The Best Video Games in the History of Humanity
- Last update, March 10, 2012. Thanks to everyone who has helped maintain this site by sending me lists I missed. I really appreciate all of your emails, even if I haven't had time to respond to them all. You guys are the people who make this page the valuable resource that it is!
Over the years, many gaming magazines and websites have churned out a ton of ranked lists as part of an ongoing attempt to comprehensively document the top 10 (or top 100, or 200, or whatever) video games of all time. This page aims to offer a summary of some of the leading Top 10s, as excerpted from various Top 100 (and up) lists.
I have tried to be as diverse and inclusive as possible in my selection of lists, and have used only the basic criteria that the lists must:
- a) attempt to document the greatest / most important / most influential games of all time, not merely the best of a single decade, year, or "era,"
- b) appear genuine, open-minded, and fair (as in, not absurdly esoteric or biased towards one particular genre or platform)
- b) relatively serious and professional (as in, written by someone or some organization, who are speaking from some position of relative expertise in the gaming community, or have commissioned some manner of credible public study or survey).
Some lists will inevitably appear more credible than others, but my intent was quantity more than quality. By assembling a collection of lists that was as vast as possible, I was hoping to see if there appears to be any consensus as to what games truly are history's best. My findings come at the end.
PLATFORMS: |
| Pers. Computer (PC) | Arcade | NES |
| Super Nintendo | PlayStation | Nintendo 64 |
| Genesis | Dreamcast | Sega Saturn |
| GameCube | PlayStation 2 | Xbox / Xbox 360 |
| Nintendo Wii | Game Boy / Advance | Sega Master Sys. |
| PlayStation 3 | Nintendo DS | Multiple |
(Grey games appeared on multiple platforms)
Note: As the years progress, games tend to
appear on more and more systems. For example, today you can play Super Mario Bros. on Game Boy Advance, and Ocarina of Timeon the Wii. In the interest of preserving each game's original "flavor," whenever possible I have identified games on the basis of which platform they were primarily designed for. Games that were actively intended to be on multiple platforms at the time of their original debut are the ones that get the "multiple" status. I use English names for games, but usually Japanese release dates.
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A brief warning about controversies ahead!
Obviously, what makes these lists fun is their inherently controversial nature. Every list will contain some outrageous exclusions and inclusions, and almost all will provoke argument. However, some lists below are very clearly biased, and have generated controversy of a different sort.
In an ongoing outrage to many, I have chosen to include the occasional list that only includes games published on Nintendo-brand hardware platforms, and the occasional list that only includes games playable on the PC. I have not, however, included Sega, Microsoft, or Sony lists of a similar limitation.
My logic was thus: Nintendo systems and the personal computer are the two longest-reigning gaming platforms in existence, having occupied a dominant chunk of the marketplace since at least the mid-1980s. While such lists will doubtlessly be biased and exclusionary, I'm not convinced that that the bias of their exclusion is so extreme as to cancel out the historical opportunity presented by their inclusion. In other words, I believe this page is better able to recognize great games from the 1980s through early 1990s by including these lists, and an ample historic record of greatness is one of the main goals of this site.
THE LISTS
Always updating lists:
Unikgamer (as of February 2012)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Mass Effect 2 | BioWare | 2010 |
| 3 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 4 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 5 | Fallout 3 | Bethesda | 2008 |
| 6 | Mass Effect | BioWare | 2007 |
| 7 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 8 | Portal | Valve | 2007 |
| 9 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 10 | Uncharted 2: Among Theives | Naughty Dog | 2009 |
GameRankings.com (as of February 2012)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Super Mario Galaxy | Nintendo | 2007 |
| 3 | Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Nintendo | 2010 |
| 4 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar Games | 2008 |
| 5 | SoulCalibur | Namco | 1998 |
| 6 | Uncharted 2: Among Theives | Naughty Dog | 2009 |
| 7 | Metroid Prime | Nintendo | 2002 |
| 8 | Tekken 3 | Namco | 1998 |
| 9 | Batman: Arkham City | Rocksteady Studios | 2011 |
| 10 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
Note: "The Orange Box," which was ranked in 9th and 11th place was not counted, as it is actually three distinct games, packaged together, nor was Grand Theft Auto IV (X360) in 10th place, since the PS3 version is already in 4th place.
Static lists:
53. PC Gamer (2012)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Portal | Valve | 2007 |
| 2 | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Bethesda | 2011 |
| 3 | Team Fortress 2 | Valve | 2010 |
| 4 | Fallout 3 | Bethesda | 2008 |
| 5 | Dragon Age: Orgins | BioWare | 2009 |
| 6 | World of Warcraft | Blizzard | 2004 |
| 7 | The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | Bethesda | 2006 |
| 8 | ArmA II | Bohemia | 2009 |
| 9 | Civilization IV | Firaxis Games | 2005 |
| 10 | StarCraft II | Blizzard | 2010 |
52. Games Radar (2011)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Portal | Valve | 2007 |
| 2 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 3 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 4 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar Games | 2008 |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | Nintendo | 2003 |
| 6 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 7 | Shadow of the Colossus | Bluepoint | 2005 |
| 8 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 9 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 10 | Mass Effect 2 | BioWare | 2010 |
51. Slogan Yams (2011)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 3 | Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Nintendo | 2010 |
| 4 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 5 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 6 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 7 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 8 | Super Mario Galaxy | Nintendo | 2007 |
| 9 | Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Nintendo | 2008 |
| 10 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
50. The Best 100 Lists (2011)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Halo: Combat Evolved | Bungie Studios | 2001 |
| 3 | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Activision | 2007 |
| 4 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 5 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 6 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 7 | Halo 3 | Bungie Studios | 2007 |
| 8 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar Games | 2008 |
| 9 | BioShock | 2K Games | 2007 |
| 10 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
49. Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition (2009)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario Kart | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 2 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 3 | Grand Theft Auto | Rockstar Games | 1997 |
| 4 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 6 | Halo: Combat Evolved | Bungie Studios | 2001 |
| 7 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 8 | Final Fantasy XII | Squaresoft | 2006 |
| 9 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 10 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
48. FHM (2009)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Activision | 2007 |
| 3 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 4 | Fallout 3 | Bethesda | 2008 |
| 5 | Super Mario Kart | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 6 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 7 | Super Mario Galaxy | Nintendo | 2007 |
| 8 | Star Wars: TIE Fighter | LucasArts | 1995 |
| 9 | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell | Ubisoft | 2005 |
| 10 | The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | Nintendo | 1993 |
47. Action Button (2009)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Out of This World | Interplay | 1991 |
| 2 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 3 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 4 | Mother 3 | Nintendo | 2005 |
| 5 | Pac-Man: Championship Edition | Namco | 2007 |
| 6 | Gears of War | Epic | 2006 |
| 7 | Street Fighter III: Third Strike | Capcom | 1999 |
| 8 | Cave Story | Pixel Studios | 2004 |
| 9 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 10 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | Nintendo | 2004 |
46. Game Informer magazine (2009)
issue 200
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | 1986 |
| 2 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 3 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 4 | Grand Theft Auto III | Rockstar Games | 2001 |
| 5 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 6 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 7 | Metroid | Nintendo | 1986 |
| 8 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 9 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 10 | Ms. Pac-Man | Namco | 1981 |
Note: This is Game Informer's second list, they also made one in 2001 (included below).
45. Empire Magazine (2009)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 2 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 3 | World of Warcraft | Blizzard | 2004 |
| 4 | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Activision | 2007 |
| 5 | Sid Meier's Civilization | Microprose | 1991 |
| 6 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 7 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 8 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 9 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 10 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
44. Edge Magazine (2009)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 3 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 4 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 6 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 7 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 8 | Super Mario Galaxy | Nintendo | 2007 |
| 9 | Halo 3 | Bungie Studios | 2007 |
| 10 | Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | Nintendo | 1995 |
43. Official Nintendo Magazine [UK] (2009)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Super Mario Galaxy | Nintendo | 2007 |
| 4 | Mario Kart Wii | Nintendo | 2007 |
| 5 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 6 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 7 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 8 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 9 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 10 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
42. VGChartz (2009)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 3 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 4 | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | Konami | 2008 |
| 5 | Super Mario Galaxy | Nintendo | 2007 |
| 6 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 7 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 8 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 9 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 10 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
41. Gamer.Blorge (2008)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | Konami | 2008 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 4 | Halo 3 | Bungie Studios | 2007 |
| 5 | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Activision | 2007 |
| 6 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar Games | 2008 |
| 7 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 9 | Gears of War | Epic | 2006 |
| 10 | Final Fantasy X | Squaresoft | 2001 |
40. IGN Readers' Poll (2008)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 3 | SoulCalibur | Namco | 1998 |
| 4 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 5 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | Nintendo | 2004 |
| 6 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 7 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 9 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 10 | Shenmue II | Sega | 2001 |
39. GAME.co.uk poll (2008)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Activision | 2007 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 4 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar Games | 2008 |
| 5 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 6 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 7 | Halo 3 | Bungie Studios | 2007 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 9 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 10 | Gears of War | Epic | 2006 |
38. Stuff magazine (2008)
October issue
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 4 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 5 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 6 | Elite | Acornsoft | 1984 |
| 7 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Sega | 1991 |
| 8 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 9 | Grand Theft Auto III | Rockstar Games | 2001 |
| 10 | Turrican 2 | Amiga | 1991 |
37. Entertainment Weekly magazine (2008)
Issue 1,000
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 4 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 5 | Guitar Hero | Harmonix | 2005 |
| 6 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 7 | Super Mario Kart | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 8 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 9 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar Games | 2008 |
| 10 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
36. Retro Remakes (2007)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Elite | Acornsoft | 1984 |
| 2 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 3 | Half-Life | Valve / Sierra | 1998 |
| 4 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 5 | Cave Story | Pixel Studios | 2004 |
| 6 | R-Type | Activision | 1989 |
| 7 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 8 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 9 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 10 | StarCraft | Blizzard | 1998 |
Note: Reader's poll
35. Edge Magazine (2007)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 3 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 4 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 5 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 6 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 7 | Halo: Combat Evolved | Bungie Studios | 2001 |
| 8 | Final Fantasy XII | Squaresoft | 2006 |
| 9 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 10 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
Note: List was printed in special issue entitled "Edge presents The 100 Best Videogames," and included Edge's 2000 list (see below).
34. IGN.com (2007)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 2 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 3 | Civilization II | Microprose | 1996 |
| 4 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 5 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 6 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 7 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 8 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 9 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 10 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
33. Computer and Video Games (2007)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Deus Ex | Ion Storm | 2000 |
| 2 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 3 | Civilization IV | Firaxis Games | 2005 |
| 4 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | Bethesda Softworks | 2002 |
| 5 | Half-Life | Valve / Sierra | 1998 |
| 6 | Rome: Total War | Activision | 2004 |
| 7 | System Shock 2 | Irrational Games | 1999 |
| 8 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 9 | Battlefield 2 | Electronic Arts | 2005 |
| 10 | The Secret of Monkey Island | LucasArts | 1990 |
Note: List limited to "best PC games."
32. GameTrailers.com (2006)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 3 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 4 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 5 | Tecmo Bowl | Nintendo | 1987 |
| 6 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 7 | Grand Theft Auto III | Rockstar Games | 2001 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 9 | Halo: Combat Evolved | Bungie Studios | 2001 |
| 10 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
Note: GameTrailers picked two Mario games tied for fourth place.
31. Yahoo! UK & Ireland Games (2006)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 3 | Pokémon | Nintendo | 1995 |
| 4 | Pro Evolution Soccer 4 | Konami | 2004 |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 6 | Monkey Island 2 | LucasArts | 1990 |
| 7 | Super Mario Kart | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 8 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 9 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 10 | Elite | Acornsoft | 1984 |
30. Famitsu readers' poll (2006)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Final Fantasy X | Squaresoft | 2001 |
| 2 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 3 | Dragon Warrior III | Enix | 1988 |
| 4 | Dragon Warrior VIII | Enix | 2004 |
| 5 | Machi | Chunsoft | 1998 |
| 8 | Final Fantasy II (IV) | Squaresoft | 1991 |
| 7 | Tactics Ogre | Quest | 1997 |
| 6 | Final Fantasy III (Japan) | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 9 | Dragon Warrior VII | Enix | 2000 |
| 10 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
Note:
Famitsu is a Japanese magazine.
29. IGN Readers' Poll (2006)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 3 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 4 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 6 | SoulCalibur | Namco | 1998 |
| 7 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 8 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 9 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 10 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | Konami | 2004 |
Note: This is IGN's third reader's poll. They also did a poll in 2008 (included above) and 2005 (included below), as well as editor's choice lists in 2007, (see above) 2005 and 2003 (also listed below).
28. Nintendo Power (2006)
issue 200
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 3 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 4 | Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | Nintendo | 2003 |
| 5 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 6 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 7 | Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | 1986 |
| 8 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 9 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 10 | Metroid Prime | Nintendo | 2002 |
Note: This is Nintendo Power's second list. They also made a list in 1997 (included below).
27. Electronic Gaming Monthly (2005)
issue 200
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 2 | Pac-Man | Namco | 1980 |
| 3 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 4 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | 1986 |
| 6 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 7 | Space Invaders | Taito | 1978 |
| 8 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 9 | Grand Theft Auto III | Rockstar Games | 2001 |
| 10 | Pong | Atari | 1972 |
Note: This is EGM's third list. They also made a list in 2002 and 1997 (included below). This list included the caveat "of their time."
26. GamePro magazine (2005)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 2 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 4 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 6 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 7 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 9 | Halo 2 | Bundie Studios | 2004 |
| 10 | Super Smash Bros. Melee | Nintendo | 2001 |
25. The Jaded Gamer (2005)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 2 | Mega Man 2 | Capcom | 1989 |
| 3 | Katamari Damacy | Namco | 2004 |
| 4 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 5 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 6 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 7 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | Konami | 1997 |
| 8 | Pirates! | Microprose | 1987 |
| 9 | Civilization II | Microprose | 1996 |
| 10 | Baldur's Gate | Interplay | 1998 |
24. GameFAQs reader's poll (2005)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 4 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 5 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 6 | Super Smash Bros. Melee | Nintendo | 2001 |
| 7 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 9 | Halo 2 | Bundie Studios | 2004 |
| 10 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
23. IGN.com (2005)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 4 | Civilization II | Microprose | 1996 |
| 5 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 6 | Pirates! | Microprose | 1987 |
| 7 | StarCraft | Blizzard | 1998 |
| 8 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 9 | Star Wars: TIE Fighter | LucasArts | 1995 |
| 10 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
Note: This is IGN's second list. They also made a list in 2003 (included below).
22. IGN readers' poll (2005)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell | Ubisoft | 2005 |
| 4 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 5 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 6 | God of War | Sony | 2005 |
| 7 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | Konami | 2004 |
| 8 | SoulCalibur | Namco | 1998 |
| 9 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Rockstar Games | 2004 |
| 10 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
21. PALGN (2005)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 4 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 |
| 5 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 6 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Rockstar Games | 2004 |
| 7 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 8 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 9 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 10 | Burnout 3: Takedown | Electronic Arts | 2004 |
20. The Age newspaper / LiveWire (2005)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | The Sims 2 | Maxis | 2005 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 |
| 4 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 5 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Rockstar Games | 2004 |
| 6 | Halo 2 | Bundie Studios | 2004 |
| 7 | Gran Turismo 4 | Polyphony Digital | 2005 |
| 8 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 9 | Ico | Sony | 2001 |
| 10 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
19. Retro Gamer magazine (2004)*
issue 9
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Elite | Acornsoft | 1984 |
| 2 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 3 | Manic Miner | Bug-Byte | 1983 |
| 4 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 6 | Space Invaders | Taito | 1978 |
| 7 | Jet Set Willy | Software | 1984 |
| 8 | Sensible Software Soccer | Sensible Software | 1992 |
| 9 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 10 | Pac-Man | Namco | 1980 |
* Retro Gamer Issue 1 also featured a "Top 100" list, though this one was actually 10 distinct "Top 10" lists segregated by platform.
18. IGN.com (2003)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 4 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 5 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 6 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 7 | StarCraft | Blizzard | 1998 |
| 8 | X-COM: UFO Defense | Mythos Games | 1994 |
| 9 | Final Fantasy II (IV) | Squaresoft | 1991 |
| 10 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
17. Entertainment Weekly / GF (2003)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 2 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 3 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 4 | Grand Theft Auto III | Rockstar Games | 2001 |
| 5 | Madden NFL 2003 | Electronic Arts | 2002 |
| 6 | Half-Life | Valve / Sierra | 1998 |
| 7 | The Sims | Maxis | 2000 |
| 8 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 9 | StarCraft | Blizzard | 1998 |
| 10 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
Note: Number 9 on this list was actually "Warcraft / StarCraft" which is kind of cheating since they are two different games.
16. The DORK Club (2003)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 2 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 |
| 3 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 4 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 5 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 6 | Half-Life | Valve / Sierra | 1998 |
| 7 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 8 | Super Smash Bros. Melee | Nintendo | 2001 |
| 9 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 10 | EarthBound | Nintendo | 1995 |
15. Electronic Gaming Monthly (2002)
issue 150
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 2 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 3 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 4 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | Konami | 1997 |
| 5 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 6 | SoulCalibur | Namco | 1998 |
| 7 | Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask | Nintendo | 2000 |
| 8 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 9 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 10 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
Note: This is EGM's second list. They also made a list in 1997 (included below).
14. GameSpy.com (2001)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 2 | Half-Life | Valve / Sierra | 1998 |
| 3 | Warcraft II | Blizzard | 1995 |
| 4 | Sid Meier's Civilization | Microprose | 1991 |
| 5 | Quake | id / GT Interactive | 1996 |
| 6 | Diablo | Blizzard | 1996 |
| 7 | Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar | Origin | 1985 |
| 8 | Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss | Origin / Blue Sky | 1992 |
| 9 | StarCraft | Blizzard | 1998 |
| 10 | Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | 1986 |
13. Game Informer magazine (2001)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | 1986 |
| 2 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 3 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 4 | Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 | Activision | 2000 |
| 5 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 6 | Metroid | Nintendo | 1986 |
| 7 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 8 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 9 | Ms. Pac-Man | Namco | 1981 |
| 10 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
12. GameSpot (2001)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 3 | Resident Evil | Capcom | 1996 |
| 4 | Virtua Racing | Sega | 1992 |
| 5 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 6 | Dragon Warrior | Enix | 1986 |
| 7 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 8 | Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | 1986 |
| 9 | Double Dragon | Taito | 1987 |
| 10 | Commando | Capcom | 1985 |
Note: List was formally "most influential" games of all time.
11.GameSpot (2000)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Quake | id / GT Interactive | 1996 |
| 2 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 3 | Myst | Broderbund | 1996 |
| 4 | King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella | Sierra | 1988 |
| 5 | Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty | Virgin | 1992 |
| 6 | Diablo | Blizzard | 1996 |
| 7 | Sid Meier's Civilization | MicroPose | 1991 |
| 8 | Half-Life | Valve / Sierra | 1998 |
| 9 | Sim City | Maxis | 1987 |
| 10 | Falcon 3.0 | Spectrum | 1991 |
Note: List was formally "most influential" games of all time.
10. Computer and Video Games magazine (2001)(I've had to piece this list together through second-hand sources. Please help me fill in the blanks)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 3 | ? | | |
| 4 | ? | | |
| 5 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 6 | Super Mario Kart | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 7 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
| 8 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 9 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 10 | ? | | |
9. Edge magazine (2000)
issue 80
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 3 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 4 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 5 | Gran Turismo 2 | Polyphony Digital | 1999 |
| 6 | Quake II | id | 1997 |
| 7 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 8 | Street Fighter II (Turbo) | Capcom | 1991 |
| 9 | Half-Life | Valve / Sierra | 1998 |
| 10 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 |
Note: List was later reprinted in 2007 Top Ten special issue.
8. GamesRadar (2000)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 2 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 3 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 4 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 5 | Civilization II | Microprose | 1996 |
| 6 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 7 | StarCraft | Blizzard | 1998 |
| 8 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 9 | Resident Evil: Code Veronica | Capcom | 2000 |
| 10 | Street Fighter II (Turbo) | Capcom | 1991 |
Note: With the exception of SMB, GamesRadar recognized entire "franchises" in their list. The specific games mentioned are the ones the authors note as the "bests" of the series.
7. Nintendorks (2000)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 3 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 4 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 5 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 6 | Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | 1986 |
| 7 | Super Mario Kart | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 8 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 9 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 10 | Punch-Out!! | Nintendo | 1987 |
Note: List was limited to games appearing on Nintendo platforms.
6. Computer and Video Games Magazine (2000)
issue 218
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 |
| 4 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 |
| 5 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Sega | 1991 |
| 6 | Resident Evil 2 | Capcom | 2000 |
| 7 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 8 | Grand Turismo | Polyphony Digital | 1998 |
| 9 | Tekken 3 | Namco | 1998 |
| 10 | Grand Theft Auto | DMA Design | 1998 |
Note: reader's poll. Sonic, in number 5, was recognized as the "Sonic series."
5. Next Generation magazine (1999)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 |
| 2 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 3 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 4 | Civilization II | Microprose | 1996 |
| 5 | Quake II | id | 1996 |
| 6 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 7 | Super Mario Kart | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 8 | Virtua Fighter 2 | Sega | 1995 |
| 9 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 10 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
Note: In this list Next Gen has made my life difficult by identifying four "series" in their top 10 (#1 is the "Zelda series," #3 is the "Mario series," #4 is the "Civilization series," and #6 is the "Metroid series"). To keep this list in the style of all the others, I have thus tampered with it, and inserted games from each series which I think they would be statistically most likely to have chosen as the "best" game of each franchise.
Note 2: This is Next Generation's second list. They also made a list in 1996 (included below).
4. Electronic Gaming Monthly (1997)
issue 100
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 2 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 3 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 4 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 5 | Street Fighter II (Turbo) | Capcom | 1991 |
| 6 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 7 | Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | Nintendo | 1995 |
| 8 | Contra III: The Alien Wars | Konami | 1992 |
| 9 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 10 | Saturn Bomberman | Hudson Soft | 1997 |
3. Nintendo Power magazine (1997)
issue 100
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 2 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 |
| 3 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 4 | Mario Kart 64 | Nintendo | 1997 |
| 5 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 |
| 6 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 |
| 7 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 |
| 8 | Final Fantasy II (IV) | Squaresoft | 1991 |
| 9 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 |
| 10 | Street Fighter II (Turbo) | Capcom | 1991 |
Note: List was limited to games appearing on Nintendo platforms.
2. Computer Gaming World (1996)
November issue
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Sid Meier's Civilization | MicroPose | 1993 |
| 2 | Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar | Origin | 1985 |
| 3 | M.U.L.E. | Electronic Arts | 1983 |
| 4 | Red Baron | Sierra | 1990 |
| 5 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 |
| 6 | Sim City | Maxis | 1987 |
| 7 | Wing Commander | ORGIN | 1990 |
| 8 | Empire | Interstel | 1978 |
| 9 | Wasteland | Interplay | 1987 |
| 10 | Falcon 3.0 | Spectrum | 1991 |
1. Next Generation magazine (1996)
| Rank | Title | Publisher | Year |
| 1 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 |
| 2 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 |
| 3 | Super Bomberman 2 | Hudson Soft | 1994 |
| 4 | Sid Meier's Civilization | Microprose | 1991 |
| 5 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 |
| 6 | Virtua Fighter 2 | Sega | 1995 |
| 7 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 |
| 8 | Lemmings | Psygnosis | 1990 |
| 9 | Quake | id / GT Interactive | 1996 |
| 10 | Warcraft II | Blizzard | 1995 |
Note: Number 5 on this list was actually the "Mario series," which was an odd choice, since presumably Super Mario 64 is part of the "Mario series" as well.
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Summary and Overall Rankings
These lists predictably represent a whole host of different agendas, outlooks, and opinions on what constitutes a "great" video game. Some placed a large emphasis on recognizing games that were historically "relevant" or "innovative" while others simply celebrated games that were fun to play.
Assuming these lists represent voices of authority in the gaming community, we can easily make a cumulative list averaging out the most universally popular games. I'm not smart enough to do mathematical averages of rank, but based on sheer popularity, the top 10 games of all time seem to be:
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (37 out of 54) |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 (30 out of 54) |
| Tetris (30 out of 54) |
| 4 | GoldenEye 007 (22 out of 54) |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (20 out of 54) |
| 6 | Final Fantasy VII (19 out of 54) |
| Street Fighter II (19 out of 54) |
| 7 | Super Mario World (16 out of 54) |
| 8 | Half-Life 2 (14 out of 54) |
| Metal Gear Solid (14 out of 54) |
| Resident Evil 4 (14 out of 54) |
| Super Metroid (14 out of 54) |
As you can see, there is not a very strong consensus here. Even many of the supposed "most popular" games only have a success rate of 40% or below, which is in part due to the marked shift in tastes that has occured in recent years, and the fact that list-makers' biases tend to be towards newer games over older ones.
UPDATE MARCH 2012: Alert reader Brian Fair (1982- ) has come up with a more sophisticated system of weighted rankings, with a score drawn from the "average rank" of games that appear on multiple lists. His top ten is:
| Place | Name | Author | Year | Total Score | Average Rank | Percent Score |
|---|
| 1 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo | 1998 | 308 | 2.7 | 9.93% |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 | Nintendo | 1996 | 201 | 4.3 | 6.48% |
| 3 | Tetris | Alexey Pajitnov | 1987 | 198 | 4.2 | 6.38% |
| 4 | Final Fantasy VII | Squaresoft | 1997 | 135 | 3.9 | 4.35% |
| 5 | Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | 1992 | 113 | 5.4 | 3.64% |
| 6 | GoldenEye 007 | Rare | 1997 | 103 | 6.3 | 3.32% |
| 7 | Super Mario Bros. | Nintendo | 1985 | 94 | 3.2 | 3.03% |
| 8 | Half-Life 2 | Valve | 2004 | 84 | 5.0 | 2.71% |
| 9 | DOOM | id / GT Interactive | 1993 | 81 | 4.8 | 2.61% |
| 10 | Super Mario World | Nintendo | 1991 | 77 | 5.9 | 2.48% |
| 11 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Nintendo | 1990 | 76 | 5.2 | 2.45% |
| 12 | Resident Evil 4 | Capcom | 2005 | 75 | 5.6 | 2.42% |
| 13 | Super Metroid | Nintendo | 1994 | 73 | 5.4 | 2.35% |
| 14 | Chrono Trigger | Squaresoft | 1995 | 60 | 4.3 | 1.93% |
| 15 | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | 1998 | 53 | 7.2 | 1.71% |
| 16 | Street Fighter II | Capcom | 1991 | 52 | 7.3 | 1.68% |
| 17 | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Activision | 2007 | 47 | 3.2 | 1.51% |
| 18 | Final Fantasy III (IV) | Squaresoft | 1994 | 42 | 7.5 | 1.35% |
| 19 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar Games | 2008 | 41 | 5.1 | 1.32% |
| 20 | Legend of Zelda | Nintendo | 1986 | 39 | 5.4 | 1.26% |
| 21 | Half-Life | Valve / Sierra | 1998 | 38 | 5.6 | 1.22% |
| 22 | Super Mario Kart | Nintendo | 1992 | 37 | 5.7 | 1.19% |
| 23 | Sid Meier's Civilization | Microprose | 1991 | 34 | 4.2 | 1.10% |
| 24 | Super Mario Galaxy | Nintendo | 2007 | 33 | 5.5 | 1.06% |
| 25 | Civilization II | Microprose | 1996 | 30 | 5.0 | 0.97% |
| 26 | SoulCalibur | Namco | 1998 | 27 | 5.6 | 0.87% |
| 27 | Elite | Acornsoft | 1984 | 26 | 4.5 | 0.84% |
| 28 | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | Konami | 2008 | 24 | 3.0 | 0.77% |
| 29 | Portal | Valve | 2007 | 23 | 3.3 | 0.74% |
| 30 | Grand Theft Auto III | Rockstar Games | 2001 | 22 | 6.6 | 0.71% |
| 31 | Fallout 3 | Bethesda | 2008 | 20 | 4.3 | 0.64% |
| 32 | Halo: Combat Evolved | Bungie Studios | 2001 | 20 | 6.0 | 0.64% |
| 33 | Quake | id / GT Interactive | 1996 | 18 | 5.0 | 0.58% |
| 34 | Halo 3 | Bungie Studios | 2007 | 17 | 6.8 | 0.55% |
| 35 | Mass Effect 2 | BioWare | 2010 | 17 | 5.3 | 0.55% |
| 36 | StarCraft | Blizzard | 1998 | 17 | 8.2 | 0.55% |
| 37 | Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Nintendo | 2010 | 16 | 3.0 | 0.52% |
| 38 | Uncharted 2: Among Theives | Naughty Dog | 2009 | 15 | 6.0 | 0.48% |
| 39 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Rockstar Games | 2004 | 13 | 6.7 | 0.42% |
| 40 | Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | Nintendo | 2003 | 13 | 4.5 | 0.42% |
| 41 | Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar | Origin | 1985 | 13 | 4.5 | 0.42% |
| 42 | World of Warcraft | Blizzard | 2004 | 13 | 4.5 | 0.42% |
| 43 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | Nintendo | 2004 | 12 | 8.0 | 0.39% |
| 44 | Batman: Arkham City | Rocksteady Studios | 2011 | 11 | 5.5 | 0.35% |
| 45 | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | Konami | 1997 | 11 | 5.5 | 0.35% |
| 46 | Final Fantasy X | Squaresoft | 2001 | 11 | 5.5 | 0.35% |
| 47 | Quake II | id | 1997 | 11 | 5.5 | 0.35% |
| 48 | Street Fighter II (Turbo) | Capcom | 1991 | 11 | 8.3 | 0.35% |
| 49 | Civilization IV | Firaxis Games | 2005 | 10 | 6.0 | 0.32% |
| 50 | Deus Ex | Ion Storm | 2000 | 10 | 1.0 | 0.32% |
| 51 | Diablo | Blizzard | 1996 | 10 | 6.0 | 0.32% |
| 52 | Out of This World | Interplay | 1991 | 10 | 1.0 | 0.32% |
| 53 | Pac-Man | Namco | 1980 | 10 | 6.0 | 0.32% |
| 54 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Sega | 1991 | 10 | 6.0 | 0.32% |
| 55 | The Sims 2 | Maxis | 2005 | 10 | 1.0 | 0.32% |
| 56 | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell | Ubisoft | 2005 | 10 | 6.0 | 0.32% |
| 57 | BioShock | 2K Games | 2007 | 9 | 6.5 | 0.29% |
| 58 | Cave Story | Pixel Studios | 2004 | 9 | 6.5 | 0.29% |
| 59 | Grand Theft Auto | Rockstar Games | 1997 | 9 | 6.5 | 0.29% |
| 60 | Halo 2 | Bundie Studios | 2004 | 9 | 8.0 | 0.29% |
| 61 | Mega Man 2 | Capcom | 1989 | 9 | 2.0 | 0.29% |
| 62 | Metroid | Nintendo | 1986 | 9 | 6.5 | 0.29% |
| 63 | Space Invaders | Taito | 1978 | 9 | 6.5 | 0.29% |
| 64 | Super Smash Bros. Melee | Nintendo | 2001 | 9 | 8.0 | 0.29% |
| 65 | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Bethesda | 2011 | 9 | 2.0 | 0.29% |
| 66 | Warcraft II | Blizzard | 1995 | 9 | 6.5 | 0.29% |
| 67 | Dragon Warrior III | Enix | 1988 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 68 | Final Fantasy II (IV) | Squaresoft | 1991 | 8 | 8.3 | 0.26% |
| 69 | Gears of War | Epic | 2006 | 8 | 8.3 | 0.26% |
| 70 | Katamari Damacy | Namco | 2004 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 71 | Little Big Planet | Media Molecule | 2008 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 72 | M.U.L.E. | Electronic Arts | 1983 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 73 | Manic Miner | Bug-Byte | 1983 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 74 | Myst | Broderbund | 1996 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 75 | Pirates! | Microprose | 1987 | 8 | 7.0 | 0.26% |
| 76 | Pokémon | Nintendo | 1995 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 77 | Portal 2 | Valve | 2011 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 78 | Red Dead Redemption | Rockstar | 2010 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 79 | Resident Evil | Capcom | 1996 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 80 | Super Bomberman 2 | Hudson Soft | 1994 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 81 | Team Fortress 2 | Valve | 2010 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.26% |
| 82 | Virtua Fighter 2 | Sega | 1995 | 8 | 7.0 | 0.26% |
| 83 | Call of Duty 2 | Activision | 2005 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 84 | Dragon Warrior VIII | Enix | 2004 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 85 | King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella | Sierra | 1988 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 86 | Mario Kart 64 | Nintendo | 1997 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 87 | Mario Kart Wii | Nintendo | 2007 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 88 | Mother 3 | Nintendo | 2005 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 89 | Pro Evolution Soccer 4 | Konami | 2004 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 90 | Red Baron | Sierra | 1990 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 91 | Sim City | Maxis | 1987 | 7 | 7.5 | 0.23% |
| 92 | Street Fighter IV | Capcom | 2009 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 93 | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | Bethesda Softworks | 2002 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 94 | Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 | Activision | 2000 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 95 | Virtua Racing | Sega | 1992 | 7 | 4.0 | 0.23% |
| 96 | Dragon Age: Orgins | BioWare | 2009 | 6 | 5.0 | 0.19% |
| 97 | Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty | Virgin | 1992 | 6 | 5.0 | 0.19% |
| 98 | Final Fantasy XII | Squaresoft | 2006 | 6 | 8.0 | 0.19% |
| 99 | Gran Turismo 2 | Polyphony Digital | 1999 | 6 | 5.0 | 0.19% |
| 100 | Guitar Hero | Harmonix | 2005 | 6 | 5.0 | 0.19% |
| 101 | Machi | Chunsoft | 1998 | 6 | 5.0 | 0.19% |
| 102 | Madden NFL 2003 | Electronic Arts | 2002 | 6 | 5.0 | 0.19% |
| 103 | Pac-Man: Championship Edition | Namco | 2007 | 6 | 5.0 | 0.19% |
| 104 | Tecmo Bowl | Nintendo | 1987 | 6 | 5.0 | 0.19% |
| 105 | Dragon Warrior | Enix | 1986 | 5 | 6.0 | 0.16% |
| 106 | Final Fantasy III (Japan) | Nintendo | 1990 | 5 | 6.0 | 0.16% |
| 107 | God of War | Sony | 2005 | 5 | 6.0 | 0.16% |
| 108 | Mass Effect | BioWare | 2007 | 5 | 6.0 | 0.16% |
| 109 | Metroid Prime | Nintendo | 2002 | 5 | 8.5 | 0.16% |
| 110 | Monkey Island 2 | LucasArts | 1990 | 5 | 6.0 | 0.16% |
| 111 | Resident Evil 2 | Capcom | 2000 | 5 | 6.0 | 0.16% |
| 112 | Rome: Total War | Activision | 2004 | 5 | 6.0 | 0.16% |
| 113 | R-Type | Activision | 1989 | 5 | 6.0 | 0.16% |
| 114 | Star Wars: TIE Fighter | LucasArts | 1995 | 5 | 8.5 | 0.16% |
| 115 | Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | Nintendo | 1995 | 5 | 8.5 | 0.16% |
| 116 | Tekken 3 | Namco | 1998 | 5 | 8.5 | 0.16% |
| 117 | Gran Turismo 4 | Polyphony Digital | 2005 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 118 | Jet Set Willy | Software | 1984 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 119 | Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask | Nintendo | 2000 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 120 | Shadow of the Colossus | Bluepoint | 2005 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 121 | Street Fighter III: Third Strike | Capcom | 1999 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 122 | System Shock 2 | Irrational Games | 1999 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 123 | Tactics Ogre | Quest | 1997 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 124 | The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | Bethesda | 2006 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 125 | The Sims | Maxis | 2000 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 126 | Wing Commander | ORGIN | 1990 | 4 | 7.0 | 0.13% |
| 127 | ArmA II | Bohemia | 2009 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.10% |
| 128 | Contra III: The Alien Wars | Konami | 1992 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.10% |
| 129 | Empire | Interstel | 1978 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.10% |
| 130 | Grand Turismo | Polyphony Digital | 1998 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.10% |
| 131 | Lemmings | Psygnosis | 1990 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.10% |
| 132 | Ms. Pac-Man | Namco | 1981 | 3 | 9.5 | 0.10% |
| 133 | Sensible Software Soccer | Sensible Software | 1992 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.10% |
| 134 | Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss | Origin / Blue Sky | 1992 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.10% |
| 135 | X-COM: UFO Defense | Mythos Games | 1994 | 3 | 8.0 | 0.10% |
| 136 | Battlefield 2 | Electronic Arts | 2005 | 2 | 9.0 | 0.06% |
| 137 | Double Dragon | Taito | 1987 | 2 | 9.0 | 0.06% |
| 138 | Dragon Warrior VII | Enix | 2000 | 2 | 9.0 | 0.06% |
| 139 | Falcon 3.0 | Spectrum | 1991 | 2 | 10.0 | 0.06% |
| 140 | Ico | Sony | 2001 | 2 | 9.0 | 0.06% |
| 141 | Resident Evil: Code Veronica | Capcom | 2000 | 2 | 9.0 | 0.06% |
| 142 | Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Nintendo | 2008 | 2 | 9.0 | 0.06% |
| 143 | Wasteland | Interplay | 1987 | 2 | 9.0 | 0.06% |
| 144 | Baldur's Gate | Interplay | 1998 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 145 | Burnout 3: Takedown | Electronic Arts | 2004 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 146 | Commando | Capcom | 1985 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 147 | EarthBound | Nintendo | 1995 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 148 | Pong | Atari | 1972 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 149 | Punch-Out!! | Nintendo | 1987 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 150 | Saturn Bomberman | Hudson Soft | 1997 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 151 | Shenmue II | Sega | 2001 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 152 | StarCraft II | Blizzard | 2010 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 153 | The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | Nintendo | 1993 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 154 | The Secret of Monkey Island | LucasArts | 1990 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| 155 | Turrican 2 | Amiga | 1991 | 1 | 10.0 | 0.03% |
| Total | | | | 3103 | | 155 |
Other thoughts:
- Action games tend to be the most popular genre. Sports games are decidedly not.
- Sonic the Hedgehog is not popular. In fact, Sega in general has not left much of a legacy, with barely any Genesis games making anyone's lists.
- Tetris is the only puzzle game anyone seems to care about.
- The most popular video game character of all time is clearly Link, closely followed by Mario.
- Despite being the famed "first video game ever" Pong has not aged well, and today no one seems to consider it relevant. Pac-Man and Space Invaders are also surprisingly unpopular.
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