#17. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES, VC)

The best NES game ever. Impeccable platforming, incredible level design, a great difficulty curve, fun power ups, exciting and varied worlds all this combined make for an awesome game. The levels were short but there was plenty of them to go around and as you progressed through the worlds the higher difficulty made some short levels very long to get through.

It was the first time Mario got to fly which is why Raccoon Mario is one of my all-time favorite power up ( I also always wondered how they wound up choosing a raccoon's tail when they brainstormed for a way to make Mario fly).

Another great addition to the Mario universe was Bowser's extended family making end of world boss fight much more interesting than in the original.

#16. Super Mario World (SNES, VC)

Another Mario platformer (not the last one either)! This game took what was already incredible from SMB3 and made it better. First of all, the ability to save your game was very welcomed but there was so much more than that: ghost houses, secret paths, new power ups and Yoshi your faithful dinosaur friend you keep hitting on the back of the head.

The music was great, the world was colorful and flying through a complete level with the cape is so much fun (although a bit broken). I remember beating Bowser on the very first day I got the game (I did play non-stop that day) but luckily there's was still plenty of fun to have with the game once that was done like the special world and some of the craziest and toughest levels around (Tubular I'm looking at you).

Polyphony Digital claim to have nurburging modeled to within 12 inches of vertical accuracy, which is amazing. I don't know where they got the GPS to do that. Must have used a well calibrated gyroscope.

My favorite track is and will always be Trail Mountain. It was more shocking seeing light pass throught the foliage on PS2, but non the less, that straight is my favorite in all racing games, and the variety of corner types really makes this a proper course. Only drawback is that hill on the right at the end.

Just wish the game had a better balance of premium cars, more cups (only like 54?) and a better balance of cars (650+ Japanese, 350 for the rest of the world).

To me GT3 was the best GT, but I'm glad GT5 finally got official Lamborghini, Ferrari's and Bugatti's.

I'm not a fan of 2D Mario Platformers, but I will admit that super Mario World had some pretty cool secret worlds and paths. It's as if beating the game once was just the start. Bowsers World at the end had a very interesting atmosphere, I wish more Mario games offered the same artistic depth as this game.

Would've been on my list too, if I were any good at the game. Great pick.

Who's your favorite henchman? I personally like Grimgnaw. Delightful fellow.

#17) Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)

It's a 2D platformer, and a well-made one at that. Frankly, I was beginning to think such things had ceased to exist.

Sure, classic controller support wouldn't have gone unappreciated, the loading times didn't do good for the momentum of the game, and extra lives were handed out a bit too generously. (Despite the game's difficulty, I don't think I ever fell below fifty lives) But the exquisite level design, irreproachable controls, and the sheer amount of content, replay value and Retro's usual unlockable concept art, music and whatnot outshine those flaws like Diane Kruger beside Rosie O'Donnell.

I wonder if Retro will ever make a bad game. (And don't give me that Metroid Prime 2 bullshit, that game's still coming up on my list)

Why hello there, good-lookin'.

#16) Super Mario World (SNES/GBA/Wii)

This pretty much sums it up.

I don't know how they did it but you can get 1.2mm vertical accuracy with gps. Maybe they used a high tech road survey vehicle with precision accelerometers and a few precise gps measurements at set points along the way.

Trial mountain is one of my favorites too. A great technical track. Only every time we played that in splitscreen in GT2 we always slowed down before the last corner, not wanting to be the one in front getting used for braking :)

I don't know if more cups would help, they are the most boring, grindy part of the game. The driving is great but there were only a few that were exciting from a racing point of view. My own fault of course for upgrading the cars. Yet it would be nice if the game could match you.

Super Metroid at number 15

The next to last Metroid is in captivity!

Yay so I finally started! XD

I agree, definitely the high point in the series. I liked a couple of levels better in the first 1 but 2 had the best quality overall. I also loved the underwater part inside the upturned sunken ship. Playing Uncharted 3 reminded me how great that was back then. A lot more believable then someone trying to use an elevator in a capsized sinking ship... after he already got on the outside... wtf