Greatest videogames of all time

[AnthonyVolpe]

I could have sworn this topic came up once before but I couldn't find it, even with the search.

 

Here's my Top 10

 

1. SoulCalibur (DreamCast) - countless hours logged into this game just from parties. A total bonafide classic.

2. Final Fantasy X (PS2) - first time I played a videogame and cared about the characters as if they were my own friends...

3. Chrono Cross (PlayStation) - unrivaled battle system, more heart than the majority of the RPG's out there now

4. Ms. Pac-Man (Arcade) - as timeless as chess - the ultimate quarter eater

5. Otogi: Myth of Demons (XBox) - The visuals, voiceovers, and music are just utterly hypnotic, and the gameplay itself is unbelievably fun and never ever gets old

6. Panzer Dragoon Orta (XBox) - same comments given to Otogi can be made here, however PDO gets credit for completely and totally inventing its own culture, music, language, etc.

7. Halo (XBox) - greatest FPS ever made in spite of its repetetiveness

8. Asteroids (Arcade) - brilliant, timeless concept

9. Diablo II (PC/Mac) - buggy as hell but as deep and as enormous as an action RPG can get

10. Joust (Arcade) - unique concept, incredible sound effects, fun execution

 

Honorable mention: SSX 3, Robotron 2084, Twisted Metal Black, Worms Armageddon, Xevious, Chu-Chu Rocket, Tetris

[Mark E]

I'd like to see people's individual Top 10's just for the variety of responses .

 

Here's mine, heavily influenced by my PC gaming days.

 

1. Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (PC) - Best adventure game I've ever played. Stunningly good puzzles, amazing storyline, compelling characters, and so much depth that it has a response for nearly everything you could try.

2. System Shock (PC) - The sequel is only a shade the lesser of the first one. The first System Shock is a masterpiece of a game. The story of the doomed last stand of the humans on Citadel Station and the maniacal AI Shodan is note perfect.

3. Half-Life (PC) - For Counter-Strike and so much more. An amazing single-player game only got better online, prior to asshats destroying it all. I've probably played more Counter-Strike than any other game. Day of Defeat and They Hunger are further examples of what can be done with the engine.

4. Sid Meier's SimGolf (PC) - Oh you heard me. Take the Sims and give it a point and you have SimGolf, the distinctly strange but distinctly fun golf course designer. I can no longer keep it installed on my hard drive because of the productivity I will lose.

5. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES) - Possibly the ultimate Zelda title and a true 2D classic.

6. Resident Evil 2 (PS) - I love all the RE titles muchly, but RE2 has a special place in my heart with its puzzle design.

7. Secret of Monkey Island (PC) - I laugh every time I play this game. Brilliant puzzle design.

8. Star Control II (PC) - Who says hybrid games can't be fun? Resource management, arcade action, and adventure gaming combine into one fantastic package with one of the best soundtracks of all time.

9. M.U.L.E. (Various) - There's nothing bad I can say about this classic piece of design. Amazing fun. Dani Bunten's crowning achievement, especially with that auction system.

10. Gabriel Knight 2 (PC) - One of the best researched games ever, a historical masterpiece, and undoubtedly the best FMV game ever made.

 

You may find it odd that no Cube games are up there, but frankly the system is too new for me to yet crown a Top Ten from it.

 

Honorable mentions: SSX 3, Beyond Good & Evil, X-Com, Sid Meier's Pirates!, Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Metroid Prime, Chrono Cross, Chrono Trigger, Curse of Monkey Island, Final Fantasy IV, Xenophobe, Dance Dance Revolution, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Leisure Suit Larry 3, Space Quest 5, Quest For Glory 2, etc, etc, etc :green:

[Failsafe]

8. Star Control II (PC) - Who says hybrid games can't be fun? Resource management, arcade action, and adventure gaming combine into one fantastic package with one of the best soundtracks of all time.

The topic heading brought one game to mind - this one. As Mark says, it's a fantastic package combining a few different play styles. I still have the entire soundtrack (MOD format) saved on my computer!

[Robot Monkey]

I also think we did this before, but darned if I can find the link. Oh well, here are some favorites. They aren't in any order.

 

- Tetris

- Baldur's Gate

- Fallout

- Harpoon

- Civilization II

- Master of Magic

- KOTOR

 

Using series is probably cheating but:

 

- ESPN NFL series

- Space Quest series

- Wing Commander series

 

As an aside I was surprised that I didn't see Tetris on the earlier lists. Was it an ommission or do you guys specifically not rank it that highly?

 

-j

[foogledricks]

Yeah, I've done this before, but (in release order, I think):

 

Tecmo Superbowl

Ninja Gaiden NES

Dragon Warrior IV

Final Fantasy III

Super Metroid

NHL 94

Half-Life

Zelda 64

NFL 2K3

Ninja Gaiden XBX

[Romier S]

My list has changed somewhat over the past 2-3 years as has my taste in the different genres out there. I guess as you get older you're taste for things you used to love change but thankfully I don't think I've changed TOO much.

 

I'm gonna split this up into two posts just cause I like to be suspenseful and well I also need some time to mull over the order of my last 5 choices.

 

1. Castlevania Symphony of the Night (PS1) - This one is unwavering and almost impossible to topple for me. It is the absolute best game I have ever played. The perfect combination of beautiful 2D graphics, music, platforming and absolute enjoyability. There have been many that have come close but none that have come close enough.

 

2. TIE: Panzer Dragoon Saga/Panzer Dragoon Orta (Saturn/XBX) - Come on, you knew it was coming. I mulled over which to put on the list and in the end I have to tell you I can't admit a preference. I love them both to death. Saga for its genuinely heartfelt story and strategic turn based combat system and Orta for providing me with the most mind-bogglingly gorgeous world (that includes graphics, music, KILLER gameplay) I ever had the pleasure of partaking in.

 

3. Contra (NES) - Yeah you're no doubt reciting the seminal code and with good reason. I still remember begging my mother to buy me the game in the store because I loved the cover art. Once I got it home I was treated to one of the best shooters out there. Sure its sequels SuperC and Contra III are better games but this is a bonafide classic and its /THE/ game that inspired my love for shooters.

 

4. Super Mario Bros (NES) - I've beaten the game more times than I could ever possibly imagine counting (and thats without using the warp pipe trick). It doesn't get anymore classic than Mario's first outing and the first thing that always springs to mind when I think about SMB is the World 1-2's music. Just the initial cue right as Mario falls into the underground caverns, well it just makes me smile (and worse puts me in the mood to play the game!)

 

5. Silent Hill 2 (PS2/XBX) - I suppose I could include the entire Silent Hill series here but as Jay mentioned, thats cheating. What else can I really say about the game that I haven't already? Its very much like an old school point and click PC game; its not so much about the gameplay but the story. Silent Hill 2 features what is IMHO one of the best, if not the best stories in a videogame. The fact that its also one of the most frightening experiences I've ever had helps to elevate its status for me.

[Big Daddy Bling Bling]

A top 10 is too short for my tastes, as I feel like I'm leaving awesome games out even when I make a top 10 list for a single system. However, since nobody is interested in BigDaddyBlingBling's top 250, I have no choice but to comply. This list is unordered by the way, and I'm surprised at how little it's changed in the past few years.

 

Rayman 2 - although the Ratchet and Clank series is turning up the heat, it still can't compare with the art design, brilliant levels, and perfect controls in the Dreamcast version of Rayman 2

 

Grand Theft Auto 3 - when GTA 3 hit the PS2, it rocked my world and rocked it hard. I started playing at 5PM, and only thought about stopping when I realized it was 8AM and I needed to get to class. When I walked outside, I could still hear the helicopter blades whirring in my head, and all thoughts were focused on slogging through my class so I could get back on top of the parking garage on the second island.

 

Panzer Dragoon Series - Every Panzer Dragoon game has set new standards in terms of technical excellence and art design, and PDO takes it up a notch by offering the most finely tuned gameplay ever seen in a rail based shooter. If I could pick one game to have my memory of wiped clean so I could experience it for the first time again and again, it would be one from the Panzer Dragoon series.

 

Final Fantasy Series - Final Fantasy 2, 3, 7 and 8 are great examples of storytelling that don't rely on the countless cliches seen in most RPGs. I think it says a lot when Kain, rendered as a 1 square tile sprite, has more presence than any character seen in an RPG on current gen systems that have CG-like graphics potential.

 

Deus Ex - If I had to pick my favorite, it would be Deus Ex. The story was fantastic, as was the way in which your character customization affected your possible paths through the levels.

 

Xenogears - It seems like I've paid tribute to this game so many times, so rather than writing a long paragraph: Best Story Ever

 

Guardian Heroes - Just an absolute blast of a beat-em-up, and screaming for an Xbox-Live based sequel with Guilty Gear quality graphics.

 

Halo - like GTA, this game totally owned me. Amusingly enough, I've never played through on one-player, it's always coop with the with the girlfriend>fiance>wife. As our relationship progressed, the kickassitude of Halo remained the same.

 

Super Dodge Ball - Too much fun to ignore

 

Morrowind - the worst thing about online gaming is the people, so it's nice to have a game that is MMORPG-like in scope, but allows you to explore its interesting world on your own.

 

If I continued the list, KOTOR, Radiant Silvergun, Castlevania SOTN, Metal Gear Solid, and various genre standouts like Rez, Ace Combat 4, Guilty Gear XX, etc. would populate the lower ranks. I judge games both on the impact they made at the time they released, and how well they've aged. Every game in my top 10 blew me away when it released, and furthermore still stands out as a marvel of game design today. The lack of Gamecube games on the list isn't intentional, there just aren't any that I prefer over the 10 I listed.

[Mark E]

Was it an ommission or do you guys specifically not rank it that highly?

 

I can't speak for most, but I don't. Multiplayer is fun, but that's about it. I'm all about Tetris Attack (aka Panal De Pon) though, which is far, far superior in my opinion .

[Big Daddy Bling Bling]

Panzer Dragoon Orta jumps out as an early leader with 3 mentions.

 

In other news: LCVG members have good taste.

[AnthonyVolpe]

Originally posted by Robot Monkey@Jul 20 2004, 08:38 PM

As an aside I was surprised that I didn't see Tetris on the earlier lists. Was it an ommission or do you guys specifically not rank it that highly?

Glaring omission apparently. I think it has something to do with the fact that it's designed so perfectly that it's up there with Chess and Go as far as how good a game can be.

 

Either that or I subconsciously excluded it because of how bad I suck at it.

[Camp]

Ten in no particular order

 

Tribes 2 - PC

My all-time favorite game. The design of the Tribes games advanced online multiplayer action games more than any of its better known contemporaries. Despite it's buggy launch it grew into a competitive and fun online game that actually encouraged adherence to team play. The sense of speed obtained from rocketing over a mountain and skiing down the slope is still unparalleled in my gaming experience.

 

Yoshi's Island - SNES

The best 2D platformer ever made. It's the culmination of everything Nintendo had done in platform games to that point. A brave and coherent aesthetic -the graphics meld with the music, sfx, theme and action better than any game had a right to in the 16-bit era. The bosses, while too easy, are genuinely brilliant in design.

 

Super Mario 64 - N64

IMO, the last truly innovative game released in this industry was SMB64. It brought 3D gaming to the masses and did so with innovations in graphics and, most importantly, gameplay. I seriously doubt any game released in the next decade will match SMB64's achievements in advancing gaming.

 

Halo - Xbox

I have level design issues with Halo but I don't care. The world feels real, the controls are perfect, and Goldeneye be damned -this is the best multiplayer game ever made for a console.

 

Wipeout - Playstation

In my dictionary, "wipeout" means "dialed-in". The controls are difficult to master (it's a hovercraft going 300 mph -it ought to be tough to control!) but once you get it you almost stare through the TV. If the great racing wasn't enough you also get weapons (!!), astonishing style by the designers at DR, and a kick-ass techno soundtrack that only pulls you in further.

 

SSX - Playstation 2

Wipeout, slightly slower on a snowboard and with tricks. Oh, and get this: you actually need to perform tricks in this game because, in a brilliant design decision, pulling off tricks gives you boost and boost is the only way you're going to ski fast enough to win a race.

 

Homeworld - PC

I had to add an RTS. It was a tough one between Homeworld & Myth 2. Homeworld had great cinematic style. You cared when your little corvettes got crushed by an enemy cruiser. The game looked so good it was easy to catch yourself admiring the beautifully drawn battles only to find the enemy destroyed your defenses at the other end of the star field. The 3D engine was put to impressive use in an amazing user interface.

This game doesn't get enough credit for bringing 3D to the RTS genre.

 

Quake III Arena - PC

A tough call between QIII:A and the original Unreal Tournament. I went with Quake III Arena because it delivered a more unique style of play. Id went for an incredibly fast paced arcade-style online FPS and succeeded admirably. It's twitch gaming at its very best. Quake III Arena was recognized by its competitors at Epic when Unreal Tournament 2003 tried desperately to emulate the faster paced arcade style action.

 

Zelda III: A Link To The Past - SNES

Nintendo's gameplay magic at it's very best. Brilliant, brilliant bosses. Perfect level design. Something new turns up just when you need it. Great music and a classic look that (hopefully) will never fade. Magic really is the only way to describe the results when all gears are engaged at Nintendo.

 

Half-Life - PC

From the opening monorail ride into the Black Mesa complex I knew I would love this game. Half-Life is the best written game I have ever played. Best written in terms of design (when certain weapons become available, when certain scripted events occur, when specific enemies appear, etc.). The implementation of accepted FPS gameplay into a Hollywood storyline was simply groundbreaking for the time.

The subway levels where you fight the marines are still so vivid to me. They were so intelligent I wondered if real people were controlling the marines. Were it not for the cheesy Xen levels this game would be almost perfect.

[EnemaEms]

Here is my list in no specific order.

 

Mario 64 (N64): To this day, this is still my favorite console game. Everything from the controls to the level design was so well done. I am currently going through the game my 4th time.

 

Silent Hill 2 (pS2/X-box): Romier said it best. The story is what really makes this game that damn good. I flew through this game the 1st time, only because I had to know what happened next. So fat this is the only game I have played where I was seriously creeped out enough I had to turn the lights on in the house. :tu

 

GTA 3 (PS2/X-box): I loved the original GTA. I thought it was such a breath of fresh air. IMHO, GTA 3 took 1 and 2's premise and brought it to a new level. The game has so much to do in it, it's insane. I can sit on top of the parking garage on the 2nd island for hours. Get my wanted level up to a 4 or 5, and then hop in a car and jump off of the top. What follows is some of the most intense car chases ever.

 

Counter-Strike (PC): No gae has taken so much time from my life. How I wish the cheatin' assshats would not of ruined this game. CS has the right amount of arcade/realism. You can sometime go Rambo, but working as a team is truly satisfying. I literally spent 2 years of my life ...everyday playing this game. :shock:

 

Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (online aspect) (X-box): No game since Mario 64 has been as revolutionary as Pandora Tomorrow's Spies vs. Mercs gameplay. Ubisoft has created the most original idea of gameplay, IMHO. I swear I have lost 10 years off of my life from being a spy. Nothing gets the heart racing when you are trying to defuse and a merc is closing in on you. Defuse, run away, climb poles, throw gas grenades. It is the most exhilarating experience I have ever had online. Oh, is there anything more satisfying than sneaking behind a merc, grabbing them, and saying something in their ear before you snap their neck? :twisted:

 

Yoshi's Island (SNES/GBA): IMHo, the best 2d platforming game of all time. The controls are perfect, the bosses , though easy, are not cheap, and the level design is out of this world.

 

WWE: Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain (PS2): IMHO, no wrestling game can touch HCTP. The wonderful single player mode that is blown away by the one of the greatest multiplayer experiences. Everything from the Elimination Chamber to a TLC match is here. The animations are fantastic, the grappling system is the best since No Mercy on the N64, and the CAW feature is addicting. However, I have a feeling that this year?s incarnation will top HCTP...hopefully with online play.

 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64): The best Zelda game to date IMHO. OOT is the perfect blend of adventure and action. The new flawless camera is also what makes this game so top notch. I don't think I ever felt like I was hindered by a camera angle. The gameplay and story is where this one is at though. Flawless controls with the very 1st "lock-on" feature. So many games have cloned the Zelda fighting system, but nobody has topped it yet.

 

Panzer Dragoon: Orta (X-box): Shooters do not get any better than this. SEGA created their own language for this series, which has to say something.

The controls are tight, which is a requirement for this genre, and the visuals are jaw-dropping. SEGA hit a homerun with the story (as usual in this series), and it is the perfect game to play through many times. I still cannot believe this game did not sell by the truckload.

 

ESPN Football 2K5 (X-box): I may be jumping the gun here, but after only a few hours with the game, I think I can say that VC has once again created the best football game ever. The animations are too damn real, the gameplay is better than ever, the franchise mode is spectacular, and the online play is top notch as usually. With the addition of online leagues, ESPN messaging system, and VIP's to download, SEGA has once again gone out of their way to make fans happy. Oh, did I mention it is only 20 f**king dollars. :devil:

 

 

Honorable Mentions: The Legend of Zelda (NES), Knight of the Old Republic (X-box), Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (PC), Bionic Commando (NES), Resident Evil: Code Veronica (Dreamcast/PS2), Silent Hill (PS1), and Metroid Prime (GC).

 

-Dean-

[JoeyN]

Only 10. Hard but it will have to do , no specific order and ill try to put ones not already mentioned for the most paart

 

1)Space Quest Series- I count this as one big story which kicks ass.

2)Knights of the Old Republic-Best Star Wars game ever

3)Super Mario 3-The game that at the time was the best game out there

4)Starcraft-The one RTS game i could actually get into

5)Tetris-Addicting as hell

6)City of heroes-Yes its new, but its the only MMORPG that i actually liked

7)MLB Baseball for Intellivision- Game still is fun to play today :-)

8)Duck Hunt- Still my favorite shooter

9)WWF No Mercy-Forget HCTP No Mercy was the original King of Wrestling Games

10)Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego Series- Yes you see this right. I used to play these games nonstop. Loved all of em

 

capt

[EnemaEms]

IMHO, what hinders No Mercy is the dreadful slowdown and the constant "cartridge reset" bug.

 

-Dean-

[JoeyN]

I dont even remember the slowdown in No mercy to tell ya the truth,and i never had any reset problems. Odd

 

capt

[Big Daddy Bling Bling]

I explicitly left Tetris out. It didn't really impress me even as a kid. Hell, I liked Pipe Dream more than Tetris, and Columns on the Game Gear blew it away. Pushover on the SNES is a real puzzle standout, and more recently, Pokemon Puzzle League on the N64. I've seen arguments made for it's simplicity and unchanging gameplay over a long time period (not here, but when IGN did a top 100). However, those two factors alone don't make a game I'd want to play.

[kelley]

1 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - PS

2 DOOM Series - PC

3 Wipeout XL - PS

4 Panzer Dragoon Saga - Saturn

5 Silent Hill 2 - PS2/Xbox

6 Microsoft Flight Simulator Series - PC

7 KOTOR - Xbox

8 Quake III Arena - PC

9 Age of Empires Series - PC

10 Tony Hawk Pro Skater Series - PS/DC/PS2/Xbox

[Josh]

1. ICO (PS2). Shame on all of you for not including this one. I hate you! No, but, really. This game is a transcendent piece of art that, in my opinion, stands on its own as the best use of the electronic interactive medium to date. It did so much with so little.

 

2. REZ (DC/PS2). Remember that Star Trek: The Next Generation episode in which everyone gets addicted to some trippy videogame that interfaces with your pleasure center? REZ is that game. You will need a smoke after finishing this one.

 

3. Final Fantasy VII (PSX). First time I ever shed a tear over a videogame. Dear, dear, Aeris. Come back to me, my love!

 

4. Super Mario World 3 (NES). I so sucked at this game, and I so loved this game. This thing didn't leave my NES for an entire summer.

 

5. Dark Castle (Macintosh). A wonderful black & white adventure that used the mouse and keyboard, with an immense amount of style and creativity. Really set the bar for adventure games.

 

6. Heart of Darkness (PSX). A wonderful storyline, high production values, and innovative puzzles that made the brain itch. Such ambience and out-of-this-world settings.

 

7. Rayman 2 (DC/PS2). This one redefined what 3D platformers meant to me. I personally disliked Mario 64, didn't think it worked in 3D. But when Rayman 2 came around with less use of basic geometric shapes and attention to creating lush environments, I was hooked.

 

8. Final Fantasy X (PS2). Mainly because I dumped so much of my life into this one, getting all the ultimate weapons and sidequests. Great character development, and one of the first times I ever called a game environment "beautiful."

 

9. Galaga (Arcade). Still the best shooter, in my opinion. Brought bonus levels and powerups to the genre.

 

10. Xevious (Arcade). I can play this for hour. I can suck at it for hours, too. This game still eludes me as far as skill goes, but I love the crap out of it. One day I shall have a stand-up console version of it.

[exile]

Here are mine in no particular order.. Past these , I don't really have any preferences.

 

Halo (Xbox): Combine the 5.1 sound with the unbelievably good gameplay and you get a specacular game.

 

Goldeneye N64: Halo only earlier. Truly groundbreaking multiplayer.

 

Everquest(PC): Truly the leader when it comes to MMORPG's. Everyone wants to beat EQ and be the next EQ-Killer and take over. Many have tried and just now CoH Is starting to take away some of their big business. Truly anyone who is anyone in the MMORPG business is shooting for a business model of a game like EQ. Truly a cash cow if there ever was a thing. I know of many people paying upwards of $50 a month to still play EQ on their multiple accounts and this is 3-5 years after launch.

 

Starcraft (PC): To me it sets the standard for RTS games. Truly addictive gameplay combined with an online component that works.

 

Tecmo Superbowl: Nuff Said.

 

Medal of Honor Allied Assault (PC): Never has a game ever had me sweating while I play it. This is truly a non stop game that constantly blows my mind. The multiplayer is outstanding and produces several "Oh Crap" moments when you are gaming with your buddies.

 

Unreal Tournament: I'm not a huge fan of the graphics in the new one so I can't rank it up here at all. UT was the first multiplayer type game that dethroned Quake at most of the Lan events I went to. I also prefer the weaponry on this version compared to the newer ones.

 

Final Fantasy 1(NES): The first game that I played for hours and hours and hours and hours on end. It set the standard for an RPG for me for a long time.

 

As I said after this point I don't really have any favorites. Then again I didn't buy a console after the Playstation until just this past Christmas.

[Zathras]

I'm going to base my list off of hours spent either playing or reminiscing about.

 

In no particular order so I don't have to debate over which one is really number one...

 

10. Tetris - Simple, addictive fun.

 

9. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 - I don't think I ever spent so much time just chilling out with a video game before.

 

8. Ms. Pac Man - There is a reason you can still find it in arcades today.

 

7. Kings Quest Series - Ok ok I know that its a "series" and I always connected a little more with the humor of Space Quest, but whenever a new KQ game was out time stopped and I had to keep on playing.

 

6. Sam and Max Hit the Road - Funniest game ever. "Sam the dead animal heads are talking to me."

 

5. Mario Kart series - hard to single this one down to one so I'm doing the series cheese-out but MK really brought out the fun of multi-player games

 

4. Unreal Tournament - If I got into the whole FPS thing a little earlier I'm sure this would be replace with one of its predescessors but give me a flak cannon on Morpheus and I'm good to go for hours.

 

3. Super Mario Bros. Dee-do-do de do-DAH-do de de da do da de deee dah. That music will forever be running in my head. The best "pack-in" game of all time.

 

2. Lemmings - Have you saved a lemming today? Simple fun and addictive like Tetris but you can't kill the blocks on purpose when you are frustrated.

 

1. Halo 2 - well you know it is going to be on the list so why not add it now

[The Daisy]

I'm going to stick to the fact that in my opinion a game can't be a true classic in my book until it's stood the test of time, so here's my list in no particular order.

 

Goldeneye (N64) - Playing entire levels over and over to get 100% of your kills in the other category was just priceless fun.

 

Mario 64 (N64) - This one makes it into my list because of how revolutionary it was and how much fun I had with it. Also, my wife loved it. That has to count for something.

 

Tecmo Superbowl (NES) - What needs to be said about this?

 

NFL Football (Mac) - Made by XOR it was a terrific football simulation. I spent weeks playing through an entire NFL season simming out games, printing out the stat sheets and entering them in a spreadsheet. The funny thing was that I didn't even have the Mac, it was at a friends house, so I'd go there and not talk to anyone for hours upon hours at a time.

 

Wing Commander's 1 and 2 (PC) - Being a Star Wars geek I always wanted to be the guy that saved the universe, these games filled that role wonderfully. Special mention must be made to the musical score for the game. I can still hear the music in my head that is played when you're standing in the bar looking at the kill board. This game filled my space flight sim needs until....

 

Tie Fighter (PC) - If you haven't ever played this, you need to. A truly wonderful space flight sim with a great story to boot. Plus, Grand Admiral Thrawn.

 

NES Open (NES) - In my opinion, this is the best golf game I've ever played. Hands down.

 

Final Fantasy VII (PSX) - I'll second the statement from before, when Aeris died, I realized that gaming had hit a new level.

 

Warcraft II (PC) - I have great memories of playing this game with a friend. We wouldn't play multiplayer, we'd play hot seat. He'd play a level from his saves, then I would watch a movie until his turn was done. Then I'd get to play. You know you love a game when you're willing to wait two hours to get another shot at it.

 

Monkey Island 1 and 2 (PC) - The first "game" that made me laugh out loud.

 

Conflict (PC) - Many a day were spent trying to make Isreal the ultimate power in the Middle East. You found out that fighting wars on 3 fronts was always a bad idea.

 

Front Page Sports Football '95 (PC) - This is alot like the Warcraft II theory, if you will wait to play again the game must be special. When each week's sims took 45 minutes, and you just couldn't wait to play next week, the game had to be good.

 

To make my list you have to stand the test of time. I know that if I had any one of these games in front of me right now, it would hold my attention for hours.

 

Honorable mention: Super Mario Brothers 1 and 3, Legend of Zelda (NES and SNES versions), the original NHL hockey for the Genesis, Baseball Simulator 1.000 (NES), Tetris (NES and Gameboy versions), OOTP 3-6 (PC), Front Office Football 1-4 (PC), Mario Kart 64 (N64)

 

Possible future additions: ICO (PS2), Metroid Prime (GC)

 

Games you're probably going to yell at me about for not having them on my list? Halo (Xbox) and Panzer Dragoon Orta (Xbox)

 

Halo? To me? It's good, but not great. I liked it. Enjoyed some of the time that I played it. But I haven't put it back in my system since I beat it.

 

Panzer Dragoon Orta? It's a great looking game, and it was fun to play through, but I'm not a huge shooter guy, so it's not on the list.

 

Props to stencil on mentioning Dark Castle. I'll never forget those little guys that would just yell and taunt you... until you hit them with a rock. There's a game that needs a revival.

 

Glen

[ChoiceStriker]

My personal top 10:

 

10. Samurai Shodown 2 (Arcade)

Not technically the best fighter ever, but certainly the best in the SS series - a beautiful work of art that had me scrambling for the arcades whenever I could find a Neo-Geo. I just love the use of color and the great cast of characters.

 

9. Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Arcade)

I adored the SF series, but I think it reached its apex with SFA2. SF purists might argue that SF3 is a deeper game, but the fast action and over-the-top style of the Alpha series has always appealed to me more. I liked SFA3 as well, but 2 just did something special for me.

 

8. Hot Shots Golf 3 (PS2)

My favorite sports game of all time - even though I detest the character design, the gameplay mechanics are unbelievably fun. When I fail, I always feel like I know what I did wrong and how to correct it, and not that the game has cheated me. I can't wait to see what they do with HSG4... the beta has me really excited that it will be another classic.

 

7. Half-Life / Counter-Strike (PC)

Shamefully, this game almost single-handedly caused my downfall into academic probation my first year in college. Half-Life itself is a wonderful storytelling experience - again, with a fantastic variety of methods to complete missions, but Counter-Strike was my obsession for months on end. de_dust and cs_militia will probably haunt my memories until the day I die.

 

6. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA)

There are very few games I'm willing to devote 70 hours to, and even fewer that compel me to scour the world for every bit of minutiae, but FFTA kept me mesmerized from start to finish. The job classes and character evolution kept me genuinely excited about my characters and where the game was headed.

 

5. Metroid Prime (GC)

The naysayers had a fit over a first-person Metroid, but in my opinion Prime is the finest entry in the series to date. Unbelievable graphics and more importantly, spot-on control, made it a joy to play through and to see what the game had to offer up next.

 

4. Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)

One of the first games I'd experienced where nearly anything imaginable was possible. I loved the sheer variety of gameplay. I consider this superior to Vice City, but I'm dying to see where they go with San Andreas.

 

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)

An incredible blend of action and adventure - Fantastic character and environment design, and all the classic earmarks of a Zelda game. The puzzles and dungeons stay fun even after you've beaten it many, many times.

 

2. Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

This was the first real RPG I ever played through and it expanded my horizons of what a game could be and do. I loved the storyline and the epic atmosphere, and the game had an emotional stranglehold on me. The pre-rendered backgrounds were like nothing I'd ever seen.

 

1. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1)

They said it couldn't be done. One of the finest 2D games ever created, on a "next-gen" 3D system. Gorgeous art design, one of my favorite video game soundtracks ever, and a perfect balance of action and exploration. It astounds me to this day.

 

Honorable Mention:

Ico (PS2)

Megaman 2 (NES)

Metal Gear Solid (PS1)

[DataTox]

Interesting in that I was just thinking about this the other day. Anyway, here is my diverse top 10 in no particular order:

 

- Adventure (Atari 2600) - I know that it was only blocks and lines, but damn if I didn't play the crap out of that game. This is the one that started it all for me.

 

- Dragon's Lair (Arcade) - As an impressionable youth, I was completely blown away by the marriage of cartoons and video games. I used to sink quarters in to this thing like no one's business.

 

- Silent Hill 2 (Xbox) - I still haven't completely finished this game, but it already ranks on my favs of all time list. Amazingly, my lack of finishing it isn't from a place of laziness or not caring, but it is more driven by the utter fear it envokes in me. With that, I can only take this fantastic game/story in small chunks.

 

- Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox) - As was said before, best Star Wars game ever.

 

- Halo (Xbox) - The gameplay in this one still makes me drool even a couple of years beyond release.

 

- City of Heroes (PC) - I also understand that this is new, but I have yet to find an online game in which I crave to know every last detail about its gameplay, backstory and environment. I love the MMORPG concept, if for nothing else than just the community it creates. However, CoH is the first that had me hooked from the start. I foresee monthly fees for years to come from this.

 

- Resident Evil (PS1) - Bad camera angles aside, this is the game that caused me to plop my hard earned cash down for a PS1. Not quite as engaging as Silent Hill 2 for me, but still a fun survival horror romp.

 

- Ghost Recon (Xbox) - This game took precious hours away from my life over the first several months of my Live "career." IMNSHO, this is one of the finest tactical first person shooters I have ever played. Even though I have mainly moved past it toward other games in the genre, I will still throw GR and IT in the Xbox for the occasional Live Seige match or just for some solo mission play.

 

- Mike Tyson's Punchout (NES) - Not sure how well this game would age, but I spent countless hours as a young teen playing it. It was this and Super Mario Brothers that got most of my NES play time.

 

- Galaga (Arcade) - This is another game that ate most of my quarters while I was growing up.

 

That's it for now, I guess. I think some of those games help show my age a bit.

 

Chris

[marsrunner]

Well, this is going to be damn hard to do, but I'll try.

 

To make a little easier on myself I only included games I've beaten. Not 100% beaten but played through the whole game and beat the final boss at least.

 

1. Chrono Cross - One of the best battle systems ever, and a story that was heartbreakingly beautiful. Not to mention some of the most beautiful music ever written . Played this sucker through and beat about...oh...15 times. Perfect game.

2. Silent Hill 2 - Not that hard from a gameplay point of view, but the atmosphere and storyline in this game are incredible. Not to mention scary as hell. I don't think I've ever been as uncomfortable in a movie or book or game in my life as I was in Toluca Prison, especially in the courtyard and the hallway with the...whatever it was screaming offscreen. YIKES.

3. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - A damn fun, cute and HARD ass game. Best platformer ever obviously.

4. Chrono Trigger - An RPG surpassed only by its sequel. Beautiful game.

5. Final Fantasy VIII - Probably not a popular choice, but I absolutely love the characters and music in this one and the storyline was wonderful as well. Not as crazy about drawing magic for hours on end, but it was worth to defeat Omega and Ultima Weapons. Talk about hard!

6. The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time - Probably not a popular choice over Link to the Past, but this iteration of Zelda is still my favorite. Beautiful environments, story and action. "Zora's Domain" and "Gerudo Valley" are still two of the best musical compositions for a videogame.

7. Resident Evil 2 - Even though the puzzles in this game make no sense in a police station, and Sherry is annoying as all hell, it is still a great scary game.

8. Final Fantasy VII - First time I ever cried playing a videogame. Poor Aeris. Most exciting boss battle ever against Sephiroth. "One-Winged Angel" indeed.

9. Grand Theft Auto III - Chatterbox radio rules!!! Best open-ended game ever!

10. Super Mario Bros. 3 - Those damn tanks and flying ships in World 8 still piss me off, but I love this game the best out of all the Mario's, excepting Yoshi's Island.

 

Well, that's my list. I'm surprised I could finish it.

[Dimness]

This is my personal list of greatest videogames of all time and my reasons.

 

1. Final Fantasy VI - Final Fantasy remains my favorite series of all time. This one is my favorite entry as it's the best blend of gameplay, RPG mechanics, and story. Shadow's random dream sequences used to give me nightmares. They'd just come out of nowhere.

 

2. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - The best 2D sidescroller in existence. Blend questing, great action, great graphics, and it's hard to top this game in quality. And I got this for only twenty dollars to boot (before it even had the green greatest titles thing on the side). The only knock I have against this game is that the story and the ending is a little lackluster. Storyline with the mother added some heart although it had was kind of weird to fight with a succbus when you know damn full well what they like to do.

 

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Still the best Zelda game although The Windwaker comes pretty damn close. This game helped developed my puzzle-solving abilities to a great extent. If anybody remembers, there was one part where you had to run into the wall to knock yourself backwards onto another platform.

 

4. Perfect Dark - I hardly ever hear about this game, but damn if it hasn't provided hours of fun. The only knock against this game is that it doesn't have traditional FPS controls.

 

5. Goldeneye - What PD is based off of. gwhinwi said it best when getting 100% was priceless fun.

 

6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - Wow! Awesome immersive 3-D environment, and a fun storyline to play. Oh, and I love 80's music.

 

7. NCAA Football 2004 - Yep, I said 2004 because 2005 has been a disappointment. It has all the bells and whistles without the BS I'm putting up with with 2005.

 

8. Halo - While the best FPS I've ever played, the overall experience is not as good as either PD or Goldeneye.

 

9. Final Fantasy VII - What can I say? It's the first PS game I ever purchased, and it was a graduation present. The Aeris sequence was highly emotional. But of all the FF games, this one had the absolute worst ending.

 

10. Chrono Cross - Awesome story with a touch of heart.