#23: Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Fighting
2008

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a special game for me in many ways. One is that it started one of the greatest hype generators I've ever witnessed through the daily Smash Bros. Dojo updates. Every day dropped a new bomb, whether it be a new stage, item, or even character. Secondly, it's the game that brought Sonic the Hedgehog to the Smash universe. If you had told my 10 year old self that you could play a game where Sonic and Mario could finally settle their scores, I would have thought you were crazy. Sure, Sonic turned out to be a less than stellar character, but his inclusion was still awesome. And lastly, Brawl got me playing with you all. The VGChartz Smash League was one of the most fun events I've had the pleasure in playing with my fellow VGChartians. So despite the tripping and the awful online lag, Smash Bros. Brawl was a game about community, and for that I'll always love it.

#22: Pokemon X/Y

RPG
2013

Pokemon is a series about small yet natural growth. It's extremely confident in its core mechanics and the message it's been conveying over the last two decades. But Pokemon X/Y offers some of the most growth I've seen in the series, starting with the jump from sprites to a full 3D world. As much as I love sprite work in games, this game has really brought each and every Pokemon to life in ways they could have never been before. Even Pokemon I didn't like designwise before make much more sense in their fluid movement. Also added for the first time in 12 years was a brand new typing. Plus, I had a bunch of awesome new Dark types to train! Malamar, Pangoro, Yveltal, and Hoopa Unbound are some of my new favorites! Plus I love the aspect of chaning your clothing and hair, something that I hope the new Pokemon games expand on in future games. Pokemon is growing more and more alive with each iteration, and Pokemon X/Y is the best yet.

#21: The Legend of Zelda: The WInd Waker

Action Adventure
2003

The Wind Waker is a beautiful game. Obviously the graphical style is timeless and conveys the world of Hyrule and its people like never before, but it's also the emotional plight of those characters that offers something not seen before. We have a Princess Zelda that is spunky, adventurous, yet vulnerable. We have a Link that is animated, determined, but also regretful of leaving his family. And Ganondorf, we have a villain who shows that he is not merely someone to defeat, but a person with ambitions, dreams, and a reason for doing what he does (and I even understand that reason). Sure, the dungeons may be on the low side, and there is some padding in the game (thankfully adjusted in the Wii U version). But the game still holds an important role in the grand Zelda universe. And for that I'll always cherish it.

#20: Banjo-Kazooie

Platform
1998

A whimsical adventure starring an unconventional bear and bird named after instruments. There's really not too much to say about the game other than it's incredibly fun to play as (even all this time later, as I just recently played it and loved every second of it). It's the perfect mix of a collectathon (Jiggies, Music Notes, Jinjos, and Mumbo Tokens made adventuring a rewarding experience) and platforming goodness. The characters are lovable and memorable (and have a great sense of humor. A good sense of humor goes a long way!) and the worlds are diverse and engaging (with awesome music to boot). Banjo-Kazooie is a certafied classic that I will always think fondly of.

#19: Okami

Action Adventure
2006

Okami is a game about nature and beauty overcoming cold darkness. It's a theme that I gravitate towards, even more so when that theme is portrayed directly into the game's graphical style. The traditional brush style artstyle is an incredible sight to behold, and the moments where Amaterasu vanquishes evil so that nature can once again spring forth are unforgettable. The characters are memorable, the enemies (and especially bosses) are stunning to behold, and the adventure itself is truly that: an adventure. Many users still comment how the game feels like three games wrapped in a single package. Okami is one of those rare games where I can just run around and take in everything around me... and smile. Just thinking about it now puts a smile on my face.

#18: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Action Adventure
2006

Two Zelda styled games starring wolves came out in 2006, and they were both incredible games. It was a pretty darn good year in that regard. Twilight Princess holds one of the most hype-worthy moments in E3 history, and its something I will always remember. But it's not just the memories, but the fact that the game is an incredible one to boot. Twilight Princess has some of my favorite character designs in the series (Seriously, TP Ganondorf is just perfect!), and also has some of my favorite temples as well (The Snowpeak Ruins is brilliant in how it transitions into a temple). The fact that we'll be seeing an enhanced edition next year is awesome news, and maybe we'll even see some improvement to the soundtrack (the midi style was dated when it came out in 2006!). Either way, I'm excited to jump in once more.