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The Top 500 Video Games of All Time

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Miscellaneous | Comments (62)

newsupermario.jpg

Outside of Madden Football, I’m not much of a video game player, aside from a year or so obsession with GoldenEye (#43 on the list below) and Earthworm Jim before that. Truthfully, I don’t know a damn thing about video games. But I know there are a lot of gamers on the site, and because this list of the Top 500 Video Games of All Time is from The Phoenix (the alt-weekly in Boston, Portland (ME), and Providence, I thought we’d share it for those who don’t live in New England.

If you want to see the top 500 (and the blurbs), do check out The Phoenix (they’re good people). Here are the top 25, without description. How well do these rankings align with your own?

25. Metal Gear Solid

24. Doom

23. Okami

22. Resident Evil 4

21. Contra

20. Diablo II

19. Super Mario 64

18. Bioshock

17. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

16. Super Mario 2: Yoshi’s Island

15. Metroid Prime

14. Final Fantasy VII

13. The Secret of Monkey Island

12. Shadow of the Colossus

11. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

10. Street Fighter II

9. Tetris

8. Chrono Trigger

7. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

6. Super Metroid

5. Super Mario World

4. Portal

3. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

2. Super Mario 3

1. Half-Life 2

(Source: The Phoenix)









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Comments

Mega Man. MEGA MAN!

Posted by: Lucas at December 2, 2010 1:13 PM

i like the old school love at the top of the list. i don't agree with #1. metroid prime should be much higher. list is sadly devoid of RTS games or MMOs, but at 500, im guessing they found some love somewhere.

when we first met, my husband and i clicked because of Contra

Posted by: Sinnh at December 2, 2010 1:22 PM

Far too much Nintendo love in the top 25. Where is Deus Ex, or Civilization II, or a Warcraft/Starcraft/C&C game?!

Posted by: WD at December 2, 2010 1:23 PM

Okami fucking blows. Its made for loser asians with too much time.

Posted by: SilverMan at December 2, 2010 1:33 PM

Okami is overrated. Half-Life 2 should not be #1

/pushes glasses back up nose
//uses inhalers
///pulls suspenders up to keep hiding 13" erection

Posted by: Fredo at December 2, 2010 1:36 PM

Oh man, another person who played Earthworm Jim! That game was fucking awesome! Then at the end when you finally save the princess or whatever, a giant cow falls from the sky and kills her.

Wasn't there a cartoon series? There was, methinks. I used to sit around drawing pictures of Earthworm Jim.

You gave me a nerdgasm today, Dustin.

====

Oh, and the list is total bullshit. I don't care how fondly they look back on the games of their childhood; there is no way you're telling me that Sonic the Hedgehod 2 is a better game than "Fallout 3," "Halo Reach" or "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare."

Posted by: superasente at December 2, 2010 1:41 PM

Well, good call with Diablo II at #20, though I'd personally put it much higher.

But 500 games and no room for any installment of Guild Wars anywhere on the list? Bullshit.

Posted by: Gabs at December 2, 2010 1:55 PM

SilverMan, may you be violated by a beautifully rendered, cel-shaded monster.

Posted by: Torint at December 2, 2010 2:02 PM

Resident Evil 4 is a thing of beauty.

As is Super Metroid. And Link to the Past.

I have played through those games about 15 times, and I still love them.

Posted by: Vince Noir at December 2, 2010 2:05 PM

Way too console heavy, and the PC games included tend to be the ones console players like. Civilization should be in the top 5, that is a nonnegotiable sine qua non for someone's opinion to count. Not a single strategy or Western RPG yet 4 fucking Mario games? Please. Jump, run, jump, run, eat a mushroom. That's not a game, that's just shoplifting from Whole Foods.

Posted by: Steven Lloyd Wilson at December 2, 2010 2:06 PM

I'd swap out Super Mario 3 with the original Super Mario Brothers. There is a pureness to the gameplay that is unmatched in nearly every other title. And Half-Life 2 is a fantastic game, but the correct answer to this list is Super Mario Brothers at #1. How is GTA3 not in the top 25? The rest are recognized for what they are and their rank doesn't matter all that much. Portal at #8? Ok. I love the game, it fits I guess. I'd put God of War much higher on the list though. As well as Fallout 3 in the top 10.

Posted by: TylerDFC at December 2, 2010 2:11 PM

GoldenEye at 43? This list is an epic fail for that reason alone.

Posted by: Some Guy at December 2, 2010 2:14 PM

If we're talking about in-their-time, then Doom and Final Fantasy VII are too low and flipped in my book.

Posted by: Eep at December 2, 2010 2:16 PM

Jump, run, jump, run, eat a mushroom.

Ahhh, college.

Posted by: Kballs at December 2, 2010 2:17 PM

Props for putting Half-Life at the top, but any list that doesn't have one of the Call of Duty or Uncharted games in the top twenty five is a FAIL.

Posted by: boscobarbell at December 2, 2010 2:18 PM

Okami.

Suck it haters.

Posted by: Jeremy Feist at December 2, 2010 2:18 PM

"Fallout 3," "Halo Reach" or "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare."

Posted by: superasente at December 2, 2010 1:41 PM

Hey now! You can't put those three together. Fallout 3 actually deserved all of it's sales.

Posted by: coryo at December 2, 2010 2:18 PM

Also I'll never get any support for a true racing sim, but Grand Prix Legends was a stunning leap forward in physics and realism that could make the list as an achievement if people were of the right mind.

Posted by: Eep at December 2, 2010 2:18 PM

HL2 definitely deserves to be #1. But of course there will be disagreement on that point. Solid list, but I think deciding on video games is even harder than deciding on movies as far as lists go.

Shadow of the Colossus should be in top 10.

/grabs crow bar and leaves

Posted by: commanderfunky at December 2, 2010 2:24 PM

I have to agree that it's way too Nintendo-heavy, which I suspect is because people are obsessed, particularly in the video game world, with paying homage to the "classics." While I respect that there are game/genre-changers in every generation of video games, Steven's right - four Mario games is fucking stupid.

I don't have much experience with PC games, so I can't really speak to that. BUT: leaving Grand Theft Auto 3 and COD: Modern Warfare off the top 25 and instead using multiple Mario games in there is goddamn insane.

Also, if we're going to talk about things that really changed the landscape of gaming, either Rock Band or Guitar Hero have to rank higher... which also reminds me. They placed Rock Band 2 at #30. This makes no sense. A) The original is what really affected the way games are played, and b) for just that reason it deserves a higher rank.

Basically, I'm saying that we need to dump 3/4 of the Mario listings and re-think the methodology.

/nerdlinger

Posted by: TK at December 2, 2010 2:27 PM

It's just stupid to try and compare Tetris and Half Life 2. It's like trying to rank the 10 best things you have at home, so you get things like your wife, the TV and the oven and make a list. So this list is pretty stupid.

Posted by: zito at December 2, 2010 2:39 PM

Every time I read NES I smell marijuana and nachos from 7-11.

Posted by: Skitz at December 2, 2010 2:40 PM

No Xcom? I lost weeks of my life to that game, and still get obsessed enough with it to put down the 360 for some turn based joy.

Posted by: mohshard at December 2, 2010 2:42 PM

Four Marios makes perfect sense...though the original SMB should replace Yoshi's Island. Mario 64, Mario 3, Mario World...these all changed the landscape of video games permanently.

I'm with you on COD and GTA3...though I think Medal of Honor should probably replace COD. MOH got the whole thing started.

Also - I may disagree with HL2 being number 1, but it's a respectable choice. A HL2 mod at #4 is silly...even if it was great.

Street Fighter 2 Turbo should replace the original. They were close release close enough together, I think.

Some real oversights, here. StarCraft should be in the top 5, or you should throw this entire list out.

Posted by: brutus at December 2, 2010 2:51 PM

My grammar sucks. Sorry.

Posted by: brutus at December 2, 2010 2:53 PM

Mortal Bullshat!

Posted by: ColostomyBaggins at December 2, 2010 2:53 PM

What? No Mass Effect? By the beard of Zeus!

Posted by: oli at December 2, 2010 2:55 PM

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past! Loved that game as a kid. Actually bought an old nintendo a few years ago specifically to play this game. Which my brother then borrowed. And, as I only found out a few weeks ago, sold. He didn't "forget" to return it for 5 years as he kept saying. Not cool Kevin. It's on my Christmas list this year!

Posted by: kaizee at December 2, 2010 2:56 PM

I'm surprised the original Halo didn't make the top 25. At least Goldeneye should've. Maybe that's just my corner of post-adolescence.

Also, no Starcraft? Warcraft? I think Age of Empires II was one of the most engrossing games ever...but I like the idea of ruining shit with a little marionette El Cid, so whatever.

Posted by: Ian at December 2, 2010 2:59 PM

Also, YAY street fighter II! My favorite game of all time.

Posted by: Ian at December 2, 2010 3:00 PM

How do none of the modern action platformers crack the top 50? No Sly Cooper? Jak and Daxter? Not ONE of the absolutely balls-awesome Ratchet and Clank games?

Also placed too low: Mortal Kombat (I or II), whichever Grand Turismo you want, Baldur's Gate, and any of the MMO's that I never play but that are clearly deserving.

Posted by: TK at December 2, 2010 3:03 PM

I got bored with Pong and haven't played on since.

Well, unless you consider 52 Punchcard Pickup a game.

Posted by: BWeaves at December 2, 2010 3:05 PM

My 6th grade Apple II would like to note that the absence of Lode Runner and Dark Castle makes this list a fucking sham.

Posted by: Perfect Tommy at December 2, 2010 3:08 PM

World of Warcraft is number 1, I think. That game has literally killed people, ruined marriages, etc.

It was released in November 2004 and it STILL has over 12 million subscribers. Blizzard generates billions (before expenses, of course) from WoW annually.

Posted by: brutus at December 2, 2010 3:24 PM

mohshard, my friends and I used to sit around and play X-Com as a group. One of us would run the organization (building the base, balancing the budget) and the others would take turns running the battles and/or controlling different soldiers. I'd always have one or two guys loaded with nothing but a shit load of explosives. They never lived.

Whats the worst alien for you? For us it was the Chryssalid. Evil fuckers.

Posted by: superasente at December 2, 2010 3:25 PM

BWeaves FTW.

Posted by: Ian at December 2, 2010 3:37 PM

1. Super Metroid
2. Final Fantasy VII
3. Bioshock
4. Oblivion

I'm halfway through Resident Evil 4 at the moment and it does deserve its place. Oh the wonderful things it makes my Gamecube do.

Posted by: ThunderSacTriumph at December 2, 2010 3:45 PM

Chryssallids were awful, but the ethereals were the worst. The first time my squad began panicking and turning to alien control, it was a nightmare. I ended up executing anyone who was affected by alien psionic abilities. Lost a lot of good crewman with french and german names that mission....

Posted by: mohshard at December 2, 2010 4:11 PM

SUPER SMASH BROTHERS!

Posted by: dre at December 2, 2010 5:51 PM

Look at all this nerdrage/love. I never knew you guys were such hefty gamers. This makes me all warm and fuzzy inside

Posted by: Blank at December 2, 2010 6:35 PM

The list sucks and I'll tell you why:

- No driving games in the top 10? where's Pole Position (if you wanna get classic), where's Need for Speed or any of the Gran Turismos?

-Where's Doom, or Quake?

-No Star Wars games, X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter no Jedi Knight?

bleh

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at December 2, 2010 6:37 PM

Oh I see Doom, sorry, still, #24? Should at least, AT LEAST, be in the Top 3.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at December 2, 2010 6:40 PM

My favorite games might not actually be good games in hindsight, but they are what I had the most fun playing:

1. Max Payne 2
2. Grand Theft Auto 3
3. Pokemon Snap
4. Super Smash Bros Melee
5. Crash Bandicoot 2

Posted by: Vick at December 2, 2010 8:10 PM

There is no goddamn way tetris should beat out games like Mass Effect or Bioshock. I understand that they were the originators, and that they were the foundation of modern gaming, but Jesus, times have changed.

I also can't believe Halo CE wasn't here, or that Ocarina of time wasn't higher.

I also wish Grim Fandango was on here, the greatest adventure game ever, but had the bad luck e be released at the twilight of the genre.

Posted by: Nomanisat at December 2, 2010 9:20 PM

bad luck to be released, sorry my brain outran my fingers.

Posted by: Nomanisat at December 2, 2010 9:23 PM

OK, I can see this list isn't totally strategy oriented, so I can't really froth about not seeing games like the Space Empires series, The Operational Art Of War series, Sword of the Stars, Harpoon, etc or more obscure games like Activision's Civ games (Call to Power/CTP 2) BUT...

How in the hell do you have SimCity and SimCity 2000 and NOT have either SimCity 3K OR SimCity 4?

No Master of Orion 2?

Neither of the Galactic Civilization games?

Where's Shogun:Total War and the two Medieval:Total War games?

No Homeworld?

REALLY?

Well, damn...

Posted by: DaaconG at December 2, 2010 10:41 PM

Well done list, I agree with #1, but would have diablo 2 and FFVII moved up into the top 5 in place of mario world and a link to the past respectively.

Posted by: bob smith at December 3, 2010 12:25 AM

Half-Life 2 best game ever? No.

Posted by: pfft at December 3, 2010 12:41 AM

Jesus Rowles! I know it's December, but is this the best you can do?

Posted by: Pork Bowl at December 3, 2010 2:10 AM

I'm surprised the original Halo didn't make the top 25.

As am I. That game was, I'm pretty sure, single-handedly responsible for the X-Box doing as well as it did upon its release. In addition to being a fucking amazing game, that is.

I wouldn't put Half-Life 2 at number 1, but I have few arguments with the rest of the top 25. I kinda think World of Warcraft should be in there, though. And no Pac-Man? Or Donkey Kong, the mother of all Mario games?

That aside, nice to see the old-school games still gettin' the love.

Posted by: strife at December 3, 2010 5:05 AM

Actually there's two different lists there. A Top 50 list, presumably by Phoenix staff, with Half-Life 2 at #1.
And a Top 500 list, by Phoenix readers, with Street Fighter II at #1.

Posted by: Pat C. at December 3, 2010 5:26 AM

Paper Mario is better the Modern Warfare 2? Who are these people?

Posted by: max at December 3, 2010 9:47 AM

All you Half-Life 2 haters. I would totally keep it at number 1. It is easily the best fps created to date, and honestly I would agree that it is the best game to date. Why? You can thank HL2 and valve for that little physics engine that is used in nearly every game created after, of all genres.

Posted by: waaaaa at December 3, 2010 10:07 AM

Hey, waaaaa---

Halflife 2 itself is still just a dull on-rails pew-pew-shooter for 12 year olds. Sorry.

Posted by: HMDK at December 3, 2010 12:18 PM

I would almost have to put Everquest and WOW up there. I really don't care for WOW but it is super successful. Everquest helped jump start a completely different genre of game.

Posted by: Solomon at December 3, 2010 12:52 PM

This is definitely a gamers' list. I'm very happy about A Link to the Past beating out Ocarina of Time because I too think it's the better game. But other than that... How does Super Mario 64 or Sonic the Hedgehog 2 not make it into the Top Ten? Where's Super Smash Bros? Golden Eye 64 at #43?!

As I said. Clearly a list for gamers. Though I'm surprised Halo, Grand Theft Auto 3 didn't crack the Top 25....

Posted by: Littlejon2001 at December 3, 2010 1:43 PM

Or Call of Duty 4*.

While I don't necessairly agree that Nintendo got "too much love", because it deserves all the love in the world, I do agree that having Super Mario 2, 3, Super Mario World and Super Mario 64 is a bit redundant. I personally would take out Super Mario 2 and Super Mario World and put in Super Smash Bros. and Super Mario Kart 64. Just to piss off the Nintendo haters.

NINTENDO FOREVER!!!

Posted by: Littlejon2001 at December 3, 2010 1:52 PM

Question: is the Game Boy Advance version of A Link to the Past really good? Or is it significantly less good than the NES version?

I ask because I have a GBA, but not an NES - but I'd be willing to try to buy an NES if there was a big difference in the game experience.

Posted by: Pat C at December 3, 2010 3:20 PM

As long as hl is top of the list I'm good.

Posted by: Seth at December 4, 2010 1:50 AM

How the hell did Final Fantasy VI place lower than VII? That game had fantastic plot, amazing character development, a monster clown villain so evil even the Joker would shit bricks and the best goddamn music Nobou Uetmasu has ever written for any game, period.

All FFVII can boast is a first foray into 3D and a white haired pretty boy villain wtih mommy issues. Feh.

Posted by: Aislinn at December 4, 2010 1:39 PM

They somehow managed to assemble a top 250 without "Tempest 2000", which should be in the top 10. So... sucky list.

Posted by: Tristan at December 5, 2010 7:37 AM

As a gaming nerd I could whine about some of the positions on that list, but, I have to say that it's actually pretty accurate.

Posted by: Radlum at December 5, 2010 4:02 PM