20 – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – We jump right into the list of the best video games of all time with a Nintendo classic. I’m not sure if Zelda fans are going to be happy to see a Link game show up on the list, or if they will be outraged because it is only #20. Spoiler: Don’t worry, it won’t be the last Zelda game to make the cut. Released in North America way back in 1992 for the Super Nintendo system the game went on to become one of the biggest selling SNES games of all time, with nearly 5 million copies sold. The game was significantly different from the first 2 chapters and established many of the signature traits of the series that are still adhered to in the latest installments. If The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii was your first introduction to the series you should definitely go back and play this game to get a taste of how the series evolved.
19 – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – You’ll notice that most of the games on this list are aged classics that have withstood the test of time. However, just because a game is brand new, like this particular title, shouldn’t preclude it from making the list of the best video games of all time. The production value of this exclusive PS3 title by Naughty Dog Software is absolutely through the roof. In fact, the graphics, sound, animation, action, plot, and voice acting are all so good that one can spend hours watching someone else play the game and be entertained the whole time. That is a true testament to just how great this game is. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was a fantastic game, but somehow Naughty Dog managed to not only improve upon it, they completely blew it out of the water. If you have a PS3 you need to buy this game. It is the best single player experience available on the console, and with multiplayer included this time around the game will be played for years to come.
18 – Grand Theft Auto III – Though not quite as polished as sequels like GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas I am giving this chapter in the multi-million selling Grand Theft Auto series a coveted spot on this list because it was the game that first brought Rockstar’s baby into glorious 3D. Despite a lack of a multiplayer component the replayability of the title was off the chart because of the sandbox style of gameplay where players could go anywhere in a sprawling city and commit illegal acts of nearly every description. However, though the free roam mode and all the little extras gave the game a ton of replay value, there was also an underlying mission to complete, and an absorbing plot to keep those fans of linear style games entertained throughout. At last count sales of the game were approaching a staggering 15 million copies, and GTA III certainly earns a well-deserved spot as one of the most groundbreaking video games ever made.
17 – Super Mario 64 – Speaking of groundbreaking video games, this cute and revolutionary platformer wowed gamers everywhere upon its 1996 release on the Nintendo 64 console. Taking Mario into 3D for the first time the game was a graphically stunning technological feat of video game programming. I still remember seeing the game on display in the video store and being absolutely blown away by what was at the time an unparalleled technical marvel. Though the N64 was antiquated in some ways, particular with Nintendo’s stubborn adherence to a cartridge-based system, Super Mario 64 showed just what this underrated console had under the hood, and ranks right up there with Halo as perhaps the biggest console launch title of all time.
16 – Sid Meier’s Civilization II – Though he has had many successful franchises during his decades in the computer video game industry Sid Meier’s signature work has to be his incredibly detailed strategy series: Civilization. Though there have been 4 installments, plus several expansion packs released over the years Civ II is considered the pinnacle of the award-winning turn-based strategy series and I know several people who still play the now 13 year old classic religiously.
15 – Half Life – One of the most unique, original, creative first person shooters ever developed this game had jaws dropping around the gaming world following its 1998 release. Built on the Quake engine the game was not only arguably the best looking game to date at the time of its release but featured a complex engaging storyline sadly lacking in many other FPS games. This potent combination had critics raving and garnered the title Game of the Year awards from more than 50 publications.
14 – Super Mario Bros. 3 – Sorry to all the Nintendo haters out there, but I just can’t leave this classic off the list. The game built upon the massive popularity of the original and flew off shelves in both the U.S. and Japan. In fact, according to Guiness the game is the best-selling off all time (not bundled with a system) with a whopping 18 million copies sold worldwide. With brilliantly fun and addictive gameplay and surprisingly good graphics (for an NES game) Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of Nintendo’s best creations, and that is saying a lot considering how many quality games this company has put out over the years.
13 – Final Fantasy VII – This classic, which was originally released on the Sony PSX is the best-selling Final Fantasy game to date, and took the series from cute 2D sprites into the far more compelling and visceral world of 3D. The game was beautiful, fun and offered endless hours of gameplay, with a massive well-written story that peaked perfectly for the game’s ultimate climax. The game remains incredibly popular to this day, more than a decade after its release, as evinced by the more than 100,000 times it has been downloaded on the Playstation Network following its release as a classic PSOne title.
12 – God of War – If I had to pick the best PS2 game of all time my vote would be for this incredible title. Based on Greek mythology this action-adventure title is dark, violent and fun all at the same time. As the player you take the role of Kratos, a Spartan who makes it his mission to kill Ares – the God of War. Few games have ever been as action-packed as this one, and you will fight your way through hordes of enemies, employing your Blades of Chaos with devastating effect. The combat system is as good as I’ve seen in a video game and despite the seemingly never-ending battles you’ll never find yourself growing bored of repetition. Nearly every major gaming publication gushed about this game, and its Metacritic score is one of the highest of all time.
11 – Guitar Hero – There have been relatively few times in video game history where the entire business has literally been altered by the release of a single console or game. However, RedOctane’s Guitar Hero certainly qualifies. Though not the first game based around a musical instrument it was the first one that really delivered the experience of being a rock star, and the first one to achieve massive mainstream success. From toddlers to grandparents, male or female the game held appeal for just about every demographic imaginable, and the title immediately became the game to have on hand when hosting a party. As with most great video games this one inspired sequels, and the series has now reached a 5th installment, along with band-specific spin-offs. It has now evolved as a multi-instrument band game, but it is the original guitar only game that was the true pioneer of the genre.
10 – Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriots – Snake is back for his final adventure in this magnificently polished game for the PS3. With gorgeous graphics, an incredibly involving storyline that includes literally hours of Hollywood blockbuster quality cutscene cinematics, and the fun and addictive gameplay that has been a trademark of every Metal Gear game the title is the pinnacle of a series that takes its place among the greatest video game series ever created. With a 5th installment reportedly on the way it will be interesting to see if Hideo Kojima can jump the impossibly high bar he has set for himself.
9 – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – A big reason for the early success of the Wii was the fact that Nintendo launched the console with one of their strongest franchises: Zelda. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess had all the ingredients that made the previous titles so great while introducing players to Nintendo’s new control system. While purists would argue that the control scheme wasn’t perfect, it was certainly impressive and gave players an immersion factor in controlling Link that had never previously been possible. No, Twilight Princess doesn’t rank as the best Zelda game of all time, but #9 isn’t too shabby.
8 – Super Metroid – Samus Aran earns a spot on the list with this 1994 SNES classic. Like most of the best games on that particular console this one is another platformer. However, you don’t just run, jump and duck – this game is pure action and those with a violent streak get to kill plenty of baddies as they quest to retrieve the Metroid from the space pirates who have stolen it. Though the series, like most old classics, has now evolved into 3D there is something so simple, enjoyable and accessible to these old 2D platformers. The game is also available on the Nintendo Wii’s virtual console, and those who never got to play it the first time around should definitely give it a download and check it out.
7 – Starcraft – Starcraft is the most polished, balanced RTS ever made. Though initially it was considered by many as simply “Warcraft in space” the game has surpassed the Warcraft series by leaps and bounds to become the standard by which all other RTS games are measured. To date the game has sold 11 million copies, and still remains one of the biggest games in Korea where people pack sports stadiums to watch the best players battle on giant screens. Blizzard has the unenviable task of besting this legendary title with the forthcoming release of Starcraft II.
6 – Chrono Trigger – Though it is the Final Fantasy series for which developer Square Enix is best known, the company’s best work to date, in my opinion, remains the 1995 SNES RPG Chrono Trigger. Very similar in design and gameplay mechanics to the Final Fantasy series Chrono Trigger featured improved graphics, sound, music, and was so perfectly polished it is difficult to find flaw with this classic. Fans of the Final Fantasy series that haven’t tried this title are missing out. Don’t let the 2D sprite engine dissuade you. This is one of the best RPG experiences to be had on a console or PC. Give it a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
5 – Golden Eye: 007 – With Golden Eye: 007 developer rare did for console FPS games what Id Software did to the PC shooter with Doom. The game featured cutting edge 3D graphics and is among the best looking games on the N64. However, the graphics are but a tiny part of the recipe that makes this game so great. A robust deathmatch mode that allowed up to 4 players at once playing via splitscreen gave the game almost unlimited replay value, and made the game one of the best trash-talking games of its time. The single player was just as good, incorporating revolutionary stealth options and mission-based gameplay that was just challenging enough to walk the narrow tightrope between frustration and fun.
4 – Shenmue II – Released for the Sega Dreamcast and the original Microsoft Xbox this beautiful Adventure RPG is a cult classic and anyone who has played the game will have no problem with its high ranking on this list. With a spectacularly written story that completely immerses the player into the game, great voice acting (Dreamcast version only), great action, and Easter eggs such as playable retro arcade classics this game belongs in any gamer’s library. If you are lucky enough to have a Dreamcast console I recommend getting that version. The Japanese voice-acting with the English subtitles just add to the immersion factor, and the game, which is increasingly hard to find, will no doubt be a valuable collector’s item someday.
3 – Halo – For those of you happily playing your Xbox 360 right now I firmly believe you can thank Bungee Software and more specifically this game. With very little ammo other than its deep pockets Microsoft faced a huge uphill struggle against console giants Sony and Nintendo. If not for this ridiculously fun FPS with its revolutionary control system Microsoft might very well have been forced to pull the plug on their console gaming division. The experience was incredible and just never seemed to get old no matter how many times you died and had to start over again. However, it was the multiplayer that really made the game so massively popular. Split-screen cooperative multiplayer mode was so much fun in this game, and deathmatch over LAN caused many sleepless nights in college dorms all over North America.
2 – Grand Theft Auto IV – Though parents and police officers might not enjoy the gameplay of Rockstar Games’ cash cow series Grand Theft Auto there is no denying that the company has struck a chord with gamers, particularly in North America, where sales of the series has gone into the tens of millions. Though the series started humbly as a 2D crime romp back in the day it has involved into a virtual world with incredible freedom to roam, Hollywood style scripting and voice acting, and cutting edge graphics that push the limits of today’s modern hardware. Add in long awaited multiplayer options and you’ve got a game with virtually unlimited replay value. Grand Theft Auto IV is one of those rare games that not only justifies its price tag, but would be still worth it at three times the price.
1 – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – It was a pretty tough challenge just deciding which was the best Zelda game ever made. Others may choose A Link to the Past, Twilight Princess or Wind Waker, but for my money this N64 classic is the pinnacle of the series, and a sterling example of the action-adventure genre. Like all Zelda games the story is strong, the puzzles challenging, and the production value top-notch. These platitudes only scratch the surface of everything that is great about the game. You have to play it to see for yourself just what makes this the best video game ever made.
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