Fashionably Techie: Old School Games

By Donyae

So I was browsing the shelves of Gamestop the other day and noticing that Nintendo was putting out a slew (well maybe not a slew so much as a few) of games that were Gamecube games remixed for the Wii’s controls. I was totally stoked because one of them is Pikmin, which I love. Yes, fight for my supplies my colorful horde. . .

In any case, it got me thinking back to the systems of ancient times. They were fun weren’t they? And so cheap now. So, if you are looking for something to do when you come home from the bar or when you don’t want to study, here are my top five not-really-so-retro-games for your playing enjoyment. Grab one of the gaming systems online and have a grand ol’ time.

Final Fantasy VII (Playstation)

This was the game that brought FF back to the forefront of RPGing. It pits characters against a sprawling world filled with not only monsters, but quirky side games. The story is engrossing and addictive. You just had to play it until the end. The cut scenes were super but the in-game graphics look lame now. Still it’s an excellent game for anyone.

Katamari Damacy (PS2)

You roll a ball around collecting things to make it bigger. That’s the premise of this game. Simple, relaxing, and oddly addictive. With a perky soundtrack and a ton of tiny little things laying around to pick up, the possibilities are endless.

Psychonauts (PS2)

Action Adventure anyone? You play a Raz, a creepy kid with mind powers who sneaks into a summer camp for other kids with mind powers. Along the way he manages to stumble upon a nefarious plot to take over the world and then save it all while dealing with his daddy issues. The game play is varied and original, the levels lush and varied. Fun all around. (Though I have no idea who thought of this one!)

Viewtiful Joe (Gamecube)

I’m not going to lie – I was madly frustrated with the last level. I wanted throw my controller at the TV… and I did. It’s in the past now. All I know is that Viewtiful Joe was a great and original game. The story is basically that an action movie fan gets sucked into the movie he so loves and then becomes the hero himself. It utilized a SFX meter to control your powers, which were all based on movie special effects. Slow motion, speed up, posing. All at your command. Frustrating, maybe, but still a great game.

UmJammer Lammy (PS)

It was the rock version of ParRapper the Rapper. She was a girl with a guitar trying to get to her gig. Along the way she meets a ton of people in her crazy town who all NEED her help! What is she to do? The only thing she can do: play guitar. It’s a musical extravaganza. And when you beat it you unlock PaRappa.

What are your favorite classics?