26. Fire Emblem: Awakening
3DS (2013)
Intelligent Systems

Reasons why Fire Emblem: Awakening is at number 26? I'll name a few:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Oh, and the game's pretty awesome too.

25. New Super Mario Bros. U/New Super Luigi U
Wii U (2012)
Nintendo EAD 4

Bah bah! It had been 16 years since Nitnendo launched a console with a Mario game, and Nintendo would be launching Wii U with the fourth title in the New Super Mario Bros. series. Luckily for us all, U would be the cream of the crop, bringing with it superb level design to match the already tight and polished platforming controls. Not just to be relegated to the "New" series, U brings with it loads of charm and inventive ideas that puts it among the best of any 2D Mario game. Not only that, but Nintendo brought along New Super Luigi U, an expansion pack set to challenge any savvy platformer vet with tough and frantic level design (hooray for Nabbit!). All in all, these two brilliant games showed that 2D Mario is still capable of wowing anyone looking for a great video game experience.

24. Pokemon Black/White
DS (2011)
Game Freak

By the time Game Freak finished Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, players were once again wondering where the world of Pokemon could go. After all, by this time the gameplay had been polished to utmost perfection... laying layers upon layers of nuance to the system. But with Pokemon Black/White, it needed some freshness, and with that, Game Freak sought to create a world Pokemaniacs hadn't seen since Red/Blue: a world with only brand new Pokemon. In fact, Black/White would boast more new Pokemon than even the legendary game that started it all. And with a brand new world and a plethora of brand new Pokemon, Pokemon Black/White really was a fresh and exciting experience for veterans and new fans alike. It even brought us a brand new take on how the adventure played out (who saw that ending coming?) and even the story was given much more crafting than previous games. All in all, Black/White wasn't just a breath of fresh air, but a brand new way to look at the series.

21 was Battlefield 2.

We're getting to the good stuff now!

Clue for 20: Many think it is the best PS3/360 gen game.  I liked one of its expansion packs more than the actual full game.  Expansion was sold as DLC, a standalone version, and a GOTY collection version.

Resident Evil 4?

23. Super Smash Bros. Melee
GameCube (2001)
HAL Laboratory

Super Smash Bros. Melee took the simple layout of the original game and added. What did it add you ask? Well... it added pretty much everything but the kitchen sink. New characters (Bowser! Ganondorf! Falco! Mewtwo! Mr. Game & Watch?), new stages (Final Destination! Hyrule Temple! Big Blue! Poke Floats?), new adventure mode, new items, new modes... it was a game dedicated to the celebration (and utter destruction) of Nintendo's greatest characters. But Melee wasn't just about additions, as it brought tweaks to the gameplay that made it even better. A plethora of new techniques were added to the combat system, creating a fast and furious play style which is still heralded by many a core gamer. The super competitive scene is a bit of a turn-off for me (no items, wave dashing fox only, final destination!), but I'm always happy to play a game or two (or ten) when anyone wants to play a round of Melee. Over 800 hours of play time later... yeah. This series is in a league of its own.

27 - Yoshi's Island (Guessed by TruckOSauros)

Yoshi's Island was one of my first games played, which I owned. I played it on both SNES and the GBA. It was definately quite a treat and was one of the more different experiences I've had with 2D platformers. The game was just outstanding and had great art. It made me like the genre a bit more, as I've never actually been the biggest fan of it. Nothing much more to say, it's not the highest 2D platformer on my list, there are two more, but this one packed a punch.

25 - The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (Guessed by Kantor)

Oracle of Seasons was the first handheld Zelda I played and the 3rd Zelda I played after WW and OoT. It was to me one of the best games to me by that time, it really defined the 2D Zelda adventure for me. I've never been the biggest fan of that genre, but that game was really something else. It was very fun and it had neat mechanics. I can understand why mini-Alpha enjoyed it. If there's one shortcoming, then it's that I prefer Naryu. 

22. Disney's Epic Mickey
Wii (2010)
Junction Point Studios

I can hear it now: Epic Mickey? Aren't you aware of how flawed that game is? Oh yes, I'm aware of the game's shortcomings. But are you aware of what a magical game this is? That if you take a closer look, you'll find a true labor of love and a game that celebrates that love? Epic Mickey takes gameplay elements from some of the most iconic games out there: Zelda, Mario, Metroid... and creates its own identity though a fresh coat of Disney paint. This is a game that enourages you to take your time and smell the roses. To explore all you can explore just for sake of... exploring. To choose your own path and make your own decisions. To create... or destroy. As someone who grew up next to the Magic Kingdom, this game and its love really resonated with me. Not only that, but James Dooley's soundtrack is one of the finest I've had the priveledge to listen to. While the game is a flawed one, it also exudes a sort of magic rarely seen. And that's an experience I'll never forget.

Hint 26 -

The future was bought, but it will never be. Handheld game.

Hint 24 -

You fight the same boss three times in the game, except that the last encounter is 3x longer.