Code Blaq #1: Blaqrock’s Top 5 Games of All Time

We here at Blaqrock, LLC love us some video games. So much so that one of the games we really love served as the inspiration for a song on the upcoming album. (More on that later).  So, we recently sat down and tried to figure out some sort of list for the best video games of all time. Can anyone agree on the top 5 games of all time? Uh, probably not…but we did manage to agree on Blaqrock’s top 5 games of all time. So, what did we decide on?

Disclaimer: This is not a definitive list, nor is this list ranked in any particular order. 

5. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle: Picked by Austen, seconded by Myles 

“One of the most re-playable games for me personally. From the story, to the level design, the soundtrack, and to the Chao garden I would lose hours upon hours in as a kid, this game had it all and is one of the highlights of my childhood that I still come back to play as an adult. Anyone who’s ever played this game will know the iconic Live and Learn track that plays during the final boss fight. For me, Live and Learn was one of those songs that I heard and went “I wanna make music like that”. So I did, and a song on the upcoming record is directly inspired by Live and Learn.”

4. The Legend of Zelda: WindWaker: Picked by Danny

”One of the first Legend of Zelda titles I’ve played where I felt fully immersed in the gameplay, story, and animation style. I got this game around 2006 or 2007 for the Gamecube and it became an instant hit for me. Prior to Wind Waker, I’ve played the Gameboy Color titles such as Link’s Awakening, Oracle of Seasons, and Oracle of Ages, but those games did not compare to the immersion factor that Wind Waker had. Windwakers’ story has many epic moments that put the hero in  precarious situations, however, the wide array of equipment obtained, people you meet, and bosses you face throughout the journey encourages creativity, enjoyment, and awe for the player. I gotta say, my favorite part of the entire game is when the player visits Hyrule castle, which was submerged in the oceans. The amount of times that I’ve completed this game would have been enough for me to create a player’s guidebook.”

3. Elden Ring: Picked by Myles 

“I’ve experienced 2 souls games. The Demon’s Souls remake and Elden ring. Souls veterans may call me a fraud, but I think I’ve experienced 2 masterpieces with these two titles. For starters Elden Ring has some of the best lore in all of video games. Its easy to miss it when you play through the game, but if you choose to pay attention to it your mind will be blown. On top of this, most would agree that the Lands Between is one of the best open worlds ever created. Its beauty can be found in the dizzying nature of its unforgiving landscape that is immensely fun to get lost in. Elden is difficult, but the prospect of becoming Elden lord makes you want to come and die over and over again until you reach the throne.”

2. Final Fantasy: Dissidia - Picked by Gardner  

“Dissidia was a PSP exclusive that I played for hours when I had it. I was especially drawn in by its combat system. Square Enix are known for their MMORPG style of play which involves taking points away to represent health loss while using turn based combat. Your character has free range to move, summon attacks, and counter which made for a great combat system. This style of fighting reminded me a lot of Dragon Ball Z games. It was just a really fun experience to be able to play as both your favorite protagonists and antagonists from all 15 Final Fantasy game sup to that point. You could have them fight 1v1 and even use their iconic special abilities.”

1. Super Mario World: Picked by Danny 

“This game takes me back to around 2001. My siblings and I shared a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) where we played SMW nonstop. My love for video games came to be because of this game. Fights would always break out among my siblings and I but SMW was the one thing that brought peace among us. Not only that, the difficulty produced from this game was enough to involve our mother into helping us advance in the game. One thing I will admit, I never fully played every single level in the game. I would always take the Star World shortcut in the Forest of Illusion causing me to completely skip Chocolate Island. Overall, I credit this game for sparking that desire I have for video games.”

Honorable Mentions:

Austen:

Assassin’s Creed 2, Tales of Symphonia, Pokemon Colosseum, Dark Souls

Myles:

Kirby Air Ride, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, SSX 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Danny:

SSX on Tour, Fallout 3 and Dark Souls Remastered.

Gardner:

Shadow of the Colossus, Halo Reach, Outlast, Resident Evil 2 remake 

Did any of your favorites make it on to our list? Do you have a list of your own? Be sure to let us know in the comments!