I feel like more educating, so here, in no particular order, are ten games you have to play in your life.

Of course, This list is of my own choosing, so if you want to disagree or propose something, feel free. First up:

Super Mario Bros. 3. Too bad, Super Mario World, this one just is way better. Opening with one of the most memorable moments in gaming history, you once again assume the control of everyone’s favorite plumber in a quest to restore the Seven Kings neighboring Mushroom kingdom by reclaiming the wands stolen by the Koopa Kids. Of course, Princess Toadstool gets captured by Bowser again, so you have to save her as well. But the gameplay is what really stands the test of time, here. With a huge upgrade on available power-ups, including the Raccoon Leaf, you run through level after level of pure fun. It’s just good, so go play it.

While this one isn’t the best known, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening holds a special place in my heart as my favorite. The first handheld Zelda, you once again assume control of Link, sailing to an unknown desination. On this trip, his ship is destroyed, and he washes up on Koholint Island. LoD: LA’s enjoyable gameplay, lots of different equipment, and a story twist that beats anything that hack Shyamalan couldn’t touch make this a must-play.

The best Sonic, ever. End of story. Best levels, music, and the first game with Super Sonic. It’s just awesome, and perfect.

Final Fantasy VI, or III in the States until recent releases gave the game its proper title, is arguably the best Final Fantasy in the series. While it was classic RPG gameplay, the story, music, and characters are what reign supreme here. I mean, what other game do you play where the world is destroyed… and you still have half the game to go?

A bear and a bird. Classic. Rare didn’t release many games, but they were all gems. The characters and expansive levels were the stars here. Not to mention, while collecting things in platformer games was becoming taboo, Banjo Kazooie made you want to collect again.

Shadow of the Colossus. Wow… Just, wow. This game pushed the PS2 hardware to its limit and brought us a simple story of how far you’d go to bring back the one you love. Wander, the game’s protagonist has journeyed to a land forbidden by his people, hearing stories that by taking the spirit’s quest that resides there, he can revive Momo… who was unfortunate enough to be a sacrifice. So, you basically have to journey around the countryside, killing Colossus ranging in size from a large elephant to a small mountain. As you proceed, you see that there may be effects not explained beforehand. Play it, all right?

Megaman Legends, a personal favorite of mine. Taking the Blue Bomber, moving to full 3D, reducing the hardcore difficulty and generally making it something more like an action RPG may sound like a bad idea on paper, but this game shines as something special. The controls were a bit to grasp in the beginning, but the  story and characters made this game incredible. Really, it’s just epic.

When the Orange Box came out, Everyone thought “Great, I can finally play Team Fortress 2!” Who knew the shining star of this pack would be the shortest experience overall? Portal shocked gamers with the most innovative puzzle gaming, ever. What made this a whole adventure was the wonderfully dark humor represented through the various robotic influences throughout. GlaDos, the computer program running the “tests” was chillingly funny and vindictive, and even the deadly turrets disarmed you with sing-songy cuteness. (After killing the player’s character; “Naptiiiime”)

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater really brought the series to a perfect peak. With the introduction of CQC, close quarters combat, and camouflage elements, this entry into one of my favorite game series reigns supreme. Dropping the confusing story and wussy main character that put some gamers off of MGS2: Sons of Liberty, you assume control of a Cold War era Big Boss as he embarks on the mission which gives him the title of “Big Boss” and ultimately leads to his defection in the earlier NES Metal Gear games. The showdown with the old-as-dirt sniper The End, not to mention the beautiful final fight sells this title.

Roller Coaster Tycoon may seem like an odd choice, but it was the first theme park sim to take itself seriously. Remember Sim Theme Park? You could set up a roller coaster in any ridiculous way, and it would still make it just fine. RCT introduced real-world physics, and made for one of the most addictive games in recent history. The game didn’t wow us with amazing visuals or compelling storyline, but its root gameplay shone through and captured the hearts of many.

So there you have it. I dare anyone to say these games aren’t amazing. Really, I dare you.