7 I’m not gonna lie to the fine folks of this reputable site…. I did not play this in its heyday, but I played it on the Switch in 2023. I save scummed the bejeezus out of this game. It got so bad in the last level that I was saving like every step that I took. I don’t know if that disqualifies me as a reviewer, but I will stay even in that watered down state, this game was super hard but quite satisfying. Playing the other games of 1986, I think this has one of the better combat feels and some of the best moment to moment gameplay. It’s only retraction is it’s expected simplicity that was remedied by later games, but sometimes simple and sweet is better. Looking at you Castlevania II.

4.5 I couldn’t go even lower with this game, because movement and action still feels like the first game, which is pretty good. The trouble is everything else is a big downgrade with boring design and annoying progression. It’s not necessarily the difficulty that bothers me, but the sheer frustration that at times makes you want to throw the cartridge across the room. I don’t actively hate it, but I’m not sure I like it on any level.

9 I was present in all the stages of this game... From the rocky beginning where both my PS4 and PS5 showed an ugly broken game that was janky in almost every area. I was there throughout many of the updates until it finally got to the point around a year ago where I was able to play through it. I really enjoyed it even though it always felt like a mix of brilliance and shortsighted decisions. The writing could be poignant and childish, the gameplay could be exhilarating or janky and the atmosphere could be completely immersing or cringey and off putting. With 2.0 it still has these problems to a degree, but it turned into a really good Cyberpunk RPG. Its story was always good and its music was always better than good. Everything else rounds out into a nice game that gives hours of tense gameplay and deep story. Choice is a good level for me, although it rarely gets better than that first Militech mission. The dlc is very good, although not as heavenly as it is being hyped as... the main detractor for me after all this time is that I can't play through it all that much. The world is beautiful and intriguing, but I don't always want to be in it. Its systems are clever and fun, but I don't always want to deal with them. A good game that got much better and if the sequel can stylize it even more and get rid of some of the childish off putting edgy stuff, it will be unstoppable.

8 Game of the Year When I started playing some retro games, with some I played as a kid and most that I missed, this was absolutely my biggest surprise. Mostly because I don’t like the genre, or at least I’ve never completed a game in the genre. I dislike so many of the tropes but I wanted to see where it all started and if anything clicked. Surprisingly, it really clicked with this game. I loved the leveling up, the amazing music, the freedom to mix and match classes and did I mention the music? The game is not forever long (big plus), it’s a simple and contained story (plus) and its systems are clear and rewarding (major plus). It could be even higher rated for me if it weren’t for the random battles that don’t even let you take 10 steps. The game often turns into just how far can I run without being forced into a battle. Even with that glaring problem, this was my game of that year in a year full of fun action games that are way more up my alley.

7 This is the game that started off the horizon series and unfortunately I came to it a little later in its life, so it's hard to judge it on its own when its sequels have added so much different stuff. However, going back to it now one thing that stands out is the story and the progression. The future games moved away from this a little bit at a time, so this one retains its charm with its bracelets and working your way up the festival. It is the most "classic" racer of the series in that sense. The racing itself is fine, but again if you put on a standard race from FH 3, 4, or 5 it's such a huge leap that it makes the original feel a little primitive. Still there is enough ingenuity and fun in the campaign itself to make this enjoyable to return to and it started what is one of my favorite racing series in gaming.

6 Golden Axe is a really fun arcade game that introduced awesome animals and powerful magic which really spiced up the beat-em-up genre. The ability to choose different characters was also a nice touch to give variety of playthroughs and a reason to test out all the systems. Its only fault, which is a pretty big one is the shortness of the game, its arcade origins, and a difficulty to match that shortness and eat your quarters. This all makes this a fun game to play for an hour, but nothing super memorable to stand the test of time. That cover however is in the conversation for the most super dated and super awesome art work ever.

10 Halo was something magical and mysterious when I had a PS2 and my friends got this new game they were obsessed with. The menu music had me so curious and I enjoyed the multiplayer, but I wanted to play the campaign. It wasn’t until years later I played the campaign and it lived up to the hype. Even the later chapters I loved because the gameplay was so good. It just has that feel that makes it so easy to return to… What really made it one of my all time favorites was the atmosphere, music, scale and charm. It just has that something special that makes it not only a groundbreaking fps for the time, but one that still is a joy to play. “Assault on Control Room”, “Halo” and “Silent Cartographer” are some of the best chapters in the series and the mystery and freshness of this game was never bettered. Oh, and the multiplayer was crack and was the next step for Goldeneye fans on consoles.

6 You can sort of see why this was abandoned for a long time after this game. Not that it is bad on any front. It controls well, has some nice design with the off stage thing (I’m sure there’s a proper game term for this, when you loop off one side and come out over the other), and a great main music theme. The problem is that is just not as memorable. After I played the first Mario, Zelda or Metroid, even if I was frustrated beyond belief, something about those games brought me back and had me thinking about them. Kid Icarus has me struggling to remember my feelings on it and I just beat the darn thing today. Functional and occasionally fun without the allure of the bigger franchises.

8 I was a little unfair to this game because I was always comparing it to the Arkham games, which I hold to be one of my favorite series of all time. Yes, this did iterate a lot on those games, but it also had a freshness and a charm that set it apart. The simple feeling of being Spider-Man is the best part of this game. The acrobatics and suits and fluid combat just brings a smile. The main story is good on all fronts, although I would have liked to see a little better level design and combat setups. The side stuff is been there done that but not so offensive to bring the game down entirely. Even in 2024, I think this would be my pick for favorite Spiderman game out there, even above the bombastic sequel.

8 Spiderman 2 is the best playing game of the series that Insomniac started in 2018. The moves, fluidity, controls and traversal are top notch. The combat is fun and engaging and while it does fall into spectacle over skill at times, it’s still great fun. On most every aspect I think the 2 previous games outdo it. It falls into Forbidden West and Ragnarok territory where the sequel is bigger and bolder while losing the charm and originality of the original. Now that is expected to happen as a sequel but games like The Last of Us 2 are able to separate themselves from the first game by developing in all aspects and keeping things fresh and subversive. Now it’s a completely different type of game, but the story and writing had me rolling my eyes all the time while the gameplay and controls kept me pushing through. Very nice game that didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

8.5 It’s a classic for a reason and if you ever get too frustrated with its old school design, the amazing 8 bit music soothes your anger. I mean I remember dying in that waterfall level a billion times by not making a jump, but my goodness the music was too good for me to get upset. This is the most classic Mega Man game and while the jury is still out on if it’s been surpassed, it is rightly the measure by which all other Mega Mans are judged.

7 I’m in need of a replay soon, but initially I always thought this was the best of the 2d Metal Gears. It has a nice vibe and originality compared to its contemporaries and I liked the progression. Rather I should say I need to replay MGII, as I’m pretty certain how much I enjoyed the original. Sure, certain parts could be frustrating and the mid 80s design shows its head in some negative ways, but overall this is a good start to a great series.

8 Game of the Year One of my favorite NES games that is only let down by a couple of infuriating design choices. I know it’s oft repeated but the 30 go after each death is super tedious and punishing when you are in the harder levels. Coupled with slow down and flying enemies, it can be straight rage inducing. Add to that the system constraints and repeated layouts and aesthetics, it can start to get tiresome the more you get into it. However, the design, power ups, music, originality and atmosphere are still fantastic. Sure the foundation was improved, but it’s such a solid foundation that it’s quite amazing what they pulled off. It’s one of the games that I own that sometimes makes me hate it, but it stays in the back of my mind and leaves a positive impression somehow. Still have my self drawn maps .

6.5 The upgrade in controls, enemy design and power ups are enough for any fan of Metroid 1 to play this game. It gets a lot of trash, but for someone that loves the original game, this was a joy to play through. I still appreciate the games where you had to make a map and the atmosphere in this is off the charts. The black and white does get samey, but it’s like you’re playing a lost classic and you just have to give yourself to it. The big downgrade for me is the limitations of the system that make the variety a downgrade from the first game. Otherwise this was a good time.

6.5 Punch Out can be really fun and really addicting. At the same time it can e really monotonous and really frustrating. It goes back and forth for me in the original game and while I can never truly embrace it, I can definitely see the brilliance and it’s design and how if it clicks, it really delivers.

6.5 One thing I hate more than anything in gaming is annoying birds. See Elden Ring in 2023, see Ninja Gaiden in the late 80s. I love the action here, I love the primitive action story with awesome cutscenes for the time. I despise many trap levels and annoying enemies. I can never get close to mastering this game, so there’s only a certain level I can enjoy it.

7.5 I'm not positive what the consensus is nowadays, but back in the day this was always considered the pinnacle of the series. You can definitely see why with the beautiful graphics, the more intuitive gameplay and awesome set pieces on a surfboard or horse... Yet, the more primitive Revenge of Shinobi is my pick for best in show. It's a lot more difficult, yet I found myself way more frustrated in Shinobi 3. Especially the last two levels were unbearable, and the first half of the game is a lot easier, but also less memorable. It all mixes together to make an enjoyable game that is easy to play through, but not as impactful as the first one.

7.5 Sonic Mania is excellent and as a tribute and callback game it’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. It takes the best of the series and distills it into an enjoyable and often exhilarating 2d platformer. The trouble is it doesn’t have enough identity of its own for me to put it above the classics. It retreads themes, levels and boss ideas with a barely there context that leaves me loving it in the moment and in spurts, but not when it leaves the senses if that makes any sense at all…. It also follows more of a Sonic 3 template and I love the perfect balance in Sonic 2. Still it’s a trip down memory lane and it’s a wonderful trip at that. I will buy a sequel day one if they can manage to put together a fully original game.

8 I was a sega kid growing up and I played the opening levels hundreds of times. In fact I’m not sure I got that far in the game, but Green Hill Zone was enough to get that blue magic in my veins. It was only in later years I beat the game and noticed some of the flaws like the weird difficulty spikes, the more traditional platforming segments compared to later games more speed based design. Yet nostalgia is a strong pill and Sonic is still just fun to me. I can breeze through this thing, get frustrated at the stupid water levels and find the same secrets over and over again and have a blast every time I replay it. Sonic would get better, but nothing better than the original Green Hill Zone.

8.5 I was just old enough to catch the Street Fighter II buzz, and especially aware and participated in the Mortal Kombat craze. I saw that movie like 20 times. My older brothers were more into the game itself, but I loved the little action figures and Ken was my most played with little toy ever. I’m face the whole lineup were treasures to me… Ok I digress… needless to say I got most of my playing in when I was a little older, which is more impressive because the game absolutely held up even after so many copycats. The fighting felt good, the variety of moves and the balance is immaculate. There’s a reason it’s held in such high esteem, and if it wasn’t for nostalgia and general aesthetic appeal, it’s hard to argue a better fighter ever came out.

8 I feel that the brilliance of Streets of Rage 2 sort of overshadows just how good this one is… In fact I think the vibe and aesthetics of the first game are still my favorite. It’s just such a cool game front to back and if there’s any fault it’s just that it’s not as good as the second one. Oh, and that fire boss made me want to rage 20 years ago and it still makes me rage today.

9 The best best em up of the generation and like its predecessor, this one just oozes cool. As far as music and atmosphere go, I like the first one even better, but the depth and movesets of this game just give it such replay-ability and nuance. I’m still mad they did my boy Adam wrong and replaced him with a weak dude on skates, but this is still one of my favorite games on the Genesis and one of the best of the gen.

8 Rite of passage for any gamer to truly understand the history of video games. The reason it’s a rite is because it’s still pretty darn fun. It’s more slippery than later Mario 2d games, but still a joy and I never get tired of the classic music. What it lacks in variety and the thought out systems of later games, it makes up for in simplicity and near perfect execution.

5 I love me some more of Super Mario Bros. 1. I was super excited to boot this up after doing like my 1000th play-through of the original game. Frankly once you get into it, its difficulty is too frustrating to enjoy. I like some hard NES games, but this turned into all frustration, no fun. Maybe if these levels were end game or side levels, it would have been alright, but as it is, it seems like this was an expansion troll to make you tear your hair out.

9 Super Mario World is a beautiful, bright and joyful gem of a game. You can sense the genius that went into it right away, and the deeper you go into new worlds and unfurling secrets, the more impressive it becomes. The addition of Yoshi adds a whimsical joy to going through these levels and it adds a more complex challenge to beat levels and find secrets. With all that said, you can't talk about Super Mario World without comparing it to its direct predecessor, and you can tell by my ratings (although I'm sure no one is actually looking), that I think Super Mario Bros. 3 is the better game. To me it comes down to two things: The bite sized platforming goodness of 3 and the perfect difficulty. Super Mario World is more about exploration and the novelty of replaying levels for secrets. If that is the most important to you, you will pick this game. If you enjoy perfect platforming and strategic difficulty, 3 will be your game. I love that we have both of these games, and they are different enough while sharing the same DNA. Both gaming masterpieces to me. Long live Mario. GAME OF THE YEAR

7.5 If it weren't for the Cowabunga Collection, and added like a thousand lives, I don't think I ever would have seen the end of this game. In the arcade as a kid, I'm not sure I made it past the second level. I just liked trying the different turtles and giving my money away. Playing it backed, I'm shocked by how good the graphics and sound are and how fun it is to smack goons around. Of course, the series would be bettered, the difficulty balance is horrible, and the action is repetitive, but still this was heaven on earth for turtle lovers in the 90s.

7.5 Not much to say about such a revolutionary game, except that it's extremely hard to review this in 2023 after playing through most of the series. I have played the original in bits and pieces for the past 20 years, but only recently played through the whole thing on the regular and SP version that is on the Switch. It's obscurity is still off putting to me, and I know there is some value in the adventure and bombing and burning everything in sight. It would have taken me like 4 months if I had no guide or map, and I do kind of miss that game design, but not enough to actually put it to practice! As it is, much like Metroid, I'm still amazed at the foundational design that is here. It's super impressive for its time, but still somewhat enjoyable to go through today. In many ways I like it more than Link to the Past, mostly for the adventure feel, but that game is just too polished and comprehensive for this to truly overtake it. If you're going through the series or playing some retro games, this only is fun if you use a map and lightly use a guide in my opinion.

8.5 Some people would have you believe that the jump from Legend of Zelda to Link to the Past lost some of the exploration and magic. I tend to think it’s still there in spades, especially in the overworld and the light/dark connection and on top of that Link to the Past only adds in almost everything that matters to a game. A story, towns, musical themes, more items, secrets and deeper puzzles. No, I don’t think it’s the best game ever made, or the best Zelda ever made, but there are not a lot of games more impressive to me than this SNES classic.

10 I go back and forth with several different games like the amazing Red Dead Redemption 2 or even Naughty Dog’s own Last of Us 2, but I honestly think Uncharted 4 is the greatest game of the PS4/Xbox 1 generation. I didn’t like it at first and thought it was too slow and boring compared to past releases, but on further playthroughs I came to love everything about this game. I love the slow burn opening chapters, I love the downtime climbing and I always loved the Indiana Jonesesque combat as your ropeswinging everywhere. More than anything I think the story and characters are top tier Naughty Dog work. Its playfulness appeals to me more than the dour Last of Us series, so it speaks to me in that middle between serious storytelling a joyful gaming. I just enjoy being a treasure hunter in the world and no matter where I am in the game, I’m drawn in. It doesn’t hurt that it has the most awe inspiring sequence I’ve ever played in a game in chapter 11. Perhaps that’s when the game peaks, but the pirate story is able to draw you in in later chapters. This is not mention the graphics which still look better than current PS5 games. In all the pillars of what makes a game great to me, Uncharted 4 succeeds with flying colors.

7.5 If you weren't around when this released, this game had a certain allure to it that few other games matched. Not only was it revolutionary for its genre, but there was nothing out there quite like it at all. Now it may seem dated and the design may seem repetitive, but back then it was just one giant mountain of discovery. It was bettered the next year by the less revolutionary, but better game DOOM... yet this is still a special game and deservedly iconic.