My Top 5 Most Memorable Games from the N64

It's quite possible that the Nintendo 64 is the most nostalgia-filled console I've ever owned. After all, it was the first system I could actually call my own as the Super Nintendo I put so much time on actually belonged to my brother. It's where I set up a firm base that would hold my love of all game genres including, but not limited to, adventure, shooter, fighter, flight simulator, sports, puzzle, RPG and even  "first-person rail simulation" game... whatever that means. Regardless of all the games I played and the genres they were, these are my top 5 most memorable games of the Nintendo 64.

Warning: The games on my list will most likely conflict with the childhood memories you have come to know and love. Despite not liking the same games as you remember, I do not hate your childhood. We're all on the same team here and can collectively agree that the N64 was an amazing system. Reader discretion is advised.

#5 Bomber Man 64

This action-adventure title was one of the first I ever played in my life, and although it pains me to say it barely edged out the likes of "Super Mario 64," a title many people have come to cherish. But this game really had everything. Kick ass boss fights, player customization, multiplayer battles, replayability, interesting level design  and a mysterious antihero who would keep you guessing friend or foe to the game's end. As a seven-year-old I was blown away. I had never even played Bomber Man's original game and only knew as much about it as my brother could tell me, but I didn't care. From start to finish this game had me smiling.

I remember walking around stages and looking for secrets for hours. I also remember the more frustrating times when the calming sense of exploration turned into a stressful test of skill to quickly bounce from well-placed bomb to the next in order to obtain those little secrets- grumbling to myself how stupidly impossible the task was. But hey, what's a good game without a little challenge? In the end, the game taught me how to enjoy the pain of working hard in order to to obtain a few collectibles. Not to mention the sigh of relief and feeling of accomplishment when it was all over. The aspect I remember most though was the boss fights lurking at the end of each stage. Some bosses were massive monsters in the same vein as Zelda, but the ones I really loved were the colored humanoids sent as hired guns sent to defeat Bomber Man. Each of them had their own cheesy remark with matching personality, complete with their own fighting style. Let me tell you, as a kid who grew up watching Dragonball Z and the likes, I found this incredible. I can even remember to this day beating the first form of the final boss, knocking him off the stage only to have him rise back up, say "playtime is over" and merge with his helpful robot into his final form. If I was to tell you I wasn't comparing him to Frieza, it would be a damnable lie.

#4 Pokemon Snap

One of the most memorable games of my life and first I can say I was wholeheartedly addicted to was Pokemon Red. After spending so much time watching the show before and after school and beating the game, I was a fan for life. So much, in fact, that I would go so far as to play a game centered around photography of all things to satisfy my love of everything pocket monsters.

I know what a lot of you are thinking right now. "B-but Austin, why didn't you just play the totally amazeballs game Pokemon Stadium?" Well random internet commentor, I did. And you speak true, the game was indeed amazeballs. I mean, 3D renderings and ways to collect more 'mons? I would be crazy to turn that down! But there was just something special I can't quite put my finger on when it comes to "Pokemon Snap." It could be the imaginative environments, the solemn soundtrack, the playful animations or just the fact that I got to chuck fruit at wild pokemon, but there was something unique about that photography simulator that I really haven't felt since.

In the end, I think it was simply the way "Snap" created this very tangible world out of nothing more than a TV show and grossly popular 2D Gameboy game. Sure, "Pokemon Stadium" had me back in the ring battling with my favorite team on a bigger screen, but "Pokemon Snap" put me in the world of Pokemon. It was an experience I would forever hold with me as I played future titles in the series and one that enriched the overall feel of those games. However, I would like to pose one question. When did Professor Oak get the right to critique photography? I mean, did he have a minor in photography? It seemed a little fishy to me, but I guess I'll let it slide for all the times I pelted Mew with apples- a guilty pleasure of mine.

#3 Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

I know, I know... "Big surprise!" Zelda fan or not, the majority of people who have played this game most likely found it enjoyable. I mean, OoT has been called one of the best games of all time and rightfully so. Music, gameplay, enemy design, fluid controls(remarkable considering the controller being used), storyline, puzzles. I can go on and on and on, but for the sake of you all and the fact that we've heard it a million times before, I won't.

For me, OoT is all about the timing in my life that made it special. My brother religiously played the original Zelda and "A Link to the Past" from the time I could watch a game and understand what I was seeing. I loved seeing him battle bosses, unlock weapons and ultimately save Hyrule. But when I finally got my hands on OoT for a console that was my own, it was both an incredibly exciting, but nerve-racking moment for me. Link was this legendary hero who had already done so much in his time, and my brother had been there every step of the way. But I was still new to actually playing the game. Sure, I had played the other games when my brother was watching and made sure I didn't get him killed, but this time I was on my own. I had my own save file and played all by myself. Not exactly the peak of responsibility in a young boy's life, but a pretty big deal to eight-year-old me!

But when Navi flew into Link's house and desperately tried to wake him up, let me tell you how happy I was when I found out he was only a kid; just like me! It got me all the more excited to pick up the controller and start the adventure. Even if OoT wasn't considered by many to be the strongest Zelda installment, it would still be my most memorable experience with Link and a truly great introduction to the universe.

#2 Jet Force Gemini

I want to preface this entry by letting you know that I was not introduced to Star Fox 64 until the Gamecube days. For that reason alone, I put Jet Force Gemini here instead.

After going back and watching some gameplay videos on this, I'm not sure I would like this as much as I did, but back in the day this game was an absolute blast. It was my first real introduction to a sci-fi game and put me onto this strange planet getting into firefights with ant-like humanoids and saving friendly koala bear natives that could have been long lost relatives of Ewoks. Not only that, but it had me collecting strange guns that would assist me in my travels.

Each gun came with  its own sense of badassery and players could shoot off their enemies' heads to collect. And here I was thinking that collecting gold skulltulas was awesome. In hindsight, I'm not exactly sure how this game was able to get away with a "Teen" rating, but I'm glad it did. The multiplayer had my friends and I talking trash to each other daily and gave me something to do when I completed the storyline. "Jet Force Gemini" was the first third-person shooter I ever played and even though I had just as much fun with "Duke Nukem" and "Goldeneye," this game has stuck the closest to my heart. However, if I had to choose one aspect about it that stands out the most, I would have to say it was the soundtrack. In a world filled with giant ants and furry little Ewok wannabes, an eerie OST is a must and "Jet Force Gemini" delivered on that in spades.

#1 Super Smash Bros.  

If I was talking trash to my friends with Jet Force Gemini this game took that to a whole new level. Ever since the first time I laid eyes on the unforgettable "Super Smash Bros." commercial that had Nintendo's most iconic characters beating each other up to the whimsical tune of "So Happy Together" by The Turtles I was hooked.

There's honestly nothing to dislike about anything that's going on here. 

At that point in my life I had played "Super Mario World" and was introduced to Yoshi, was acquainted with Donkey Kong through "Donkey Kong Country" and had seen more than my fair share of Pikachu. The only thing I hadn't really seen was all of them brought together to make one of the most thrilling fighting/platformers this side of the sun. The funny part was that I never even owned the game. Every time my family took a Blockbuster trip I'd rent this bad boy, pop it in the second I got home and forgot about the outer world for the rest of the week. Between fighting level 9 computers, eating breakfast, taking on the infamous Master Hand, going to school, challenging friends to stock matches, eating dinner and perfecting my break the targets times, I didn't have time for much of anything else and I didn't care. 

As much as I love the series as a whole, the original Super Smash Bros. has always stuck with me for the upbeat soundtrack, over-the-top smashes, rich stages and creative characters. It created my love for multiplayer and fighting games, but more than anything it cemented the already present admiration I had for Nintendo. It even got me curious about other Nintendo titles I didn't know much about *cough cough* Earthbound and Kirby *cough cough*. I have lost and regained interest in many of the other games and their iterations on this list, but I have always had a love for the Super Smash Bros. series, and I would venture to say it's because of the incredibly memorable time I spent with the original. 

It turns out there are few experiences in gaming that are more enjoyable than beating up a big, goofy ape with a small, electric rodent. At least, in my opinion. 

Honorable Mentions:

Super Mario 64- "So long, me Bowsie!"

Duke Nukem- Because kickin' ass and chewin' bubble gum is fun for all ages. My mom didn't know any better when she bought this one for me. 

Goldeneye- If you played Oddjob in multiplayer, you were known as "that guy" among your friends. On a side note, this game did not age well at all. 

Pokemon Stadium- Is it bad that the mini games are just as memorable to me as the battling?

Star Fox 64- Some of the best "so bad it's good" dialogue that gaming has ever seen. "Can't let you do that, Star Fox!"

Cloud Chamber creates gripping story, foggy on gameplay

The term "video game" can be used to describe a vast array of titles and genres, and for no two people does the definition bring the exact same thoughts to mind. But for anybody who takes the time to play Investigate North's massively multiplayer story, "Cloud Chamber," the term might just become a little hazier.

"Cloud Chamber" is a strange take on a mystery thriller and leans more toward a movie as the only interactive aspect comes from posting thoughts and opinions about the story that is being told. The story is the "game's" most important and interesting aspect and has the distinct aroma of a sci-fi drama the likes of which might be featured on the Syfy channel. Video clips, pictures and text entries are placed and interconnected throughout ten different levels and used to drive the story forward and create a sense of mystery as the player doesn't always receive them in chronological order. After every entry, players have the option to post about what they think the information means and how the story will unfold from that point on. Other "Cloud Chamber" investigators will then like or dislike the comment and discuss the topic further. Awards are then given to players based on the amounts of likes they've had, having the most likes in a single comment and just having insightful posts. So, in a sense, whoever is the most interesting theorist that can present those theories in a social media friendly way will be the best... er.... cloud chamberer. That's where "Cloud Chamber" starts and ends.

Looks like a solar system simulator, but I promise you it's not.

Unlike other mystery games such as "Myst," "Professor Layton" or "Carmen Sandiego," where the player must find clues, question suspects and make decisions, CC is purely based off of the community's opinions alone. This is both incredibly freeing and insanely limiting all at the same time. It's nice to be able to just talk about what my thoughts are and what I think is going to happen in the story, but games are supposed to be interactive, not just a journal of your thoughts and emotions! I struggle to use the word game because the experience feels more like a weekly book club.

The worst part is that in order to unlock more information on the story, players are forced to comment and get likes. After enough comments are made and enough likes obtained, more of the story becomes available. There's a huge problem right there. The plot is the best part of the entire experience. It's the main draw to CC, and without it there's only peoples' comments and other peoples' validation of those comments. If I wanted to play a game like that, I'd sit on Facebook all day and count how many times people liked the memes and kitten pictures I waste my time sharing every day(an average of 87 likes each day FYI). This theory-heavy, must comment mentality will be a difficult hurdle for many people to get over. Not everybody is going to find the story intriguing enough to post about with strangers online. Hell, some people won't care how entrancing the story is, they'll just get to the first clip and lose interest all together. In this, "Cloud Chamber" will lose much of the gaming population because it's not really, well, a game.

This is mostly due to the fact that video games usually aren't successful unless they have strong gameplay elements. Besides posting and liking comments, which I'm not sure qualifies as full-blown gameplay, the only interaction the player has with "Cloud Chamber" is clicking on entries and enlarging text documents so they can be read. This makes for a very shallow experience, as far as games are concerned, and one that will leave most people looking to PLAY a video game begging for more. That's not to say it ruins itself for the people who do accept CC for its minimalist take on gaming.

Production value in "Cloud Chamber" was quite impressive as both actors, music and general feel all combine to keep commentators busy. The actors played their parts admirably and have appeared in shows and movies ranging from "Casino Royale" to hit HBO show "Game of Thrones." CC's soundtrack adds to the story's cryptic vibe and meshes well with one of the main characters' background as he plays an underground DJ who has a musical gift that could unlock the mystery of an interstellar signal. Like I said, if you love anything science fiction, the story will be right up your alley. However, it might be a better idea to invest in a Netflix subscription and watch the Star Trek seasons to satisfy your space-loving appetite as the price drops in at $20 on Steam.

Cloud Chamber is a "game" that makes me feel like a child in a bad way(and yes, I know how ironic this is), because of how impatient I get when playing it. I want to control something other than my thoughts and ability to click a mouse and type. I want to rescue a princess, get chased by the cops and even put multicolored bricks next to each other like an architect with a mad case of OCD. Either way, I want to feel like I'm doing something more than watching a show and posting about my thoughts on Facebook only to hope for a massive amounts of likes so I can unlock more in said game.

Must... resist urge... to troll...

Look, I know we're in the midst of a very internet-obsessed, always connected, streaming everything, "I hope everybody likes my comment" "check out the 1,023,946 ALS ice bucket challenge" generation-but it doesn't work for everything. "Cloud Chamber" is strong proof of that. It has a colorful cast of characters played by more than competent actors, a strange plot that has viewers scratching their heads and a soundtrack to wonderfully complement the whole thing, but I just don't feel like I'm "playing" anything. I'm watching, hearing, thinking and analyzing, but there's no physical interaction. That truth gets in the way of the gaming experience.

Maybe I'm just stuck in the past or possibly too dense to appreciate the story for what it is, but "Cloud Chamber" would greatly benefit from a few well placed puzzles or questioning segments in the same vain as "L.A. Noire." For those of you who care only about a games' storyline, give this one a try. If you play games to... well, play games, don't bother picking this one up.  

Cloud Chamber earned itself 6 likes out of 10.