On this day in 1994...
Suns superstar PG Kevin Johnson capped off a monster night (38 PTS, 12 AST) with this iconic dunk in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals!
May 2, 1993: With Phoenix facing elimination (trailing the Lakers 0-2 in a best-of-five series), coach Paul Westphal guarantees the Suns will win the next three games and become the first NBA team to win an opening-round playoff series after losing its first two games at home.
HBD Kevin Johnson, one of the most underrated point guards ever
Many only know the 6’1” former Mayor for dunking on Hakeem but he made 5 All-NBA teams and averaged 20.4 PTS & 10.5 AST over 6 seasons.
Lucasfilm Games / LucasArts are among the greatest game studios of all time. Pick any three of these games and you have a strong case for “timeless brilliance” with massive impact on gaming culture.
The selection below spans an 8-year period, arguably their peak. They were simply on another level.
I’d bet most of you played at least 8 of these games, if not more.
I think sometimes we forget how incredible some game studios were back in the day. Sure, some had 2 or 3 great titles and are always associated with those. But what Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts) did is truly mind-blowing. The collection below are games from what I consider their absolute peak era, from 1985 to 1995, a decade of pure glory.
Sometimes I get asked the question by friends (who didn't play games back in the day) or younger relatives if gaming in the 80s and 90s was fun. My answer is always the same: Yes, it was. Often beyond words that can truly capture the spirit and emotion fully. A very selected group of game studios played a major role in that.
I was thinking of all the adventure games I played over the years. I stopped around the year 2010, so anything after that isn't considered. Debating between Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and Monkey Island 2; a close call, but if I had to pick the best adventure game I ever played, Guybrush Threepwood is my guy.
I got instantly hooked once the opening scene started rolling. Nostalgia hits hard, but that's a sign of how good it was. Peak gaming time... I miss it dearly.
What's your all-time #1 adventure game?
My game is for LUCASARTS ADVENTURES fans, algorithm PLEASE FIND THEM!
My game is for LUCASARTS ADVENTURES fans, algorithm PLEASE FIND THEM!
My game is for LUCASARTS ADVENTURES fans, algorithm PLEASE FIND THEM!
My game is for LUCASARTS ADVENTURES fans, algorithm PLEASE FIND THEM!
The Secret of Monkey Island 2 (LucasArts, 1991) is a game that just blew me away when I first saw it. It's difficult to explain to the younger generation, but for someone who grew up with the Atari 2600 and C64, seeing a game like Monkey Island 2 was almost too good to be true.
Where to begin... maybe with the beautiful design of the game? And by design I really do mean it in the very sense of the word. The graphics are so rich, so gorgeous to look at, so vibrant and beautifully drawn. Again, for it's time it was just incredible.
The iconic music, the wonderfully quirky main character, the puzzles, the mystery behind LeChuck and Guybrush, the witty humor, the little Easter Eggs hidden throughout the game... it just felt like it was made with a lot of love. Or, in three words: It had soul.
Interesting note: According to Ron Gilbert, Monkey Island 2 and its predecessor "sold well, but Sierra Online and King's Quest were still kicking our ass completely!"
I feel that the time of adventure games has long died. Younger generations can probably not be bothered anymore with point & click adventures, collecting items and solving puzzles while "having to read" the story unfolding in front of them. I am pretty sure, Monkey Island 2 holds a special place in the heart of older gamers though.