Help me narrow down my collection!

[Erik_Twice]

I do not like mediocre games. I'm very exigent when it comes to games and media in general, I prefer to play 1 very good game than 4 good games. Given that there are lots of awesome games and I have limited time and money I prefer to have as less games as possible.

I made some lists including every game I want to play on every console that I consider worth having and on PC. The PC list is pretty much clean but I have lots of doubts about half of the games on my lists.

Given that I value the opinion of Racketboy's user above other reviewers I ask you. What of those games are worth having according to you?

1) Short games are prefered.
2) I don't have enough patience when it comes to beating hard games. I prefer easy games.
3) I don't like "normal" RPGs, I'm tired of them. This includes Chrono Trigger, Fianl Fantasy and so on. However I might make some exceptions for collecting puporses.
4) I live in the PAL region
5) I prefer MAME or the best version of the game if avalible.
6) I have only 50 games on my "must" list, I'm really pick about games.

NES:

Ducktales 2. I already have a good number of plataformers so I would prefer to cut them down. How is it, specially compared to the first one?
Megaman 3,4&6: I already have 1 and 2 on my list, I think it's enough, specially since those two are not as fun AFAIK.
River City Ramson I'm not into Beat'em'ups. I really suck at them, How difficult is this game? Is the GBA version better?
Chip'n'Dale This game looks cool but I want it exclusively for the multiplayer so unless it's really good I doubt I will pick it. Should I?
Rad Racer: I love OutRun and everyone thinks this is a really good clone. What do you think?

MEGADRIVE/GENESIS

Sonic 3: I already have 1 and 2 on my list. Does 3 improve on the formula?
Ecco the Dolphin: No idea about this game. Heard it's tough.
Earthworm Jim 2: Is 2 better than the first one? Does it improve? If not it's probably out
Phantasy Star II OR IV: Exception to the RPG rule, I will probably pick one of those two unless you think they are not worth it. Which one is better?
Alien Soldier: Cool game. However I heard it's really hard so probably it's out because I suck at those.
Herzwog Zwei: How is the multiplayer on this one? Looks interesting.
Comix Zone: As I said before I suck at Beat'em ups. If this one isn't one of the best around I prefer to pass this one.
Out of this World (MegaCD): Is this the best version avalible?
Shining Force Series: I have two or three Fire Emblem games waiting to be played. How do they compare?

SNES

Shin Megami Tensei I and II: Those two games were great back on their time as far as I know and I like the newer SMT titles. However I don't know if they are worth playing now. I have SMT if... on my list I like the atmosphere of that game so I cannot resist.
Donkey Kong Country 2&3 I already have 1 on my list and the sequels looks pretty much the same. What do you think?
Super Mario All Stars: What do you think it's better, the original games for the NES or these versions?
Starfox: I like Space Harrier. How does it compare to it?
Ogre Battle: Again, how does it compare to Fire Emblem? I also think it's an expensive game. Is it true?
Gradius III: It's an arcade port but the original is SOOOO hard I might give it a chance. How does it compare? I'm concerned about slowdowns
Star Ocean. A friend of mine told me to check it. How is it?

DREAMCAST

Space Channel 5: I'm a hardcore music game player. Will I like this game?
Cosmic Smash: I need some review of this game because all I see is a pong game and I know it's more than that.
Crazy Taxi 3: Which version is better? DC or PC?

PLAYSTATION 2

Ridge Racer V:I loved OutRun and I was told Ridge Racer had similar drifting mechanics. Worth it?
Zone of the Enders: I just want one game in the series. Which one should I pick?
Metal Gear Solid: I want to try one of the games. Should I pick 2 or 3? How harsh are they with the "stealth" thing?
Xenosaga: Are they your average RPG only with lots of cutscenes and plot developments? I'm very genre savy and I can't stand most RPGs because of that.
Ace Combat 6: I'm intrigued by these series. However if I can find anything similar on PC i would prefer a PC game because of surround gaming and joysticks.
SMT: Devil Summoner: I like the Digital Devil Saga games and the Persona series but I'm not much into action RPGs. What do you think?

PLAYSTATION

Rayman: Is this the better version?
Tempest X3: I don't thinkit's worth buying a Jaguar so outside of that is this the best versionor should I gowith the PC one?
Klonoa: I heard this game was a good plataformer. How expensive is it?
Suikoden: The second part seemed really good. Is worth picking up the first one?

Sega Master System

I only have Zillion and Phantasy Star as interesting games for this console! Are there any more interesting games on the system? Because, in the end, I can't think of any.

Zelda and Metroid

I want JUST one of each. I don't really like those genres very much so I would prefer to play just one of each. Which 2D Metroid game is easier and which Zelda game is shorter?

Also how much should I pay for Panorama Cotton? I love Space Harrier and it looks even funnier!

Thanks in advance.

[latenitevacancy]

i cant comment on every game there, but i can say this

donkey kong country 2 is leagues better than 3, though 3 is still good, just not as good as 2

and as for zeldas': get link to the past. its the only one i've ever played to the end, and its one of my favorite games ever.

[gtmtnbiker]

i cant comment on every game there, but i can say this
and as for zeldas': get link to the past. its the only one i've ever played to the end, and its one of my favorite games ever.

LttP is a great game but I think it's one of the longer Zeldas. It has something like 18 parts compared to the other Zeldas which might have around 10-11 parts.

Link's Awakening is also very good and is shorter than LttP in my opinion.

[J T]

Megamans all start to feel the same after awhile, so unless you are really itching for more after completing the first two, you probably don't need more. The first two were my favorites, although I really liked part 8 on Playstation.

River City Ransom is awesome in my opinion, but I like beat em ups and it nicely adds some RPG elements. Perhaps being able to strengthen your character will make it easier for you? I remember it being a hard game, so I'm not sure it fits your criteria.

Chip n Dales was a great platformer. I don't remember how it was on multiplayer though.

Rad Racer. I loved it then, but there have been so many good racing games since then. It's hard for me to piece out how much I like this for nostalgia's sake and how much of it is actually a good game.

Shin Megami Tensei I and II. The first one is pretty slow moving. The second one improves on it. It's interesting though to see how many of the core elements of the SMT games were right there from the beginning though. The PS2 SMT games are far better, but as a fan of the series it's interesting to see the roots, but there are clear limitations. I got stuck and frustrated with SMT I. First I couldn't find some invisible thing I was supposed to notice, then when I did, I was overwhelmed in the coming battles with my underpowered character. The 16-bit era first person perspective also made it real easy to get lost in the mazes. Everything looks the same and there's not much animation when you turn, so it's easy to forget where you are and what direction you're facing.

Donkey Kong Country games are all pretty similar. They are fun, but very related.

Super Marios Allstars- I prefer the originals.

Star Fox- was a great game, but the primitive 3D feels unbearably bad now. The N64 version is the way to go.

Gradius III gets very hard. It's pretty good for awhile, but then it gets to these points where you have to fight boss after boss and if you die once all your power ups are lost and you really don't stand a chance without your powerups.

Space Channel 5- it's great fun. The timing can be excessively demanding at times, but the humor keeps you going. It's more Parappa than Guitar Hero.

Ridge Racer V can be had at GameStop for like $3.00. Try it. You won't be out much if you don't like it. It's a decent game.

Xenosaga- if you hate cut scenes, run far away. This game is notorious for some of the longest cut scenes ever. Like 30 minutes without a break cutscenes.

Metal Gear Solid- Part 2 is a good game, but the story is cheezy. I haven't made my way through all of 3 though.

Klonoa- There is a version on the PS and the PS2. There's also a Wii remake of the first one. They are some of my favorite platformers. The level design is great because it's put together in such a way that all your jumping and running perfectly blend together so that you catch as many diamonds as possible without breaking the flow of the game. It's a kiddy game in style, but has superb play control.

Just one Metroid? It's too hard to pick. Metroid and Super Metroid are both worth your time.

Zelda- the original NES one is the shortest and one of the best. Ocarina of Time is the best in my opinion though.

[Limewater]

NES:

River City Ramson I'm not into Beat'em'ups. I really suck at them, How difficult is this game? Is the GBA version better?
Chip'n'Dale This game looks cool but I want it exclusively for the multiplayer so unless it's really good I doubt I will pick it. Should I?
Rad Racer: I love OutRun and everyone thinks this is a really good clone. What do you think?

River City Ransom isn't too hard, and it's unique enough that I think it should have a place in your collection. I can't speak for the GBA version.
Chip 'n' Dale is pretty easy-- it's the first game I ever beat. Multiplayer is kind of fun, but honestly I don't think I've every successfully gotten much farther than the first level in a two-player game.
I personally think Rad Racer is pretty forgettable. I'd just stick with Outrun on either the Megadrive or SMS.

Out of this World (MegaCD): Is this the best version avalible?

There is a better (imo) version available for PC. The guy who made the game updated the graphics to run at a higher resolution. However, this game is not easy!

SNES

Super Mario All Stars: What do you think it's better, the original games for the NES or these versions?
Starfox: I like Space Harrier. How does it compare to it?

I'd personally stick with the originals for the Mario games. Get Mario Allstars to save shelf space (get the one with SMW and that's five Mario games on one cart), or if you want to check out the Lost Levels.

I prefer Starfox to Space Harrier. Once again, though, this is not an easy game!

Sega Master System

I only have Zillion and Phantasy Star as interesting games for this console! Are there any more interesting games on the system? Because, in the end, I can't think of any.

I'm not a huge SMS fan. You might be interested in the SMS port of R-Type. It's really great, though again it's not easy.
Some people are crazy over Golden Axe Warrior, but I played through it this summer and never really saw the charm. Legend of Zelda is worlds better, in my opinion.
The SMS port of Rampage is better than the NES, though I guess you'll prefer MAME.

Zelda and Metroid

I want JUST one of each. I don't really like those genres very much so I would prefer to play just one of each. Which 2D Metroid game is easier and which Zelda game is shorter?

The shortest Zelda is probably the original on NES. However, the best (in my opinion) is A Link to the Past on SNES.

Also, in my opinion, the original Metroid is the easiest of the 2-D games, but I think Super Metroid is a much better game, and not much more difficult.

[Ack]

SNES

Shin Megami Tensei I and II: Those two games were great back on their time as far as I know and I like the newer SMT titles. However I don't know if they are worth playing now. I have SMT if... on my list I like the atmosphere of that game so I cannot resist.
Donkey Kong Country 2&3 I already have 1 on my list and the sequels looks pretty much the same. What do you think?
Super Mario All Stars: What do you think it's better, the original games for the NES or these versions?
Starfox: I like Space Harrier. How does it compare to it?
Ogre Battle: Again, how does it compare to Fire Emblem? I also think it's an expensive game. Is it true?
Gradius III: It's an arcade port but the original is SOOOO hard I might give it a chance. How does it compare? I'm concerned about slowdowns
Star Ocean. A friend of mine told me to check it. How is it?

If you like the MegaTen series, I can see the SMT games being worth it. I've never gotten into them myself though.

Most folks say the Donkey Kong Country series goes downhill after the first. They're still great games, but if you've got the first, you've got the most important.

If you get Super Mario All-Stars, get the version that includes Super Mario World for the SNES. Might as well grab them all, eh?

I agree with JT's assessment of Starfox, though I've never played Space Harrier, so I can't compare.

Ogre Battle is extremely expensive. Think closer to Final Fantasy Tactics than Fire Emblem.

Gradius III...couldn't tell you.

Star Ocean is an RPG I think is absolutely great, and its combat system is pretty unique for the time. It's pretty similar to Tales of Phantasia in a lot of ways however, so if you didn't care for ToP, you probably won't enjoy Star Ocean so much.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Sonic 3 is the best in my opinion

[Incognito D]

MEGADRIVE/GENESIS

Sonic 3: You might as well get all 3 games, They're all great


SNES

Donkey Kong Country 2&3 Donkey Kong Country 2 is the best. Do not fail to play this game. It's incredible. 3 is nearly as good, and 1 is still great.

Super Mario All Stars: Everything is great except Mario 2

Starfox: Better than Space Harrier


DREAMCAST

Download, burn, try, see if you like


PLAYSTATION 2

Metal Gear Solid I recommend starting with Metal Gear Solid (Twin Snakes remake for GC if you can - otherwise, 2 and 3 have nicer graphics.


Zelda and Metroid

I don't like Metroid, but I like Zelda Try Majora's Mask. It's not too long (4 dungeons) and it's critically acclaimed so if you don't like it, then you don't like Zelda.

[Original_Name]

As you are particularly picky, you may think that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 isn't worth it at first (or you might, I know I sure as hell did when I just had it on its own), but I STRONGLY urge you to pick up Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with Sonic & Knuckles to lock them together and play the original vision for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It's one of my top 5 favorite games ever.

[Hobie-wan]

Herzwog Zwei: How is the multiplayer on this one? Looks interesting.

Its a proto RTS. I do not like RTS games, but I like playing this multiplayer as long as the other person isn't a super strategist. You don't have to gather resources, you simply accrue money faster if you occupy more of the neutral bases in the map. It moves at a faster pace than RTS games I had tried back in the day (Starcraft, Total Annihilation) because your main unit is used to make, transport, and give orders to your units. You can also attack with your main unit.

Part 1 of 4 review

Gradius III: It's an arcade port but the original is SOOOO hard I might give it a chance. How does it compare? I'm concerned about slowdowns

The 3D level is missing from the arcade, but the difficulty is much more reasonable. Bosses do have some bad slowdown, but If you're used to NES and early SNES slowdown its not terrible IMHO. Its dirt cheap to pick up as well.

Zone of the Enders: I just want one game in the series. Which one should I pick?

I only own and have played the first, but every opinion I've seen says the second is better. Of course it is pricier.

Tempest X3: I don't thinkit's worth buying a Jaguar so outside of that is this the best versionor should I gowith the PC one?

I have the PC version and just got a Jag along with T2K. Somehow its much more fun to play on the Jag than the PC. I can't speak for comparing it to the PS version though.

I want JUST one of each. I don't really like those genres very much so I would prefer to play just one of each. Which 2D Metroid game is easier and which Zelda game is shorter?

Super Metroid is easy enough with the map IMHO and while the GBA games are good, playing in on the TV is more satisfying if you don't have a GB player and a GC.