1. Super Mario
Super Mario is the most innovative franchise of all time by far. Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario 64 were huge leaps forward for the industry, but even when Mario isn't completely redefining games, he still has amazing outings like the two Galaxy games and Super Mario World.
2. Mario Kart
With the exception of Mario Kart Wii, I've been addicted to every single Mario Kart since Double Dash. I still play Mario Kart 7 and 8 online regularly. For such a simple premise, Mario Kart continues to innovate and deliver tons of hours of fun.
3. Super Smash Bros.
Smash is another franchise that I lose track of time while playing. Yeah, the single player was toned down a bit this time around, but the online is better than ever. If I want some alone time, there's Adventure Mode in Melee, Subspace Emissary in Brawl, and Smash Run in Smash 4 3DS.
4. Splatoon
Okay, I know Splatoon is only a single game right now, but based on its tremendous sales, I have no doubt it's spawned a new series. It's a deceptively simple game, and I absolutely love Turf War and Splat Zones. I still occasionally revisit the single player too for the epic boss fights.
5. The Legend of Zelda
I haven't liked the recent Zelda games as much as the classics with the exceptions of A Link Between Worlds and Spirit Tracks. I'm tired of partners who hold your hand across your journey and constantly nag you about performing the most basic duties. That said, the dungeon design and music has always been spectacular in Zelda.
6. Wario
I'm referring more to the Wario platformers here than WarioWare, but I like both franchises. I am a huge fan of collecting loot as a meaningful reward in the Wario Land games and all of Wario's hilarious transformations.
7. Fire Emblem
I'm still very new to this franchise, having only played Awakening and Fates. Playing on classic and stressing over how to finish a battle without losing any units can be quite unbearable in the moment, but the distinguishing feature of the franchise is very rewarding down the road.
8. Metroid
Metroid is a fantastic franchise with its nonlinear pathways and multiple areas to explore, but the reason I can't rank it any higher is because I haven't had the patience to actually beat a Metroid game. I'll need to go all the through Super Metroid and Metroid Prime when I have some time over the summer.
9. Star Fox
I've only played Star Fox 64 thus far, which is a pretty short game, but I got hooked on getting high scores and unlocking alternate pathways pretty quickly. The local multiplayer dogfights are also pretty cool.
10. Pokémon
Pokémon is probably going to climb up my list a lot this year, since I have had a lot of fun replaying Generation 1 on my 3DS this year. The problem is I haven't actually bothered to complete a new installment since Pearl. I feel the newer regions lack some of the charm of the first three.
