Top 30: Games #(15-11)

15) Mega Man 9 (Xbox 360)
Let's talk about game boomerangs. Remember what I said about Contra? It's kind of the same thing here. After Mega Man 7, Capcom did several different things with Mega Man. They gave him one more Game Boy game, quite a few X games, and started his own techno-RPG series that apparently has a sizable following. (Whatever, I don't like them.) The thing is, regular ol' Mega Man didn't get anymore attention after his stinky Playstation game known as Mega Man 8. I guess Capcom didn't know how to make Mega Man great in 3D, or with better graphics, at the very least. So what did they decide to do? Quit. No, no, not that kind of quit. They didn't stop making Mega Man games altogether until March 2011. (Don't worry, I'm not bitter. NOT AT ALL!!! >_<.) My point is that Capcom stopped trying to make Mega Man something he's not, and put him in a stinkin' amazing new game that was quite old.

Mega Man 9 boomerang'd the Blue Bomber back to his glory days in the 8-bit world. It was the exact same scenario we've come to expect for Mega Man. The Evil Dr. Wily has 8 robot masters ready to destroy the world, and Mega Man has to fight them all, one by one! It was genius! To date, I have never seen a game developer make a new game with a franchise that perfectly mimics the old games. And I mean perfectly! The game allowed the player to add screen-flickering effects to the screen. Now that's some dedication for the NES crowd! The game itself was well made. The levels were well designed with a classic mentality. The controls were tight, the gameplay was fine-tuned, and the music matched the high standards of the NES originals. Mega Man 9 was a retro-return done right. Just think about it: No other game developer has ever taken their mascot, and given them a new game that was exactly like their classic games. Nobody does that. It was quite the revolutionary decision. Anyways, even though I'd say Mega Man 10 does it even better, Mega Man 9 gets to destroy List Man!

14) Mass Effect 3 (Xbox 360)
I don't think Mass Effect 3's ending was that bad. No, seriously, I've seen worse. If that's all you can stand, you can walk outta that door right now...

Are...are you still there? May I continue this list free of your exaggerated hatred? Good. Mass Effect 3 ended one of the most epic trilogies ever conceived in gaming. Here, we had 3 games, all on one system. They all told this massive story about a universe with freakish magical powers, and ancient malevolent beings that would bring ultimate destruction upon all living beings. It happened. Players who participated in all 3 games actually witnessed that. It is a humongous accomplishment. It's never been done before. Or, at least, not so well. It comes right down to having the exact same main character you've molded and sculpted with your own hands over the course of 3 games' worth of decisions and events. After all the silly hub-bub over the multiplayer that wasn't supposed to be there, on-disc DLC that wasn't supposed to be there, and the most controversial video game ending ever witnessed, all I keep coming back to, is how much fun I had with this game, and how well done the characters and gameplay are. That's all that really matters.

Mass Effect 3 worked on a very grand scale. The story always kept the Reapers, and the worlds they set out to...reap...in focus. Any decision Shepard made, and any fight Shepard fought in, those things were always in the back of my mind. I had to stop them. I had to save everyone! But I didn't have to do it alone. My crazy-awesome crew from the last game was right there with me, ready to stare back into the face of ultimate destruction. Mordin, Garrus, Thane, Legion, Grunt, and even Ashley returned. The twists and turns they were involved in make up some of the best video game cutscenes I've ever seen. I almost cried at a part or two, and I never do that with games. I can't say every part of the story was that special, or even well done. But when this game got it right...wow. The improvements in the singleplayer gameplay were only magnified in the brand new co-op multiplayer. Just like Bioshock 2, this was a mode that didn't necessarily need to exist, but I'm very glad it does. I spent dozens of hours playing that. It may not be perfect, not even close; but Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic end to an unforgettable gaming trilogy.

13) Kirby Canvas Curse (Nintendo DS)
I remember this game coming during a time when the DS still had something to prove. Like most of us who got one that first year, I didn't know what the DS was going to do, for me. It was thanks to games like K:CC that I was able to figure out that I'd made a great decision. Canvas Curse took a simple concept (draw a line for ball Kirby to follow), and expanded on that in fun and smart ways. They kept his copy abilities intact, which is always the best idea for our little puffball. They added levels with good variety, and gratifying rewards for exploration. It also had great unlockable content, and good minigames to extend playtime. What makes K:CC one of the best Kirby spin-offs for me, is how it takes the Kirby formula we know and love, but isn't afraid to add some twists to the concoction. Then it makes sure not to go overboard, and stray too far way from the features we can't live without, and it finds a happy balance. (Something that Kirby's Epic Yarn failed to do, as far as I'm concerned.) Canvas Curse isn't my favorite Kirby game, and not even my favorite spin-off (that goes to Air Ride). But K:CC is a memorable testament to what the DS would come to be known for: good games that sometimes required a delicate touch.

12) Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Xbox 360)
Sigh..alright...before we go any further...we gotta address the elephant in the room. What, you mean you've never met this elephant? Allow me to explain. After I purchased the original Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and played it for 5 months, I woke up one day to a new announcement from Capcom. This news revealed that there would be an upgraded version of the fighting game I was enjoying...that would come out a mere 3 MONTHS LATER. This, effectively, rendered my $70 special edition of the game obsolete. The upgraded game would have new characters, new stages, new modes, and all of the players were going to migrate there, and leave my game in the dust. I wasn't disappointed...oh no...it was much worse then that. I was legitimately outraged. Like, in real life. Not just in internet terms. I felt supremely ripped-off, like I had never been before. It was horrible, to me. How could a game company rip me off so quickly, after my premium purchase? Did they lack that much value for me? Could they not appreciate the millions of fans who had been waiting, longing, and lining up for this long-dreamed-of-beauty? It seems that's the way it was. I couldn't stand it. I still can't. It's one of the reasons I will always hold a red-hot grudge against a faceless video game company. But enough about my petty feuds with something that doesn't know I exist...

Let's talk about this good fighting game. Oh, really, you didn't know I felt that way about the original MvC3? Yeah, I can see why you'd forget how I used to feel before...No, wait, focus! I definitely loved this game when it first came out. The controls were simplified from past games so I could finally put forth something resembling genuine effort. No longer did I appear to be a monkey smash rocks on the ground! Oh, no, now I had upgraded to the skills of a baby hitting a stick on the wall! WOOHOO! No, but seriously, the game was filled with interesting characters, many of whom we had long-waited for. (Go Deadpool!) The graphics were also very nice to look at, and the action was fascinating to watch (even though I couldn't get it to work in my favor most of the time). Despite the fact that the lack of modes and skimpy online mode disappointed, I was a big fan of the original game. So why is the despicable upgrade on my list, instead of the original? Because all of the things I liked about the original were kept, and other problems were fixed. They even added new characters and stages. All that was missing was Mega Man...poor...poor Mega Man.

11) Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
Did I mention that generation 7 was the longest generation in all of gaming? Because it was. As such, there was a unique opportunity for several game franchises to put all 3 of their trilogies on one machine. That usually doesn't happen, in case you were wondering. And so it went for the franchise known as Gears of War. After we played the optimistic outing in the first game, and the one-step-forward-one-step-back second game, we were able to experience the third. We checked out the trailers, we snacked on the beta, and we got our expectations up to a high level. When the hype and excitement for a game rises to such a height, it's quite easy to be disappointed. It's not hard to be crushed, honestly. Not a lot of games can put their money where their mouth is. But against the odds, Gears of War 3 not only met my expectations; it surpassed them and a half!

Gears of War 3 is the best third-person shooter I've ever played. I honestly do not have many complaints with this game, at all. For what it is, and what it does, it got most everything right. The gameplay was expanded, fine-tuned, and cranked to 11. The controls were satisfying, and rarely accused of getting me killed. I like all 4 main modes of gameplay. The campaign (with the always present and popular co-op), competitive multiplayer, the surprise hit known as Beast mode, and the return of the mode that spawned a a few dozen clones, Horde. Every one of these modes was commendable and satisfying. Horde mode had a compelling tower defense feature added in. Beast mode brought a sadistic flavor to the plate, as well as playable locust creatures. Competitive multiplayer was better and more addicting then ever. As for the campaign, it was a pretty good end to the main story. Nothing amazing, but nothing bad either. But there was one thing that Epic Games did better then everything else. One single moment that punched me right in the gut, and left me completely speechless in awe, sadness, and admiration. If you've played the game, you know what I'm talking about. You know what it means to us Gears fans. How it called back to the very first trailer of the very first game. That was a special moment. Something that stands out almost more then anything from this gen.