What games do you think best represent what it means to be a video game? Games that cause you to say "this is what video games are supposed to be." Now these don't have to be games you like or anything like that, the only criterion is how fully or how purely a game represents video games as a medium. For discussion's sake I'll say that this is a huge medium and when I say "purely represents vidya" I don't mean a game that covers all of the medium, but a game that perfects the medium.
Here's a short list I've made to help illustrate my question
>Earth Defense Force
This one is a no brainier for me for this list, you're running or flying around shooting a whole invasion load of giant spiders and ants and UFOs with a fuck load of NPC helpers. You're on big maps with shit loads of cool enemies that are satisfying to kill using a character that's often times enjoyable to play. The concept and scope, defending earth from advanced bug aliens on a large scale, plus the execution of these games is what I think defines "video game" so well with these games. This is any seven year olds dream game. While the next game I would rate, for the purpose of this list as a 10/10 qualifier, that is that it fills my criteria fully, EDF blows it out mainly because
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE IS THE REASON VIDEO GAMES WERE INVENTED. PERIOD. IT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF THE MEDIUM.
Don't get me wrong it's not my number one favorite game or anything but for the purposes of this discussion it is beyond perfect.
>Jet Grind Radio
Colorful, stylish, fun soundtrack, punk attitude, great controls, addictive gameplay, good challenge. For this list I consider JGR a perfect match. Maybe the most finely distilled essence-of-vyda I've ever played. Fruit-booting around grinding rails, losing cops, and destroying property in such a well realized world full of energy and color is something that still provokes me to think to myself "this is the logical direction for games to be moving during '99. or whenever" The arcade pace and playability can not be overlooked. Splatoon carries an odd torch of this game's brand of vidya and I suppose a lot of what can be said about one can be said about the other on this topic
>Metal Slug/Earthworm Jim/Alien Soldier
These three are grouped together because they're more similar to each other than not. Metal Slug has just killer butterysmooth movement gameplay with kick ass guns and the best sprite work there is. On top of that it has everything tanks killer bosses bunch of guns hippys grenades you name it. Did I mention the gameplay is amazing? This is an early example of a game made by a group of people that knew exactly what it meant to be a video game. There's no doubt. Some of these games I'd go as far as to call near perfect. EWJ on the other hand is more silly fun on top of really good controls and movement and at times pretty challenging gameplay. Great art/sound design all around also. This really helps, you know? Alien Soldier is just so fast and relentless with really fun controls and great ammo management and health management. Great art/sound too.
>Bishi Bashi Special/Point Blank
Something about a smattering of minigames at a fast pace reflects what a video game can be so well. A self contained bunch of minigames with a high rate of quality, most of which can only exist in vidya, that can be relied on for almost guaranteed fun, unless you've burned yourself out, is exactly the purpose of video games. And light guns when done right rule. Exactly the type of action that fits the medium so well.