Even though the Master System was an also-ran next to the NES's dominance, there were some real gems created for it, and Wonder Boy 3 just might have been the best game released on the platform.

PC players will be happy to know that the game comes with some great customization options and looks stunning with settings maxed out. I was able to run the game at a very smooth framerate, despite having everything turned up high. The UI and controls are much kinder to keyboard/mouse players than thy were the first time around.

Blast Off is a super approachable, crazily addictive little game. Well, it's not little, as it's going on 50 playable levels. But the file size is nice and small, and so is the price ($2.99).

While the single-player experience is truly the high point of the $10 purchase, the multiplayer and challenge rooms act like the "sprinkles on the cupcake," giving the player more game than they should ever expect for $10.

It has nearly everything I love about the franchise mixed with a heaping helping of Freeform-level drama, making for a genuinely optimistic experience that exudes charisma with every outfit I put together.

Aside from from the local-only consideration and some inconsistencies with the scoring criteria and stage layouts, man, what a game. Overcooked is the best co-op experience I've had in recent memory, and despite going back through to fully clear every level, I wish there were more. Don't overlook it.

I'll say this much: as someone who is by no means a superfan, Rhombus of Ruin left me feeling proper excited for Psychonauts 2.

As a downloadable title, I Am Alive is a remarkable accomplishment. Not only does it create an atmospheric world that feels real enough to identify with, but it succeeds at delivering a unique experience geared towards an adult audience while simultaneously being a fun game to play. It's a roller coaster of emotions, sometimes not exactly the ones the game intended you to feel, but a hell of a ride nonetheless.

Before the Storm's first chapter has already deflected most of the pre-release concerns that "This doesn't need to exist." Maybe it doesn't because Life is Strange's story was self-contained. Then again, maybe Life is Strange is better off with this complementing it. After its debut, I'm fully willing to argue that Before the Storm deserves to exist because this story is important too. In true Chloe fashion, anyone who disagrees gets two one-finger salutes.

That design flaw and the synth-y soundtrack are my only real problems with Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth. Otherwise, it's a great game (superb, even) and is sure to satisfy any and all people who like this sort of thing.

As a shooter it's refreshing, and as a 3D platformer it's up there with some of Nintendo's greatest creations. You'll quickly forget about the fact that you're playing Turf War over and over as you squid down an alley, leap across a gap, and shoot enemies in the air as you fall. All Nintendo needs to do is keep supporting Splatoon, because the foundation is fantastic.

Barring a few antiquated (but manageable) mechanics that are still in place in the first Kingdom Hearts, HD ReMIX captures the essence of the franchise quite wonderfully.

Completion of a stage in R-Type Command is every bit as rewarding as it was in its shoot 'em up predecessors, but without the painful hand cramp. Give your trigger finger a rest and pick this title up.

I may have harped on a few flaws with the game, but overall GoldenEye is a very solid game and well worth the money if you enjoy videogames. If you're a Bond freak then the golden Classic Controller makes for a nice collector's item, but it's hard to justify the purchase beyond that since the Wii Remote and Nunchuck were my preferred area of control.

Rare in that it gives you real cars in real locales, but also provides an intensity and excitement that other sim games can't offer. While the steering isn't as polished as it could be, you won't be thinking about that in the tense, white-knuckle, high-speed races that this game offers.

It's a seductive old-school sci-fi yarn, with characters that somehow manage to represent greater ideas and exist as fully-formed beings.

The visual glitches and lack of enemy variety do little to take away from what is a lovingly crafted game unlike any other I've played before. This is a game that won't just eat up your time, but it will devour it.

As a single-player game, though, DeathSpank really shines. The addictive nature of leveling up and looting treasure chests and fallen enemies is here in spades, not to be missed by fans of the genre. It's also one of the better-looking and most polished titles in the digital space.

It packs in pretty much everything past games have offered, and then brings in several great new characters and one of the biggest stories in fighting game history.

Take a few jumping puzzles from a 2D platformer, a pinch of progression from a Metroidvania, the story of a gorgeous indie title, lashings of pixel art, a dollop of relaxing tunes, mix well, and bake until you can see the personality rising out of it. If that sounds tempting, that’s Magical Delicacy for you.

Boo Lake might be something of a controversial choice for the #1 spot on this list, but I think this is a phenomenal track.

Black Ops 7 expands on Black Ops 6 with an enhanced, less sweaty multiplayer offering and more Zombie-killing fun, but a forgettable co-op campaign that leads into the exciting new Endgame mode prevents it from being a true top-tier Call of Duty.

Though not all of the 50+ characters are worth maxing out, the eight heroes of the campaign and the unlockable bosses are an absolute joy to play, learn, and master. With so many modes and so many quests, this is yet another quality Switch title ready to suck up dozens of hours of your life.

It's basically a slightly better version of last year's game, which isn't a terrible thing at all since I loved it, but those of you hoping for anything groundbreaking are probably going to be disappointed.

I haven't had this much unadulterated fun chopping and dropping enemies since the late '90s, and I, for one, am eagerly salivating for a bit more of Flying Wild Hog's Wang.

There's nothing like Dementium for the DS out there, and for me personally it's always a thrill to see the first game of its kind for a portable make a debut.

It's a testament to Statik's inventive puzzle design and clever complementary use of the DualShock 4 and PlayStation VR that even though I didn't care much for its story or aesthetic, it still won me over big time. If you're a PlayStation VR owner, you owe it to yourself to look into this game further.

As was the case with Legion taking us out of the dour mood of Warlords of Draenor, WoW has risen from the ashes once again.

Teleglitch: Die More Edition expands upon the greatness of the original game in every way possible.

The net result is that we immediately care about Life is Strange 2. There's no getting-to-know-you phase where we're slowly and steadily introduced to conflict. Nope, it's immediate and it's painful.

This might be Nightdive’s most important remaster. While the developer has helped polish up already popular games like Quake and System Shock, Killing Time benefits far more from their tender touch. It was already great, but this remaster makes it easier to digest. It really brings out its highlights, allowing the whole thing to shine a lot brighter. If you have never explored Matinicus Island, Killing Time: Resurrected is easily the best way to do so, and it’s high time you did.

Journey to the Savage Planet was such a fun way to kick off the decade.

Galaxies is as addictive as ever, and well worth the extra money for fans of arcade-style shooters looking to sink hours into breaking high scores.

It's among the most fun I've had on my phone in ages.

Impressive effort with a few noticeable problems holding it back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth most people's time and cash.

This crackbrained horror romp takes camp to a new extreme and wants you, the player, to have nothing but fun the entire time. For those in the right frame of mind and a willingness to forgive, that fun will be easy to discover and enjoyed by the bucketful.

Layton Brothers: Mystery Room is a fine companion to the main Layton series. Unless you really, really miss those Highlights brain teasers, that is.

Soul Hackers may have a number of antiquated principles and mechanics, but none of them are unprecedented or that difficult to deal with. So long as you're willing to put up with a bit of age, you'll be diving into one of the most accessible and enjoyable Shin Megami Tensei games in the series.

It's funny, its puzzles are satisfying, and, as Anthony mentioned, is a fine example of episodic gaming's potential.

When stood on its own, NPC! DK JB is great, and one of the best platformers for the Wii I've yet played. If you missed out on it the first time around or hated the bongo controls, I implore you to go out and pick it up so that you can experience this strange and wonderful game.

It doesn’t matter if you care about boxing; this superb game is worth a look from everybody, especially since face button punching will be added in September. My complaints with FNR4 are mostly about ultimately trivial window dressing; the game itself is a blast to play, and that’s what stands out.

It's a piece of videogame history and a shining example of what can be done to create an experience so much more immersive than the Heavy Rains of today. I just can't rate the port as highly as I'd rate the core experience itself.

Bug Princess is another beautiful and fun CAVE shoot-em-up on the iOS platform. The music is charming, the controls are responsive, and there is enough care in this port -- from translation to bonus menus -- to really showcase CAVE's love for the genre. Bug Princess is a great shoot-em-up and a great iOS game that truly captures the power of touch gaming.

Hell is Us is a great action-adventure game taking inspiration from Resident Evil, Souls games, and Tomb Raider. With a strong story and awesome puzzles, its overall inconsistencies and frustrations could be overlooked, though they take too much away from the experience to be ignored.

It's smart, it's pretty, and it never dwells on any one idea for too long. At its heart is a quality math puzzler, but what makes it shine is the dark comedy found in killing cartoon animals just to satisfy some arbitrary numerical requirements.

Donut County is as charming and funny as it is inventive and beautiful. It excels at what it sets out to do --there's never been a better hole simulator in video game history.

Shinsekai: Into the Depths falters from time to time, but it more than makes up for its shortcomings with an original premise, immersive sound design, and expert worldbuilding. If you end up playing this game – and I strongly recommend that you do – just make sure to wear headphones.

Even if you never end up touching the head-to-head online multiplayer, local co-op, ambitious track editor, or any of the ensuing user-made creations, Trials Rising will keep you plenty busy at launch. Some of the out-of-level elements could use another pass, but progression pacing issues, loot-box bloat, and technical hiccups weren't enough to put me off what is ultimately another great Trials game.

Gravity Ghost is pretty great. The gameplay exists in an odd space where it would require appreciable skill in order to play it well, but does not feature any sort of punishment for playing poorly. Though it only rarely can be described as difficult, it can still be satisfying.

It really is a pretty straight forward and rewarding game. While it's in no way perfect, it's a completely serviceable roguelike for its price and for the Vita. If you can't get enough of this genre, then by all means consider Flame Over.

Charming - Not perfect, but a memorable game that's hard not to like and recommend to others.

What I do know is that right now, whenever I have a moment, I’m playing this game and I’m enjoying it immensely. Nintendo, Intelligent Systems, and DeNA have succeeded on two fronts here: not only have they crafted a mobile game that is fine in its own right, but they’ve also made one that absolutely makes me want to play the next proper entry in the Fire Emblem franchise.

My main takeaway, though: I can’t believe Fracked has a dual-Move control scheme that is this reliable and this much fun. It’s making the absolute most of this hardware.

Sayonara Wild Hearts is what you'd get if Robyn ran the Grid from Tron. A stunning collection of music, action, heart, and radiant setpieces, it's easily one of the most inventive and unpredictable games of 2019. And it could have been one of the best too if only the developers had made the decision to present this album as a whole upfront rather than take players through it track by track.

But, if you’re into challenging platformers like the remaster of the original Crash Bandicoot, then you’re very likely to enjoy this one. Alongside with the aforementioned Chained Together and Jusant, Lorn’s Lure proves that the world of platformers still has a lot of mechanics to be tried out. It’s also revealing just how inhospitable and utterly terrifying platformers can be — in the coolest of ways.

Oxenfree II feels like Night School returning to its roots in a way, and I think the confidence with which they do so is laudable. There’s enough here that keeps true to its creepy, radio-static origins while expanding out the possibilities. The studio’s style has clearly evolved in the years since, and seeing that come together back in the coastal town of Camena is exciting. It might not be the out-of-left-field surprise it was then, but Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is a solid adventure for those who can’t get enough of strange frequencies and existential dread.

The game is still a steal at $2. Fans of 2D action platformers need to check it out.

Samorost 3 is a relatively short journey, taking about five to six hours to beat and a little more to fully complete. That time is jam-packed with delightful characters, stunning scenery, and clever puzzles, so while it may be brief, it's certainly time well spent. For anyone who appreciates Amanita's previous titles or the point-and-click adventure genre in general, Samorost 3 comes highly recommended.

It offers enough new content to make one play through enjoyable, and it has enough depth to make you want to come back for more. If you own Victoria II, you would have to be crazy to not want to pick up this expansion. If you don't have Victoria II, now would be a good time to start playing it.

Because of the mechanics and varied modes, you're not going to run out of those awkward funny moments. Whether it be spearing a player in their narwhal ass or dry humping in space for an entire round, Starwhal will provide the thrills -- so long as you're willing to take the ride.

It's not perfect, and it certainly won't appeal to everyone, but if you're jonesing for your next taste of the life of an assassin, Hitman GO is the hippest way to emulate everyone's favorite sharp-dressed agent.

While the visuals still retain that "kiddie-game" feel, the animation is much improved, and the lighting and shading are surprisingly deep for such a younger-geared title. It's a much more vibrant-looking LEGO title, and the animations are on par with the same type of CGI that the TV series itself is animated with.

In battle, the iPhone touch control is great.

If you absolutely hate the IP, the concept, and the sound of them yelling as they fly through the air, this won't do much to change your mind, even if the Star Wars factor will help ease in Jedi junkies a bit. But if you don't mind spending a few minutes a day just having some silly fun, Angry Birds Star Wars II delivers once again.

At times beautiful, hilarious, and even occasionally thoughtful, this is a one-of-a-kind action-RPG that deserves your consideration, if not your monetary vote. There's certainly nothing quite like it, and for all its foibles, when it hits its mark, it does so with vigor.

It delivers a solid and enjoyable experience from beginning to end. It isn't going to win anyone over for its finger-blistering difficulty, either, so fans looking for an old-school challenge should check their expectations accordingly. But super sharp visuals and clever writing make this a collection of Batman adventures you won't want to miss.

If you still play Black Ops III, you can't really go wrong with Awakening -- especially since the new maps are now built into normal playlists from the get-go.

Peggle 2 is ultimately the same basic concept as the original set of games, but it's still most definitely worth playing if you're a series fan. PopCap could have done so much more than they did, especially when you consider the generational leap, but the good news is Peggle fans will eat this up and fall in love all over again.

While Tropico 5 isn't the game-of-the-year masterpiece of a generation, it's a more-than serviceable sim and strategy title that can satisfy a grossly under-served genre within the console community.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania was a pleasant surprise, in that it doesn’t mess too much with a formula that works and it makes strides to welcome newcomers into the fold. Not all of its stages are created equal, but this is a great entry point into a series that’s been lacking one on modern platforms for a long while.

There's nothing like solid platforming action to make those stale Nintendo Points useful again!

Despite a few issues I have with the game, most notably the idea of grinding a bit too often early on, this game is a steal at $9.99. If you see it on a sale and remotely enjoy ARPGs, you need to pick this up immediately.

As an important piece of gaming preservation, I'd almost say that Disney Afternoon Collection is worth picking up just for the DuckTales and Chip 'n Dale sequels, but the truth is nearly every game deserves to be played at least once.

Your enjoyment of Metro 2033 hinges on your willingness to let a game batter you into submission.

Depending on how you tackle the journey, it can take around 20 to 37 hours to save Altago from danger. Of course, this time range takes the side missions and optional bosses into account. Because of HYDE, Inc.'s involvement with the PC port, this makes Ys Seven's new release the best version of the game. In other words, XSEED has found themselves a great ally.

Swords & Soldiers is a cute game with a lot of moments that are really, really fun. It can get pretty intense in later campaign levels and it's satisfying to complete them.

This was a fine first showing but it'd be nice to see The Coalition carve its own identity for Gears of War. Using Epic's foundation is understandable and expected, but it often feels like a crutch. Marcus' boy had grown up just like him.

It's also a great choice for anyone who is looking for more diversity in their video games, as it does a wonderful job of promoting inclusion without making it the sole focus. Plus, there's an awesome, adorable little robot friend to hang out with, and who doesn't want that?

Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium is almost everything I want from a compilation. It not only provides a handsome slew of games, but it pays reverence to the experience, as well. Beyond that, it gives a lot of options that are pretty easy to figure out and configure. Switching between a controller and arcade stick is a breeze, as it should be. Maybe one day I want pixel art, and maybe the next I want phosphor glow. My eyeball-destroying tastes are catered for.

There's room in my heart for both styles of Paper Mario. The old games still exist and this newer, sometimes thinner formula is fine too.

My biggest takeaway from Chapters of the Chosen is that despite it's sexy new makeover, it still feels like an old school adventure.

Onrush could use some refinement when it comes to its modes but its core is strong, and the foundation is set for a great arcade racer.

As far as Pokemon spin-off games go, this is definitely one of the best offerings on the market, and is worth picking up by any fan of the series.

I'm still tooling around in skirmishes in BattleTech, and it's done its part in getting me interested in the bigger picture. Harebrained Schemes should be proud, as it's mostly done right by the various tabletop licenses it's worked with for the past five years or so.

Bomb Chicken kind of came out of nowhere, and I completely lost track of time after my first session with it.

A great example of how to offer a classic game to a new audience with improved graphics and sound for a low price. Another World - 20th Annivesary is every bit as hard as it once was, but this iOS version is far from a lazy port. It offers an improved core experience with the option to play the 1991 version, features excellent touch controls, and gives a new breed of gamers the chance to explore why this classic was such a big deal.

The Magic Obelisk has so many things going for it. It has really unique light-based puzzle game play, super cute graphics and characters, and a fantastic price tag. The clunky control does let the game down a bit, but I still think it's certainly worth your time and your $5.

Samurai Warriors 4 suffers from the same pratfalls as the rest of the Warriors series on occasion, but the strong offering of content and robust Chronicle mode will keep you interested for quite a while.

The Guided Fate Paradox may not have the most engrossing story, and at times, it can roll at a snails pace when in full swing, but its overall attention to the little things is what makes it one of this year's surprises.

Captain Toad is an experience that doesn't attempt to really wow you, but instead delivers consistent puzzle experiences at a rapid pace.

The Jackbox Party Pack 6 continues Jackbox's streak of funny, low-key party games without deviating much from their established formula. If you're looking for something fun to do with a group for a couple of hours, you can't go wrong with one of the Jackbox Party Packs. There aren't really any experimental games like Zeeple Dome from last year's collection, but there's plenty worth playing in this year's Pack.

It might be because its anarchic and chaotic design is an antidote to the impersonal and overly polished games that make up the largest sector of the market. There are enough “inspired by” games that try to replicate the successes of others and few that are as nakedly human. Judero says a lot in its tumultuous mix of sadness and whimsy, thoughtfulness and playfulness. What it’s saying is a bit of a mystery to me, but I hear it talking, and I could listen to its voice all day.

As a self-proclaimed non-game, Endless Ocean: Blue World is a charming diversion and comes recommended to anyone looking for something unlike anything else out there.

Sakura Wars is a game apart. It is a niche game within a niche genre, and is quite proud of it. The open-minded and unafraid will find a cheerful experience that is happily free of more contemporary obsessions with maturity and grit, content to be silly, fluffy, quirky and madly "anime".

When it's not forcing a sub-par combat system on players, and when it allows itself to be as imaginative as it can be, Silent Hill: Downpour is a stylish, slickly produced, beautifully foreboding game.

Go Home Dinosaurs! will last you at least eight to ten hours if you're a skilled player, and certainly more if you're a younger or less familiar gamer.

SteamWorld Heist II is a phenomenal title that offers you the best when it comes to short, tactical encounters with thrilling turn-based gameplay. It’s not without its frustrations when it comes to story progression, but pushing through will reveal to you a game with incredible mission variety that you can mix up even more using your crew. Thanks to its checkpoint system and no punishment for mission failure, it’s incredibly approachable and opens the turn-based tactics genre up for anyone who doesn’t want to play something as intense as XCOM.

All quibbles aside, Lost in Nightmares still does a lot to correct the things that I didn't like about Resident Evil 5, and I hope it's an indicator for where they may take the series in the future. More of Barry Burton headbutting Saddam Hussein look-a-likes until their faces explode would be a good thing.