Last week one of the member’s of the UA Twitch’s gaming group gave his top 10 Favorite Video Games in a new series we started called “Split Screen” which we will continue to use throughout our content journey. Since Sam gave his top 10 list already, I thought it would be time to give some of my favorite games. These aren’t necesarily my top 10 “favorite” games but they are generally games that I have fond memories of and want to share the reason why. My list will also include games that are a bit older as I have also been a gamer from a very young age. So here are my personal top 10 Favorite Video Games
1: Call of Duty Black Ops 3
This is a game I played heavily when I was younger and even still play it sometimes with my friends whenever I’m back home since I don’t have either my Xbox or PlayStation down here in Tuscaloosa. I got introduced to this game when I was in 7th Grade so a little over a year after it came out. I remember when I first played it, it was with a family friend of mine and I remember playing it so many times whenever I went over to his house. I loved playing it a lot, and eventually he convinced me, and another mutual friend of ours to get our own copies so that way we can play it online together. I really enjoy playing the game and to me is one of the best games in the Call of Duty series.
2. Mario Kart Wii
Another favorite of mine from my childhood is Mario Kart Wii and a game I still continue to play at times. I remember on Christmas Day when I was around 5 years old I got a Wii for Christmas and Mario Kart Wii was a game I got along with it. This was one of the first games I ever played on the Wii and it brings back a lot of memories. Everything about it was fun, the races, the challenges, playing against friends, etc. One of the guy’s in my fraternity brought his Wii down from home and brought this game with him. In fact I was playing this game last weekend with him. With so many classic stages ranging from Moo Moo Meadows to Coconut Mall along with the soundtrack it had, this game to me is not only one of the best games in the Mario Kart series, but also one of the most memorable.
3. New Super Mario Bros
This game was released for the Nintendo DS back in 2006 around the time when the Nintendo Wii came out. This game is one of my favorites. I remember playing this game for hours when I was a kid, especially when I would have really long car rides with my family whenever we’d go on vacation. I would make sure to bring a charger with me. Being a fan of Mario games, it was fun to able to play it on the go and playing familiar stages that have been in many different Mario games throughout the years. Not only did it have the traditional platform game, but it also had a section that indluded mini games with multiplayer, so you can play with your friends online. I used to play the mini games all the times with my cousins when we were younger. It’d be nice if more Mario games included stuff like that. Maybe we will see it in the future.
4. Injustice: Gods Among Us
A DC Comics fighting game, this is another game that I played for hours when I was in middle school. A sequel came out a few years later but I haven’t played it. The first one I didn’t mind though. It was made by the same people who made Mortal Kombat which is why some of their characters were included in it. One of the best things about this game was that it included a story mode which I did play a bit of it and from what I can remember, it wasn’t bad. The game is similar to Mortal Kombat but has less gore, blood, and no fatalities. You have special attacks that you can use along with your regular attacks such as punching and kicking. You and your opponent have a health bar and in order to win, you have to drain the other person’s health bar. I played this game for hours with my friends and it brings me back a lot of memories.
5. Super Mario Odyssey
Another Mario game, this came out back in 2017 when the Nintendo Switch released. It’s a 3D platform game but instead of including the typical areas you’ve seen in past Mario games which is one of the reasons why I enjoyed this game. I remember watching another YouTuber years ago reviewing Super Mario 3D World for the Wii U and he said it was a fun game but it had the same worlds you’ve seen in other Mario games which I understood his point of view. Now when this game came out it gave you new worlds you have never seen before. One of the most popular worlds in the game is called “New Donk City” and one of the most popular levels of that world is where you play as Mario going through a concert and you get transformed into his look from the NES era and play through a few sections from his classic games in the level. I remember enjoying the game a lot and maybe I might play it again some day
6. Super Smash Bros Brawl
While I enjoy Melee, the N64, Wii U/3Ds, Ultimate versions of Super Smash Bros, Brawl was my first entry into the Smash Bros universe. What’s unique about this version of Smash Bros was that it was the first one in the series to use non-Nintendo fighters such as Solid Snake, and Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog. It also included a story mode called “The Subspace Emissary”. The idea of the story is that Master Hand (a villain that was introduced in previous Smash Bros titles) is working with Ganondorf from the Legend of Zelda series and other video game villains to turn the characters into trophies. In the end it is revealed that Master Hand is being controlled by a villain named Taboo and you go through all the different worlds finding characters to revive to fight off Taboo. It was a big part of my childhood and I personally thank my cousin for getting me the game when I was 8. It gave me my love for the Smash Bros series and made me excited when I found out the Wii U/3Ds versions of the game were coming out in 2014 and when Smash Bros Ultimate came out for the Switch 4 years later.
7. Minecraft
Another big part of my childhood and a game I still play once in a while, Minecraft is a game where you mine, craft, build a community and go on multiple quests. The main goal of the game is to gather enough materials to teleport to a world called “The End” to fight called a dragon called the “Ender Dragon”. The game doesn’t have to stop there though. There are still many activities and challenges in multiplayer modes, playing with friends online. The game released back in 2009 and since its released, it has become one of the most popular games of all time. It ranged out into other forms of entertainment such as books, having it’s own convention named after it, and we’re even seeing a film being made about the game that is currently in development. Many people play the game on PC but I played the game on both my Xbox One and Xbox 360. It has even released onto other systems such as the PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. Minecraft can even let you play with your friends on different systems. So one person can be playing the game on a PlayStation 4 while another person could be playing on an Xbox One. I have thought about getting the Nintendo Switch version to play with my cousin’s while I’m down in Tuscaloosa.
8. Wii Sports
This was another game that I got when I first got my Wii. I still play this game to this day. Wii Sports included a few different types of sports that requires the use of a Mii (a character you create based off you) where they participate in different types of sports such as baseball, and boxing. My two personal favorites are the golf and bowling ones. Those the two sports I play all the time with my friends whenever we play the game. I know there was a sequel that came out not too long after but I have only played that one once. I always have a good time whenever I play Wii Sports and it continues to bring in many fun moments for me whenever I play it.
9. Call of Duty Black Ops 2
Another COD game, this brings back many memories to my childhood and I still boot it up once in a while. I remember playing this game all the time with my family friends when I was younger. We would play Zombies mode all the time and even a bit of the online multiplayer. We would make so many stupid jokes while playing just making my friends and I laugh. Hopefully when I return home for the summer I’ll be able to have some time to play it with my friends.
10. Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Although it doesn’t have a proper story mode like Smash Bros Brawl, this is personally one of my favorite Smash Bros games. It includes every single fighter from every Smash Bros game ranging from characters such Mario, Zelda, Pac-Man, Solid Snake, Banjo Kazoo, Simon from Castlevania, Ridley from the Metroid series, Steve from Minecraft, and Sora from the Kingdom Hearts series, who was the last character to be revealed for the game. I have played the game so many times and still continue to play to this day with my friends. It still has the same modes from past smash games such as custom stage builder, and timed challenges. It does include a story mode but I haven’t played it very much so I can’t give my full thoughts on it but I feel like it won’t be anywhere near what the Subspace Emisarry from Brawl, but I could be wrong though
That is my list of some of my favorite games from my childhood. What about you guys? What are some of your favorite games from when you were younger? What did you like about them?
