template here, my picks explained below
these aren't ranked (witch100 would be in the top row if they were)--i sorted by category and aesthetic with a lot of childhood faves at the top. this was seriously so hard because there were a lot of games i wanted to represent here, so i added some honorable mentions at the end!
favorite game of all time: disgaea 4. OBVIOUSLY!!!!!!!
most formative game of all time: disgaea 1, also obvious.
most formative rpg: okage. i think about this game all the time, and not many people know or talk about it, so it feels all the more important for me to represent lol. ari gives me big gender feelings.
favorite katamari game: we <3 katamari. debated putting katamari forever on here too because it covers the series as a whole better, but this is the one i played first AND played the most. never finished 1mil roses tho.
favorite mother game: mother 3. it feels the most core to me while also covering the genre of EB-type games, like undertale/deltrarune. hugely inspiring.
best atelier game: atelier sophie. it was so hard to not put atelier iris 2 on here, since it was my first atelier game and one that i'm really attached to conceptually. but sophie is the perfect atelier game imo so it represents the series to me best. annie (ds) and marie remake are really good too though--i also enjoyed sophie 2!!!!
favorite pokemon: i have to go with sapphire because kyogre is my favorite pokemon. yellow was the first game i ever owned (i was like 5) and heart gold was my favorite to play because you get your guys in the overworld with you... but i played sapphire a ton when i was 10-11.
best animal crossing: new horizons is just obvectively the best... wild world was my first, and i played a ton of both that one and new leaf. really i just love AC in general, but NH is the best one!!!
favorite farming game: harvest moon ds. i played a wonderful life and tree of tranquility too, but i prefer 2d farm life... stardew valley is in this category too, i'm just more attached to harvest moon ds, so it takes priority!
favorite zelda: wind waker. aesthetically it’s top tier, the story is compelling, and really i enjoy all the toon link games…. tears of the kingdom is the only real contender for me, and i would’ve included it if i had more space!!!!!!! fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
top adventure game of all time: hamtaro ham-ham heartbreak. if you’ve played it, you understand.
best rhythm game: project diva x. extremely satisfying to play, i love vocaloid, i love that you can collect all the outfits, great song selection despite it being so few tracks compared to other games. ddr would’ve gone in this spot for nostalgia’s sake, but project diva is just way more personally resonant to me.
favorite gacha game: show by rock! it’s defunct now and i cry every day. i never spent money on this one but it had so many great songs and was really satisfying to get good at. this is my second favorite rhythm game after project diva x.
favorite miku game: miku logic paint s. LISTEN…… listen……………. i know i already have a miku game on here but i love picross and this one to me represents the perfect “relax and do a puzzle” type game that i play all the time. i completed every puzzle in this and i wish they’d add more… but i guess i could just get back into picross luna if i wanted more picross……
favorite mobile game: hungry hearts diner! i love this whole series!!!!! the stories are extremely sweet and i love to serve my little customers. hunt cook catch and serve wasn’t in the database (i’ve played it more and for longer) but that’s the only other mobile game that might’ve nabbed this slot.
favorite professor layton: honestly this is just the one i remember most and it’s what got me into the series. it’s also just the simplest and most straightforward… diabolical box and unwound future were both really great though!!!!
favorite point and click adventure: hotel dusk! FUCK, IT RULES!!! i love kyle.
best doujin game: recettear. love to be 12 and run an item shop, there is literally no other game like this.
favorite square enix title: harvestella. listen, ffix is my favorite final fantasy, but i’m not really a final fantasy guy. harvestella is aesthetically the same flavor tho and it fucking rules. haven’t finished it yet, but i’m extremely attached to this game.
best psp game: locoroco 2. i also love patapon but i was never able to get into it as much. also this is a broad category, but locoroco feels so attached to the psp system despite getting rereleased on ps4, it just feels like THE psp game in my mind. ZHP and prinny are both great psp games too tho... oh and disgaea infinite... fuck!!!
favorite smash: brawl, because i played it the most. it’s the only fighting game i’ve ever enjoyed, i don’t really play modern smash even though it’s probably better.
favorite death game: 999. the true end is legendary. don’t play the other zero escapes, it’s all downhill from here.
best VN of all time: house in fata morgana. extremely moving, cried many tears, would read again.
most impactful non-disgaea NIS game: labyrinth of refrain. i love and hate this game, no other media has made me feel so conflicted. i just have such extreme emotions about it. don’t talk to me.
favorite non-disgaea NIS game: witch and the hundred knight. soul nomad is the runner up here, i just really like the writer/director for these games but i also hate him. again, don’t talk to me.
honorable mentions: ace attorney (3 is my fave i think), rhythm heaven fever, yume nikki, magic pengel, little dragons cafe (mid tier, but i love it deeply), all kairosoft games (mega mall story if i had to choose just one)
WHEW. thanks for reading, hope you play everything on this list.
