Discussion Your Retroactive GOTY for Every Year since 1985

[Buried In Time]

1985 - Super Mario Bros.
1986 - Metroid
1987 - Punch-Out!!
1988 - Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA)
1989 - River City Ransom
1990 - Super Mario World
1991 - The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
1992 - Sonic The Hedgehog 2
1993 - The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening
1994 - Super Metroid
1995 - Chrono Trigger
1996 - Super Mario 64
1997 - Final Fantasy VII
1998 - The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
1999 - Shadow Man
2000 - The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask
2001 - Halo: Combat Evolved
2002 - Metroid Prime
2003 - The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
2004 - Cave Story
2005 - Shadow Of The Colossus
2006 - The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
2007 - Portal
2008 - BioShock
2009 - Demon's Souls
2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2
2011 - Dark Souls
2012 - La-Mulana
2013 - The Last Of Us
2014 - Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
2015 - Bloodborne
2016 - Dark Souls III
2017 - The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
2018 - Hollow Knight
2019 - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
2020 - Hades
2021 - Metroid Dread
2022 - Elden Ring

 

[Metroid]

Shoutout to @jnWake for his bold for top tier, italics for filler choices idea. I didn't use it cause I would've just bolded this entire list pretty much, but it's a good idea.
1985 - Super Mario Bros.
1986 - Castlevania
1987 - Punch-Out!!
1988 - Super Mario Bros. 3
1989 - Final Fight
1990 - Super Mario World
1991 - Street Fighter 2
1992 - Wolfenstein 3D
1993 - Goof Troop
1994 - Super Metroid
1995 - Chrono Trigger
1996 - Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
1997 - Final Fantasy VII
1998 - Metal Gear Solid
1999 - Silent Hill
2000 - Paper Mario
2001 - Halo: Combat Evolved
2002 - Metroid Prime
2003 - Fire Emblem: The Blazing Sword
2004 - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
2005 - Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
2006 - Okami
2007 - Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
2008 - Dead Space
2009 - Halo 3: ODST
2010 - Fallout: New Vegas
2011 - Dark Souls
2012 - XCOM: Enemy Unknown
2013 - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
2014 - Transistor
2015 - Bloodborne
2016 - Dark Souls III
2017 - Pyre
2018 - Monster Hunter: World
2019 - Fire Emblem: Three Houses
2020 - Hades
2021 - Metroid Dread
2022 - Elden Ring

 

[DistractedByPixels]

Shit, okay.

1985 - Super Mario Bros.
1986 - Space Harrier
1987 - Psycho Soldier
1988 - Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
1989 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade
1990 - Super Mario Bros. 3
1991 - Tecmo Super Bowl
1992 - Sonic the Hedgehog 2
1993 - NBA Jam
1994 - Daytona USA
1995 - Virtual Boy Wario Land
1996 - NiGHTS Into Dreams...
1997 - Fighters Megamix
1998 - Parasite Eve
1999 - Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
2000 - WWF No Mercy
2001 - Halo: Combat Evolved
2002 - Virtua Fighter 4
2003 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
2004 - Def Jam: Fight for New York
2005 - Psychonauts
2006 - Gears of War
2007 - Crackdown
2008 - Blitz: The League II
2009 - Batman: Arkham Asylum
2010 - Fallout: New Vegas
2011 - Sonic Generations
2012 - Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
2013 - Rayman Legends
2014 - Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
2015 - Yakuza 0
2016 - Ratchet and Clank
2017 - Super Mario Odyssey
2018 - Marvel's Spider-Man
2019 - The Outer Worlds
2020 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2021 - Psychonauts 2
2022 - Kirby and the Forgotten Land (so far)

EDIT: 2010 was an INSANE year.

 

[WideAwake5]

1985 - Super Mario Bros
1986 - The Legend of Zelda
1987 - Punch Out!!
1988 - Super Mario Bros 3
1989 - Tetris
1990 - Super Mario World
1991 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1992 - Streets of Rage 2
1993 - Mega Man X
1994 - Super Metroid
1995 - Chrono Trigger
1996 - Super Mario 64
1997 - Star Fox 64
1998 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
1999 - Pokemon Gold/Silver
2000 - Paper Mario
2001 - Super Smash Bros. Brawl
2002 - Metroid Prime
2003 - Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
2004 - Metroid Prime 2
2005 - Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
2006 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy
2008 - Super Smash Bros. Brawl
2009 - Bayonetta
2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2
2011 - Portal 2
2012 - Persona 4: Golden
2013 - The Last of Us
2014 - Bayonetta 2
2015 - Splatoon
2016 - The Last Guardian
2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2
2019 - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
2020 - Persona 5 Royal
2021 - Metroid Dread
2022 - Xenoblade Chronicles 3

 

[Deleted member 341]

Fun idea! But also really hard.

1985 - Super Mario Bros.
1986 - The Legend of Zelda
1987 - The Legend of Zelda II
1988 - Super Mario Bros. 3
1989 - Tetris
1990 - Super Mario World
1991 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1992 - Super Mario Land 2
1993 - Super Mario All-Stars
1994 - Super Metroid
1995 - Yoshi's Island
1996 - Super Mario 64
1997 - Pokemon Red/Blue
1998 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
1999 - Rayman 2
2000 - The Sims
2001 - Halo Combat Evolved
2002 - Metroid Fusion
2003 - Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
2004 - Halo 2
2005 - Gun
2006 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy
2008 - World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
2009 - Dragon Age Origins
2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2
2011 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2012 - New Super Mario Bros. U
2013 - Pikmin 3
2014 - Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
2015 - Bloodborne
2016 - Doom
2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018 - Dark Souls: Remastered
2019 - Super Mario Maker 2
2020 - Animal Crossing: New Hoirzons
2021 - Metroid Dread
2022 - probably Splatoon 3 with Kirby as the runner up

 

[lord_of_flood]

Very difficult for me. I won't rank anything pre-1997 (although I have played ALttP and Super Mario 64, but I wasn't alive when ALttP came out, and I didn't really get into gaming until '97).

1997 - Pokemon Red/Blue
1998 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
1999 - Super Smash Bros.
2000 - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
2001 - Super Smash Bros. Melee
2002 - Metroid Prime
2003 - Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
2004 - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
2005 - Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
2006 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
2007 - Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
2008 - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
2009 - Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver
2010 - Bayonetta
2011 - Super Mario 3D Land
2012 - Xenoblade Chronicles
2013 - The Last of Us
2014 - Bayonetta 2
2015 - Bloodborne
2016 - DOOM 2016
2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018 - Celeste
2019 - Fire Emblem: Three Houses
2020 - Nioh 2
2021 - NieR Replicant ver. sqrt(1.5)
2022 - Currently Xenoblade Chronicles 3, with Elden Ring close behind.