Vote for the Essential PCE Games List!

[sunteam_paul]

So many people keep asking what are the best games to buy, and so many people have asked me to put a 'starters games' secion on my site so I thought I'd compile opinions on what are truly the essential PCE games.

I'd like suggestions for each section listed, but please only list a MAXIMUM of TWO games for each category, otherwise we'll have a list of hundreds

Categories are below. Some games slip into several categories, so just use whatever you feel best. It's not strict, just to limit the suggestions.

HUCARD
Horizontal Shooter:
Vertical Shooter:
Platformer:
Arcade Conversion:
Puzzle/Strategy:
Adventure:
RPG:
ARPG:
Action Game (misc):
Sports:
Driving:

CD
Horizontal Shooter:
Vertical Shooter:
Platformer:
Arcade Conversion:
Puzzle/Strategy:
Adventure:
RPG:
ARPG:
Digital Comic:
Action Game (misc):
Sports:

SUPERGRAFX:
Any game (since titles are limited):

[Chakan]

From my limited amount of time with this platform:

HUCARD
Arcade Conversion: Street Fighter II
Puzzle/Strategy: Nectaris
Adventure: Neutopia

CD
Horizontal Shooter: Cotton - Fantastic Night Dreams
RPG: YS I & II
Digital Comic: Snatcher
Action Game (misc): Dracula X

[td741]

Off the top of my head, trying to shy away from the expensive and always mentionned must haves:

HUCARD
Horizontal Shooter:  Air Zonk
Vertical Shooter: Blazing Lazers, Soldier Blade
Platformer: Shockman (?)
Arcade Conversion: Dragon Spirit, Street Fighter II' Championship Edition
Puzzle/Strategy: Bomberman '93, Military Madness
Adventure: Neutopia I & II
RPG: Order of the Griffon
Action Game (misc): Somer Assault
Driving: Motoroader, Victory Run
Sports: Power Golf, Battle Royal (multiplayer)

CD
Horizontal Shooter: Lords of Thunder, L-Dis
Vertical Shooter: Nexr, Spriggan
Platformer: Yoshimoto Comedy (awesome game with quirky humour, levels are themed and enemies are the same characters in various disguises, etc), Shubinbinman 3 (?)
Arcade Conversion: Buster Brothers, Art of Fighting
Puzzle/Strategy: Splash Lake, Vasteel
Adventure: Loom (only because I'm a sucker for Loom), Beyound Shadowgate
RPG: Ys I&II, Legend of Xanadu II
Digital Comic: Galaxy Fraulein Yuna, 3x3 Eyes
Action Game (misc): Ranma 1/2 (the first one, the side scroller), Shadow of the Beast (US ver)
Driving: (There's that CD pack-in video racer. Forgot the name and I wouldn't recommend it.)
Sports: Human Sports Festival

SUPERGRAFX:
Any game (since titles are limited): Aldynes

[sunteam_paul]

Off the top of my head, trying to shy away from the expensive and always mentionned must haves:

Don't shy away because they are common or expensive, if you think they are the best games then put 'em down! That's the only way we're gonna get a true list of the best of the best.

[Chakan]

Yes, I believe a Sports (inc Racing) and Strategy category should be added. Where does Nectaris fit otherwise? ^^

[sunteam_paul]

I've added Sports, Driving and made Puzzle 'Puzzle/Strategy'.

[Joe Redifer]

HUCARD
Horizontal Shooter:  R-Type
Vertical Shooter:  Blazing Lazers
Platformer:  Legendary Axe 2
Arcade Conversion:  Street Fighter 2 - Champion Edition
Puzzle/Strategy:  
Adventure:  Wonder Boy 3... errr I mean Dragon's Curse
RPG:  
Action Game (misc):   Jackie Chan's Action Kung-Fu
Sports:  
Driving:  

CD
Horizontal Shooter:  TIE:  Gate of Thunder / Lords of Thunder
Vertical Shooter:  
Platformer:  
Arcade Conversion:  
Puzzle/Strategy:  
Adventure:  Exile 2: Wicked Phenomenon
RPG:  Ys 1 & 2
Digital Comic:  JB Harold Murder Club.  Beat it 4 times and it still rocks.
Action Game (misc):  Shadow of the Beast
Sports:  
Driving: Do any even exist?

SUPERGRAFX:
Any game (since titles are limited): Ghouls N' Ghosts

[sunteam_paul]

Driving: Do any even exist?

F1 Circus Special, Legend of Dekoboko.....uh actually that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[td741]

Off the top of my head, trying to shy away from the expensive and always mentionned must haves:

Don't shy away because they are common or expensive, if you think they are the best games then put 'em down! That's the only way we're gonna get a true list of the best of the best.

Well I did amend my list...  I was thinking that this was a list of games that a person should get to start their collection.  I.E.  We all know  the "big-name" must-have titles (Sapphire, Dracula X, Magical Chase), here are some others to consider.

[sunteam_paul]

Off the top of my head, trying to shy away from the expensive and always mentionned must haves:

Don't shy away because they are common or expensive, if you think they are the best games then put 'em down! That's the only way we're gonna get a true list of the best of the best.

Well I did amend my list...  I was thinking that this was a list of games that a person should get to start their collection.  I.E.  We all know  the "big-name" must-have titles (Sapphire, Dracula X, Magical Chase), here are some others to consider.

Well sort of, but just because we know the big names, doesn't mean that others do. The most voted will be the ones I add to my 'essentials' list that I'll do for my site.

[runinruder]

I have a suggestion: make separate action-RPG and traditional-style RPG categories, at least for CDs.

[sunteam_paul]

No I have to draw the line somewhere else we'll have about 50 categories and the whole thing becomes pointless. You can have 2 entries per category so just put one RPG and one ARPG if you like.

[runinruder]

No I have to draw the line somewhere else we'll have about 50 categories and the whole thing becomes pointless

I wonder why you didn't draw the line elsewhere.  You have a driving category when you can only name two CD driving games.  So you'll have an "essentials" list that includes F1 Circus Special and the like, but possibly no mention of Emerald Dragon, Tengai Makyou, or Cosmic Fantasy.

There's nothing wrong with taking a large, significant genre and breaking it down into different styles.  You did it with shooters, after all (horizontal and vertical), and rightfully so.  The PCE CD has shooters and RPGs of various styles in abundance.  

It's your show, though, so I'll stop my whining and post my list in a bit.

[sunteam_paul]

No I have to draw the line somewhere else we'll have about 50 categories and the whole thing becomes pointless

I wonder why you didn't draw the line elsewhere.  You have a driving category when you can only name two CD driving games.  So you'll have an "essentials" list that includes F1 Circus Special and the like, but possibly no mention of Emerald Dragon, Tengai Makyou, or Cosmic Fantasy.

There's nothing wrong with taking a large, significant genre and breaking it down into different styles.  You did it with shooters, after all (horizontal and vertical), and rightfully so.  The PCE CD has shooters and RPGs of various styles in abundance.  

It's your show, though, so I'll stop my whining and post my list in a bit.

Point taken. Added ARPG and removed driving from the CD section. It's quite hard to make this fair for all games but we shall do our best.

[Odonadon]

Here is my list and I think I will do something similar over at Turbo2k, but maybe something more like the video stores do "Steve's recommendations", etc. since Paul beat me to another great idea, again!

HUCARD
Horizontal Shooter: R-Type Complete
Vertical Shooter: Blazing Lazers
Platformer: Bonk's Revenge
Arcade Conversion: Galaga '90, Sidearms
Puzzle/Strategy: Military Madness
Adventure: Dragon's Curse
ARPG: Neutopia II
Action Game (misc): China Warrior
Sports: TV Sports Hockey
Driving: Final Lap Twin

CD
Horizontal Shooter: Gate of Thunder
Vertical Shooter: Sapphire
Platformer: Dracula X
Arcade Conversion: Buster Bros.
Puzzle/Strategy: Vasteel
Adventure: Dynastic Hero
RPG: Ys I & II
ARPG: Ys III
Digital Comic: It Came From The Desert
Action Game (misc): Ninja Action Kaze Kiri
Sports: ?? Madden Football is the only CD sports game I can think of

SUPERGRAFX:
Any game (since titles are limited): Battle Ace

OD