Since 1995,  the Electronic Entertainment Expo has been the Mecca for computer and video game enthusiasts. Home to countless big moments, unforgettable reveals and the unveiling of gaming’s next big innovations, E3 offers a direct window into the future on interactive entertainment.

E3 is held every year in San Fransisco, CA.  It’s closed off to the general public, so only those in the industry and journalists are allowed to attend. E3 is the premiere North American gaming event for showcasing all the brand new games and consoles that will define the future of video games. The very first E3 was held in 1995, focusing on Sony’s new PlayStation system, and debuting Nintendo’s Virtual Boy…experiment. Ten years ago at E3 2000, we got our first look at Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, a game that set the standard for video game trailer presentation.  The following year saw the debut of the Xbox and Gamecube. And now, here we are in 2010.

Press conferences are held across several days. The big 3 at the moment are Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, while other 3rd party developers also hold conferences showing off their latest games.  A one-man operation like Living Vicariously can’t cover all the games featured at this show, so please excuse the bulletpoint style this feature will be under. Without further adieu, here are some of the highlights of E3 2010. While many of the following screenshots are exclusive to this website, no ownership is implied, and all footage/images are property of their respective owners. You know the drill.

• Microsoft showed Call of Duty: Black Ops to get things going.  All expansion packs and map DLC will be exclusive to Xbox for the next two years. Incredible attention to details in the snowy environment. Emphasis on teamwork.

• Hideo Kojima presented Metal Gear Solid: Rising. It’s multiplatform and stars the cyborg version of Raiden. The emphasis has completely changed from the traditional Metal Gear style. This game is all about using your sword to cut everything in sight. Bodies and surroundings are cut to shreds. No release date. TRAILER

• Gears of War 3 co-op mode revealed.

• Fable 3 is coming out 10/26. It follows the path of becoming a king.

• Halo: Reach has vehicular space combat. TRAILER

• Microsoft’s motion controllerless Kinect, formally known as Natal, is shown. Voice recognition, virtual touching, video scrolling. Zune integration. Video chat is demonstrated (hilariously forced acting) – works with Windows Live Messenger and Xbox Live.  Streamable media both users can see. Camera follows user movement.  DEMONSTRATION

• ESPN Kinect – live sporting events, streamed in HD. Available at no additional cost for Xbox Live Gold members.

• Kinect’s launch titles are shown. First up is Kinectimals. A young girl demonstrates this HD next-gen giga pet. Virtually pet and care for a tiger and many other animals.

• Other Kinect launch titles showcase Wii Sports-like games. Arcade racer called Joy Ride uses an invisible steering wheel. Star Wars Kinect puts the lightsaber in your hands.

• New Forza racing game with Kinect support. Users can walk around and kneel down to inspect the car. Camera tracks all movement.

• New slimmer Xbox redesign unveiled. It was presented under the shell of the standard Xbox to demonstrate the size difference. Built-in Wi-Fi, 250GB harddrive. Presently shipping to retailers at the $299 price point. Everyone in attendance received a free Xbox Slim!

Personal thoughts:

The main focus of this conference was on Kinect. They actually did a special event prior to this conference, with Circus du Soleil. It was very artsy without really getting too deep into the hardware or software. Kinect, formally known as Natal,  does boast some impressive features. It comes out on November 4th, with a leaked pricepoint (thanks to Gamestop and Walmart) of $150. Kinect will also be packed with the Elite Xbox for $400 and the Arcade Xbox for $300.

My thoughts? That’s…a lot of money. I actually do not own an Xbox of any sort. If I were to get one, it would probably be with this Kinect technology,  but I’m not sold on it yet. Holding a virtual steering wheel made of thin air seems like it would get tiring after awhile. The Star Wars game looks like fun. One game franchise that has HUGE potential would be boxing, or more specifically a proper Rocky title.

For sports fans, the ESPN thing is an extremely nice bonus for Xbox Live. The demo shown had the guy rewinding clips with his hands and shouting “pause” to freeze the frame. The technology is definitely the future. But as far as it goes for games? We’ll have to see. The video chat being compatible with both the 360 and Windows Live is awesome. We’re really living in the future now, huh?

Metal Gear Solid: Rising raised my eyebrows. It looks like crazy fun, but it seems to betray what Metal Gear Solid is all about. An action game with really intense violence (cutting people’s limbs off) is not really the Metal Gear I know and love. In the interest of not being a xenophobe, I’m remaining cautiously optimistic about this title.

• Nintendo opens the show by debuting the new Zelda game, Skyward Sword. Artistically, it’s much more vivid than Twlight Princess, and seems inspired by earlier concept art used for Zelda games such as Ocarina of Time. The game is demoed by legendary game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto. It is the first from-the-ground-up Zelda game for Wii. Using the bow, swinging a sword, and deflecting with a shield are all done using motion controls aided by Wii Motion+. A new bowling ball bomb was shown that can arc with an underhanded twist. During this demo, the wireless controllers were experiencing a lot of interference.  Reports from the show floor confirm the game controls just fine. 2011 release date. TRAILER

• New Mario sports title was shown. Instead of just one sport, it features several such as basketball, hockey and volleyball, among others. 2011.

• Nintendo of America president Reggie, quickly discussed Wii’s bridge titles that appeal to both traditional gamers and the casual/non-gaming audience (Mario Kart, NSMB, Wii Sports). Wii Party, a Mario Party replacement using Miis, was dated for 2010. Just Dance 2 trailer shown.

• Metroid: Other M is dated for August 31st. Brand new trailer focuses entirely on the gameplay. Intense Metroid-esque music plays throughout. Samus is seen transitioning between the traditional 2D view to over-the-shoulder to FPS. Graphically impressive special effects and art direction. TRAILER

• Golden Sun Dark Dawn DS trailer shown. Coming out this holday season. TRAILER

• Goldeneye 007 remake (from the 64) announced exclusively for the Nintendo Wii. Features split-screen local as well as online multiplayer. Returning villians such as Oddjob and Jaws. Familiar games modes such as Golden Gun return. Motion controls OR a classic controller option (which has to be essential for local splitscreen). Released this year, in November. TRAILER

• Epic Mickey is demoed on stage. Game uses a unique paint thinner concept that allows users to erase elements of the game environment. Lots of 3D platforming as well as a side-scrolling 2D part done in black & white like the old Disney cartoons. Focus on Disney’s forgotten history.

• In a complete surprise announcement, Reggie introduced the first Kirby console game in a number of years. The game’s title is Kirby’s Epic Yarn. It completely revamps the visual style of Kirby, replacing the familiar cutesy scenery with a world of yarn and fabric. Kirby can manipulate the world around him by tugging at strings of yarn and revealing new areas hidden behind fabric walls. Fall 2010 release. TRAILER

• Donkey Kong Country: Returns trailer was debuted! This brand new DKC game is done as a side-scroller just as the classics were on the SNES. Huge ovation from the E3 audience. The game features simultaneous co-op for the first time in the series. Set to be released this holiday season. TRAILER

• The 3DS was officially revealed.  The device looks similar to the DSi, with several changes.  The top screen is in widescreen format and measures in at 3.53 inches. The bottom screen has a 4:3 aspect ratio, is touch sensitive, and measures in at 3.02 inches. The device also has a joystick in addition to the standard d-pad. The 3DS has a motion sensor as well as a gyroscope built-in.  It features backwards compatibility with the Nintendo DS as well as an additional SD card slot. Two cameras are on the outside of the 3DS for taking 3D pictures, and one camera is located inside towards the player.

• The 3DS has an upgraded Wi-Fi infrastructure. Communication between players can occur in-game as well as when the device is in sleep mode. New game maps and other downloads can be automatically received at no additional charge. Nintendo are also working with several big motion picture companies to bring 3D movies to the 3DS!

• Several games were announced to be in development. The only trailer played on stage was of a surprise rebirth of the Kid Icarus franchise. Graphical capabilities look to be around PlayStation 2 caliber, putting it a notch above PSP but below the Wii. Games in the works include a re-texturized Star Fox 64 & Ocarina of Time, Saints Row, EA Sports franchises, a brand new Resident Evil game, a new 3D version of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Mario Kart.

• The 3DS can’t be shown with standard film, so the only people who could experience the 3D-ness of it were those in attendance. Show floor reports are overwhelmingly positive but note that it’s easy to lose the effect. A slider exists on the side of the 3DS that can turn the effect on, partially on, and off. A comedic video demonstrated what 3D would be like, exaggerated, on the 3DS. Reggie gets burned to death by Bowser. TRAILER

• The show closed with hundreds of 3DS units tethered to girls (?) as living breathing kiosks. There was NO release date or pricepoint given. Expected to hit retail by March 2011 at latest, but could very well wind up in stores this holiday.

Personal Thoughts:

Woooooow! Nintendo delivered one of the best press conferences in E3 history. They were focused and spent as little time as possible on stupid antics and pretend flutes. Notably missing was Cammie Dunaway, the “every-woman soccer mom” Nintendo pushed to market the Wii to the expanded audience. Nintendo brought the goods this year.

First up, I need to mention Donkey Kong Country Returns. This is a game seasoned video game fans have be begging for for eons. DK has taken a backseat over the years. Donkey Konga and Jungle Beat brought back the big lug’s relevance, but only so much. Seeing a proper DKC game again is just surreal. I hold the first two games very close to my heart, as the art direction and especially the melancholy music is incredible. David Wise did a tremendous job on the soundtrack.  This would be the first DKC developed by Retro Studios instead of Rare. I hope they do the series justice. It’s good to see DK as a playable character again, and the 2-player co-op is a nice upgrade from the SNES games. Fingers crossed!

The new Metroid trailer has me salivating.  I haven’t been interested in Metroid since the Gameboy Advance games. This one takes elements of the Prime games and mixes them in with elements of the classics.  There’s a higher focus on Samus as a character, too.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn! Awful title, but I fell in instant love with it. You can just look at the game being demoed and know it’s going to be fun and unique. I’m so glad games like this still have an audience. THIS is how you push a franchise forward.

No Pikmin 3? It’s been confirmed for developmenet at the past two shows. Maybe they’re holding off on it some more since they more or less blew their load as it was. Pikmin would work well on the 3DS…hmmm.

Speaking of the 3DS, it’s intriguing. I’ve had my DS since it came out in 2004; never upgraded. That’s one thing I’ve learned about Nintendo handhelds – they’re gonna rehash them over and over again until the next model. Either get one out of the gate and deal with the early adapter features or wait until down the road when they do another iteration. This thing looks loaded, though. It has all the DSi features but with much more. The graphics, based on screens and footage I’ve seen, aren’t quite up to Wii like most folks were hoping. The Wii is often compared to souped up original Xbox in terms of graphical prowess. The 3Ds seems closer to PS2, but that might be jumping the gun on what this thing can do. The 3D effect is said to be stunning. Developers are raving about it. The game line-up is extremely promising. Hopefully Friend Codes are a thing of the past. The online is already way better than the DS just based on what little we were told. The joystick making its first Nintendo handheld appearance is good to see, as is the widescreen top screen.  I can’t wait!

Good show, Nintendo.

• 
• 3D is heavily emphasized for this conference. Sony announced that several already released games will receive downloadable 3D updates.

• Killzone 3 is announced as a title with 3D support as well as being PlayStation Move (Sony’s new motion controller) ready. Comes out February 2011.

• A game called Tumble is PlayStation’s answer to Wii’s Boom Blox. 3D + Move will create an immersive experience like no other. However, it should be noted they are not exclusive to one another. Many future games will offer Move as an option, and some are using Move exclusively. MOVE TRAILER

• Sorcery is demonstrated live on-stage.  It takes advantage of PlayStation Move’s wand to cast spells. The player is shown creating fire, selecting a whirlwind spell, and thrusting the Move wand forward, thus, creating a fire storm. The Move wand has a ball on top that can change color. This was demonstrated by simulating drinking a green potion in the game.

• Tiger Woods 2011 is shown taking advantage of the precision of Move. The demonstrator hit the ball in the sand several times. Control is quite similar to what has been done using the Wii Motion+ technology introduced last year. Tiger 2011 will receive a download for Move support later this year.

• Heroes On the Move combines Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet & Clank into one title.  The game uses the Move technology.

• The PlayStation commercial guy, Kevin Butler, delivered a hilarious speech about gaming. He mentioned “staying up until 3AM to earn a trophy that isn’t real. But is.” and took a shot at Wii by saying , “we can all box by using game characters that have important features…like arms. And necks.”

• Move comes out in NA on September 19th. The price for the wand is $50. The navigation controller (wireless nunchuk) is $30. This does not include the PlayStation Eye, necessary in capturing movement, which currently retails for $40. Various bundle sets will also be available.

• A stereotypical “hip” black kid named Marcus “reps” the PSP. Seems to be a new advertisement campaign. A new God of War PSP game called Ghost of Sparta is shown. It follows the origin of Kratos and comes out in the Fall. The 3rd Birthday, the long awaited sequel to PlayStation 1′s (yes, PS1) Parasite Eve 2, was confirmed for PSP. TRAILER

• PlayStation Home, PS3′s virtual Sims-like social community, has a replicated E3 booth full of video kiosks and exclusive in-game items.

• LittleBigPlanet 2 is demoed on stage. This time, the game has several options for creating games within the game. LBP2 is no longer limited to just being a platformer. Control schemes and viewpoints are customizable, and games ranging from real-time strategy, top down shooters,  racing, and several other genres are possible. A remake of the Atari 2600 classic “Boxing” is shown with the same overhead style. LBP2 will also have new internet-enabled features. Comes out in November of this year.

• PlayStation’s premium internet service is announced as PlayStation Plus. The present features of the PSN will remain, however, PlayStation Plus provides discounts in the store, preferred early demos & betas, free select PS1/PSN games, and access to special themes. $50 yearly. Content is owned for the duration of subscription.

• Medal of Honor trailer is shown. The game will come packed with a PS3 exclusive remaster of 2002′s Medal of Honor: Frontline. Comes out October 12th. TRAILER

• Dead Space 2 was introduced on stage. Lead character Issac appears to be suffering with dementia from the events in the original game. The game takes place in a large space station, unlike the original, which is primarily aboard a mining airship.  It’s set for release in January of 2011. The PS3 has an exclusive bonus offering of Dead Space: Extraction (with Move support), previously exclusive to Wii.  TRAILER

• Portal 2 was revealed to be in the works for PS3. Comes out in 2011. TRAILER

• Gran Turismo 5 was confirmed for November 2nd, with 3D support. A trailer shown displayed some of the most realistic graphics seen on PlayStation 3. TRAILER

• A surprise game closed the conference. It began with an introductory trailer of two men arguing over car combat games on PS1/2/3.  The sound of an ice cream truck and the flick of a cigar revealed an old classic PlayStation character – Sweettooth!  An ice cream truck with Sweettooth on-board then appeared on the E3  stage.  The game shows flying vehicles, a series first, and an in-car sniper to take down the choppers. Online mode will have 16 players at once, with local online splitscreen support!  The game showcases an extremely destructible environments. Set for release next year.

Personal Thoughts:

Sony’s showing dragged on a bit and proved to be an ad-fest, but we learned a lot about the future of the PS3. A huge focus was put on their new motion controller initiative. I have no idea how this will fare at retail next to Wii. I doubt most people have the PlayStation Eye. Then they need the remote. Then they need the nunchuk dealie for most “core” games. That’s a hefty price tag just to play some games. That’s not including the other focus of the show – 3D. 3D tvs are…not cheap, at the moment. Also considering that HDTVs are a fairly recent phenomenon yet to be fully adapted, 3D + Move will be a hard sell. It’s just not affordable. I think it’s fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but it’s simply too soon. Plus you have to play with glasses. There’s no doubt in my mind that Move will find some success. In-home 3D, however, simply won’t catch on with the vast majority. That’s my prediction. Maybe next console generation would’ve been a safer risk.

LBP2 looks promising! The first one got a bit dull as time went on but proved to be an excellent platform for people to create with. It was the start of something beautiful apparently, as LBP2 looks to build upon everything made great by the original.

Dead Space 2 gets me very excited. I named the first one as one of the best of this decade. Issac will be getting more personality in this installment, whether that’s good or bad remains to be seen. Dead Space: Extraction as a PS3-exclusive bonus is excellent! I have the Wii version already but if I decide to invest in Move, it’ll be a nice game to have for both consoles. Hope the isolationist feel and top-notch score return for this sequel.

I’ve yet to play Portal. Portal 2 has my eye.

PlayStation Plus….big thumbs down from me. Why? Well, for one the whole appeal of PS3′s online network is that it’s all free of charge. This Plus program just means that certain demos and other things we normally would’ve had for free might be held back for this subscription program. In other words, artificial value. Betas are normally closed and require something special, so that’s fine, and you’d have to pay for most premium avatars/themes otherwise. So there is some value here. Here’s my main “beef” with it:  you get select PS1/PSN games and DLC along with this subscription, but it’s tied down to the program. So, even though you would own (or rather be licensed) the game(s), they would be disabled if you should ever cancel PlayStation Plus.  I also hear there are limits for how much content you can have. Yeah, not interested. I would say that if you buy a lot of PSN games this might be a smart move, but you don’t get to pick which ones are given away as free. They do.

Twisted Metal was a huge surprise! I thought we were going to get it last year (since it was hinted at in the PSP port of Head-On on PlayStation 2), but we didn’t. And then we heard nothing, so I figured it was shelved. I am a HUGE fan of Twisted Metal 2. It’s still very fun to play to this very day; not a trait many games from the problematic early 3D-era can boast. The game looks like crazy fun! Online mode is going to be a blast, too. The “Nuke” mode is friggin’ ridiculous and too complicated/bizarre to explain in text, but it does seem to require strategy and teamwork. In other words, crossing your fingers that you’re not playing with bratty kids. The addition of flying vehicles will change things in one way or another. Some of the destroyed buildings are very….PS2-ish, so hopefully this is just a temporary issue. Besides, if it plays as good as some of the others in the series, we have a winner regardless. Looking forward to it!

There were also several other titles shown at E3 at other press conferences.  Here are some of them:

Silent Hill 8

Okamiden

Super Scribblenauts

Fallout: New Vegas

NBA Jam

Sonic 4

Space Invaders: Infinity Gene

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

Infamous 2

Professor Layton and The Unwound Future

Notably absent from this press conference was Pikmin 3 and The Last Guardian. Pikmin 3 was reconfirmed for development on Wii.  The Last Guardian, the PS3 exclusive follow-up to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, was held back for a future press conference. Hmm. TGS, perhaps? Either way, E3 had its handful of major announcements. Sony and Microsoft are hopping aboard the waves of motion control in full force. The 3DS will offer unique game-enhancing technology and a slew of promising titles in the future. Not a bad time to be a video game fan!

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On May 22nd, 2010, a Super Mario Galaxy 2 launch party was held inside Best Buy, in Chicago. My friend and I arrived sometime in the afternoon, to make sure we got there somewhat early. Why, you ask? Well, in the invitation to this event, it listed that the first 500 attendees were to receive a SMG2 cinch bag. But it gets even better! The first 100 in line would get a limited run piece of framed artwork. A Best Buy in NYC had an identical giveaway program. To top it all off, we were able to play the game before the midnight launch!

Kevin Manno of Q101 Chicago was in attendance. He handled trivia questions and judged the costume contest (with fan input).; funny, charismatic guy. It was a really fun experience – totally worth the trip!

Here is a video I made of the evening:

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Extended Thoughts:

What a fun little gem Night Stalker is. It’s rarely talked about today, and it’s a shame. This is the kind of simplistic fun video games used to have. I remember being young and getting excited to go to my Grandmother’s since she had an Intellivision. Her and I used to play all these games together. She had a really old tv in her kitchen where I played my games, and I had to go under the table with the huge plug to get to the outlet. I don’t know why, but I always fondly remember having to do that. Night Stalker has held up pretty well, I’d say. It’s fun to sneak around the maze while strategizing the best way to go about destroying the robots as efficiently as possible. I would love to see a modernization of this game with new robots. As I said in the review, you can play it via emulation on Intellivison Lives, which is on the original Xbox and Playstation 2. I believe there’s an Intellivision collection coming out for the DS, too.

(read up on the S3 rating method used on this site right here).

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Here are some photos of the posters included in both the 2009 poster issue and this 2010 calendar. The ones included in this calendar are: Legend of Zelda, A Boy and his Blob, Punch Out!! Wii, Scribblenauts, and the Mario & Luigi and Wind Waker-styled ones not on my wall. There’s more than this too, but they are double-sided posters or are of games I’m not into.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Extended Thoughts:

Silent Hill is one hell of a game to remember. I’ve personally been playing this game since I was in middle school, and it scared me then and still to this day isn’t something I enjoy thinking about playing late at night, haha. I can remember one time when I completed Silent Hill as a kid, it began to storm out really bad. I looked outside and saw nothing but fog and strange light (a tornado watch was in effect). The game really sticks with you long after you beat it. I think I’m up to 7 or 8 times now. It’s just a really well made storyline and atmosphere. Silent Hill proves that good art direction can stand the test of time even if the graphics are…less than gorgeous to look at. If anyone out there wants to give this one a try and doesn’t feel like shelling out $30+ for the physical PS1 game, it is on the U.S. Playstation Store for under $10. I used that footage for this review. A few weird audio glitches aside it works quite well, and as an added bonus if you have your PS1 memory cards and a game save, you can even work those into the downloaded game! That’s how I got footage of the unlockable katana and rock drill. Hope you all liked the review.

(read up on the S3 rating method used on this site right here).

Popularity: 1% [?]

In this past decade the gaming industry has gone through two different generations of video games. The bitter battle between Nintendo and Sega came to an end when the Sega Dreamcast died in the early 00′s. Who knew that in post-1999 Sega would be making games for Nintendo consoles? Not to mention co-headlining a game with Nintendo’s flagship character?  Gaming in general has gone from a niche hobby to a mainstream phenomenon (for better or worse) and now has its presence felt in seemingly every corner of entertainment.

The Dreamcast pioneered the first successful online platform for console games, leading the 6th generation into a new era of multiplayer. Sony and Microsoft took that bull by the horns by offering their take on online gaming, with Microsoft launching Xbox live and changing the way we communicate…or try to…through video games. As the 7th generation rolled in so did the popularity of HDTVs, allowing for clarity unseen in years prior, demanding a higher attention to detail. The consoles grew more powerful and became multi-functioned, centering themselves as a media center for living rooms that could display our pictures, house our music, and even surf the web all from the same couch you catch Fresh Prince re-runs on.

The Wii took the world by storm and even went as far as to break the record for most video games ever sold (Wii Sports), which previously was held by the original Super Mario Bros! Motion controls seem to be a prominent part of the future of gaming as we enter the next decade with new motion control devices coming from Microsoft and Sony. If the next decade is going to be as crazy as the last, we’re going to need helmets to make it to 2020.

Summing up ten year’s worth of great games isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. When you say “ten years” it doesn’t truly ring a bell until you realize that the original PlayStation and Nintendo 64 were still around at the start of the new millennium. Yeah, we’re all old. The list I have penciled down, erased, penciled down, erased, penciled down, and finally wrote in pen was composed with a few limitations in mind: I have not played every critically acclaimed game of this past decade nor do I enjoy every game genre. Also, listing only one game per series makes the list less cluttered with sequels, prequels, etc.

Please remember that this is a personal list of preferred games. I do not care about over-hyped blockbusters or army recruitment games. I care about quality, originality, emotional value, or in some cases just plain fun. Omitting certain games that revolutionized a genre is an unfortunate part of the process when you list only ten games.

When the original SSX came out the Playstation 2 was fresh on the market here in North America. At this point in time we were all used to pixelated, muddled textures and limited at best graphical power. Enter SSX, one of the key games in making the original PS2 such a hit in its inception. SSX combines a welcoming level of accessibility with fierce competitive racing, and a flashy trick system that boosts your character straight to the finish line. Atypical from the genre, SSX stood out with its fluid controls, arcade style and colorful locations, which included such locales as Tokyo Megaplex, Aloha Icejam, Mesa Blanca, and a handful of additional areas. As your board carves through the glistening snow as you approach the last big jump, don’t be surprised if everyone in the room is waiting for their turn once you hit the finish line. It excels in everything, and that is why SSX earns the title of one of the best games of the decade.

Dead Space quite literally creeped out of nowhere when it came out in 2008. Borrowing isolationist elements from Metroid and the occasional feel of Resident Evil 4, Dead Space turned out to be a derivative, yet at times quite innovative game. Dead Space felt like a natural progression of the survival horror genre – far more than the latest installment of Resident Evil, and did so while creating quite possibly one of the most beautiful atmospheres to date in any video game. You will drop your jaw once you explore anti-gravity and see the regions of outer space. The polish and presentation is top caliber, which also applies to another area Dead Space takes advantage of: sound design. A unique gameplay feature that separates this game from others is the dismemberment system. You won’t be finding typical weapons aboard the Ishimura but instead plasma-powered engineering tools designed to cut through the toughest of materials. Dead Space belongs among the best of this decade for creating a mesmerizing atmosphere complimented by visceral scapes of sound. Dead Space 2 – here’s to you in the ’10s.

Starting from 2001, this decade has seen four different Mario Kart games and two arcade racers (of which should promptly be ported to Wii as a Club Nintendo reward). Two of that small handful have been shrunk down for the small screen: Super Circuit and the DS game. Both fine games, both better than their console counterparts, but nothing quite compared to Mario Kart DS. Mario Kart DS marked Nintendo’s first serious attempt at online gaming. The result was an already stellar single-player experience enhanced tremendously. Friend Codes, blue shells and cheaters aside, Mario Kart online was a huge hit. One of the strong points about this racer has always been replayability and with online and the ability to play with local DS owners who don’t even own the game, the Nintendo DS was granted its killer app. Nintendo also threw in the ability to change karts and unlock unusual characters such as Dry Bones and even R.O.B! Included for the first time in the series’ history was a collection of challenges and boss battles to top it all off. With tight controls and a plethora of new features, Mario Kart DS resides as one of the finest in the series as well as of this decade.

There are two things in the late ’90s and early ’00s that nearly every teenage boy was into. You had the WWF with the likes of The Rock & Stone Cold Steve Austin,  and you had the counter-culture world of skateboarding in full swing.  Tony Hawk 2 came out at the absolute best time imaginable and made the original Tony Hawk , a groundbreaking game in its own right, seem inferior in nearly every way. While it wasn’t quite as realistic as the unsung gem Thrasher: Skate and Destroy, it didn’t matter much. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 brought the goods. You could now create a skater, adjust his attributes and even create a skate park and name the gaps. There were more tricks, better graphics, a killer soundtrack, and it even had Spider-man and Venom as hidden characters. And don’t try and tell me that I’m the only one who was obsessed with nailing Geoff Rowley’s darkslide grind.  This game was absolute good old fashioned over-the-top madness, and that’s why I’d call it one of the most memorable and best games of this decade. There may have been vast improvements in Hawk’s next two outings, but nothing ever came close to touching what Tony Hawk 2 did for skateboarding. It introduced the manual to Tony Hawk. Think about that.

Set in ancient Greek mythology, God of War can best be described with but one word: epic. God of War took the gaming community by the tongue in 2005 when players across the world tried to catch their breath in unison. One thing was clear, and that was that an astronomical amount of work was put into every ounce of the game. God Of War did things most folks never thought the Playstation 2 could even pull off; gigantic boss fights, swarms of enemies, detailed environments, and an absorbingly fresh world that crumbled and rumbled beneath your very feet. Kratos became a staple character with just one outing – now that’s impressive! God of War caught controversy for its incredibly graphic nature and especially for its portrayal of topless women, which baffled anyone who knew a thing about ancient Greece. Nevertheless, God of War is a milestone for gaming, was incredibly fun to play from start to finish, told a wonderful story and simply put is one of the best video games of this decade bar none.

Remember Crash Bandicoot? The original Playstation mascot from 1996? Oh. Well, the same people who brought you Crash have found their legacy, and that is in Uncharted. The Playstation 3 was the source of ridicule and “FIVE-HUNDRED NINTY-NINE U.S. DOLLARS” jokes for the first year or so of its life. Naysayers promptly shut the hell up when Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune kicked the collective crap out of anyone who doubted what Sony’s ill-prepared console was capable of. The bar was set in both graphical splendor and in cinema-quality storytelling. Guess who set the bar again? Uncharted 2: Among Thieves just squeezed by at the end of this decade without losing a step. Wit is not lost on lead character, Nathan Drake, as this expedition has even more action and cinematic ‘wows’ than the first. Battling an armed helicopter while the room you stand in tilts, causing furniture to scatter across the room, as the building in which you stand in plummets several stories down below is a thing of ironic beauty.  Nearly every line is spoken with unparalleled delivery, making the treasure hunt one you’ll strive to finish. It’s sharp as a tack with a handful of laughs along the way for good measure  – and you WILL laugh out loud at the well-written dry humor. Whether knee-deep in snow or in a lavish forest, changes in setting prove to be a perk rather than a burden. Seeing it all unfold in high-def is almost celestial, and with how the game’s physics-heavy engine holds up for the entire journey, Uncharted 2 proves to be the front-runner in blurring cutscenes and gameplay seamlessly. Throw in a robust online component and you have, by landslide, one of the best games of this entire decade.

The Gamecube had a handful of heavy hitters. Eternal Darkness,  Rogue Leader, Super Mario Sunshine, the Resident Evil series, and of course Super Smash Bros Melee to name a few. All fantastic games, but there’s one that slips by far too often. That game is Pikmin. Pikmin has the heart and cleverness of a classic from the Super Nintendo era done in a completely unique, modern way. There is truly no other game series quite like it. Controlling up to 100 Pikmin to attack predators or pick up parts from your ship is a sensation gamers of all creeds should be able to enjoy. Visually, the game makes great use of earthly textures and water effects to help create a world that looks both familiar and alien. A day and night cycle caused this crusade to require strategy, as there are 30 ship parts to collect and only 30 days to find them all while simultaneously dodging overgrown beetles, ostrich snakes, and a spider made out of balls. …it’s a game best left to be played and not explained. Be sure to pick up the New Play Control Pikmin on the Wii, because Pikmin without a shadow of a doubt is one of the more innovative games to come out this decade, as well as one of the finest.

Here is a list of honorable mentions that DIDN’T make it to the top 3 of Game of the Decade.  These games are significant enough on their own merits to be recognized. Remember, one game per franchise.

I could expand this list into 20 more rock solid games, but these ones would fit well in any collection.

There simply aren’t enough words to describe how breathtaking Super Mario Galaxy turned out to be.  Those clamoring for a more traditional Mario game got their wish and so much more with Super Mario Galaxy.  Due to the cosmic setting, a completely new gameplay element has been designed, allowing for gravity and free form jumping to exorbitantly alter platforming as we know it. The first time you jump from one planet to the next will give you the “gonna fall  jitters” the series has embedded into our brains for the past 25 years. After getting used to this you’ll be spinning on sproutle vines and stompin’ goombas while upside down in no time!  It  isn’t all gravitational platforming, however. There are a few larger planets that test your more established tenure as a gamer. Galaxy has a ridiculous amount of  inventive level designs, and none of them have ever looked better. The vast vistas of outer space are beautiful. It is jaws to the floor, balls to the wall stunning to see just how powerful the Wii is when pushed to its limit. Even the levels that aren’t all stars and moons retain the spacey feel and are arranged in an ingenious way. Much like Dead Space, as oddly as that sounds, Galaxy has quite possibly one of the best video game scores of this generation to compliment and enhance the feel of the game. As you’re flying through the cosmos, or in particular the Gusty Garden Galaxy, the meshing of gorgeous visuals and emotionally uplifting orchestra is what gives Super Mario Galaxy its charm. Super Mario Galaxy is a gem of this decade and is one of the best damn video games ever created.

How do you top Super Mario Galaxy with a game that has a number of flaws that hold it back from untouchable greatness? Simple: Shadow of the Colossus is a grandiose magnum opus, even with imperfections.  It’s a game that tugs at your heart strings with a powerful, menacing musical score and like the aforementioned Galaxy, it has the visual artistry to back it up. The game itself is quite unique as there are not any real enemies, towns, or even other people you must encounter. Hunting the walking monoliths known as Colossi is your only objective. Saddled on a horse with a sword that guides your way, it’s no wonder some compare it to The Legend of Zelda. You’ll come to find that this game is a much darker, more hauntingly beautiful take on the adventure/puzzle style. Just riding your horse while searching the alluring landscape for these rare beasts is a calming experience…until you find one, that is. Climbing on these enormous creatures and having to hang on for dear life as they move about, as the music intensifies while tensions rise – it’s truly a testament to the power of interactive storytelling; not through words but through abstraction. This isn’t the kind of game most “gamers” have the attention span to appreciate.  Shadow of the Colossus transcends everything you’ve ever thought about a video game. The events that take place towards the end and the moral to be learned will rip your heart into shreds. One of the best games of the decade?  Without question. The Last Guardian, Shadow/Ico’s sequel, will be coming out for Playstation 3 next year. Do not miss it.

Well, here it is: number one. Trying to narrow down one of my “babies” in video gaming flat out sucked. I wanted all of them to be included but felt that it wasn’t fair to all the great games that were not apart of this franchise. While I chose this as my favorite game overall of the decade, any in the series are among the best of the 2000′s. They are all truly remarkable.

One of the most controversial video games of all-time tops the list?

MGS2 turned the industry upside down when it came out in November of 2001. The terrorist attacks of September 11th were fresh in everyone’s mind and even caused scenes at the end of the game to be left on the cutting board (only adding to the confusion). I’ve spent the last five minutes trying to think something other than “mindf***” to describe the game with one word, but alas, it is what it is. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is a mindf***. It’s out-of-the-box, at times abstract storytelling  you either “got” or did not…and I use “got” loosely. Metal Gear Solid 2 focused on sociological engineering, information control, genetics and the adverse affects of expanding technology. Such themes are quite relevant in modern living, perhaps now more so than ever. Any medium of art or entertainment that can make you take something away from it and apply it to your real life is a feat in itself.

It is of importance to note that when MGS2 was released in 2001, the gaming landscape wasn’t like it is now heading into the ’10s.  The idea of interacting with the environment was a hot topic. There was a game called The Bouncer that had a bit of a following before it came out. Originally it was meant to be an interactive brawler with destructible areas, shattered glass, etc. The end result was a lot of pretty, but static, scenery. The backlash doomed the franchise and resulted in lead character Sion being redesigned into Sora from the Kingdom Hearts game series. Ouch. So why is this being mentioned so heavily? Because to understand the significance of Metal Gear Solid 2 as a game, you need to understand the times in which it was released in. MGS2 tore the roof off of E3 in the year 2000 when it was unveiled. The trailer depicted Solid Snake fighting guards inside of the tanker. In this gunfight a watermelon explodes, boxes topple over and everything just goes totally haywire all in real-time, not a pre-rendered cutscene. This blew peoples minds back in the year 2000. As did the idea of bodies not disappearing, stashing guards in lockers, tranquilizer darts with legible writing, hopping over ledges, throwing bodies off of said ledges, limb-specific animation alterations, cloth blowing in the wind, being able to move in FPS mode, shadows…need I go on with the list of credentials?  Many folks forget just how revolutionary this game is and instead focus on one certain character. One certain naked character.

Raiden.

Raiden was above all else the source of controversy in MGS2. Hideo Kojima, the series creator/producer, became nothing short of infamous for playing mind games with fans of the series and the press. Before its release the public was shown images of Solid Snake infiltrating both a cargo ship and an oceanic facility known as Big Shell. As gamers came to find out shortly before Metal Gear Solid 2 came out, that was not the case at all. Instead of playing as video game icon Solid Snake, players were forced to play as a feminine counterpart known as Raiden for 3/4 of the whole game. Kojima went as far as to doctor videos of Raiden in Big Shell with Solid Snake to cover up the secret. Thinking about it now, it fits in with MGS’s theme of information control and the whole “not everything is as it seems” approach this game in particular emphasizes.

I’ve spent the last 8 years of my life defending Raiden in MGS2, so all I will say is that he was a necessary part in telling the story from a perspective Snake couldn’t provide.

Metal Gear games are all sound in foundation – meaning, they all are excellent games unconditionally. From Metal Gear 1 on the MSX to Metal Gear Solid 4, the main cannon of games bring the goods. Metal Gear Solid as a series, though, thrives on its storyline. In Metal Gear Solid 2, the storyline became as convoluted as it gets. It is easy to get frustrated if you don’t know/care about character developments or past references to other events in the series. For this reason, on top of Raiden, MGS2 is widely considered to be the black sheep of the franchise. It must be hell playing these games expecting some sort of action shooter when the gameplay is stealth-based and chopped up between codec calls and cutscenes.

So why is it one of my favorites and why did I give it the nod over so many other deserving games? Part of it is simply personal preference, and part of it is because Metal Gear Solid 2 was a transcending post-modern masterpiece. I don’t want to say it “changed my life” but really…it kind of did. I was only 14 when I completed it for the first time and at that point in time I was never so emotionally invested or interested in a video game. The original Playstation MGS came close I must say, but that plot was a bit more straight-forward and not as heady as MGS2. Towards the end of the game when Raiden evolves into  Naked Raiden, and you were inside of an area called “Ascending Colon”, and the Colonel and your girlfriend were revealed as A.I. that would shout out things such as “turn the game console off right now” and “I hear it’s amazing when the famous purple stuffed worm in flapjaw space, with the tuning fork, does a raw blink on Hari-Kari Rock. I need scissors! 61!” (all from my memory), it was the absolute most hilariously frightening thing in the world. When you figure out your true role – that is, mission, it was genuinely intriguing how much thought was put into “just” a video game.

Harry Gregson-Williams, composer, made his debut with the Metal Gear Solid games with MGS2. Prior to Metal Gear he scored movies such as Armageddon, The Rock, (this is beginning to sound like a WWF PPV circa 1999) and Enemy of the State. His impact in the series was huge, and his rendition of the Metal Gear theme song took over as lead theme after the first theme was outted as being  influenced by Russian composer Georgy Svirdov’s beautiful piece, “Winter Road”. Another notable song from the game was sung by jazz vocalist Carla White, whom I just found out while researching for this article died in 2007 .  Out of respect to her, here is a link to “Can’t Say Goodbye to Yesterday”.

There’s so much to say about Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and its meme theories and social musings, but I’ll save that for another day. I’d like to share a quote that helped me become the guy I am. Snake tells Raiden this at the conclusion of the game:

Life isn’t just about passing on your genes. We can leave behind much more than just DNA. Through speech, music, literature and movies… what we’ve seen, heard, felt …anger, joy and sorrow… these are the things I will pass on. That’s what I live for. We need to pass the torch, and let our children read our messy and sad history by its light. We have all the magic of the digital age to do that with. The human race will probably come to an end some time, and new species may rule over this planet. Earth may not be forever, but we still have the responsibility to leave what traces of life we can. Building the future and keeping the past alive are one and the same thing.

Game of the Decade.

Not to reiterate this so much but this was not the authoritarian gavel on the past decade of video games. I know I left out the groundbreaking Resident Evil 4, all the Zeldas, countless Guitar Hero iterations, and a slew of other favorites. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles. For those of you who are new to Living Vicariously and enjoyed my Game of the Decade feature, thanks!  Check out the FAQ for any questions and feel free to comment below. You already know mine, so what was your top ten of this decade?

-DZ

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