Famitsus 100 Best Games of All Time

[Grifter]

Next Gen (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php)just posted an article on how Famitsu recently had it's readers vote for the top 100 games of all time (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2401&Itemid=2)


1. Final Fantasy X (2001) 2. Final Fantasy VII (1997)
3. Dragon Quest III (1988) 4. Dragon Quest VIII (2004)
5. Machi (1998) 6. Final Fantasy IV (1991)
7. Tactics Ogre (1995) 8. Final Fantasy III (1990)
9. Dragon Quest VII (2000) 10. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
Read the full list and you will see exactly why the 360 will never dominate in Japan. On the entire list there is only one game developed outside of Japan.

[Jacob Singer]

Nice to know that shitty taste in games knows no borders.

[Rakael]

Of all the Final Fantasies, they pick Ten for the #1 spot. Assmunchers.

[Heretic Machine]

Funny... Final Fantasy X is in my top ten Worst Games of All Time.

[jacktion]

Japan has been making more sophisticated games for much longer than anyone else. It is to be expected that their product will be of a higher calibur than the rest of the world. Their cars are the best in the world so the same sort of quality-intensive process goes into making games. Look at the rest of the world. We can't even post a link to a news story without making numerous spelling and grammatical errors.

[bapenguin]

Yeah, 10 was mediocre at best.

[AspectVoid]

Honstly, this isn't that big a deal. Different people have different tastes in games. I'm pretty sure that if I did a top 100 (or hell, even a top 10) no one here would agree with it. That's just the way things are.

[Heretic Machine]

Japan has been making more sophisticated games for much longer than anyone else. It is to be expected that their product will be of a higher calibur than the rest of the world. Their cars are the best in the world so the same sort of quality-intensive process goes into making games. Look at the rest of the world. We can't even post a link to a news story without making numerous spelling and grammatical errors.

Are you a retarded monkey?

[Savok]

Japanese cars suck for starters.

And FFX? Jesus, and don't give us shit about "opinions", there's quality and there's appeal. I admit, I enjoyed FFX, but best game ever it is not, not by a long shot.

[Wedge]

Japanese cars rock!

But come on, Final fantasy X?!

I'd certainly would like to read what those that voted for it had as reasons for putting this one at the #1 spot.

[bone_matrix]

GTA: Vice City was in the 60ish range I believe. I think that was the ONLY American game. And Final Fantasy Fucking X? Come on! Final Fantasy 6 we delicious! But, whatever. I hope Sony does well over there, so when the 360 outsells it here and in Europe, we can all point and laugh.

Alright, that came out a bit harsh, but I don't care, I just woke up.

[Vandenh]

>Japan has been making more sophisticated games for much longer than anyone else.

Errrr???

Well Japanese love doing the same thing over and over again. Lots of sequels an/or ultra repetitive games (like Japanese TV).

Luckily I know Japanese can also make some amazing games... but that list is depressing in the creative department.

[Reanimated]

FFX?

Proof positive that the Japanese have absurdly shitty taste in games. Also hilarious is the fact that the top 10 is 90% jap RPGs. It's as if they don't even have other genres over there.

[King Drewsky]

FFX? Bleh. Worst Final Fantasy game I ever played (I skipped X-A, obviously). I did a review of the game on my blog a month back. You can check it out at the link below, it's the third article down.

http://www.2old2play.com/blog-KingDrewsky.html

The worst part of playing this game was my wife watching over my shoulder. Her first comments on Poofster aka Tidus were, "Is that a girl?" When the game would transition into a cut scene and start playing the sappy music, she would pipe in, "Looks like someone is getting in touch with their emotions over there." And eventually, it was just, "Are you loading up that gay game again?" Humiliating, to say the least.

[Jiguryo]

Final Fantasy VIII shouldn't even make it to the list. Horrid.

[Cubfan]

Japan has been making more sophisticated games for much longer than anyone else. It is to be expected that their product will be of a higher calibur than the rest of the world. Their cars are the best in the world so the same sort of quality-intensive process goes into making games. Look at the rest of the world. We can't even post a link to a news story without making numerous spelling and grammatical errors.


I'm wish I wasn't a unsophisticated American. I admit, I half-ass everything I do, it's the American way :(

And I don't care what sort of 'quality-intensive process' goes into making a game. I just want to have fun. If its simple, but fun, that works for me. And I think a fairly large Japanese gaming company would agree with me on that point.

[Kelegacy]

Japanese cars suck for starters.

Ha, you are oh so wrong.

Consumer reports top 10 this year (2006 models) were ALL Japanese cars.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Business/Autos/story?id=1675993&page=1&business=true

[Borys]

Weep, Microsoft, weep.

[bjornbarspingvinen]

Well so what, my list wouldn´t look like that anyhow....
People have different tastes.....

[Abednigo]

Japan has been making more sophisticated games for much longer than anyone else. It is to be expected that their product will be of a higher calibur than the rest of the world. Their cars are the best in the world so the same sort of quality-intensive process goes into making games. Look at the rest of the world. We can't even post a link to a news story without making numerous spelling and grammatical errors.

Yeah, like the one where you play a mosquito...and the one where you try and go out on dates....and the one where you are a gay spaceship flying around giant naked men...yeah, sophisticated. More like just weird. Japanese have weird tastes in games. I'd like to see the ratio of games made in Japan and how many actually come to the states. If I had to guess, I'd say 25% or less make it here.

Final Fantasy X didn't suck by any stretch (even though it didn't hold my attention long enough to finish it), but there is no way on earth it is the greatest game of all time. That's just...weird.

[gzsfrk]

Reading the top 10, I definitely get the impression that the Japanese apparently like to get the same game in slightly different packaging over and over and over and over again. Seriously--FF and DW are great and all, but they're all pretty much all different lyrics set to the same melody. How about some variety? I'm sure the US list would contain a pretty fair balance between RPGs, FPSs, Driving games, and Action/Platformers.

But hey... might as well stick with the dog food you're used to, I guess.

[gzsfrk]

But come on, Final fantasy X?!

I'd certainly would like to read what those that voted for it had as reasons for putting this one at the #1 spot.

Brand loyalty would be my guess. Sony & Squenix 4tw!

[Atepsflame]

Odd how FFX doesn't even make my top ten list of FF games.

[gzsfrk]

Well so what, my list wouldn´t look like that anyhow....
People have different tastes.....

Your comment is pointless. This isn't some individuals list of favorite games--this is the top 100 as voted on by everyone who participated in the poll. It has nothing to do with individual personal preference, but rather reflects the collective preference of the Japanese gaming community.

[Watership]

Final Fantasy VIII shouldn't even make it to the list. Horrid.

Really? That was my favourite of all the FF series.

[AspectVoid]

Your comment is pointless. This isn't some individuals list of favorite games--this is the top 100 as voted on by everyone who participated in the poll. It has nothing to do with individual personal preference, but rather reflects the collective preference of the Japanese gaming community.

And if you look at the general american community, it would be dominated by FPS and Sports games, because that's what the general american public buys. And, funny enough, other countries would be saying about the american market what you're saying about the japanese market. Go figure.

[bjornbarspingvinen]

"collective preference of the Japanese gaming community" ...
They just love their games, and don´t like non-japanese games. I mean maybe we are that different... But somehow I also feel that the only way for MS to have succes with a console in Japan is to be japanese. I don´t ever think a non-japanese console would ever sell well over there. How is it with other products? Music might be the only thing that´s non-japanese that the japanese general public actually like.

[xcalibur]

FF X was not a game, it was an interactive CG movie.


-X

[gzsfrk]

And if you look at the general american community, it would be dominated by FPS and Sports games, because that's what the general american public buys. And, funny enough, other countries would be saying about the american market what you're saying about the japanese market. Go figure.

I defy you to find a broadly-participated-in top 10 poll in this country that doesn't include at least one title in each of the following categories:

- RPG
- FPS
- Action/Platformer
- Driving/Sports

[Nite_Moogle]

This is a certain demographic of japanese gamers, it isn't representative of anything except the readers willing to send feedback to this magazine. They are apparently rabid FF fanboys. You'll note how there are very few titles on the list that pre-date the PSX era.

[AzN.Homeboy]

This list doesn't just show how Japan loves a storybook better than compelling gameplay, it shows how they are completely under some kind of spell from Squaresoft. In scanning the list, I had a hard time quickly locating any non-Square RPGs (the only notable ones I saw being Mother and Mother 2). Other RPGs that I would consider classic, such as Sega's Phantasy Star II and IV, for example, aren't anywhere on the list.

[gzsfrk]

Oh, and just noticed this, which IMO completely blows me away, coming from Japan:

21. Super Mario Bros (1985)

What??? Utterly ridiculous. I'll take SMB by itself over all FFs combined (excluding VI) any day.

Not only that, but check out these late entries:

61. Super Mario World (1990)
...
99. Super Mario Bros III (1988)

SMB3 just barely squeaks onto the list? What the hell is wrong with the Japanese? Must be a bunch of cosplaying drama queens.

For what it's worth, reading this list and seeing what balance of titles it takes for a console to be successful in Japan, I hope the 360 fails miserably there, while catering strongly to NA, European, and other non-Japanese tastes.

[H.Bogard]

Does anyone smell Famitsu Square-Enix whoredom?

[King Drewsky]

If I had to guess on what a American poll of top 10 would look like, I bet it look similar to this:

Halo 1 and/or 2
Madden
GTA 3, Vice, and/or Andreas
Zelda Ocarina
one of the Final Fantasy series VI or VII
a mario game, either 64 or the original SMB
Half-Life 2
Goldeneye
a Resident Evil game
and Street Fighter: II

So, it might be a little weighted on the FPS genre but generally well rounded and more than 2 developers listed.

[IagoTheHunted]

Geez y'think in between all the mud slinging we might be able to actually take an overview of what this implys?

First off Americans and Japanese locals both have a stilted nationalistic view of what video games should be. Americans like FPS and Sports games, not a big surprize, we were brought up on those games and guns+sports are huge integrated parts of our culture. Clearly Japanese locals prefer RPGS. Doesn't mean they have shitty taist, there are way more RPGs released there than we ever see, from porn to kids games to surreal indy-type RPGs (basically the nitch Postal type games of Japan), pluss their culture is imersed in comics of the same depth and veriety. Guns and Sports? Not a big part of their culture, they seem to like baseball (don't ask me why) but there are no guns, it's not a huge surprise FPS games aren't a huge draw.
So all this means is: they like what they grew up on, we like what we grew up on.
Also to those who've implyed that Japanese only like Japanese products. Not true, they like the iPod and use Microsoft Windows and are fine with US games like GTA or anything else that makes a mark. They're just looking for different things in games, like illustrative quality and storytelling... not many US games are striving for that right now.

So which is better? Obviously neither. FPS and Sports games are viceral and largely social and the best ones are well designed and deserve merit. RPGs are vastly better at storytelling and imersion for a single player experience, pluss tend to have better illustrative graphic qualities and characterization.

If people could pull their heads out of their asses and see things from a different perspective for a minute, maybe we could all agree these are all great games and try to bridge the gap a little bit in the future. Sheesh.

[Major Dan]

Are these the only non-Japanese games on the list? Let me know if I missed any or if I am wrong. I believe Wizardy comes from the US. I list Tetris because a Russian made it. Sim City is a US game too.

Wow. They really don't step outside their culture too much do they?

66. Wizardry (1987)
76. GTA: Vice City (2004)
93. Sim City (1991)
96. Tetris (Gameboy) (1989)

[Crabby]

That list is such biased nonsense.

I also think the bigger point some of you pacifists are missing is that the tenth game was voted number 1. Not the earlier, better games. Not even seven. It was ten and their poor taste shines through. Either that or they have lousy memories and just went with the highest number.

[Reanimated]

Lets just take the Gamerankings.com top ten of all time as a representation of American gamers taste:

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Soul Calibur
Super Mario 64
Metroid Prime
Resident Evil 4
Tekken 3
Half Life 2
Halo
NFL 2k1
Gran Turismo (makes the list because RE4 is listed twice)


So here we have the following genres represented: sports, fighting, racing, FPS, and action adventure. I'm sure I could go home and dig up an old EGM top 100 that would also include an RPG or two.

Bottom line being that the US games market is very large and pretty diverse.

[makkura]

the simple fact that chrono trigger is number 28 removes all credibility from this list.

[Jacob Singer]

If people could pull their heads out of their asses and see things from a different perspective for a minute, maybe we could all agree these are all great games and try to bridge the gap a little bit in the future. Sheesh.

Oh gimme a break. We're not a bunch of xenophobic isolationists having a knee-jerk reaction to them durn crazy foreigners. I'd be yelling about 'shitty taste' if Halo 2 was at the top of "best games of all time" list as well.

It's got nothing to do with "different perspectives", and everything to do with good games and good gameplay, and if you think FFX is a prime example of "good storytelling and characterization" you really need to improve your education.

[Jacob Singer]

Lets just take the Gamerankings.com top ten of all time as a representation of American gamers taste:

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Soul Calibur
Super Mario 64
Metroid Prime
Resident Evil 4
Tekken 3
Half Life 2
Halo
NFL 2k1
Gran Turismo (makes the list because RE4 is listed twice)


So here we have the following genres represented: sports, fighting, racing, FPS, and action adventure. I'm sure I could go home and dig up an old EGM top 100 that would also include an RPG or two.

Bottom line being that the US games market is very large and pretty diverse.

Not to mention the top 6 games in that list come from Japan. If anything, we embrace their games FAR more than they embrace ours.

[Javi]

Games not developed in Japan

66. Wizardry - Canada
76. GTA Vice City - USA
93. Sim City - USA
96. Tetris - russian guy made this, but dist. by Nintendo

EDIT - whoops, didn't see Major Dan's post - but mine shows that Wizardry was developed in Canada. :D

[Magnanimous Gnome]

Yikes, lots of stereotyping and nationalism in this thread. Did I stumble onto NascarAvatar.com?

[Banacek]

I loved FFX (unlike everyone else I guess) but number one? No way in hell. Super Mario Brothers 3 is 99? This list is all sorts of f-ed up...

[absolut taco]

Games not developed in Japan
76. GTA Vice City - USA
GTA Vice City - Scotland!!!

[absolut taco]

Read the full list and you will see exactly why the 360 will never dominate in Japan. The entire list their is only one game developed outside of Japan.
If those are the kind of games I won't be playing on the 360 because it failed to spark an interest in Japan, I honestly couldn't give two shits. Give me good fps's & racers. I will be happy. I admit I would love to see a side scroller a la Super Mario Bros (Great Giana Sisters maybe ;) ) on Live Arcade.

[Major Dan]

Yikes, lots of stereotyping and nationalism in this thread. Did I stumble onto NascarAvatar.com?
Damn that is funny :D :D :D

[BigJonno]

GTA Vice City - Scotland!!!

Damn right!

I think the list just highlights why reader polls are possibly the lowest form of filler in magazines. That one even beats out the Kerrang! poll that put a 2005 Green Day gig as the best live show of all time.

[Major Dan]

Games not developed in Japan

66. Wizardry - Canada
76. GTA Vice City - USA
93. Sim City - USA
96. Tetris - russian guy made this, but dist. by Nintendo

EDIT - whoops, didn't see Major Dan's post - but mine shows that Wizardry was developed in Canada. :D
My bad, I couldn't exactly remember where Wizardy was made, that game really is odd for the list I think. I must have struck a nerve?

[NELS]

I also think that FFX was by no means a bad game, definitely not one of the "top ten Worst Games of All Time". It is one of my favorite Final Fantasys actually (FF4>FF6>FF7>FF10>FF9, the rest).

Also about the list...

This is probably a "mainstream" poll. As in if we asked the mainstream videogamer to vote for his favorite games, how much you want to bet Madden 2006 would be number one and Halo 2 be number two, followed by Grand Theft Auto 3/VC/SA? The better less known games would be voted in by the "hardcore" audience thus making them appear lower in the count (due to having smaller numbers).

Anyone feel me on this?

[JRR006]

My initial reaction was, "Wow, that's a lot of JRPGs." I figure in my lifetime I'll be able to sit through two, maybe three JRPGs. To each his own, I guess!

I was, however, gratified to see that all three Metal Gear Solid titles were in the top 50. Though I wouldn't have put MGS2 over MGS. The only thing that made it better than MGS was the graphics, and in my book that hardly merits a higher ranking. *shrug*

[outontheporch]

The Japanese know what's up.

[Shadowmage952]

I also think that FFX was by no means a bad game, definitely not one of the "top ten Worst Games of All Time". It is one of my favorite Final Fantasys actually (FF4>FF6>FF7>FF10>FF9, the rest).

Also about the list...

This is probably a "mainstream" poll. As in if we asked the mainstream videogamer to vote for his favorite games, how much you want to bet Madden 2006 would be number one and Halo 2 be number two, followed by Grand Theft Auto 3/VC/SA? The better less known games would be voted in by the "hardcore" audience thus making them appear lower in the count (due to having smaller numbers).

Anyone feel me on this?

I was thinking exactly the same thing NELS. Hell, even my FF list would have been the same as yours, except I would swap FF4 and FF6 in the rankings. This poll isn't a group of editors thinking up the top 100 like many of the lists we usually see online. Being a mainstream poll it results in the most recent successful games making the top of the list.

[Reanimated]

Not to mention the top 6 games in that list come from Japan. If anything, we embrace their games FAR more than they embrace ours.



Not to split hairs here, but Metroid Prime was developed in the US. I agree with your point though.

[absolut taco]

Damn right!

I think the list just highlights why reader polls are possibly the lowest form of filler in magazines. That one even beats out the Kerrang! poll that put a 2005 Green Day gig as the best live show of all time.
Having seen Green Day, U2, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran and Third Eye Blind live in 2005, Green Day's show was by far the best. It was by far not the best live show I have ever seen, though.

[Krom]

I'm surprised a boob grabbing simulator wasn't #1.

[EternalGamer]

What troubles me about this list is not that it is overun by JRPG games, but that the ones at the top of the list are the ones with the absolutey worst narratives and dialogue.

I have obviously not played FFX in Japanese, but the U.S script was so bad that there is no way the original was "good." The narratives and dialogue are erratic filled with unintentionally humorous non-sequitures, incoherant plot resolutions, deus ex machinas, cliched two dimensional characters and bad melodrama. And yet, it still gets "best game of all time."

I have long wished Square would hire more competant writers to develop their stories, but since a crappy narrative apparently isn't something that most people tend to even notice or care about, the chance of that happening sometime soon seems highly rare.

What this shows me is not that the Japanese are stupid, it's that Japanese pop-culture is just as stupid as American pop-culture. And that, because of the law of the appeal to the lowest common demonimator, truly exceptional work rarely recieves popular acclaim.

Dan

[Nimos]

Guys I think i am goind blind... i can't spot ANY Metroid game in the Top50

[NELS]

I have obviously not played FFX in Japanese, but the U.S script was so bad that there is no way the original was "good." The narratives and dialogue are erratic filled with unintentionally humorous non-sequitures, incoherant plot resolutions, deus ex machinas, cliched two dimensional characters and bad melodrama. And yet, it still gets "best game of all time."

The reason that FFX's translation was a little weird was that Square of America tried to match up the english translation/voiceovers to the original japanese lip synchs. So you get these weirdly worded sentences as some japanese word can represent a whole sentence in english. So a lot of the dialogue was switched around, or cut out. It was just a bad choice by Square of America. I'm sure the japanese version dialogue was a whole lot better (as it usually is).

I was thinking exactly the same thing NELS. Hell, even my FF list would have been the same as yours, except I would swap FF4 and FF6 in the rankings.

Sometimes I thinked I like FF4 more than FF6 just because it was the first RPG I actually liked, liked so much I ended up beating it 12 times.

[gzsfrk]

Yikes, lots of stereotyping and nationalism in this thread.

... says the gnome as he propagates the stereotype that NASCAR enthusiasts are nationalist bigots.

[Jacob Singer]

Not to split hairs here, but Metroid Prime was developed in the US. I agree with your point though.

Ahh, I did not know that.

If there's any Western nationalism in this thread, it's being easily matched by the Everything From Japan Is Automatically Better crowd. Both extremes are grating and tiresome.

[Grimmjow]

i loved ff7 so im happy that its number 2. most people on the US would say halo and madden and sum other crap personally those games arent big in japan. thats why this is JAPANS top 100 games...not overall and still if they did a worldwide poll i highly doubt halo would be number one it will be up there but def not #1

[TrackZero]

Nice to know that shitty taste in games knows no borders.

Indeed. That definitely does make me take a step back about the Japan mainstream's taste in gaming. Though I'm sure if you took a North American poll right now, 50 cent's game would be in the top 10. Ugh.

[Lunar Blue]

I think i'm going to cry now :|

[MijiT]

hell thats some bad games

[kickmybum]

I've never even heard of these Dragon Quest games.

[Grimmjow]

I've never even heard of these Dragon Quest games.

your missing out on a good series then

[GWhite]

Repeat after me, "Grinding is not a good game-play mechanic."
Sheesh, I actually feel embarrassed for Japanese gamers right now.

[holysin]

I guess MMOs are going to explode in japan when japanese developers make one

[Grifter]

Are you a retarded monkey?

No, but his mother is. His father is Japanese so his bias is understandable.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

... says the gnome as he propagates the stereotype that NASCAR enthusiasts are nationalist bigots.


Glad someone picked up on that. I was beginning to think that everyone reading this thread was as stupid as the South. :p

[Rafer]

My bad, I couldn't exactly remember where Wizardy was made, that game really is odd for the list I think. I must have struck a nerve?

Wizardy has a strange following in Japan that you don't hear a lot about (google for Wizardry Xth for example). There's a whole series of console and portable versions over there, it seems to be a real seminal rpg for Japan.

Also, while Japanese gamers may not care for Western games, when I read interviews with developers they usually have a lot of praise for Western games, Hideo Kojima and Fumito Ueda really liked God of War, I've read other interview where developers praise stuff like GTA and Half-Life 2. Sorta like how film directors always praise foreign films that the public avoids.

[Grifter]

blah blah blahimages/smilies/smile.gif

[benig]

Final Fantasy 10, in terms of gameplay, has he absolute most fun to play combat system in any JRPG and I could see why that, combined with a tolerable story and nice graphics, could propel it to #1.
But then I realized Zelda Ocarina of Time exists.

[Crabby]

I also think that FFX was by no means a bad game, definitely not one of the "top ten Worst Games of All Time". It is one of my favorite Final Fantasys actually (FF4>FF6>FF7>FF10>FF9, the rest).

Also about the list...

This is probably a "mainstream" poll. As in if we asked the mainstream videogamer to vote for his favorite games, how much you want to bet Madden 2006 would be number one and Halo 2 be number two, followed by Grand Theft Auto 3/VC/SA? The better less known games would be voted in by the "hardcore" audience thus making them appear lower in the count (due to having smaller numbers).

Anyone feel me on this?


Still doesn't account for FFX being in before the others, chief.

[Grifter]

The Wizardry, Sim City and Tetris Japanese versions were all created locally while Grand Theft Auto can claim to be fully non-Japanese.
I am not exactly sure how much of a differance that makes but there ya go.
Are these the only non-Japanese games on the list? Let me know if I missed any or if I am wrong. I believe Wizardy comes from the US. I list Tetris because a Russian made it. Sim City is a US game too.

Wow. They really don't step outside their culture too much do they?

66. Wizardry (1987)
76. GTA: Vice City (2004)
93. Sim City (1991)
96. Tetris (Gameboy) (1989)
I am not sure if that last line was sarcasm or not but I am going to assume it is because if it's not it's just stupid. Even if all 4 games were completely developed outside of Japan the list still comes off as being nationalistic.

Also to those who've implyed that Japanese only like Japanese products. Not true, they like the iPod and use Microsoft Windows and are fine with US games like GTA or anything else that makes a mark. They're just looking for different things in games, like illustrative quality and storytelling... not many US games are striving for that right now.
You name 3 products, thats it, out of millions of things out there you can only think of 3. That doesn't bode well for your point.
They use windows because they have no choice.
They use the I-Pod because it became a standered before there was compitition and what compitition there is now really sucks so in the beginning they had no choice.
As far as GTA3 is concerned I hate the fucking game so who cares.:eek:

This topic was not started to prove what country has better games or who is more racist but as a referance point to why the 360 and other american made games no matter the quality will most likely never do well in Japan.

[gzsfrk]

I was beginning to think that everyone reading this thread was as stupid as the South. :p

You need no further indication of the superior intelligence to be found in the South than the fact that we have the sense to live down here as opposed to Minnesota and northward therefrom.

[JohnnyToxxic]

You need no further indication of the superior intelligence to be found in the South than the fact that we have the sense to live down here as opposed to Minnesota and northward therefrom.

Indeed. Right now it is a warm 80 degrees F in Orlando and there is a blizzard in the North East.

FFX is not a terrible game IMO, but I don't see how it could have been #1 in Japan. Seriously.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

It's been in the 70s and 80s in Nebraska as well lately. That doesn't make it any less of a shithole. :p

[Megalith]

Well, this proves that the Japanese have crap taste in games.

Can someone please tell me where Soul Calibur or Ace Combat is.

[Banacek]

Wait, so someone is stupid and racist if they believe nationalism exists?

[EvilBob46]

Funny... Final Fantasy X is in my top ten Worst Games of All Time.

I assume you haven't played a lot of games then.

the simple fact that chrono trigger is number 28 removes all credibility from this list.

Huh? The 28th spot is still pretty damn high on the list.

[TrackZero]

Wait, so someone is stupid and racist if they believe nationalism exists?

No, it means you're a realist instead of living in la-la happy land. Don't feed the trolls. ;)

[Wasson_]

At least like all the Zelda games made the lists- that find their roots in more inventive and explorative (fun) type of gaming. Instead of the linear, story driven, FF series..

And xenogears and not xenosaga- the Xenosaga games blow ass- Xenogear is my favorite RPG of that type, and i'm glad it was in the top 20. WTG japan.

but FFX, that's just embarrassing...Tidus is by far the lamest RPG hero of all time..

[ProfPuppet]

I thought having masses of people vote on 'best games of all time' always meant 'vote for the best-selling games of all time, though that doesn't actually mean best'.

If a crappy game falls into the market and 5 million gamers rush out to buy it, does that make it one of the best games of all time?

...Someone update Planescape: Torment and Deus Ex and the like, translate them, and send them over there stat! (Better make JC Denton and The Nameless One have spiky hair though.) I fail at being clever, but I hope someday all the FF fans start calling Square on some of the bullshit in their games. (There's some great gameplay in those games, but it's not the best, and there's a lot of stuff they could do a whole lot better.)

[ElectricMonk]

i'm actually surprised that gta made it on the list at all

[baz]

Hmmm, japanese people like games made by japanese developers in there native language made for their cultural tastes. THE NATIONALISTIC SCUM!

Seriously though, its not that surprising. I lived in Tokyo on secondment for 6 months, and the guys I knew who played games played a whole lot of Dragon's Quest. Not because they were burning american flags, but cause that is what they liked.

[IagoTheHunted]

Oh gimme a break. We're not a bunch of xenophobic isolationists having a knee-jerk reaction to them durn crazy foreigners. I'd be yelling about 'shitty taste' if Halo 2 was at the top of "best games of all time" list as well.

It's got nothing to do with "different perspectives", and everything to do with good games and good gameplay, and if you think FFX is a prime example of "good storytelling and characterization" you really need to improve your education.

FFX was a classic example of a storyline that doesn't translate well. It'd be like trying to sell "the passion" in Japan where nobody gives a fuck about that sort of spirituality.

So I affirm that it is about "different perspectives" because they're responding to a cultural influence that's anime and RPG centric. Within that wrelm the games on that list are paramount and FFX was a high watermark in terms of graphics so why wouldn't it get top vote? If you're honestly going to look at an entire society of people and just go "oh gee their stupid and this proves it" than you don't understand human nature very well. I may think Americans are idiots because they watch American Idol instead of doing something more productive (like banging their head against a wall or pretty much any other activity you could think of), but these things become popular on the basis of a social catalist where enough people embraced it and that dictates as much as anything else how people actually feel and respond to the product. Through the eyes of someone who grew up in Japan those games are undeniably better. And so what? They're good games.

[Mozgus]

Do these people even fucking play anything besides RPG's? Fail.

[Spigot]

How can they not have ChronoTrigger in the top ten yet have FFX as number one?

I did like FFX, but it's definately not the best game of all time, nor the best FF of all time. FFVI on the other hand...

Though I would have put CT as top game of all time if I were forced to make it a Squeenix game (as the Famitsu editors seemed to have done). I'd have had Vagrant Story in the top 10 as well. And Ico/SotC. And...

[Mason]

Such bad taste in their own RPGs. 5 of their top 10 are FF games, and FF6 isn't one of them.

I'd let them get away with having narrow and shitty taste in games, but that's just going too far. Japanese gamers don't deserve Japanese developers.

I say that America and Europe get together, pool our money, and buy all those brilliant yet underappreciated Japanese developers away from Japan. We could move them to Montana, set them all up in giant lavish houses that are inexplicably filled with underage girls, as is the custom of their people.

[AversionFX]

Such bad taste in their own RPGs. 5 of their top 10 are FF games, and FF6 isn't one of them.

I'd let them get away with having narrow and shitty taste in games, but that's just going too far. Japanese gamers don't deserve Japanese developers.

I say that America and Europe get together, pool our money, and buy all those brilliant yet underappreciated Japanese developers away from Japan. We could move them to Montana, set them all up in giant lavish houses that are inexplicably filled with underage girls, as is the custom of their people.


are you fucking stupid?

Japanese people love Japanese games.

Americans love American games (the kind where you do the same stupid things over and over and over and fucking over again).

Japanese aren't very inclined to American games (for whatever reason).

Americans aren't very inclined to Japanese games (for whatever reason).

The collective stupidity of you people saying that "Japanese people have shitty taste in games" is just mindboggling. Because they don't like the same recycled bullshit first-person shooters means they have bad taste? Grow up and get your stupid heads out of your asses.

[KamaItachi]

Magazine polls For The Lose.

[TrackZero]

The collective stupidity of you people saying that "Japanese people have shitty taste in games" is just mindboggling. Because they don't like the same recycled bullshit first-person shooters means they have bad taste? Grow up and get your stupid heads out of your asses.

I think you're getting a little worked up over nothing here. I think what people really mean is the MAINSTREAM has shitty taste in games (or at least bland). Despite whatever country it is.

[NELS]

Still doesn't account for FFX being in before the others, chief.

Sure it does, as Final Fantasy is the latest real Final Fantasy game, it would be voted ahead of older ones, as the mainstream audience seems to have a small attention span.

[Crabby]

Sure it does, as Final Fantasy is the latest real Final Fantasy game, it would be voted ahead of older ones, as the mainstream audience seems to have a small attention span.


Right, so the natural conclusion is that we're dealing with an idiot poll here and most of us have been right on the money in evaluation.

[SMES]

...

Dammit, NELS, this board ain't big enough for two four-capital-letter named people. I propose a shootout at the OK Corral!

Japanese cars suck for starters.
Fitbabits' sarcasam, I hope?

I've never even heard of these Dragon Quest games.
You and Savok need to come out of the caves you've been living in the past 30 years.

Yes Dragon Quest is popular! Yes Honda makes more than motorcycles now! THE BERLIN WALL FELL TOO OMGWTFBBQ!

but these things become popular on the basis of a social catalist where enough people embraced it

Reasonable discussion FTW.

[SMES]

The collective stupidity of you people saying that "Japanese people have shitty taste in games" is just mindboggling. Because they don't like the same recycled bullshit first-person shooters means they have bad taste? Grow up and get your stupid heads out of your asses.

Fair enough point if you were addressing someone who was proclaiming the virtues of FPS games over all others. But since Mason said that FF6 was great you don't make much sense. Mostly people have been saying that "yeah, some of those RPGs were good, but a wider variety would have been more representative of the best games IMO" and so forth. I haven't heard many people say things like "Because they don't like the same recycled bullshit first-person shooters means they have bad taste!"

Americans love American games (the kind where you do the same stupid things over and over and over and fucking over again).

Americans aren't very inclined to Japanese games (for whatever reason).

Living in the US it's impossible for me to tell for sure, but I would say the average gamer here is much more embracing of Japanese games and franchises than Japan gamers are to US games. But then again, most of the classic franchises that have built videogaming into what it is came from Japan.

"Americans aren't very inclined to Japanese games"... uhhh. What? Super Mario? Zelda? Most of the highest rated and respected franchises of the past 20 years? What exactly are you basing this on?

As was pointed out concerning story driven games such as RPGs, there is almost certainly a good deal of FFX that was lost in translation. I thought FFX was mediocre at best, a weak story with unlikable characters in a game saved by a solid battle system. But just because an American didn't get drawn into the english translation of the game means almost nothing. The original J version written for that culture was a big hit and really struck a chord. Good for it.

Just because we don't like the english version of FFX doesn't mean we hate all Japanese games. Some bed time reading for you (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasty_generalization)

I guess the real problem is people judging story based games on the merits of the translation. I freely admit that I'm ignorant of whatever impact FFX made in Japan. All I know is I thought it sucked in the US, and I think that's where most people here (who also thought it sucked) are coming from as well.

[SMES]

I hate to make three posts in the same thread, but I thought I should have a disclaimer here stating that I am very biased.

I have owned a Toyota Pickup, a Ford Taurus, and a Honda Accord.

Of those three, which one would you guess had the radiator/cooling intake leak and fail, the transmission fail before 85,000 miles, and the the AC/fan system perform unreliably?

Which two would you guess never gave me any problems, which also happen to be the two I still own and together have almost 400,000 miles?

...

FFX did suck, though ;)

[TheEpicOfTyler]

WTF are they on? FFX was the worse Final Fantasy game in history. The Japanese are crazy.

[Spigot]

Why doesn't anyone ever comment on what Canadian gamers like and don't like? I mean, come on! We're the guys who made the SSX series.

[Edit:I have no idea what the preceding statements had to do with anything.]

I still stand by the fact that I actually enjoyed FFX a bunch and it, along with FFVIII, are the only games I've played that brought a tear to my eye at the end of them. That said, I had to do a double-take when I saw that it was nominated as the Best Game EVAR, by Famitsu, no less. Enjoyable, sure. Nice to look at, sure. Best FF, no.

As for the Japanese being crazy, I need only to point to the Katamari games, Chibi-Robo and Incredible Crisis to prove that they are indeed insane, but in a good way.

[AversionFX]

But then again, most of the classic franchises that have built videogaming into what it is came from Japan.

I was thinking of some way to say that, but that's exactly it. I just seriously don't get where people get off casting Japan aside as a lesser producer of video games, or, blatantly saying that the Japanese have zero taste for gaming. Seriously, wtf is that shit? The thing that gets me the most frustrated, is when people say that Japan can "only do sequels." WTF, that's why Americans are so amped for Halo 3, and we play shit like, what, Medal of Honor SIX? At least when Japan does a sequel, they do, largely, a new game.

[alienchild]

hahahaha holy crap, the american pride... priceless post

FFX is one of the best games Ive played. I like that "emotional crap": What I hate though is that the Squenix chars are looking more and more like women (the male ones :p). Anyways, FFIII is my top game, along with Wax Works (and 7th Guest... I think, cant make up my mind about that game, even still). Would anyone agree with me? Neeh...

You see, opinions are like farts. No one likes anyone elses but their own.

[Shifteh]

They were going to do an American top 100 games of all time, but they couldn't fit that many Madden games onto one list.

[xcalibur]

Not to mention the top 6 games in that list come from Japan. If anything, we embrace their games FAR more than they embrace ours.

Actually, Metroid Prime is developed by Retro Studios in Austin, Texas.
Retro is owned by Nintendo.


-X

[Zeal]

Japan is stupid as all fuck.

[ElPresidente]

When I thought I was all alone in this world in my thoughts that FFX was a terribly mediocre experience I see some of the posts by you guys and suddenly I'm all chocked up. I've found a home! ;)

Seriously that is one of the worst lists I've ever seen. I can't wait til people stop citing Famitsu as though it is the magazine of record. "Oh but Famitsu are such tough reviewers" oh bollocks... Famitsu are about as tough as cream cheese and hand out their coveted 10/10 scores like they are going out of fashion. It is an important magazine for the Japanese gaming market, of this I agree but the Japanese gaming market is also one of the most insular and xenophobic in existence.

The Japanese can make some great games but they don't really know anything about gaming that happens outside of their shores. A top 100 from a magazine like Famitsu is instantly invalid based on their limited experience of the gaming market.

Other markets are open to games from all cultures... not so in Japan and I think the Japanese understanding of what games can be is limited as a result.

[Sl1pstream]

THE BERLIN WALL FELL TOO OMGWTFBBQ!


It did? I hope they get that Hipler guy on it.

[Rommel]

I would not argue an FF game being number one, but I disagree with their choice. In my humble opinion, which is not humble in the least, FFX is a great game but not even close being being the best of the series or of the medium. FFVIII is one of my least favorite games in any genre. If FFVII were number one instead of number two I would be more agreeable.

Of course, I have also recently been leaning towards the position that ranking games of different genres against one another is a futile effort.

[NELS]

Right, so the natural conclusion is that we're dealing with an idiot poll here and most of us have been right on the money in evaluation.

Not an idiot poll, just different. It was a poll aimed toward the mainstream, mainstream has different opinions. They are not wrong, after all who is to say Final Fantasy X isn't the best game in the world if voted on by so many people?

Dammit, NELS, this board ain't big enough for two four-capital-letter named people. I propose a shootout at the OK Corral!

I accept! Pistols at dawn?

[overdrivechao]

Well, this proves that the Japanese have crap taste in games.

Can someone please tell me where Soul Calibur or Ace Combat is.

... both Japanese games. Stop the racist crap. S.C. and A.C. are newer, not better, than the older games on the list. Gameplay and fun are not all in the graphics.

[Crabby]

Not an idiot poll, just different. It was a poll aimed toward the mainstream, mainstream has different opinions. They are not wrong, after all who is to say Final Fantasy X isn't the best game in the world if voted on by so many people?



I accept! Pistols at dawn?


Idiot majority =/= artistic merit? Still need something else here.

[Banacek]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=426566504844044258

discuss :)

[SMES]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=426566504844044258

discuss :)

The whole time I was waiting for them to summon the Megazord.