Greatest. Best. All-Time Favorite. Highest Rated. Most Important...

How do you define greatness? While this is certainly subjective, gamers, critics and industry leaders have been weighing in for decades. With so many best-of-the-best lists and criteria to sift through, how do you make sense of it all? Which games are really the greatest?

That's where pwnRank comes in. Since 2013, we've been diligently aggregating ranking data – currently from approximately 85+ lists worldwide - and applying a sensible scoring system to generate the most comprehensive and unbiased list of top video games ever made. Greatness is hard to define, but we know this - you should play these games!

Check out the Top 100 Video Games of All-Time...

v8.0  |  Last Updated: 8/13/2021 | Data from 86 Lists | How it Works

100.  Final Fantasy IX
-1
1168p
2000 // RPG // PlayStation     Δ pwnRank: -1 Δ pwnScore: 90 Highest rank on any list: 15 Top 25 appearances: 1 Total appearances: 12
https://www.youtube.com/embed/XrmQXD6Z1Sk?rel=0
"While it manages to only just fall short of greatness, it does so with a level of grace so memorizing, it's hard to believe sometimes. If you still aren't convinced, just play to the final cutscene. That should convince you just fine."
-Cubed3
99.  Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
20
1208p
2018 // Fighting // Switch     Δ pwnRank: 20 Δ pwnScore: 321 Highest rank on any list: 6 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 9
https://www.youtube.com/embed/GpU8K_XiaTs?rel=0
"Inklings from the Splatoon series, as well as returning Smash characters like Mario and Link will be making appearances in this classic Nintendo franchise's Switch debut. Faster combat, new items, new attacks, new defensive options, and more will keep the battle raging whether you’re at home or on the go."
-metacritic.com
98.  Hades
1211p
2020 // Action RPG // PC  Switch   Δ pwnRank: Δ pwnScore: Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 8
https://www.youtube.com/embed/?rel=0
""
-
97.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
-6
1226p
2001 // Sports // PlayStation  PC  Dreamcast Δ pwnRank: -6 Δ pwnScore: 19 Highest rank on any list: 2 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 11
https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ronOqY7mEw?rel=0
"The best skateboarding game ever and one of the greatest PlayStation games of all time."
-CNET Gamecenter
96.  Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
-22
1241p
2015 // Action-Adventure Stealth // PC  Xbox One  PS4 Δ pwnRank: -22 Δ pwnScore: -237 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 3 Total appearances: 11
https://www.youtube.com/embed/JgdrOMdUcqI?rel=0
"Debate will rage over whether it’s the best, but The Phantom Pain is very arguably the ultimate Metal Gear, grabbing the best ideas, themes and mechanics from every game..."
-Trustedreviews.com
95.  Space Invaders
-17
1246p
1978 // Shooter // Arcade     Δ pwnRank: -17 Δ pwnScore: -126 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 10 Total appearances: 11
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rz4lMm21Uf4?rel=0
"Chup-chup-chup-chup-boop-boop! — call it the mono-analog pulse of arcade gold… In just four years, Space Invaders hauled in $2 billion in quarter-based profits in the U.S. alone."
-Time
94.  Inside
-7
1248p
2016 // Puzzle-Platform // Xbox One  PS4  PC Δ pwnRank: -7 Δ pwnScore: 5 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 3 Total appearances: 10
https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_z2GpICAXA?rel=0
"Limbo... stands as one of the first great triumphs of console indie games. It was a gorgeous, clever, moody, polished platformer that gushed confidence, boasting a stark black-and-white art style and a haunting, unspoken narrative that left itself open to interpretation. It was fantastic. But Inside is better."
-Polygon.com
93.  Horizon Zero Dawn
14
1253p
2017 // Action RPG // PS4     Δ pwnRank: 14 Δ pwnScore: 271 Highest rank on any list: 24 Top 25 appearances: 2 Total appearances: 9
https://www.youtube.com/embed/?rel=0
""
-
92.  Fallout 2
2
1258p
1998 // RPG // PC     Δ pwnRank: 2 Δ pwnScore: 100 Highest rank on any list: 19 Top 25 appearances: 2 Total appearances: 6
https://www.youtube.com/embed/78L3zYpg1pM?rel=0
"It's pretty hard not to have fondness for a game that gives you experience points for activities as diverse as playing chess against a mutated scorpion, suffocating a mob boss, fixing a two-headed cow's leg, and slicing a Tom Cruise doppelganger in half with your trusty laser rifle."
-Gamespot.com
91.  Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
-14
1277p
2008 // Stealth // PS3     Δ pwnRank: -14 Δ pwnScore: -129 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 9
https://www.youtube.com/embed/r83H7ry2LiY?rel=0
"This fourth installment released on the PlayStation 3 to rave reviews... It also received many Game of the Year awards in recognition of its melding of a complex and layered story with engaging stealth gameplay."
-Fandomania
90.  Kingdom Hearts
3
1295p
2002 // Action RPG // PS2     Δ pwnRank: 3 Δ pwnScore: 106 Highest rank on any list: 41 Top 25 appearances: 0 Total appearances: 10
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qDZXO_o120c?rel=0
"Square Enix and Disney worked together to bring gamers an unforgettable action-RPG with a mix of dark themes and Winnie the Pooh."
-G4
89.  Disco Elysium
86
1311p
2019 // RPG // PC  PS4  Xbox One Δ pwnRank: 86 Δ pwnScore: 768 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 5 Total appearances: 8
https://www.youtube.com/embed/?rel=0
""
-
88.  Okami
4
1317p
2006 // Action-Adventure // PS2     Δ pwnRank: 4 Δ pwnScore: 113 Highest rank on any list: 17 Top 25 appearances: 2 Total appearances: 14
https://www.youtube.com/embed/oVf2rMILU0M?rel=0
"Okami was without doubt one of the PlayStation 2’s finest hours."
-IGN
87.  Final Fantasy X
-8
1335p
2001 // RPG // PS2     Δ pwnRank: -8 Δ pwnScore: -30 Highest rank on any list: 21 Top 25 appearances: 2 Total appearances: 10
https://www.youtube.com/embed/bv-mzzkZ-eE?rel=0
"The ambitious design of Final Fantasy X ultimately pervades in every aspect of the game. And so, like many of its predecessors, Final Fantasy X stands as a testament to just how affecting a game can be."
-Gamespot
86.  Nier: Automata
45
1347p
2017 // Action RPG // PS4  PC   Δ pwnRank: 45 Δ pwnScore: 579 Highest rank on any list: 4 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 9
https://www.youtube.com/embed/?rel=0
""
-
85.  The Sims
-15
1365p
2000 // Life Simulation // PC     Δ pwnRank: -15 Δ pwnScore: -239 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 10 Total appearances: 15
https://www.youtube.com/embed/IwF0RIkCamU?rel=0
"The premise of The Sims sounded so stupid. Then people played it. Then it won Game of the Year. Then it became the best-selling PC game of all time."
-Time
84.  Undertale
-2
1373p
2015 // RPG // PC     Δ pwnRank: -2 Δ pwnScore: 96 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 5 Total appearances: 15
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cv9wv12a77Q?rel=0
"Undertale is one of the best games I’ve ever played. It manages to take a genre that has existed since the earliest days of video games and actually do something new and unique with it..."
-Destructoid
83.  Pac-Man
-10
1428p
1980 // Maze // Arcade     Δ pwnRank: -10 Δ pwnScore: -54 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 14 Total appearances: 17
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FRWp9sO2P68?rel=0
"Namco's breakthrough arcade hit tapped deep into the human psyche with nothing more than a little yellow circle."
-1UP.com
82.  Soulcalibur
-17
1449p
1998 // Fighting // Arcade  Dreamcast   Δ pwnRank: -17 Δ pwnScore: -252 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 6
https://www.youtube.com/embed/clc5XjUqWrU?rel=0
"Let's get one thing out of the way: Soul Calibur is the best 3D fighting game ever released in the arcades."
-Gamespot
81.  The Secret of Monkey Island
3
1464p
1990 // Graphic Adventure // PC     Δ pwnRank: 3 Δ pwnScore: 204 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 14
https://www.youtube.com/embed/oYDjKH86YWM?rel=0
"The deft combination of humor, great storytelling, and clever puzzles made The Secret of Monkey Island a defining adventure game for its era as well as a timeless classic."
-Fandomania
80.  Mass Effect
-14
1472p
2007 // Action RPG // Xbox 360     Δ pwnRank: -14 Δ pwnScore: -185 Highest rank on any list: 9 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 8
https://www.youtube.com/embed/zIFojY2Ceow?rel=0
"This is a game that takes the aspects of film that make cinema so compelling and crosses it with the interactivity of games with unprecedented success. Linear storytelling feels quaint by comparison."
-IGN
79.  Pokémon Gold and Silver
23
1488p
2000 // RPG // GBC     Δ pwnRank: 23 Δ pwnScore: 425 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 10
https://www.youtube.com/embed/_felwg61w1Y?rel=0
"Pokémon is not a fad, it's here to stay, and this new Game Boy Color series is only going to fuel the blaze of popularity further."
-IGN
78.  The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
11
1490p
2006 // Action-Adventure // Wii  GC   Δ pwnRank: 11 Δ pwnScore: 271 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 2 Total appearances: 9
https://www.youtube.com/embed/kBRGtbXJYAs?rel=0
"Ocarina, your time is up. It took Nintendo almost a decade to do it, but the publisher has finally created a new Zelda game that is so well designed and so epic that it deserves to be crowned the best in its class."
-IGN
77.  Ms. Pac-Man
-5
1498p
1982 // Maze // Arcade     Δ pwnRank: -5 Δ pwnScore: 12 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 7
https://www.youtube.com/embed/WpsfPJ9RuYI?rel=0
"It's been more than 30 years since Ms. Pac-Man hit the arcade scene, but when it did, everyone was hunched over at the local bar playing it... it improved on its predecessor in every way possible…"
-G4
76.  Halo 2
-8
1509p
2004 // FPS // Xbox     Δ pwnRank: -8 Δ pwnScore: -102 Highest rank on any list: 7 Top 25 appearances: 3 Total appearances: 11
https://www.youtube.com/embed/3m3ecsq4DBc?rel=0
"After Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) was done saving the Xbox game console system from being a disaster, Halo 2 came along and literally evolved the entire gaming industry."
-Animation Career Review
75.  Grand Theft Auto IV
-11
1536p
2008 // Action-Adventure // PS3  Xbox 360  PC Δ pwnRank: -11 Δ pwnScore: -206 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 9
https://www.youtube.com/embed/nNYVh0lVeoE?rel=0
"Grand Theft Auto III... inspired a whole new generation of 3D action games. Grand Theft Auto IV is just as big a leap forward, though perhaps in subtler ways, and sets a new benchmark for open-world games. "
-IGN
74.  Batman: Arkham Asylum
11
1537p
2009 // Action-Adventure // Xbox 360  PS3  PC Δ pwnRank: 11 Δ pwnScore: 293 Highest rank on any list: 15 Top 25 appearances: 3 Total appearances: 15
https://www.youtube.com/embed/njB53b8i6i0?rel=0
"Arkham Asylum wasn’t just a surprisingly good game when it released: it was arguably the game of the year… it will no doubt influence the next decade of the relationship between gaming and super heroes."
-Animation Career Review
73.  Halo 3
31
1597p
2007 // FPS // Xbox 360     Δ pwnRank: 31 Δ pwnScore: 579 Highest rank on any list: 10 Top 25 appearances: 3 Total appearances: 9
https://www.youtube.com/embed/KCmJIWmG1Qs?rel=0
"In substance it’s nothing new, merely a magnificent, beautiful monster of an FPS sequel. In concept and execution, though, Halo 3 is the future."
-Edge Online
72.  Kingdom Hearts II
4
1598p
2005 // Action RPG // PS2     Δ pwnRank: 4 Δ pwnScore: 173 Highest rank on any list: 5 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 10
https://www.youtube.com/embed/12XlBRnNKgA?rel=0
"An inspiring emotional work of art and perhaps the best role-playing game this year. Square Enix continues to prove that you can take even the most played out source material in the world (Disney's various franchises) and make something wonderful."
-Gameshark
71.  BioShock Infinite
0
1623p
2013 // FPS // Xbox 360  PS3  PC Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 76 Highest rank on any list: 17 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 15
https://www.youtube.com/embed/jchIi-vR_js?rel=0
"Familiar threads run through it – a lighthouse, a strange city, a charismatic antagonist – but they are homages to the past rather than attempts to recycle it."
-Game Informer
70.  Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
-8
1661p
2000 // RPG // PC     Δ pwnRank: -8 Δ pwnScore: -131 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 2 Total appearances: 10
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZClIoVwFM2M?rel=0
"In many ways, Baldur's Gate II is the culmination of the powerful RPG renaissance that's been driving the genre over the last several years; a rebirth that originally started with its predecessor, Baldur's Gate."
-IGN
69.  Super Mario Kart
0
1665p
1992 // Racing // SNES     Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 56 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 15
https://www.youtube.com/embed/IU-V4m8V9PQ?rel=0
"20 years ago, Mario appeared in his first true spin-off and created a genre in the process."
-1UP.com
68.  Planescape Torment
27
1684p
1999 // RPG // PC     Δ pwnRank: 27 Δ pwnScore: 559 Highest rank on any list: 11 Top 25 appearances: 2 Total appearances: 9
https://www.youtube.com/embed/iblKGNtpEnE?rel=0
"Yet another astounding title out the doors of the Black Isle factory."
-Game Over
67.  Grand Theft Auto III
-11
1724p
2001 // Action-Adventure // PS2     Δ pwnRank: -11 Δ pwnScore: -228 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 14 Total appearances: 16
https://www.youtube.com/embed/DR9dHOvsd90?rel=0
"GTAIII is one of the most influential games in console history and has informed every crime caper to hit the shelves ever since."
-Empire
66.  Fallout: New Vegas
17
1768p
2010 // FPS Action-RPG // PC  PS3  Xbox 360 Δ pwnRank: 17 Δ pwnScore: 492 Highest rank on any list: 5 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 13
https://www.youtube.com/embed/N8XLN1N0vtM?rel=0
"The debate about which 3D Fallout is best has been raging for years, and probably will forever. But for my money, New Vegas is the clear winner... The quests are more entertaining and varied, the characters are stronger, and the faction system makes it a much richer role-playing experience."
-PC Gamer
65.  Assassin's Creed II
16
1799p
2009 // Action-Adventure // Xbox 360  PS3   Δ pwnRank: 16 Δ pwnScore: 505 Highest rank on any list: 9 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 17
https://www.youtube.com/embed/AhPR0lLqiCg?rel=0
"Assassin's Creed II transforms a middling action game into an intriguing and consistently entertaining open-world adventure… The experience is layered, unique, and shows an incredible attention to detail. "
-IGN
64.  EarthBound
11
1809p
1995 // RPG // SNES     Δ pwnRank: 11 Δ pwnScore: 376 Highest rank on any list: 5 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 14
https://www.youtube.com/embed/IwAlZERKaqU?rel=0
"Though its punishing difficulty in its early stages might be tough to get past, EarthBound still remains one of the best, most unique RPGs to date."
-IGN
63.  Persona 4 / Golden
17
1855p
2008 // RPG // PS2     Δ pwnRank: 17 Δ pwnScore: 519 Highest rank on any list: 2 Top 25 appearances: 5 Total appearances: 16
https://www.youtube.com/embed/EgafGTqrQao?rel=0
"The story hooks you, dungeon crawling makes for a great time, and exploring your relationships while building a better army is the kind of tinkering you can get lose hours to. Persona 4 Golden is perfectly at home on the handheld and should dominate your free time."
-IGN
62.  Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
-2
1931p
2016 // Action-Adventure // PS4     Δ pwnRank: -2 Δ pwnScore: 125 Highest rank on any list: 6 Top 25 appearances: 7 Total appearances: 10
https://www.youtube.com/embed/6cXyQg_5uoc?rel=0
"A remarkable achievement in blockbuster storytelling and graphical beauty..."
-IGN
61.  The Legend of Zelda
-8
1958p
1986 // Action-Adventure // NES     Δ pwnRank: -8 Δ pwnScore: -84 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 9 Total appearances: 17
https://www.youtube.com/embed/UpDvqB69RCQ?rel=0
"It was wrapped in gold when released, and now it's earned the gold amongst its peers… Perfect in every conceivable way, it is well-deserving of the top honor amongst the greats."
-Game Informer
60.  Diablo II
1
1994p
2000 // Action RPG // PC     Δ pwnRank: 1 Δ pwnScore: 199 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 17
https://www.youtube.com/embed/fABzCGRa--8?rel=0
"The most traditional of dungeon-crawling hack'n'slashers, Diablo II is the star pupil in a genre that's been sullied by a proliferation of pretenders…"
-Empire
59.  Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
-11
2013p
2002 // Action-Adventure // PS2     Δ pwnRank: -11 Δ pwnScore: -236 Highest rank on any list: 5 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 17
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qvJw3HGL4Vg?rel=0
"...GTA: Vice City is still one of the most impressive games of 2002, without a doubt. It's highly recommendable…"
-IGN
58.  Super Mario Galaxy 2
-6
2054p
2010 // Platform // Wii     Δ pwnRank: -6 Δ pwnScore: 11 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 16
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yat9LvFtixs?rel=0
"Super Mario Galaxy 2 is even more varied, challenging, and fun than its superb predecessor, making it the new standard for platformers."
-Gamespot
57.  Fallout 3
-7
2161p
2008 // FPS Action-RPG // Xbox 360  PS3  PC Δ pwnRank: -7 Δ pwnScore: 70 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 5 Total appearances: 16
https://www.youtube.com/embed/mCEThrx6qqY?rel=0
"Fallout 3 is arguably the most detailed, immersive and addictive game in the past 10 years, if not of all time… We dare you to find a more endearing post-apocalyptic first-person RPG."
-G4
56.  Starcraft
3
2179p
1998 // RTS // PC     Δ pwnRank: 3 Δ pwnScore: 322 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 8 Total appearances: 18
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FsQB9RAhkHQ?rel=0
"In a game that revolutionized multiplayer head-to-head action, StarCraft packed a large graphical punch as well as a means to an end. "
-Game Informer
55.  Persona 5
-4
2216p
2017 // RPG // PS4     Δ pwnRank: -4 Δ pwnScore: 152 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 10
https://www.youtube.com/embed/9tP4UkC6dB0?rel=0
"Persona 5 is a long, loitering tale of disaffected youth desperate for a shift in the status quo — in short, the most millennial game that I’ve ever played."
-Polygon
54.  Super Smash Bros. Melee
9
2230p
2001 // Fighting // GC     Δ pwnRank: 9 Δ pwnScore: 474 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 7 Total appearances: 20
https://www.youtube.com/embed/LxPQezjsReA?rel=0
"Nintendo released a game changer when they set free Super Smash Bros Melee. In 2001 the GameCube caught some serious momentum thanks to Nintendo's brawler."
-G4
53.  Super Mario Odyssey
14
2266p
2017 // Platform // Switch     Δ pwnRank: 14 Δ pwnScore: 625 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 4 Total appearances: 12
https://www.youtube.com/embed/70pQfAsqVBg?rel=0
"From a plumber to a doctor to a tennis star to, uh, a Goomba, Mario has endured. No, this will not be the last Mario game, but it is almost certain to be lauded as one of his best."
-Polygon.com
52.  Overwatch
-5
2299p
2016 // FPS // PC  PS4  Xbox One Δ pwnRank: -5 Δ pwnScore: 33 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 9 Total appearances: 18
https://www.youtube.com/embed/JF2nEfY_Thg?rel=0
"From its characters and lore to its gameplay and aesthetics, Overwatch is one of the most exquisitely polished shooters we’ve ever played, elevating the genre to a strategic team sport that even the Call of Duty-averse can get into."
-digitaltrends.com
51.  Journey
6
2313p
2012 // Adventure // PS3     Δ pwnRank: 6 Δ pwnScore: 362 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 8 Total appearances: 20
https://www.youtube.com/embed/bKqeD7ojynw?rel=0
"Journey's interactive, visual, and aural elements work together, rather than fight with each other, in order to provide a flowing, seamless, influential, and utterly exhilarating experience...This is interactive art."
-Destructoid
50.  Half-Life
-6
2400p
1998 // FPS // PC     Δ pwnRank: -6 Δ pwnScore: -4 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 9 Total appearances: 23
https://www.youtube.com/embed/VkNpbpjKzo8?rel=0
"Half-Life was a trailblazer in many aspects. It moved the first-person shooter genre forward in terms of storytelling and level design, and spawned one of the most popular competitive online shooters ever."
-GamesRadar
49.  Super Mario Galaxy
9
2453p
2007 // Platform // Wii     Δ pwnRank: 9 Δ pwnScore: 569 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 7 Total appearances: 15
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Txke11KLx0c?rel=0
"...Super Mario Galaxy felt like the true sequel to Super Mario 64. Named by dozens of magazines and websites as game of the year on its release, SMG remains one of the Wii's most accomplished adventures…"
-Empire
48.  Silent Hill 2
-2
2627p
2001 // Survival Horror // Xbox  PS2   Δ pwnRank: -2 Δ pwnScore: 355 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 8 Total appearances: 21
https://www.youtube.com/embed/gfDjQX2iT9s?rel=0
"Silent Hill 2 is survival horror masterpiece, there, we said it… To this day, Silent Hill 2 is a game many play with the lights on."
-G4
47.  The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
-5
2765p
2000 // Action-Adventure // N64     Δ pwnRank: -5 Δ pwnScore: 342 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 7 Total appearances: 18
https://www.youtube.com/embed/iO1ckmGe-do?rel=0
"Using Ocarina of Time's engine was no mistake for Miyamoto on one of the last great games for the N64. "
-Game Informer
46.  Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
9
2771p
2007 // FPS // PC  Xbox 360  PS3 Δ pwnRank: 9 Δ pwnScore: 799 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 8 Total appearances: 25
https://www.youtube.com/embed/sXGkSAzuKq0?rel=0
"It had its flaws, sure, but it's still arguably the best game in the series. It had the best set pieces and the best story, and the multiplayer remains every bit as excellent now as it was in 2007."
-1UP.com
45.  Bloodborne
9
2790p
2015 // Action RPG // PS4     Δ pwnRank: 9 Δ pwnScore: 805 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 11 Total appearances: 20
https://www.youtube.com/embed/X1iKYjVFigM?rel=0
"Bloodborne is a tremendous accomplishment. The latest game from Dark Souls director Hidetaki Miyazaki and his team at From Software, it is both a surprising refinement and reinvention of the Souls formula."
-Kotaku.com
44.  Batman: Arkham City
-1
2801p
2011 // Action-Adventure // Xbox 360  PS3  PC Δ pwnRank: -1 Δ pwnScore: 394 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 18
https://www.youtube.com/embed/c2yWYEqoPsY?rel=0
"Arkham City is what every lesser open-world videogame wishes it could be, a few important pieces of core gameplay that have been polished to perfection, set in a wide-open city filled to the brim with things to do."
-Wired
43.  Deus Ex
-5
2858p
2000 // FPS Action-RPG // PC     Δ pwnRank: -5 Δ pwnScore: 100 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 21
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ICx8HaiXtJY?rel=0
"...Deus Ex‘s combination of action, RPG-style character building and dialog choices paved the way for newer games like Mass Effect."
-Time
42.  Super Mario Bros.
-12
2861p
1985 // Platform // NES     Δ pwnRank: -12 Δ pwnScore: -327 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 18 Total appearances: 25
https://www.youtube.com/embed/7xV4JD2KH-w?rel=0
"The game that went on to define “platforming”… Super Mario Bros. was a side-scroller unlike any other."
-Time
41.  Portal
0
2878p
2007 // Puzzle-Platform // PC     Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 322 Highest rank on any list: 3 Top 25 appearances: 11 Total appearances: 21
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qf2FC5GGIRI?rel=0
"Hugely addictive and immensely rewarding, the only criticism of Portal is that it's too short and should be re-released with a hundred more levels to satisfy hungry fans."
-Empire
40.  Red Dead Redemption 2
9
2948p
2018 // Action-Adventure // Xbox One  PS4   Δ pwnRank: 9 Δ pwnScore: 701 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 12 Total appearances: 15
https://www.youtube.com/embed/wKdcRjpTpFk?rel=0
"Red Dead Redemption 2 stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Grand Theft Auto V... This is a game of rare quality; a meticulously polished open world ode to the outlaw era. Looking for one of this generation’s very best single-player action experiences? Here’s your huckleberry."
-IGN
39.  Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
0
2962p
1997 // Platform // PlayStation     Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 227 Highest rank on any list: 14 Top 25 appearances: 5 Total appearances: 21
https://www.youtube.com/embed/g6Sa-xbFL2A?rel=0
"Hailed by many as the best game in the venerable Castlevania franchise, Symphony of the Night innovates the series by introducing RPG elements and providing a more open gameplay experience…"
-Fandomania
38.  Final Fantasy VI
7
2979p
1994 // RPG // SNES     Δ pwnRank: 7 Δ pwnScore: 671 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 9 Total appearances: 19
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qBZSgIX7huw?rel=0
"The fact that Final Fantasy VI is often named best the Final Fantasy game says enough: this is a must play for anyone."
-VGChartz.com
37.  Street Fighter II
0
3040p
1991 // Fighting // SNES  Arcade   Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 256 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 16 Total appearances: 23
https://www.youtube.com/embed/97Ikfr_tZD8?rel=0
"The perfection of combo attacks and special movies, the intuitive controls: SF2 was the most perfectly judged beat ‘em up of its era."
-Stuff
36.  God of War (2018)
4
3107p
2018 // Action-Adventure // PS4     Δ pwnRank: 4 Δ pwnScore: 385 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 8 Total appearances: 13
https://www.youtube.com/embed/x_MtcOznfM4?rel=0
"In crafting a thoughtful fable about a man contending with surpassing his sins to keep them from his child, the new God of War has already transcended its bloody roots."
-Slant Magazine
35.  Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
0
3121p
2004 // Action-Adventure // PS2     Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 212 Highest rank on any list: 6 Top 25 appearances: 6 Total appearances: 19
https://www.youtube.com/embed/mvcATDbaifQ?rel=0
"With its strong story, well-written dialogue, terrific voice cast, impressive graphics, great in-game sound, and extremely entertaining and varied gameplay, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a stupendous thrill ride…"
-Gamespot
34.  World of Warcraft
-5
3187p
2004 // MMO // PC     Δ pwnRank: -5 Δ pwnScore: -185 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 19 Total appearances: 33
https://www.youtube.com/embed/j6idVDFNZJU?rel=0
"An unparalleled gaming phenomenon - with 12 million players worldwide -WoW (as the initiated call it) is now the daddy of the Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game genre."
-Empire
33.  Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
-2
3251p
2004 // Stealth // PS2     Δ pwnRank: -2 Δ pwnScore: 159 Highest rank on any list: 2 Top 25 appearances: 9 Total appearances: 21
https://www.youtube.com/embed/QNXyZ9M_9Nk?rel=0
"...brought the stealth action into the jungles of the Cold War and introduced new camouflage mechanics, as well as an intriguing injury system that no longer relied solely on an ordinary life meter."
-Fandomania
32.  Pokémon Red and Blue
2
3328p
1996 // RPG // GB     Δ pwnRank: 2 Δ pwnScore: 358 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 16 Total appearances: 28
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ic0aDbR4zVM?rel=0
"The concept was simple, really: Combine cute cartoon animals with a competitive, obsessive-compulsive collecting mechanic and you have playground gold."
-GamesRadar
31.  Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
5
3357p
2003 // RPG // Xbox  PC   Δ pwnRank: 5 Δ pwnScore: 528 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 7 Total appearances: 22
https://www.youtube.com/embed/QeEGn1HG6sc?rel=0
"Why it’s a classic: For an RPG, the story is everything. And few come better than this – a sprawling intergalactic epic that was even accepted by notoriously precious Star Wars nuts. Also, it’s got Wookiees in."
-FHM
30.  GoldenEye 007
-4
3521p
1997 // FPS // N64     Δ pwnRank: -4 Δ pwnScore: 10 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 14 Total appearances: 29
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q8vibZquW5E?rel=0
"Rare upended the assumption that shooters couldn’t work with a gamepad, delivering a fully 3D action extravaganza that rewarded stealth as well as ballistic finesse. "
-Time
29.  Dark Souls
4
3597p
2011 // Action RPG // PC  PS3  Xbox 360 Δ pwnRank: 4 Δ pwnScore: 600 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 10 Total appearances: 24
https://www.youtube.com/embed/KmLaLqYauTA?rel=0
"On a deeper level, Dark Souls' audacity at shoving you into an adventure, giving you a colossal world to explore, and forcing you to earn every speck of progress is downright exhilarating."
-A.V. Club
28.  The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
4
3613p
2002 // Action-Adventure // GC     Δ pwnRank: 4 Δ pwnScore: 554 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 7 Total appearances: 21
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZlV-Kp0gVaw?rel=0
"So to say that the GameCube Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has a lot to live up to is, simply put, the understatement of the year. And yet, Nintendo delivers."
-IGN
27.  Doom
-3
3759p
1993 // FPS // PC     Δ pwnRank: -3 Δ pwnScore: 90 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 20 Total appearances: 30
https://www.youtube.com/embed/n3KrmSnIzyg?rel=0
"With one space marine, eight weapons, and a crapton of demonic monsters that needed killing, Doom took the core appeals of Wolfenstein and ramped them all the way up."
-GamesRadar
26.  Metroid Prime
1
3826p
2002 // Action-Adventure // GC     Δ pwnRank: 1 Δ pwnScore: 348 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 9 Total appearances: 26
https://www.youtube.com/embed/aOyiOkJ4utw?rel=0
"Purists might argue that the 2D Super Metroid for SNES was the superior game, but it was Metroid Prime for Nintendo’s GameCube that fully realized the series’ goals of isolation and exploration."
-Time
25.  Minecraft
-3
4018p
2011 // Sandbox // PC    Mobile Δ pwnRank: -3 Δ pwnScore: 295 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 23 Total appearances: 36
https://www.youtube.com/embed/5oghqTROa7o?rel=0
"What sets Minecraft apart is its scope and sense of unlimited possibility."
-GamesRadar
24.  Super Metroid
1
4126p
1994 // Action-Adventure // SNES     Δ pwnRank: 1 Δ pwnScore: 603 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 12 Total appearances: 24
https://www.youtube.com/embed/YuujwWl3R0I?rel=0
"Inventive open-ended levels? Check. Epic bosses? Check. Social life? Not so much."
-FHM
23.  Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
5
4147p
2009 // Action-Adventure // PS3     Δ pwnRank: 5 Δ pwnScore: 733 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 15 Total appearances: 27
https://www.youtube.com/embed/vPp9_ye5Fhc?rel=0
"While Uncharted... did everything the sequel did, Among Thieves did everything bigger and better, further proving that the film industry’s sequel stigma is far from the truth in the game industry…"
-Animation Career Review
22.  Shadow of the Colossus
-2
4201p
2005 // Action-Adventure // PS2     Δ pwnRank: -2 Δ pwnScore: 348 Highest rank on any list: 2 Top 25 appearances: 11 Total appearances: 30
https://www.youtube.com/embed/0KS1TFg1Rx8?rel=0
"Identifying each monster's weakness and exploiting it was the key to success... but it was the luscious presentation, imaginative creatures and epic soundtrack that made critics swoon…"
-Empire
21.  Halo: Combat Evolved
-4
4248p
2001 // FPS // Xbox     Δ pwnRank: -4 Δ pwnScore: 216 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 20 Total appearances: 33
https://www.youtube.com/embed/zCq9WCSGy4M?rel=0
"Halo‘s innovations were in fact subtle... What it brought to the table were exceptionally well-balanced gameplay, Bungie’s signature high-quality music and writing, and sublimely soaring visuals."
-Time
20.  Final Fantasy VII
-2
4388p
1997 // RPG // PlayStation     Δ pwnRank: -2 Δ pwnScore: 472 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 20 Total appearances: 31
https://www.youtube.com/embed/4MZJaNO9SSo?rel=0
"Compare the state of RPG fandom pre and post-1997, and you'll see the impact Final Fantasy VII had on this formerly niche genre."
-1UP.com
19.  Metal Gear Solid
0
4406p
1998 // Stealth // PlayStation     Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 537 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 21 Total appearances: 29
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FY3ZxXjuVlQ?rel=0
"It breaks new ground in gameplay and truly brings the video game one step closer to the realm of movies. It is, without a doubt, a landmark game."
-Gamespot
18.  Tetris
-5
4407p
1986 // Puzzle // PC  GB  NES Δ pwnRank: -5 Δ pwnScore: 149 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 29 Total appearances: 35
https://www.youtube.com/embed/jJSfmTCiFyU?rel=0
"Created in 1985 by Russian mathematician Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris is the world’s best-selling and best-known puzzler… you can bet it will be a part of gaming until the end of time."
-Game Informer
17.  BioShock
4
4445p
2007 // FPS // Xbox 360  PC   Δ pwnRank: 4 Δ pwnScore: 597 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 18 Total appearances: 32
https://www.youtube.com/embed/J2yPXF0E4zc?rel=0
"BioShock was the game that taught us about philosophy, it showed us what kind of people we were, and it single-handedly popularised the use of the somewhat abstruse biological term plasmid."
-Stuff
16.  Super Mario Bros. 3
7
4514p
1990 // Platform // NES     Δ pwnRank: 7 Δ pwnScore: 825 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 15 Total appearances: 26
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJAxIIifA_s?rel=0
"In Super Mario Bros. 3, Nintendo promised and delivered one of the best 2D platformers of all time."
-Gamespot
15.  Super Mario 64
-6
4803p
1996 // Platform // N64     Δ pwnRank: -6 Δ pwnScore: 163 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 24 Total appearances: 31
https://www.youtube.com/embed/G9pT1hd1IPI?rel=0
"The greatest 3D world ever created… The platformer remains, even by today's harsh standards, a true masterpiece."
-IGN
14.  Portal 2
1
4922p
2011 // Puzzle-Platform // PC  PS3  Xbox 360 Δ pwnRank: 1 Δ pwnScore: 701 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 21 Total appearances: 36
https://www.youtube.com/embed/w9aG2qU9okk?rel=0
"Makes the original look like the prototype it was. It's filled with a larger cast of characters vividly brought to life through brilliant writing and some of the best voice acting in video games..."
-IGN
13.  Mass Effect 2
-1
5014p
2010 // Action RPG // Xbox 360  PS3  PC Δ pwnRank: -1 Δ pwnScore: 532 Highest rank on any list: 2 Top 25 appearances: 21 Total appearances: 33
https://www.youtube.com/embed/6yC-A2To-t8?rel=0
"Mass Effect 2 embodies what a sci-fi RPG should be... The Dirty Dozen plot, cast of new characters, and immersive gameplay, will keep Mass Effect 2 in our hearts and on this list, for years to come."
-G4
12.  Resident Evil 4
-2
5040p
2005 // Survival Horror // GC  PS2   Δ pwnRank: -2 Δ pwnScore: 449 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 16 Total appearances: 32
https://www.youtube.com/embed/3aMlnsIwVh4?rel=0
"Resident Evil 4 moved away from zombies and the traditional survival horror genre to embrace more action and shooting... in one of the series’ most critically acclaimed entries."
-Fandomania
11.  The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
5
5064p
2017 // Action-Adventure // Switch  Wii U   Δ pwnRank: 5 Δ pwnScore: 914 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 19 Total appearances: 23
https://www.youtube.com/embed/asiIoMHxjKk?rel=0
"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is Nintendo's most ambitious and impressive game to date."
-GameSpot
10.  Super Mario World
-2
5084p
1990 // Platform // SNES     Δ pwnRank: -2 Δ pwnScore: 361 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 23 Total appearances: 29
https://www.youtube.com/embed/IKiHctuAYUM?rel=0
"Mario already had the patent on 8-bit gaming, so it was only natural that this Super Nintendo pack-in title ruled the 16-bit platform roost from the word go. "
-Game Informer
9.  The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
2
5209p
1991 // Action-Adventure // SNES     Δ pwnRank: 2 Δ pwnScore: 699 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 16 Total appearances: 26
https://www.youtube.com/embed/YiE35wvqX_g?rel=0
"Genre-defining action adventure from Nintendo… One of the best games of all time on many critics' lists."
-IGN
8.  The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
6
5320p
2015 // Action RPG // PS4  Xbox One  PC Δ pwnRank: 6 Δ pwnScore: 1064 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 26 Total appearances: 35
https://www.youtube.com/embed/VpevTNRK-_M?rel=0
"Even if the plot isn’t terribly interesting, the many characters who play a part in it are, and along with the excellent combat and RPG gameplay, they elevate The Witcher 3 to a plane few other RPGs inhabit."
-IGN
7.  Chrono Trigger
0
5385p
1995 // RPG // SNES     Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 583 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 20 Total appearances: 27
https://www.youtube.com/embed/J7hzHlIsjwY?rel=0
"With an endearing cast of characters and a fantastic story that took place throughout the ages, it went down in history as what many would call one of the greatest games ever made."
-Gamespot
6.  The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
0
5418p
2011 // Action RPG // Xbox 360  PS3  PC Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 423 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 24 Total appearances: 36
https://www.youtube.com/embed/oTn8YXuJZ6c?rel=0
"The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the big, bold, and beautiful sequel you hoped for and is sure to bewitch you for countless hours."
-Gamespot
5.  Red Dead Redemption
0
5669p
2010 // Action-Adventure // Xbox 360  PS3   Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 600 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 20 Total appearances: 32
https://www.youtube.com/embed/19N75TL1dHU?rel=0
"No game maker has approached the period with as much passion and power as Red Dead Redemption. This is the new bar that all Westerns must strive to reach."
-IGN
4.  Grand Theft Auto V
0
5967p
2013 // Action-Adventure // PS3  Xbox 360   Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 487 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 27 Total appearances: 38
https://www.youtube.com/embed/nBS3MUWrfGg?rel=0
"The world is massive and detailed, the gameplay is damn near perfect... the actual story is filled with memorable personalities that feel more fully-realized than even the best of GTA's previous characters."
-GamesRadar
3.  Half-Life 2
-1
5975p
2004 // FPS // PC  Xbox 360  PS3 Δ pwnRank: -1 Δ pwnScore: 294 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 26 Total appearances: 35
https://www.youtube.com/embed/o-H579lFy_Q?rel=0
"If video games have an Empire Strikes Back – the exemplar of a sequel where everything got better – it’s Valve’s Half-Life 2."
-Time
2.  The Last of Us
1
6335p
2013 // Action-Adventure // PS3  PS4   Δ pwnRank: 1 Δ pwnScore: 798 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 28 Total appearances: 35
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZEs33aWkX2Q?rel=0
"It starts out safe but ends brave; it has heart and grit, and it hangs together beautifully. And it's a real video game, too. An elegy for a dying world, The Last of Us is also a beacon of hope for its genre."
-Eurogamer
1.  The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
0
6858p
1998 // Action-Adventure // N64     Δ pwnRank: 0 Δ pwnScore: 567 Highest rank on any list: 1 Top 25 appearances: 31 Total appearances: 38
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qS9_GAceCIo?rel=0
"With a stellar soundtrack, thoughtful level design and a deceptively massive feel, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time proved to be the picture of polygonal perfection when Nintendo released it in 1998."
-Wired
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