What Makes a Good Game?

[Delta]

I would say its the "immersion" experience.  When a game is good you totally forget about the outside world.  

Feeling of accomplishment when you finish a level or a zone is also great.

Feeling of having full control on your character.  This is the worst with 3D shooters, when there is an explosion you feel like your character has parkinson disease and that pisses me off.  Also the damn never ending movie-like scenes where you only watch and can't do nothing.  

On a different style, why is Angry Birds so popular?  Its a challenge to make all the blocks fall and there is numerous ways to achieve it.  It has funny characters with funny noises and its for kids as well as adults, guys or gals.

[Delta]

As for Angry Birds... I have no idea why it is so huge. Maybe because even people with no gaming skills can play it and feel like they are a good player?!
Just to show you how far the Angry Bird flu has spread...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXQ2hBdMt40

Sad thing about these "mobile" games is they could have existed (or did) 20 years ago on Amiga but now suddendly they are considered good games because you can play them on your phone.

As for skills since you mention it I consider myself an average skilled video games player but if I get killed right away 3 times in a row while trying a new game then its over, I won't go back to it ever.  There is a lot of games on the market so if I can't have fun right away, its rejected