Clover's Top 10 Video Games
🎮 These are my top 10 games that I’ve loved throughout my life. This list isn't to say there aren't technically better games out there, but I’ve spent countless hours with each of these, building memories that stuck with me. There are tons of other games I’ve played (and still play regularly) that aren’t on this list, but this collection feels like a perfect snapshot of my favorites. Let me know which ones you’ve played! ^_^
#1. Bubble Bobble
This was probably one of the first games I ever learned to play. I still remember my dad showing me which buttons to press on the NES controller—the rest is history. It’s surprisingly challenging to get the “good” ending, but I got pretty proficient at beating the final boss. Sometimes I’d bring along a friend as Player 2 and do all the hard work myself so we could get the true two-player ending while they just tried to stay alive XD
The sprites are adorable—all the little foods and pixelated cute items. I also loved how many secrets the game hid. You never really knew what each item did until you grabbed it and suddenly discovered some hidden power.
#2. Team Fortress 2
TF2 was the first FPS I truly sank hours into. I loved everything about it—the different game modes, the personalities of the characters, the “Meet the __” videos, even the comics. It created a whole world you could get lost in.
Of course, everyone coveted the hats and weapon variants. I enjoyed grinding to earn new gear and customizing my loadouts. I even cosplayed as the Red Medic—my main! ^^ (Demoman was my backup, followed by Engie, Sniper, and Pyro.)
If I joined a match now, I’d probably be instantly sniped because I don’t know the current meta or map tricks anymore, but back in the day, it was the game to play back on Steam late into the night. I get so excited when I still see a cosplay from this game out in the wild!!
#3. Vampire Survivors
My boyfriend-at-the-time recommended this to me, and I got hooked instantly. There’s so much to unlock! Characters, weapons, weapon evolutions, stages—it’s endless in the best way. I love completing challenges that unlock even MORE things.
It’s one of my go-to laptop games while traveling since it doesn’t require an internet connection (unless you’re looking up unlock guides XD). I even tweaked the code to make the garlic item hilariously overpowered so I could one-hit everything. Even with cheats, the game stays fun and satisfying.
The DLCs added so much, and that Castlevania crossover? So perfect x0x I also really love the Moonspell DLC because it referenced so many Japanese Youkai which is always a theme I love.
#4. SMB3 / Super Mario 64
Oh maaaan… the hours I’ve spent on these two. I’m lumping them together even though they’re totally different, because both captured my imagination.
Before YouTube and walkthroughs, finding secrets in was through word-of-mouth, Nintendo Power magazines, and random websites. In Mario Bros. 3, I loved being Tanooki Mario and using the Kuribo Shoe—so iconic. In Mario 64, I could spend forever just swimming in the water levels or running around Peach’s Castle like it was my personal playground. Pure nostalgia. I knew that castle like the back of my hand!!
#5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Like Mario 64, I spent a ton of time just exploring in this game—riding Epona, testing what changed at different times of day, and watching the NPCs just to see their routines. The atmosphere is so unique: creepy and haunting but also oddly cozy.
The soundtrack is unforgettable—the rumbling of the earth as the moon gets closer, the tolling bells… it’s chilling. I loved mastering the little side quests, like Goron racing and helping Romani Ranch. The game really rewarded curiosity, skill, and patience.
#6. Gauntlet NES + Gauntlet Legends N64
Gauntlet was one of the first co-op games I loved. The original had only a few classes: Warrior, Valkyrie, Wizard, and Elf—but each felt distinct. I usually picked the Elf because he was fast and, well, I’ve always loved archers.
The N64 version expanded everything: more characters, tons of levels, and loads of secrets. I played it with friends, parents, roommates—anyone willing to grab a controller.
There is another game I played a few years ago called Heroes of Hammerwatch—it captures that same endless-waves-of-enemies chaos with a modern internet-enabled twist. Definitely worth checking out if you like these types of games!
#7. Kirby’s Block Ball / Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
All Kirby games are charming, but these two are standouts for me.
Kirby's Block Ball is such a clever spin on Breakout mixed with pinball, letting you control the paddle by timing a bump/smash that allowed you to break tiles easier. It’s challenging but fair—I remember bringing my gameboy along for road trips, plane rides, and I played it so much!! The music is really good too and still rings in my ears.
Crystal Shards had the cutest low-poly look and let you combine abilities for new powers—something that hadn't really be done in the series prior, and that continued through the series even afterward. I had so much fun looking for all the different ability combos. Truly a sweet and cozy game.
Really I could've just said "All Pokemon Games" but I narrowed it down to two for now. I've said it before, but it really was the community that made Heart Gold one of my favs ^_^ Those were the Dream League forum days—trading Pokémon, cloning shinies and legendaries, hosting battle events, making our own gyms and becoming gym leaders or elite fours. It felt like the golden age of online Pokémon. The Pokéwalker accessory was such a cool touch—you could literally take your Pokémon on walks, level them, catch pokes, and find items! I spent so much time breeding and IV training, pretending I was a pro (but really just raising my favorites, not the meta top tier picks XD) I also had many friends who were willing to breed legit shinies for me. Legends: Arceus, meanwhile, finally gave us that open-world experience we’d been waiting for. I really hope they build on that formula—it’s such a fresh way to explore the Pokémon world. The theme of the game was lovely too, I love old school Japan aesthetics.
#9. MapleStory
Oh yes. I played way too much of this game. The moment I had my own spending money, I was buying from the cash shop. I had the pouty lip face that everyone called a "fish face" at the time XD I thought it was cute though!
I had so many friends who played—we’d party up for bosses, trade items, and just hang out. One of my long-distance boyfriends back then even helped me level up (he was way higher level and had high level friends I was always jealous of and could never really party or hang out with lol).
Even if you weren't grinding levels endlessly, you could set up a shop then go AFK overnight and wake up to potentially millions of mesos. Nothing like it. I can still hear the music from Henesys in my head....Just a side note, I also played lots of Ragnarok online but not nearly as much as MapleStory!
#10. Animal Crossing
And finally we have Animal Crossing. What can be said about this game that hasn't been said? When it first came out, there was nothing like it. Other games have imitated it since, but none really match its charm.
Decorating your house, chatting with villagers, letters from your "mom", mourning when your favorite villager leaves or when flowers die—it’s all so personal and cozy.
In the newer games, I got obsessed with the turnip market, using an online calculator to time my buys and sells (I made a fortune ;D). I was also a proud time traveler, skipping ahead for holidays and events. ^_^ The two I played the most were on DS and Switch, but I did play the original a ton too. I never got into the mobile game oddly enough, but I thought the furniture in that game was superior!
Closing / Honorable Mentions
Looking back, I realize that in nearly all my favorite games, I love secrets, hidden areas, co-ops, cozyness, rich worlds, and endless collectibles. Even though I sometimes use codes, cheat, or manipulate the system a bit in my favor, it’s just so I can experience the game even more and have more fun with it. Here's a few games that I also love but didn't quite make the cut.
Runners up:
Yoshi's Story/Yoshi's Island - good times finding rare yoshi colors! I got yoshi's story on my bday and I remember being hype about black and white yoshis. Yoshi's island is honestly such a complex game, the controls feel amazing and the sprite work is adorable.
Harvest Moon/Stardew Valley/Rune Factory - secrets secrets secrets...and yummy foods. Hard to beat some of the best farm sims out there, though many try to.
Okami - Honestly this probably should've been on the list. I truly love all the Japanese aesthetics in this game and weapon/shield combos you can do.
Final Fantasy NES - The first FF game I played. Hard as heck though! I remember accidentally deleting my older brother and sister's save file when I was but a lass who couldn't even read well xux;; sorry!!!
Chibi-Robo! - Adorable low poly cuteness in a game about finding hidden things and cleaning XD
Portal - So fun, creepy, and challenging, the two player mode was also really well made.
League of Legends - Can be frustrating if you get afk'ers or rude people on your team, but I did play this a ton with friends back in the day which made it more fun. I actually just recently reinstalled it soooo we'll see what happens ^_^;
Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening - Played this so much on gameboy, and also on the TV with the NES gameboy game adapter. It's a unique world to explore.
UFO50 - This is a very recent one for me. It's a collection of a few dozen games but also includes tons of secrets and really looks like old school NES games! I think they limited all the creators to use the OG color palettes too. Very inspiring.
Wow you made it this far? Thanks so much for checking out my favorite games ^_^ You've earned these cute adoptables you can put on your own webpage. Upload to your own server and link back to sweetcharm.net ♥
Here are a few Art Credits I used for this page:
GoshaDole
vilssonify
PrincessCrosser