Pack-in games (I.e. the game(s) that came already included with the system itself) are an essential part of home console gaming. The convenience of being able to *immediately* pop in a game and start playing as soon as your system's hooked up, so that you don't need to take an extra trip to the store (or have spent an extra load while at the store already) in order to enjoy your console, has always felt strange comfy to me. (I'm weird, I know.) It makes you feel accommodated somehow, and there's a sense of completeness that comes with everything you need right here in this one package, sometimes including extra accessories for the console. So to honor the wonderful tradition of pack-in games, why don't we all pick our favorites? You can even do a top five if you like. I don't want this to be a traditional poll, it's anything goes. Wikipedia has a list here, to help refresh your memory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack-in_game
So let me start it off. Here are the best pack-in games I've played. (The worst might be "Sewer Shark", off the top of my head, but let's not go there.)
First off, there is of course "Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt". The sight of the game is one of those icons of childhood. "Duck Hunt" I never played as much but "Mario"...well, what could I say about such a world-famous masterpiece which hasn't already been said?
The Colecovision came with "Donkey Kong". I hardly think anyone could've asked for more.
"Altered Beast" was the original pack-in for the Genesis. One of the most awesome games ever.
The Neo Geo came with "Magician Lord". Classic arcade action.
The Game Boy came with "Tetris"--a wise choice given how addictive that is.
And of course we mustn't forget "Super Mario World" and "Super Mario 64".
If I had to pick one, it would be "Altered Beast". That game is the epitome of the philosophy what arcade games are all about: gaining progress, powering up, collecting goodies, ripping through every obstacle in your path as brutally as you can.
So let's hear your own votes. What would you say was the finest (or at least your favorite) pack-in game of all time, for any system?
Pack-in games (I.e. the game(s) that came already included with the system itself) are an essential part of home console gaming. The convenience of being able to *immediately* pop in a game and start playing as soon as your system's hooked up, so that you don't need to take an extra trip to the store (or have spent an extra load while at the store already) in order to enjoy your console, has always felt strange comfy to me. (I'm weird, I know.) It makes you feel accommodated somehow, and there's a sense of completeness that comes with everything you need right here in this one package, sometimes including extra accessories for the console. So to honor the wonderful tradition of pack-in games, why don't we all pick our favorites? You can even do a top five if you like. I don't want this to be a traditional poll, it's anything goes. Wikipedia has a list here, to help refresh your memory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack-in_game
So let me start it off. Here are the best pack-in games I've played. (The worst might be "Sewer Shark", off the top of my head, but let's not go there.)
First off, there is of course "Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt". The sight of the game is one of those icons of childhood. "Duck Hunt" I never played as much but "Mario"...well, what could I say about such a world-famous masterpiece which hasn't already been said?
The Colecovision came with "Donkey Kong". I hardly think anyone could've asked for more.
"Altered Beast" was the original pack-in for the Genesis. One of the most awesome games ever.
The Neo Geo came with "Magician Lord". Classic arcade action.
The Game Boy came with "Tetris"--a wise choice given how addictive that is.
And of course we mustn't forget "Super Mario World" and "Super Mario 64".
If I had to pick one, it would be "Altered Beast". That game is the epitome of the philosophy what arcade games are all about: gaining progress, powering up, collecting goodies, ripping through every obstacle in your path as brutally as you can.
So let's hear your own votes. What would you say was the finest (or at least your favorite) pack-in game of all time, for any system? 
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