Top 5 Games You Should Keep Until You Croak

We all know that games come and go, you love a game one minute and then you're tired of it 4 weeks later. Systems become obsolete, the trade value of a game drops, so why hold on to something longer than you should? For two reasons. 1) Some are actually worth a ton of money and 2) sentimental value.

I'm not a game hawk. I don't deal games, I don't collect them at yard sales then sell them on ebay or anything like that. If other guys want to do it, whatever, fine by me. But I'm a guy who loves video games for the fun they give, for the memories they've provided and the bonds they've created. So I fall into the sentimental category.

Do I save everything? No way! But the games below I'll never get rid of because they remind me of something. It could have been a gift from someone close to me, it could be that I don't think they ever made a better version of what I had, it could be that it brings back memories of who I was or what my life was like at that time. It just depends. Here's my list. Let me know what makes your top 5, even if you don't have it anymore and regret it.

Terry's Top 5 Games I'll Keep Until My Son Inherits Them

1. Metal Gear Solid - I've mentioned this game in my column once before. This was a life altering game for me. I've always loved movies or games set in a snow. I don't know, maybe I was a polar bear in a previous life. The setting, the over the top story and the great voice work hooked me. And of course, getting past guards while disguised as a box made me laugh until milk came out of my nose. Every time. The lesson to be learned? Don't drink and game at the same time.

2. Super Mario Bros - Of course I'm talking about the NES version. I don't know anyone who wasn't addicted to this at the time, it was like crack. I blame my brother Phil for this. I was in college when this came out and I'd go home and to do my laundry. He'd bug me to death until I tried it and once I started I just couldn't stop. The next day I went out and bought my own NES.

3. Legend of Zelda - This one nailed me in high school. I hadn't played games in years and one day I'm over at a buddy's house and his little brother had an NES. He was playing Zelda and the music hypnotized me. I pushed the kid to the side and played until 5am.

4. NHL 94 - I can't even begin to describe how much money I made off of this Super Nintendo classic. In my frat, this was the game to play and I was house champ until I graduated. Still the greatest sports video game ever.

5. The Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - I love music just as much as I love video games and with all of the 80's tunes in this game, I couldn't help but love it. The game play is stellar, the voice acting still has no equal and all of 80's references (Miami Vice, Scarface) really got to me. I grew up in the 80's, what can I say?