An A-Z of great PlayStation games - Part 5: M, N, and O.

We cross the halfway mark as part three of this mini-series of blogs brings us to the letters M, N, and O.

My PlayStation collection has grown slowly over years to well over 120 games and while I do, and in fact just did, call it a ‘collection’, every one of my games was bought to be played and kept because it was enjoyed.

With this in mind I'm allowing myself the caveat of honourable mentions - something I’ve always resisted before.

I’m splitting these up into bite-sized chunks of three or four at a time, so on with the latest batch.

Obviously Metal Gear Solid is the biggest, most important, most popular, and most obvious choice for a great PlayStation game starting with 'M', which is precisely why I'm I'm not selecting it.

And this isn't (for the most part) about me being some kind of hipster twat, MGS is a really good game, and if you somehow haven't played it already then you really should - but if I were you I'd play Motor Toon Grand Prix (2) first.

The entomology of the title for this one is rather bizarre. 'Motor Toon Grand Prix' was only ever released in Japan so, when the sequel landed a publisher for all territories, the US release was renamed quite simply to 'Motor Toon Grand Prix', whereas in Europe they decided to leave sequel-revealing '2' on the end - and confuse the life out of people like me who loved the game and wanted to find the original.

This is a game clearly born to compete with Mario Kart and there's no denying that when comparing to that series in general it falls far short. Compare it, however, to it's direct peer; Mario Kart 64, and it comes out far more favourably. 

Of course it was never going to sell as well or receive the fan adoration of anything with the super-powered plumber on the box, but for my money the game from the team who later became Polyphony sneaks over the line first.

Where MK64 struggled to bring mode 7 tracks into the 3rd dimension, MTGP2 revelled in it's polygon glory, bringing an almost sand-pit level of physics fun to the party too. Where Nintendo's game fumbles the fairness of it's predecessor, the Sony game has beautifully balanced weapons. And where the content of the N64 franchise-entry is a series low, Motor Toon's extras and unlockables are true rewards for perfecting the games more-realistic-than-it-has-any-right-to-be gameplay.

The cartoon visuals and shouty announcer are pure joy, and the music is catchy and fits the action well. Characters are hugely creative, as are their respective vehicles, and the tracks, although low in number, are varied and rife with short cuts.

As much as I have compared this game to others here, it's not really in the same genre as anything else. Polyphony bringing an appreciation of racing lines and handling to this otherwise toy-box game makes it somewhat unique, and if you find that hard to believe from screenshots, take a look at this video of the unlockable Motor Toon R mode, which transposes the games physics and handling onto more realistic racing car models. https://youtu.be/SQvUXWYEHis?t=36

No One Can Stop Mr Domino is one of many games that I played to absolute death via a demo desk from the front of PSM, I actually only bought the game a couple of years ago when I saw it in local game shop.

It's a reflection of the game's difficulty that, despite literally years of playing the first level, each subsequent level remains controller-hurlingly hard.

The aim of this idiosyncratic puzzler is to move your domino character around a course leaving a trail of other, inanimate, dominoes in your wake. When you complete a 'lap' you knock over the first domino and the chain reaction continues as you would expect - with success, failure, and score dependant on how long your unbroken chain of dominoes is (along with other, less obvious, factors).

The style is reminiscent of Micro Machines v3, with life size obstacles and interactions forming part of the courses, with many that can included in the layout for spectacular results. There are also special tiles on the floor that grant stamina or have negative effects, and there are even unlockable characters available, as the game goes on, who have different speeds and abilities.

It's a simply premise but a hugely complex game that requires immense precision, particularly if you want to perfect every level. Luckily, the game is hugely entertaining too, with music and level design that is top notch and plays no small part in the game's addictive 'just one more go' appeal.

The intro of ONE features a single line of monologue; "I made a mistake." before a futuristic jet-helicopter thing fires a missile through Mr John Cain's window, disturbing him from an afternoon nap on the floor. At this point the player takes over.

Instantly you’ll be aware that there are some early 3D-era issues in this game. Namely that there's mild platforming elements, and too often it's very difficult to judge your jump. So far, so 1997.

That notwithstanding, it is with not a single iota of hyperbole that I say this is easily one of the best action games on the PlayStation. 

From that moment at the start the game is a non-stop onslaught of gunfire, enemies, and explosions. It's viewed with a ‘dynamic’ camera - which basically means the game chooses the viewpoint and perspective, and there were some points in the games where I cursed this, loudly.

But all was forgiven come the stage 2 boss fight. During this particular set piece the action is viewed from the perspective of the boss itself, which is certainly a new one on me, and it’s not only a very cool effect but is also key to figuring out how to defeat this antognist. The game is full of neat touches like this that keep the action varied, interesting, and fun. 

The designers of this game say their main inspiration for ONE was the likes of Contra and Gunstar Heroes and that their aim was to bring that style of gameplay into the ‘3D’ era - and it’s no small praise to say that they achieve that goal resoundingly.