#8 - Metroid Prime

What else can I add to Smeags' so eloquent description about Metroid Prime? Nothing. So I'll repeat myself. Retro managed the impossible by bringing the Metroid series into 3D without losing the essence of what makes Metroid, Metroid. This game is a stroke of genius from start to finish, with a huge planet to explore, power ups you know from before but that feel totally new in the new perspective, solid boss fights, tons of exploration, an atmospheric soundtrack this game is the reason I still have my GameCube handy because you know for sure I'll get an itch to play it again sooner or later.

I forget why I made this image back in the day, but I did. Behold, and despair.

#7 - Super Mario 64

Nintendo pretty much got 3D platformers perfect on their first try, don't get me wrong none of the other 3D Mario games are bad but they still haven't been able to top Mario 64. This game is packed with variety, challenge, exploration and tight gameplay. I really like how free you are the find the stars is almost any order you want and how you can stumble unto a star other than the one you were going for at first, it enhances the sense of discovery as you traverse the games creative levels.

Also, to this day there hasn't been a flying power up as satisfying as the wing cap. I sometimes just fly around levels aimlessly just because I like it so damn much.

Like Pepperidge Farm, TruckOSaurus remembers. It was for this thread: http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=145281

That HappyDolphin fellow seems like a splendid chap.

#3
Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox, 2001)
guessed by Smeags

There are only so many truly revolutionary titles in the history of video games. One such game is Halo: Combat Evolved. What did it achieve? Well, by providing the nascent Xbox with a "killer app," it secured Microsoft's spot in the gaming world. It also introduced features, control schemes, and themes that have, for better or for worse, infiltrated almost every mainstream first-person shooter since. And, lastly, it shifted first-person shooters away from computers and onto home consoles. So it's a hugely influential title, but it's also an amazingly great game, with superior graphics, a standout soundtrack, a well-written story, outstanding level design, and perfect gameplay.

Hint for #2:

This game gave you the ability to alter previous games in the series.

#6 - Final Fantasy VII

The Final Fantasy series has been a favorite of mine ever since the first game but Final Fantasy VII sits firmly at the top. Featuring a great cast, a fascinating story (I always love to relive the discovery of who Cloud really is), the wonderful materia system, some pretty darn epic summons, a ton of end-game side-quests and quirky mini-games, I doubt any future FF game will ever top it.

While the game does have a dark and serious plotline, it still knows how to be silly and fun (the cross-dressing section being the most obvious example of that) something that I feel is gone from more recent titles. I'll admit the characters do look awful when out of combat but the game's prerendered background are still nice and the characters models in combat are more than decent for a PS1 game.

*** Writing this reminds me that I have to transfer my save file of my latest playthrough from my old laptop to my new computer!

#5 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The ultimate Zelda experience, filled with 10 dungeons, great items, an overworld full of secrets, fun puzzles, flying angry cuccos! This is a game that rewards exploration and creative thinking, it can also be pretty challenging (like battling a giant butterfly in a room filled with spikes and conveyor belt floors). You'll find yourself running toward your enemies, grappling a far away rock, weilding strong magic spells, dealing with Zoras and monkeys, searching for mushrooms for a witch and of course rescuing Zelda (along with several other damsels in distress).