series, while at the same delivering an original and funny story.

6  - Mega Man V

• Publisher: Capcom
• Developer: Capcom
• Year Released: 1994
• Genre: Action / Platformer

  It took five tries for Capcom to get it right, but Mega Man V finally gives the blue bomber a game he can be proud of on the Game Boy. Featuring an all original cast of robot masters, all new levels, new power-ups and a new partner to help you on your quest, Mega Man V is known for breaking the mold established by the previous games in the series. Sure Capcom may be known for milking this franchise dry in recent years, but games like Mega Man V are reminders of why we keep coming back for more robot shooting fun.

5  - Metroid II: Return Of Samus

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: Nintendo R&D 1 / Intelligent Systems
• Year Released: 1992
• Genre: Action / Adventure

  The original Metroid is known for its epic size, atmosphere and sense of loneliness on a hostile world, so when it came time to bring all that down to the small screen you would think some sacrifices would have to be made. Not so fast. Metroid II packed everything that made the original Metroid stand out and kept on adding new features like save stations, more hidden items and a compelling story that would have a major impact in both Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion. The game is considered by some to be the dark horse in the series due to its linear gameplay and straight forward exploration, but to this day, every handheld Metroid (with the exception of the FPS Prime Hunters) have followed the Metroid II way of telling Samus’ story.

4 – Super Mario Land

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: Nintendo R&D 1
• Year Released: 1989
• Genre: Platformer

  Super Mario Land had alot of weight on its shoulders. Not only was it a launch title for Nintendo’s newest system but it debuted at the height of ‘Mario Mania’, where everything the plumber touched turned to instant gold, even selling things like shampoos and cereals wasn’t out of the question for Nintendo’s mascot. So alot was riding on Mario Land to keep this trend going, and keep going it did. Selling a mind numbing 18.74 million copies, the game quickly earned the title of one of the Game Boy’s and Mario’s finest adventures. With excellent controls, varied environments and even letting Mario control a submarine and an airplane  the game was as unique as it was great.

3  - The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: Nintendo EAD
• Year Released: 1993
• Genre: Action / Adventure

  They shrunk down Mario, they shrunk down Metroid, but easily the biggest challenge for Nintendo was to take the epic scale and world of The Legend Of Zelda and fit it all on a Game Boy screen. But when all was said and done, it was a huge success. Link’s Awakening is easily one of the best 2D games in the series, right up there with A Link To The Past, in fact it was so good that Nintendo added a dash of color and made it a launch title for the Game Boy Color as Link’s Awakening DX. The game would continue to be a huge influence for the series, as both Oracle games, also on the G.B.C., would essentially be spiritual successors to Link’s Awakening. The story was also top notch, even moving some gamers (not me I swear…) to tears. 

2  - Tetris

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: Nintendo R&D 1 / Bullet-Proof Software
• Year Released: 1989
• Genre: Puzzle

  The N.E.S. had Super Mario Bros, the Xbox had Halo, the Wii has Wii Sports and the Game Boy had Tetris. These games are the major reason that these consoles saw so much success. The super addicting puzzle game from Russia was a brilliant pack-in choice for the launch of the Game Boy, it gave it an instant killer-app that proved that portable gaming was a new frontier that would eventually become just as important as the big boy consoles. Tetris itself has an amazing legacy, spawning sequel after sequel for nearly every system since 1989, and adding new innovations like online play, HD graphics and crazy multiplayer modes.

1  - Pokémon (Red/Blue)

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: Game Freak
• Year Released: 1998
• Genre: R.P.G.

  One of the most influential video games of all time, Pokémon started a cultural phenomenon that spawned trading cards, a cartoon show, toys, cloths, food, etc. The concept is simple, catch creatures and have them battle other trainer’s pokémon on your quest to become the greatest trainer in the world. The story is your standard R.P.G. fare, innocent kid gets mixed up in a battle between good and evil. But the greatest draw of the game was the link cable trading and battling. By hooking up two Game Boys you could duke it out with your friends to see who really was king of the playground or simply trade some Pokémon around and try to get that Haunter to evolve into a Gengar. If their is anything that cements this game and its legacy in history it’s that Nintendo and Game Freak have never changed the basic formula for any of the multi-colored sequels.  Gotta catch ‘em all! was more then a catch phrase, it was a way of life.

  Join us next week, as we kick start our E3 2009 coverage by counting down the top 10 most anticipated games of E3.

  Last week we took a look at the best controllers we ever wrapped our mitts around, if you missed it check it out here, or you can see our past countdowns here.

  Let me ask you this. You’re playing a game, everything seems to be going along great, your virtual hero is well on his way to save the world once again from evil and tyranny, but for some reason you just can’t seem to enjoy your adventure, and you can’t seem to figure out why. Everything is in order, your homework is done, girlfriend is out with the girls and the dog is fed, so why is it you just can’t enjoy this adventure in gaming? Well have a look at your hurting and blistered hands and you will have your answer. Video game controllers are supposed to be designed to be comfortable so we can hold on to them for hours on end and also offer a new play experience that opens up a world of possibilities, however the following 10 abominations seem to have missed the memo.

  So in part 2 of our feature on game controllers we bring you the top 10 worst, ever.

10 – N.E.S. Max

• Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
• Year Released: 1988
• Features: Thumb-Stick, Circular D-Pad, Turbo Buttons

  Nintendo always tries to innovate with their controllers, be it D-pads, shoulder buttons, joysticks or motion controls, Nintendo always wants to do things differently. But they may have gone overboard with the Max. While some innovations like handles were a welcome addition, and one that would become a staple of controllers in the modern age of gaming, the method that you actually controlled the game was a complete disaster. Utilizing a small circular thumbstick that the player had to press onto a hidden D-pad, games became near impossible to control, and if you didn’t like this there was the circular D-pad situated around the thumbstick which didn’t fare much better. Thank goodness Nintendo decided to abandon this experiment soon after it was released, and it was never heard from again.

9  - Microsoft Xbox Controller

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox
• Year Released: 2001
• Features: Detachable Cord, 6 Face Buttons, Big Xbox Logo

    When Microsoft unveiled their massive Xbox console they debuted it with an equally massive controller. Sure it had nifty features like a detachable cord so when someone tripped over it, it didn’t pull the ten pound console to the floor, and memory card slots built right into the controller like the Nintendo 64 and Sega Dreamcast used before it. But when the controller is practically unusable these features end up not meaning much. It’s no surprise that Microsoft eventually replaced the ‘Duke’ controller with the small ‘Controller S’ that was bundled with Japanese Xbox’s as the consoles main controller.

8  - Colecovision Controller

• Platform: Colecovision
• Year Released: 1982
• Features: Numerical Keypad, 2 Action Buttons, Joystick

  Why in the name of all that is good were numerical keypads so popular on game controllers in the early 80’s? Sure they allow for overlays so that you can tell you what all those buttons actually do, but back in those days games were simple, they didn’t need 12 buttons for extra features! Add to that the fact that the Colecovision’s controller was extremely unwieldy, with the ‘action’ buttons located on the side and a very stiff joystick, this controller made the games more of a chore then a relaxing past time.

7  - Super Scope

• Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
• Year Released: 1992
• Features: Wireless Light Gun

  When it came time for Nintendo to release the follow up to their successful Zapper light gun, Nintendo decided to try something different, and different is what we got. Instead of a small device you can hold with one hand and easily aim at the screen Nintendo released the Super Scope, this beast of a bazooka was supposed to simplify things with its infra-red adapter and wireless design, and we all know how that turned out. Inaccurate and un-comfertable the Super Scope is now best known as an item in the Super Smash Bros. games. Despite all its limitations the Super Scope does boast some amazing games like Battleclash and its sequel, Metal Combat: Falcon’s Revenge.

6  - CD-I Wireless Controller

• Platform: Phillips CD-I
• Year Released: 1991
• Features: Video Playback Control, Wireless

  Combining a TV remote and a video game controller is a bad idea, unfortunately Phillips and the unlucky few who actually bought a CD-I learned this the hard way. Utilising an IR signal that barely worked to register game input, a stiff and unresponsive joystick and face buttons that were actually all grouped around the joystick, the CD-I’s wireless controller tried to do too much while at the same time doing everything wrong. As a side note, the standard CD-I controllers weren’t much better, prone to breaking and featuring 3 face buttons while every game only used two, so if you absolutely must play some CD-I get ready to be disappointed.

5  - Atari Jaguar Controller

• Platform: Atari Jaguar
• Year Released: 1993
• Features: Numerical Keypad

  One day I would love to be part of a focus group, and maybe, just maybe I would be able to keep a bad product from ever making its way out into consumers hands, but I doubt Atari even held focus groups for this controller. Taking the basic Sega Genesis design was fine, even though the three face buttons are oddly positioned, if Atari had kept this part and this part only in the final design it would have avoided ending up on this list, but no, this is Atari and apparently the numerical keypads of the early 80’s were still ‘in’ ten years later. This unneeded addition made the whole thing extremely bulky and uncomfortable and did nothing to help Atari and their last console compete.

4  - Power Glove

• Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
• Year Released: 1989
• Features: Motion Controls, Programmable Controls

  ’I love the Power Glove, it’s so bad’, this immortal sentence from the movie ‘The Wizard’ will live on forever in gaming culture as an ironic reference to how ‘bad’ the Power Glove really is. Designed to be the Wii before the Wii even was a concept. the Power Glove translated the motion of your hand into the controls for the on screen action. Did it work? Hell no. Gamers spent more time flailing their hands around in every way just trying to get Mario to jump. Their is however a silver lining for the Power Glove, it will live on forever as the butt of many game related jokes. It truly was ‘bad’.

3  - U-Force

• Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
• Year Released: 1989
• Features: Hands Free Control

  I don’t know what the developers of the U-Force were thinking, controlling a game with only the movement of your hands and nothing is a cool idea, unfortunately it’s still just an idea. So when they released the U-Force no one was really surprised when it didn’t work. The unit generated an ‘infra-red feild’ that the player had to manipulate and try to move the on screen action. The problem with this is that no one knew what they were doing and you ended up looking like an idiot trying to play with it.

2  - Sega Activator

• Platform: Sega Genesis
• Year Released: 1992
• Features: Full Body Control

  Speaking of looking like an idiot here’s the Sega Activator, this octagon shaped controller was designed replicate your full body’s movement to give gamers the most realistic experience ever. Players would attach sensors to their wrists and ankles and then try to replicate the moves needed to play the game. A good idea?  Not really.

1  - Atari 5200 Controller

• Platform: Atari 5200
• Year Released: 1982
• Features: Numerical Keypad, Pause Button, 360 Degree Joystick

 I wouldn’t be doing my job if this controller wasn’t number one on this list. The amount of problems with this thing is just staggering. A useless numerical keypad, a joystick that wouldn’t re-center on its own and most grievous of all, it was the most fragile game controller ever made, often breaking after only a few hours, some people even got broken controllers right out of the box. Of all the controller’s on this list, this is the one that most deserves the title of worst controller ever. 

Tune in next week for 360blog.org’s next countdown!

  Video game controllers play an important role. Their our connection to the virtual world we are playing in, they are designed to be comfortable so we can spend hours leveling up or going for the next big win. Controllers also have to be innovative, do something different, make us more then just ‘playing’ the game, we have to feel like we’re the heroes saving the princess, that we’re the big sports star getting his team to the championship. They have come in many different sizes and shapes, with different ways to control your virtual avatar, but these following remotes all have something very important in common. They are the ones we keep picking up time and time again.

  So I bring you the best of the best that game imputs can give, with the top 10 controllers of all time.

* – Honorable Mention – N.E.S. Controller

  I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t leave the good ‘ol N.E.S. controller off this list. Sure it has jagged corners and the D-pad could blister up a thumb in no time, but it was the 1st to even have a D-pad. Plus it’s also a fashion statement. That black, red and gray have become synonymous with retro gaming, with some gamers even going as far as to wear N.E.S. styled belt buckles, hats, t-shirts and all manner of hip gear. So you can forgive me for pushing this list to 11.

10 – Dualshock 2

• Platform: Sony Playstation 2
• Year Released: 2000
• Innovations: Analog buttons, L3 and R3 buttons

  Continuing the evolution from the PS1’s Dual Analog and Dualshock controllers, the Dualshock 2 quickly established itself as the face of gaming controllers. While it didn’t change the look of Sony’s previous models it added new features like all-analog buttons which provide better response time then digital buttons and more sensitivity as well as ‘clickable’ joysticks which birthed the L3 and R3 buttons, the successors of which can be found on the Sixaxis, Dualshock 3 and Xbox 360 controllers,

9  - Virtual Boy Controller

• Platform: Virtual Boy
• Year Released: 1995
• Innovations: Dual-Dpads, Power switch for console on controller

  Now here’s the sleeper hit of this list. The Virtual Boy is often regarded as one of the worst gaming consoles of all time, (check our previous top 10 to see where it ranks), but if it did one thing right was its controller. Sure the console was uncomfortable to use, causing problems like eye strain and back pains, but the controller is one of the most comfortable we’ve come across, with its fat handles that grip well to any hands, but the Virtual Boy also birthed some innovations, like Nintendo’s 1st attempt at 3D control with two D-pads, a pattern that would be repeated for the Nintendo 64 with the 4 ‘C’ buttons and D-pad combo. Also the controller also held the battery pack for the console, so the power really was in your hands.

8  - Nintendo 64 Controller

• Platform: Nintendo 64
• Year Released: 1996
• Innovations: Joystick, Expansion slot, Trigger button

     At first glance this beast of a controller looks like it was designed for someone with three hands, but when you hold one and really dive into a game of Super Mario 64 you realise it was with gamers in mind that Nintendo took a three-pronged approach. Designed primarily for 3-D gameplay, the centerpiece of the 64’s controller was the joystick which allowed for 360 degree analog movement, add to that the 4 ‘C’ buttons which for most games were used to control the camera that could be problematic in this new frontier of 3D games and you have a controller built for the future. And the innovations  just keep coming, the ‘Z’ trigger has since become a must for modern controllers, the expansion bay opened up the controller for modifications like a memory card slot, transfer pak to play certain Game Boy games on the big screen, but most importantly the famous rumble pak which finally added the ‘feel’ of the game to players hands and as seen a return in most (cough, Sixaxis, cough) modern controllers ever since.

7  - Guitar Hero ‘Guitar’ Controller

• Platform: Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony Playstation 2 and Playstation 3, PC
• Year Released: 2005 (new models frequently available)
• Innovations: Custom guitar shaped controller

  More then any other controller on this list the famous Guitar Hero controller makes you feel like you’re actually in the game, and not merely a spectator to the action. Its easy to pick up and play nature made it so that even your mom could pick it up and start strumming right away while still keeping more difficult techniques available for the core gamer to really master his plastic guitar. Over the years we have seen many different models of the guitar come out, some are just different shells while other’s like Rock Band’s change some key features to add more to the experience. But in the end they all serve to same purpose, to turn a boring Saturday night with friends into a full blown rock concert. \m/

6  - Sega Genesis Controller

• Platform: Sega Genesis (Mega Drive)
• Year Released: 1989
• Innovations: Handles

  Sometimes perfecting a formula is more important then reinventing it. Taking what made the N.E.S. controller a success Sega went and made it even better. The D-pad was smoothed out and made more responsive and comfortable, a third button was added to give players and developers more options in their games and most importantly the shape was molded to fit more comfortably in player’s hands, a precursor to the handles now standard on modern controllers, and this was a huge help when we spent our nights trying to get Sonic through one more zone.

5  - Wii Remote & Nunchuck

• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Year Released: 2006
• Innovations: Motion controls, IR pointing, Expansion bay, Sound feedback

  When you think innovation in games, you automatically think of Nintendo and their revolutionary controller.  And with good reason, the Wii is everywhere and everybody knows about it. From your kid brother, to your mom and pop to even ‘ol granma. Motion controls have replaced button presses as the new norm, IR pointing has made the first person shooter more accessible then ever, some titles even rival the mouse and keyboard for control precision. For more traditional gameplay expeirences you can connect the Nunchuck, an expansion that adds traditional joystick control and extra buttons to get the most out of our adventures. And with Wii Motion Plus just around the corner, their’s no telling what Nintendo will make us feel and play next. 

4  - Sega Genesis Controller (6 Button)

• Platform: Sega Genesis
• Year Released: 1993
• Innovations: 6 face buttons

  Yes that’s right, the Sega Genesis makes a second appearance on this list thanks to its revised controller. Released around the same time as the classic Street Fighter 2, the controller was basically designed for the more complex games to come. Fighting game fans quickly began proclaiming this model as the best ever, so much so that today some companies will even mod Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 controllers to look like the Genesis 6-button so players can rock Street Fighter IV in classic fashion.

3  - Super Nintendo Entertainment System Controller

• Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
• Year Released: 1991
• Innovations: Shoulder buttons

  Perhaps the most influential game controller of all time, the Super Nintendo’s pad did much more then paint our NES controller’s purple. The basic layout of four face buttons arranged in a diamond pattern has been a mainstay of every console generation since 1991, shoulder buttons have also become a must on controllers, eventually evolving into the famous triggers we know today. In fact Nintendo liked this controller so much they basically created a 2nd version with the Wii Classic Controller, massive D-pad and all.

2  - Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller

• Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360, PC
• Year Released: 2005
• Innovations: ‘Home’ button, dual triggers

  The ultimate modern gaming controller, the Xbox 360’s pad takes all that old-school know how and meshes it perfectly with new school features. The four face button layout made popular with the Super Nintendo returns, as well as the Playstation inspired 2 joystick, 1 D-pad input. New features include dual triggers matched up with 2 shoulder buttons, now labeled ‘bumpers’.  The controller is centered by a glowing Xbox logo, that not only tell us now wireless gamers who is player 1 and who is player 2 but a quick press will send you to the dashboard where all sorts of stats and options are posted, including our sacred Xbox Live profiles. The only thing holding it back from the number 1 spot is the awful D-pad.

1  - Wavebird

• Platform: Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo Wii
• Year Released: 2002
• Innovations: Wireless

  Cut the cord. That was Nintendo’s philosophy when developing the Wavebird for the Gamecube. The Wavebird took an already stellar controller and made it better by eliminating the rope that has tied gamers to their consoles from decades. Sure other’s would attempt wirless controllers before, but Wavebird was the 1st to hit it out of the park. So much so that ever since the Wii launched Nintendo has had to keep manufacturing the controller to keep up with a rising demand. The omission of rumble was unfortunate but a necessary evil (right Sony fans? ) to keep the battery life well into the 60 hour range and at distances of more then 20 feet. The Wavebird opened the floodgates, today no major game console’s main controller is directly connected to the console with a cable, and we have Wavebird to that thank for that freedom.

  You’ve seen the best but are you ready to see the worst? Tune in next week as we count down the top 10 worst devices to call themselves game controllers.

  Last week we counted down the Super Nintendo’s top 10 games, if for some reason you missed it check it out here.

  Some of the best things are birthed out of intense rivalries, nowhere was this more true then with the early 90’s console war between the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis. Both consoles featured amazing games, great 16-bit graphics, awesome controllers and most importantly some of the fondest memories of our childhoods. The Genesis may have eventually conceded the battle to Nintendo, but the following 10 games are the reasons why Genesis does what Nintendon’t.

SEGA!

10 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist

• Publisher: Konami
• Developer: Konami
• Year Released: 1992
• Genre: Action / Brawler

 You may not know it, but you probably have played this game. That’s because Hyperstone Heist is basically a port of Turtles In Time, one of the best 2D brawlers of all time, and it’s easy to see why: smooth controls, crisp graphics and gameplay to boot. Good news came this week for fans of the original as the game will be remade for the Xbox Live Arcade and Wii Ware services. 

9  - Mortal Kombat

• Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
• Developer: Midway
• Year Released: 1993
• Genre: Fighter

  Blood sells. It’s as simple as that. The Genesis version of Mortal Kombat quickly became a console best seller, even outselling the Super Nintendo version by a wide margin because the bloody fatalities and KO’s weren’t censored like they were in the S.N.E.S. port. But gore wasn’t the only selling point for this game. Great controls and an exceedingly fun multiplayer kept pushing players to be the best in the ring.

8  - Sonic & Knuckles

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: Sega Technical Institute / Sonic Team
• Year Released: 1994
• Genre: Platformer

  This game may have turned more heads thanks to its unique ‘lock on’ technology, which allowed the cartridge to be plugged directly into another cart to act as a sort of expansion pack (although this only worked with 2 games Sonic 2 and 3), however Sonic & Knuckles proved that it was more then a gimmicky add-on. Classic Sonic design and speed mixed perfectly with the flying gameplay of Knuckles to give gamers one of the Blue Blur’s last great games.

7  - Phantasy Star II

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: Sega AM7
• Year Released: 1990
• Genre: R.P.G.

  When it was announced that Sega would create their own R.P.G. to go against Squaresoft’s legendary Final Fantasy series most gamers thought it would be a complete disaster, how wrong they were. Bringing an original local set in a distant star system, classic R.P.G. gameplay and a story that moved some gamers to the verge of tears, (sniff, sniff) Phantasy Star II proved that Sega could stand toe to toe with the big boys of the role playing world.

6  - Comix Zone

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: Sega Technical institute
• Year Released: 1995
• Genre: Action / Brawler

  Comix Zone and many other games were the reasons why Sega was one of the most creative companies of the mid-90’s. Hit after hit, IP launch after launch kept Sega at the top of its game, and Comix Zone was the peak. You play as Sketch, a comic book artist who is pulled into the pages of a comic and made to battle against enemies drawn in by an evil villain. Now why can’t games today be this creative? 

5  - Vectorman

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: BlueSky Software
• Year Released: 1995
• Genre: Action / Platformer

  Sega’s answer to Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Country, Vectorman sported incredible 3D pre-rendered graphics that made it look a full generation ahead of its time. The story set you in a futuristic Earth that humans have abandoned due to over-pollution (apperantly sometime in 2049, better get those space ship tickets stamped), you play as Vectorman a Orbot (a type of robot… I guess) who takes it upon himself to free his fellow Orbots from an evil dictator. The game plays similar to Mega Man games with all the shooting and platforming you could dream for.

4  - Sonic The Hedgehog

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: Sonic Team
• Year Released: 1991
• Genre: Platformer

  Sorry Alex Kidd but you’re just not cutting it. Sega needed a mascot to go up against the star power of Mario and after several board room meeting musing over questions like ’sunglasses or no?’, ‘cat or dog?’, ‘fast or slow’, Sega’s higher ups finally decided on a blazing fast hedgehog with that characteristic 90’s ‘tude’. In 1991 Sonic The Hedgehog blew us all away with some of the fastest gameplay ever seen. It truly was the perfect answer to fat Italian plumbers.

3  - Gunstar Heroes

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: Treasure
• Year Released: 1993
• Genre: Action

  Their seems to be a general theme to this countdown of Sega looking for ‘answers’ to compete with other companies top franchises. Well the trend continues with Gunstar Heroes, Sega’s own run & gun game to compete Konami’s Contra series and SNK’s Metal Slug games. Sporting crazy fast action, hundred of bullets wizzing around the screen and enemies coming from every corner, their’s no doubt that Gunstar Heroes as earned its place in history.

2  - N.H.L. ‘94

• Publisher: EA Sports
• Developer: Electronic Arts
• Year Released: 1993
• Genre: Sports

  Man gamers in the early 90’s were a violent bunch, with bone crunching hits and (gasp) blood on the ice, the Genesis version of N.H.L. ‘94 quickly burned up the sales charts. But the game deserves the praise for much more then bloody hip checks. Still considered one of the best hockey games of all time (it was even an unlockable in the Playstation 2 version of N.H.L. ‘06) with stellar controls, the best multiplayer available on the console N.H.L. ‘94 delivered the most realistic hockey experience of the day.

1  - Sonic The Hedgehog 2

• Publisher: Sega
• Developer:  Sega Technical Institute / Sonic Team 
• Year Released: 1992
• Genre: Platformer

  Arguably one of the best 2D platformer of all time, Sonic 2 perfected what Sonic games were all about. Incredible level design, blazing fast speed, tons of secrets to uncover, the introduction of Tails and so much more made it easy for gamers to switch over to Sega’s blast processor. This is the pinnacle of Sonic games, a game which the series has not managed to match in 17 years! For the sake of all that is good Sega, give Sonic a new lease on life and bring him back to his roots.

Tune in next Sunday as we take a look at the best…well we’ll keep it a secret until then.

* – Note from the editor: I apologize for all the delays it took for this article to be published, apparently switching web browsers is more work then I thought.  from now on the Sunday top 10’s will be on time.  ;)

After a week off for Easter celebrations, 360blog.org returns with the top 10 Super Nintendo games of all time!

  Two weeks ago we named the Super Nintendo the best game console of all time and we cited the awesome software lineup as the reason why it was the cream of the crop. Now with so many great games, your favorite might not have made the final list, and with the amount of games we considered, we could have easily done a top 30. So we had to make a decision, and the games that made this list must answer to the following criteria A) were great in the day B) haven’t aged a day, and even after this we still had some tough decisions to make.

So without further ado, here are the top 10 from Nintendo’s Super console.

10 – Super Mario All-Stars

• Publisher: Nintendo
• Developer: Nintendo EAD
• Year Released: 1993
• Genre: Platformer / Compilation

  What’s the easiest way possible to make a great game? Well take four of the best games of the last generation, add some shine with brand spanking new 16-bit graphics, throw in some new music and character animations, and top it off by making the whole package available on one cartridge for one price. A later revision of the game even included Super Mario World. That’s 5 games for the price of one! You couldn’t find a better deal back then.

9 – Super Mario Kart

  In our top 10 N.E.S. games countdown, we credited R.C. Pro-Am with basically inventing the kart racing sub-genre, well it only took 4 years for it to be perfected. Still regarded as the best in the series by many, Super Mario Kart is still a blast to play, with several gaming championships still using it in competitions. And with sequel after sequel we’ll probably be racing with Mario and friends for years to come.

8 – Donkey Kong Country

  Nintendo was in trouble. The world had gotten its first taste of 32-bit gaming with the Sega-CD and 32X and with new consoles like the Playstation and Saturn just around the corner, the Super Nintendo was starting to look dated. But as if by fate, Nintendo’s original mascot returned to save the company a second time. Donkey Kong Country sported amazing 3D rendered graphics, stellar gameplay and one of the best soundtracks in the gaming industry. And thanks to the Wii’s Virtual Console, this game and it’s two sequels are available for download. Go get em!

7 – Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars

6 – Final Fantasy III (U.S.A.)

5 – Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

  When Nintendo first revealed the art style it would adopt for the sequel to Super Mario World, right away people complained that the company was going in a ‘kiddy’ direction with it’s colorful and happy storybook look. How wrong they were. Yoshi’s Island gave players a great 2D platformer, with solid controls, tons of collectibles, extra levels and  catchy tunes. The only thing that’s holding Yoshi’s Island back is the ear splitting cries of Baby Mario.

4 – Chrono Trigger

  During the mid-90’s Squaresoft was the master of the R.P.G. genre. Hit after hit cemented the company in the hearts of role playing gamers as the best developer of R.P.G.’s. Nowhere was this more true then with Chrono Trigger, still considered by some to be Square’s masterpiece of the 16-bit generation. An all new battle system, deep involving story with multiple endings and characters who you actually cared about are the reason why Chrono’s time travelling adventures are still among the best you can get on the Super Nintendo.

3 – Super Mario World

  In 1991 the Super Nintendo made it’s debut, at launch it featured only 2 games and yet it still managed to be the must have console that year. Why is that? Because of Mario. Super Mario World quickly became a system seller (mostly due to the fact it was a pack in), people were buying the system for this one game. And why not? It was a huge improvement over the classic Mario formula, great level design, amazing controls and the debut of Mario’s green lizard pal Yoshi. Platforming at its finest.

2 – The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past

1 – Super Metroid

  Zelda fans are a patient bunch. After two stellar adventures on the N.E.S. it took 4 years for the next installment in Link’s adventures to arrive. And boy was it worth the wait. A Link To The Past featured a return to the top down perspective from the original, the most dungeons of any Zelda game to date, a whole new arsenal for Link to use, a ton of side-quests and presented it all in a living breathing Hyrule, complete with a full population of NPC’s you could interact with. Truly a masterpiece.

1 – Super Metroid

  Great music, atmosphere, gameplay, story, setting, replay value, still holds up today, perfect balance of challenge and skill. These things are Super Metroid. Samus’ third mission to combat the Space Pirates proved to be the best gaming experience you could get, not only on the Super Nintendo but on any console available at the time. At only 800 Wii points on the Virtual Console, this is a steal for the best 16-bit game of all time.

 Tune in next week as we countdown the Super Nintendo’s arch rival, the Sega Genesis’ best games.

Last week we counted down the top 10 worst game consoles of all time. If for some reason you missed it follow the link here.

If you ever find yourself on a videogaming website odds are your going to stumble into a raging debate about what console truly is the best, with forums filled to the brim with fans proclaiming why their consoles of choice is superior. This is called the Console Wars and it has been going since before the days of the internet, in fact it started with the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis going head to head way back in the early 90’s. This list presents the winners of all those console wars, the ones who are remembered to this day.

They might not all have burned up the sales charts, but we couldn’t put a price on all the those afternoons playing with our friends.

10 – Sega Dreamcast

• Year Released: 1999
• Launch Price: 199$
• Games Released: 325 (+)
• Units Sold: 10.6 million

By the time Sega had learned from its mistakes with the Sega CD, 32X and Saturn, it was just about too late. The Dreamcast was designed to be the next generation console, sporting an impressive 128-bit processor, online play, great exclusives and the best graphics available at the time, the system was positioned to take the gaming world by storm. Unfortunately for Sega the release of Sony’s Playstation 2 cut the legs out from under the Dreamcast and Sega bowed out of the consoles race in 2001. It might not have the most games, or the longest shelf life but most gamers have nothing but fond memories of Sega’s swane song.

9 – Nintendo 64

• Year Released: 1996
• Launch Price: 199$
• Games Released: 387
• Units Sold: 32.93 million

Nintendo rarely does the expected. The Wii and DS are living proof of this. Way back in 1996 everybody figured Nintendo would follow Sony and Sega, and release a CD based console. They didn’t. Instead Nintendo decided to stick with cartridges for their 64-bit console. This eliminated load times but made games extremely expensive to produce for the N64. Despite this, the system still managed to have an amazing software lineup. Great titles like Super Mario 64 and The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time helped the industry transition into 3D while a little company called Rare became a household name with games like Goldeneye 007 and Donkey Kong 64.

8 – Atari 2600

• Year Released: 1977
• Launch Price: 199$
• Games Released: 900 (Approximately)
• Units Sold: 30 million

If you were a gamer around in the early 80’s odds are you remember the Atari 2600. The system sported many innovations like the use of cartridges to swap games and different controller designs. The system also featured a ton games that have since become industry staples, like Space Invaders and Pitfall. Unfortunately for Atari in 1983 the floor fell out from under the video game industry, mostly due to a lack of quality control on software and heavy competition from the growing home computer market, this is referred to as the video game crash of ‘83 which put an end to the 2600 and Atari as a main player in the console race.

7 – Nintendo DS

• Year Released: 2004 (DS) – 2006 (DS Lite) – 2009 (DSi)
• Launch Price: 149$ (DS) – 129$ (DS Lite) – 179$ (DSi)
• Games Released: 600 (And counting)
• Units Sold: 101 million (And counting)

Back when Nintendo announced the DS it seemed like a bad idea. The Sony PSP was on it’s way and featured multimedia capabilities and console level graphics. In comparison the DS was underpowered, gimmicky and had an odd 2 dual screen design, not to forget that the Game Boy Advance was still selling amazingly and no one could see why Nintendo would bother releasing another handheld. How wrong they were. The DS went on to be a massive success for Nintendo, just this past month crossing the 100 million units sold barrier. Developers have found ways to release innovative and fun games for the two screen handheld and Nintendo continues to count the cash.

6 – Nintendo Game Boy

• Year Released: 1989 (GB) – 1996 (GBP)
• Launch Price: 109$ (GB)
• Games Released: 626
• Units Sold: 70 million (Approximately)

Nintendo has been the king of the portable world ever since 1989 and the launch of the original Game Boy. Sure it’s competitors at Atari and Sega used full color displays and back-lit screens but they drained batteries at an alarming rate. The Game Boy only displayed in black and green but the batteries lasted into double digit hours. Couple this with the brilliant pack-in game Tetris and it’s no wonder this system sold like nothing before it. And just when it looked like the Game Boy’s best days were behind it, along came Pokémon and a color upgrade to give the original Game Boy a shelf life lasting from 1989 to 2001.

5 – Sega Genesis / Mega Drive

• Year Released: 1989
• Launch Price: 189$
• Games Released: 700 (Approximately)
• Units Sold: 29 million

Genesis does was Nintendon’t! This bold advertising campaign proudly proclaimed how superior the Genesis was to the 8-bit N.E.S.. Games like Sonic, Ecco, Vectorman and Ristar were showcases for what the Genesis could do and how 16-bit gaming was superior to it’s predecessors. The Genesis was also marketed as the more mature console when compared to the S.N.E.S., the bloody fatalities in Mortal Kombat weren’t censored, N.H.L. ‘94 had blood on the ice and Night Trap featured scantily clad female heroes. This led to the formation of the E.S.R.B. (Entertainment Software Rating Board) and earned the Genesis’ place in history. Because you can’t do this on Nintendo.

4 – Sony Playstation 2

• Year Released: 2000
• Launch Price: 299$
• Games Released: 1800 (And counting)
• Units Sold: 140 million (And counting)

There is no denying the Playstation 2. Even nine years after it’s release it’s still racking up sales. Which is not surprising considering the amazing game lineup the system was able to accumulate over it’s lifespan. No matter what genre you were into the PS2 had you covered. From sports, to action, to platformers, to RPG’s to everything in between you could find it here. And if you still haven’t taken the dive, just last week Sony lowered the M.S.R.P. on the system to 99$.

3 – Nintendo Entertainment System

• Year Released: 1985
• Launch Price: 199$
• Games Released: 789
• Units Sold: 61.91 million

In all of history there has never been a video game console as important as the Nintendo Entertainment System. After the video game crash of 1983 it looked like games were a thing of the past. The home console market was no more and arcades were saturated. Until a plumber came along. The N.E.S. revolutionized gaming with it’s accessible titles, quality control standards (although Nintendo was pretty severe with these), D-pad imput, smooth scrolling graphics and games with actual stories and not just high scores to beat over and over. If it weren’t for the N.E.S. we wouldn’t be playing today.

2 – Sony Playstation

• Year Released: 1995
• Launch Price: 299$
• Games Released: 1800 (+)
• Units Sold: 102 million

Today video games are big business. In fact bigger then both the music and movie industries. But this wouldn’t be so without the original Playstation. The system made video games a mass market medium and helped expand the industry in ways not seen again till the Nintendo Wii and DS tag team. The console also had games to boot like fan favorites Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid.

1 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System

• Year Released: 1991
• Launch Price: 199$
• Games Released: 914
• Units Sold: 49.10 million

The true strength of any console is the games and the Super Nintendo’s game library is simply second to none, with titles like: Super Mario World, The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past, Super Metroid, Yoshi’s Island, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy III, Chrono Trigger, Secret Of Mana, Mega Man X, Star Fox and the list goes on. Couple this with an excellent controller, great graphics, amazing sound chip and your left with no doubt that the Super Nintendo is the best console of all time. Now you’re playing with power, Super Power.

If your anything like me you hate wasting money. So when it comes to games and game consoles you want to get the most bang for your buck, and let’s face it, these things are expensive. The consoles itself, the controllers, accessories and most of all the games, it all adds up to a pretty big investment. So when you take your brand spanking new console home and it turns out to be a total piece of $#!+ you would naturally be pretty upset. So to help sort the bad from the good, we bring you the top 10 worst game consoles of all time. Be warned, the following ‘entertainment’ devices are truly the worst of the worst.

10 – Nokia N-Gage

• Year Released: 2003
• Launch Price: 299$
• Games Released: 54
• Units Sold: 3 million (includes N-Gage QD)

On the surface this is a great idea, combining both a mobile smart-phone and a handheld gaming system, add to that Mp3 playback and a web browser all in one convenient package and it’s a wonder why the N-Gage ended up on this list. But then you remember the awful battery life, awkward button placement, vertical screen that was about the size of the one on your cell phone, bad games, the fact that you had to take out the battery to change cartridges and finally that you looked like an idiot talking into this thing. Yep the N-Gage does deserve to be here.

9  – Sega CD and Sega 32X

• Year Released: 1992 (Sega CD) – 1994 (Sega 32X)
• Launch Price: 299$ (Sega CD) – 159$ (Sega 32X)
• Games Released: 200 + (Sega CD) – 34 (Sega 32X)
• Units Sold: 6 million (Sega CD) – 200 000 (Sega 32X)

Sega must really love money, because they decided to squeeze every last penny out of their loyal Genesis fanbase, with not one, but two add-ons for their console. The first was the Sega CD, who as the name implies allowed your Genesis to play CD games. Now this was all well and good but when most of the games are filled with horrible full motion videos and very little actual gameplay its no wonder this 300$ beast failed to impress. Never deterred in their quest for more loot, Sega promptly released the 32X, another add-on for the Genesis that plugged into the system’s cartridge slot and alowed it to play 32-bit games. What doomed the 32X was that it was overpriced, prone to breaking, had few games and in the same month that it launched in North America the Sega Saturn was released in Japan. But the biggest insult to gamers would be Sega’s release of the CDX, a console which combined the Genesis and Sega CD in one console… for 100$ more then buying them both together! Sega you truly were the Scrooge of the game industry.

8  – Nintendo Virtual Boy

• Year Released: 1995
• Launch Price: 180$
• Games Released: 14
• Units Sold: 770 000

Of all the consoles on this list, this is the only one  that actually tried to injure you. Sure the games recommended you take a break every 15  minutes, but even one minute with your face pressed into it was too much. Not only would this thing make you blind, you wouldn’t even enjoy it. With only 14 games released in North America, all of them looking like bad Game Boy games their wasn’t much selection. Add to that that everything was either black or red and you have very little reasons to track down one of these bad boys.

7  – Apple / Bandai Pippin

• Year Released: 1996
• Launch Price: 599$
• Games Released: 18
• Units Sold: 42 000

Oh I bet Apple fans would love to forget this. The Pippin was designed to be an all in one multimedia device, being essentially a Power Macintosh II that could be connected to a television. For some odd reason they decided to market it as a video game system. At the time of it’s release the Playstation and Nintendo 64 were already burning up the market and their wasn’t much room for another console. Let alone one priced at 600$ with only 18 available games.

6  - 3DO Interactive Multiplayer

• Year Released: 1993
• Launch Price: 699$
• Games Released: 200+ (?)
• Units Sold: 2 million

The failure of this console is often attributed to its insanely high price tag. It dosen’t matter if you have the best hardware on the market, in the video game world few things are truly worth 700$. Not only that but it had a very limited game catalogue, most being cheesy full motion video’s with limited gameplay thrown in. Add to that heavy competition from Nintendo, Sega, Atari and N.E.C. and the upcoming Playstation and not many people were ready to get R.E.A.L. with the 3DO.

5  – Atari Jaguar

• Year Released: 1993
• Launch Price: 249$
• Games Released: 55
• Units Sold: Less then 250 000

Atari what happened? You were once the crown jewel of gaming. At one point in history Atari meant games. Then slowly but surely bad console after bad console spelt your doom. The Jaguar was just the next in line. At the time of it’s release the number of bits a console had was paramount for gamers. Super Nintendo and Genesis were advertised as 16-bit, early 32-bit consoles were already being pushed to market. Atari decided to jump the gun and release the first 64-bit console. Problem was it wasen’t really 64-bit. The system used a complex series of multi-processors that somehow added up to 64-bit, this made the Jaguar difficult to make games for and most ended up looking like SNES or Genesis games.

4  – Tiger Telematics Gizmondo

• Year Released: 2005
• Launch Price: 400$
• Games Released: 8
• Units Sold: Less then 25 000

Did we learn nothing from the N-Gage? The Gizmondo was a gaming / multimedia / GPS / camera, device that launched at the less then attractive price of 400$. Low on cash? No worries for 229$ you could get a ‘budget’ version that interrupted your game with commercials. Seriously who thought this was a good idea? On top of that only 8 games were ever released for the US. market. But fear not Gizmondo fans, this summer Gizmondo 2 will be released with the ability to make phone calls. Seriosly what did we learn from the N-Gage!?

3  – Phillips CD-i

• Year Released: 1991
• Launch Price: 700$
• Games Released: 104
• Units Sold: Less then 570 000

Of all the things that went wrong with this console: the 700$ launch price tag, the extremly poor quality of its game library, the bad controllers and the fact that it breaks easily theirs one thing that stands above the rest. And that’s the absolute butchering of classic Nintendo franchises. In total 3 Zelda ‘games’ and 1 Mario ‘game’ were released for the console, and they were all horrible. Don’t believe me? Youtube search Link The Faces Of Evil and find out for yourself. The only thing noteworthy about the CD-i is how everybody who got involved with this things wants to forget it.

2  – Tiger R-Zone

• Year Released: 1995
• Launch Price: Unknown
• Games Released: Unkown
• Units Sold: Less then 50 000 (?)

And you thought the Virtual Boy was a bad idea. The R-Zone takes everything bad about the Nintendo bi-pedal monster and makes it 10X worst. the screen is tiny, and uses an odd mirror reflection display, also all the games are in a shade of red. At least the Virtual Boy gave us black. You can’t adjust the volume only turn it on or off. And finally an optional (thank goodness it was optional) headset was included with a ‘virtual reality’ display right infront of your eye gave the impression of being right in the game, at least that’s what we were told. It’s a mystery how this handheld ever got out of the planning stage.

1  – Atari 5200

• Year Released: 1982
• Launch Price: 249$
• Games Released: Less then 100
• Units Sold: 400 000 (+)

  How do you follow up one of the greatest and most influential game consoles of all time with the 2600? This was the question before Atari in 1982. Their answer? Take out everything that made the 2600 great and replace it with needless changes. The 5200 was much MUCH bigger then the 2600, it coulden’t play the old games yet most were re-released for it anyway, it had a complicated TV switch box that was also a shock and fire hazard and finally it had the worst controllers for a video game console of all time. Sure they had some innovations, like a 360 degree analog joy stick and a pause button but they were uncomfertable and often broke after only a few hours of playing, or in some cases right out of the box. These controllers are the reason this console is the worst of all time, because the whole point of a video game console is being able to play it.

Tune into to 360blog.org next week for the Top 10 best video game consoles of all time.

Has this ever happened to you? You’re sitting around with your freinds, chatting about your favorite things. Movies, games, sports, music, the list could go on. Ever notice how someone always says ‘it would be so cool if they made a movie with so and so actor, or a song featuring these two artists.’ Well what about games?

So here I am to be ‘that guy’ and give you the top 10 games that should be made.

Someone get cracking on these.

10 – Star Fox 2

• Console we want this for: Wii Virtual Console
• Who we want to develop: Nintendo EAD
• What genre we want: Flight Combat (On Rails)

Now this isn’t fair. Here is a game that’s complete, it’s done and yet no one ever got to play it. Why is this? After the success of Star Fox for the S.N.E.S. Nintendo went to work on a sequel, but with the looming launch of the Nintendo 64, Shigeru Myamoto wanted a clean break between 3D games on the S.N.E.S. and N.64, which left Nintendo with a finished product that they couldn’t sell. Now that we have the Wii Virtual Console, whats stopping Nintendo from putting this game on their download service and letting us enjoy some classic Star Fox?

9 – Star Wars: Rogue Squadron IV

• Console we want this for: Nintendo Wii
• Who we want to develop: Factor 5
• What genre we want: Flight Combat

Factor 5 knows how to push a console to it’s limits. Case in point, the 2nd Rogue Squadron was a launch title for the Gamecube in 2001 and still managed to end up as one of the system’s best looking games, not to mention best playing. It’s sequel pushed Nintendo’s purple lunchbox even further but added awkward ground combat missions. That game came out in 2003, we’re starved for a great flight combat game on Wii and I know Factor 5 can deliver the goods.

8 – A Real Resident Evil

• Console we want this for: Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 or Sony PS3
• Who we want to develop: Capcom
• What genre we want: Survival Horror

Now listen up Capcom and listen good, you make good games, Resident Evil 4 and 5 are great games but they’re  NOT Resident Evil games, we demand zombies, scarce health and ammo, challenging puzzles and the most terrifying situations a video game can give. Not machine guns, shotguns, droves of crazed villagers and over the top action. This isn’t Resident Evil, its Gears Of War. We want to be scared and challenged not to breeze through stages with barrels blazing. So forget all this action game crap and get back to what made the series great.

7 – Starcraft: Ghost

• Console we want this for: Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3, PC
• Who we want to develop: Blizzard
• What genre we want: Stealth Action / Third Person Shooter

Blizzard you are a tease. Starcraft: Ghost was announced in 2002, for all three major consoles of the day, then it was moved back and back and back until well… we’re still waiting. In 2006 Blizzard said the game was on ‘indefinite hold’ and they refuse to outright cancel the project. So what’s taking so long? Blizzard, stop counting all that World Of Warcraft money and give us what you promised so long ago.

6 -  Pokémon M.M.O.R.P.G.

• Console we want this for: Nintendo Wii
• Who we want to develop: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
• What genre we want: M.M.O.R.P.G.

Ah Pokémon, somehow Nintendo has managed to keep you tied down to handhelds and link trading since the original versions way back in 1998. Well it’s time to shake things up. M.M.O.R.P.G.’s (or Massivley Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games)  are all the rage right now thanks to Blizzard and World Of Warcraft. It’s about time someone stepped up to the plate and challenged Blizzard for the throne. And the only one who might stand a chance is a yellow rat. Imagine walking across a massive world, going to other towns, catching wild Pokémon and battling other trainers all in a real-time online world with thousands of other trainers doing exactly the same thing. Couple that with the massive success that is the Wii and Nintendo could easily swipe the crown from Blizzard for M.M.O.R.P.G. dominance.

5 – Donkey Kong Country 4

• Console we want this for: Nintendo DS, WiiWare
• Who we want to develop: Rare LTD.
• What genre we want: 2D Platformer

This one might be a longshot now that Rare is a second party developper for Microsoft, but that hasen’t stopped them from making games for the Nintendo DS. (Like Diddy Kong Racing DS.) So what’s keeping them from adding another entry to one of the Super Nintendo’s best series? Nintendo proved 2D platformer can sell amazingly well on the Nintendo DS (New Super Mario Bros. sales = 18.17 million copies sold according to VGChartz.) why can’t Rare give it a shot? While were on the topic, whats the deal with only playing as Donkey Kong in one of the three games? Take notes Rare, we want Donkey Kong Country 4 and we want to play as Donkey Kong.

4 – Metroid Dread

• Console we want this for: Nintendo DS
• Who we want to develop: Nintendo R&D 1 or Retro Studios
• What genre we want: 2D Action / Platformer

Rumors first surfaced about a new 2D Metroid for the Nintendo DS in 2005, although Nintendo was quick to deny these as pure speculation they then resurfaced deep within Metroid Prime 3: Corruption in a simple panel of text that read: ‘Experiment status report update: Metroid project ‘Dread’ is nearing the final stages of completion.’ This re-ignited the rumors of the planned Metroid sequel. With no ‘new’ Metroid game since 2007 and none on the horizon fans are starved for a new entry in the series. Nintendo, get on this.

3 – The Legend Of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures: Online

• Console we want this for: Nintendo Wii
• Who we want to develop: Nintendo EAD
• What genre we want: Action / Adventure

The concept behind The Legend Of Zelda: Four Swords is sound.  Up to four players tackle classic Zelda puzzles and dungeons together. It was the execution that was shakey. To maximize your Four Swords play you needed: 1 Nintendo Gamecube, 1 copy of the game, 4 Gamecube to GBA link cables. 4 GBA’s and 4 friends. Not an easy collection to assemble. So why not reduce that need to a Wii, the game and an internet connection. Now you can connect to anyone worldwide or your friends house and bring down Ganon together and without a bunch of wires lying across your floor.

2 – Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic III

• Console we want this for: Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3 or PC
• Who we want to develop: Bioware
• What genre we want: Action / R.P.G.

Attention Bioware! We the gamers of the world demand another chapter in the Knights Of The Republic saga. (K.O.T.O.R. for the cool kids.) The original K.O.T.O.R. was a masterpiece with a story rivaling that of the prequel trilogy. So why are we getting an M.M.O.R.P.G. instead of the next true old republic experience? You are masters of the action / R.P.G. genre, K.O.T.O.R. and Mass Effect are living proof. This is what you excel at, and this is what we want.

1 – Mother 1 and 3 Worldwide Release.

• Console we want this for: Nintendo DS, WiiWare or Wii Virtual Console
• Who we want to develop: H.A.L. Laboratory
• What genre we want: R.P.G.

Just a mention of the Mother series is enough to send fans into a rage over why 2/3’s of the series never made their way across the ocean. Earthbound (Mother 2) being the only one to make the trip on the Super Nintendo in 1995. The original Mother was released way back when for the Famicom and Mother 3 came out a few years ago for the Game Boy Advance, but only in Japan. Of all the games on this list, Mother and Mother 3 are the only ones who’s fans pray every night for their worldwide release. Of all the games that need to be made, these are the ones that we would take over any others.