Perfect 10s - Rayman Origins

Perfect 10s

Rayman Origins

There have been many character comebacks and re-inventions throughout the history of gaming, some successful and some not. Metroid on Gamecube was brilliant, repeated attempts by Sonic have been somewhat less brilliant. Some are demanded but never arrive; F-Zero Wii U anyone? And then there are others…

No one demanded that Ubisoft (Montpellier), the curious French studio, make a new Rayman. When it was released no one expected it to be very good and when it turned out to be exceptional no one expected it to sell. Sadly the latter prediction was true and Rayman Origins remains an under played and under valued game by the wider gaming community. For shame! If you are new to Rayman Origins then prepare yourself to be overwhelmed with delight.

Upon first entering the game you are presented with an opening cut scene that serves a number of purposes. Firstly, it vaguely introduces the vague story that precedes the adventure - this sounds like a potential negative but so firmly is tongue in cheek that the game is, in fact, better for this vague-ness; there is a beautiful comedic value to it. Secondly the cut scene introduces the downright gorgeous art style of the game, which needs to be seen to be believed. Thirdly, as the cut scene progresses, it introduces the jazzy, funky and imaginative soundtrack that will literally have you dancing in your seat as you work your way through the 10 hours main game offered.

The game plays as beautifully as it looks and sounds with each level presenting new twists on old standards. Yes there is platforming; yes there is swimming underwater and yes you still primarily progress from left to right in traditional platform style but everything feels fresh and new. The game occasionally takes a step into left field for an explosive flying shoot ‘em up level and each world is punctuated with wild chases where you need to catch a hilarious looking treasure chest.  The pace is high and frenetic and the platforming action difficult but never unfair. One particular chase took me 20 attempts to complete but I was never angry; challenged? Yes. Cheated? No.

Add to this an outstanding co-op and the game takes on another dimension – party mode. Completing levels together is rewarding and the collection aspect of the game instantly becomes competitive. Also, giving another player a slap in the face feels solid and satisfying, which is important. Get some beers and friends around and play, dance and shout together. Just like the old days…

This is a game that is once played, never forgotten. It’s beautiful; the music will remain with you, tucked at the back of your mind until one day POW! You wake up humming like a musical fish (play the game and this will make sense to you)! It’s hilarious in parts, challenging but not impossible in others and has a great multiplayer. I can’t ask for anymore than that!

Rayman Origins: 10

Keep come backs awesome! Keep it OMG!

Perfect 10s - Tekken 3

Perfect 10s

Tekken 3

There was a time when the Tekken brand was inseparable from the PlayStation brand. Sega had Virtua Fighter and Sony had Tekken; this was just a fact. The first Tekken sold PlayStations with its ‘arcade perfect’ visuals while the first Virtua Fighter helped create the myth that the Saturn couldn’t do 3D. The second Tekken sold PlayStations by refining the gameplay and refining the FMV videos to create the appearance of the perfect fighting game package while Virtua Fighter 2 looked incredible, played incredible but felt like a somewhat empty experience.

By 1998 the PlayStation was rolling, the Saturn was dead in the water and Tekken had played a major part in Sony’s victory.

Enter Tekken 3.

Tekken 3 picked up where Tekken 2 left off, opening with a wonderful FMV sequence to carry the Tekken story on a generation. Returning characters had aged and new characters added fresh blood and fresh balance to the mix. No character felt overpowered and each was distinctive with large pools of moves, designed around their individual fighting styles, that included combos, juggles and counters, all performed smoothly and speedily. Slick.

On release the game looked incredible. Any concerns over Namco’s ability to convert the game from the System 12 arcade board to the PS1 were immediately laid to rest as the fighters lunged in and connected with big hits that resonated out of the screen. Yes, on closer inspection some textures were a little blockier than the arcade version but never had a port been so very close to arcade perfection.

The game is packed with features including two new game modes that ensure that Dualshocks groan at the thought of playing through this game again. Tekken Ball and Tekken Force – beach volleyball and Double Dragon respectively – are both, oddly, brilliant in their own right. Rewards come thick and fast: hidden characters and awesome FMV endings (including Gon’s never-ending ending) are just two that should be mentioned.

In all, Namco made a game that (still) feels complete and that is a rare thing. Tekken 3 took what had gone before and ran off far into the distance, laying down a challenge to all other fighting games. 

Has it been bettered since? It’s difficult to say. Soul Caliber 2 and Street Fighter 4 have come very close. Subsequent Tekkens have not.

But on a generation of hardware notable for fantastic fighting games, Tekken 3 was the finest example and you can’t say fairer than that really.

Tekken 3: 10

Keep it FMV. Keep it OMG.

Perfect 10s - Super Mario Galaxy

Perfect 10s. 

Super Mario Galaxy.

It seems fitting to begin a series on Perfect 10 games with the definitive game from the recently discontinued Nintendo Wii; the game that Eurogamer has this week listed as the number 1 game of the last generation and the game that launched Mario into another universe of platform gaming excellence.

“Another decade needs to go by before we'll know whether it will come to be as revered as 64 did,” said Eurogamer in 2007.

I think it’s fair to say that 6 years on we can say this with confidence.

Mario Galaxy hit the Wii in time for Christmas 2007 and was another tick in the ‘revolution’ box for Nintendo. Where Super Mario Sunshine had struggled to convince that it was a step forward from Mario 64, Mario Galaxy wasted no time in proving that it was a leap forward.

A pivotal moment in the game comes early as Mario is stood on the edge of a platform; to progress Mario must reach the underneath of the platform. Let’s check that again: Mario is on the top of the platform and the means to progress sit on the platform but underneath. Can you jump to it? No. Can you perform a slide down an adjacent wall and wall jump to it? No. Have you missed something? No.

Mario Galaxy is laughing in the face of everything that has gone before; it is tearing up the platform game rulebook with glee.

The solution? Walk off the edge.

It seems so simple now. Just walk off the edge and let the Galaxy gravity take care of you. In 2007 this was mind blowing new ground.

For this moment (and the clever use of physics) alone Mario Galaxy would score highly but when it is mixed with in-genius, fragmented, planetoid level design and the familiar, easy to pick up controls this game becomes a Perfect 10. Add the bumblebee suit, a subtle yet effective multiplayer solution and gorgeous visuals and you could keep adding numbers to that. But a 10 is enough.

Mario Galaxy: 10

Keep it revolutionary. Keep it OMG.

Perfect 10s

Perfect 10s

What makes a perfect game? Graphical wizardry? Engaging story? Tight controls? Explosions? Characters you can relate to? A memorable place in history? Mind blowing set pieces? Explosions? Breaking new ground? Sweeping musical score? Art direction to die for? Explosions?

I’m not a big reviewer of games. Although I am very opinionated and have very strong views on what I consider to be good or great games, I find that the process of attaching scores to games makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable. 

It's the permanence, you see? This is particularly true of reviewing new games where a score is based on perhaps a few days of play. It is difficult to attach such a permanent figure to something so new when it is possible that opinion may change or that a game may carve out a solid place in gaming history. Goldeneye (N64) is a good example of this. It received strong contemporary reviews upon its release in 1997 but not perfect scores, something which at least one respected magazine has corrected in recent months.

And so it is with the benefit of hindsight that I approach this series of articles on games that I consider Perfect 10s. Over the coming Wednesdays I will publish an article on each game to which I believe I would award a Perfect 10.

Those expecting controversy can look away now; this is not a list designed to encourage disgusting arguments on the comments thread. There may be very few surprises but I would hope that some choices will leave you saying ‘Oh yeah, I’d forgot about that.’

Excited? Me too. What better way to look to the future than to remind ourselves of the past?

Keep it perfect. Keep it OMG.