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[Crayolan]

3. Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon ; Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon takes all the strong traits of the PMD series and improves upon them with much harder, more item-oriented dungeon exploration where a large emphasis is placed on preparation before embarking into a dungeon. This game spends a large portion of time on the characters early on to make sure you care about them when it kicks the story into high gear later on, and boy oh boy, the story is amazing. The music is also complimentary to this, featuring some of the best tracks in any Nintendo game ever.

Well shit, I gotta play this.

 

[Neoleo2143]

Well shit, I gotta play this.

Its really damn good man. PSMD is the best game in the series and definitely the most refined even if the traps can be a bit cheesy at times.

 

[Regginator]

Regarding majora's mask, i would play the Nintendo 64 version instead, if possible.

That's terrible advice, especially if he's from EU. That version ran at 17fps with frequent drops and irregular freezes. The 3DS remake is perfect in that regard, with a much more polished performance without the cost of removing any of the artistic choices.

 

[ec0ec0]

That's terrible advice, especially if he's from EU. That version ran at 17fps with frequent drops and irregular freezes. The 3DS remake is perfect in that regard, with a much more polished performance without the cost of removing any of the artistic choices.

please

He's on GAF. I think he can figure out by himself that he should play the NTSC version of old games. I'm from europe, and i played the PAL version of old games during most of my life, but i know better know.

Furthermore, he can play "the Nintendo 64 version" (i.e. the original version) without necessarily playing it on a Nintendo 64.

Edit:

Why?

Let's look at this very thread...

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask; Simply the best game ever developed by Nintendo. It was such a different formula from Ocarina of Time and every other TLoZ before, that I was afraid it could live up to the "Zelda" name. But it did. And while it wasn't perfect in technical terms, the whole package was truly amazing. The 3DS version improves most of the technical problems, but adds a few problems in gameplay terms (casual mode).

1. The Legend of Zelda - Majora's Mask (N64) - 4 Points - I think Majora's Mask is the best hero story ever told in a game; one where the successful completion of the main quest is irrelevant if you don't also care about the people of the world you are saving. Link constantly deals with the weight of success and failure, all while a ticking clock is threatening to wipe it all his achievements away. This unwavering feeling of hopelessness, as well as the perversion of the NPC models from OoT, creates a "through the looking glass" weirdness to this game whose bleak tone has haunted me for 5+ playthroughs.

The reason I picked the N64 one over the 3DS one is because the 3DS version made the game accessible in a way that conflicted with the games tone. The lack of a free camera in the N64 version makes the game feel more claustrophobic, which is more befitting of Termina as a setting. Additionally, the hints and clues that are more liberally given to fill the Bombers Notebook spoils the puzzle that is saving every aspect of Termina, which in itself acts like the greatest and most fulfilling dungeon in the Zelda franchise. Lastly, the ability to save the game at any point takes away the urgency of the race against the clock where you are desperately trying to inch your progress forward before your 72 hours begins again. The N64 game is bleak, perverse, unsettling, and perfect.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
One can only hope that one day a version structured closer to the original will come out with the graphics of the remake.

and i didn't have to say a single word

 

[koopas]

1. Super Mario RPG - Managed to be both a great platformer as well as such great personality and humour. Love playing through this.

2. Super Mario 64 - Game came out and changed everything about platformers.

3. Links Awakening - Again so much personality to this game.

 

[SirSwirl]

Subbing to this, I'll definitely be thinking about this a lot the next few weeks and eventually post mine. Excited to see the results and many write ups in this thread.

 

[Regginator]

please

He's on GAF. I think he can figure out by himself that he should play the NTSC version of old games. I'm from europe, and i played the PAL version of old games during most of my life, but i know better know.

Furthermore, he can play "the Nintendo 64 version" (i.e. the original version) without playing it on a Nintendo 64.

Edit:



Let's look at this very thread...

You probably mean something like GameCube's Zelda Collector's Edition, right? Because that version of Majora's Mask was even more horrible than the original N64 release and it seemed to freeze every other hour.

And talk about anecdotal evidence. You managed to find three cases that criticised the 3D remake's look, but neglected all other people who've chosen MM. I don't understand complaints about the artistic choices, because you can't convince me the N64 looks or feels better 9 out of 10 times. The moon is doubtful, I can understand the case, but almost everything else is a clear win for the 3DS remake. It mostly makes the original look like a lifeless drab in comparison.

 

[CrazyHorse]

and i didn't have to say a single word

I didn't know any of that! Thanks.

I have played the N64 version. It seems like the 3DS players will be short changed.

 

[Hilarion]

1. Kirby Superstar Ultra. Took everything great in the original game and added even more modes to it, including the fantastic True Arena.

2. Wave Race 64. At the time I was sorely frustrated with Pilotwings 64, as much as I was blown away by it, because it was so awkward to control (a problem that persisted with me throughout 3D gaming and the reason why to this day I really dislike most 3D games). Wave Race was fluid (no pun intended) and fun without being awkward and hard to control like so many other games.

3. Fire Emblem 7. 8 and 11 (Awakening) are both also favorites of mine, but I'll have 7 represent Fire Emblem. Fire Emblem is maybe the most consistently high quality franchise I've ever encountered.

4. Advance Wars. This franchise hits all the right spots for me. Bring Advance Wars back!

5. Pikmin. What can I say, Pikmin is an absolute delight.

6.Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze, with honorable mention to all four other Donkey Kong Country games. Tropical Freeze is the pinnacle of 2D sidescrolling platforming.

7. Super Mario All-Stars. If that's cheating, sue me.

8. New Super Mario Bros Wii U. My spot for the best polygonal Mario game hands down. No stumbling around in 3D struggling with a camera and dying because you misjudged where another object is in relation to you in 3D space. Just pure, blissful, platforming.

9. Super Smash Bros 4 Wii U and 3DS, with honorable mention to the other Smash Bros games. It or Brawl would belong on this list by virtue of soundtrack alone, and 4 is just massively better than Brawl as an actual game.

10. Kirby's Return to Dreamland. Maybe the most fun I've had with a video game in years. This is a chronically overlooked gem.

EDIT:

Honorable mentions go to Punch Out Wii, Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Link Between Worlds. You just didn't make the cut, guys.

 

[gingerbeardman]

1. MaBoShi: The Three Shape Arcade; includes the perfect one button twitch "Circle" game and an unlockable DS version (that you can run as a ROM if you really want to). This is quite simply the finest, well balanced, deepest game that I have ever played. If you can look past the abstract graphics, and learn how to use momentum and one button to become one with the circle, you're in for one of the greatest of all time.
2. Kuru Kuru Kururin; Eighting's glorious version of the irritating stick concept, with gorgeous music and graphics, perfect gameplay and level design.
3. Polarium Advance; one puzzle every day for a year, that can be played one handed on a GBA SP! Puzzle perfection. I played through 365 puzzles from August to New Years E365of 2013. Really proud of that.
4. Excite Truck; an adrenalin rush of a game that gave me real life back problems during my first year owning a Wii. EXCITE!
5. Art Style: ORBIENT; aka Orbital, a superb one button Katamari Damacy in Space, with restrained, minimal graphics and surprisingly deep gameplay. A real zone game.
6. Pullblox; left field platform puzzler from the geniuses at Intelligent Systems. I prefer the original to the fussier sequels.
7. Wii Party; worth it for Derby Dash (horse racing) alone. Multi player mayhem!
8. Mario Kart 8; the best Mario Kart yet
9. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island; platforming peak. Perfect execution of gameplay, level design, music, graphics, art direction.
10. Super Mario Galaxy; everything old is new again

Almost:
X. Meteos; block dropping mayhem
X. Wii Sport; the Wii's killer app
X. Pilotwings; fly like an eagle

Missing games from the list in post #2:
* bit Generations series (GBA)
* Kururin Paradise (GBA, JP)
* Polarium Advance (GBA, JP & Europe)
* Pullblox/Pushmo (3DS)
* Fallblox/Crashmo (3DS)
* Fullblox/Stretchmo (3DS)
* Box Boy!/Box Box Boy! (3DS)

 

[ec0ec0]

You probably mean something like GameCube's Zelda Collector's Edition, right? Because that version of Majora's Mask was even more horrible than the original N64 release and it seemed to freeze every other hour.

And talk about anecdotal evidence. You managed to find three cases that criticised the 3D remake's look, but neglected all other people who've chosen MM. I don't understand complaints about the artistic choices, because you can't convince me the N64 looks or feels better 9 out of 10 times. The moon is doubtful, I can understand the case, but almost everything else is a clear win for the 3DS remake. It mostly makes the original look like a lifeless drab in comparison.

Before playing it on gamecube, people would think about virtual console (the NTSC version) or dolphin (the NTSC version), don't you think?

And i'm a bit confused about you bringing up the remake's look, considering that the 3 posts i quoted were all gameplay related. One of them even praises the remake's look.

Edit:

I didn't know any of that! Thanks.

I have played the N64 version. It seems like the 3DS players will be short changed.

You managed to quote Regginator saying something that I said? may as well changed that

 

[themagicalkitsune]

I didn't know any of that! Thanks.

I have played the N64 version. It seems like the 3DS players will be short changed.

No they won't, 3DS version has a lot of qol improvements, new additions (like fihsing spots and types of fish), looks much better than the original and unlike the original runs at a playable framerate.

I have yet to see any kind of reasonable criticism when you put the two games side by side. Arguments like "now it's for casuals" and "doesn't wholly capture the atmosphere of despair like the original version did" basically amount to "this game doesn't play exactly like how I remember the original". Unless waiting idly for time to pass contributes to the game's difficulty somehow.

 

[Blue Calx]

1. Paper Mario
2. Super Smash Bros Wii U
3. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
4. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
5. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
6. Super Mario Bros. 3
7. Mario Kart Wii
8. Super Mario 3D World
9. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
10. Luigi's Mansion

 

[Doctor Decimate]

1. Animal Crossing ; On the one hand, I'm pretty sure my appreciation for the very first Animal Crossing above all others is completely irrational. But on the other, I think there's just something to the feedback loop of collecting, selling, and buying in those segmented acres that was perfected in this one and that the other games tweaked just enough to make me like them a little bit less (man do I miss the dump and the police station). And while I'm sure the dialogue options are more robust in the other games, I still most fondly recall the system in this one. I sank too many hours into this game, and I give all the credit to its offbeat charm with superbly written characters and an inventive item catalog that I wish I got to see the end of. It sure wasn't for lack of trying.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
3. Wario Land 3 ; Shitty golf minigame be damned, it still features my favorite level designs in a 2-D platformer. This was the one where they honed Wario's bizarre platforming brand of immortality and slapstick to perfection with clever puzzles, though 2 and 4 sure aren't bad, either.
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Metroid Prime
6. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD ; Before I played this version of The Wind Waker, I'd probably have thrown Link's Awakening here. But it's crazy just how much of a difference the tweaks to the game make here; I always appreciated that sense of exploration on the open sea, and the sped-up sailing removes any of the tedium that it previously involved.
7. Super Mario World
8. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ ; Another game where charm goes a long way. I loved the hyperactive scene changes of Wario's world almost as much as I enjoyed the strange little microgames themselves, as well as a great batch of extras.
9. Xenoblade Chronicles ; There are few games I've enjoyed exploring as much as this one. It's really just a beautiful game, with one of the greatest soundtracks I've heard in a game.
10. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Honorable mentions:
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Mario Kart DS
Wario Land 4
Paper Mario
Super Mario 64
Metroid Fusion
Pikmin 2
Splatoon

 

[ec0ec0]

No they won't, 3DS version has a lot of qol improvements, new additions (like fihsing spots and types of fish), looks much better than the original and unlike the original runs at a playable framerate.

... so the original majora's mask has a non playable framerate!?

I guess that you could say that, if it was a game released nowadays, but it is a Nintendo 64 game. It's perfectly playable, same as the original OOT. Most people putting those games on their best Nintendo games ever lists don't say "you must play the remake version", because the originals, even though they have an awful frame rate compared to today's standars, are perfectly fine. In fact, by putting those games on their lists, people are saying others that they should play those games before all the modern Nintendo games with playable framerates.

Considering that OOT tends to have the number one spot in this kind of lists, i would say that most people still consider it perfectly playable.

Anyway, framerate being significantly better/a lot better is a bit plus for the remake, obviously.

 

[Tagg9]

1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Mario Kart Wii
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
5. Pikmin 2
6. Super Mario Galaxy
7. Donkey Kong Country Returns
8. Mario Party
9. Metroid Prime
10. Pokemon Red

 

[Off-Kilter]

1. Pokémon Blue
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Pokémon Gold
4. Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Star Fox 64
6. Mario Kart 64
7. Super Smash Bros.
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
9. Super Mario 3D World
10. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

 

[To Far Away Times]

1. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island ; My favorite game ever.
2. Super Mario World ; Best traditional 2D Mario hands down.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening ; This game has so much personality, and what they pulled off on a Gameboy is simply incredible.
4. Super Mario 64 ; A landmark game in gaming.
5. Super Mario 3D World ; A masterclass in game design
6. Tetris Attack ; My favorite puzzle game ever. I've played through the story mode countless times.
7. Yoshi's Wooly World ; As a huge Yoshi's Island fan, this game far exceeded my expectations. It is everything I wanted it to be and more.
8. Splatoon ; The best online multiplayer shooter game ever made.
9. Super Smash Bros Wii U ; Smash had to make the list, and this is the best one. The amount of content is incredible.
10. Mario Kart 64 ; One of the best ways to spend an evening with friends.

 

[Escalario]

1. Super Mario Bros. 3
2. Golden Sun
3. Pokémon Leaf Green
4. The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap
5. Xenoblade Chronicles X
6. Super Smash Bros. for WiiU
7. Fire Emblem: Awakening
8. Pandora's Tower
9. Super Mario Galaxy
10. Splatoon

 

[themagicalkitsune]

... so the original majora's mask has a non playable framerate!?

I guess that you could say that, if it was a game released nowadays, but it is a Nintendo 64 game. It's perfectly playable, same as the original OOT. Most people putting those games on their best Nintendo games ever lists don't say "you must play the remake version", because the originals, even though they have an awful frame rate compared to today's standars, are perfectly fine. In fact, by putting those games on their lists, people are saying others that they should play those games before all the modern Nintendo games with playable framerates.

Considering that OOT tends to have the number one spot in this kind of lists, i would say that most people still consider it perfectly playable.

Anyway, framerate being significantly better/a lot better is a bit plus for the remake, obviously.

I've played the n64 versions of OOT and MM in the not-so-distant past. Didn't have a problem then, but going back to them after playing the remakes is nigh impossible. When you're presented with the original and the remake, which one would you think better stands the test of time? I don't get why anyone would choose the low fps, more dated version, especially in the case of OOT whose remake stays more faithful to it. They're all fine games obviously, I just don't see a reason other than personal views (i.e. "Ocarina of Time was a xmas gift to me back in '98 and I hold it in a very special place, the remake just doesn't feel the same") - which is obviously fine too.

So to the people that put OOT as number one I would probably ask if they've played the remake and what they think of it compared to the original. Having played both I would've gone for the remake no question.

 

[seady]

1. Animal Crossing
2. Legend of Zelda : A Link to the Past
3. Pokemon Gold / Silver
4. Pikmin
5. Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker
6. Pokemon Red / Blue
7. Super Mario World
8. Super Mario Galaxy
9. Advance Wars
10. Warioware : Mega Microgames

 

[Benzychenz]

Oh man, this is going to be difficult, but I'll do my best.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ; Possibly the best game ever made. A fantastic adventure through Hyrule, with fantastic world to explore, great dungeons and items, plenty of secrets to uncover, a good amount of side content, phenomenal (and memorable) music. A timeless masterpiece.

2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; This managed to make a near perfect game even better, a sequel that seemed completely unnessesary, yet was completely fantastic. Amazing level design, amazing powerups, amazing music, amazing everything. The definitive platforming game.

3. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; Smash Bros is one of the finest franchises in gaming, a fighting game you can play with your friends that doesn't take too long to get the hang of, the fourth entry in the series brought with it a massive cast of characters that is surprisingly balanced, a good selection of stages, and almost most importantly, up to 8 player matches, so even with a bunch of friends over no one gets sidelined.

4. Pokemon Red/Blue ; The one that started it all. Pokemon was such a massive phenomenon, and I won't deny that this game being up so high is due to nostalgia of that time period. Pokemon was everywhere and everyone was either playing the games, watching the show, or collecting the cards (or in my case, all three). It was such an amazing time to be a kid playing this series, and so many of the best designs still stem from the original 151, the starters are so iconic, not to mention the amazing Arcanine, Nidoking, Ninetales, Gyarados, Gengar etc... I get nostalgic just thinking about it.

5. Splatoon ; A modern classic. This game is so damn fresh! They absolutely nailed the game feel here, moving around in your ink as a squid, jumping, aiming, shooting, everything just feels so right. The game has such a unique identity too with its cast of characters and quirky soundtrack, I see big things for this franchise in the future.

6. Rhythm Heaven Fever ; This series is so under-appreciated. No other game has made me smile as much, it's just pure fun condensed into disk form. The franchise as a whole is phenomenal, but this is so far the peak. It just had the most fun songs along with the least duds.

7. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ; Such a fun adventure, with a great cast of characters and plenty of great humour. It's a shame we only ever got two entries under the original formula before they started to 'innovate'.

8. The Wonderful 101 ; Team! Unite up! Negotiations definitely failed when it came to this games sales, which is such a shame as it is one of my favourite action games of all time. Such a blast to play with amazing combo potentials, great characters, and plenty of laughs. Sad to watch it die a quiet death as a more refined sequel would have been amazing.

9. Xenoblade Chronicles ; Such a fantastic setting for a JRPG. Exploring the bodies of two gods that murdered one another is an amazing draw to a game, and the exploration here lived up to the potential. Great vistas, great music and great atmosphere throughout.

10. Bayonetta 2 ; A refinement to a classic game, and thank god Nintendo funded it. I had so much fun playing through this game.

Phew there we go. Feel bad snubbing some other titles such as Kid Icarus Uprising, Metroid Prime, Super Metroid etc. 10 titles doesn't even scratch the surface @__@

 

[ash_ag]

It's close to impossible to pick my ten favourite Nintendo titles, let alone rank them. Instead, I think I'll shuffle a few of my absolute favourites together with some underdogs that are close to my heart. Furthermore, I'll only include one (main) entry per series. For example, GS could easily have been in RGB's place, as could a different Zelda in TWW's one.

1. Pokémon Red and Blue
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
3. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
4. Super Mario Sunshine
5. Kid Icarus: Uprising
6. Pokémon Stadium
7. Luigi’s Mansion
8. Mario Kart DS
9. Drill Dozer
10. Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories

Honorable mentions:

X. Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.
X. EarthBound Beginnings
X. Fire Emblem Awakening
X. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
X. Mario Party 2
X. Metroid Prime
X. Nintendo Badge Arcade
X. Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
X. Punch-Out!! (2009)

Note: I'm European. Drill Dozer is an import from North America.

 

[Firemind]

I've played the n64 versions of OOT and MM in the not-so-distant past. Didn't have a problem then, but going back to them after playing the remakes is nigh impossible. When you're presented with the original and the remake, which one would you think better stands the test of time? I don't get why anyone would choose the low fps, more dated version, especially in the case of OOT whose remake stays more faithful to it. They're all fine games obviously, I just don't see a reason other than personal views (i.e. "Ocarina of Time was a xmas gift to me back in '98 and I hold it in a very special place, the remake just doesn't feel the same") - which is obviously fine too.

So to the people that put OOT as number one I would probably ask if they've played the remake and what they think of it compared to the original. Having played both I would've gone for the remake no question.

Better controls
Doesn't fuck up your neck and wrists
Fire Temple chanting
Red blood
Cool glitches

 

[Wollan]

1. Mario 64 ; It's incredible that this game came out in summer 1996. Just incredible. In my opinion it's Nintendo's biggest design and technical achievement ever. It utilized the console 100% on day one. This game still plays as well today as it did back then thanks to its highly refined analog controls. There's something about the momentum of Mario's motions that I don't think has even been replicated in later titles, it just feels so perfect. The whole castle, its courtyard and rooms, its paintings, the worlds beyond and the 120 stars... this game will be talked about beyond my lifetime as an important note within videogame history.
2. Zelda Ocarina of Time ; Ask me on a different day and this might have switched place with Mario 64 as number one. The open world and every step of the adventure, its genre defining gameplay, the unforgettable music, day-night cycle and its many secrets, the side activities, the exciting Z-targeting combat, so many moments that played on your heart strings... this is the classical adventure game. Funny thing: I didn't have a chance to play this before the Gamecube HD release.
3. Metroid Prime ; I personally never actually finished this though I did play a large portion of it (and I did watch my buddy complete it) as it does ask plenty of you at some points with lots of backtracking and whatnot.... but man what a world. They totally managed to bring the Metroidvania concept to 3D. The whole game still feels unique today.
4. Super Smash Bros Melee ; Close to my most played Nintendo game. Outstanding gameplay, music and tons of Nintendo lore to explore.
5. Super Mario World ; I visited my friend as much as he would tolerate to simply play this game.
6. Zelda: The Twilight Princess ; I burned through this game and finished it with ~70 hours of playtime within the Wii launch week.
7. Super Mario Bros
8. Super Mario Bros 2
9. Super Mario Bros 3
10. Zelda The Wind Waker ; The second-half of the adventure is watered-out... but the core mechanics and visuals of this game was the strongest I have ever felt for a Nintendo game. Probably the most hyped I've ever been for one of their games. It's beautiful.

Honorable mentions:

X. Luigi's Mansion

 

[Fredrik]

1. Super Metroid; Still the best game of all time even after all these years, everything is perfection, and going for a 100% playthrough and get to see the 100% text at the end is one of the most satisfying things you can do.

2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past; The best Zelda and one of the best games ever made.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD; Didn't like the Wii version enough to finish it but the WiiU version with the more standard controls is fantastic, I haven't actually finished it yet but I'm at the last stretch and I'm loving every bit of it. A NX remake with the WiiU Zelda tech demo graphics would be amazing.

4. Super Mario Galaxy; Old gameplay made fresh in the best way possible, easily my all time favorite 3D platformer.

5. Super Mario 3D World; More standard Mario than Galaxy but still fantastic, I loved it, it gets far too much critique imo, when you realize that you haven't actually finished it when you think you have it goes up even higher on the list.

6. Metroid Prime Trilogy; The complete 3D Metroid saga should be on everyones top 10 list imo. Note: If the trilogy isn't qualified for the top list then I'll just choose Metroid Prime 1.

7. Ice Climber; A simple timeless classic. I still play it and still enjoy it probably more than I should.

8. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link; The Dark Souls of Zelda, extremely challenging but so so great when you get how you're supposed to play it. You only have yourself to blame if you fail since it has pixel perfect precision controls like nothing else.

9. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver; Still my favorite Pokémon and the Pokéwalker (RIP) was awesome.

10. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker; So simple idea and yet so great game, one of my absolute favorite WiiU titles.

 

[Bedameister]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
2. Pokémon Blue/Red
3. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
4. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
5. Pokémon Gold/Silver
6. Wario Land 2
7. Wario Land
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Minish Cap
9. Pokémon Alpha Sapphire/Omage Ruby
10. The Legend of Zelda: A Link between Worlds
11. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
12. Wario Land 4
13. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
14. Super Mario Land 2
15. Super Mario Land
16. New Super Marios Bros 2

Sorry, haven't played that many Nintendo games yet

 

[ec0ec0]

I've played the n64 versions of OOT and MM in the not-so-distant past. Didn't have a problem then, but going back to them after playing the remakes is nigh impossible.

fair.

 

[Zalman]

1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; I had a hard time choosing between the first and the second game. I think both deserve it, but I didn’t want to give both a spot in the top ten. In the end I’m going with Galaxy 2, because while Galaxy 1 was more mind-blowing at the time, I feel that Galaxy 2 is overall a better game. When I’m asked what I think the greatest game of all time is, Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 are the first games that come to mind. I think they are as close to perfection as we will ever get. The soundtracks are incredible as well.

2. Super Mario 64 ; Undoubtedly one of the most revolutionary games of all time. Super Mario 64 changed the game, and it’s still fun to play even to this day.

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; This is another Galaxy 1 vs. Galaxy 2 situation for me. While A Link to the Past was, deservedly so, a bigger deal when it came out compared to A Link Between Worlds, I definitely enjoy the latter more these days. I think it’s a tighter game with a great sense of exploration and great dungeon design. These days I call it my favorite Zelda game ever.

4. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ; One of the best RPGs I’ve ever played. I was very late to the party with this one, mainly because of the insane eBay prices these days, but I’m so glad I paid the price to play this. It’s an unforgettable game with memorable characters and a fantastic soundtrack.

5. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; The ultimate celebration of video game history. Every time I boot up the game and look at the character select screen, I’m always amazed by how far we have come in gaming. These characters all mean the world to me and seeing them all in one game is a novelty that never gets old. Sometimes I spend hours in the sound test mode simply listening to the music and making my own playlist. Developers and composers from all over the Japanese industry come together and contribute something to this game. That’s what makes it so special to me. At the same time, of course, it’s absurdly fun to play, especially local multiplayer.

6. Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver Version ; I was close to picking Black/White, which I feel is a highlight in the Pokémon series, but ultimately I think HeartGold/SoulSilver captures the essence of the franchise more. This remake improves on the original in every possible way. If I could only play one Pokémon game for the rest of my life, this would be it.

7. Pikmin 3 ; One of Miyamoto’s most recent gems. This is by far the best Pikmin game in my book. What really makes this game shine for me is the GamePad. Being able to tell a character where to go while you accomplish something else with another feels amazing. It allows for multitasking like no other strategy game I’ve played and it’s feels so satisfying to play. They really hit it out of the park with this one.

8. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ; Retro Studios does it again. Tropical Freeze is, in my opinion, the best in the series, and one of the best 2D platformers ever made, period. It improves on Returns by adding more characters to the mix – Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, and of course the wonderful David Wise.

9. Super Metroid ; The atmosphere of Super Metroid is unmatched. At the same time, there’s a great sense of exploration. It’s one of those games you just can’t put down because you want to see what’s in the room ahead.

10. Kid Icarus: Uprising ; I get that the controls don’t click for everyone, and that’s understandable. However, the game that’s in here is remarkable. They brought back Nintendo characters barely anyone cared for and made them incredibly likeable. Pit and Palutena are both hilarious, and I think they have become a wonderful staple to Nintendo’s line of characters. In true Sakurai fashion, the game is packed with content. Also, the game has the single best soundtrack I’ve ever heard in a handheld game. Just a fantastic package all around.

 

[itshutton]

1. Pokemon Red
2. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
3. Super Mario 64
4. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
5. Diddy Kong Racing
6. Wii Sports
7. Pikmin
8. Mario Kart 64
9. Super Mario Bros
10. Pokemon Gold

These games all had special significance at some point during my young life. Lots of time spent on the N64 with friends.

GoldenEye doesn't make the list because I was the worst player in my friendship group and it frustrated the hell out of me!

 

[Qasiel]

1: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - My favourite Zelda game. I loved the true sense of foreboding you had during your time in Termina. From interacting with the people who live in Clock Town, to dealings with the Deku King, being stealthy at the pirate fortress and the knowledge that whatever you did, you can not save everybody. Truly breathtaking.

2: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - The first Zelda game I ever played and it got me hooked on the series ever since. Like Majora's Mask, the tension in the game increases as you start to uncover the mystery of Koholint Island and its inhabitants.

3: Pokemon Red - My first Pokemon game, and one I played to death. I managed to get all 150 Pokemon and developed a reputation amongst my friends as a pretty decent trainer.

4: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - This is a given. Ocarina of Time is about as close to perfection that you're going to get. A massive world, great dungeons and one of the greatest stories gaming has ever told. It's at #4 because I do prefer MM's style over OoT's, and LA will always have that special place in my heart (and I may not have picked up OoT if it wasn't for it).

5: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - My favourite top-down Zelda game. Again, massive in scope and scale, with lots of great dungeons to explore. The real sense of exploration you got with the game made it a breath of fresh air and exciting to play.

6: Wario Land 2 - I played a hell of a lot of this as a kid. I still have fond memories of waking up early on school days just to play a level or two, and then trying to find the treasures to get my cash up at the end. A really fun platformer.

7: Super Mario Bros. 3 - 2D side-scrolling perfection. Tonnes of levels, lots of secrets and interesting power-ups made this game a must-play back in the day. Even these days I'll fire up the GBA port I own to play a few levels, and I've introduced my young niece to it now and she loves it.

8: GoldenEye 007 - This was the multiplayer game that separated the men from the boys, or at least it did with my friends back in the day. We still regard being killed by a Klobb as the ultimate insult.

9: Tetris - When I was younger I had to share everything with my brother. A bedroom, the TV, the games consles, all until the day I got a Game Boy. That bad boy was all mine because I'd bought it using birthday money. Tetris being the game that came with it meant that it got played a hell of a lot. It's simple and addictive and it wasn't long before my household even started a leader board as to how many lines they could get. A lot of fun memories with this one.

10: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - My first taste of tactical, turn-based gameplay. The story is great, even though I think Marche is a terrible character, and the world building alone made this game a joy to play. It also taught me what grinding was, and how to optimise a team for use in battles. That and the isometric graphics were simply beautiful.

 

[Firemind]

1. Super Mario 64 ; Have to agree with other lists here. If you asked me ten years ago I would have said Super Mario Bros. 3, but while it's one of the most fun and inventive platformers that formed my early childhood, it's an evolution of the original. Mario 64 is both fun AND revolutionary. In 2016, it's STILL one of the best 3D platformers of all time if not the best. While the Galaxy games are outstanding games, they're more linear and restrictive platformers. I yearn for another 3D platformer that offers the same freedom and expansive hub as 64. Sunshine came close in that regard. I enjoyed it a lot. Mario 64 is still the king.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ; Superlatives have been used to describe this utterly magical adventure. While the juxtaposition of two worlds is nothing new, it feels like a living and breathing world. Kokiri Forest, Lon Lon Ranch, Hyrule Market, Castle Courtyard, Kakariko Village, Goron Village, Zora's Domain all have their own communities and daily routines. A Link to the Past is desolated in comparison. Majora's Mask expanded on the daily lives of its inhabitants, but nothing is as complete as Ocarina of Time's world. Dungeons who have their own history and side plots, the music, the atmosphere, the bosses, the stakes and the people you care dearly. It's impeccable frm beginning to end.

3. Pokémon Red/Blue ; One of my first RPGs and it's still one of the most replayable RPGs I've ever played. Its world is so tightly designed yet is nonlinear with a ton of possibilities because of its party system. No nonsense plot, just a child released free into a modern setting like ours today. While future generations have made the game more convenient and accessible, as a result they also made it much much more complicated. The original is simple by nature and is therefore not bloated. You just play the game. It's a fantastic example of good game design. Less IS more.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening ; And here we have another tightly designed game. A true triumph of game design. The amount of stuff they managed to cram on the small island of Koholint, for a Game Boy game, is simply astonishing. There are so many secrets; almost every square has something to interact with, some leading to another. There's a neat little sidequest in the game that eventually rewards you with one of the most powerful items in the game. BUT you don't have to do any of that stuff after a certain point. It gives you the option to. It's not required at all similar to the Biggoron's sword quest in Ocarina of Time. The reward is what makes it work. It's not overpowered like the Fierce Deity mask in Majors's Mask but it also isn't useless like the Rupee Armor in Twilight Princess. The game is also whimsical, charming and mysterious. The warnings of waking up the Wind Fish get more ominous as the game goes further which culminates in the ending. Masterful storytelling.

5. Super Mario Bros. 3 ; Still the most whimsical Mario around. The fact it's supposed to be a play makes it even better. Super Mario World has Yoshi, the cape and the Koopa Clown car, but Super Mario Bros. 3 has Mario in a shoe. A GIANT SHOE.

6. Advance Wars ; You may have noticed I value tight design over overdesigned bloat, which is why I favour the original over the later Advance Wars games. Again, less is more. It's also insanely replayable with different routes, different final missions and a super secret bonus mission. There's an argument with preferring Days of Ruin, but I think there's no discussion. Charming presentation, snappy dialogue, colorful art, humerous animation, catchy music, clever maps, the War Room, a non broken villain CO, the original Advance Wars does everything better.

7. Metroid Prime ; It's the Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time of the Metroid series and it's not even developed by Nintendo. And to think it's Retro Studios first game. What else is there to say? Brilliant decision. Brilliant game.

8. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; Sakurai and whoever designed Captain Falcon, you absolute madman. Such a blast to play with four people. It's a shame none of the future iterations could capture the magic of Melee. It's not a coincidence that it goes parallel with the downfall of Captain Falcon. The physics turned way too floaty. Also, fuck Metaknight, Diddy and ZSS.

9. Goldeneye ; Rare's best game and probably the best movie tie in game of all time. The music is sublime as well. Too bad they couldn't fit in some of the voice clips. "For England, James?" RIP Sean Bean

10. Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi ; I struggled between this and its prequel, but I have to give it to this one for making the last Fire Emblem where the lord is one of the most vulnerable units, as it should be. Like in chess, your most important piece is the King. Lose it and it's game over. You have to really fuck up to get Hector killed. Even Eliwood is a passable lord. All other future original games have jacked up lords where it's not even fun anymore. You have Marth, Sigurd and Leif, but those games are TOO punishing. Fuuin no Tsurugi is the perfect balance of being challenging and accessible. The visual style doesn't hurt.

 

[PsionBolt]

1. Mother 3 ;
(GBA) The best RPG ever made. Bizarre, hilarious, and soul-crushing.
2. Pokemon Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR! ;
(GBC) The best TCG RPG ever made. We need a new one, Nintendo!
3. Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 ;
(SFC) I won't say the best SRPG ever made, but I will say that I have never played a better one. Gaiden and Conquest come close.
4. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ;
(GCN) Extremely funny and charming. Beautiful, too. Probably my favourite Gamecube game, though Wind Waker comes close.
5. Famicom Detective Club Part II: The Girl Standing Behind You ;
(SFC remake) The game that made me fall in love with adventure games. It wasn't even my first one, either -- there was just something about it that was supremely engaging.
6. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor ;
(Wii) Debated whether to put this one or the first game, but ultimately I chose this one because it doesn't look like garbage.
7. Another Code R: A Journey into Lost Memories ;
(Wii) A very unique take on adventure game presentation and puzzles. I miss Cing.
8. Super Mario Bros. 3 ;
(NES) I felt bad about not having any Mario platformers or any NES games on the list at this point, so I chose the best NES Mario. Tough choice, though, because Advance 4 has the wonderful e-Reader additions that kid of made me want to choose that version instead. If it didn't drop the ball on the aesthetics, I might have chosen it.
9. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ;
(3DS) I felt bad about not having any Zelda games or any 3DS games on the list at this point, so I chose the best 3DS Zelda. Hilda is the coolest character the franchise has had in a long, long time.
10. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ;
(Wii U) I kind of feel like this game is cheating -- I'm using it in the last slot as a proxy to cover all the wonderful series I couldn't fit in. Metroid, Kirby, Punch-Out... Not to mention Mega Man and Street Fighter, two of a very limited number of franchises that deserve to be placed among Nintendo's greats. Smash 4 is still wonderful on its own, of course.


So yeah... A lot of tactical choices, and something resembling a one-per-series limitation. It's kind of sad, because this list doesn't really represent my top ten, but my actual top ten feels like a misrepresentation of my top 50 or 100, so you really can't win, eh.

A few choices were "wasted", that is, made knowing full-well that they won't ever rank anywhere near the top -- 2, 3, 5, 7, and probably 6. But hey, it's not all about winning, right? It's nice to show support. Maybe someone will read this list and go play one of those titles. That'd be awesome.

 

[Xisiqomelir]

1) Star Fox 64 (N64)
2) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
3) Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
4) Super Metroid (SNES)
5) Super Mario World (SNES)
6) Super Paper Mario (Wii)
7) Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
8) The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (GC)
9) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
10) Pokemon Diamond (NDS)

 

[Karu]

1. Pokemon Blue Edition
2. Golden Sun: The Lost Age
3. Super Mario Galaxy
4. Super Mario Kart
5. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
6. Mario Tennis (GBC)
7. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
8. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
9. Pokemon Crystal Edition
10. Pokemon Trading Card Game

Probably not the most mainstream, but very nostalgia and handheld-ridden list, haha.

 

[jemiola]

1. Wario Land 4
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
3. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
4. WarioWare, inc: Mega Microgames!
5. Pilotwings Resort
6. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
7. Nintendo Land
8. Chibi-Robo!
9. Animal Crossing: New Leaf
10. Game & Watch Gallery 4

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

1. Zelda 3: A Link to the Past
2. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
3. The Legend of Zelda
4. Metroid
5. Super Metroid
6. Kid Icarus
7. Super Mario Bros. 3
8. Super Mario World
9. Super Mario Bros. 2
10. Super Mario Bros.

 

[catpurrcat]

1. Super Metroid
2. Super Mario World
3. Yoshis Island
4. Super Mario Galaxy
5. Super Mario Bros 2 (USA)
6. Super Mario 64
7. Super Mario Bros 3
8. Starfox
9. Punch-Out!
10. Legend of Zelda

 

[Doomshroom]

1. Zelda 2
2. Super Mario World
3. Bobble Bobble
4. The last of us
5. Doom
6. Super mario bros 3
7. Zelda ocarine of time
8. Mass effect
9. Diablo 3
10. Uncharted 4

Edit : im an idiot

 

[Mister Wilhelm]

1 Super Mario 64
2 Tetris
3 Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
4 Super Metroid
5 Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
6 Super Smash Bros Melee
7 Super Mario World
8 Earthbound
9 Metroid Prime
10 Super Mario Kart

 

[Randomizer]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2. Super Mario World
3. Super Mario 64
4. Metroid Prime
5. Super Metroid
6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past
7. Super Mario Bros 3
8. Mother 3
9. Super Mario Galaxy
10. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

x. Super Smash Bros. Melee
x. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
x. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
x. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
x. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
x. Mario Kart 64
x. Super Mario Kart
x. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
x. Super Mario Galaxy 2
x. Star Fox 64
x. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
x. etc.

 

[DICKS AHOY]

1. Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door
   I don't know what the hell it is about this game that stands out as my all time favorite when you take into account just how far more influential a lot of other Nintendo games are for the industry, but something about this game still resonates deeply with me. It's subversive and even dramatic at times, but somehow it manages to fit perfectly within Mario's world, while still being an engaging JRPG-lite.
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
   I still adore 64, the original Galaxy and 3DLand/3DWorld, but I think this is probably where they perfected the 3D formula for Mario. Everything about this game comes together to become an absolute joy to play.
3. The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker
   This game is clearly unfinished and is far easier than Ocarina and Majora, but for me personally it's a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. A great combat system every following game including Breath of the Wild builds off, charming characters, an art style that holds up today and a neat narrative I honestly feel only Majora's Mask is on par with.
4. Donkey Kong Country 2 Diddy's Kong Quest
   Tropical Freeze is a better game but thinking about which DKC has stuck with me all up, it's gotta be DKC2. Phenominal soundtrack, really fun levels, the best kong pair up of Diddy and Dixie, pirate kremlings are best kremlings and easily tied with Yoshi's Island for best platformer on the SNES.
   Spoiler

   Sorry Super Mario World and Mega Man X
5. Super Mario World 2 Yoshi's Island
   I have a ton of warm, fuzzy memories of working through this game throughout a year and finally beating it as a 6 year-old. DKC2 edges it out slightly for me, but honestly ask me on the right day and I'd tell you it's my favorite platformer.
6. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze
7. Super Metroid
8. Earthbound
9. Kid Icarus Uprising
10. Super Mario Bros. 3

Runners-up:

• The Legend of Zelda A Link Between Worlds
• Mario Kart 8
• Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
• Kirby Super Star
• Banjo-Kazooie
• Star Fox 64
• Bayonetta 2
• The Wonderful 101
• Metroid Prime
• Tetris Attack
• Wario Ware Twisted
• Wario Land 4

 

[ec0ec0]

So yeah... A lot of tactical choices, and something resembling a one-per-series limitation. It's kind of sad, because this list doesn't really represent my top ten, but my actual top ten feels like a misrepresentation of my top 50 or 100, so you really can't win, eh.

I think that plenty of us would say the same about our lists.

People purposely limit their choices, so that they can have more than mario, link and co on their lists.

If galaxy 2 didn't exist, galaxy 1 would be a lot closer to number 1 spot, same for galaxy 2. Plenty of people put either galaxy 1 or 2 on their lists, even thought they probably think the one they didn't put is still a better game than most, if not all, the other games on their list. The result is that neither galaxy 1 or 2 have a chance of winning, even though a significant part of the voters agree that one of those two is THE best nintendo game ever, with the other still being better than most games/everything else.

If you love the metroid prime games, you may as well just vote for metroid prime 1, because that's the only way your vote is going to help to put one of the games from the prime series near the top.

If you really think that a non mario/zelda game should appear close to those, your only chance is to put it 1-3 in your list, and hope others do the same. Most of the people that will have your game on their lists will have it after mario, link and such, meaning that your game will get 1 point at a time, while the popular ones get 3/4. In the end, if everyone did that, your game would appear very low on the list, if it even appears.

Voting this way we may get a worse top 10, in the sense that the order is not quite right (see the galaxy games example), but the top 50 is more varied, and games that wouldn't otherwise have a chance of appearing in the first half of the top 50 will appear. Independently of the order, the popular games will have the top stopts anyway.

Regarding tactical voting, my game is F-Zero GX. I was hoping that we would be able to put it in a respetable position (top 20 or higher).It was looking promising on the first pages, top 25 easily? then people forgot about it.

 

[BDGAME]

1 - Super Mario Bros 3
2 - Super Mario World/ Super Mario Galaxy
4 - Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
5 - Yoshi Sland
6 - Wave Racer
7 - Pilot Wings 64
8 - F-ZeroX
9 - Mario Kart 7
10 - Tetrisphere

Man, I love Nintendo64.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past:Nostalga. It was great at the time. Requires no additional qualification.

2. Super Mario World: Nostalga. Loved it at the time. Requires no additional qualification.

3. Metroid Prime: I sometimes wake up mornings wishing another Metroid Prime was announced all these years later. What a series. Requires no additional qualification.

Most of my favorite Nintendo console games were not made by Nintendo.

 

[orborborb]

1. Super Mario 64
2. Metroid
3. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
4. Mario Kart 64
5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
6. Super Mario Sunshine
7. Metroid Prime
8. Nintendo Land
9. New Super Luigi U
10. F-Zero GX

 

[CaviarMeths]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)
2. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
4. Fire Emblem Fates (if this isn't allowed, then Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest) (3DS)
5. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Wii U)
6. Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)
7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Wii U)
8. Metroid Prime (I'll say Wii here, as the game was improved with motion controls, but if that's not allowed, then GCN)
9. Yoshi's Island: Super Mario World 2 (SNES)
10. Splatoon (Wii U)

 

[ec0ec0]

1. Zelda 2
2. Super Mario World
3. Bobble Bobble
4. The last of us
5. Doom
6. Super mario bros 3
7. Zelda ocarine of time
8. Mass effect
9. Diablo 3
10. Uncharted 4

Edit : im an idiot

ahahaha

 

[BlueLiquid]

1. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
2. Super Mario Bros. 3
3. Splatoon
4. Mario Kart 8
5. Super Mario Galaxy
6. The Legend of Zelda
7. Fire Emblem: Awakening
8. Metroid Prime
9. The Wonderful 101
10. Bayonetta 2

Honorable mentions to, among others, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Pikmin, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and Wii Fit.

 

[GamerJM]

1. Super Smash Bros. Melee ; Not just the best game Nintendo ever made, the best game ever made, period. An absolute masterpiece in every sense. Fun casually and competitively, the game has an unlimited movement system that gives you full control of a character and allows you to do whatever you want. There's no other game with freedom like Super Smash Bros. Melee, there's no other game with movement like Super Smash Bros. Melee, there's no other game that's hype like Super Smash Bros. Melee. There's a lot of content here, stuff that can entertain a kid in the early 2000s for dozens of hours as well. Whether playing with friends on FFA Temple as Roy, Samus, and Bowser, or competitively with Marth vs. Fox on Battlefield, the game is perfection. Bless the competitive scene for continuing to keep it alive.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ; In 1998, when every other developer was still figuring out how the hell to make a 3D action game work, Nintendo came in and somehow perfected it with Ocarina of Time. They delivered in a way that no other developer could at the time, with masterfully designed dungeons, an engaging overworld, one of the best soundtracks in gaming, and controls/camera that actually functioned well. Twilight Princess is basically what Ocarina of Time would have been like if it was released in 2006 and if the developers said "What if we made this game twice as long?". The result is an epic, unabridged adventure that happily plods along at its own slow pace, and every bit of it is as memorable and well designed as OoT, with some of the best dungeons in the series.

3. Pokemon Platinum ; After some deliberation, I came to the conclusion that this is my favorite in the series. The Pokemon games are fantastic, mostly because of their battle system, which allows for much more depth than what is typically seen in a standard turn-based RPG, giving the player infinite freedom to create their own team. Gen 4 introduced online to the series and the physical/special split, and as a result a lot of the pre-gen 4 games feel a little wonky in comparison. Additionally gen 4 still has easily my favorite post-game content in the series, with the best and most fun Battle Frontier and a lot to do after beating the Elite 4. The others in the series are all hard not to pick, but they all have some sort of Fatal flaw. HG/SS has significant level unbalance, B/W1 is too linear and the new Pokemon are kind of shit, B/W2 is still linear and sort of ruins the great story of B/W1, X/Y feels kind of unfinished, and ORAS deviated from R/S/E too much with the designs of the new towns and no returning Battle Frontier. Platinum felt like it just gave us everything I wanted in a Pokemon game, and significantly fixed the issues on D/P's speed and Pokemon variety.

4. Fire Emblem ; The first released in the US is still the best in the series. The map designs here are absolute perfection, the story is solidly, it's really really fun to replay, and eases new players into the series well while still managing to be pretty damn challenging.

5. Mario Kart DS ; Sort of the Melee of the series in that it gave players a ton of freedom with their movement in a way the series never will again. The tracks are easily the best in the series. The inclusion of Mission mode made every other game in the series seem low on content in comparison. Just the perfect game to pick up and play at any time as well.

6. Elite Beat Agents ; When people use the word "charm," in reference to a video game this is what I think of. No other game has the heart and soul of Elite Beat Agents, with a story that manages to be corny, funny, and moving all the same. Playing through this game for the first time takes you on a whirlwind of emotions that you can't really recapture elsewhere. As a rhythm game fanatic there's not a ton of depth or content here, but somehow I still replayed the shit out of this game, trying to perfect my scores, because...well, I don't know, because it just has that heart and soul I guess.

7. Kirby's Adventure ; Pushed the NES to its damn limits. I admit this one might be largely in part due to nostalgia since I played through this game like 395033484 times as a kid or something, and the modern Kirby games are enjoyable but don't do much for me despite following basically the exact same formula. The amount of abilities make the game super replayable and the difficulty makes it something anyone can enjoy. Really responsive controls as far as the NES goes and maybe one of my favorite soundtracks on the console as well.

8. Super Mario World ; To this day still the best 2D Mario. The freedom and secrets here were tons and tons of fun to discover as a kid. Not the most balanced in the series but the most fun. Typical fantastic level design from the Mario team, but World is honestly one of the "weirder," games in the series in terms of enemies and locations, which makes the game feel fresh and stand out in the lineup of Mario games to this day.

9. Super Mario Galaxy ; SMG is like....Michael Jackson's 80s discography or something. It's just so effortlessly perfect and recognized as such by seemingly everyone that you don't even really know what more to say about it. While it's not my favorite Nintendo game, as made obvious by its number 9 placement on this list, it is basically everything great about Nintendo distilled into one game, with masterful level design, boss battles, level variety....everything. If someone asked me why I thought Nintendo was great I'd tell them to play Super Mario Galaxy.

10. Paper Mario: the Thousand Year Door ; Who would have thought that one of the best JRPGs of all-time is a Mario game on the Gamecube? tTYD is a reminder of a time from when Nintendo wasn't afraid to experiment with the Mario series. The result is some of the tightest writing in gaming and some of the most unique and varied locales in an RPG. The battle system is basically a tuned of version of PM64's, which is to say that it's pretty solid, and the badge system gives the player a lot of freedom. But the story and characters are really what bring it together and make it so memorable.

Decided to put a one-per-series (not franchise) limit on myself, otherwise the list would probably mostly be Pokemon.