#30 - Left 4 Dead 2 (PC)

As guessed by Miz.  L4D2 was a really nice surprise for me & my friend after we were looking for a new Steam co-op game after growing tired of TF2.  The replayability of the game is insane between the increasing difficulty of the campaign modes & the competitive multiplayer, the basic premise of the game is extremely solid and the fact that the game attempts to tell quite an interesting character-centric zombie story while still keeping things light hearted is a big triumph.  Plus, there are some awesome set pieces (Hard Rain is one of the best levels ever) and - this is just a small personal point - but the game runs so much better on my laptop than L4D1 for some reason.

Clue for my #29 - 5th in an RPG series which mixes the old with the new to become a brilliant swansong for the franchise and for the PS2.

30. Mario Kart Wii, Wii (2008) Nintendo (last year 29)

Second of three Mario Kart games on my list, this one gets further up for having far more balanced gameplay, neat new tricks for players to master, and best of all, online that, for a while at least, wasn't dominated by cheating/snaking. The snaking never appeared (may it stay dead forever!) but cheating killed it inevitably, but it was a damn fun ride while it lasted, so it lands here

My number 29 introduced me to the character who's the star of my number 1 game, as she made no other appearances in this console generation aside from this game.

Super Smash Bros.?

You got it.

Which doesn't give people too many options as to what my number 1 game is....

Nope! Wrong side of the world

I think I know what it is, but I will of course remain silent until the last day. If it IS what I think, it's in my top 15 :)

31. SSX Tricky (GC)

I don't have a lot of love for the sixth generation of gaming, but this was a rare bright spark. It's just pure, ridiculous, over the top fun, filled with crazy tracks, crazy tricks, and colourful characters. It was also responsible for me humming "it's tricky, tricky, tricky" to myself fairly regularly for a period of time. Eddie was always my preferred character, and I played the game so much that I knew the necessary combos for his tricks like the back of my hands.

Clue for 30 (although it's going to be posted pretty soon). This game is regarded as a revolutionary game within its genre.

I don't mean to alarm you, Milkyjoe, but we have the same number 31.  Which means we must be bestest friends separated at birth, or something...

Seriously though, much love for SSX Tricky, absolutely awesome game!

30. Doom (PC)

Doom is one of those games that gets recognition for pushing things forward, despite not being the first game of its kind. It was however, the more popular, and thus the perception is created. I was probably far too young to play it when I did (I was about 10 or 11), but I haven't grown up to be some kind of psychopath, so no harm done.

Number 29 isn't a happy dance.