My list is heavily saturated with games on Nintendo systems. I am actually not really sure what this means. I found it incredibly easy to pick my top four or five, but beyond that it was an internal conflict of epic proportions. Thankfully, some of my additional favorite games were able to be represented in our mutual “Top 10″ list, so be sure to check that (and the other hosts’ individual lists) out, as well.

10 - Pokémon: Fire Red (Game Boy Advance; 2004)

I had originally gotten into the game series via Yellow back on the original Game Boy, and despite attempting three different times, was never able to commit to the game and stick with it all the way through. I really liked it, but there was just something holding me back from fully enjoying it. I did not go any further with the Generation II games, and my Pokémon experience until my number ten pick, here, was essentially limited to the amazing Pokémon Snap on the Nintendo 64. When the Generation IV games were about to debut on the DS, I suddenly (for some inexplicable reason) became completely wrapped up in the idea of playing again… so much so, that I picked up Fire Red the same day as Pearl, and decided I was going to play them back-to-back. All of the upgrades for the GBA conversion of the game really brought it into the spotlight. The sprite-based graphics are gorgeous, pixel-perfect, and honor everything about the original versions. It has all of my favorites (and then some) from memories of the first couple TV seasons, and quite frankly, none of the characters and their designs have truly held up to what came in the first batch of 151. It moves extremely fast (dialogue boxes, health meters… I never felt like I was waiting on the game). Despite all of the improvements Generation IV has to offer, I’ve (so far) still sunk more time into this one.

09 - Dance Dance Revolution: 5th Mix (Arcade / PS1; 2001)

I was introduced to DDR right when it first hit the US, and it was that first bundle as well as the import-only 5th Mix that got me going on my own. The jump to 60 fps made a huge difference in the slickness of the game and its interface. The songs were a perfect blend of what I imagine when I hear the phrase “DDR music”. Some the classics debuted for DDR here, including “INSERTiON“, “DIVE“, “Healing Vision“, and so much more. The arcade version was another favorite, which we actually had on my college campus for quite some time before it was removed (in favor of Pump It Up, apparently). Rhythm games had existed for a while (many of them Komani’s own), and the genre has certainly evolved well beyond what anyone could imagine, but DDR will always remain at the center.

08 - Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64; 1996)

I pre-ordered my Nintendo 64, but went home with no games that day because they had more systems than copies of Super Mario 64. I sat with a controller in my hand and a blank TV screen for a few days, but once I finally powered on the system for the first time with a game actually in it, I could tell there was no going back for the plumber. While 3D platformers were not entirely new with this game, there is no denying that Super Mario 64 was the first one to do it right. Sure, the camera was annoying and was the cause of more than a few lives lost, but the control was so responsive and spot on, it did not really seem to matter. The musical score was the expected set of now-memorable tunes, ranging from the BGM of Bob-omb Battlefield to the clap-along slide theme. While the game was relatively easy to “beat”, going for that 120th star was by no means a cakewalk. Getting up on top of the castle was an achievement to beat all achievements.

07 - Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis, 1992)

I was late to the Genesis-owning crowd, only just getting it when Sonic & Knuckles finally came around. It was easily the second game in the series that convinced me to get it, though. The music is memorable and dynamic, crossing genres with ease. The stages are the perfect length and difficulty. Tails actually helps out every once in a while. The Spin Dash is an invaluable tool that I could not believe Sonic actually got through a single game without. Sonic 2 ranks up there as one of the games I have purchased more than most other games, via collection after collection after download after download.

06 - Super Mario World (Super Nintendo; 1991)

I think could have been no better launch game and pack-in for the Super Nintendo than Super Mario World. The vibrant colors showed what the system was capable of right from the get-go. The music, as expected from Koji Kondo, was amazing. The tunes felt like they had been a part of the Mario universe all along, yet had that “fresh” edge to them that let you know it was an all-new experience. The sound design was equally impressive, with the music and sound effects getting a hollow, slight echo to them when going underground into the caves. While the game could be “beaten” by going through only a few key stages, just like 120 stars in Super Mario 64 all those years later, it was a badge of honor to have that little star next to the number “96″ on your main menu.

05 - Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation; 1997)

I, for the record, am one of “those guys”… the person who had never actually played a previous Final Fantasy before the big PS1’s debut, and up until that point, really had absolutely zero interest. Perhaps it was all the hype surrounding the game’s upcoming launch, or perhaps it was the fact that I finally realized I should probably pick up one of those newfangled CD-based systems, but I could not have been any more excited to finally get my PlayStation and Final Fantasy VII. Everything about the game was perfect for someone like me… I understood the materia system, I could keep track of three characters in-battle with the ATB, and the character designs were more in line with the style I was becoming accustomed to as an anime/manga fan. I have been able to enjoy and appreciate games in the series before and after VII, but there is just something about this specific game that I love to death, even in spite of all of its admitted issues.

04 - Street Fighter Alpha/Zero 3 (Arcade, Various; 1998)

I had a lot of trouble picking my favorite Street Fighter game, as was mentioned in our mutual Top 10 list. It was the last entry in the Alpha series that really clinched it for me, though. I first picked up the game on PS1 (surprisingly much better of a PS1 conversion than the previous batch of Capcom 2D fighting games) after collecting all of my spare change into one of those machines that gave you a receipt for glorious paper cash. Since then, the Saturn version is probably one of the only ones I have not picked up. Like Sonic 2, I continue to purchase this game over and over because I absolutely need to have it on any system that may be on me and/or connected to a television at any given time.

03 - The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Game Boy; 1993)

I do not believe there is a single thing I dislike about Link’s Awakening. While I may slightly prefer a different game in the series (see further entries on this list) for a variety of reasons including sentimentality, this is probably my favorite Zelda game of all time (yes, above and beyond both A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time, neither of which even crack my Top 10). The game design is brilliant from beginning to end, and it features an astonishing amount of items and quests to complete. The musical score is breathtaking in its variety and arrangements; Tal Tal Heights’ take on the main theme is heart-pumping, while the actual “Ballad of the Windfish” is as haunting as they come. Long before Link was fighting his way through the twilight, he kicked some nightmare ass. And there was much rejoicing.

02 - Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES; 1990)

I think that if I had to choose a single Mario game to play, it would probably be the original Nintendo’s finest hour… Super Mario Bros. 3. While the Super NES pushed all sorts of things to the next level with Super Mario World, it was the last numbered game that really holds the stuff of magic for me. Though things like the cape and Yoshi remain staples to this day, the rarity of items like the Hammer Brothers suit and Kuribo’s Shoe contribute to that magic feeling that simply cannot be touched. The musical score is infectious as ever with the individual world themes and stage background music. The control is spot-on, responsive, and cuts like butter. The graphics pushed the limit of what we thought the NES was even capable of. Super Mario Bros. 3 is yet another game that I cannot stop purchasing, and I am more than willing to let Nintendo take advantage of me (and my wallet) time and time again.

01 - The Legend of Zelda (NES; 1987)

I make it a point to play The Legend of Zelda at least once every year or so. It is a pleasure to reabsorb myself into the original Hyrule each time. Link’s Awakening may have perfected the formula, but Link’s original outing is what really gets me feeling tingly on the inside. An open world free to explore. Various locales comprising said world. A massive amount of items to wield. A plethora of monsters. Hidden treasures to discover (they are a secret to everybody, may I remind you). I do not feel like I can accurately describe how this game makes me feel and why I love it so much. I get shivers just hearing the title screen music, and I am immediately a kid again, discovering the true depth of video games for the first time.

Thanks for checking out my list and sharing these memories with me. Definitely check out Jeff’s list and Andrew’s list, as well as our mutual top 10 list.