This Old Neon Forum

The categories are all finalized, and open for nominations!

There's a list of categories, rules, and a link to the Google Form where you can make your nominations right here: https://thisoldneon.com/2019/02/nominations/

You can come back and edit your responses any time before Friday, 22 February, so don't worry if you want to leave your Main Event nominations incomplete while you browse the other categories.

Here's a list for easy planning:

Main Event (“BEST GAME EVER!!!)
Best Mech Customization (Kong Wen)
Most Innovative Mechanics (VictorViper)
Best Game that You’ve Never Played (Ever) (Kiwi the Tortoise)
Best Game Trilogy (MerlinDrazziw)
Best Light Gun Game (Han Solo)
Best Game Not Available on Any Digital Service (Pluvius)
Best Mascot Racing Game (evildevil97)
Best Strategy Game (SakaeWu)
Best Boss Fight (Skullomancer)
Best Shareware (Corwin)
Best Game Released in the Noughties (2000-2009) (Slurmee)
Funniest Game (Sharecrow)
Best Game of the Last 5 Years (The Shoemaker)
Best Social Gaming Experience (Claytone)
Best First-Game-in-a-Series (Tayclone)

Feel free to discuss your nominations in this thread!

Here are my tentative nominations as of Thursday, 6 February. I'll definitely be coming back to add to these over the next couple of weeks!

Main Event (“BEST GAME EVER!!!)

• Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1)
• Shining Force (Genesis)
• Super Meat Boy (XBLA)
• Tetris (Game Boy)
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
• Chrono Trigger (SNES)
• Super Metroid (SNES)

Best Mech Customization

• Front Mission 3 (PS1)
• Robotrek (SNES)

Most Innovative Mechanics

• SpyParty (PC)
• Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (PC)
• Demon's Souls (PS3)

Best Game that You’ve Never Played (Ever)

• The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)
• Half-Life 2 (PC)
• World of Warcraft (PC)
• Planescape: Torment (PC)
• Pokémon: [Red/Blue] Version (GB)
• Shadow of the Colossus

Best Game Trilogy

• Dark Souls
• Final Fantasy Legend (GB)

Best Light Gun Game

• Duck Hunt (NES)

Best Game Not Available on Any Digital Service

• Dark Wizard (Sega CD)
• Destiny of an Emperor (NES)
• Panzer Dragoon Saga (Saturn)

Best Mascot Racing Game

• Crash Team Racing (PS1)
• Super Mario Kart (SNES)

Best Strategy Game

• Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1)
• Shining Force (Genesis)
• Dark Wizard (Sega CD)
• Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GCN)
• Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii)
• Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (SNES)
• Romance of the Three Kingdoms III: Dragon of Destiny (SNES)
• Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI (PS2)
• Sid Meier's Civilization II (PC)
• XCOM: Enemy [Unknown/Within]

Best Boss Fight

• Black Knight (Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn)
• Mother Brain (Super Metroid)
• Velius (Final Fantasy Tactics)
• Ornstein & Smough (Dark Souls)
• Old Monk (Demon's Souls)

Best Shareware

• Wolfenstein 3D
• Scorched Earth
• Doom

Best Game Released in the Noughties (2000-2009)

• Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3)
• Demon's Souls (PS3)
• Spelunky (XBLA)
• Mega Man 9 (Wii)
• Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii)
• Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GCN)
• Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
• Portal
• Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
• Metroid Fusion (GBA)

Funniest Game

• Portal 2

Best Game of the Last 5 Years (Roughly 2014-2019)

• Destiny (PS4)
• N++ (PS4)
• Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition
• Celeste (PS4)
• God of War (PS4)

Best Social Gaming Experience

• Destiny (PS4)
• Monster Hunter: World (PS4)
• Team Fortress 2 (PC)
• TetriNET (PC)
• Pokémon Go (Mobile)
• Rock Band 3

Best First-Game-in-a-Series

• Warsong (Genesis)
• The Legend of Zelda (NES)
• Mega Man X (SNES)
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Dark Souls
• Shining Force (Genesis)

What's a light gun game? Also do demos count as playing the game? Can a game have more than 3 games and still be a trilogy? Eg Donkey Kong Country 1-3 or Metroid Prime 1-3.

Slurmee wrote: ↑04 Feb 2019 22:45 What's a light gun game? Also do demos count as playing the game? Can a game have more than 3 games and still be a trilogy? Eg Donkey Kong Country 1-3 or Metroid Prime 1-3.

On the trilogy question I nominated some that had more than three entries where I felt I could support their being a trilogy. Like the three NES Ninja Gaiden’s not only share some of the same threads but also differ significantly from the later 3D entries in the series. Dragon Warrior 1-3 have overlap as do Dragon Warrior/Quest 4-6. I think it’s fair. Let the voters decide

Slurmee wrote: ↑04 Feb 2019 22:45 What's a light gun game? Also do demos count as playing the game? Can a game have more than 3 games and still be a trilogy? Eg Donkey Kong Country 1-3 or Metroid Prime 1-3.

A light gun game is a game that you control with a plastic gun peripheral that shoots light beams at your CRT TV or arcade cabinet.

If you're asking whether demos count as playing the game for Kiwi's question, I'd say yeah, you can't nominate a game you've played a demo of.

Donkey Kong Country is a trilogy that only has three games. Later DK games aren't part of that original trilogy. Same with Metroid Prime—it's not not a trilogy until the 4th one actually comes out.

Alright here we go.

Main Event (“BEST GAME EVER!!!)
Decided to only include games that i don't think will get enough love. Stuff like Portal, Super Mario World etc will get nominated no matter what.

• The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) - My first zelda underrated game I love it.
• Halo: Combat Evolved (PC/Xbox) - My first FPS played this a tone during the noughties.
• Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Switch) - Loved this game so much
• Mega Man Battle Network (GBA) - Again a really fun "retro" game still need to play the others.
• Reverie (PS4/Vita) - Amazing charm and fun New Zealand game
• Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth (PS4/Vita) - Really interesting story
• Fable The Lost Chapters (PC/Xbox/Xbone) - I got addicted to this and played through it and loved it.

Best Mech Customization (Kong Wen)
N/A

Most Innovative Mechanics (VictorViper)

• Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Switch) - Being able to reset the skill tree on the go for free was amazing also the dashing and being able to do multiple things a turn made it really fun
• The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) - Touch screen controlled zelda was just amazing might not have been the first game to do this but it's the first that I played.
• Littlebigplanet Vita (Vita) - This whole game just really uses the vita's features well.

Best Game that You’ve Never Played (Ever) (Kiwi the Tortoise)

• Spider-man (PS4) - It's on my to do list.
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES) - I own this just haven't gotten around to it.

Best Game Trilogy (MerlinDrazziw)

• Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 & 3 (SNES) - Basically can't think of anything else that I've played and this is just such a standout trilogy as well so leaving it by itself seems fair

Best Light Gun Game (Han Solo)
N/A

Best Game Not Available on Any Digital Service (Pluvius)

• Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth (PS4/Vita) - Bandai Namco Entertainment removed this less than 3 years after launch with no reason other than "It's old go play Hackers Memory" Seriously dumbest company ever makes EA look like gods.

Best Mascot Racing Game (evildevil97)

• Mario Kart 8/Deluxe (Wii U/Switch) - Just basically the perfect Mascot racer.
• Diddy Kong Racing (N64) - Best story mascot racer.

Best Strategy Game (SakaeWu)

• Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Switch) - The best strategy game I've played
• Pokemon Trading Card Game Online (PC/SmartPhones) - I love everything about the game and the way trading works

Best Boss Fight (Skullomancer)
Thinking about this one

Best Shareware (Corwin)
N/A

Best Game Released in the Noughties (2000-2009) (Slurmee)

• Runescape (PC) - Shit game now fantastic game during the mid noughties
• Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald (GBA) - Favorite pokemon generation
• Portal (PC/360/PS3) - Best portal game
• Halo: Combat Evolved (PC/Xbox) - My favorite FPS period
• Fable The Lost Chapters (PC/Xbox) - An old RPG I just fell in love with
• Skate 2 (360/PS3) - Favorite skating game. 3 was too different and full of filler imo
• Kingdom Hearts Final Remix (PS2) - The story OHHHH the story
• Kingdom Hearts II Final Remix (PS2) - See above
• The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) - A childhood favorite

Funniest Game (Sharecrow)

• Reverie (PS4/Vita) - Amazing charm and fun New Zealand game

Best Game of the Last 5 Years (The Shoemaker)

• Fable Anniversary (360/PC) - Kinda cheating but this is the version I actually played on the original fable and I loved it.
• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U/Switch) - Great DKC game far from the best though.
• South Park: The Stick of Truth (360/PS3/PC) - Best south park game ever
• Mario Kart 8/Deluxe (Wii U/Switch) - Best kart racer ever

Best Social Gaming Experience (Claytone)

• Fornite (PC/PS4/XBone/Switch/iOS/Android/Toaster) - Basically Fornite is a gaming chat room for kids these days it's insane.
• World of Warcraft (PC) - Back in the days so was this.
• Wii Sports (Wii) - Glad I found a spot for this. This really was the social gaming experience in 2006-08

Best First-Game-in-a-Series (Tayclone)

• Fable: The Lost Chapters (Xbox/PC) - Does DLC count? Nonetheless probably the best Fable game. Really strong game.
• Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox/PC) - Best multiplayer shoot for it's time.

I’ll fill this in as I have time...

Main Event (“BEST GAME EVER!!!)
1. Shadowhearts Covenant (PS2);
2. Dead Space (PS3);
3. Fatal Frame (PS2);
4. Phantasy Star II (Genesis);
5. Shining Force (Genesis);
6. Shinobi (PS2);
7. R-Type (TG16);
8. Ninja Gaiden (NES);
9. Pitfall 2 (Atari 2600);
10. Skies of Arcadia (GC);
11. Tales of Symphonia (GC);
12. Alundra (PS1);
13. Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss (PC);
14. Warcraft 2 (PC);
15. Dragon Warrior V (NDS);
16. Gradius 2: Gofer no Yabou (PC-Engine);
17. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2);
18. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GC);
19. Animal Crossing (GC);
20. Might and Magic VII (PC);
21. Silent Hill 4: The Room (PS2);
22. Assassin’s Creed: Origins (PS4);
23. Far Cry: Primal (PS4);
24. Celeste (PS4);
25. Super Mario Sunshine (GC);
26. Willow (NES);
27. Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis);
28. Berzerk! (Atari 2600)
29. Final Fantasy X (PS2)
30. God of War 2 (PS3)

Best Mech Customization (Kong Wen)
1. Armored Core

I wanted to nominate Descent but I don’t think it counts.

Most Innovative Mechanics (VictorViper)
1. Dyad
2. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
3. Gradius
4. Shinobi (PS2)

Best Game that You’ve Never Played (Ever) (Kiwi the Tortoise)
1. Portal

Yeah I know...

Best Game Trilogy (MerlinDrazziw)
1. Ninja Gaiden (NES)
2. Dragon Warrior 1-3
3. Double Dragon (NES)
4. Dead Space
5. Streets of Rage
6. Ninja Gaiden Sigma - Ninja Gaiden 3

Best Light Gun Game (Han Solo)
N/A

Best Game Not Available on Any Digital Service (Pluvius)
1. Willow (NES)
2. Armed Dragon Fantasy Villgust
3. Shadowhearts: Covenant
4. Silent Hill 4: The Room
5. Gauntlet (NES)

Best Mascot Racing Game (evildevil97)
1. Beach Buggy Racing - have logged many hours in this with my kids.

Best Strategy Game (SakaeWu)
1. Shining Force
2. Warsong
3. Warcraft 2

Best Boss Fight (Skullomancer)
1. SA-X (Metroid Fusion)
2. Darkfalz (Phantasy Star)
3. Kuromori, the Lizard (Shadow of the Colossus)
4. Pyramid Head (Silent Hill 2)
5. Last boss (R-Type)
6. The Crab (Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou)
7. The Hunter (Dead Space)
8. Ull (Far Cry: Primal)


Best Shareware (Corwin)
N/A

Best Game Released in the Noughties (2000-2009) (Slurmee)
1. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
2. Dead Space
3. Final Fantasy X
4. Shadowhearts: Covenant
5. Batman: Arkham Asylum
6. Shadow of the Colossus
7. Silent Hill 4: The Room
8. Tales of Symphonia
9. Animal Crossing
10. Metal Gear Solid 2: The Sons of Liberty

Funniest Game (Sharecrow)
1. Tales from the Borderlands - made me laugh out loud more than any game I’ve played

Best Game of the Last 5 Years (The Shoemaker)
1. Far Cry: Primal
2. Outlast
3. Tales of Berseria
4. What Remains of Edith Finch
5. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
6. Celeste
7. Life is Strange
8. Batman: The Telltale Series
9. Nioh

Best Social Gaming Experience (Claytone)
1. Journey - when I lose someone I’ve been traveling with it always breaks my heart a little.
2. X-Men (Arcade)
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (Arcade)
4. Gauntlet (Arcade)
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Arcade)
6. The Simpsons (Arcade)
7. Golden Axe (Arcade)
8. Smash TV (Arcade)
9. Double Dragon (Arcade)
10. Captain America and the Avengers (Arcade)

Best First-Game-in-a-Series (Tayclone)
1. Dead Space
2. Shadowhearts
3. Ninja Gaiden
4. Double Dragon
5. R-Type
6. Gradius
7. Phantasy Star
8. Myst
9. Gauntlet
10. Shining in the Darkness

Gonna use this post to collect some ideas. Gonna edit this at one point or another.

Main Event (“BEST GAME EVER!!!)
TBA

Best Mech Customization (Kong Wen)
Carnage Heart
Front Mission 3

Most Innovative Mechanics (VictorViper)


Best Game that You’ve Never Played (Ever) (Kiwi the Tortoise)
Dragon Force
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Dark Savior

Best Game Trilogy (MerlinDrazziw)

Best Light Gun Game (Han Solo)
Gun Bullet (Point Blank)

Best Game Not Available on Any Digital Service (Pluvius)
Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis
Contra 4
No One Lives Forever

Best Mascot Racing Game (evildevil97)
Super Mario Kart DS
Diddy Kong Racing

Best Strategy Game (SakaeWu)
Ogre Battle
Civilization 5
X-Com Enemy Unknown/Within

Best Boss Fight (Skullomancer)
Metal Gear Solid (Sniper Wolf)
Final Fantasy 6 (Kefka)
Dragon Quest 5 (Bjørn the Behemoose)
Bloodborne (Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower)
Shining Force (Marionette)

Best Shareware (Corwin)
NetHack
Dwarf Fortress
Spelunky
Deltarune Act 1

Best Game Released in the Noughties (2000-2009) (Slurmee)

Funniest Game (Sharecrow)
No One Lives Forever
Parodius

Best Game of the Last 5 Years (The Shoemaker)

Best Social Gaming Experience (Claytone)
Dark Souls 3
Monster Hunter World

Best First-Game-in-a-Series (Tayclone)
Arkham Asylum
Suikoden

Can I just suggest that light gun games can and should include games with a cursor? If we restrict things to proper CRT light guns we miss an entire era of genre revival (Wii, VR). Post-CRT light gun shooters have been plentiful, if still a tiny fraction of the market.

[Editing to clarify:] I mean games with a cursor AND peripheral (Wiimote inclusive). Pad/stick controlled games (i.e. Wild Guns, Blood Bros.) shouldn't count.

VictorViper wrote: ↑06 Feb 2019 16:47 Can I just suggest that light gun games can and should include games with a cursor? If we restrict things to proper CRT light guns we miss an entire era of genre revival (Wii, VR). Post-CRT light gun shooters have been plentiful, if still a tiny fraction of the market.

[Editing to clarify:] I mean games with a cursor AND peripheral (Wiimote inclusive). Pad/stick controlled games (i.e. Wild Guns, Blood Bros.) shouldn't count.

When I proposed the question of best light gun games, my intentions were to include any type of game where you aim a physical controller at the screen to shot objects. So a game like House of the Dead Overkill would definitely count, because you play it with a Wiimote or a Move controller aimed at the TV despite the controller not actually using light gun technology.

There are also games such as Snatcher or the Adventures of Bayou Billy where light guns are only used for parts of the game. I feel that a person may nominate these games if they wish, but these games probably won't get that many votes since they are not exactly the best examples of the genre.