SFC box art number 6: Super Mario Kart

Full name: Sūpā Mario Kāto
Genre: Racing
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
First released: 1992

Here we have a video game colossus that really needs no introduction. If you're a fan of console gaming, then it's likely at some point you've played Super Mario Kart (or at least one its various offspring). A great many games are often hailed as revolutionary or genre defining, but in this case that tag actually does apply.

Although there's nothing hugely clever or jaw droppingly pretty going on here, I've always found the Super Mario Kart artwork totally bewitching. The ingenious use of some of gaming's most lovable characters and the promise of bags of vivid and colourful fun, is one of the most powerful images of the 1990's. Mostly though it harks back to an age where Mario still had a bit of belly and a weft of innocence about him, and when a young lad from Liverpool (me) was left wide eyed at the prospect of racing a koopa trooper around a beach!

I think the biggest tribute that I could pay to Super Mario Kart is that even though it was released some 20 plus years ago, it still remains the most fun I've ever had playing video games. And I honestly can't see anything displacing it.

SFC box art number 7: Vortex

Full name: Vortex - The FX Robot Battle
Developer: Argonaut
Publisher: Pack-In-Video (Japan)

So we arrive at number 7 in my Super Famicom box art countdown, and what's this...no giant mechs thus far?! Fear not, as this will now be addressed with the very interesting Vortex. Developed by British company Argonaut; Vortex was one of the first (and few) games to show off Nintendo's shiny new Super FX chip and gave 16bit gamers a taste of what Transformers could have looked like on the SNES.

I've got to be honest, part of me thinks this box art should have been number 1 in the list, but the RPG fan boy in me (and my girlfriend) just wouldn't allow it. It is however, absolutely stunning.

It's very rare I've come across a piece of Super Famicom art that's so foreboding and so...epic. The level of detail on show on the giant mech (named 'Morphing Battle System') beggars belief and the background only serves to exaggerate the scale of the metal behemoth. This picture looks like it's been taken straight from the cover of a sci-fi novel about a distant and apocalyptic war.

The reverse side brings with it a slice of reality with some screens of what the game actually looks like, but seriously, you tend not to pay it much attention.

Although Vortex is a fine game, and uses the SFX chip remarkably well, I can't help feeling that it suffers from a classic case of the artwork being just too awesome for the game to keep up. That said, what Argonaut achieved with just a measly 4mbit cart is astounding, and I'd have loved to see what they could have done with a bigger 16mbit cart.

This particular example was purchased from the wonderful Genki Video Games. Check them out!

SFC box art number 8: Dolucky's Grass Baseball

Full name: Dorakkii no Kusayakiu
Genre: Sports
Developer: Zoom
Publisher: Imagineer
First released: 1993

Ok here's the thing, I like cute stuff. Doraemon, Keroppi, Moogles...I have a real soft spot for them all. So you can imagine the first time I saw this little round ball of fur stepping up to bat, I was smitten! Dolucky's Grass Baseball is a typical Japanese baseball title, with a RPG style career mode and the ability to challenge your friends to multi-player antics.

The game features developer Zoom's mascot; NECO as the main character, and sees him and his equally adorable friends from the forest don their soft drink sponsored baseball kits and play some ball (I think that's the correct term). I'm not sure where this one sits in the pantheon of great baseball games, but I certainly had lots of fun with it.

I absolutely adore this artwork! From the charming font right down to NECO's comedy sized feet and stuck out tongue, this box art just screams fun. And I would imagine that most other fans of cutesy Japanese characters will be in kawaii heaven with the vibrant and colourful images that adorn the entire box (and if you think that's cute, then just wait till you see the manual).  

I'll be honest, being English I have no idea about baseball (rules, teams etc), and I did buy this game solely for the artwork, but I was pleasantly surprised at just how much of a grin it was and how much effort Zoom seemed to put into it...especially the characters. This makes it even more of a shame that the scheduled US release of Doluck'y Grass Baseball (which was to be renamed Zoo Ball) ended up getting cancelled.

SFC box art number 9: Garou Densetsu 2

Full name: Garō Densetsu 2 Aratanaru Tatakai
Genre: Fighting
Developer: SNK/Takara
Publisher: Takara
First released: 1993

Instantly recognisable to all fighting game fans, Garou Densetsu (released in the west as Fatal Fury) was SNK's attempt at muscling in on the 2D brawling craze caused by Street Fighter 2. And what a series it is! Boasting BIG sprites, colourful characters and the very impressive plain shift technique, Garou offered a striking alternative to the Capcom standard.

I became interested in the art of SNK titles (and in the games themselves) the first time I happened upon a feature about Art of Fighting in an old magazine, but it wasn't until seeing a preview of Garou 2 in my beloved Super Play, that my love for all things SNK really blossomed.

Though Garou 2's artwork is not as "pretty" as that of something like Wonder Project J, there is something about it which appeals greatly to me. Seeing this rag-tag band of fighters strutting their stuff in hand drawn glory drew my attention instantly, and you can almost hear the shouts of "Power Wave" trying to escape the cart inside.

This dramatic style is carried over to the reverse of the box, which shows Terry Bogard's signature 'Fatal Fury' baseball cap lying discarded on the ground (thrown there in victory, I hope!). And as an added bonus there is a typically (for the time) epic message below the Garou logo, which speaks of the Lone Wolves taking on the world...if I'd read that in 1993, I'd have took up martial arts there and then!

Admittedly, I never enjoyed the Garou series as much as Street Fighter, but in terms of artwork alone, South Town's finest definitely scores the knockout blow.

SFC box art number 10: Wonder Project J

Full name: Wonder Project J: Kikai no Shōnen Pīno
Genre: RPG/raising sim
Developer: Almanic
Publisher: Enix
First released: 1994

A curious and totally enchanting video game, which centres around a young robot boy (or Gijin, as they're known) and his exploits in learning to be more human. Inspired heavily by the story of Pinocchio, and with an added layer of Steampunk goodness; Wonder Project J represents heartfelt gaming at its best.

At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that this title actually pre-dates Magic Pengel as Studio Ghibli's first foray into the world of video games, and it's not difficult to see why. Pino (the main character) looks like he'd fit right in to the machine heavy world of Laputa or the vibrant cities of Howls' Moving Castle. And whilst there was no direct involvement from Miyazaki and co, the influence the company's works have on this game is there for all to see.

The clever meshing of medieval (grand castles, rural villages etc) and industrial revolution settings makes for a truly extravagant fantasy world.

Being a bit of a Ghibli nut and a fairly big fan of anime style art in general, this charming design leapt out at me immediately. From the striking design of the characters (check out Pino's joints!) to the stunning location in the background, Wonder Project J was always a shoe-in to make my top 10 list.

This game could have sold on its box art alone, but when you add in the fact that it is genuinely brilliant too...well, the package is complete.

Box art: Super Famicom top 10

I like video game box art.

I like it a lot. So much so that I have been known to purchase more than the odd stinker of a game just because the picture on the front box was very pretty or interesting (Pachio-kun Special, anyone?). I know that to some people this practice is absolutely bonkers, but those who feel the same way will totally understand me.

I also like the Super Famicom...a lot.

In recent months my collection has swelled considerably and I now own a very healthy 147 complete in box (CIB) titles for my beloved 16bit box of tricks. And this got me thinking, in amongst this horde are some truly stellar examples of box art at its best, so I've been trying to tackle the difficult (and very fun) task of ranking them in top 10 format.

Anyways, starting today I intend to countdown through the list and try to explain why each example is appealing to me.

So, if you're a fellow box art nut, then please join me for the ride...

Triple Threat Top 10!

Some of the rowdy bunch that captured my heart...

For many years now (more than actually I care to remember, to be honest) fighting games have been my biggest attraction in the wonderful world of video games. From the first time I picked up IK+ on the Commodore 64 I found the allure of controlling master marital artists irresistible, and through the years this love only intensified with the barrage of staggering triumphs that were released in the genre. There is no other family of game that offers such diversity and depth of character, as the world of the fighting game (AM2's Fighting Palm tree, anyone?!). And it's testament to the genre that even today, the likes of Arcana Heart 3, Tekken Tag 2 and BlazBlu are keeping the torch lit. Just goes to show, knocking seven bells out of your mates will never get old!

Anyways, after a chance Twitter conversation with fellow brawling connoisseurs; Messrs Dave Bird and Anton Sombetzki, we decided to each jot down our top 10 favourite fighting games and then compare the lists...vs style! Given that we each enjoy differing gaming palettes, the variations in selections should hopefully make for some interesting reading.

This is the first time I've embarked on compiling this list so, here goes...or as Anton put it: "three dudes, ten games, one week!"

By the by, this not my take on the "definitive" or "greatest" fighting games. It just those which I hold dearest, and the systems on which I fell in love with them...so please don't be offended if a certain game hasn't made it.

1. Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting (SNES/Super Famicom)

Funny what some new colours and a speed increase can do, eh...

As anyone who knows me (even a little bit) could probably tell you, I am bit of a Street Fighter nut, and Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting is my most beloved of the lot. In fact it is not only my favourite fighting game, but also my favourite game...period. I can honestly say that I have never felt the same level of anticipation or love for any other video game, nor has there been another game that I have ploughed the same (obscene) number of hours into in all my years of rolling quarter circles. For me this game has absolutely everything; a near perfect balance, an intelligent and diverse character roster, fantastic visuals and sound effects and possibly the most hated villain the fighting game world has ever seen. It was and still is a shining beacon for Capcom at their very best.

2. The King of Fighters 98 (PSX)

Dragon vs Wolf, in stunning SNK-ovision!

Pound for pound, the best King of Fighters game there is, and probably the best 3 on 3 fighting game I've ever had the privilege to play. KOF 98 is a kind of 'best of' from the previous instalments (94 to 97) and it certainly shows. It has probably the finest roster of characters I've ever seen in a fighting game with characters shipped in from all over wacky world of SNK, a ludicrous amount of depth and some wonderfully extravagant (but not over the top) combo attacks. What sets KOF 98 apart from all other fighting games though, is the sheer amount of minute detail that SNK stashed away inside it; little touches like Kensou choking on a pork bun and Terry's hat falling off when you lose a bout, are almost insignificant but show just how much effort was poured into the game. While it did borrow a lot from other games (namely Street Fighter), KOF 98 remains my favourite fighting game of its generation.

3. Tekken 2 (PSX)

Brush head biker, batters armoured thief...in a forest, why not!

The first Tekken game kind of passed me by (as did a lot of early polygonal 32bit games) but when it's sequel (imaginatively titled Tekken 2!) arrived on the scene it, demanded that I sit up and take notice of it. From the (even now) gorgeous CG intro sequence to the excellent soundtrack, Tekken 2 remains to this day my favourite poly-fighter. Where Namco truly excelled themselves though was with the sheer depth of this game...there are no other brawlers from this period with anywhere near the same amount of scale to them. There is a bewildering array of oddball fighters to choose from, and more than enough variety to suit all styles of play. More than this though, each character has a distinct personality to them that really helped to pull me in. Add to this a fascinating tactical approach to each bout, where a considered approach would often be rewarded (as opposed to the rather speed heavy/move spamming approach we now see in current Tekken games) and you are in for a royal treat.

4.  Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Saturn)

The Capcom geekometer is off the charts here...

I adore the Street Fighter Alpha series, it was definitely the logical way for Capcom to take Street Fighter at the time, and Alpha 2 is my favourite of the three. Although it has a smaller roster than Alpha 3, I've always considered it to be the most balanced of the series and I'd also say it's the prettiest, too. There are three distinctly different fighting styles you can choose from, lots of very impressive super combos and a mountain geek-tastic cameos in the stages stages (my favourite bit!). I've chosen the Saturn version of Alpha 2 here because it was the most faithful port around at the time, little (but significant) touches like the water reflections in Gen's stage and a number of extra animation frames just push it above the PSX version.

5. Capcom vs SNK 2: Millionaire's Fighting (Dreamcast)

After years of clamouring, the fans got their way...and it was good!

It's probably not wrong to call this game 'the fan boy's wet dream'...it's certainly how I felt when I got my hands on it. Happily for me though, the game managed to live up to the hype that surrounded it. The choice of characters on offer here is frankly insane, with a plethora of fan favourites making the cut. CvS 2's stand-out feature though, is it's choice of combat styles; there are three from both the Capcom and SNK stables, plus the ability to customise your own...this allows for some truly in-depth and epic tinkering, I found myself spending hours here just getting the balance tight for my own style. While the game is not perfect; a lack of Robert Garcia and a gimped Ryo Sakazaki are unfortunate, it is still one of the most magnificent fighting games I've ever picked up.

6. The Last Blade 2 (Neo Geo CD)

SNK's prettiest ever game?

Big shout time here. I consider The Last Blade 2 to the best looking game that SNK produced, and this is what initially drew me to it. The stunning vistas of feudal Japan, intriguing characters and innovative battle system, make for a splendid (and indeed my favourite) weapons based fighting game. It's slightly less comic book style than the (also magnificent) Samurai Shodown but manages to keep that manga feel to it...the SNK artists really outdid themselves with this one. Although the access times on the Neo Geo CD version mean you have to wait an eternity between bouts, this just adds to the anticipation...and lets you go and make a sandwich!

7. Street Fighter III Third Strike (Dreamcast)

The purists choice...and with good reason

Yes, its another Street Fighter game (sorry), but it really is hard to argue with the pedigree of Third Strike. After playing Alpha for so long, I initially found it difficult to get into Street Fighter III but once I picked up Third Strike and got to grips with it's intricacies I found it to be Capcom's best since Hyper Fighting. The new parry system allows for some epic counter attacking and for once, the new characters were of a pretty high standard (except for Urien in his undies!). The old favourites are not left to rot though with Capcom breathing new life into Ryu and Ken et al...this means loads of fun relearning them all over again! This game spent has spent so much time in my little Dreamcast, and I picked it up brand new just for £10, can't say fairer than that!

8. Garou: Mark of the Wolves (PS2)

Finally, Garou plays as good as it looks...

I've been a fan of the Garou/Fatal Fury games from the very beginning, but while each game was interesting and well presented I could never help thinking that not a single instalment was as polished, or as well executed as a Street Fighter game...at least until Mark of the Wolves was released. SNK tweaked the system and made it more conventional (I know that sounds like a sell out but it honestly brings so much more to the game), giving it a much nicer flow while also introducing some new miscreants to the party. The overall result is incredible! I actually felt like all other Garou games had been made just to facilitate the arrival of MOTW. Sure, the game borrows heavily from other franchises but this doesn't diminish it's quality one bit. Although I own Mark of the Wolves for the Dreamcast too, I found myself ploughing the most number of hours into the Japanese PS2 version.

9. Fighters Megamix (Saturn)

This was the ultimate SEGA get together!

There was a list of reasons why I wanted to own a Sega Saturn back in the day, and top of that list was Fighters Megamix. An epic coming together of some of Sega's most beloved franchises...it read like a who's who of fighting games! The fact that I could pit Akira against Bahn was brilliant, but to be able to then pit Bark against the Hornet car from Daytona...in a cage match was just too much! AM2 also saw fit to add to the ability to dodge, which enabled some sneaky counter attacks and a genuine extra layer of scope to the game. Fighters Megamix may lack the slick presentation of Tekken 2 but in terms of depth it runs Namco's finest very close indeed, and that helps propel it into this list and makes it the finest 3D fighting game I've ever played.

10. Killer Instinct (SNES)

Insane combos at their best!

When I first laid eyes on Killer Instinct I was gob-smacked by how stunning it looked but also fairly sceptical of what Rare seemed to be trying to achieve. Their formula of Street Fighter II + Mortal Kombat + massively insane combos struck me as a bit naughty and more than a bit lazy, this all changed however once I finally got my mitts the game. KI's biggest draw by far is the combo system, which is nothing short of brilliant. It takes a little while to learn what move links to the next but once you get the basics, you won't look back. As previously mentioned, it looks glorious and has one of the best soundtracks on the SNES. It may not be the most original game in terms of characters and settings but it certainly is bags of fun, and that surely, is the point.

So there we are then, my ten favourite fighting games. I hope you enjoyed reading the list as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Please feel free to vote, comment, share and subscribe...oh and check out my comrade's lists too!

Honourable mentions:

Samurai Shodown 2, Fighting Vipers, Dead Dance, Virtua Fighter 2, Street Fighter IV, World Heroes Perfect, Neo Geo Battle Coliseum, Soul Edge, SD Hiryu no Ken, Waku Waku 7, IK+, Flying Dragon, Last Bronx, Arcana Heart, Galaxy Fight, Super Smash Brothers, SvC Chaos, Gals Fighters, Rival Schools United by Fate

Vote for your favourite game?

• Have a look at Anton's top 10
• Have a look at Dave's top 10

There is just about enough time left for to mention a game that, while very popular would never make into (or even close to) my top 10 list...the elephant in the corner:

Mortal Kombat (Arcade and every console)

Ridiculous...

I'll come out with it straight away, I just don't "get" Mortal Kombat. Never have and probably never will. That's not to say I've never tried though, I've played (and indeed owned) at least four instalments of the series, and can honestly say I've never once enjoyed playing it. I don't know if it's the fact that it's too American, had stupid and ugly graphics or just that Midway managed to spawn a truck load of games based on nothing but overly gratuitous violence. For me, a fighting game must have depth, interesting characters and a fluid feel to it, Mortal Kombat has none of these. In fact the best way I can sum it up is like this; when my mate first got his SNES copy on 'Mortal Monday', I rushed round to his house to play it...within 30 minutes we were back playing Street Fighter II. Case closed.  

Those are a few my favourite things...

Much assorted finery...reads like a who's who of 90's gaming

I've been playing video games for many years now (since about 1986 in fact) and consequently, having played literally hundreds of fine titles, I tend to shy away from trying to decide which are my 10 absolute favourites. Never the less, it is something that I've been mulling over for a while now and it's probably time I had a go at it. By the by, this is not my take on the 10 greatest games ever...I'm not that brave.

One thing that really strikes me when I look at this list, is that for all I bang on about loving obscure Japanese games, pretty much every title below is a mainstream AAA effort. Which I guess goes to show that when it comes down to it, big studio know how really does rule the roost.

Anyways, here goes...

1. Street Fighter II Turbo
   Without a shadow of a doubt my favourite game of all time, and one which I've spent a disgraceful amount of my life playing. Graphically amazing, and surely the most balanced and playable game from all of time, SFII Turbo is still the greatest fighting game to grace any system, and will probably always remain so. Glorious SNES home conversion is just edged out by the arcade perfect PSX version (from Capcom Generations 5) in the console world. As close to gaming Nirvana as I've ever been...total perfection from Capcom.
2. Terranigma
   My blog entry for this game probably conveys best how I feel about it, but to recap...in my eyes this is by far the greatest RPG on the SNES, and therefore the greatest greatest RPG ever. Majestic in just about every way, and vastly superior even to many games from subsequent generations, it pushed the SNES to it's limits and rewarded players with an epic and harrowing tale, the likes of which is all too rarely seen. Lack of US release means it remains an underground classic and is ruinously expensive.
3.  Super Mario 64
   In the world of video games, the word 'revolutionary' is often incorrectly banded about, however in this case it certainly couldn't be more apt. As well as selling bucket loads of N64 consoles, Mario 64 totally redefined the way we looked at gaming and dragged every developer into a glorious new age. This game kicked started gaming in the third dimension and brought it to the masses, and amazingly to this day, has still to be bettered (even by Nintendo themselves). Quite probably the greatest game of all time.
4. Super Mario World
   One of two games at the centre of an age old Nintendo debate: Mario World or Mario 3? For me there is only ever going to be one winner here...the faultless Super Mario World, the greatest 2D platformer of all time. Launched alongside the Super Nintendo, Mario World showcased Shigeru Miyamoto at his insurmountable best, and is probably still to this day, the most playable game I've ever experienced.
5. Final Fantasy VII
   An absolute benchmark in the RPG genre, the importance of this game simply cannot be understated. When Square finally deemed the world ready to experience it's flagship series, it was for many in the west, a first glimpse of just how special a mere role playing game could be. Released during what were without doubt, Square's golden years, it boasted unparalleled CG sequences, unforgettable characters, and a story that made grown men cry. Although it is far from perfect and has developed an unhealthy fan boy base, you simply can't ignore this behemoth and for me it remains far and away the most memorable title on the Playstation.
6. Final Fantasy VI
   The undisputed (in my eyes) king of the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy VI completely rewrote the RPG rule book when it came along back in 1994, and will live forever in my memory for being pretty much perfect in every way. A ridiculously in-depth story, backed up by the most memorable cast ever seen in a video game was coupled with jaw dropping visuals and a soundtrack that embarrassed some Hollywood movies. All this made Square's masterpiece the jewel in the Super Nintendo's crown. Criminally, it was never released in Europe until it's little brother became popular, but Final Fantasy VI is now beginning to gleam the worldwide recognition it so richly deserves. 
7. Tekken II
   The King of the Iron Fist for me, is also the King of 3D fighting games. Tekken II simply blew me away, with it's beautiful high res graphics, super tight controls and a moves bible longer than your arm. It could be picked up in an afternoon but would take a lifetime to master...trust me, this was another title that I spent a disproportionate part of my life hammering away at. It also happened to boast one of the most characterful rosters of any fighting game and to this day, it is still the only fighting game that can give Street Fighter II Turbo a run for it's money.
8. Shenmue
   Another title that I've previously waffled on about, Shenmue represents everything that is magnificent about gaming in my book. It's massively intricate, stupidly detailed and unfathomably gorgeous in every way. It truly is a rare gem thanks to it's unrestrained beauty, and so, makes me feel a lil bit sad, because in today's cut throat world of throw away gaming...there's little chance we'll ever see it's series finale. Still, let's rejoice at the fact that it even exists in the first place. There's no disguising it's obvious flaws, but they can't come close to spoiling what is a true work of art.
9. Goldeneye 007
   Perhaps a left field choice given my quite vocal disdain for the FPS genre and the fact that it isn't Japanese. But with Goldeneye, Rare somehow managed to capture the very essence of what makes gaming fantastic and sprinkle it over an entire N64 cartridge. Perhaps the fact that it took me completely by surprise has helped into this list as did the fact that Goldeneye is one of the finest multi player games of all time. Technically awe inspiring, it proved that FPS games could work on a home console, and so to any console FPS zealot who's reading this, you have Goldeneye to thank for the fact that FPS games are the force they are today.
10. Championship Manager 97/98
    Another British entry (gasp!), and it's quite hard to sum up how I feel about this game...it is so addicting that it should probably have been banned. The chance to take the reins at your boyhood club, and steer them to world domination is one that's too good to refuse. In terms of hours ploughed into a game, this comes second only to SFII Turbo. My favourite thing about "Champ Man" though was the chance to get Robbie Fowler a (much deserved) Premier League winners medal.

So there we have it. Looking back over this list I have to admit to being fairly pleased with my selections, all are without doubt totally brilliant in some way. I'm also quite proud of how varied the list is, and that it's not totally dominated by the SNES (much to my surprise). 

Honourable mentions go out to: Super Mario Kart (SNES), Super Metroid (SNES), Earthbound (SNES), Secret of Mana (SNES) and Suikoden II (PSX). Any of these five could easily have made it onto the list and on another day...they probably will.