What list, you ask? That would be my list of the greatest gaming experiences I've had since I became a hardcore gamer. Super Mario Galaxy nows stands in the same light as Metroid Prime, Half-Life 2, and Resident Evil 4. Here's my story:

I bought Galaxy on launch, like many of you did, and was excited to play the game considering the massive amount of hype it had garnered before its release. I enjoyed the game thoroughly, of course, but it never quite gave me that epic feeling of true greatness that everyone else was describing. I beat the game with the minimum requirement of 60 stars, and intended to eventually go back and get the remaining 60 stars to complete it 100%. I felt that the game never gave me a real challenge or satisifaction, and that became my main gripe.

Two weeks ago, I finally decided to pop Galaxy back into my Wii. I started a brand new game, rather than using my old file, just to experience the game from beginning to end. In my quest to 120 stars, I wasn't able to bypass the more difficult stars as I was before. The game finally offered a challenge, something I crave in today's age of incredibly easy games. Those last 20 stars were the most difficult but also the most satisfying.

The game certainly isn't without its flaws though. The camera system, while better than both Mario 64 and Sunshine, could still use some work. The story is unoriginal and what you'd expect. Once again, Nintendo dissapointed me with a lack of voice acting, something that should be standard in today's age of gaming. These small flaws bring my score to a 9.5/10.

Alhough this game wasn't absolutely perfect, it was amazing, fun, and fresh from beginning to end. The level of polish is unprecedented and the game delivers on everything you'd hope a platformer would. After further analysis, this game easily lives up to its massive hype level. Nintendo once again delivered an amazing gaming experience and easily the best game I've played all year.