25 killer console exclusives - gamebasin.com

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25 Killer Console Exclusiveshttp://www.gamebasin.com/news/25-killer-console-exclusives

With each generation of gaming consoles there are a number of factors which help gamers decide

where to spend their money. On a logical level we look at hardware parity is there a stand out

performer which, on paper at least, surpasses its competitors? On the opposite side of the rational

spectrum, there is an emotional connection a sort of brand loyalty that can be cultivated over

years (in the case of a generation spanning brand like Sonys Playstation), or birthed suddenly by

masterful marketing and an impressive product to go with it. Somewhere between the rational and

the emotional, another hugely powerful differentiator which can make or break a console is the

selection of exclusive games which find their way onto the system. Often heavily bankrolled by the

console manufacturer, its usually these mega franchises or stand alone blockbuster titles which

show off the best of what the hardware has to offer. These massive IPs, especially those which

branch over multiple console generations, form a bond with gamers. We make an emotional and

financial investment in them over the years when youve been blasting Covenant scum in Halo

for a decade, its hard to give up on Master Chief and jump ship. When we bond with a game, and

by

extension

with

a

specific

console,

things

can

get

heated.

Generations

of

gamers

have

wasted

countless hours furiously flaming one another in my console exclusive is better than yours wars.

For every Mario and Solid Snake, theres a Sonic and Marcus Fenix. These are the games which

captured our hearts, and which poured big money into the pockets of the developers, publishers

and console holders involved. Considering the impact these titles have made, lets take a look back

at three decades of the incredible console exclusives which defined their generations. (The fine

print: some of these games have been released on other consoles later, or on another console

within their own family. Or on PC. But you get the idea.)


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25. Super Mario Bros. Nintendo

Entertainment System 1985)

This moustached plumber has to rank among the most famous, widely recognized characters in

gaming history. While his adventures didnt start with the Nintendo Entertainment System classic

Super Mario Bros. back in 1985, it was his staring role here which turned Mario into a worldwide

phenomenon. One of the earliest examples of game mascot mega stardom, Marios adventures

became the blueprint for platform gaming for years to come. Coming off the back of the miserable

video game industry crash of 1983, this trip through the Mushroom Kingdom not only cemented

Marios place in gaming culture but did wonders for the success of Nintendos fledgeling console.

Through its lifetime the NES (and its Japanese twin Famicom predecessor) was the birth place for

many acclaimed long running franchises, but none have surpassed the impact of our favorite

Italian tradesman.

24. Metroid Nintendo Entertainment System

1986)


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For its time, Metroid was a vast game. The sprawling alien world of Zebes stretched out in all

directions, prompting hours of wandering around, backtracking, frustration and eventual relief

when you defeat Mother Brain. Renowned as one of the earliest instances of open world gaming,

in a time where platform gaming was all about running and jumping from left to right as fast as

possible, Nintendo brought immense depth and scale to the action adventure realm. The maze

like caverns forced us to rethink our conventions when it came to platform gaming progress gates

and bottlenecks demanded exploration, while the sense of solitude forged a meaningful

attachment to our hero Samus Aran. Who then turned out to be a heroine. The Metroid name has

gone on to become one of the most revered franchises in the Nintendo stable, this first outing

setting the scene for the adventures to come.

23. Alex Kidd In Miracle World Sega Master

System 1986)


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By 1986 Mario was running rings around any platformer that Sega could put together. Super Mario

Bros. gave Nintendo the console mascot that the NES needed. To compete, Sega had to come up

with something similar that one killer app that would attach a cheerful, memorable face to

their console. For years, Alex Kidd was that cheerful face. Taking everything good about platform

games at the time and dressing it up in the lush colors and detailed sprites afforded by the Master

Systems advanced hardware, Alex Kidd tried his damnedest to shift consoles as fast as his Italian

nemesis was doing at the time. He remained the pointy eared poster child for Sega for some time,

until a particularly quick hedgehog showed up.

22. Phantasy Star Sega Master System

1987)

Sega had a serious battle on their hands going into the 8 bit console wars against Nintendo. The


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NES was dominating the North American market, raining down pixelated happiness on gaming

audiences, leaving Sega to fight hard to find market share. Phantasy Star may not have turned the

tide, but it made a valuable impact that gave the Master System a much needed boost this was

a console regarded to be more impressive technically, but which lacked the pull of Nintendos

library of awesome exclusives. Phantasy Star was lauded in its day for making sweeping

advancements within the RPG genre, especially in the West, mostly in terms of the depth of its

narrative, the scale of the game world and the detailed quasi 3D visuals. This massive role

player pushed the Master System hard, with stunning results.

21. Super Mario World SNES 1990)

Its Mario again, all grown up and looking handsome (in a podgy, dungaree wearing plumber kind

of way) with 16 bits of Nintendo power backing him up. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System,

or SNES, was a huge leap from its predecessor and Super Mario World was a showcase to get us

hooked on this new generation. It was a meaty platformer, loaded with new gameplay features

that separated it from the 8 bit renditions, as well as some of the best level design ever dropped

on a console. Every generation since his first outing has had at least one sublime Koopa crushing,

princess

saving,

mushroom

munching

Mario

extravaganza,

and

for

most

of

us

this

was

the

one

which defined the 16 bit era.

20. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past

SNES 1991)


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Like Mario and so many other timeless Nintendo classics, the Zelda franchise also had its roots in

the 8 bit age. But, again like Mario, it was when Nintendo entered the 16 bit console wars that we

got the best out of Link. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past is still considered one of the

greatest moments in video gaming history, even by todays standards. It was an enchanting

narrative, played out in that vibrant, welcoming visual style that has since become a trademark of

first party Nintendo franchises. Yes, we were out saving princesses again, but this time there was

a brilliantly crafted storyline driving us to explore every corner of this boldly realized gameworld.

19. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Sega Genesis1992)

Its no easy task, dreaming up a successful brand mascot. There doesnt seem to be any concrete

rules governing the process, the deciding factors that make a blue hedgehog infinitely more


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There was precious little to recommend about the Atari Jaguar, but if you owned one and didnt

pick up Alien VS Predator then you were missing out. The Alien VS Predator concept wasnt new

by this point wed seen these nasties going up against one another on various systems but

Rebellions version was a hellish FPS that outdid anything else in this franchise mash up. It was a

dark, exhausting game, the tangible fear amplified by the murky gloom and bloody frightening

screeches of your enemies. The sneaky monsters had a knack of appearing behind you without

warning, prompting that classic backpedal and fire wildly into the dark FPS standard.

16. Super Mario 64 Nintendo 64 1996)

Another Nintendo console, another sublime Mario release to send the gaming world into a

shopping frenzy. Pilotwings 64 was pleasant enough, but as a launch title you couldnt have asked

for better than Super Mario 64. The move from 2D to 3D platforming was a young concept in 1996,

and Nintendo set a new standard for the genre with this release. Incredibly fluid gameplay in a


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vivid, cheerful world, it was a potent reminder of Marios stature as a console mover. Nintendo had

polarized publisher support by going with cartridges instead of optical discs, but with such a strong

library of first party IPs like this one, they turned the N64 into one of the most sought after

consoles of all time.

15. Fighters Megamix - Sega Saturn 1996)

Segas hardware aspirations took a beating after the worldwide success of the Genesis, losing just

about all momentum in a matter of years. Neither the Sega CD nor 32X made an impact, so

consumer confidence was low when the Saturn showed up. We all know how it turned out Segas

machine was demolished by the Playstation but it brought a couple of stellar exclusives along

with it. Besides a selection of brilliant renditions of Sega arcade hits, one of the key motivators to

pick up a Sega Saturn was Fighters Megamix by Sega AM2. A real labor of love from the arcade

masters at the in house AM2 division, Fighters Megamix took the best elements of their top beat

em ups and put together a terrific line up of brawlers from across the board. With such a rich

catalog of games to choose from, including some particularly quirky inclusions, Sega AM2 gave us

a roster of over 30 fighters for this perfectly balanced fighter.

14. Gran Turismo Sony PlayStation 1997)


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Sony imprint Polyphony Digital (still operating under the cumbersome Sony Computer

Entertainment Worldwide Studios banner at the time) worked for half a decade to put Gran

Turismo together, and the game was buried in a sea of awards and accolades for their troubles.

Best this, Greatest that, the gaming press went ballistic for this impeccable racer. It wasnt just

critical praise either the man on the street was equally taken by Polyphonys racing debut, making

Gran Turismo the biggest selling game for the original Playstation. With more cars than a United

Arab Emirates oil barons garage, a selection of stunningly realized tracks to scream around, and a

handling model as close to the real thing as wed experienced at the time, its no wonder GT went

on to become one of the biggest franchises for Sonys console.

13. Metal Gear Solid Sony PlayStation

1998)


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In terms of fervent fan bases, not many franchises can compete with Metal Gear Solid. Followers

of Solid Snake seem to take it all very seriously speak badly of Hideo Kojimas famed creation,

and youre guaranteed to feel the full weight of an army of fanboys coming down on you. MGS has

earned this level of passionate support though, and has been critically acclaimed as one of the

most important and influential games of all time. Sneaky, shooty and very talky for its time, the

stealth genre hadnt seen anything like this before, and gamers flocked to it in their millions. You

might say that the story was rather disjointed and the cutscenes too overbearing, but that would

just be silly we dont want to start a war now, do we?

12. Panzer Dragoon Saga Sega Saturn 1998)

Even with a library of unique, delightful exclusives, the Saturn was never able to recover from its

slow start against the PlayStation. There were a few games which turned up at the tail end of the

Saturns life, though, that showed us that we had possibly been neglecting an amazing machine.

Team Andromedas Panzer Dragoon Saga was a shimmering example of what Segas beleaguered

32 bit system was capable of. Technically Panzer Dragoon Saga pushed the console close to its limits.

It was shorter than the core RPG franchise releases tended to be at the time, but it was just as

compelling

as

the

best

of

the

genre.

The

depth

of

the

dragon

based

combat,

the

scope

of

the

landscape to explore and the intricate tale woven throughout made this Saturn last gasp an

unmissable RPG even today.

11. Shenmue Sega Dreamcast 1999)


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The Sega Dreamcast was a passionate love affair, but a painfully brief one. Of the 64 bit children

that were born out of this tumultuous relationship, Shenmue was the consoles proudest creation.

Sega AM2, with the legendary Yu Suzuki at the helm, carved the path that would shape open world

sandbox action gaming from then on. Its hard to imagine a GTA V without Shenmue as an ancestor.

The vast areas to explore were packed with voiced NPCs with their own day to day schedules, some

integral to the narrative, others just to add light and shade to the gaming landscape. It was a

persistent world unlike anything we had seen before, and while it didnt come close to recouping

its colossal development costs, Shenmue set the bar for immersive free roaming gameplay.

10. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec Sony

PlayStation 2 2001)

Before we had Turn 10 and their brilliant Forza series to challenge Polyphony Digital, Sonys in


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house dev team had the hardcore console racing market all to themselves. Over the years the Gran

Turismo has become somewhat overbearing in its quest for clinical precision incredible, yes, but

possibly in need of a touch of fun. Gran Turismo 3: A Spec, though, was the pinnacle of the

franchise, an unbelievable achievement in game design. Late nights spent shaving milliseconds off

your best times became a thrilling addiction, while endurance races would easily eat any free time

you had available. Slicing through the perfectly banked corners and bulleting down the straights,

there was little to match the feeling.

9. Metroid Prime Nintendo GameCube 2002)

If you think the troubles Nintendo has been facing with certain publishers pulling away from the

Wii U is a new thing, youre very much mistaken. These guys are used to it by now back in the

GameCube days, big boys like EA were just as wary. But as we know, Nintendo doesnt rely on third

party goodness to make or break a console, and with their incredible library of in house titles its

easy to see why. Mario is always the flag bearer for the brand, but for more mature audiences it

has been Metroid which has earned the most critical praise. Metroid Prime was a vast departure

for the series in that it took us into the third dimension for the first time, throwing Samus into a

first

person

shooter

perspective.

A

gamble,

possibly,

but

at

a

time

where

side

scrolling

platformers

were old news it was time for something new. The result was one of the most highly rated games

of all time, on any platform. As dark and brooding as any Metroid which came before it, Samus in

FPS guise was an engrossing shooter that demanded even more of the player than before.

8. Halo 2 Microsoft Xbox 2004)


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The idea of corporate megacorporation Microsoft diving into console gaming was met with all kinds

of disdain, distrust and general skepticism. How could the suits at Redmond have any clue about

the intricacies of this very specialized industry? Our fears werent entirely misguided the original

Xbox fought an uphill battle to gain market share, console sales paling in comparison to that of the

PlayStation 2. But, sales disappointments aside, one thing that we will never forget about the Xbox

was that it gave us Halo and its sublime sequel. Microsofts console needed something special to

drag it out of the jaws of obscurity, and the adventures of Master Chief played that part perfectly.

The franchise debut introduced a lot of what has since become standard operating procedure for

console shooters, and then Halo 2 sharpened and refined all of that. Arguably the most important

instance of real online multiplayer FPS action on consoles at the time, Halo 2 solidified the

franchises reputation as one of the most feverishly defended and attacked console exclusives ever

made.

7. God Of War 2 Sony PlayStation 2 2007)


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Relentless combo based brutality. Thats what it was all about. And we devoured it, just like we did

its predecessor and its follow ups years later. The original God Of War may have scored higher in

certain areas of the press, but put them next to one another and its obvious that the sequel is the

more impressive title. Thunderously aggressive in that most wonderfully overwhelming way, God

Of War 2 s violence was elegantly balanced with its cheesy but intriguing narrative to keep pushing

you onward. SCE Santa Monica had taken the two years since the original to really get to grips with

Sonys hardware and were squeezing incredible things out of it by 2007 God Of War 2 is

undoubtedly one of the most astounding pieces of full on hardcore action gaming to come out of

the sixth console generation.

6. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Sony

PlayStation 3 2009)


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4. Halo: Reach Microsoft Xbox 360 2010)

Even the most weary, grizzled anti Xbox activist would have a hard time finding serious fault with

Halo: Reach it really is just that close to being the perfect shooter. As a way for Bungie to say

goodbye to the franchise it created, this 2010 swansong was more than we could ever have hoped

for. Even without Master Chief. The setting was part of the genius. Going back for an origin story,

Reach strung together a far more coherent narrative than we were accustomed to from the Halo

franchise, loading each event with reverse nostalgia as we see how the past and future meet. Single

player aside, the riveting, lightning quick multiplayer kept gamers plugging in long after the

campaign had run its course. A properly epic shooter with a sense of grandeur that eclipsed almost

any other FPS at the time, as a technical achievement Halo: Reach was the ultimate closing scene

from Bungie, and the perfect springboard for 343 Studios to build on.

3. Gears Of War 3 Microsoft Xbox 360

2011)


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Few developers had a handle on the architecture of the Xbox 360 hardware quite like Epic Games.

They showed off the power of Microsofts hugely popular console in its early days with the first

Gears Of War, and then again showed us just how far we had come five years later, ending the

trilogy with Gears Of War 3. Heavy handed blockbuster action hanging off a framework of

surprisingly poignant storytelling, the final chapter in Marcus Fenixs narrative was explosive and

yet also sensitive and heartfelt. Well, sensitive and heartfelt in a very testosterone fueled macho

kind of way. This was the ultimate bromance. This finale was genuinely satisfying for those who

had been following the war against the Locust Horde and the Lambent for years, and for gamers

who didnt bother too much with the intricacies of subtle plot development, the multiplayer

component here was even more aggressive and finely tuned than it had been before. New

gameplay modes, more streamlined controls, better weapons and hugely improved graphics, all

added to what was already considered the epitome of cover based shooters? Yes please.

2. The Last Of Us Sony PlayStation 3

2013)


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If youve been following the last console generation you would have heard a general consensus for

the bigger picture: Microsofts Xbox 360 was easier to develop for, while the PlayStation 3 had

developers jumping through hoops and over hurdles to get the best out of Sonys hardware. The

result was that the first few years of the generation saw many multi platform releases coming out

on top on the Xbox 360, even if just by the smallest margin. But time and perseverance undoes the

most stubborn of knots, and by the time the next generation was ready to roll out, developers had

unlocked the secrets of the PS3 and unleashed far more of its potential. The Last Of Us is a prime

example of this new level of understanding of Sonys hardware. An unbelievable achievement both

technically and in terms of narrative, most would agree that Naughty Dogs latest is pushing the

7th generation hardware to its limits. Gritty and dirty as the setting may be, the visuals still leave

one spellbound even more impressive when compared to what were seeing on the 8th gen

consoles so far. But it is the emotional depth of The Last Of Us which leaves a bite mark on the soul,

beyond the amazing technical achievement a masterstroke of character development in

interactive entertainment, and a standout game of our generation.

1. Titanfall And The Future Of The 8th

Generation


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The new generation hasnt been around long enough to pick out too many unmissable instant

classics, but Respawn Entertainment deserves special mention for building up an immense wave

of hype for Titanfall and then delivering on those promises too. Its not the only exclusive title

picking up heat right now both the PS4 and the Xbox One have their share of fanboy baiting

exclusives well worth playing. But while both machines are spitting up one off exclusives that come

across as tech demos to show off what the hardware can do, Titanfall really feels like the beginning

of something big. Yes, its available on the Xbox 360 and the PC too, but the Xbox One is where its

focus lies. Maybe its the Call Of Duty connection, since Respawn rose from the ashes of Infinity

Ward, that gives us the impression that Titanfall could become a generation spanning, genre

defining franchise over the years We all know that right now the PS4 is running away with things

and the Xbox One needs something special in a hurry. Perhaps this is it. But there are many more

promising titles in the pipeline for both consoles, games which could totally shift the course of this

new generation. Some will be revivals of existing franchises games like Uncharted 4, a new Gran

Turismo, Halo, the big names that sell consoles and some will be all new ideas games like

Quantum Break on the Xbox One, or PS4 s The Order 1886, the titles which will separate these two

consoles and the fans who buy them. Its been said that this console race is a marathon, not a

sprint, so well just have to sit back and watch as the big boys battle it out for your cash.

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25 killer console exclusives - gamebasin.com

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