That is a dizzying number of games and demos! I hope you went past the first few levels of Donkey Kong for Game Boy. It starts as a straight port of the arcade game but opens up after that to a 100-level tour de force of puzzle platforming goodness. For my money it is the best game on the original GB.
I'm glad you finally got to play that Bubble Ghost game! Sounds like it's pretty fun too.
We clearly have much different tastes in platform games. I tried to play Epic Mickey on the Wii and just could not get into it. Yeah, the camera was an issue at times but more than that I just did not gel with the mission-based hub world. I felt frustrated and bored, which is not a good combo. Meanwhile, The Lost Crown was my personal game of the year last year lol. But hey, I am glad for you that you are enjoying Epic Mickey so much. I'm glad the game industry has the breadth and depth to cater to so many different tastes and preferences today.
The first Cat Quest game is kind of like baby—er, I mean, kitten's first RPG. Very simple but charming and fun. The second one is a great sequel in that it meaninfully expands on the original (and has co-op, if you can wrangle a buddy to play with). But if those didn't click with you, the third one isn't going to change your mind.
Picross! The Switch has plenty of Picross options. The main thing I don't like about this one is the music. They pulled old arcade ditties for everything, it seems, and they get old fast.
When I played Sonic Mania I finally realized that I just don't particularly like 2D Sonic games. I haven't played a ton of 3D Sonic games but I definitely enjoy those more. Sonic Colors mixes both perspectives with smartly implemented power ups and clever level design that kept me engaged the whole time. (There was one boss fight near the end that I found frustrating but that was my only real complaint.) I have not played Sonic Generations (and the new version is supposedly very good) but I hear it does very similar things, just without the colored wisp power ups.
Sonic Colors was so good that I eagerly bought its follow up, Sonic: Lost World for the Wii U. It even brings over the wisp power ups! But that game has dull levels and poor use of the power ups. Definitely skip that one.
The Cowabunga Collection is great! I have not played all the games on it yet but I have a huge soft spot for the second Game Boy game, Back from the Sewers. I think it is an excellent GB beat-'em-up. But even the games on there that aren't great are at least interesting and you can power through any of them either with infinite continues or by abusing the save state and rewind features. But Turtles in Time—the SNES version, specifically—is one of the best beat-'em-ups ever made. Hands down. So at the very least, be sure to play that one.
Sounds like Stockholm Syndrome is starting to settle in lol. Platformers were THE genre back in the day and the licensed ones, even when not bad, aren't going to be the best examples of the genre. But I guess they are the easiest to get now and you're working with what you have.
Was Aladdin the first character to grab a ledge and pull himself up? I feel confident Prince of Persia beat him to it but hey, how come only middle eastern characters could do it?
I've played a ton of Crossy Road Castle with my kids. It is a great bitesize multiplayer platformer. I hope your friend will try it with you.
My gosh, just those Switch rentals could keep you busy for a couple months!
Cool! I added it to the wishlist. I see there is also one from last year themed about some Shield Hero anime? It's going in the wishlist too! It's always more fun having a theme.
I recently read Jason Schreier's book Press Reset and it covers the two console Epic Mickey games. Very interesting! I'd definitely recommend that book.
We had Aladdin for the SNES (made by Capcom) when I was a kid and it was quite playable and beatable. I've never played the Genesis one.
I'm always telling myself I'm going to replay Beyond Good & Evil but there are so many games I haven't played yet 
Which Animal Crossing are you playing?
