[Kiwami]

I could make a list and probably just mention ones already posted but let me interrupt this thread a bit to tell you about one of my favorite games from that era that you may have not played or let alone heard of yet. Its dirt cheap, it's available on every sale imaginable for a few cents and you should buy it: Spelunky HD. Because this game is perfect. Nothing about it is bad or wrong. It's a masterpiece of game design, a true gem.

And you wouldn't believe it if you saw screenshots of it or a video of someone playing it: It looks like a cute little jump & run with a tiny Indiana Jones rip-off running around in a mine. That's what it is, don’t get me wrong, but it is also so much more. It's a tough rogue like (with optimal progresses checks if you need them) that really reminds you what videogames are about: It’s you and the game, no story that you may or may not hate, no character development that you may or may not care about, no stupid P2W garbage, just you and the challenge before you.

The graphics are, and forever will be, gorgeous, the game play is simple yet rewarding to master, and no run is the same thanks to an amazing level layout that is randomized upon each try. I could continue to talk about this for a long time, but Spelunky HD is probably my favorite game of the last decade. It’s not the biggest hit, not the one that most people will remember, but it really is perfect. A video game in its purest form.

And you should give it a try when you have the chance. You will fail, but not in a Dark Souls-kinda way, you will just go back to the beginning and try again. No single boss before the end will keep you in check and no unfair setups of enemies will gang on you on purpose, but you will die. A lot. But keep going because this game rewards you with its own style, one that has never been quite matched since.

Plus, here's the thing: They're making a sequel now. Not because they needed to, but because the man behind it all thought he was ready to tackle it. Life taught him a few new things over the years, and he’s ready to make the ideas about a sequel he had over all this time a reality.

Give the game a chance. You could argue that I overthink the matter entirely, but trust me: Once you wasted a few hours in Spelunky HD you'll understand.