Best Video Games Ever!

Okay, these are more or less like the 5 Greatest Video Games in Sal's Keeper's life.

A little back story, my parents never bought me video games or if they did they were cheap, old PC games. But never the less I was able to actually find the best games ever and some of these go beyond the 16-bit Nintendo days.

5. One on One: Dr. J v.s. Larry Bird
The Year was 1983 and basketball was in a renaissance, the ABA was long gone but players like Julius Erving were tearing up the highlight reel. A youth movement started; Magic and Larry Legend were starting their own legacies for two storied franchises. The Atari 7800 had this gem, pitting Bird vs the Doctor. Many fond memories playing this game in the basement, on the old black and white Sylvania television. Of course it canceled out the ability to determine who was the black guy. The ability to break the backboard was genius and literally made me giddy in a 7 year old who knew nothing about basketball way.

4. NHL 2004
One of the greatest things about getting a job at a grocery store is the ability to buy a PlayStation 2. One of the best purchases ever was EA Sports NHL 2004. Picking up the Heatley copy (nothing against Sakic, but I hate the Avs) was so choice and creating teams was so cool. Of course it was a step above NHL 2002, which I thought was God then. I was able to destroy the engine devising nice set plays for my Penguins in franchise mode. Simply getting a fast winger to go into the corner and find the centerman to get a centering pass to lead to numerous 4-1, 5-1 games. I still love the game, even though I'm further along in my lovefest for the NHL series.

3. Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball
He's OUT! All you need to know. Having different strike out reactions, an awesome home run derby feature and giving me my first case of epilepsy, this SNES legend consumed my life whenever I hung out with my best friend in grade school. Yes, I didn't own the game, but gosh, I still get fuzzy thinking about it.

2. NASCAR Racing 2
No game was as real as the NASCAR Racing series. It turns the EA series into a sad copy cat. The paint shop was one of the greatest features ever. So many sites dedicated to new paint schemes and car set ups. Regardless of how you feel about NASCAR, this is a winner.

1. Earl Weaver Baseball II
So the guys who made High Heat and started EA Sports created this game. Apart from being a commissioner and creating leagues, teams, players, managers, strategy, stadiums, schedules, etc, the game was unreal from a strategy stand point. Of course with Weaver's name attached, the game had the best strategy that is not even seen in some games today. It was like having the MVP series, MLB the Show and all those lame baseball manager games mixed in one.

You might have noticed there was no mention of Madden. Well, the thing is, I have been playing Madden since '98 and I get so bored with it. The entire series is overrated, if people didn't care so much about football, maybe they'd know what a real game is.

Sal Fasano says: Play Sal Fasano's Baseball, where every play has a mustache; from Howard Johnson to Jack Morris.