This list is in a constant state of flux because I'm always playing new games and hoping to add them to the tally.
Starting with 20, to add to @Fredchuckdave 's thread.
Showing 1-10 of 22 items
I thought about including SMB2 and 3, but I honestly never loved those games as much as the original. If I spent a summer with a NES now, maybe I'd turn towards SMB3, but as of my current standings, it'll probably remain the original forever.
When I really think about the Genesis, the only game I loved as much as Spot Goes to Hollywood is Sonic the Hedgehog 2. But that game was never mine; Spot was unequivocally my game, and it'll always have a spot in my heart. I think this game might've been like Toejam and Earl, where you walked around a given level trying not to die and collecting things. It wasn't structured exactly the same way, and the levels were all themed to different movie tropes (a pirate level, a haunted house level, etc.)
I played this game through a broken wrist and a cast. I adore DKC.
On top of the brilliant gameplay, writing, and visual design, just listen to THAT MUSIC.
Pokemon Blue for life. I still adore this game, despite not being able to play modern Pokemon.
The first 3D game I ever played. And what a place to start.
Honestly, I feel weird about having this game on the same list as SM RPG, but this is the game that taught me that games could have a more complicated story. Paper Mario has waaaaay more going on than Super Mario RPG (well, until the end of SM RPG) and is just as funny, engaging, and weird. I wish I'd ever liked the Mario & Luigi games as well as Paper Mario and SM RPG.
My personal pick for "best Zelda game." Fantastic dungeons, a great story, and, again, THAT MUSIC.
My GTA of choice. I always played it with cheats back in the day, though.
Played through RE4 roughly seven or eight times, and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. An absolute favorite. Ramon Salazar is an excellent Wesker weirdo proxy.