Super Smash Bros. Melee
Year of release: 2001
Platform of choice: GameCube
Smash Bros. was an instant and global success.
Pitting everybody's favourite Nintendo characters against one another in a cutesy, yet deadly battle was an odd idea, but one that certainly took off. And the addition of a four player option was pure genius.
Until the recent release of its Wii sequel, no better game could be found for frantic multiplayer fighting than this.