Top Hacks 2014 Nominations

[DSO]

Well, it's about time isn't it? Major thanks go to JAM for getting the list together, we are all in his debt.

The rules are as follows:
We ask that you only make one post in this thread, nominating the hacks you felt were the best for each category. To discuss nominees or voting, please use the Talk of the Day thread instead. Any hack in the provided list is eligible to be nominated for voting.

The categories for nomation are, as always:
    Best Aesthetics - The hack that has the best look and feel to its world.
    Most Creative Gameplay - The hack with the most creative gameplay concepts.
    Best Quick Play - The hack that you can play for a short while and still feel like you accomplished something in it.
    Best Challenge - The hack with the best level of difficultly for you.
    Best Exploration - The hack that gets you lost... and yet you enjoy it!
    Worst Hacks - Spikes, permastucks and just plain bad design descisions will be commemorated here.
    Best Overall - The best hack of the year!


Nominations will be over at the end of May, and then the votes will be taken. Who will win?!

[spoiler=Eligible hacks]M1:
Metroid + Saving
Metroid Incursion
Metroid mOTHER
Metroid Revival

MZM:
Metroid Super Mission
Unnamed Zero Mission Hack

SM:
Super Metroid: Patience
Super Metroid: Path To Darkness
Super Metroid: HISHE
Super Metroid: Cristener Homenag 2
Super Metroid: Lab of Cerbewz
Super Metroid: Sunshine Oddity
Super Metroid: Ice Returns
SMCompetition
So Little Items
NonCompetition
Hownst
Super Metroid: Escape II
Ridleys Revenge
Super Metroid: Infiltration
Super Metroid: Hydellius
Super Metroid: Adams Hack
Celestriaus III
Vismund Presents: Spikes!!
Retro Dust
I Wanna Be The Metroid
Super Metroid Lompo
Super Metroid: Green Peace
Super Metroid: Magaluf
So Little Collab
SMConflict
Ferrawrd II
Super Metroid: XHPC
Super Metroid: Challenge (ThatNewGuy)
Super MockMetroid
Super Metroid: HasKemBeerT
Super Metroid: Insane Escape
Super Metroid Evacuation
Super Metroid: Desafio
Super Metroid: Final Crimson
Super Metroid: Pro Grapple
Super Metroid: No Doors
Super Metroid: Space Colony Revenger
Tribute to Energy, Missile, Map Rooms
Super Metroid: Kraid Challenge
Super MockMetroid 2
Permastuck Practice
Permastuck Practice 2
Draygon Challenge
Super Metroid: UnderWorld
Super Metroid: Grapple Challenge
Chararin 2
Super Metroid: Gravity
Super Metroid: Extra
Super Metroid: Escape from Norfair
Super Metroid: Crystal Flash Training
Super Metroid: Gate Bug
Super Metroid: Beam Combo
Super Metroid: Down
Super Metroid: ZigZag
Phantoon Challenge
Chozo Statue Challenge
Super Mega Easy Metroid
Super Metroid: Gazz
Super Metroid Lunatic Insane Hard
Super Metroid: Mini


***

New versions (made in 2014) of existing hacks:

SM:
Super Metroid Rebuild 4 (fixed version (1.21 aka 5.1) by JAM)
Project Base  (v0.7)
Darkholme Hospital (v2.0)
New Wet Dream[/spoiler]

[RealRed]

Best Aesthetics - Project Base 0.7: Fantastic new colors and graphics mesh in with old tilesets to recreate the beautiful and sinister zebes like never before.

Most Creative Gameplay - Project Base 0.7: "go where ever you want with almost no resistance" paired with several new moves and abilities to make exploration easy and fun.

Best Quick Play - Project Base 0.7: Zip around a huge world at crazy unrestricted speeds! You can get through this one FAST.

Best Challenge - Project Base 0.7: It's absolutely the best level of difficulty. It's easy, and it's right.

Best Exploration - Project Base 0.7: This is just Super Metroid... with a shit-ton of new passageways that you can follow and see just where and how you can play the game unlike the last time you played.

Worst Hacks - Everything released by jailsonmendes on November 29, 2014. Seriously, fuck that guy.

Best Overall - Project Base 0.7: It was so fucking good it made me re-think the actual quality of all of my other favorite hacks.

[Plutia]

Best Overall - Escape II

[Retroo]

 Best Aesthetics - Sunshine Oddity
Most Creative Gameplay - Project Base
Best Quick Play - Celestriaus III
Best Challenge - Escape II
Best Exploration - Escape II
Worst Hacks - Pretty much everything made by jailsonmendes and crimsonsunbird
Best Overall - Escape II

[Vismund Cygnus]

So a lot of shit came out in 2014 and it's our job to separate it from the stuff that was not so bad.

[spoiler=Best Aesthetics]I can only think of one clearly eyecandy-esque hack that came out in 2014, but keeping with my tradition of talking about at least 2 hacks for each category, I'm going to plug myself:
Sunshine Oddity, by Quote58 and yours truly: I wish myself and Quote had had the good sense to start working on this more than 3 weeks before the competition deadline, because I feel like we had some really good ideas that were executed terribly. In any event, I worked fuckin' hard on making those rooms look as pretty as I could. Fun fact; an average of 3 hours was spent on each room that used the reef tileset.

Metroid Incursion, by Grimlock: This hack makes all other Metroid hacks look like arse in comparison, and that's no disrespect to them. This is just the best that Metroid has ever looked, and I can't wait to see Rogue Dawn, if this was anything to go by. Really, I'd argue this hack was better than the game it was based on, and it was certainly a hell of a lot better looking.

Naturally, I'm not going to nominate myself, so Metroid Incursion takes the nomination for best aesthetics.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Most Creative Gameplay]2014 lacked a B2-TW to vote for. I can't even think of another hack that had anything remotely "creative" about the gameplay. And so, the nomination for Most Creative Gameplay goes to...
SMConflict, by SMILEuser96: Despite not overly enjoying the hack, SMConflict definitely had one of the most unique and interesting gameplay mechanics I've seen in any hack. A shop? How fucking great is that?! Coupled with interesting updates to some originally rather stale bosses, and SMConflict created the most unique gameplay experience of any hack released in recent memory.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Best Quick Play]A difficult choice between these two hacks for me, both of which I think fit this category for very different reasons:
Super Metroid: Project Base v0.7, by Grime: Grime's twist on the layout of the original game, coupled with new fluid controls and other minor tweaks that end up stacking up, Project Base is still Super Metroid, but it feels like a whole new experience. From the quickplay perspective, it adds a lot of speed and fluidity to places that were often arguably tedious in the original game, and opens up a whole new world of possibilities for speedrunners of the game. Props deserved for making a fun half hack.

Super Metroid: HISHE, by Scyzer: I have a lot less to say about this one, but that doesn't make it any less worthy. This hack made me laugh. A lot. That alone makes it worth mentioning.

That said I'm gonna have to give it to Project Base v0.7. It took out all of the bad that was in PB0.6 and added amazing.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Best Challenge]I hate me a challenge hack. Fuck you if you make a hack with the intention of it being a "challenge hack", because what makes a hack challenging shouldn't be artificial health boosts to enemies and spikes everywhere, it should be about creating a fun hack that feels rewarding to beat and doesn't frustrate the shit out of you. When I play something and think it's difficult, it should be because I'm screwing something up, not because the creator is a fucktard who put spikes on everything.

So fuck you, crimsonsunbird and jailsonmendes. Yep, that rant there is directed entirely at you.

Celestriaus III, by FullofFail, is the only hack where the puzzles and challenges didn't feel artificial, and I genuinely felt satisfied when I passed a difficult section. Grats, you get the nomination.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Best Exploration]Again, this one has two very worthy competitors, for pretty different reasons.

Escape II, by Hiroishi: Controllable shinesparks made for some very cool puzzles, and there was lots of hidden stuff that made exploration feel incredibly worthwhile. A lot of hackers could take a lot of pointers from how this hack does exploration. Just mind the blue.

Super Metroid: Project Base v0.7, by Grime: naturally, this deserves a mention here too. v0.7 of Project Base shows the point where Grime started adding his own spin on the world of Super Metroid, and it's all the better for it. Interesting new paths and ways to run around the world open up Zebes in a way the original game never did.

Project Base takes the nomination once again, if only because I liked it better as a hack than Escape II.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Worst Hack]Obviously jailsonmendes wins this. crimsonsunbird is a close second(last?), but just does a little bit better simply for releasing less crappy hacks. Wait, let me word that better. jailsonmendes and crimsonsunbird are equally awful hackers, and all of their hacks are on the same level of bad. But crimsonsunbird released less of them.

Still, everyone (that I played, please bear in mind) did something terrible, and that's worth mentioning here:
Metroid + Saving: Isn't this older than 2014? And if not why the fuck didn't you already do it?
Metroid Incursion: Learn to hack a better game dammit.
Pacience: Learn to spell. See also: Crimsonsunbird.
Path to Darkness: Let the CRE-fest begin!
HISHE: Forgot to skip Ceres 0/10
Cristener Homenag 2: OH YES THIS DEFINITELY NEEDED A SEQUEL.
Lab of Cerbewz: I dunno who the fuck Cerbewz is, but you can't just rename Zebes as your lab, you turd.
Sunshine Oddity: So many bugs. So, so, so many bugs.
Ice Returns: A better name for this would be "Unmemorable then Serris then Unmemorable". Also, Serris took waaaaaaaaaay too many hits.
SMCompetition: Like SMNonCompetition but shit.
So Little Items: FUCKING GRAPPLE SECTION
Hownst: This guy is basically crimsonsunbird and jailsonmendes.
Escape II: More like Escape: Blue
Ridley's Revenge: Ridley 2hard4me
Infiltration: Incomplete and Redesign.
Hydellius: Man I dunno what the fuck you were taking when you made this but holy fuck what are these aesthetics
Adams Hack: aka how to get stuck in a wall in 3 seconds by Jefe
Celestriaus III: I had to copy paste the title from the first post because it was too hard to spell.
Vismund Presents: Spikes!!!! : This only gets nominated here for being overlooked by everyone.  :cry:
Retro Dust: Man this was boring. I think it technically had puzzles. Not really though.
I Wanna Be The Metroid: I Wanna Write Every Word With A Capital Letter At The Start Because I Am 12 What Is Internet If You Don't Like This Hack Don't Play It Simple As That!
Green Peace: WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO SAVE THE ANIMALS?
So Little Collab: ANGRY FUCKING SUNNNNNNNNNNN
SMConflict: Pay 2 win
Evacuation:. . .
Actually wait. This hack had no faults. It was perfect.
Project Base: Grime you're a fucking hack (as in the insult, not the ROMHack kind of hack). All you did was release Super Metroid but made it all fucking artsy you bitch

Everything else: See Crimsonsunbird and jailsonmendes.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Best Overall]I won't go into as much detail here simply because I've already said a lot about it, but Project Base v0.7 hands down takes my nomination for Best Overall of 2014.[/spoiler]

[Cpt.Glitch]

[spoiler=Best Aesthetics] Escape II. Blue is nice.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Most Creative Gameplay[spoiler] SMConflict. The shop was y far the most creative thing.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Best Quick Play]Green Peace. Save the animals as fast as possible? Seems easy enough.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Best Challenge]So Little Collab. Liked the gameplay. The massive damage dealt by enemies and getting lost made this a challenge.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Best Exploration]Project Base v0.7.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Worst Hack]All of jailsonmendes hacks. No reason needed.[/spoiler]
[Spoiler=Best Overall]Project Base v0.7. PB is by far one of my favorite hacks. Physics works well and most of the palettes are stunning.[/spoiler]

[Aran;Jaeger]

So, I will only judge on the hacks that are within DSO´s list and that I know/remember (sufficiently well), which excludes all M1 and MZM hacks aswell as the following SM hacks:
[spoiler]
Path to Darkness
Lab of Cerbewz
So Little Items
Lömpo
Insane Escape
Escape from Norfair
Crystal Flash Training
Mega Easy Metroid
[/spoiler]

But I will include the following hacks into consideration of which I have seen content but have not played through those yet (i.e. have not directly experienced those):
[spoiler]
Sunshine Oddity
SMCompetition
SM Escape II
SM Hydellius
Magaluf
SMConflict
MockMetroid 2
Grapple Challenge
New Wet Dream
[/spoiler]
[Also, some links in DSO´s post that includes that list of hacks are messed up (e.g. SM Mini, SM Kraid Challenge).]
[And ordering of the following hacks per category does not imply any preferences. I just have to name them in at least some order, obviously.]

Best Aesthetics:
[spoiler]
Project Base
Ice Returns
So Little Collab
Sunshine Oddity
New Wet Dream
[although all of these still aren´t as majestically colourful as the glorious SM Edaeialdui :P]
[/spoiler]

Most Creative Gameplay
[spoiler]
Sunshine Oddity
Ice Returns
Escape II
So Little Collab
SMConflict
Darkholme Hospital
[/spoiler]

Best Quick Play
[spoiler]
Ridley´s Revenge
Celestriaus III
Kraid Challenge
Draygon Challenge
Down
ZigZag
Lunatic Insane Hard
[/spoiler]

Best Challenge
[spoiler]
I Wanna Be The Metroid
Chararin 2
(the rest of the hacks are too easy for my taste, and even these two don´t come close to getting MorphingBall and back to the ship in SM Kaizo)
[/spoiler]

Best Exploration
[spoiler]
Escape II
Infiltration
So Little Collab
Darkholme Hospital
New Wet Dream
[/spoiler]

Worst Hacks
[spoiler]
Cristener Homenag 2
Hownst
I Wanna Be The Metroid
XHPC
Challenge (ThatNewGuy)
MockMetroid
HasKemBeerT
Desafio
Final Crimson
Pro Grapple
Gazz
[/spoiler]

Best Overall:
Considering So Little Collab, Escape II, Project Base and SMConflict, I will choose Escape II.

[MetroidMst]

[spoiler=Best Aesthetics]

• Metroid Incursion
• Sunshine Oddity

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Most Creative Gameplay]

• SM Conflict
• Green Peace
• Evacuation

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Best Quickplay]

• Super Metroid: Magaluf
• SM Conflict
• Sm NonCompetition

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Best Challenge]

• Escape II
• Metroid Incursion

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Best Exploration]

• Metroid Incursion
• Escape II
• Super Metroid: Magaluf

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Worst]

• So Little Items
• So Little Collab

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Best Overall]

• Metroid Incursion
• Escape II
• SM Conflict

[/spoiler]

[Cloud20]

Darkholme 2.0 is not eligible ?  :sad:
It's because it's a re-release I guess ?

[Quietus]

Check the bottom of the OP. :wink:

[Cloud20]

Check the bottom of the OP. :wink:

Ah ok. Sorry my bad, I didn't saw it entirely  :^_^:

[JAM]

I'll edit this post later probably when I play more hacks. For now, I'll nominate some of them.

EDIT: Deleted Melancholia IV (thanks, Vis) and added B2-TW. Will play more hacks and the final list will be on May 31st.

EDIT2: Ah, crap. B2-TW is a 2013 hack too.

EDIT3: Added one hack.

EDIT4: Made final corrections. Limited self by 5 hacks per category.

[spoiler="Best Aesthetics"]
Darkholme Hospital 2.0
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Most Creative Gameplay"]
Insanity (it's dead, but it was kinda released in 2014).
Metroid mOTHER
Darkholme Hospital 2.0 (for the keypatches, tubes and magnets with turbines)
Super Metroid: HISHE
So Little Collab
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Best Quick Play"]
Darkholme Hospital 2.0
SMConflict
Evacuation
Vismund Presents: Spikes!!
Magaluf
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Best Challenge"]
Super Metroid: Challenge (really liked this one)
Super Metroid: XHPC
SMNonCompetition (that was hard)
Super Metroid: Space Colony Revenger (Ceres Ridley is so underrated)
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Best Exploration"]
Super Metroid: Infiltration
Lab of Cerbews
New Wet Dream
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Worst Hacks"]
I Wanna Be The Metroid
Super Metroid: ZigZag
Super MockMetroid
Super MockMetroid 2
Super Metroid: Kraid Challenge
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Best Overall"]
Darkholme Hospital 2.0
Super Metroid: Infiltration
[/spoiler]

[Vismund Cygnus]

JAM:  Melancholia IV was released in 2013. You may have to rethink your nominations   :heheh:

[JAM]

Kinda bump. This is your last chance to nominate hacks for voting.