2. Sonic the Hedgehog
You'll struggle to find a gamer born in the 1980s who didn't love Sonic the Hedgehog, what with its mix of splendid visuals - which have aged extremely well - frenetic, smart gameplay, and legitimate sense of challenge. Though a few recent Sonic games have brought us some fond memories of the good 'ol days - namely Sonic Generations and the truly retro Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II - the post-Mega Drive era has on the whole not been too kind for the spiky blue guy. Take his first foray on the Dreamcast, Sonic Adventure, which not only transformed the series into 3D - something that has plagued it ever since - but gave Sonic his first opportunity in video game form to open his mouth. Though Sonic Adventure was a brave and often very good game - if mired by dodgy camera work - Sega has never truly returned us to the indomitable, flawless thrills of the original games, perhaps owing to Sonic now having to contend with a more complex time, in which the 2D platformer is essentially obsolete. Still, perhaps some more nostalgic Sonic episodes would sway us...