what's your favorite game by genre?
I was asking myself today what my favorite game of all time was... and I had no definitive answer. It's too vague a question for me. I was however able to name my favorite games by genre. What are yours? some of mine are below, to name just a few.
overall gameplay Metal Gear Solid 3
overall gameplay Metal Gear Solid 3
Comments
Shooter - Halo 3
Top-down SHMUP - Ibara
Side-scrolling SHMUP - Otomedius Excellent
Rail Shooter - Panzer Dragoon Orta
RPG - Xenoblade Chronicles
SRPG - Disgaea or Disgaea D2
Open World - Skyrim
Emotional impact - Trillion: God of Destruction
Racing - Mario Kart 64
Adventure - Journey
Arcade - N/A; I never really played anything in the arcades
Game I've wasted the most time in - Ragnarok Online
Edit for new categories:
RTS - Command and Conquer: Red Alert
Platformer - Super Mario 3
Beat 'em Up - River City Ransom
Fighter - MVC 2 (if M.U.G.E.N. doesn't count)
Sports - Putt & Putter or Mario Tennis (64)
Cleaning - Katamari Damacy
Music - Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F
Horror - Dark Souls? Does that count? I'm counting it.
Humor - Undertale
Puzzle - Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Very interesting pics by everyone so far!
Shooter - Gears of War 3
Top-down SHMUP - Blazing Lasers
Side-scrolling SHMUP - Gradius III
Rail Shooter - Star Fox ?
RPG - Parasite Eve
Open World - Skyrim
Emotional impact - Life is Strange
Racing - F-Zero X
Adventure - Tomb Raider
Arcade - TMNT The Arcade Game
Game I've wasted the most time in - Skyrim
RTS - Total Annihilation
Shooter - Doom
Shmup - Ikaruga
Platformer - Super Mario World
JRPG - Final Fantasy III/VI
SRPG - Fina Fantasy Tactics
WRPG - Baldur's Gate II
Puzzle - Tetris Attack
Open World - Red Dead Redemption
Metroidvania - SotN
Racing - Mario Kart 64
Collectathon - Super Mario 64
Graphic Adventure - Grim Fandango
Action Adventure - Link to the Past
Space Sim - Descent Freespace
Beat Em Up - Battletoads Double Dragon
Fighter - Street Fighter II
Sports - Tony Hawk 2
Cleaning - Katamari Damacy
Music - Rock Band 2
Horror - Dead Space
Flight Sim - F-15 Strike Eagle II
Arcade - Simpsons Arcade Game
Humor - Portal 2
Time sink - WoW
Shooter: Duke Nukem 3D
Side scrolling shmup: Life Force
Rail Shooter: Star Fox
RPG: Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast)
Open World: Oblivion
Emotional Impact: Resident Evil because of the jump scares maybe?
Racing: Datona USA
Adventure: Sonic Adventure
Arcade: Ms. Pac-man
Wasted most time in: Fallout 4 (Or any elder scrolls games)
Puzzle: Tetris/Dr. Mario (tie)
Sports: NFL Blitz
Beat'em up: Double Dragon (NES) Streets of Rage II (Gen) (tie)
Musical: Guitar Hero 3/ Rock Band 2 (Tie)
Fighter: Dead or Alive 2
RTS - Command and Conquer Red Alert 2
Shooter - Gun Nac (anything Compile really)/ Terraforming
FPS - Goldeneye
Platformer - Super Mario World
RPG - Chrono Trigger
Puzzle - Catherine
Open World - GTA V
Racing - Ridge Racer 4/NFS Carbon
Action Adventure - Link's Awakening
Beat Em Up - TMNT IV
Fighter - Blazblue
Sports - Wayne Gretsky 3D Hockey
Music - Rock Band 2
Horror - Silent Hill 2
Flight Sim - Ace Combat 6
Arcade - X-Men/Area 51
Humor - Ratchet & Clank
2D Platformer Super Mario World
3D Platformer Super Mario 64, Galaxy (can't decide)
H SHMUP Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius
V SHMUP Pocky and Rocky (horizontal or vertical?)
Rhythm/Music Guitar Hero 2
Puzzle Tetris
RPG Pokémon Crystal
Sports NBA Street Vol 2
Beat em up Turtles in Time
Kart Racing Mario Kart 64
Arcade Racing Burnout 3
Arcade Donkey Kong
On Rails Shooter Sin and Punishment
FPS BioShock
Horror Resident Evil 4
Fighting Marvel Vs Capcom 2
Run N Gun Sunset Riders
What genre is Zelda? Link to the Past
Worst game ever made TaleSpin
Overall Game Play - Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Shooter: Goldeneye 007
Run and Gun: Contra, SunsetRiders
RPG: Earthbound, Chrono Trigger
Sports: NBA Jam, NFL Blitz, Punch-Out!!, Wii Sports
Open World: GTA III, Vice City
Emotional Impact: The Last of Us
Racing: Mario Kart 64, Burnout 3
Shmup: Deathsmiles
Dual-Stick Shooter: Super Smash TV, Loaded
Fighting: Tekken 2/WCW vs. NWO World Tour
Puzzle: Portal 2
2D Platformer: Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario World
3D Platformer: Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2
Adventure: Uncharted series
Action: Metal Gear Solid V
Survival Horror: Resident Evil
Arcade: Golden Axe, The Simpsons Arcade Game, Double Dragon, Daytona USA
Game that you know sucks but you love anyway: Friday the 13th NES
Game I've wasted the most time on: Wayward Souls (Probably around 500 hours)
Shooter: Darius Twin
RPG: Chrono Trigger, Phantasy Star IV
Sports: NBA Jam, Wii Sports Resort
Strategy: Shining Force 2, Fire Emblem Awakening
Open World: Xenoblade Chronicles?
Emotional Impact: Pokémon Silver, Phantasy Star IV
Racing: Mario Kart 8, Daytona USA, Outrun
Platformer: Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Adventure: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (if point-and-click counts)
Arcade: Balloon Fight, X-Men, Golden Axe, Ghost Squad
Fighting: Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Super Smash Bros. (all 4)
Game I've wasted the most time on: Pokémon Pearl (~500 hours between the story, trading, and using my DS and a headset as an ersatz cell phone to talk to my now-husband without racking up a nightmarish phone bill. #longdistancerelationshipproblems #ThankYouIwata)
I love the category of "Emotional Impact"
Reading the different answers from all the folks here is the most interesting one to me.
RTS - Age of Empires 2
Shooter - Wild Guns
Shmup - Pocky & Rocky
Platformer - Super Mario World or Yoshi's Island
JRPG - Chrono Trigger (followed by Final Fantasy III/VI)
SRPG - Energy Breaker
Puzzle - Kirby's Avalanche
Metroidvania - Super Metroid
Racing - Mario Kart 64
Collectathon - Super Mario 64
Graphic Adventure - Radical Dreams
Action Adventure - Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
Beat Em Up - TMNT IV: Turtles in Time
Sports - NBA Jam T.E.
Arcade - Pac-Man
Humor - Plok
Platformer: Super Mario World
Shooter: Duke Nukem 3D
RPG: I could bear The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall
Open World: The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall (mostly because of this)
Racing: Rock 'n Roll Racing
Emotional Impact: Ghosts 'n Goblins (it is a long story)
Adventure: The Curse of Monkey Island
Arcade: After burner
Game I've wasted the most time in: Jagged Alliance 2
Favourite Game to Play When I only Have 20 minutes: Street Fighter 2 Turbo Hyper fighting
2D Platformer: Super Mario Bros. 3
3D Platformer: Spyro the Dragon
FPS: Goldeneye
SHMUP: Galaga
Adventure: Link to the Past
Sports: Wii Sports Resort
Arcade: Cruisin' World
Racing: Mario Kart 64, Crash Team Racing, Burnout 3, FlatOut 2
Fighting: Super Smash Bros, Tekken 2, Bushido Blade 2
Open World: GTA San Andreas
Puzzle: The Incredible Machine (pc)
All-Time Favorite Game - EarthBound
2D Platformer - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
3D Platformer - Conker's Bad Fur Day
First Person Shooter - BioShock Infinite
Third Person Shooter - Resident Evil 4
Action/Adventure - Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Adventure - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Strategy - Pikmin 3
JRPG - EarthBound
WRPG - Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Racing - Diddy Kong Racing
Puzzle - Tetris Attack
Arcade - Donkey Kong Jr
Beat 'em Up - TMNT 2: The Arcade Game
Shmup - Ikaruga
Sports - Mario Power Tennis
Fighting - Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition
Most Amount of Hours Spent - World of Warcraft (1000+ hours)
Easiest Game - Kirby's Epic Yarn
Hardest Game - Catherine
Funniest Game - Conker's Bad Fur Day
Favorite Graphical Style - Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Emotional Impact - EarthBound
2D Platformer - Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
2D Platformer / Shooter - Mega Man X4
3D Platformer - Jak and Daxter
First Person Shooter - Time Splitters 2
Third Person Shooter - Ratchet and Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal
Open World - Grand Theft Auto V
Action/Adventure - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Strategy - Civilization
RPG - Chrono Trigger
Racing - Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
Puzzle - Tetris
Arcade - Galaga
Beat 'em Up - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4: Turtles in Time
Shmup - Giga Wing
Run and Gun - Metal Slug X
Sports - Tiger Woods Golf 2012: The Masters
Fighting - Marvel vs. Capcom
Best Music - Final Fantasy VI
Emotional Impact - Final Fantasy VI
First-Person Shooter - Doom
On-Rails Shooter - Panzer Dragoon Orta
Twin-Stick Shooter - Geometry Wars 2
Horizontal SHMUP - Gradius V
Vertical SHMUP - Mars Matrix
jRPG - Final Fantasy VI
sRPG - Shining Force 2
wRPG - Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Open World - Xenoblade Chronicles
Racing - Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2006
Isometric Racing - Rock 'n Roll Racing
Kart Racing - Mario Kart Wii
Adventure - Legend of Zelda
Arcade - Star Wars Arcade
Game I've wasted the most time on - EverQuest
Mobile - Final Fantasy Record Keeper
RTS - None
Platformer - Super Mario Bros. 3
Precision Platformer - N+
Beat 'em Up - Guardian Heroes
2D Fighting Game - Marvel vs. Capcom 2
3D Fighting Game - Tekken Tag Tournament
Sports - Cyber Stadium Series: Base Wars
Horror - Fatal Frame
Rhythm - Rock Band 2
Humor - Earthbound
Puzzle - Hebereke's Popoitto
Metroidvania - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Space Sim - Shadow Squadron
Emotional Impact: Ghosts 'n Goblins (it is a long story)
Oh c'mon Bea, you've gotta tell us the story!
Puzzler Adventures of Lolo 2
2d platformer Super Mario Bros 3
3D platformer Donkey Kong 64
Arcade port Millipede
Shooter Contra
Most difficult game I've beat Adventures of Lolo 3
Easiest game I've beaten Bugs Bunnys Crazy Castle
Game I need to beat but haven't.. super Mario bros 2
Most nostalgia driven game Felix The Cat
Favorite Nes game Super Mario Bros 3
Favorite snes game Donkey Kong Country
Favorite n64 game Donkey Kong 64
Favorite GameCube game Tony Hawks Underground
Favorite racing game Mario Kart 8
Most disappointing game Super Mario Sunshine
Overall - Legend of Zelda
RTS - Command & Conquer Red Alert
Shooter - DOOM (2016)
V SHMUP - Mushihimesama
H SHMUP - Deathsmiles
Platformer - Mega Man 2
JRPG - Final Fantasy 2/4
SRPG - Shining Force 2
WRPG - Might and Magic III
Puzzle - Super Collapse
Open World - Witcher III
Metroidvania - Guacamelee
Racing - Burnout 3 Takedown
Graphic Adventure - Full Throttle
Action Adventure - Castlevaina 4
Beat Em Up - Streets of Rage 2
Fighter - King of Fighers 2002
Music - Rock Band 4
Horror - Dying Light
Arcade - Gauntlet Legends
Humor - Monkey Island
Time sink - Xenoblade Chronicles (180h)
Best Gameplay: Doom
I'm not sure how to address this category. Best=more or less, more complex, more simple? I don't know, but Doom is my favorite of all time so I'll go with that.
FPS: Doom
Shooter: Axelay
Adventure: Quest for Glory
JRPG: Final Fantasy IV
CRPG: Baldur's Gate
Turn Based Strategy: X-Com (original)
RTS: Starcraft
2D Platformer: Castlevania 4
Beat 'em Up: Tower of Doom
Puzzle: Dr. Mario
2D Fighter: Pocket Fighter
3D Fighter: DOA 3
Open World: GTA San Andreas
Flight Sim: X-Wing Collector's Edition
Fixed Screen Arcade: Dig Dug
Racing: Super Mario Kart DS
Run & Gun: Contra
Sandbox: The Sims
Sports: EA NHL 12
Emotional Impact: Megaman 2, because I discovered it while young, and fell super in love with the graphics, music, and gameplay. I still get those same feelings when I play it now.
All-Time Favorite Game - Myst
2D Platformer - Super Mario World
3D Platformer - Super Mario 64
First Person Shooter - Counter-Strike
Third Person Shooter - Mass Effect
Action/Adventure - Castlevania: SOTN
Adventure - Legend of Kyrandia 2
Strategy - Sid Meier's Civilization
JRPG - Final Fantasy 6
WRPG - Daggerfall
Racing - Super Mario Kart
Puzzle - Tetris
Arcade - Galaga
Beat 'em Up - Sunsetriders
Shmup - Tyrian
Sports - Tecmo Super Bowl
Fighting - Battle Arena Toshinden
Most Amount of Hours Spent - World of Warcraft
Easiest Game - Mario is Missing!
Hardest Game - Battletoads
Funniest Game - Sam and Max Hit the Road
Favorite Graphical Style - Valkyria Chronicles
Emotional Impact - Final Fantasy 6
**also...
I love the category of "Emotional Impact"
Reading the different answers from all the folks here is the most interesting one to me.
Yeah I keep meaning to give that one some thought. Maybe Heavy Rain.
Shooter: Gun*Nac I'd say. There's plenty of great shooters out there but I love Gun*Nac the most
RPG: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - More of a dungeon crawler but definitely an RPG to me. If you're talking actual JRPGs, then I'd say Golden Sun due to playing it as a kid
Open World: Minecraft (Great game, cancerous community), Uncharted Waters
Emotional Impact: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - I cry every time at the ending
Racing: Rad Racer, any Mario Kart game
Adventure: Die Hard (NES) - This game's genre is kinda hard to determine but I'd say it's a pretty good adventure game that follows the movie perfectly
Arcade: Balloon Fight
Game I've wasted the most time in: Minecraft. Building stuff is the way to go when I get bored
Puzzle: Pieces (SNES) - Great concept, and fun as hell with friends
Sports: Punch-Out!! What else?!
Metroidvania: Clash at Demonhead - Was my favourite NES game at some point
Humor: Conker's Bad Fur Day
Game I love even though it sucks: Most Color Dreams games (Except for Castle of Deceit. Fuck that game)
Favourite Game to Play When I only Have 20 Minutes: Marble Madness