My Favourite Games Through The Years: Please, Savor My Rhyming Cheers

By now I have worked at GameGrin for five years
My, my, how I’ve toiled through these gaming fears
I once was quite bad
I thought my dreams were a fad
leaving me nought but a cad
but times have changed, I am a grad
now I have grown, so lend your ears
as I recount my favourite dears

I’ve been keeping a spreadsheet
scraping the best from the dead meat,
Now, for every year in the past twenty-five
the very best games I did archive
I’ll tell you now, and how, I’ve
found these games that have everything beat:

From 2000 to 2002, a string of games, not two, but three
have drawn the way into my heart (but, not literally)
It’s Nancy Drew, solving crimes undaunted
with a Message most Haunted
a Royal Treasure most wanted
and Ghost Dogs on Moon Lake for me

In 2003, there was more competition
but Sonic the Hedgehog was out on a mission
on an Adventure, DX: Director’s Cut,
released after the Dreamcast was kaput
It became a fine GameCube addition

The overlapping stories were second to none
The Blue Blur was the beginning to endless fun
Tails and Gamma’s made me cry, Amy’s left me tickled pink
and Big the Cat was better than you think
say his fishing’s bad? I’ll throw you in the clink
Knuckles’… was also okay when all was said and done!

Another Cubed title we have in 2004
The time has come for a Thousand-Year Door!
This Paper Mario was once my favourite, full stop.
my first RPG came in with a resounding hop
Mario was bright and fun, the (moustache) cream of the crop
and the partners were better, Vivian at the top
her storyline never being a bore

Next’s 2005 with another X and D
reversed now with a starter Eevee
a Pokémon game, yes there’s no need to fuss
This year’s best is Gale of Darkness, plus
a guest appearance by one Mirror B

2006 had Twilight Princess, our first Legend of Zelda
on the Wii, a console that excelled-a
even if herding goats was a right fright
but I’d bite at any game that just might
let me take a wolf to a sword fight;
Any doubts were then quelled-a

Then it’s Mass Effect now in 2007
My new favourite game; credits left me in heaven
Garrus, Tali, and the rest of the jacked squad
were so cool and interesting — left me slack-jawed
and the cooldown gunplay took it up to 11

More VII’s next in 2008,
but I can’t think of any more “-even”s, so you’re stuck there, mate
Yes, it’s a Final Fantasy for Zack Fair
speeding through Crisis Core without a singed hair
a prequel set before Cloud would dare
decide to start his game riding freight

Let’s speed up now with Explorers of Sky
— left my ‘09 childhood without a dry eye
Then 2010 followed up with Birth by Sleep
— I was rapt; let out nary a peep
And I’m serious: 2011’s Fate/Extra got me to give girlhood a try!

With 2012, I learned Libraries were a gift,
when I fell in love with Continuum Shift
Extend specifically got me into BlazBlue
even though I was crap at fighting — true!
at least I could git gud with Training most swift...

2013 and 2014
saw a Layton streak in this nerdy new teen
Mystery Room had Lucy, my favourite Baker
and the Phoenix Wright crossover left Nick a right baker
two amazing playthroughs, each on a touchscreen

2015 had Until Dawn
the scariest game I had ever… sawn?
Get it? Because pizza-boy got sawn in half?
Maybe these kids should’ve cut the gaffe
before the sun came up and their friend was gone

2016, ‘17, ‘18:
First, Pony Island was exhilarating, if mean
Next, Fate/Grand Order is still a daily play
Last, Marvel’s Spider-Man had a killer Aunt May,
and swinging through the city makes a pretty scene

I’ve got 2019 under Control
helping Jesse Faden survive this hellhole
Hiss all you want, we’ll send you to 2020 and straight to Styx
where Zag can kill you again between his Sisyphean conflicts
as Hades tries to keep his son stuck in parole

Unpacking’s in 2021
ushering in a world of fun
until sad things happen
under the bed your dreams blacken
unless you move out and see your dreams won

2022’s brought us back to horror
with The Quarry being my first perfect scorer
What can I say?
Except may I please run away?
I don’t want to be chased by a scary roarer

Slay the Princess was in 2023
and I admit my first choice was to set her free
Why should I let such a kind maiden die?
clearly the narrator must be a lie
only it seems these voices want to agree…

Now with 2024, thus ends our tale
I know, I know, “I want more!” you wail
But I haven’t finished my list for the current year
so please don’t leave your scorn or jeer
As we celebrate last year’s On Your Tail.