Okay here goes.

#3 Mario Kart 8

Alright, it's a Mario Kart game. Everybody loves Mario Kart, right? Nothing special, nothing outstanding. But wait, there's more. This is the best fun racer of all time! This is probably the best party game ever. This has got to be that one game that nobody on the entire planet can ever possibly loathe and that everyone loves, and you know why? Because it's magical! This, my friends, is perfection in every possible way. The track designs, the fun, the graphics, the item selection (yes, including the Blue Shell of Doom and Destruction!), the music, oh my god the music, the online experience, the multiplayer, the velocity, the balance, the sheer chaos, the nostalgia... Mario Kart 8 is finger-licking good. I got this with my Wii U and loved it ever since. No matter if I pay it alone or with my gf or with friends on my couch or even with random strangers online - this game never gets old. Never! There is a reason why this is the best selling game of the Wii U and why MK8D is on the way to become the best entry in the entire franchise. Actually, no... there are a ton of reasons!

#2 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Now everyone and their mum knows this game, there's no need for me to explian why it's good. But what Botw gave me was an emotion that I have not felt in a looooooooooooong time, and that is the feeling of complete and unconditional investment. When I played Botw I was truly in Hyrule, in this game world, in these beautiful environments, and it truly felt like I did all these things like crafting and fighting and exploring and surviving myself. I went all out of my way to explore the land because I was genuinely curious to see what I can find and what awaits me behind the next hill, up the next tree, across the next river, inside the next chest, beyond the next valley. I was hooked right from the start and I loved every minute of it! I really don't know why and it is somehow saddening that I can't get this feeling anymore but I remember that I used to have this feeling much more often when I was a kid. Nowadays I just play a game and that's it. No deep attachment. It just passes my attention. But not ths time, this is different. Botw is a special game because it reminded me of why I love video games in the first place. 

#1 Super Metroid

Super Metroid is my favorite game of all time and I highly doubt that any other game will ever touch it, past, present or future. I love the story, I love the ambience, the atmosphere, the lore, the weapons, the surroundings, the enemies, ... everything just fits so perfectly, it is absolutely amazing.

How I wish I could relive those moments when I played it for the first time! I remember that it came with a big guide book that contained oh so much info, images, maps, details. I was genuinely intimidated when I played it, I couldn't stand the intensity! Everytime I entered a new room I had to press Start to check the map. Not even a single step done, just check the map and compare it with the guide book. The insane atmosphere was unmatched, and it grabbed me by the balls and never let go! This investment is exactly what I meant when I talked about Botw before.

I love how you start off with almost nothing and can be owned by the most basic enemies, but then you progress, you become stronger and stronger until one point where the power balance tips so much to your favor that you can just fly through entire rooms filled to the brim with dangerously armed enemies like a knife through warm butter. And I love how every new weapon or item you get is useful and meaningful. I love how the game forces you to think outside the box when you are stuck. I love the feeling of excitement when you reach an unknown area and the thrilling expectation of what's next to come. I love the bosses and their battles. Some of them even tell a small story when you pay attention. My god, Kraid with his giant ass body was so insanely intimidating that I wished I could head back out of his boss room and catch a breath first, but fuck no, once you're in his chamber there's no way out until one of you goes down for good. Also, his cries of pain will always ring in my ear. I love all the secrets and hidden areas that you wil find on your route. I love that each area is completely distinct from one another and feels unique. I love the quite and unsettling moments here and there, followed by action packed battles with space pirates and indigenuous beasts... I could go on, but I think I've made my point.

Super Metroid - After reading the first two I didn't expect a SNES game.  Another surprise!  I'm definitely attached to the NES Metroid, but I might have to give this one another chance.  I've only played it for a few hours.

1. [Resident Evil 4] From the brilliantly desolate atmosphere to the pitch-perfect pacing to the intense combat to the epic bosses to the sheer attention to detail paid to every gameplay mechanic and every corner of the game world, it's just a masterclass in design and execution.

2. [Super Mario Galaxy] With its endlessly imaginative cosmic playgrounds, sublime soundtrack, and joyous controls, it captures the magic of childhood wonder and distills it into video game form.

3. [The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild] This is what I dreamed games of the future would be like when I was growing up; an intricate network of interactive elements woven together into a cohesive and organic whole from which almost endless emergent gameplay possibilities arise.

Chrono Trigger - It is a timeless Adventure and one of the few games out there that actually does time travel right. The art direction ages very well, the music is fantastic, the plot is interesting/fun, and the tech system is very well done. The cast is very lovable and their character development is top notch as well.  It really is close to perfection in my eyes.

Chrono Cross - Making the list for very different reasons, the sequel to Chrono Trigger itself is also included here. Though not a direct follow up to the original cast, it does advance the over arching state of that world very well. It has problems with pacing and a few plot holes left open to interpretation, but overall the plot is also very interesting. This time it focuses on multiverse theory and the concequences of time travel, rather than the use of it to defeat a foe. It has a darker tone overall, so while it is a direct sequel in world plot, it does not feel the same nor does it follow the same cast. The gameplay also differs, but it is also very fun. This time the element system, which actually can be deeper than many realize, takes the forefront of the battle system. Unfortunately, for me anyway, the difficulty is a bit too easy to make the player use it to its full potential. The art direction is different, but also very beautiful (some may actually prefer it). The music is every bit as good as Trigger and where Trigger remained light hearted, Cross tends to go very deep. Chrono Cross also features a very large cast of characters, over 40 in fact.  Some of them are hit or miss however in terms of plot relevance, but there are a good number of likeable characters to choose from.  The drawback to this however is that outside of our two main protagonists and a handful of others, character development is lacking this time around.  It has its flaws, but this game will always hold a place in my heart. Where Trigger was near perfection, I see Cross as more of a flawed masterpiece.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Now we all knew I would have a Zelda game on here, but the question was which one? I decided to go with ALttP because I feel it is truly one of the best entries in the franchise. BotW came close, but there are still some things I would like to see improved upon. Ocarina comes to mind for some people, but I feel it is overrated when compared to the original game that truly started the Zelda formula once nostalgia is removed. OoT is indeed a great game, just not as great as ALttP. The SNES adventure was just so compact and filled with content, great music, beautiful visuals for its time, and is just all around fun to play. IMO, it represents the pinacle of the classic Zelda games.

(referring to bold) That is also what I dreamed games of the future would be like growing up.  I thought games like Breath of the Wild would be the norm.  For me, my first console was the Atari 2600 and my second was the NES.  Just ignoring graphics, NES games are far more complex and better designed than Atari 2600 games in just about every way.  So I just assumed gameplay and design would continue improving like that.  After the NES though, it was really only the graphics that improved across the board and game design only improved on a game-by-game basis.  (I.e. every generation has its share of shovelware, and only a small percentage are truly great games.)  When we get a game like Breath of the Wild we have to count ourselves lucky.  Who knows how long it will be until we get a game this good again?

But if we want to talk about the next step in gaming...I'd start with Breath of the Wild, because that is an awesome place to start.  Then, make all the dungeons as fun and interesting as Hyrule Castle.  Add in some more sim elements to the world from Animal Crossing and also make melee combat more engaging.  (I like both Hyrule Warriors and Dark Souls for 3D combat.  A step in either direction would be an improvement.)  That's kind of the dream game in my mind at the moment.

You didn't mention this, but I'm going to ask.  Is time travel something that really makes the game interesting for you?  All of your games seem to have either a time travel or dimension travel theme.  (Although ALttP implies time in the title.)  Obviously, it helps that these games are well made, but I was also wondering if the time travel component had any significance?

I don't necessarily think time travel is an element, because I am picky about how it is used.  Chrono Trigger just does it very well.

Now multiverse theory on the other hand, is very intriguing to me.  Chrono Cross in particular has a very interesting take on it.  A Link to the Past doesn't really use time travel in the game, but the Dark World does kind of prepresent a parallel world in of itself.

You know, I never really considered that dimensional travel might have a big influence what makes the games so interesting to me...but now that you mention it...I wouldn't be suprised if that is the case.