#31: Celeste

Platformers don't need a story. In fact, most of the time the story annoys me in this genre but Celeste is the exception. Madeleine's touching story which addresses issues with anxiety and depression weaves it's way into the level design and gameplay mechanics and elevates (pun intended again!) this mountain climbing game. All of this accompanied by an excellent musical score by Lena Raine.

The core gameplay is simple but excellent, you need to go through each screen using your abilities which include a jump, a mid-air dash, grabbing and climbing walls, make a mistake and you die. And die you will, hundreds of times but it's not a big deal since the game resets you at the start of the screen in less than a second and once your clear a screen your progress is saved.

Celeste is a master class in adaptable difficulty, you can clear the game just making your way through the levels, for extra challenge you can try to collect all the strawberries which are located in hard to reach areas. Want more? Find the B-Side tape and you'll unlock a much harder version of the current level and if you're insane enough there's even a C-Side to be found. There's also Hearts to be found which unlock an extra level. The game can also be adjusted to be easier by toggling options like infinite stamina to hand on wall as long as you want or immunity to spikes.

#30: Donkey Kong Country

Nintendo wanted to reboot an old forgotten mascot with this game and with the help of Rare they pulled it off remarkably! Donkey Kong Country was unique, colorful, gorgeous, tough as nails and a blast to play! The game introduced a whole bunch of new characters in DK's world: friends and family (Diddy Kong his trusty sidekick and Cranky Kong are my favorites!) and enemies in the form of Kremlings.

The gameplay focuses on tight platforming, riding rhinos or swordfishes and blasting from barrels. The game also features tons of bonus areas which serve as the game's "collectibles". Some you stumble onto quite easily while others are quite tricky to find. 

Finally I have to give a shout out to David Wise's fantastic soundtrack which is playing in my head as I type this.

#29 Hint: Worst first day on the job ever!

Five Nights at Freddy's?

Resident Evil 2?

# 28 We nuked Canada

Undertale?

More hints while I don't have time to write up the next game:

#30 Guessed by S.Peelman: Resident Evil: Revelations

#29

a) Giant monsters vs. giant aliens!

b) There are giant footprints at one path.

c) You play one kid in a group of kids.

d) The game is part of a series of small games from well-known japanese game designers.

e) This series of small games was published by Level-5 and released in the 3DS eShop.

#28

a) "Хорошо! Я буду работать на тeбя, проклятый капиталист!"

b) "It have bomb! But it no problem."

c) Apparently mercenaries are a bunch of drama queens.

d) In this first game in the series you fight over the control of a small island because of the trees growing there.

e) You control the team of mercenaries you hire (through a very handy organization that allows to hire people willing to shoot other people) directly, but sometimes they have own ideas what to do.

#27 Guessed by S.Peelman: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

#26

a) 111 puzzles in a computer hardware themed environment.

#29:

Hint 1:
... .... ....
hee... hee... hee hee...
aha! aha! ahahahahahahahahahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Hint 2:

sequence of ending a chapter -
I'm..... SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Hint 3:
The sequel to this DS game only ever released in Japan, but fans translated the entirety of it.

Nope, not Undertale. I’ll give a second hint, it’s past due for that already anyway.

—

#29: Buried with the flower seeds.
#29 (Hint 2): Take it to him, he just wants to listen to his flute one last time.