This is it, the list you thought we’d never dare to do. Today we’re concluding our series of the best video games per generation to bring you our picks for the top ten video games of all time. If you’ve been following our video games per generation series, you’ll know that fifty games were selected as some of the best.
But only ten can make this list. In order for a game to qualify for best of all time, it needs to have made at least rank four or higher in its respective generation list to get on here. So if your favorite didn’t make it onto this list, that’s why. Personal bias has no room here, get ready for the mother of all video game lists as we show off the industry’s finest accomplishments.
10. Goldeneye 007 (1997)
Just scraping into the opening slot is the movie tie-in game that brought FPS multiplayer to the living room. Yet despite only having one analog stick and no online play it still holds out better than a lot of shooters that have come out since. With a strong single player campaign that’ll keep you coming back as you try to unlock the prestigious 007 mode, and a multiplayer section which was amazingly added as an afterthought, Goldeneye is that one cartridge that you’ll never give away.
9. Resident Evil 4 (2005)
OK, so it’s actually the sixth game in the main series, but the beauty about this game is that you don’t need to have played the previous entries to know what’s going on. In fact, not knowing what’s going on is pretty much par for the course for a Japanese game. Resident Evil 4 was a thrilling yet terrifying experience, from dealing with the psychotic infected villagers to the creepy Regenerators. Fans like to hate on this game because of the sequels that followed, but for what it is by itself, there’s no denying how masterful it was put together.
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
If there was one word we’d use to describe Skyrim, it would be “massive”. This game goes out of its way to make sure everything is vast, from its open world, to its diverse skill tree, loads of quests, and plenty of customization options for your character. Plus, there are dragons. Big ones. Be careful not to get lost in this game, cause it's really easy to go wandering and end up in a cave full of giant spiders or mummified Draugers.
7. Mass Effect 2 (2010)
The sci-fi epic that became the apex of what western RPGs should accomplish, The Mass Effect series drew inspiration from all the right places, with enough lore to rival Star Wars and Trek. The second game used a concept first seen in Seven Samurai, where as Commander Shepard you travel various parts of the galaxy to recruit an team of memorable characters to save the galaxy in one of the greatest final missions ever created. Shepard’s story may be over, but we’ll never forget the incredible journey.
6. Portal 2 (2011)
First of all: “Cake” … now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, we can say that no other game of the last generation brought more creative innovation than the Portal series. Portal 2 has everything a great sequel should be by giving us the well written humorous dialogue of Wheatly and GLaDOS, while also giving us well-crafted puzzle rooms to take on solo, or share the thinking challenge with a friend. It’s also a game that we can safely predict will age very well.
5. Chrono Trigger (1995)
Square are indeed the JRPG kings with their Final Fantasy series, but their best work came with this time-traveling epic. A master class of storytelling, the game is still as emotionally hard-hitting as ever, and just like Mass Effect, it too contains an iconic cast of memorable party members. Not to mention the game also comes with thirteen endings, each of them as vastly different from one another. Some say Chrono Trigger is one of the best RPGs of all time, and we're inclined to agree.
4. Super Mario World (1991)
Mario had a lot of games in contention for best of all time, with Super Mario Brothers 3 and Galaxy 2 also eligible. But as the apex of 2D Platforming, Super Mario World knows no equal. The 16-bit sprites still look amazing today, and with the inclusion of multiple routes, secrets galore to discover, and ninety-six different exits to find, there’s plenty more to come back to once you’ve defeated Bowser and saved the Princess.
3. Half Life 2 (2004)
There are few games in history that still feel brand new a decade after they’ve been released. Yet Half Life 2’s revolutionary emphasis on physics based combat and puzzles still puts it leaps and bounds across most FPSs today. Valve’s second game on this list really shows how the company has become true pioneers for gaming, while still giving us amazing experiences, and yes we can see the irony of putting this series at number three.
2. Tetris (1984)
The game that’s over thirty years old yet is as addicting and challenging to play today as it was when it came out. There have been many variations throughout the years, but its core gameplay remains the same as this Russian classic is still played by hundreds of thousands today. In fact it’s now the best selling video game of all time, thanks to being so accessible that it can be played on almost any device with a screen and a few microchips. Tetris games is a true timeless classic.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
Before we get to the most iconic spot of all, let's have a look at some honorable mentions. We know this game is at the top of almost every other all time list out there - feel free to search for yourself. And believe me, we tried hard to find a successor, but when comparing precise gameplay, revolutionary mechanics, well paced storylines, replay ability, fantastic level design, combat variety, and capturing the scope of an epic adventure, no game has even come close to matching what Ocarina of Time has achieved. Whether you have your old N64 cartridge, digital version on the Virtual Console, or you're taking it on the go with the 3DS remaster, this Nintendo masterpiece is our pick for the greatest game of all time.
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