Customisation
I LOVE this when it comes to games. It always gives a sense of individuality, when there’s a way to play the game differently to others, making the Custom Robo series a dear favourite. Pokémon is the textbook
example, but customised content isn’t only for RPGs, as Little Big Planet and the Need for Speed games point out. Changes actually have to affect the gameplay though – who cares if I can give my main character new shoes if it doesn’t make him run super-fast?
Original Soundtracks
It might not be much, but I really appreciate it when games go to lengths of composing an entire musical score for the experience. High-profile publishers like Atlus often release soundtrack CDs alongside the game itself (which I tend to collect…). On the other hand, games that just use the current Top 40 for their listings just smack of laziness, and don’t age well. The music to FIFA 2005 doesn’t sound so hot now, huh? This is also true for music and rhythm games. The track listings of Guitar Hero and Rock Band feel so limited, and after a few releases, decent available tracks start becoming scarce (isn’t that right, Guitar Hero 5 and Green Day Rock Band?). DJ Hero’s songs were mixed especially for the game, and it’s a massive step in the right direction.
Local Multiplayer
Once upon a time, games consoles didn’t have access to the Internet, and multiplayer gaming had never been more social. Anyone with an N64 has fond memories playing Mario Kart, Goldeneye, or even Mario Party all night with mates. But now that consoles have integrated Internet, a lot of games publishers have deemed local multiplayer inferior to playing with unknowns. Sure that’s fun and has its place, but buying a game with the intent to play with friends, and then realising that the only multiplayer mode is online is a real kick in the teeth. The Wii has managed to keep local multiplayer in most of its games, which I have to respect – although that probably says a lot about the quality of its online services…
Boss Battles
This can make or break a game for me. These days more and more games in genres that originally featured a decent number of boss battles are putting out less and less. I can understand why they aren’t so numerous – bosses are upgraded enemies, ensured to be bigger, badder, appear much less frequently (usually only once when you’re talking about games that don’t rely on palette swaps like some older games would), and thus require a bit more time and effort on the programing side. However, that doesn’t stop me from LOVING boss battles. I love games like Megaman, where you are guaranteed at least several awesome bosses, or games (that are much rarer) like Alien Soldier for the Genesis, which is essentially just a big boss rush game. Over 30 bosses!!!