8. Cave Story
Studio PixelHad Cave Story been made in the late 1980s, it could have easily been one of the best games on the NES. Harkening back to games like the original Metroid, Cave Story looks and feels like a game you might have played almost three decades ago. For many gamers, it is the idea of getting a nostalgic vibe combined with modern game design that makes Cave Story so desirable. The game follows a young amnesiac who awakens in a cave and begins to explore. Just like the protagonists, players start at ground zero and build their way into an understanding of what this game is all about. What the player finds is a story-line thats deeper and more adult-like than the game's aesthetic might suggest. This strong narrative, something that was missing from many classic platformers, really makes this game worth playing. Additionally, Cave Story is just a really fun game to play. The boss fights are fun, the characters are likable, and the gameplay is filled with cool weapons that are a blast to try out. When the game was first released, it was available as freeware, but now is available on a number of platforms including Wii and DS, and is available on Steam.