I'm loving the idea of this thread Nep.
So first off, I'm going to start with...
#1 Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
(shamelessly put own video up. fucks given = zero)
As you all know. The Crash games are my childhood. So this does apply to all three original Crash games on the PS1 (not counting CTR). But for the sake of this thread, if I had to choose one, it would have to be Crash 2.
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is without a doubt my favorite 3D platforming game of all time. It's the best one in the franchise and it's possibly my favorite game on the PS1. Not only did it improve on the first Crash game in almost every way, it still holds holds up to this day as a perfectly playable platforming game.
Granted, So does Crash 3. But Crash 2 feels more like a Crash game. It's got the aesthetic and the gameplay that made Crash 1 so great and just makes it better. Aside from the Jetpack levels, It also doesn't have gimmicky stages like in Crash 3 which I thought made it less of a Crash game.
But enough of comparing it to the others. I picked Crash 2 because it's a perfect example of a good platformer which wasn't made by Nintendo or Rare. In other words, it's a great alternative and I highly recommend you check it out.
#2 Team Fortress 2
This is on the list because Team Fortress 2 is the perfect game to play if your getting into PC gaming and in First Person Shooters. After 7 years, the game is still going strong and it's more enjoyable then ever. I have spent over 2000 hours on it because it's just so addictive. If it wasn't for Dota 2, I'll be still playing now.
TF2 is a class-based game. They're 9 classes, All of which have they're own uses, positives and negatives. Making the game really diverse. No match is ever identical to the last.
A lot of people would probably recommend Battlefield or CoD over TF2, but TF2 really is so unique, so funny and just so loveable. It's a must play. And it's free. So they're literally no excuses.
Valve have also really supported the game over the years, with lots of free contect patches, updates, fixes and even it's own lore. TF2 is the subject of a lot of Valve experiments. One of them being Movie making such as "Meet the Team" and this 15 minute short which is just fantastic.
#3 Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King.
My experience with JRPGs is very limited. I've only played FF7 for a few hours (I disliked it by the way, sorry!) So I'm sure they're other games which are good at or maybe even better then introducing the genre, but my choice has got to be DQ8.
Dragon's Quest 8 took me by surprise. I only picked it up because I've heard of the series and it was pretty cheap in a local game store. But holy crap this game. The characters, the world, the humor, the enemies. Everything about this game is lovable. You get lost within it and you start to really care about the (eventually) four main characters. Which is also helped by the amazing voice work. Yangus is a cockney and is fucking hilarious. Jessica is a quick witted badass who is yet very caring, and Angelo. Well I dislike Angelo. He's a womanizing posh cunt.
Another thing to note is the superb music and artstyle. They go hand in hand together making the adventure just that more epic.
But the thing that really made me love this game was the battles. It's a bit like Pokemon, so it's easy to learn and it's just so fun. The effects of the attack are really stunning for a PS2 game and the fact it's in full 3D helps a lot too. Boss fights are nail biting. Every single action counts and you always have to plan ahead. Once defeating them, it's so rewarding.
Oh. And of course to top it off. Jessica. Motherfucking
Jessica Albert.
I'm not sorry.
But yeah. Highly recommend if you want to get into JRPGs. One of the most epic adventures you'll ever go on.
#4 Legend of Zelda
This one was tricky. Because I knew Zelda had to be on this list but I really don't know which one to pick. So I'm just going to say.
The entire Zelda franchise is worth playing.
But for the sake of picking just a single game, I'll choose the first one. Legend of Zelda on NES
Ground breaking at it's time. Zelda 1 establishes basic mechanics of the action role-playing genre and sets the core elements for the Zelda franchise. it's a big game for it's time, as exploring the world is key. It's pretty complex as well. It has dungeons, puzzles, a lot of items and enemies. Pretty impressive for such an early game.
It's perfectly playable today and it's just as fun, rewarding and challenging too. This is personally my favorite game on the Nintendo, and it's well worth checking out regardless if you want to get into Zelda or just want to enjoy a nice action adventure experience.
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Special mentions!
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus
We all know I like Oddworld. We all know we ALL like Oddworld (aside from OANST) But I couldn't not include my favorite game of all time. A masterpiece in gaming and in my opinion, the best way to experience Oddworld.
Abe's Oddysee as we all know is also a masterpiece, but Abe's Exoddus in my opinion is the better game. Not just because it's technically superior in mechanics but the environments are more interesting and they're more inhabitants. Making Oddworld feel more alive. Not to also mention the game's sense of humor and gorgeous artwork in the backgrounds.
I first played AE with my Dad when I was very young. When it's your first time playing the game, I HIGHLY recommend getting someone else to play it with you. A group of friends, Family. Whatever. Working together and solving the game's puzzles and levels is the best way to play the Abe games (again, in my opinion) something which can only be done once. unless you forget of course
These are my other special mentions with my favorites in the franchise in brackets
Spyro the Dragon (the Original 3 on PS1)
Rayman (Original 3)
Ratchet and Clank (The PS2 games)
Jak and Daxter (2)
Dota 2
Pokemon (Gold/Silver)
Super Mario (1, 3, 64 and Land)