- Joined
- Sep 26, 2019
I never actually stated my actual thoughts in the OP, and was waiting to see if anyone would throw out the one I ended up deciding on a while ago. Sho'nuff, @SSj_Ness dropped it on page 1:
Like I said in the OP, I've thought about this question on-and-off, and considered making a thread probably over a year ago now, but it's such a broad concept that it's hard to concisely write out. Like, what's even the objectively best book/song/movie/TV show ever made? Everyone has their favorites and it's easy to poll everyone on those, but to single it down to a single one is borderline impossible. Even video games, which haven't even been around for anywhere close to a century, have a million different answers and approaches.
I totally understand saying something complicated like Deus Ex, if you're approaching it from a "what is the highest quality video game ever made?" standpoint, though that's a question all to itself. So, I tried to corral the question into a thunk-provoker about what's the game that's the most accessible, but also highest quality. The absolute single most golden example of a video game, the best of all time to show someone who has zero interest in the medium, but juuuuuuuuuuust barely enough to pay attention for a few minutes. Show that person Deus Ex, and they'll immediately dismiss it for its 2000-era 3D graphics, its complicated control scheme, and potentially even JC's stiff vocal deliveries. There is a wonderful game to be enjoyed, but it's very inaccessible to the average person.
Damndest thing is, I can't think of anything else that even comes close outside of the Mario series. There are tons of great examples of borderline perfect games within their genres, which are perfect for people who like that specific sort of thing, but when that specific thing isn't known, there's really no better broad appeal game than something Mario.
Like I said in the OP, I've thought about this question on-and-off, and considered making a thread probably over a year ago now, but it's such a broad concept that it's hard to concisely write out. Like, what's even the objectively best book/song/movie/TV show ever made? Everyone has their favorites and it's easy to poll everyone on those, but to single it down to a single one is borderline impossible. Even video games, which haven't even been around for anywhere close to a century, have a million different answers and approaches.
I totally understand saying something complicated like Deus Ex, if you're approaching it from a "what is the highest quality video game ever made?" standpoint, though that's a question all to itself. So, I tried to corral the question into a thunk-provoker about what's the game that's the most accessible, but also highest quality. The absolute single most golden example of a video game, the best of all time to show someone who has zero interest in the medium, but juuuuuuuuuuust barely enough to pay attention for a few minutes. Show that person Deus Ex, and they'll immediately dismiss it for its 2000-era 3D graphics, its complicated control scheme, and potentially even JC's stiff vocal deliveries. There is a wonderful game to be enjoyed, but it's very inaccessible to the average person.
Though I think these guys are right, Super Mario World's gotta be it. Personally, I think SMB3 is the better game, but SMW has nicer graphics and it's a little easier. There's really nothing wrong with that game at all. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say it's their #1 favorite, but I've never heard from anyone who genuinely dislikes it. It is an amazing, complete, standalone, fairly long game with plenty of secrets and a wide variety of environments.
Damndest thing is, I can't think of anything else that even comes close outside of the Mario series. There are tons of great examples of borderline perfect games within their genres, which are perfect for people who like that specific sort of thing, but when that specific thing isn't known, there's really no better broad appeal game than something Mario.
