Your top 5 games of all time and why?

[happydolphin]

Reminiscent of Smeag's ultra-fun top 50 thread. Well, here goes nothin'

Top to bottom:
1) Super Smash Brothers (n64, Melee and Brawl): This series is how you make a fighting game with charm. All my favorite mascots with an addictive 4-player local battle mode. Easy to enjoy, fun to master. Great music, humorous items, great combo and death system. Cliff strategy is also very interesting, projectiles, multiple forms of the same attack. The game is constantly full of surprises and special uses of attacks. Great great hit.

2) Warcraft III: There is not a game in this world that attracted me and captivated me as much as Warcraft III. From the days of the beta, I was in love with the new races, and so impressed by what the community was able to pull off so early on in the competitive arena of the game. The story was intricately weaved, the music godly. This is an A+++++ game in my book.

3) The legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (runners up: OoT, MM). The legend of Zelda is a series that will never cease to attract me. Even in its most surprising form (toon shading), the music, the worlds, the humor, the epicness without needing to be too dark or serious. This is an incredible piece of art.

4) Super Metroid. This game is an ultimate classic. The atmosphere, the art, the music. The secrets, the extra-terrestrial mystery. All so amazing. I miss the times.

5) Final Fantasy VIII (runner up: Final Fantasy IV). First, the visuals. Incredible architectures, an interesting setting (students?), a mysterious intro. Second, music. From the bells of balamb garden to the zings and zangs of ethar city's silence and motion, there is no better final fantasy epic than final fantasy VIII.

And then, the happy runner-ups: Megaman NES/SNES, Castlevania NES, Punch-Out!!, Street Fighter II/III/IV, Ninja Gaiden NES/xbox, Soul Calibur DC, Sonic Adventure, Super Mario Galaxy, and many more.