9. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
I did my best to feature games from a variety of systems on this list, but when it comes to replayable ones, it seems the best of the best are on SNES. Most are simple yet fun, have great 16-bit graphics, and never overstay their welcome. A Link to the Past is all of those things, making it a perfect replay candidate. Unlike some of the more recent entries in the Zelda series, A Link to the Past wastes no time getting you into the action, something I am always grateful for when I’m looking for a game to play on a lazy day. It returned the series to the top-down style of the first game, but sped up the action to create a fluid combat system. Its world is large and full of secrets, but progressing through the story is usually pretty straightforward. Explore as little or as much as you like, you are bound to find something to love. If you want to do more than just beat Ganon, try to fully upgrade your sword, find all the items, and get as many heart pieces as possible. This game is available on SNES, GBA, and of course the Wii U VC.
Fantastic list and write-ups Sam. I find myself coming back to most of these as well. My personal list would include Super Castlevania IV as well (score another for the SNES!) Like you said, “sadly, there isn’t enough time to replay everything.” Happy Gaming!
Never feel bad about telling people to play Ocarina of Time =) Dawn of Sorrow gave me a chuckle, because every time I see the box art of that game, it makes me think of Konami’s re-release of it. The cover for the re-release was… an image of the original box. Hahaha. That game is freaking awesome, though. All three of the DS Castlevania’s are out of this world. Wonderful list.