Many titles make an impact in the gaming industry, but few go on to create long lasting franchises which define an era and develop cult followings. From uncountable sequels to unimaginable spin-offs, certain franchises have definitely stood the test of time; here are our top 5 Games That Never Say Die:
Super Mario – Our favorite little Italian plumber is definitely one of the (or not the) most recognized and beloved faces of gaming. Just think about it, you can’t even say ‘Nintendo’ without his mustache bearing face appearing in your head. Mario along with his trademark red and blue working gear has appeared in Super Mario games for over 30 years. Who knew saving the same Princess three decades in would still have such longevity?
Some notable titles:
Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Land
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Galaxy
The life and death(s) of Mario
Final Fantasy – Final Fantasy contains some of the most confusing narrative jumps within the gaming world, although that doesn’t stop it from continually impressing fans with each highly-anticipated installment. There’s no real need to list all of them, just keep in mind the thirteenth installment (minus spin-offs) is heading to the PS3 and 360 sometime in the near future. Ironically named, this Final Fantasy doesn’t seem to have its end anytime soon.
Star Wars – With little introduction needed, Star Wars has become a cult-inspiring phenomenon around the world with its vast and intriguing universe of endless complications and backwards story-telling. Regardless of the narrative moving backwards, the games have forever moved forwards with the earliest Star Wars titles appearing on the original Atari 2600, all the way to our adored consoles and PC’s of today.
Notable titles:
The Empire Strikes Back
Rogue Squadron
X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter
Knights of the Old Republic
Jedi Power Battles
The Force Unleashed
Vader implementing the Star Wars franchise
Sonic – As weird an idea of a blue hedgehog that runs really fast and can speak fluent English sounds, Sonic has been around since the Mega Drive’s inception and is even SEGA’s mascot to this day. Sonic has always been a fan favorite and has never left anyone out with his notorious cross-platform jumping. With the exception of one or two really bad stints on recent systems, we can’t help but to forgive ol’ Sonic for his undeniable charm and attitude. We’re waiting in anticipation for Sonic 3…
Notable titles:
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic Adventure
Sonic Unleashed
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater – Tony Hawk, our cherished world famous skateboarder who has not only dominated the skateboarding scene since he completed the first 900 back in 1999, but has also won the hearts of gamers everywhere with fantastic skateboarding video games beginning with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater in the same year. Few extreme sports games don’t even stay around long enough to build a fan base, but the Hawk series has proved to have a winning formula and has even grinded up any opposition until EA’s recent Skate, which has proved to be a contender in the genre. With the Tony Hawk series’ undeniable innovation over the years, and even a new skateboard peripheral coming out with Ride this November, it’s no doubt Tony and his crew will still be shredding it up for years to come.
Notable Titles:
Tony Hawks Pro Skater
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
Tony Hawk’s Underground
Tony Hawk’s Project 8
Tony Hawk: Ride
Above: Forever gnarly
Notable Franchise Mentions:
Need For Speed, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tekken, Street Fighter, Spider-man, X-Men, Sims.
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