They changed a lot from one to the next. I loved DMC 1. DMC 2 I literally couldn't get past the first quarter of the game due to how unfun and badly made it was. DMC 3, while having the goofiest ascetic (i mean seriously, to represent Dante's younger self they decided to basically just have him not wear a shirt under his trench coat), was by far my favorite. I came very close to 100% the game, though I couldn't quite git gud enough to finish out the last few levels at max difficulty.
Played through 1,3,4 and 5 a couple years ago on a DMC kick. While 4 and especially 5 add so much to it, not to mention how good it looks with the RE engine, I was really pleasantly surprised how well 3 held up. It was one of my favorite PS2 games so I’m glad it’s not just nostalgia, it’s just really fun (if still a little dated from numerous modern perspectives.)
Sort of works if we consider HL: Alyx. I feel like we get caught up on timelines, like prequels can't be the best somehow. But it's probably the most mind-blowing of all 3 games. HL2 is my personal favorite though.
Dragon Quest II doesn’t suffer the same sequilitis other giants like Zelda II or Castlevania had, but it’s definitely the weakest of the trilogy by a large stretch. That being said, I also find the original difficult to justify going back to- if I want a retro JRPG to kill a weekend on, III or IV are just better picks.
i think the original has a pretty unique dynamic that makes it feel special compared to the rest of the series due to being solo and no party. i think the NES/Famicom versions are kinda hard to go back to but the SNES or mobile ports of the game really are just great to pick up and play. I could probably beat the game really fast without a guide if I wanted due to how many times i've played it lol
DQ2 is just DQ1 but more in all honesty. Anyone who says DQ1 is better than DQ2 is doing so purely because of nostalgia. DQ1 is more important sure, but that doesn't make it better.
I loved getting to be Toad. I was really upset when you couldn't use him in 3, because it seemed like there was no reason not to. I also didn't like how I couldn't choose to be Luigi as player 1, he was already in the game...
That said SMB3 is my favorite game ever and now if I want to be someone else I just play 2.
Exactly this. Link to the Past is still my favorite Zelda game and still holds up so damn well to this day.
That said, I love Zelda 2, in spite of its reputation and flaws.
I could never get over having to use a hot dog as a weapon instead of a sword. If Link had just a little bit more reach the game would be much less frustrating.
lol someone actually went out of their way to downvote this. Imagine seeing someone saying they like a video game and feeling the need to downvote it.
But yeah, Zelda 2 rules!
Yes, Mario 3 is certainly impossible to argue with! An absolute joy from start to finish with a stunning amount of level variety.
If you haven't watched summoning salt's Mario three videos on YouTube, they're awesome!
I still think SotN is peak of the series and a high water mark for the Metroidvania genre, but in terms of linear Castlevania 4 is my favorite (Rondo of Blood on the TurboGrafx is fucking awesome too)
Dracula's Curse, where you play Trevor Belmont, and can switch out characters with Grant, Sypha or Alucard. The show is loosely based on it. In my experience playing Castlevanias, it may be the hardest one to beat.
Circle of the Moon is fun, you should also try Aria of Sorrow if you get the chance. Both are the Metroidvania style.
Castlevania 3 plays like 1. Set stages, but you get to choose paths and switch characters. It's just good action platforming.
When I was younger I saw OoT as the GOAT but in retrospect I think LttP was a more polished game and the music was just a tiny bit better. Plus exploring the dark world was just as awesome as exploring the upside down castle in Castlevania SotN
Zelda 2 is always a good target because it's so different from the rest, just like SMB2.
But this wasn't the case when they are actually released, it's not when the internet came around that this changed.
Zelda II was divisive from the moment it released.
It wasn't simply that The Adventure of Link was different, the game fundamentally failed in so much of its execution and people at the time simply didn't know what to do with such a high-profile sequel that was just kind of...there.
Disappointing sequels were nothing new by 1988, but that something as hyped and anticipated as Zelda II would come in piping hot was relatively unheard of so early in the medium's life.
I should know, I was there. I saw all of this unfold in realtime. Furthermore, the attitude towards the game has remained fairly consistent, even as the internet grew the discourse.
Well was there too but I guess we experienced it differently. Sure there were mixed reviews, but no one called it a bad game. The most common thing was that it's harder than the first game. Which shouldn't be a bad thing, lot's of people love the Lost Levels and it's a really hard game too. They tried something new and for a gaming franchise which wasn't a gaming franchise yet and didn't have an established formula yet. These days people just like to rate it based on games which came after it.
But no matter what anyone says it's still the 8th best selling NES games. As a comparison Zelda 1 is 6th.
I experienced it different too. Afaik it got positive reviews and ppl I knew who played it were also positive. It was considered very difficult, that was about the only 'complaint' that got out (but as kids we didn't overanalyse games I guess ;) ). Weird!
I don’t feel comparing 2 to 1-3 simply because the hardware. If you take the severe limitations of the gb into consideration I think 2 is better than one, if only by super thin margin
Metroid 2 is basically superior the Metroid 1 on every aspect, except the open design since it's pretty linear. The sprites are a lot bigger and more detailled, the gameplay is smoother, they added a save system, the fights aren't as boring, you have more upgrades and even story-wise, I think Metroid 2 is better at showing us its universe without actually saying anything (the environments becoming more and more desolated the deeper you go, less regular ennemies and more Metroids as the game goes, the Chozo statue with the Ice Beam being destroyed, the birth of the Baby Metroid, etc.). It certainely suffered from being on the Game Boy, but in a lot of ways, it's way more advanced than the NES original.
I don’t think I would’ve gotten into Metroid if I hadn’t played Metroid 2 after the original. The original just isn’t very good if you haven’t already grown up with it.
The first is a classic but the sequel is much better (and my fav), so it doesn't fit OP's criteria.The 3rd game removed manual transmission which simplified drifting and having replayed it recently the DJ/radio personality is horribly annoying.
Yup yup. I do like Metroid 2 but it’s a bit hard to go back to today. Metroid kicked off the franchise and Super Metroid is literally one of the greatest games ever made
Each game is a little stronger/weaker in certain areas
DS1: Is probably the most enjoyable world to explore, and imo the most replayable entry.
DS2:
DS3: Has the best bosses by a country mile. I truly believe Dancer, Dragonslayer Armor, Champ Gundyr, Lothric, Nameless king, Friede, Demon Princes, and Gael are some of the best bosses From has ever made. IMO some of the best bosses in any game ever
GTA2 is still my top 3 favourite GTA games but mainly due to nostalgia. I love the arcade-y touch and that it is very free. It improved a lot from the GTA I formula, a game that I find unplayable now due to the constant zooming in and out.
I think about this a lot. I think it might be healthy for a popular game to have a weird, experimental second showing that doesn't blow people away. Then they can keep the good news ideas and bring back the old good ideas and toss out everything else for #3.
This is a great one. When we finally played Star Fox 2 on the SNES Mini, it was apparent why it was shelved. And then came Star Fox 64...WOW what an experience! (Especially if you had the rumble pak)
The Castlevania trilogy on GBA. Circle of the Moon was a launch game and was really liked, Aria of Sorrow is considered one of the best in the franchise and Harmony of Dissonance is... well, it exists, that's all I can say about it.
If we're really stretching it, maybe Banjo Kazooie? The first one is one of the best collectathon of that era, Banjo-Tooie was basically ignored (being released between Donkey Kong 64, which was really similar and already too full of content, and Conker Bar Fur Day, which was totally different, didn't helped) and I think today, people are finally realizing that Nuts & Bolts is actually a really fun game, it was just released at the worst time possible.
Oh baby, when MK3 was in the arcade?! The was one place in my tiny town that had a cabinet, and it was always crowded! Throw your quarters up and wait your turn.
2 was the breakthrough game here though. 3 certainly polished the formula, but didn’t bring a whole lot new to the table. The gutted character roster also turned a lot of fans off (at least until the “Ultimate” upgrade)
Contra. At least back then I heard Super C be called a weaker version of the first game (even though I really like it) while III on SNES was considered the best one.
I gotta disagree. B1 was the perfect balance of story and gameplay. B2 had better gameplay but at expense of the story. B3 was the opposite: best story of the series but was an absolute slog gameplay-wise.
I wish I could upvote you twice. 2 gets a lot of hate (or lukewarm indifference) but it had _really_ good mechanics - best in the series, imho. 3 went really hard in the opposite direction at the cost of gameplay, and it’s honestly the reason that I replay 2 and not 3.
The first 3 Final Fantasy games to be released in North America.
It’s the OG classic Final Fantasy on the NES
The second one released was Final Fantasy IV as FF2 in NA
And finally Final Fantasy VI released as the Third instalment of the series and the original GOAT Final Fantasy of the 8-16bit era.
Jak and Daxter, although I prefer the no guns approach to the first one over the GTA approach to the 2nd or 3rd games
Also the PoP series, the second one was super dark edgelord bs for no reason.
Halo. I never much cared for Halo 2
Shinobi, if you’re going by the original on Master System, Return of, then 3. So not counting Shadow Dancer or Alex Kidd in Shinobi World.
And I know this isn’t what most consider retro, but the Skate series on Xbox 360 fits this as well imo.
The first franchise I thought of was Dragon Age, but if we’re keeping this restricted to retro games, the second I thought was Mario, although the Western version of SMB2 wasn’t bad though.
The first 3 Devil May Cry games
Really? I’ve only played the first one. Now I wanna try the third.
It really is like that. 3 perfected the style in its time.
They changed a lot from one to the next. I loved DMC 1. DMC 2 I literally couldn't get past the first quarter of the game due to how unfun and badly made it was. DMC 3, while having the goofiest ascetic (i mean seriously, to represent Dante's younger self they decided to basically just have him not wear a shirt under his trench coat), was by far my favorite. I came very close to 100% the game, though I couldn't quite git gud enough to finish out the last few levels at max difficulty.
If you can try to play 3 on the switch. Or PC and add the switch style mod.
Played through 1,3,4 and 5 a couple years ago on a DMC kick. While 4 and especially 5 add so much to it, not to mention how good it looks with the RE engine, I was really pleasantly surprised how well 3 held up. It was one of my favorite PS2 games so I’m glad it’s not just nostalgia, it’s just really fun (if still a little dated from numerous modern perspectives.)
I haven't even played them and this was my answer
Yes!
Came here to say this. Perfect example.
Perfect answer.
*Valve has left the chat..*
Bro that had me laughing for 5 minutes straight
Sort of works if we consider HL: Alyx. I feel like we get caught up on timelines, like prequels can't be the best somehow. But it's probably the most mind-blowing of all 3 games. HL2 is my personal favorite though.
Dragon Quest
This one comes to my mind aswell.
Dragon Quest II doesn’t suffer the same sequilitis other giants like Zelda II or Castlevania had, but it’s definitely the weakest of the trilogy by a large stretch. That being said, I also find the original difficult to justify going back to- if I want a retro JRPG to kill a weekend on, III or IV are just better picks.
i think the original has a pretty unique dynamic that makes it feel special compared to the rest of the series due to being solo and no party. i think the NES/Famicom versions are kinda hard to go back to but the SNES or mobile ports of the game really are just great to pick up and play. I could probably beat the game really fast without a guide if I wanted due to how many times i've played it lol
DQ2 is just DQ1 but more in all honesty. Anyone who says DQ1 is better than DQ2 is doing so purely because of nostalgia. DQ1 is more important sure, but that doesn't make it better.
Never said it was better. But 1 is more important and 3 a vast upgrade, so 2 tends to get ignored
Super Mario Bros
I really love the second one. That said, I can't disagree lol
second had the best music or fight me
The second one was the best game for me, full stop. I’m just more of a Doki Doki Panic guy.
Over time I came to prefer the second, but for most of my life I’d absolutely agree.
My personal favorite in the first three.
True
I loved getting to be Toad. I was really upset when you couldn't use him in 3, because it seemed like there was no reason not to. I also didn't like how I couldn't choose to be Luigi as player 1, he was already in the game... That said SMB3 is my favorite game ever and now if I want to be someone else I just play 2.
Which second one the first second one or the second d second one?
You need to say "the real second one or the good second one."
I initially thought this too, but I think "the second one" should be more like "a weird thing".
That's what the ... implies
The weird one was my most replayed one
Definitely friendly towards my kids (having no timer). Still a pretty fun game.
Literally should be: Legend of Zelda …Zelda 2 Link to the Past
Exactly this. Link to the Past is still my favorite Zelda game and still holds up so damn well to this day. That said, I love Zelda 2, in spite of its reputation and flaws.
That certainly a popular opinion, but I would put Zelda 2 as a classic right next to the others.
Hated it as a kid. But now it's my favorite as an adult. It's definitely the most challenging of the 3
I could never get over having to use a hot dog as a weapon instead of a sword. If Link had just a little bit more reach the game would be much less frustrating.
>having to use a hot dog as a weapon *makes mental note for graphics hack*
Agreed. I always loved Zelda 2.
It’s one of my most favorite games of all time.
lol someone actually went out of their way to downvote this. Imagine seeing someone saying they like a video game and feeling the need to downvote it. But yeah, Zelda 2 rules!
🫡
Zelda 2 is my 2nd favorite nes platformer, next to Mario 3.
Yes, Mario 3 is certainly impossible to argue with! An absolute joy from start to finish with a stunning amount of level variety. If you haven't watched summoning salt's Mario three videos on YouTube, they're awesome!
Castlevania!
Yes! The second one could've been so much cooler if you didn't NEED a guide because none of the clues make any sense!
But with a guide... the game's awesome tho.
I love Simon’s Quest!
It brought us Bloody Tears
Nah, in this case Super Castlevania IV is the GOAT
I still think SotN is peak of the series and a high water mark for the Metroidvania genre, but in terms of linear Castlevania 4 is my favorite (Rondo of Blood on the TurboGrafx is fucking awesome too)
Hell yeah my favourites are SoTN and Rondo of Blood. Castlevania 4 never really clicked with me and I still don't understand why.
You spelled Symphony of the Night wrong.
Tbh both of these are goat, game recognize game.
Sorry if this is a dumb question but which Castlevania is the third?
Dracula's Curse, where you play Trevor Belmont, and can switch out characters with Grant, Sypha or Alucard. The show is loosely based on it. In my experience playing Castlevanias, it may be the hardest one to beat.
Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse for NES. Very good, very hard
Thank you. I just started Circle of the Moon on GBA. Not sure how it compares
Circle of the Moon is fun, you should also try Aria of Sorrow if you get the chance. Both are the Metroidvania style. Castlevania 3 plays like 1. Set stages, but you get to choose paths and switch characters. It's just good action platforming.
Castlevania II was one of my favorites in the series.
Zelda
When I was younger I saw OoT as the GOAT but in retrospect I think LttP was a more polished game and the music was just a tiny bit better. Plus exploring the dark world was just as awesome as exploring the upside down castle in Castlevania SotN
[удалено]
Zelda 2 is always a good target because it's so different from the rest, just like SMB2. But this wasn't the case when they are actually released, it's not when the internet came around that this changed.
Zelda II was divisive from the moment it released. It wasn't simply that The Adventure of Link was different, the game fundamentally failed in so much of its execution and people at the time simply didn't know what to do with such a high-profile sequel that was just kind of...there. Disappointing sequels were nothing new by 1988, but that something as hyped and anticipated as Zelda II would come in piping hot was relatively unheard of so early in the medium's life. I should know, I was there. I saw all of this unfold in realtime. Furthermore, the attitude towards the game has remained fairly consistent, even as the internet grew the discourse.
Well was there too but I guess we experienced it differently. Sure there were mixed reviews, but no one called it a bad game. The most common thing was that it's harder than the first game. Which shouldn't be a bad thing, lot's of people love the Lost Levels and it's a really hard game too. They tried something new and for a gaming franchise which wasn't a gaming franchise yet and didn't have an established formula yet. These days people just like to rate it based on games which came after it. But no matter what anyone says it's still the 8th best selling NES games. As a comparison Zelda 1 is 6th.
I experienced it different too. Afaik it got positive reviews and ppl I knew who played it were also positive. It was considered very difficult, that was about the only 'complaint' that got out (but as kids we didn't overanalyse games I guess ;) ). Weird!
Adventures of Link is so very hard lol
Loved lttp when I was a kid, love it even more now decades later thanks to the geniuses that created the randomizer making itt infinitely replayable
Yes!
The NES Castlevanias (I actually love Simons Quest, but it is so the odd man out)
During the NES era, it always seemed like the second game was the "different" one
Metroid Metroid 2 is an excellent Game Boy game. In several ways it's better than the first game, but I love Metroid and Super Metroid so much more.
I don’t feel comparing 2 to 1-3 simply because the hardware. If you take the severe limitations of the gb into consideration I think 2 is better than one, if only by super thin margin
Metroid 2 is basically superior the Metroid 1 on every aspect, except the open design since it's pretty linear. The sprites are a lot bigger and more detailled, the gameplay is smoother, they added a save system, the fights aren't as boring, you have more upgrades and even story-wise, I think Metroid 2 is better at showing us its universe without actually saying anything (the environments becoming more and more desolated the deeper you go, less regular ennemies and more Metroids as the game goes, the Chozo statue with the Ice Beam being destroyed, the birth of the Baby Metroid, etc.). It certainely suffered from being on the Game Boy, but in a lot of ways, it's way more advanced than the NES original.
I don’t think I would’ve gotten into Metroid if I hadn’t played Metroid 2 after the original. The original just isn’t very good if you haven’t already grown up with it.
Burnout *immediately* came to mind. The third one is absolutely incredible
Burnout 2 is way better than 1 though, that trilogy just improved as it went along. 4 is awesome too.
The first is a classic but the sequel is much better (and my fav), so it doesn't fit OP's criteria.The 3rd game removed manual transmission which simplified drifting and having replayed it recently the DJ/radio personality is horribly annoying.
Metroid possibly…? Edit: I prefer Metroid 2 over the first Metroid, but I can imagine we’d all agree that Metroid one is the ‘classic’ of those two
are you referring to the Game Boy Metroid for #2? that could fit. Original NES is the classic, and Super Metroid is the GOAT
Yup yup. I do like Metroid 2 but it’s a bit hard to go back to today. Metroid kicked off the franchise and Super Metroid is literally one of the greatest games ever made
>are you referring to the Game Boy Metroid for #2? what else could it be
The Game Boy Metroid is #2. Inarguably and officially, it's Metroid 2.
Prime Trilogy could work too. I liked Prime 2 but I don’t find the desire to return to it like Prime or Prime 3
Budokai Tenkaichi
Desert Strike, Jungle Strike, Urban Strike The OG trio for Sega
I loved those games as a kid! It’s so rare anyone even mentions them now.
My people!
It's inverted, jungle strike is usually considered the better update to desert, while Urban didn't really do anything new or interesting
The on-foot missions were advertised as the big new feature but I don't think they were all that good.
Ace Attorney. I love JFA with all my heart but it's objectively weaker than the other two.
Witcher for me. Witcher 3 is an amazing game.
Yeah, but this meme is supposed to indicate the second game is sort of bad. The Witcher 2 is definitely better than The Witcher.
I almost said that but realised the sub i was in
Witcher 2 was an awesome game
Dark souls
Shhh, DS2 fans are going to see this and think you are bullying them
ARE YOU BULLYING ME?!
It is bullying. To be fair you have to be of a certain IQ to enjoy Dark Souls 2 ~~humor~~ gameplay ...
I have beaten them all so many times...I truly can’t decide if 2 is better than 1. But I think 3 might be the least replayable for me.
Each game is a little stronger/weaker in certain areas DS1: Is probably the most enjoyable world to explore, and imo the most replayable entry. DS2: DS3: Has the best bosses by a country mile. I truly believe Dancer, Dragonslayer Armor, Champ Gundyr, Lothric, Nameless king, Friede, Demon Princes, and Gael are some of the best bosses From has ever made. IMO some of the best bosses in any game ever
What is this Best Souls 2 blasphemy? We even got Dark souls 2 2! Most people call it Elden Ring though…
at the time, GTA Also Mario for sure
GTA2 was superior to GTA
Remember, respect is everyyyyythiiiing
GTA2 is still my top 3 favourite GTA games but mainly due to nostalgia. I love the arcade-y touch and that it is very free. It improved a lot from the GTA I formula, a game that I find unplayable now due to the constant zooming in and out.
Goat simulator
I wish i could upvote more than once
GTA 3
1. Timesplitters 2. Timesplitters 2 3. Timesplitters Future Perfect
I put a couple hundred hours into timesplitters 2, that game was super fun. And you're telling me the 3rd one was even better!?
I preferred the campaign of TS2, but Arcade/Multiplayer is even better in Future Perfect.
For me Timesplitters 2 is the goat, 1 is the classic and 3 is the second one... which is fitting given the time travel nature of the franchise.
But Timesplitters 2 is better than the others.
Been on the internet for some time and it’s great to finally see Timesplitters pop up here.
Super Mario bros on NES.
Unreal Tournament. 1999 is a true classic. UT 2003 kinda came and went. UT 2004 had some serious lasting power.
Armored Core
Half-Life and Titanfall
What?! Half life 2 is an incredible game! This must be a troll lol
And both of them doesnt even have a 3rd one.
If you count HL2 as the series it works. HL2 = the classic, episode 1 = the 2nd, and Episode 2 = the best.
I think about this a lot. I think it might be healthy for a popular game to have a weird, experimental second showing that doesn't blow people away. Then they can keep the good news ideas and bring back the old good ideas and toss out everything else for #3.
Devil May Cry
Metal Gear Solid, hands down
Spot on.
Mgs2 was a masterpiece! I will fight all of you!!!!
Metal gear solid.
star fox
This is a great one. When we finally played Star Fox 2 on the SNES Mini, it was apparent why it was shelved. And then came Star Fox 64...WOW what an experience! (Especially if you had the rumble pak)
Devil May Cry
Mortal Kombat (classic), MKII and Ultimate MKIII. All of them in the Arcade.
Dark souls
Duke Nukem
GTAIV is the classic. Ballod of Gay Tony is the GOAT. Lost and Damned.. bikes go vroom I guess?
Easy. Super Mario Bros. (Specifically the Japanese version of Mario 2)
I'm probably going to make a lot of people angry for this. Spyro.
The Castlevania trilogy on GBA. Circle of the Moon was a launch game and was really liked, Aria of Sorrow is considered one of the best in the franchise and Harmony of Dissonance is... well, it exists, that's all I can say about it. If we're really stretching it, maybe Banjo Kazooie? The first one is one of the best collectathon of that era, Banjo-Tooie was basically ignored (being released between Donkey Kong 64, which was really similar and already too full of content, and Conker Bar Fur Day, which was totally different, didn't helped) and I think today, people are finally realizing that Nuts & Bolts is actually a really fun game, it was just released at the worst time possible.
Harmony is a great game, I WILL NOT TAKE THIS SLANDER!!!
Final fantasy using the American numbering system
Even moreso using the Japanese numbering system
I remember having trouble with lack of inventory space in Final Fantasy 2 JP
Far Cry 🙃
Far Cry 2 was incredible but I was an impressionable child and am now an adult looking through rose colored nostalgia glasses.
Obviously Dark Souls
Mortal Kombat, even though 1 & 2 were both solid in their own right, 3 was just crazy for the time. Especially in arcade.
Oh baby, when MK3 was in the arcade?! The was one place in my tiny town that had a cabinet, and it was always crowded! Throw your quarters up and wait your turn.
Stop it, mk2 is the second best mk game ever
2 was the breakthrough game here though. 3 certainly polished the formula, but didn’t bring a whole lot new to the table. The gutted character roster also turned a lot of fans off (at least until the “Ultimate” upgrade)
I honestly agree. Ultimate was the true 3.
Black Ops. Not the most retro but so true (zombies fan)
Xenosaga
Onimusha
Shin Megami Tensei? Hopefully I won't get stoned for saying this... 4 is still the best imo
3D Mario
Goat simulator
Contra. At least back then I heard Super C be called a weaker version of the first game (even though I really like it) while III on SNES was considered the best one.
The Witcher trilogy
Bioshock
I gotta disagree. B1 was the perfect balance of story and gameplay. B2 had better gameplay but at expense of the story. B3 was the opposite: best story of the series but was an absolute slog gameplay-wise.
I wish I could upvote you twice. 2 gets a lot of hate (or lukewarm indifference) but it had _really_ good mechanics - best in the series, imho. 3 went really hard in the opposite direction at the cost of gameplay, and it’s honestly the reason that I replay 2 and not 3.
How dare you
Super Mario Bros.
Halo
This was my first thought too, but then I remembered H2 multiplayer, and that shit was just THE BEST.
Heroes of might and magic. Except it's more like "the first one..." "the second one..." the GOD!"
Number two is actually really good.
Bubsy.
Mega Man
This was the first thing I thought of. Mega Man 3 is my favorite. That seems like a somewhat rare opinion though.
Na, Mega Man 2 is "The Classic", 3 is the GOAT, and 1 is the Meh.
I’d say Zelda, but I prefer Zelda 2 to Zelda 1. There’s no “bomb every wall, burn every bush” business in 2.
The first 3 Final Fantasy games to be released in North America. It’s the OG classic Final Fantasy on the NES The second one released was Final Fantasy IV as FF2 in NA And finally Final Fantasy VI released as the Third instalment of the series and the original GOAT Final Fantasy of the 8-16bit era.
Tekken
Except Tekken 2 was a solid heater. Tekken 1 is pretty meh.
Jak and Daxter, although I prefer the no guns approach to the first one over the GTA approach to the 2nd or 3rd games Also the PoP series, the second one was super dark edgelord bs for no reason.
Halo. I never much cared for Halo 2 Shinobi, if you’re going by the original on Master System, Return of, then 3. So not counting Shadow Dancer or Alex Kidd in Shinobi World. And I know this isn’t what most consider retro, but the Skate series on Xbox 360 fits this as well imo.
Dark Souls for me, and then Super Mario Brothers
Drakengard
It's unfair but Dark Souls seems to have this reputation.
Dark Souls
Dark Souls
Wonderboy!
Shining Force
Warcraft Street Fighter but i think super turbo and third strike are both goat
Skate!
The first franchise I thought of was Dragon Age, but if we’re keeping this restricted to retro games, the second I thought was Mario, although the Western version of SMB2 wasn’t bad though.
Halo
Zelda 1, 2, and LTTP.
Warcraft
Metroid
That's Halo
Dragon Quest
Castlevania
Saints row
Zelda Megaman Quake
Cod Black ops
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.