#1 - Super Metroid
Super Metroid so far I think is the best that a 2D action platformer can get. In a similar way to Dark Souls, Super Metroid is designed with all types of players in mind. The tutorial, opposed to Dark Souls, is very open and allows the player to experiment and get used to the controls without punishment. As soon as the tutorial feels you learnt enough, it's time to put your platforming skills to the test and get the hell out before the place explodes. One you arrive on Zebes, you'll find that you have quite a lot of choice to explore and progress depending on what items you have to open certain paths. New players are probably going to play the game as intended, more or less in set pieces. But experienced players could use their skills like bomb jumping or the mock ball to get other items or open new paths much quicker. That type of freedom allows for replayability, along with the fact that you are free to choose (to an extent) how many items you want to collect, low%, any%, 100%, that choice is yours.
On the topic of items, Super Metroid greatly expands on what was previous avaliable in the previous two Metroid games. Along with returning beams like ice and wave, there are new ones such as spazer and plasma. The weapons can be combined and also turned off, a feature for some reason only really exculsive to Super Metroid. Along with that each of the beams have their own specific "super moves". The power bombs also make their introduction as a screen wide explosion dropped while in morph ball mode. Samus is also able to shoot in 8 different directions, greatly increasing her mobility, along with abilities such as the wall jump and the ability to run very fast with the speed booster power up.
Samus has to explore around Zebes in a variety of different environments to find Ridley and the Baby Metroid. Along the way she will encounter a variety of unique bosses and enemies, from giant dragon like enemies to a phantom in a wrecked ship. With that there are no arrows pointing where Samus needs to go or anybody telling her the objectives, you the player need to guide Samus around and use your own wits and tactics to explore the planet and powerups requried for certain areas. Along the way you are accompanied by the hostile Zebes environment, from gloomy oceanic basins to hot volcanic interior, you'll get sucked in and quickly lose yourself in the experience.
Super Metroid is a game which I found amazing back when I first played it a couple years back and today I still find amazing. It's a short game, only 2-6 hours long but a game that I managed to spend dozens to hunderds of hours in, a game which blew my mind when I heard the music and saw the sprite work, a game that bascially introduced me to the concept of speedrunning and showing me how deep the game really is. A game which has a legacy that continues to live on, inspiring future classics such as Castlevania SOTN, a game which is my favourite game ever.
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