First? Many. Final Fantasy IV, Secret or Mana, Chrono Trigger, Link to the Past.

Recent repeats?

Xenogears

Ni no Kuni

Rings of Power from the Sega Megadrive. Seriously,  try finishing this game without touching walkthrough.
Naughty Dogs best work.

Phantasy Star Online on Dreamcast. Playing online for the first time, seeing other hunters on the field, fighting alongside with me, felt like I was living a dream. Pure Magic.... and gaming crack.

In history, I'll say

-Super Mario 3: Can't remember how my brother and I got it but the game was something amazing. Stuck in my mind for weeks after we beat it. It was an epic odyssey. Went from being fun and bouncy in the beginning to kinda sad in the Ice World (I don't know why) to kinda dreamy in the Sky World to kinda hopeless against Bowser's army in the Dark World and the brothers (Mario, Luigi, me and my brother) never gave up.

- Chrono Trigger: Now, in 1995, this game really did have magic inside of it. This was my first RPG and it started an RPG addiction but I don't think any actually every captured the feeling that Chrono Trigger did. The story was simple and fun. The characters were lovable and the music is STILL on my cell phone's playlist. Time travel done right. When that journey was over, I felt like I'd really accomplished something special.

-Super Mario 64: I'd seen 3D games before but they were usually slow and glitchy messes. I didn't know what Mario 64 would be like but I knew Nintendo had a new console and I wanted it. I sent my dad to the store to buy the console and game and that asshole came back with just the game and said he lost the rest of the money! I read that manual 300 times, imagining what the game would be like. Back on subject, I finally played the game and the world inside was nothing short of breathtaking. For the first time, I could go anywhere and do anything. I probably spent more time just running around than I did looking for stars.

-Wave Race 64: Yeah, the 32-Bit era was something special. Everything felt new. Wave Race 64--that game was awesome. The water was so realistic at the time. I'd just let the console run and watch the intro sometimes! The physics were what I imagined the real thing would be like. The graphics were something I didn't think would ever be topped. I wish Nintendo would bring it back with modern graphics.

-Metal Gear Solid: I was always a fan of Metal Gear (even Snake's Revenge) and I had a love for cinematics that began with Ninja Gaiden. MGS came along and whatever I was expecting, I wasn't expecting THIS! A story that sucked me in like nothing ever before. A partner I could call via Codec that always had the right answers. Powerful moments that almost made me cry. Enemies that I actually felt like I had to outsmart. If I could have died right after finishing that game, I would have been satisfied.

Metal Gear Solid 2 built on this (I think the demo was my most played game of 2001!) and MGS3 was the greatest game ever made, in my opinion, for years to come.

-The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time: People that play this game now and are looking for flaws just don't get it. In 1998, roughly one month after MGS, gamers were treated to the "greatest game of all time" (sorry Chrono Trigger). This game...goddam, this game. When Nintendo puts their mind to it, nobody else even comes close. So many mind blowing moments and a world that seemed like it would go on forever. When those credits rolled, I knew that I had something akin to a religious experience. It was a feeling I didn't think would ever be topped again--and so far, I'm right.

-Grand Theft Auto 3: It was everything I ever wanted. A city where you could do whatever you wanted. Like Mario 64 for grown ups and it was so fresh and new. See a taxi? You could drive it and pick up people. Want to change the radio station? Go right ahead. Wanna follow the rules? Great. Wanna break the rules? Even better! The game was a glitchy mess but I didn't care. I was a citizen of Liberty City and I was having the time of my life.

-Super Mario 3D World: Between the gens, there have been games that I've considered great. Games like Super Street Fighter 4, Valkyria Chronicles, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime--but these just felt like great video games. I can't describe it but there's just something special about 3D World. I don't feel 100% comfortable putting a game so new on this list but what the hell. The game gave me that feeling so here we are. I said it before in another thread but Super Mario 3D World is like going to an amusement park. Every level is a wild ride and when you finish one, there's another mind blowing one right around the corner. I don't want to say its the best Mario game ever but it's up there. It's really high up there.....

Oh man! I knew I had forgotten something!! What you describe here is pretty much my experience with the game as well, except for the cinematics part. I started enjoying cinematic games with Final Fantasy IV. =P

Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando. It isn't my favorite game in the series (UYA or ACiT), but it was the first in that series I played. I saw an Xplay review (back when Xplay was awesome) and Sessler gave it a 5/5 (back when Sessler was awesome). I was watching and it looked fun and the upgrading weapons sounded cool, so I wished for it for Christmas. My god it was AWESOME! The platforming, the humor, the GUNS! I couldn't get enough. That game will always hold a special place in my heart as it introduced me to my favorite series in gaming and the one that has given me the greatest amount of play over the years. Still gotta try out Nexus but I can only hope it returns to the greatness of GC-ACiT

- Super Mario 64 was the first game that made me say "Holy shit this is freaking good"
The ending theme of that game sums up of what awesomeness you've just gone through.

The only game that made me feel that again was Super Mario Galaxy.
The soundtrack, the gameplay and that sad story book. imo a masterpiece

Those are the games that felt like magic to me, though I have played a dozen of other great games. :D

* Maybe it's pure nostalgia... it's still awesome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVKj3u8JUm0

Pokémon Blue and Gold
Donkey Kong 64
Spyro the dragon
Metroid Prime 2
Skyward Sword
Galaxy 1 and 2

I would really say the original pokemon, no idea why but it just gives me that feeling that I am playing something amazing.

1) GTA San Andreas - The setting matched the story and the characters vibed perfectly in it.
2) Need for Speed Underground 2 - Game was made at the perfect time in our culture. HipHop was in its time, Fast & Furious movie was a new cult classic and tuner were the shit. Not exotics.
3) Halo 2 - THE shooter back in the day. Period.
4) COD4 - Not much to be said. Multiplayer and Singleplayer just made sense.
5) Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks - Yet to find a more fluid 3D fighter.