Number 22
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger is awesome, a kind of melding together of all the things that JRPG fans really love. Fun art, an excellent soundtrack, an engaging battle system, and a sense of pervasive whimsy that lets you know that, in spite of everything, this game never takes itself too seriously. Chrono Trigger is immensely self-aware, which is something that's not true of many games in its genre, and this is part of what makes moments like the first confrontation with Magus or the Apocalyptic initial fight with Lavos more affecting. The game's world feels like a time-traveling fairy tale, and when menace or tragedy strike in a fairy tale it tugs at special places in the leaden hearts of any gamer.
I found this game absurdly fun, but my wife played through it about four times in as many weeks - quite a testament to how appealing it is.
