It's Galaga, but they made the aliens cute and the backgrounds pretty. Remains quite simple but there's an actual end-stage now, and even multiple endings based on performance. Love the cocktail-jazz tune that plays when you lose. That's Galactic Dancin'

The ultimate co-op Kirby experience, which at this point was basically co-op Smash Bros. The whole "you need to use that power on this obstacle" thing doesn't work well when it brings a four-player run to a stop, but it's great fun at least 90% of the time.

A fascinating "rail shooter-meets-ATB" combat system, a brisk and well-paced story that trims the JRPG fat, a rich and mysterious sci-fi world that doesn't over-explain itself, organic and adaptable customization systems... A miraculous game, especially pre-OoT.

I don't find the overworld exploration or puzzles very interesting (sometimes they're aggravating), but the combat is full of neat ideas for engaging turn-based combat, and it's a very fun fleshing-out of the Mario universe. Challenge is low but not braindead.

Every day I wake up and remind myself to outlive Keiji Inafune.

It's such a friendly, pick-up-and-play take on the roguelike. I love how many of its mechanics also work as tiny storytelling embellishments. Art is surprisingly lovely as well. All the content apart from the main quest feels like it's best ignored, though.

The post-industrial nightmare environs are astounding on their own, but they also elevate the tension and survival elements of its gameplay, which is basically 3D Mystery Dungeon. It's a run-based game where I was genuinely absorbed by the world and story.

This really kicked the visual spectacle and boss fights of the first game into overdrive. Sometimes it feels like it spills over into chaos and the game's continue system acknowledges that. It's also too long for something you'd conceivably 1CC. Still! An all-time classic.

Really delivers on the cinematic front. The first few hours of this game are enchanting, and the setting is so unique for a 1998 RPG. It kinda falls apart towards the end. The combat I can take or leave; it doesn't really seem like they thought it through. Love the OST!

It gets as much as possible out of its simple "Irritating Stick" gameplay premise, but it feels kind of lacking in variety or modes. Has old-school SNES game spirit without the actual content. Cute, though! I would've bought phone charms of every character in 2001.

S&P's conveyor belts of scenery and obstacles are so well-considered. You start off running on tall grass against a screaming sunset and it's striking, but so is everything that comes after. You drown in a sea of blood and return as a demon! The best rail shooter ever.

There's so much detail and interactivity packed into its single-screen stages, and tension between your tactical approach and the ticking timer. But by God it stresses me out with its screaming alarms and slow elevators. Good game, though.

Such a cool take on the match-puzzle game, where you're exchanging small coins until each makes a thousand. Insanely high skill ceiling (and ruthless AI), but fun to play solo. Perky and silly 90s magical girl otaku-bait premise on top of that. I love you Debtmiser.

A short shmup with variable stages and a meter you have to keep down by chain-killing foes to avoid an instant ride to the final boss. Its Rez-like CyberWar premise and presentation are extremely cool. Plays great, feels a bit too slight.

Extremely nice-looking mecha beat-'em-up with custom parts and weapons, picked up as you go. For a Capcom title it doesn't overstay its welcome. Still I can't fully get into it; I think the heavier mecha movement doesn't appeal to me in this context. But it's good.