Nostalgia pick: Pokémon Gold Version, Game Boy Color. There is no matching the magic of your neighbor telling you they stuffed all of Kanto into Johto, you telling him he’s full of shit, there’s no way they could do that, and then finding out you were wrong. Everything was word of mouth back then.
Modern pick: Persona 4 Golden. All the Persona games are amazing, and I love 5, but 4 has more of a tight-knit friend group, feel-good vibe - plus one of the most heart-wrenching twists/game sequences I’ve played. Though 5 is a very close runner up for UI and the way it uses time to build drama/tension for the turning point in the story.
Indie pick: Donut County. So many hilarious dialogue and gameplay details, some great but not too challenging puzzles, and it’s just plain satisfying to suck up progressively larger items until everything is gone. Very chill and short, perfect for my tired adult brain these days.
Rhythm pick: Dance Dance Revolution / Stepmania. DDR Extreme 2 for the PS2 was my main game, but the hype around DDR in its heyday, especially in arcades, was unmatched. It’s fun, challenging, and excellent exercise if you’re not using the bar, which I never did. I have a custom built pad at home that one of my pets nibbled and is in need of repair, and barring that I’d still be playing today.
Honorable mentions: Phoenix Wright (all), Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Pokémon (all), Guitar Hero, Fitness Boxing, BIT.TRIP Runner, Coffee Talk.