List of video games considered the best
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This is a list of video games that multiple video game journalists or magazines have considered to be among the best of all time. The games listed here are included on at least six separate "best/greatest of all time" lists from different publications (inclusive of all time periods, platforms, and genres), as chosen by their editorial staffs.
List
Publications
The reference numbers in the notes section show which of the 52 selected publications list the game.
- 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die – 2013[2]
- The Age – 2005[70]
- Collider – 2020[25]
- Dexerto - 2024[82]
- Digital Trends – 2023[52]
- Digitally Downloaded – 2016[36]
- Electric Playground Network – 2013[72]
- Edge – 2000,[39] 2009,[59] 2015,[93] 2017[48]
- Electronic Fun with Computers & Games – 1984[43]
- Empire – 2009[63]
- Entertainment Weekly – 2003[40]
- Esquire – 2018,[75] 2019,[76] 2020[77]
- FHM – 2010[34]
- Flux – 1995[10]
- G4 – 2012[16]
- GamesMaster – 1994,[9] 1996[42]
- Gamecenter – 2000[12]
- Game Informer – 2009,[20] 2018[24]
- Game On! From Pong to Oblivion – 2006[15]
- GameSpot – 2000,[13] 2007[1]
- GameSpy – 2001[27]
- Gamereactor – 2011,[71] 2017,[73] 2022[78]
- GamesRadar+ – 2011,[56] 2012,[57] 2013,[85] 2014,[86] 2015,[58] 2021[38]
- GamesTM – 2010,[31] 2015,[35] 2018[5]
- Gameswelt – 2012,[17] 2016[83]
- GamingBolt – 2013,[18] 2022,[91] 2023,[90] 2024[92]
- GQ – 2013,[49] 2023[68]
- The Greatest Games – 1985[26]
- Hardcore Gaming 101 – 2015,[55] 2020[61]
- Hyper – 1995,[11] 1997,[62] 1999[46]
- IGN – 2003,[41] 2005,[60] 2007,[32] 2015,[28] 2018,[6] 2019,[53] 2021[54]
- The Independent – 1999[87]
- The Irish Times – 2013[33]
- Jeuxvideo.com – 2011,[64] 2017[67]
- Mashable – 2020[89]
- Next Generation – 1996,[21] 1999[22]
- Parade – 2023[50]
- Polygon – 2017[7]
- Popular Mechanics – 2014,[29] 2019[8]
- Power Unlimited – 2015[37]
- PPE – 2021[88]
- Screen Rant – 2024[69]
- Slant Magazine – 2014,[65] 2018,[44] 2020[45]
- Stuff – 2008,[19] 2014,[66] 2017[74]
- Super GamePower – 2001[84]
- Sydney Morning Herald – 2002[14]
- The Times – 2023[51]
- Time – 2012,[4] 2016[3]
- Total Games Network – 1999[47]
- USA Today / Sports Illustrated – 2022,[79] 2023,[80] 2024[81]
- TheWrap – 2017[30]
- Yahoo! – 2005[23]
See also
- List of video game soundtracks considered the best
- List of video games notable for negative reception
- List of Game of the Year awards
- List of best-selling video games
Notes
The reference numbers show which publications include the game.
- ^ The Oregon Trail: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
- ^ Pong: [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][4][2][3][23][7][24][5][25]
- ^ Combat: [10][11][12][2][7][24]
- ^ Zork: [26][12][27][14][20][28][29][4][3][2][30][7][24][8]
- ^ Space Invaders: [26][10][11][12][14][15][16][31][32][33][29][23][4][21][34][3][2][35][36][7][24][5][37][25][38]
- ^ Asteroids: [10][11][12][39][15][16][20][21][22][40][4][2][23][7][24][8]
- ^ Adventure: [10][11][41][20][4][7][24]
- ^ Battlezone: [42][40][41][4][2][7]
- ^ Missile Command: [43][26][10][12][40][23][2][7][24][44][45]
- ^ Pac-Man: [26][10][11][46][47][12][39][13][14][15][1][18][19][20][33][31][23][17][4][2][34][35][36][48][24][49][25][38][50][51][52]
- ^ Centipede: [43][26][10][21][40][4][2][24]
- ^ Defender: [26][9][10][11][42][21][46][47][22][12][39][40][1][2][4][23][7][24]
- ^ Donkey Kong: [26][10][12][40][16][17][18][31][29][23][4][21][34][35][3][2][28][7][24][5][6][49][8][53][54]
- ^ Frogger: [26][40][23][4][2][7][24]
- ^ Galaga: [10][46][39][40][20][41][4][3][2][28][7][24][5][6][44][45]
- ^ Tempest: [10][21][40][4][2][29]
- ^ Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord: [43][26][27][4][36][24][7]
- ^ Joust: [10][40][55][21][4][2][7]
- ^ Ms. Pac-Man: [43][26][40][16][18][20][56][57][41][32][29][58][21][3][2][28][7][6][8][53][45][54]
- ^ Pitfall!: [43][10][12][40][16][18][41][1][17][4][34][24][49][8]
- ^ Robotron: 2084: [26][10][42][47][39][40][59][20][24][31][5][21][22][2][7]
- ^ Archon: The Light and the Dark: [43][26][41][60][1][32][17][2][7]
- ^ Lode Runner: [26][11][1][20][24][4][2][61]
- ^ M.U.L.E.: [26][12][27][40][1][4][2][7]
- ^ Star Wars: [10][21][22][12][41][60][32][16][2][7]
- ^ Elite: [9][42][62][46][47][39][13][14][15][19][63][31][2][23][35][21][34][22][7][5]
- ^ Marble Madness: [10][11][39][13][1][20][21][2][7][24]
- ^ Gauntlet: [10][11][42][12][63][40][34][16][31][41][29][20][7][2][36][24][8]
- ^ Ghosts 'n Goblins: [62][46][41][64][16][2][29][49]
- ^ Super Mario Bros.: [10][12][15][16][33][18][20][41][60][32][64][65][4][3][2][66][28][67][7][24][5][6][53][25][54][68][69]
- ^ Tetris: [9][10][11][42][46][12][39][13][27][14][70][15][59][63][40][16][20][31][56][71][64][57][17] [33][41][60][32][1][19][29][65][23][58][4][21][34][22][3][2][72][35][73][67][74][36] [7][75][24][5][6][44][37][49][8][53][76][77][45][25][38][54][78][79][80][50][51][52][68][69][81][82]
- ^ Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar: [12][27][40][4][7][24]
- ^ Arkanoid: [47][20][34][2][7][24][5]
- ^ Bubble Bobble: [42][47][39][31][56][55][19][2][23][24][5]
- ^ The Legend of Zelda: [10][12][27][16][20][32][1][64][4][3][2][28][67][7][24][6]
- ^ Out Run: [16][21][47][39][15][19][4][2][23][49]
- ^ Contra: [40][16][18][20][41][32][1][4][28][73][24][6][53][25]
- ^ Double Dragon: [11][1][63][16][18][20][23][36][7][24][5][8]
- ^ Dungeon Master: [42][13][19][63][2][29][67][8]
- ^ Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!: [40][16][20][41][32][1][71][29][23][4][72][28][73][7][24][8][81]
- ^ R-Type: [11][39][40][19][34][31][2][21][23][49][35]
- ^ Sid Meier's Pirates!: [41][60][32][19][64][17][2][55][28][83]
- ^ Mega Man 2: [84][16][20][56][71][57][85][86][32][1][29][58][35][28][36][73][67][72][7][24][5][44][49][8][45][79][80]
- ^ Ninja Gaiden: [20][16][55][7][24][37][44][45]
- ^ Super Mario Bros. 3: [42][70][16][18][20][60][32][1][19][59][56][64][57][85] [29][58][2][34][28][36][73][55][67][7][24][5][6][44][8][53][45][38][54][79][52][68][81]
- ^ Final Fight: [46][87][84][20][71][2][49]
- ^ Populous: [22][23][2][67][5][7]
- ^ Prince of Persia: [9][10][40][18][55][41][32][60][4][2][36][7]
- ^ SimCity: [9][11][12][13][27][14][40][19][20][41][1][23][2][5][7][45][38][51]
- ^ The Secret of Monkey Island: [9][87][39][59][63][64][57][85][86][66][33][34][58][2][18][74][28][83][75][5][7][49][80][68]
- ^ Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe: [9][11][39][13][63][23][19][34][2][5]
- ^ Super Mario World: [9][42][47][39][13][84][63][20][31][41][32][1][19][59][64][71][29][65][23][2][86] [58][34][35][28][83][48][73][74][24][5][6][44][37][49][8][53][76][77][45][54][78][80][50][68][69][82]
- ^ Wing Commander: [10][42][12][27][14][40][4][7]
- ^ Another World: [9][10][63][31][64][55][67][2][5][7][88]
- ^ Civilization: [11][27][14][1][19][63][20][17][4][2][33][64]
- ^ Final Fantasy IV: [84][41][60][32][1][20][64][2]
- ^ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: [9][42][39][27][84][59][63][40][16][18][20][31][41][60][32][19][56][71][64][83][2][72][57][85][86][29][65] [23][58][34][35][28][48][73][74][7][24][5][6][44][37][8][53][45][38][54][78][68][81]
- ^ Lemmings: [9][21][62][46][39][13][14][19][59][63][40][34][20][31][71][2][35][55][23][67][5][7][49]
- ^ Micro Machines: [9][21][23][19][17][2][37]
- ^ Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge: [9][42][40][19][31][64][71][2][35][55][28][23][83][67][7][6][53][54]
- ^ Sonic the Hedgehog: [10][42][87][47][12][39][84][19][63][40][16][20][31] [64][71][17][2][72][41][60][32][29][36][4][34][35][74][7][24][5][49][8]
- ^ Street Fighter II: [9][10][42][46][87][47][39][13][27][84][14][15][63][40][16][17][18][20][41][60][32] [1][19][71][29][65][23][4][72][21][34][22][66][28][36][67][7][24][5][6][44][37][49][8][53][76][77][45][25][38][54][78][50][68][69][81]
- ^ Super Castlevania IV: [42][23][63][20][17][2][83][7]
- ^ Alone in the Dark: [9][13][41][60][32][19][63][17][2][7]
- ^ Contra III: The Alien Wars: [9][39][71][56][57][2][83][5][7][49]
- ^ Dune II: [11][42][13][41][60][32][4][64][2][7]
- ^ Flashback: [9][10][11][42][19][17][2][67][7]
- ^ Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis: [11][13][2][37][36][83][7]
- ^ Mortal Kombat: [10][42][87][16][4][3][2][34][7][49][25][81]
- ^ Sensible Soccer: [9][11][87][39][63][17][7]
- ^ Sonic the Hedgehog 2: [18][20][23][85][86][58][73][67][2][7][24][37][25][52][82]
- ^ Star Control II: [22][27][14][41][60][1][55]
- ^ Streets of Rage 2: [11][19][55][7][5][44][45][79][80]
- ^ Super Mario Kart: [9][11][42][87][47][39][70][19][63][16][20][31][33][41][60][32][1][56][71][64][29][23][21] [34][22][3][2][72][35][83][67][66][74][7][24][5][44][37][49][8][76][45][25][38][68]
- ^ Ultima VII: The Black Gate: [42][41][60][32][2][55][7][24]
- ^ Virtua Racing: [9][10][11][42][21][23][2][7]
- ^ Wolfenstein 3D: [9][10][11][16][18][20][41][32][3][7][24]
- ^ Day of the Tentacle: [42][63][56][57][16][58][20][31][64][2][55][60][32][1][36][83][7][24][5][37][8]
- ^ Doom: [9][10][42][62][87][12][13][27][84][14][63][40][18][20][31][17][41][60][32][1][19][66][64][71][29][23][3][2][72][35] [73][67][74][36][55][7][24][5][6][44][37][8][53][45][25][38][54][78][51][52][68][69]
- ^ Gunstar Heroes: [9][41][60][20][2][55][7][5]
- ^ The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening: [9][20][32][64][2][34][55][7][24][79]
- ^ Mega Man X: [20][18][55][37][83][7][24]
- ^ Mortal Kombat II: [9][11][42][40][1][20][71][29][23][7][37][8]
- ^ Myst: [9][10][11][12][14][64][16][29][65][4][3][2][73][67][7][24][8][45]
- ^ NBA Jam: [9][10][11][39][16][74][41][19][29][17][4][2][23][7][24][5][8][25]
- ^ Phantasy Star IV: [32][71][65][55][7][24][44][45]
- ^ Ridge Racer: [42][23][15][20][71][2][24]
- ^ Sam & Max Hit the Road: [9][11][46][70][34][41][60][32][59][64][2][21][22][7]
- ^ Secret of Mana: [9][10][11][39][40][18][31][56] [17][57][85][86][41][60][32][64][2][29][58][35][83][73][67][7][24][8]
- ^ Samurai Shodown: [9][10][11][40][20][7]
- ^ SimCity 2000: [42][39][70][63][34][31][71][57][60][32][41][28][21][29][4][3][2][35][36][30][73][7][24][6][49][8][53][54]
- ^ Star Fox: [9][11][20][41][32][19][31][17][72][35][37]
- ^ Syndicate: [9][11][42][21][39][60][32][31][64][71][2][35]
- ^ Daytona USA: [11][42][62][39][84][59][63][40][23][21][7]
- ^ Donkey Kong Country: [10][11][42][63][56][71][64][57][29][65][34][67][72][7][24][8]
- ^ Doom II: [39][70][16][59][20][24][56][57][2][7]
- ^ EarthBound: [18][20][56][57][65][58][28][36][48][73][55][7][24][5][6][44][37][53][45][54][80][52][82]
- ^ Final Fantasy VI: [10][27][59][20][41][60][32][56][64][57][85][86][29][65][58][83][3][2][28][36] [55][73][7][24][5][6][44][37][8][53][45][54][78][52][68]
- ^ Sega Rally Championship: [42][21][62][22][39][19][34][71][56][57][85][2]
- ^ Sensible World of Soccer: [42][47][23][1][34][31][19][74][2][35]
- ^ Star Wars: TIE Fighter: [42][70][63][16][18][71][2][41][60][32][1][29][21][34][22][36][55][30][7][6]
- ^ Super Metroid: [9][10][39][27][84][14][59][63][40][16][20][31][56][57][17][85][86][41][60][32][19][64] [71][2][72][29][65][23][58][34][35][28][83][48][55][67][7][24][5][6][44][37][49][8][53][45][38][54][78][80][68][69]
- ^ Tempest 2000: [9][42][47][39][23][20][2][7]
- ^ Theme Park: [9][11][87][1][34][2]
- ^ Virtua Fighter 2: [42][21][12][39][41][19][7]
- ^ X-COM: UFO Defense: [11][42][12][27][14][40]