One of the most unique games ever made. It has this untouchable charm, and childlike wonder to it that has yet to be replicated. The controls are weird but they become very intuitive once you get the hang of it, and I feel like that was intentional, when you consider what the creator was going for.
Keita Takahashi is someone who strived to make art that broke the norm, and went beyond the mainstream that people were used to. I feel like this game perfectly exemplifies that. With a simple, yet endearing story, anyone can enjoy the presentation this game offers.
With the remake available on every current platform, there's no reason not to pick it up. However, if there's a version I'll always prefer, get the PS2 version. The English dub is surprisingly very well done, and is exclusive to that version. I also may be a tad biased, and nostalgic for it, but it's a seriously impressive game for it's time, and I'm still in awe of it to this day. With levels that go from small scale, to massive, there's some fun to be had in this. There's a reason why it got a spot at MoMA.
Go pick it up!

P.S. The soundtrack is fucking awesome, this was my favorite track: https://youtu.be/KQu49tucBto