My first experience with Metroid was when I was like ten or so and it was Metroid II on the Game Boy. I didn't understand it at all, and I'm glad I didn't play this game at that point because I would've written it off too, I'm sure. But now that I have played every game in the series to completion multiple times (except Other M, which is horrendous), I have to say this really is the crowning achievement in a stellar series. It's nearly flawless, really, and different each time you play it through.

What I believe to be the best Japanese roleplaying game ever made. It has an amazing battle system, mindblowing visual design, tons of variety and challenge, and a gripping story. The writing (especially the localization) is spot-on and the characters are fantastic. I just lament that I discovered this game so late! (I bought and played it in 2008 and was blown away.)

I have beaten this game more times than any other game I have ever played. It's tough, it's rewarding, and it's a thousand times better than all the NES Mega Man games combined. The second X game was good too, but past that the series really took a nose dive. Regardless, this is a shining jewel of 2D action, and I love it to death.

Never mind the stupid last-minute pun, this is one heck of a platformer. It's Rare's real masterpiece, and builds on the solid foundation provided by the first game, which really was more of a gimmick. There's so much to discover and it's just so expansive...I love it.

This was my introduction to the world of Japanese roleplaying games, and it's also one of the best. It's simple, but that's what's so good about it. Too many JRPGs get so complicated that they hurt themselves. This has charm, wit, and style that so many other games lack. Also, it laid the foundation for one of the best Game Boy Advance games, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. I've beaten this game many times.

This is really the game where Zelda took off. Sure, the NES games were groundbreaking, but this is where they really became timeless. While I still hold that Zelda makes for better 3D games than 2D games, A Link to the Past is a masterpiece. (How many times have I used that word in this list?) It features great storytelling, mind-bending dungeons, and tons of great tools and items to discover. It's incredible that out of all the copy-cats this game spawned, none of them could get it quite right.

I love this game an awful lot. It seems to me that it introduced the idea of item collection being more important than just beating levels to the gaming world. Whether that's true or not, it does so masterfully. Sure, beating the levels can be challenging, but really the point is to get 100% of the red coins, flowers, and stars in each level. Doing so opens up additional, super-challenging levels. Also, the beautiful pastel art style gives this game a feel of its own. It's got just the right balance of challenge, charm, and creativity.

(known as Final Fantasy III) I remember being a little apprehensive about this game when I got it from GameStop forever ago. My only experience with 2D Final Fantasy was the horribly misguided Mystic Quest. When I gave III a chance, though, it really grew on me until I was hooked by the great story and colorful characters. The combat system was pretty darn generic, though, and movement speed seriously needed to be faster, so Chrono Trigger gets my vote for the better RPG.

A fantastic multiplayer game and real groundbreaker. I remember how frustrated I was with the computer players because of how unforgiving the AI was. However, playing races and battle mode against friends was second to none, and there's still a charm and special feel to the SNES-age Mario games that has been lost.

This is such a great game to play with a group of a few friends, passing around the controller as you get a game over. I always preferred Donatello for his great reach, but I've experimented with the others and found it mixes up the game a bit. It's got an amazing soundtrack and is visually impressive. The only problems come from its arcade roots and inherent repetitive nature.