III was a great game but it's hard to argue that there wasn't much of a story until the very end. Sometimes a journey is defined by the company you keep and the illustrations in II's manual teased something which we had yet to see.

IV not only provides you with great companions but gives all of them a chance to shine before you even see the hero... at least in the original version. But I'm praising the remake because of its quality of life enhancements and fun little quips between characters (sadly absent in some ports.)

I really do think this is the greatest JRPG of all time. This feels like it finished what Ultima III started. It's a thrilling ride from start to finish which every gamer should experience.

The songs are catchy, the UI is better than PaRappa's, and the scoring system is far less cryptic. Even once it's over, you have three(!) additional modes and instrument variations to do it all again.

But what really brings it together is Lammy, who might be the most relatable video game protagonist ever. She's adorable and deserves more recognition.

Also, maybe it's just me, but Lammy playing riffs to match the vocals makes a lot more sense than PaRappa echoing his teachers - it hardly makes him much of a rapper. Thematically, this just works better.

A story so good that it could have easily been its own Final Fantasy. Soken's score and Ishikawa's writing are in top form here, proving that the franchise could still be redeemed after XIII, XV and XIV 1.0's shortcomings.

Besides that, the various improvements and additional content (a particular highlight being the Eden raid series) finally pushed it beyond World of Warcraft as the MMORPG most deserving of your attention.

And even if future updates should spoil it somehow; remember, remember that it lived.

iNiS had such a good formula here, it's hard to fathom why it didn't carry on to the 3DS.

Community content on Osu! (2007) tends to fall short of a few things which made Ouendan so enjoyable - such as the cutscenes, characters, dual screen, screen-tapping, and uplifting music (it's about hot-blooded cheerleading after all.) Well, it's all here at your disposal, so what are you waiting for?

This was a game made with the DS in mind and took full advantage of the hardware to deliver a stellar product. The original wasn't bad but this took the lessons learned from Elite Beat Agents (2006) and cranked it up to 11.

It's a quintessentially Japanese product and the theme works extremely well in its favour. It's understandable that it lacks broader appeal but honestly, nothing you can substitute it for works quite as well, which is something its predecessor learned the hard way.

It also has the distinction of being the only game to make me jam out to a soccer anthem. It's that powerful.

I've always said that graphics and theme aren't essential to any good game, and McMillen really pushed it with this polarising art direction, but I remain true to my word and it doesn't stop Isaac from being one of the standout games of its generation.

Rebirth took the game further than its Flash original ever could, and we should be glad it did, as this is one of the most content-rich action roguelikes you will ever play.

Is it endlessly repayable? Well, no, but it doesn't have to be. Everything ends eventually, whether it's a credits roll or burnout, but the question is whether it left you satisfied once it's over. Even if you only played one run of Isaac, you will feel like it was worth your time - and that says it all.

III was a great game but it's hard to argue that there wasn't much of a story until the very end. Sometimes a journey is defined by the company you keep and the illustrations in II's manual teased something which we had yet to see.

IV not only provides you with great companions but gives all of them a chance to shine before you even see the hero... at least in the original version. But I'm praising the remake because of its quality of life enhancements and fun little quips between characters (sadly absent in some ports.)

I really do think this is the greatest JRPG of all time. This feels like it finished what Ultima III started. It's a thrilling ride from start to finish which every gamer should experience.

Later roguelikes (named after this game) definitely have it beat in terms of features. Yet, like many first games, its simplicity is both charming and accessible.

At first, you may be enthralled by map generation and promise of endless adventures... but once you inspect the nooks and crannies, the game's complexity starts to fall apart. And you know what? It works because that's exactly what's required to beat the game.

To anyone who unfairly criticises this game, go retrieve the Amulet of Yendor first. I'll wait.

After SMB3, even the staff didn't know what to do next. On close inspection, SMW looks pretty rough and I wouldn't be surprised if most of its ideas were purely experimental... and yet, it works. Heck, it works very well.

After seeing NSMB's clean sheen, it made me appreciate SMW so much more. Its full of personality; not to mention the responsive controls, terrific level design and abundance of secrets.

Only the most bitter person could hate this game. It's happiness in cartridge form.

After II, you'd be forgiven for thinking the series had nowhere else to go. That was until Atlus had the genius idea to set it in a chaotic world in opposition to II's lawful one.

And it does feel chaotic. Powerful enemies can show up out of nowhere, might rules the day and you will feel overwhelmed. It's even reflected by the narrative, where you have to choose a philosophy to reshape the world, but all are morally gray and none of them are your own.

This game pioneered the Press Turn system which has been used by several games since. Of course you have to mention Kaneko's art and Meguro's soundtrack too. There's just so much to admire here.

The Persona series may be more accessible but Nocturne has it beat in sheer originality. I love, love, love this game.