Mermaid Top Five Tropical Places in Games

 

With it having been so unbearably warm this last week or so, I have been inspired to pick my Mermaid Top Five Tropical Places in Games. What do you mean that's too niche?

You know I'm going to list them anyway.

 

King of Seas

This game is new to my library. It was one of those "see it on Twitter and buy about an hour later" sort of games. You play as an exiled princess or prince, presumed dead after being accused of killing the king, who has taken to a life of piracy. The pirates are all pretty nice and not your typical, unwashed, scurvy ridden fellows. Instead, a lot of this game seems to be playing as a merchant who doesn't mind sinking  few ships now and then. You deliver parcels, map the area, pillage sunken ships, and save ship wrecked sailors - basically all the bits of Assassin's Creed Black Flag that I enjoyed! The world is bright and vivid, the seas are sapphire blue, and the islands are a delightful mix of sandy beaches and jungles.

The game keeps hinting that I will eventually be able to go ashore so I can properly explore these islands. I will have to keep playing and see! 

Destiny Island - Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts is one of my favourite games. Mixing Disney and Final Fantasy together? Urm, yes please! The first game starts on the beautiful Destiny Island. Although it seems to only be inhabited by three children, it is absolutely glorious. Crystal clear waters, palm trees, and gorgeous white sands. Sure, you have to do that annoy race against Riku at this stage of the game, the rest of the island more than makes up for it. (Did anyone else find it impossible to win against him?)

Of course, being set over a myriad of worlds, there are more tropical-esque and wonderful settings to explore in Kingdom Hearts. I'm looking at you Hallowe'en Town. But Destiny Island is so idyllic and exactly what I imagine a tropical paradise to be.

 

The Caribbean - Assassin's Creed Black Flag

"Why, pray tell, has this game ranked higher than the one which you said was all the good bits of this game?" I hear you ask. I swear there is some logic to this pick. Black Flag uses hyperealistic graphics to accurately recreate the world as we know it, just with extra parkour. King of Seas is much more cartoony. So Black Flag is the closest I am getting to the Caribbean any time soon. Plus, I can still do the gameplay I like. It's a sandbox game, I can avoid doing all the sneaky stabby stuff. I'm a barbarian at heart, I storm in and button mash. I lack the finesse for assassin work.

Virtual assassin work, I assure you.

 

Madain Sari - Final Fantasy IX

Oh hello entry that doesn't quite fit the bill yet still ranks weirdly high. FF9 is my favourite game and I will find a way to shoehorn it in. Because there aren't really any truly tropical settings in this game. The closest we get it the Outer Continent, which certainly has the oceanic aspect down, but it always came across as more desert-y to me than tropical. But that could just be me. I have been mis-pronouncing Zidane all these years. (It's Zi-dahn, not Zih-dayne - who knew?!)

So Madain Sari is on the Outer Contintent, it's where all the summoners used to live. While the land does seem distinctly drier than a tropical climate, it still has the gorgeous, aquamarine blue seas and waterways. Outer Continent is always where I wanted to live if I was to live anywhere in Gaia. But probably in the Black Mage Village, more trees for this pale kid to hide under. Although, there is a genuine secret library in a mountain, maybe I'd live there... I'm getting off track. But if anyone wants the top five places in Gaia that I'd like to live, that is a top five I would happily do. Then get stressed because I can only pick five.

 

Honourable Mentions

Goomba's Booty Boardwalk - Mario Party 8

Goo Lagoon - Spongebob Squarepants Battle for Bikini Bottom

The Caribbean - Lego Pirates of the Caribbean

 

Besaid - Final Fantasy X/X-2

I love everything about Besaid. The jungle setting surrounding the village, the beautiful beaches, the water you can swim in - the first FF where you could swim! - and the village itself. Plus, the Besaid theme is just perfection. I could have quite happily spent the whole of Final Fantasy 10 and 10-2 in Besaid. Story? What story?

To be fair, the second locaiton in Spira is also delightfully tropical. Kilika has huts directly on the water, all connected by wooden walk ways. But you get to Besaid first, so... Plus, it's where Wakka is from. He is one of my favourite characters in FF10. Not only is he ginger, but he's voiced by John DiMaggio aka Bender from Futurama. I was really happy in 10-2 when you got to explore more of the island, 10 spends a tragically short amount of time at Besaid. If they want to do a Sims-style game for 10-3 entirely set on Besaid, I would be down for that!

 

What do you think of my selection? Got any quibbles? Any better suggestions - leave a comment below!