This generation is full of sequels that got right what the first one awkwardly tried to do before stumbling in the HD generation. Of course we have Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect and Uncharted but I'd also throw in Bad Company and Resistance. I've heard some say Left 4 Dead 2 was what the first should have been, and I would say Pacific Rift's much more colorful and varied landscapes was a more inviting, if not as mechanically sound, game as MotorStorm.

I don't want to say Shining Force, because the first one is overall more structured and tighter, but Shining Force II is such an epic, sprawling journey that it deserves a mention as often as possible.

I've heard say Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 cleaned up a lot of the overwhelming sloppiness of Tactics Advance.

I think Final Fantasy II was ahead of its time as an NES game.