They are designed to be engaging, meaningful, and satisfying throughout. They also must be unique, popular, and revolutionary enough to be considered "classics". Maximum of one game per franchise. Finally, they must be games that I own, and have beaten.
Often considered the greatest video game of all time, and with good reason. This 30+hr action-adventure is excellently designed from start to finish; with its puzzles, difficulty, music, and level-design. Deserves the title of "classic" more than any other game. Also responsible for spawning Majora's Mask, which is my personal favorite in the series.
Shadow of the Colossus, with its very simplistic approach, comes very close to perfection. "Art", "Masterpiece", "Classic"; Shadow of the Colossus is a prime example for all of these titles in the world of video games. While I consider Ico very much on par with Shadow of the Colossus, it's undeniable that the latter has received much more attention from the public.
Super Mario 64 is arguably the most revolutionary video game of all time. The jump from 2-D to 3-D has been unmatched to this day, and what makes this game so amazing is that it is still considered one of the greatest platformers of all time. Every level and tune is lovingly crafted and extremely unforgettable.
Metal Gear Solid can be considered the greatest stealth game, even for today. So imagine how revolutionary it was all the way back in 1998. Actually, Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 are my personal favorites, but this game is undeniably the most revolutionary. Every single minute of this 10+hr thriller is pure entertainment. Every objective, plot twist, and character is brilliantly woven together to create one of the most entertaining experiences of all time.
The most successful and popular RPG of all time automatically deserves a spot on this list. Final Fantasy 7 set the bar for every other RPG to follow. Notable for its extremely (now) nostalgic music and storyline. At the time, this game had the greatest scope seen in a video game because of its sheer size and due to it being 3-D.
Primarily known for being the most sadistically difficult RPG of all time. Nocturne changed the traditional conventions of the RPG genre because of its extremely dark story, atmosphere, and soundtrack. Despite seeming like a pokemon clone, the SMT series was actually the first to implement the "collect-monster" aspect into their games, and frankly none have done it better than Nocturne. Despite seeming brutally hard, Nocturne has one of the greatest battle-systems and is capable of being much less difficult depending on how much effort you put into learning the ins and outs.
Set the bar for stunning audio-design, psychologically driven story, moody and symbolic atmosphere, and is overall quite possibly the most depressing horror-game of all time.
Set the bar for writing and flawless level-design. Despite being short; every puzzle in Portal always has something different to offer and is virtually filler-less. Arguably the greatest puzzle game of all time.
Revolutionized how seamlessly a story can be told in a game. Along with the unmatched atmosphere of Rapture, the story is woven together through bits and pieces by means of audio-logs scattered throughout the underwater city. One of the first games to tell its story almost entirely without having to resort to cut-scenes.
Set the bar for beautifully crafted adventure games. Although Uncharted 3 is my game of choice, it is undeniable that the second one had a much bigger impact. Also set the bar in terms of being "movie-like".
