While I'm not really a big fan of video pinball games, a few have managed to grab my attention over the years due to their brilliant execution. Epic Pinball is definitely one of them; a huge mainstay on shareware discs and even having limited versions included with some OEM computers back in the day, it certainly impressed me with its high-fidelity and colorful graphics, fantastic music and the sheer variety it brings to the proceedings; the CD version of the game includes a whopping 13 tables to play on. They also match a variety of themes, from race cars to futuristic androids to a bizarre, threadbare table called the "Enigma" that awards bonuses based on a cryptic set of conditions. Good stuff all around, whether you're a pinball fanatic or not.
86. Myst (Cyan, 2021)
85. Psycutlery (Eyes in Everything, 2024)
From the developer of acclaimed Mario fangame "Psycho Waluigi" and utilizing a similar gameplay hook; though instead of a psionic aura you get a floating spork (bearing the name you input) that sticks into objects or enemies and tosses them about. Throughout stages you also find powerups that grant limited-use projectiles of various sorts, temporary invincibility, and collect tadpoles which serve as the currency in the in-level shops and medallions that allow you to unlock more challenging versions of each level to test your skills. The platforming action is varied and challenging, but the game is also quite forgiving if you let it be - your maximum health can be freely adjusted and some purchased powerups can be stored for later use, giving you an advantage in later levels. A fun little romp with some creative mechanics, a very solid presentation, a self-aware sense of humor and 50 stages in total to complete; 100 if you also count the harder versions of each. Psycutlery could easily pass as a quality commercial release, but the fact that it's free to download and play makes it far too good an offer to pass up.
A game which blends all things late-90s together into one - charmingly blocky 3D engines (BRender, the same technology behind 3D Movie Maker), metal music, gratuitous violence and pure action. Case in point, Carmageddon is a combination of an arcade racer, an open-world game and a demolition derby with three win conditions - go through all the checkpoints before time expires, demolish all of your opponents' cars, or kill every pedestrian on the map. Impacts, checkpoints and dead pedestrians earn you extra time and points which can be used to unlock new vehicles and tracks, purchase upgrades or just repair damage to your car and get you back in the action mid-stage. You'll also find a variety of hazards and various power-ups and power-downs like Jelly Suspension, Blind Pedestrians, Solid Granite Cars, Damage Multipliers and Free Repairs, all of which only add more chaos to the proceedings. Gruesome, twisted and incredibly fun, Carmageddon is a blast. Just steer clear of that godawful Nintendo 64 version and you're golden.
The Incredible Toon Machine is an offshoot of the Incredible Machine series which adds cartoon logic into the mix, pitting the titular characters against one another on the backdrop of a series of puzzles. To this end, you'll fire catapults, utilize lights and magnifying glasses to burn things, use elaborate systems of ropes, pulleys and conveyor belts to transport objects, and, of course, cause mayhem with anvils, dynamite, revolvers and bombs. The between-level cutscenes in the CD release were also a lot of fun, having Sidney Mouse and Al E. Cat (voiced by Rob Paulsen and Jim Cummings respectively) explain your objectives with bits of animation and plenty of jokes. Oddly the game also had a Japan-exclusive reskin for the Playstation and Sega Saturn, changing the objects and characters to ones from the Ghosts n' Goblins franchise.