Rate the Game: Week 135

[M-A-G]

What up, y'all! It's another beautiful day. Specifically, another beautiful Tuesday! And other than taco night, this is the one thing we can all look forward to on this day. It's Rate the Game: Week 135! Last week, Gex emerged from the depths of forgotten video game history to try to stake a claim on our leaderboard. How'd he do? Was he ultimately destined to be cast into the quagmire of mediocrity? How about it, leaderboard?

<select><option selected="">Rate the Game Results

<option>1. Super Mario World (4.81)
<option>2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (4.8)</option>
<option>3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (4.8)</option>
<option>4. Hitman: Codename 47 (4.75)</option>
<option>5. Mass Effect (4.75)</option>
<option>6. Goldeneye 007 (4.72)</option>
<option>7. Super Mario Bros. 3 (4.7)</option>
<option>8. Silent Hill 2 (4.66)</option>
<option>9. Super Mario Bros. 2 (4.5)</option>
<option>10. Portal (4.5)</option>
<option>11. Red Dead Redemption (4.5)</option>
<option>12. Chrono Trigger (4.5)</option>
<option>13. Final Fantasy 3 (4.5)</option>
<option>14. Silent Hill 3 (4.5)</option>
<option>15. Mega Man 2 (4.44)</option>
<option>16. Donkey Kong Country (4.44)</option>
<option>17. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (4.44)</option>
<option>18. Super Mario Bros. (4.41)</option>
<option>19. God of War (4.4)</option>
<option>20. Mega Man X (4.36)</option>
<option>21. Metal Gear Solid (4.33)</option>
<option>22. BioShock (4.33)</option>
<option>23. Perfect Dark (4.3)</option>
<option>24. Shadow of the Colossus (4.28)</option>
<option>25. The Last of Us (4.28)</option>
<option>26. Super Street Fighter 2 (4.15)</option>
<option>27. Sonic the Hedgehog (4.14)</option>
<option>28. Resident Evil 2 (4.14)</option>
<option>29. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (4.125)</option>
<option>30. Super Mario 64 (4.07)</option>
<option>31. Grand Theft Auto 3 (4.06)</option>
<option>32. The Legend of Zelda (4.06)</option>
<option>33. NBA Jam (4.05)</option>
<option>34. Super Mario Kart (4.0)</option>
<option>35. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (4.0)</option>
<option>36. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (4.0)</option>
<option>37. Super Smash Bros. (4.0)</option>
<option>38. Super Metroid (4.0)</option>
<option>39. The Simpsons (4.0)</option>
<option>40. Resident Evil 4 (4.0)</option>
<option>41. EarthBound (4.0)</option>
<option>42. Fallout 3 (4.0)</option>
<option>43. Mirror's Edge (4.0)</option>
<option>44. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (4.0)</option>
<option>45. Donkey Kong Country 2 (4.0)</option>
<option>46. Banjo-Kazooie (4.0)</option>
<option>47. Final Fantasy 7 (3.94)</option>
<option>48. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (3.92)</option>
<option>49. Mega Man (3.89)</option>
<option>50. Castlevania (3.86)</option>
<option>51. Contra (3.86)</option>
<option>52. Devil May Cry (3.86)</option>
<option>53. Half-Life 2 (3.85)</option>
<option>54. Half-Life (3.83)
<option>55. Final Fantasy 8 (3.83)</option>
<option>56. Infamous (3.83)</option>
<option>57. SimCity 2000 (3.8)</option>
<option>58. Final Fight (3.8)</option>
<option>59. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (3.77)</option>
<option>60. Batman: Arkham Asylum (3.76)</option>
<option>61. Double Dragon (3.75)</option>
<option>62. Max Payne (3.75)</option>
<option>63. Tetris (3.69)</option>
<option>64. Mortal Kombat 2 (3.67)</option>
<option>65. Alan Wake (3.66)</option>
<option>66. Diablo (3.66)</option>
<option>67. Xenoblade Chronicles (3.66)</option>
<option>68. F.E.A.R. (3.66)</option>
<option>69. Mortal Kombat (3.65)</option>
<option>70. Doom (3.625)</option>
<option>71. StarFox (3.61)</option>
<option>72. X-Men (3.6)</option>
<option>73. Resident Evil (3.58)</option>
<option>74. Kirby's Adventure (3.57)</option>
<option>75. Daytona USA (3.5)</option>
<option>76. Ninja Gaiden (3.5)</option>
<option>77. Burnout Paradise (3.5)</option>
<option>78. Thief: The Dark Project (3.5)</option>
<option>79. Dark Souls (3.5)</option>
<option>80. Shinobi (3.5)</option>
<option>81. Dead Space (3.4)</option>
<option>82. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (3.39)</option>
<option>83. Resident Evil: Nemesis (3.38)</option>
<option>84. Crash Bandicoot (3.33)</option>
<option>85. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (3.33)</option>
<option>86. Wolfenstein 3D (3.33)</option>
<option>87. Dead Island (3.33)</option>
<option>88. Left 4 Dead (3.33)</option>
<option>89. Nights Into Dreams (3.33)</option>
<option>90. Condemned: Criminal Origins (3.33)</option>
<option>91. Gauntlet Legends (3.28)
<option>92. Gears of War (3.27)</option>
<option>93. Borderlands (3.22)</option>
<option>94. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (3.22)</option>
<option>95. Duke Nukem 3D (3.2)</option>
<option>96. Darkstalkers (3.2)</option>
<option>97. Quake (3.2)</option>
<option>98. SoulCalibur (3.16)</option>
<option>99. Pac-Man (3.125)</option>
<option>100. Killer Instinct (3.11)</option>
<option>101. Virtua Fighter (3.09)</option>
<option>102. Rock Band (3.09)</option>
<option>103. Earthworm Jim (3.0)</option>
<option>104. Metroid (3.0)</option>
<option>105. Time Crisis (3.0)</option>
<option>106. Tekken (3.0)</option>
<option>107. Halo 2 (3.0)</option>
<option>108. Gex (3.0)</option>
<option>109. Destiny (3.0)</option>
<option>110. The Secret of Monkey Island (3.0)</option>
<option>111. Sonic Adventure (3.0)</option>
<option>112. Shenmue (3.0)</option>
<option>113. Guitar Hero (2.875)</option>
<option>114. Ecco the Dolphin (2.85)</option>
<option>115. Streets of Rage (2.84)</option>
<option>116. Altered Beast (2.8)</option>
<option>117. Bayonetta (2.75)</option>
<option>118. ToeJam & Earl (2.75)</option>
<option>119. Assassin's Creed (2.71)</option>
<option>120. Gauntlet (2.71)</option>
<option>121. Dead Rising (2.71)</option>
<option>122. Bionic Commando (2.66)</option>
<option>123. Saints Row (2.66)</option>
<option>124. The Sims (2.6)</option>
<option>125. Killer Instinct 2 (2.6)</option>
<option>126. Silent Hill (2.6)</option>
<option>127. Tomb Raider (2.55)</option>
<option>128. Halo: Combat Evolved (2.5)</option>
<option>129. Twisted Metal (2.42)</option
<option>130. Crackdown (2.42)</option>
<option>131. Golden Axe (2.33)</option>
<option>132. Gran Turismo (2.3)</option>
<option>133. The Secret of Mana (2.2)</option>
<option>134. Ghosts n' Goblins (2.14)</option>
</select>

Gex manages to split the difference and ultimately comes out relatively OK with a 3.0. For a while, I was thinking I was going to have to cast him onto the Honorable Mentions list.

So with Gex out of the way, we continue on to new and maybe even better heights. What does the bowl have cooking for us this time around? Can anything hope to reach elite status? Show us the goods....

https://i.imgur.com/Jw9QUxp.gif


God, damn it, why does this sometimes come out vertical? Fuck it, we got what we need. This week, we're going back to a long-standing Nintendo franchise as it's the follow up to one of the biggest Nintendo 64 titles in its library. It's the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. The other two Legend of Zelda games have a pretty good history here on Rate the Game. Hell, Ocarina of Time was number 1 for a good amount of time and still remains in the top ten. But how does this one compare? Will it supersede its predecessor? How about it, you all. Do that thing we all do and let's rate this mofo. Until next week!

[Destor]

Its one of my favorite games. The series is a top 3 series for me and MM is near the top of the pile in the series. Great dungeons. The side content is just as deep as the main content. The rewards for engaging with the side content are rewarding. Excellent music, some of the franchises best. Cool mood and setting. Great premise.



Easy 5

[Big Vic]

I couldn't get into it. The time gimmick really turned me off.

[Destor]

This is why no one likes Big Vic. Savio would never have a take that bad.

[Lock Jaw]

Loved this game, easily more than Ocarina of Time. Great story, setting, gimmick, music, level of difficulty "just right".

Easy 5

[Emperor Smeat]

5.

For a long time, I liked Majora's Mask way more than Ocarina of Time. Part of it was due to owning MM first and didn't get around to buying OoT until a few years later. Also took me around 8 years to finally beat OoT for reasons I forgot while I finished MM the summer it came out.

Also for a Zelda and Nintendo game, its story is pretty dark in terms of tone. Instead of being this all conquering hero, Link has to fail multiple times leaving everyone else to their doom while he bails to safety because 3 days isn't enough time to prevent the creepy moon from crashing down and killing everyone until the last playthrough run.

[screech]

As much as I love Ocarina of Time, I have never played Majora's Mask.

[Big Vic]

5.

Also took me around 8 years to finally beat OoT for reasons I forgot while I finished MM the summer it came out.



Did you use the Biggoron sword instead of the master sword in the final section of the fight?

[Emperor Smeat]

Had to look up how that part of the fight goes and I probably did use that sword but don't really remember.

[drave]

Stupid time mechanic turned me away. Dislike being timed, especially in a game like Zelda.


1.

[Lock Jaw]

Was the best game gimmick ever. Wish there were more like it.

[drave]

Boy are you in luck then!




I get why they went with it. To give Link more depth, and to cause the player to "connect" more. I just..... don't like repeating things frequently like that. Same reason I couldn't get into Deathloop.

[M-A-G]

OBLIGATORY VIDEO VAGUELY RELATED TO THE GAME IN QUESTION!!!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VYpryVA5WQQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The question to debate now is who the bigger heel of this thread is: drave for giving it the 1, or me for never touching it. :o

[drave]

Fuck that game. I'll die on that gaming hill.

[drave]

I'd rather play the Atari ET game without the instruction manual. Then, I'll play Superman on Atari, then N64 after.


I'd do that for eternity before I played MM again.

[M-A-G]

My thing is never getting into the Legend of Zelda games at all. The first one I played was The Legend of Zelda 2 on the NES, and man, talk about a way to get introduced to the series.

[drave]

Oof. That was largely shit on because of the different approach from the first one.


Personally, I thought it was cool. Definitely harder and definitely different, but waaaaaaaaaay more interesting. IMO, many elements of II were ahead of their time.

[M-A-G]

Well, I had no real frame of reference so it being different from the original wasn't an issue. It was just harder than my dick at a Halestorm concert and me being a dumb 8-year old.

[drave]

I feel like most gaming adults today would get their ass kicked by that game.

I distinctly remember a part near the end where I needed to get the Fairy spell that turned link into a Fairy from the game. With it, I was able to "fly" over the entire area.


That was right before the final fortress.

[Emperor Smeat]

I don't think I ever got past the first or second temple in Zelda 2.

Looking back, the NES era sure did have some odd sequels to very popular series at the time.

Zelda 2
Super Mario Bros 2
Castlevania 2

Even Double Dragon 2 was a bit of an oddball over having the weird control setup where the kick & punch buttons changed depending on the direction of your character and also had some platforming that I don't think were in the 1st or 3rd game.

[Destor]

There was a design philosophy during the early arcade era that was essentially "well there's X kind of game over here so thats off the table." Like someone made a tennis game so thats done. No more tennis, ever.

That philosophy continued but evolved at early nintendo. Their sequels were often very different games. If someone wanted to play that game well they already made it...go play it. The idea of derivatives was very taboo cept for mario that got a very generic sequel..and tbf it didnt do well.

Hot take: SMB2 USA >>> SMB 2 JPN

[Lock Jaw]

Is that a hot take? I thought SMB2 USA was generally a lot more beloved than "The Lost Levels"

[Destor]

TEPID TAKE

[DAMN iNATOR]

Never played a Zelda game. Not my cup of tea.

[M-A-G]

TEPID TAKE

This does make me ponder how The Lost Levels would rank on this shindig. It's not part of this new set, but there's no way I think it'd outshine American Super Mario 2 on the leaderboard.

[Big Vic]

1 or 2

[drave]

This does make me ponder how The Lost Levels would rank on this shindig. It's not part of this new set, but there's no way I think it'd outshine American Super Mario 2 on the leaderboard.




Should be Mario: The Lost Souls edition






Seriously, most of those levels are designed to torture the player. While challenging 100%, it becomes not fun very quickly. I posit the only manageable way to play it would be on the SNES (or other medium) that allows for periodic saves.


It's the only Mario game I've not finished. I even played the "educational" ones where Mario was lost in time or something?? There were 2 or 3 of them, they were alright, but definitely not what was expected. Good thing I rented them from Red Giraffe and didn't buy them.

[McLegend]

I’m really close to beating this game, but I haven’t played in 5 years.

There is a lot more anxiety with Majora’s Mask. I would go 4.