Collect Power Moons across kingdoms
Complete the puzzle-platform video game Braid, known for its time manipulation mechanics and artistic design.
The 1989 Game Boy launch platformer: twelve levels, two shoot-em-up stages and a princess who is not Peach.
The real Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2: the same engine, poison mushrooms and wind, and far harder.
Time travel through four versions of every zone, and two soundtracks depending on where you bought it.
The cel-shaded reboot with Elika beside you, in which you cannot die and the land is healed area by area.
An alien amusement park in orbit and the Wisp powers; the game that pulled the series out of its worst decade.
Two campaigns, the Chao garden, and City Escape - the last Sonic game Sega made for its own console.
Open zones for the first time, with a grind rail bolted to a hillside and titans to climb.
Teams of three switched on the fly, speed, power and flight in one control scheme.
The slide, Rush the robot dog and eight more masters, then the doc robot rematches.
Pre-rendered apes on a SNES in 1994, mine carts and a David Wise soundtrack that still gets remixed.
Diddy and Dixie through Kaptain K. Rool's pirate world; the hardest and best of the Rare trilogy.
Richter Belmont, branching stages and Maria as a second character; the PC Engine game the West never got.
Branching paths and three companions; the best of the NES Castlevanias.
A Metroidvania with time powers and a map you annotate; Ubisoft Montpellier again.
Six characters, a killer whale and the Dreamcast's launch.
Dash, wall jump and an intro stage that teaches without a word.
Simon Belmont, a whip and stairs that will kill you; the 1986 original.
Pull vegetables and throw them; the reskinned Doki Doki Panic that became a Mario game.
Ferry the dead to the afterlife, hug them and cook for them; the cosiest game about death.
A bard who sings instead of fights, saving the world with a colour wheel.
Yoshi carries baby Mario through a crayon world; the SNES platformer at its most inventive.
Hand-drawn 2D platforming with four players; Ubisoft's art team let loose.
Classic and modern Sonic through the series' best levels; the birthday game.
Yoshi, the cape and 96 exits on the SNES; the launch title that still plays perfectly.
Green Hill Zone at speed; Sega's answer to Mario in 1991.
The raccoon suit, the world map and the airships; the best NES game.
Jumpman climbs girders to save Pauline; Mario's first appearance, 1981.
120 stars, the castle and the first analogue 3D playground.
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