30. Quake III Arena
The first online shooter I ever played turned out to be one of the best I ever played. I played immense amounts of this game just in the demo on gamespy arcade of all things. The action in this game never ceases to give me an adrenaline rush and a big grin every time I see the skull icons line up on my screen from dealing out so much pwnage. With the recent release of Quake Live, perhaps I'll get back into it with some new blood to square off against.
29. Metroid
The sheer massiveness and secrets of this game never ceases to amaze me even to this day. I really enjoyed dissecting the world, finding tons of crazy secrets and finding new areas that I'd never seen before. Most people like Super Metroid better, but I felt this game was more open ended and had more interesting environments to explore.
28. Little Nemo: The Dream Master
Perhaps one of the coolest ideas for a game ever, Little Nemo was a blast because it let you go through these whacky and creative dream worlds and become all sorts of creatures. It was hard as HELL though, which make this game last years and years for me until I finally toughened up and completed the game. I even completed the game once without using continues which believe me is no easy task. I can pop this game in at any time and get lost in it.
27. Diablo II
Hours and weeks of time were spent on this game leveling, getting better gear, and exploring with friends. The best mmo-like game in existance (the gameplay like elements minus all the empty space) as far as I'm concerned. Sometimes I'd like to get back into this one, but I'm sure the hackers are way out of control (they were when I quit).
26. Mega Man 9
A gamble and a great surprise by Capcom made one of the absolute best in the 8-bit Mega Man series. Soundtrack (OH MAN), gameplay (Still tough as nails), bosses, and level design show that Capcom absolutely has not forgot how to make an excellent Mega Man game. If only we could say the same about Sega and Sonic..
Look for 25-21 tomorrow.