The Top Twenty: Favorite Video Games

After talking about reviving my writing (as well as this blog) almost two weeks, I told myself that I'd get working on a brand-new Top Ten list and have it up here within the following two weeks. It's just about now officially that deadline, so I figured I'd get to work on it. And after two six day's two weeks' worth of typing, searching the web for good photos to use for this entry, and getting distracted by clicking fifteen thousand too many links on Wikipedia and TV Tropes, it's finally here! (Seriously this time.)

The last time I threw a Top Ten List on here was back in May of last year - roughly ten months ago. After noting that rather large gap, I told myself that needs to be patched up now. So, what to talk about? While there's plenty of subjects and plenty of lists I have compiled for just the occasion, I decided to go with a rather unique challenge: my favorite video games. I say "challenge" because this was honestly one of the more difficult ones to rate. There were so many games that made some kind of impact on my life, many more that gave me joy in my younger days, and still many that I have played altogether. So what to choose...?

Initially, my plan was to write a list of every game I remember playing to date that I love(d), narrow the selection down to ten games, and introduce a new "honorary mention" section alongside the list. Seemed really simple and easy on paper. When it came down to performing the task, however, I couldn't bring myself to thin the ranks. Many of the games I wrote down were games that I carry soft spots for, because they were the games I played as a child, a teenager, an adult. They brought joy, sadness, fury, understanding, clarity - and to deny the most influential games the right to have their name be heard? I couldn't.

So I decided to try two new tactics:

1. Narrow any video game series present down to ONE game.
2. Expand the buffer to twenty slots.

The end result is today's entry and the very first Top Twenty list featured on this blog. Now, I could pay my respects to all of the important games I've played and love(d).

Of course, one question remains to be asked: What twenty games made their way onto my favorites list? You'll have to read on below if you've any interest in finding out!

Adventures Nowhere and Everywhere

Afternoon, everyone. Today's proving to be quite an interesting day so far. Today's July 14, and as the second half of the year continues to make its opening, I think it's time we start by getting in touch with the rest of this entry.

When in doubt, pinky out.

Of course, we can do that in a second. And that second begins now after I'm done sipping my Kyoto Sunset tea.

The Flames of Rhythm

Today feels like a great day. It's sunny outside, the birds are chirping, no clouds in the the sky at all. It's one of those rare opportunities to do fun things in the daylight, such as hitting the beach, going to a friend's to hang out, and maybe teaming up in the end so y'all can set the local orphanage on fire.

"One shudders to imagine what inhuman thoughts lie behind that mask... what dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty..."
- The Spy (Team Fortress 2: Meet the Pyro)
(Image made by "ChemicalAlia" and found on DeviantArt.)

But enough talk about delusions of arson and homicide - you're here to have a fun read, not commit ridiculous felonies! (At least I hope you're not.) Let's go!

Stories on Wheels

Good night Afternoon, everyone! Time to sit down, log in, and prepare to race... off...!

I've always loved games that let you leave your initials as a record statement for the whole world to see.

Oh, what the hell; a login screen!?!?!? *sigh* Fiiine. Let me get through this security stuff. Give me one second. Entertain yourself with the Current Music while I do this. *types furiously*

HI I'M RACING

In a deviation from the norm, I decided to dust off an old GameCube classic so I can do some research for my next Top Ten list. That classic? Mario Kart: Double Dash!! So, before we begin, I just have to ask you one thing.

If the Mario franchise had to vote for "top trollers," these two characters would definitely make the top five.

Expecting me to throw a "HI, I'M DAISY!" joke on here?
TOO BAD! WALUIGI TIME!!!

Zero CC

After a few weeks of monotony, I decided that I wanted nothing more with this. So one day, I decided to wage a war against this slurry of crap and decapitate this monstrosity. This is what happens when lethargy is met with a swift hammer to the face... and what happens when I declare that I've had enough.

(Keep in mind that the above pre-entry description would have been more graphic. There were guts strewn every which way and blood spatters all across the walls. I think I even saw a starving child from Africa Los Angeles pick up a gun and pickpocket the corpse. I'd have included that metaphor, but then I realized that not many people would appreciate the joke and would instead think I crossed the line somewhere.)

So instead of crossing the line (or somehow crossing the line twice), let's just go ahead and fast-forward this story to the (near-)present, where I'm busy drinking the sorrows away.

(TL;DR: I punched my laziness away today. With literal punch.)

Blue Ocean Punch Bowl, courtesy of Benihana.

Now let's go get wasted!

(Author's Note: During the entire time spent typing this entry up, I was not drunk at all. For starters, that'd be sad if I was. Moreover, I was at the library when this was typed, and I'm pretty sure public intoxication is illegal.)

(Author's Note: Also: inb4 "This post has nothing to do with Code Geass despite what the title may refer to." It was sheer coincidence that the two words I picked to represent the thoughts of today's entry matched two principle characters from the manga/anime series.)

Slingshot Entry

Welcome, reader! Today's Friday, May 25, 2012, and it's quite an interesting day!

Daytime Status: cloudy with a chance of sun.

So today ended up as a mellow day so far. Cloud cover threatened a sunny day (which could've been nice as it's a Friday and all) and yet the sun's still strong enough to cause most people (read: the indoors-kind of people) to squint when looking outside. It's the perfect weather to relax and do stuff at the same time. Confused? Good.

Normally, with sunny days, you'd expect people to hang out together and what not. Y'know, soak some rays up, do something aquatic-based (from swimming to snow cone eating competitions), have a great time, and totally do social things. With rainy days, people tend to do the opposite. The more sociable people will attempt their best efforts at organizing some kind of hangout, while the busybodies with projects to take care of will stay inside their shelters and work.

But with this weather... I don't know. While cloudy days tend to put a damper on the mood, there are certain times where it's still cloudy and somehow sunny enough to make it a good day. The clouds are fluffy and mostly white (meaning that the threat of rain is low - unless you're in Seattle), the blue skies break through once in a while, the sun is still able to mercilessly beat down on your eyes.

Maybe I can find a way to hang out with people and work on some things at the same time. *shrugs* I 'unno.

And then the night began, and the sunset looked nice. And then I began typing other things.