robohobo
The peak of the series for me. While the roster's not perfect, it does shine the spotlight on some returning favorite characters. The extra modes are incredibly fun diversions, with Konquest mode alone being a reason to revisit the game.
1999
Game-changing for its time and still holds up quite well - aside from camera issues, but what game then didn't have those? Every stage has killer music and it only gets better the further into the game you get.
A challenging puzzle-platformer with a lovable (but smelly) protagonist. Likely partly responsible for my dark sense of humor. Lots of secret areas and multiple endings to keep you coming back. Quiksave is a blessing here!
2009
Takes everything I loved about the older DMC games and amplifies it. The combat feels great and there are tons of weapons you can mix and match. Fairly easy to breeze through the story if that's all you want to do, but good luck trying to COMPLETE the game. As someone who's scoured the game, I can tell you that going for better scores is a chore when the game penalizes you for using items and ruins perfect runs with unfair, instakill QTEs (you'll need to remember what button you have to press before it even shows up, or else you'll be too late).
1995
Easier than MK 2, but not by much. The more modern, apocalyptic setting is a fun change from the purely mystical setting of the past two games, and the gameplay is more fast-paced.
My preferred way to play the NES Mario games - I won't touch The Lost Levels though.
1994
As wacky and weird as you've heard, with just a dash of dark. A fun experience with a fun world to explore, hampered by limited inventory space and a few rough sections.
1990
When you think of the Super Nintendo, this is the game you think of. Great cartoony style, very hummable tunes, and fantastic level design with loads of secret exits.
1993
My first MK, and one of my favorites of the series in terms of setting and characters. But it gets docked pretty heavily for just how brutally unfair the AI is.
A departure from the Oddworld formula, and one of the coolest shooters ever made (though yes, it's also a platformer, if you wanna be picky about details). A fun game with inventive weaponry and a cool story. It may have been the last we heard from Oddworld for a long time, but a great note to end on.
The easiest of the Super Star Wars trilogy and the one I've spent the most time with (more so because it's based on my favorite movie of the Original Trilogy).
1993
Something different, especially for a licensed game. Not the deepest gameplay, but a good bit of fun, even if you just play for the classic cartoon antics.
A mixed bag for sure. There's still fun to be had, but there are quite a few issues. Konquest is more action-oriented and the story is enjoyable, but the mode doesn't have the same charm as Deception's rendition. Motor Kombat is a great idea with a clever name, but isn't nearly as fun as Puzzle or Chess Kombat. Character creation is neat and the roster is massive, but the lack of bios for everyone and the copy and paste nature of the combat (ESPECIALLY with the awful Kreate-A-Fatality system) is what hurts the game most.
Not my favorite fighter, but holds a nostalgic place in my heart. The best part was always beating up the car!
Improves upon its predecessor in every way - graphics, bosses, and especially music. The darker, spookier theming is a standout in the series, and goes hand-in-hand with the somewhat harder difficulty.