10.Monkey Island
A time long, long ago when LucasArts (see what I did there) games were synonymous with quality and not squandered movie licenses they spawned this game. With Zork and Myst already out SMI still managed to make the genre its own with its open ended game play and witty humour.
Throughout, you experience a script that oozes wit and comedy like no other game for the time, with it being very apparent that the writers had a 
great deal of fun creating it. The in-joke of using a three headed monkey as a constant distraction pays off in spades when you actually encounter one. They also have a laugh at the players expense as when you try and enter an underground cavern only to be greeted with the message "please insert disk #23," "disk #47" and "disk #98." This actually fooled me and my friend as we were royally stuck at the time.
The solution to some of the puzzles are a little obscure and you inevitably find yourself trying every random combination of items in you inventory, but that’s safe to safe of all games in this genre. However once you find the right solution it’s often quite funny and rewarding, with the rubber chicken pulley being a prime example.
The music was catchy to boot and despite the graphical limitations LucasArts squeezed everything they could out to produce a great little world for you and Guybrush Threepwood to bumble around in.
9. Rocket Knight Adventures
A lovingly crafted Mega Drive platformer with a twist. Rocket packs aside it wasn’t the concept that made the game shine but its execution. The game design has a staggering amount of variety and balance that felt familiar but never boring.
You could fire a projectile from your sword but you did much more damage hitting the enemies with the actual blade, creating a perfect risk/reward aspect. The rocket pack element was a nice addition but you were never forced to rely on it, and you would intuitively use it when required.
The levels, bosses and enemies were polished to such a level that really made this game shine, with each one just as memorable as the last. All of this contributed to the story which is effectively a narrative without words – actually any dialogue would have probably ruined things somewhat. I dug up these videos so you can truly see what I’m raving about. Part 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
A multiplayer FPS set in the 22nd century that has high tech equipment, floating fortresses that you can board and defend, bipedal robots, 4 varied classes each with customisable and unlockable equipment, and orbital bombardments. These might sound like gimmicky USPs that they merely included to put on the back of the box but Dice did some rare things with a game like this that made it totally stand out.
Having studied network-centric warfare in university at the time of playing, I could see and appreciate what Dice had done. They created a visual overlay for that player that let them easily receive, provide and interpret all the information that is important to them, and then empower them and their squad to react accordingly. For example, a tank is coming your way and you don’t have the right gun to kill it. Rather than die in an act of attrition or fruitlessly hide (like with most other games of its ilk), you can still be valuable by “spotting” the tank. Other members nearby are now aware of its presence and can react accordingly. Apply this concept to spotting snipers, incoming aircraft or gaps in the enemy’s line and information is just a deadly as any weapon you carry.
Throw in a point based ranking system where the fastest way to the top is by trying out everything the game has to offer and by joining and staying with a squad, varied games modes (one where you board and assault the enemies flying fortress as you simultaneously defend yours was a breath of fresh air and genius), an easy and intuitive command and control interface if you chose to be the commander and that it was balanced to the point where it was just plain fun, you can easily see why it has remained in my top 10 list.
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