[pyrite]

Video games have come a long way in recent years. Most web sites or mass polls will say that Super Mario Bros on NES was the greatest video game of all time, but in my opinion that's purely based on nostalgia. The truth is, SMB started something... Later games have developed and improved on that platform, drawing from its inspiration... they've used the infectious elements of platforming action and added newer and better elements to bring the genre to new levels.
In the same way that saying that Super Mario Bros was better than the later Super Mario World on SNES is ludicrous, claiming that Sonic 2 was better that Halo or Gran Turismo 3 is equally irrational (Sonic 2 was my favourite game as a kid, by the way). Of course, this is only my opinion...
So please understand that this list is coming from someone who loves to play the newest and best games, because I feel they truly are the pinnacle of gaming (with the exception of a few 6+ year old games that have since stood unmatched). Also, understand that I have fairly specific tastes in games. As you'll see, I mostly play action and racing titles. I love RPGs, I love RTSs etc, they're just not my focus.

Also, I haven't played some of the later PS2 titles, including the God Of War series and Okami, and from everything I've seen quite a few of them would probably make the list. Unfortunately I surrendered my PS2 for an Xbox well before the release of these titles, thanks to our good friend Master Chief
Half-Life 2 is undoubtedly another game that will make the cut, which I will finally get to play through when I buy Orange Box for 360 next month.

Without further ado, Here are my top 10 video games of all time, in ascending order of awesomeness...


10. Burnout: Revenge (Xbox 360 - 2006)
Many would laugh at this game being in any hall of fame or top ten list, but for God's sake... Is the Burnout formula not the coolest premise for a video game EVER?!! Drive insanely fast and blow things up for points... get bonus nitro for every dangerous move you make, including simply driving on the wrong side of the road or not-quite-hitting another car, then going even faster and blowing even MORE stuff up... and do it all at 60 frames a second. Nice.
Burnout 3 was arguably better than Revenge in terms of Solo mode progression, but Revenge on 360 is three times as hot, and even faster and more furious than its predecessor, making it all the more fun... It's never leaving my collection.

9. Command And Conquer (PC - 1995)
I'm going a little against my own word here, since the RTS genre has evolved so much since 1995, but I've still never had as much fun with any RTS as I had with C&C. Pure annihilation. The enemy AI was so bad you could build a wall around an enemy camp and destroy them confidently without them figuring out how to even knock the wall down... now THAT'S my kind of strategy game
It had the coolest sountrack ever in an RTS game, and some killer FMV sequences for its time. Very, very fun stuff. The only RTSs that have come close for me since C&C are Red Alert 2 and StarCraft, which was a little too sophisticated for my one-thing-at-a-time, gelatinous mind

8. Gears Of War (Xbox 360 - 2006)
I really do like Gears this much. It may not be the deepest game out there, but holy crap, they totally nailed the gameplay mechanics and fun factor... and the visuals - where do I start. This game is gorgeous. I can't tell you how many times i've been killed because I'm staring intently at a wall texture or a corroding pipe, we all know that's not normal. I can't stop playing through this game, I've finished it more times than I can count. It's macho, over-the-top fun, and played on Insane difficulty it's hard to find a better 3rd person shooter anywhere (impossible, actually).

7. Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)
I'm giving this game a top ten spot in good faith, as I'm currently in the process of playing through it... and having the time of my life. This has all the components of a great action game, and then some. Imagine Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time on crack. Now make it twice as fun, twice as hard, twice as addictive, make it Japanese and put swords an decapitations in it, and you're starting to get the idea. If you want to kick some ass Ninja style, there's only one way to do it.

6. Bioshock (Xbox 360 - 2007)
Rapture, the underwater world of Bioshock, is a dark and disturbing place. It is a world saturated with mood and atmosphere, and is slowly woven together as you play, revealing a geniunely surprising and believable (and significant) story. It tackles real issues of morality and the nature of man, and features movie-quality voice acting and music, resulting in a truly unforgettable game. The only catch? An abrupt and poorly paced ending which leaves you wishing 2K had wrapped it up with the same loving care that they displayed throughout the rest of the game. Despite this flaw, it stands alongside Halo: Combat Evolved and Half-Life as one of the greatest shooters of all time. Genius.

5. Halo 2 (Xbox - 2004)
The single player campaign in Halo 2 was inferior to Halo: Combat Evolved in terms of structure and progression, but it still rocked my socks from start to finish. The reason it's in my top 10, however, is not because of its single player campaign, but because of its multiplayer value. It's IMPOSSIBLE to play Halo 2 with friends and not have insane amounts of fun. Whether it's cooperative or versus, Halo 2 multiplayer will make you laugh yourself silly with pure satisfaction.

4. Metroid Prime (GameCube - 2002)
I'd never played a Metroid game until Prime, and it single-handedly threw me head-long into the Metroid universe, never to return. In a word: Immersive. Unbelievably immersive, in fact. I don't want to say any more about this game, because there's too much to say. As a first-person action/adventure game (I don't classify this as a shooter), it knows no equal.

3. Soul Calibur (Dreamcast - 1999)
It's a flawless fighter. Google it, then buy a Dreamcast and play it. Now find a friend and keep playing it until the end of time, or Soul Calibur 4 (which better be good).

2. Gran Turismo 3 (PS2 - 2001)
What can I say. Sadly but very truly, the day I achieved 100% completion on Gran Turismo 3 was one of the more satisfying moments of my life. From the minute I started playing this game til its sweet, immeasurably satisfying end, it held me ferociously in its grasp. To say I lost many a nights' sleep and missed many a college class to finish it would be a vast understatement. A veritible technical masterpiece, matched only by Soul Calibur in this regard, one could never play GT3 and not be constantly conscious of its brilliance and attention to detail. There's never a framerate drop or a technical distraction from the game itself (I'm a huge fan of a solid framerate). After GT3, Polyphony decided, as they did after Gran Turismo (original on PS), that the next game would benefit from a ridiculous number of cars and tracks, but no improvement to the core game, and a noticeable step down in game focus, stability and solo progression. As a result, it never reached the heights of GT3. Fingers crossed for GT5 on PS3

1. Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox - 2001)
Master Chief is the coolest video game hero in history, period. He's mysterious, he's an experienced combat veteran, and holds the utmost respect of all those around him. Deeper and far superior to the macho, characitured forms in Gears of War, Master Chief succeeds in one main regard; he's believable. Despite his near impossible feats, you can't help but get caught up in his journey, and make it your own - Wholly your own. I'm sure I'm not the only person who felt like the only person who'd ever seen or experienced the journey of Halo while playing through it for the first time. Bolstered by a flawless musical score, this is intense, believable action from start to finish.


...there you have it, my personal top 10

hit me with 'em, detailed game reviews welcome...

[Chongo]

10 Pac Man
9 Ms Pac Man
8 Donkey Kong
7 Super Mario
6 Xevious
5 Joust
4 Pole Position
3 Space Invaders
2 Asteroids
1 Pong

[besson3c]

How about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time?

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

How about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time?

never owned a 64

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by pyrite 

never owned a 64

The game is fully playable with Sixtyforce for the Mac or Project64 for Windows... Grab yourself an adaptoid and an N64 controller and double your fun

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

The game is fully playable with Sixtyforce for the Mac or Project64 for Windows... Grab yourself an adaptoid and an N64 controller and double your fun

Sounds like a good move. I've played Wind Waker on the Cube, but found it far from revelatory (although very good).
I've heard many call Ocarina the best game ever, which drives me to give it a playthrough one of these days

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by pyrite 

Sounds like a good move. I've played Wind Waker on the Cube, but found it far from revelatory (although very good).
I've heard many call Ocarina the best game ever, which drives me to give it a playthrough one of these days

The N64 sequel Majora's Mask still has some bugs under Sixtyforce, but it plays fine under Project64. Some gaming nerds also revamped the original Ocarina of Time and Master Quest with high resolution textures for use under Project64 as well, if you feel like seeking out, downloading, and installing these.

OoT really is an awesome game. There are a ton of YouTube videos of these games if you care...

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

The N64 sequel Majora's Mask still has some bugs under Sixtyforce, but it plays fine under Project64. Some gaming nerds also revamped the original Ocarina of Time and Master Quest with high resolution textures for use under Project64 as well, if you feel like seeking out, downloading, and installing these.

OoT really is an awesome game. There are a ton of YouTube videos of these games if you care...

I was watching some Ocarina on Gametrailers the other day, looked very immersive, good atmosphere. il have to check it out

[loki74]

It's really difficult for me to order these in any way, so in no particular order: (fave 3 are in bold)

Shin Megami Tensei / Persona 3
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Xenosaga (all 3)
Ninja Gaiden
Zelda:OOT
Zelda:TP
Ikaruga
FFVIII
Halo 2

honestly cant think of more atm... i just dont play that much games...

I'm currently getting into Persona 3. I thought the evoker concept (ie, discharging a gun-shaped device into ones head to "evoke" a persona who will assist you) would be much more disturbing, but it wasn't nearly as shocking as the reviews I read made it sound. The music is very unique (of the "love it or hate it" variety), but my favorite thing is the social link/condition stuff--makes everything that much more immersive.

VP2 and XS are both also just in-freakin-credible games...

[wobbly]

In no particular order:

Legend of Zelda (NES)
Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time (N64)
Pit Fall (Atari)
Parsec (Ti-994A, with voice synthesizer of course)
Neverwinter Nights (including the modules)
007 GoldenEye N64 (NES)
SuperMario Bros (NES)
Chess (any of the many versions on many different systems)
MegaMan (NES)
SuperMarioWorld (SNES)

[highstakes]

In no order:

Wipeout XL
Chrono Trigger
Super Mario World 1 & 2, RPG, 64
Secret of Mana
Final Fantasy 3 (VI), VII
Metal Gear Solid
GoldenEye
Super Metroid
Zelda: OOT, Link to the Past
Simcity 2000

Sorry, no games from the Xbox, PS2, GC, 360, Wii, PS3 era. I have all those systems and lots of games for them, but none of them are that good...or memorable, Bioshock comes close though.

Games are too political now. We are more worried about exclusivity, who's making profits, attracting "casual" gamers, market leaders, game ratings, online, advertisements on games...just let the folks who love doing what they do make the damn game.

[klb5090]

10. Metal Gear Solid
9. Super Mario Bros 3
8. The Legend of Zelda - A Link to The Past
7. Super Metroid
6. Halo
5. Perfect Dark
4. StarCraft
3. Mario 64
2. Halo 2
1. The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time

[besson3c]

Yeah, Starcraft would make my list too, and my wife loves Civ IV...

Neither of us are really gamers anymore though. I stopped around the time I stopped playing OoT when I lived with my parents.

[undying]

1- Doom
2- Quake 3
3- Metal Gear Solid
4- Undying
5- Red Alert
6- Counter Strike
7- Prince Of Persia
8- Burn Out
9- Winning Eleven
10- Star Craft

[ginoledesma]

Baldur's Gate II (Mac) -- My Adventure/RPG favorite. This game in the series is the one I picked because of the breadth of what the game offered, although of course it is desperately lacking without the background of BGI and closure of BG II:ToB.

Planescape: Torment (Windows) -- For role-playing, I find that this is the game to beat. This is one of the few games I've played that didn't rely so much on the traditional adventure power skills (strength, endurance, etc), but more instead of character traits.

Neverwinter Nights (Mac) -- The first "modern" RPG breaking off from the classics. After the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series ended, NWN filled the void in many an RPG player's heart. It also allowed for online multiplayer gaming, which was a definite bonus. The many user-created campaigns also means many more quests to go on.

Icewind Dale (Mac) -- More focus on group dynamics and interaction than the Baldur's Gate series. My preference leans more towards group questing than solo questing (ala NWN).

Exile / Avernum series (Mac) -- The first and only adventure game on the Mac that has made me spend countless number of hours just exploring and trying things out. The Exile games use old-school graphics (2D) -- though it was redone in 3D with an isometric view and named Avernum -- but there's enough text in the game to fill a novel or two. The original "type a question"-driven dialog was something that differed from the usual RPG/adventure game as you weren't given "options" point blank. You had to read and consider what the character was saying and then ask the appropriate questions to further conversation. It's hard to separate each part, simply because the series as a whole is greater than the sum of each part.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS3) -- The most recent adventure/RPG game I've played, and the first one in ages that gives a genuine open-ended approach to going about the game. It's so easy to get side-tracked from what you set out to do and just marvel at how much more there is you can do.

Final Fantasy VII (PS2) -- "A classic." This was my first FF game (I've tried many more since then) and also the first RPG on consoles that I've finished without getting bored. I didn't have an NES/SNES, so I never had the chance of finishing the many Legend of Zelda games.

Final Fantasy XII (PS2) -- The introduction of real-time combat changed the genre, but it also pushed the envelope of what the PS2 was capable of. Stunning visual effects aside (a hallmark of the FF series), the story line is also superb. It may be the typical save-the-world formula (what isn't, in RPGs?), but attention to detail and delivery has made this a notch over its predecessors.

Myth II: Soulblighter (Mac) -- A strategy game I've come to love that put more emphasis on dealing with you have on the battle field without much chance of "building more resources." This puts it over games such as Age of Empires, Medieval, and the like that, though excellent, don't punish you as much for bad moves.

Diablo II (Mac) -- Diablo was good, but between the 2, this was the game that I would rather be playing again and again. It's one of the few click-fest hack-and-slash games I enjoy, simply because I liked the whole Diablo mythos. I also like the Warcraft mythos, but RTS/strategy is only second to adventure/RPG gaming for me.

Others not quite in the top 10 but still in my faves:
* Sim City 2000
* Streetfighter II
* Mortal Kombat II
* Super Mario Brothers III
* Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
* Golden Axe
* Oni
* Marathon (the first FPS I've played and liked)
* Deus Ex (the only other FPS I liked to play through)

[Randman]

World of Warcraft
Just about any Madden game
NHL '94
Donkey Kong
Halo
Scrabble (counts as a video game and I do play it regularly)
Tetris
Hearts
Ms. Pac-man
Asteroids

[sek929]

In no particular order.

Zelda: Link to the Past (SNES)
FFVII (PS1)
Goldeneye (N64)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
Super Metroid (SNES)
Halo (xbox)
Donkey Kong (SNES)
Grand Turismo 4 (PS2)
Super Mario 3 (NES)
Zelda (NES)

Two newer honorable mentions would have to be Bioshock and Half-Life 2. I also enjoyed the Camecube Metroid but I never finished it.

Also, the best game ever made for the social gamer is Mario Party.

[bballe336]

1. Counter Strike: Source
2. Counter Strike: Source
3. Counter Strike: Source
4. DownHill Domination
5. Dirt
6. Tony Hawk series
7. Richard Burns Rally
8. Halo
9. Xmoto
10 Counter Strike: Source

[monkeybrain]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

The game is fully playable with Sixtyforce for the Mac or Project64 for Windows... Grab yourself an adaptoid and an N64 controller and double your fun

But remember to book yourself into therapy after you fail to beat the Water Temple.

[Johnny_B]

1. Deus Ex
2. Diablo II LoD

No order, 3-10:
Unreal Tournament 1999
WarCraft 2
StarCraft
Super Mario Bros 3 (NES)
Duke Nukem 3D
EV Nova
Harvest Moon (SNES)
Command & Conquer (the original, Mac edition, great graphics)

[Aegis]

I have trouble putting games of the current generation into a top 10 because it feels like they need time to solidify themselves. But here's mine in alphabetical:

Baldur's Gate II The Juggernaut of RPGs. I'm delighted to play a game as good as this for 150+ hours.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night The Importance of 2D. With the 3D craze it was nice to be reminded that 3D for the sake of 3D meant nothing compared to a beautifully crafted 2D adventure.

Disgaea SRPG at it's Finest. Not many games have this level of depth. You can even level up your pizza.

Dragon Warrior I Grandaddy of console RPGs. It's simplicity belies it's greatness. Plus it's a reminder of the days when most games weren't cakewalks. We got our asses kicked and liked it!

Final Fantasy IV The Final Fantasy. Fantastic gameplay and a trove of obscure items and finds. But it's real greatness is that in a time of mostly faceless or emotionless heroes, this game presented such depth of character and genuinely human emotions.

River City Ransom Good Old Fashioned Beating. My favorite beat-em up. Great fun with another person. The music also bounces around your cranium like a pinball for an eternity.

Shadowrun (Snes) Cyberpunk. While it's gameplay isn't revolutionary, it's just dripping with atmosphere and crazy but likable characters. Turn my arm into a machine gun? Yes please!

Soul Calibur II Addictive. What it lacks behind Virtua Fighter in pure complexity and depth, it makes up for with balance and great characters. Being able to play Link in a fighting game is crazy fun.

Super Metroid Legendary Adventure. Not often do I feel like playing a game again the second I'm finished. Plus, it has the greatest climax of any game in my opinion.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask No Gannon. While I love all Zelda's, it's the mind bending, time jumping, mask changing fun that keeps this at the top of my Zelda list.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by monkeybrain 

But remember to book yourself into therapy after you fail to beat the Water Temple.

Assuming we are talking about Majora's Mask,

What part of the Water Temple were you having problems with? Once I learned that I could make plateaus with my ice arrows, it was relatively easy. The boss of the Water Temple is hard though.

[sek929]

The water temple in Ocarina isn't all that easy either.

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by loki74 

It's really difficult for me to order these in any way, so in no particular order: (fave 3 are in bold)

Shin Megami Tensei / Persona 3
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Xenosaga (all 3)
Ninja Gaiden
Zelda:OOT
Zelda:TP
Ikaruga
FFVIII
Halo 2

honestly cant think of more atm... i just dont play that much games...

I'm currently getting into Persona 3. I thought the evoker concept (ie, discharging a gun-shaped device into ones head to "evoke" a persona who will assist you) would be much more disturbing, but it wasn't nearly as shocking as the reviews I read made it sound. The music is very unique (of the "love it or hate it" variety), but my favorite thing is the social link/condition stuff--makes everything that much more immersive.

VP2 and XS are both also just in-freakin-credible games...

Good to see Ikaruga on a list, brilliant game

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by sek929 

In no particular order.

Zelda: Link to the Past (SNES)
FFVII (PS1)
Goldeneye (N64)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
Super Metroid (SNES)
Halo (xbox)
Donkey Kong (SNES)
Grand Turismo 4 (PS2)
Super Mario 3 (NES)
Zelda (NES)

Two newer honorable mentions would have to be Bioshock and Half-Life 2. I also enjoyed the Camecube Metroid but I never finished it.

Also, the best game ever made for the social gamer is Mario Party.

Great list - super metroid is one of the few games i've ALWAYS wanted to finish and have never gotten around to

[pyrite]

If anybody's listened to the latest episode of the Three Red Lights podcast on IGN Xbox 360 channel, Hilary Goldstein (who's finished Halo 3 on legendary already) is under agreement to not speak of his Halo 3 experience... but was asked questions by the other guys and gives nods and shakes to indicate yes's and no's, so you never find out his actual responses....

IGN 360 have been playing down halo 3 in their podcasts so as to defuse a little of the hype that is shaking the planet to such a ridiculous extent at the moment, and Hilary's never had much to say about the game (actually, he's said effectively "I don't care about the game, we all know it'll be at least 'good' ").. however, based on the others' reactions to his reponses (mostly surprise), it sounds like we may have a game of the year, killer app on our hands.. this is purely what I gathered from their subtle responses (they tease you with this like crazy in the podcast), but all hype aside, I wouldn't be surprised if what we see on september 25 trumps not only everything we've seen on 360 so far, but even the original Halo, which is my favourite game. I try to avoid hype, but the Halo universe has swallowed me whole of late. The more I read about its history on the internet and in books, the more I read about Bungie and their unbelievable development processes, the more I fall in love with it.
8 days to go

[sek929]

Originally Posted by pyrite 

Great list - super metroid is one of the few games i've ALWAYS wanted to finish and have never gotten around to

The final Boss battle is, as Aegis said, the most climactic ending to any game ever.

Just last year I picked up a copy for my SNES and played it for weeks (starting to master alot of the tricks). You really have to play it all the way through, truly a masterpiece.

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by sek929 

The final Boss battle is, as Aegis said, the most climactic ending to any game ever.

Just last year I picked up a copy for my SNES and played it for weeks (starting to master alot of the tricks). You really have to play it all the way through, truly a masterpiece.

From what I managed to play of it (on someone else's SNES) it seemed like everything that's great about Metroid was there, I'm hanging to play through it... 16-bit 2D platformers are teh shite

I think I'll end up getting a wii and buying this (and the N64 zelda games) from the classics store or whatever it's called... my love for Metroid Prime compels me!
Need to play Zelda: TP and MP3: Corruption as well... my top 10 list will no doubt change in the next 6 months, esp when you add in the ridiculous amount of 360 goodness coming out

[loki74]

Originally Posted by pyrite 

Good to see Ikaruga on a list, brilliant game

good to see another Ikaruga fan on the boards!! (^_^) lol.

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by loki74 

good to see another Ikaruga fan on the boards!! (^_^) lol.

Did you play it on DC or Cube?

[loki74]

Cube. It's been a while though, so I've gotten hella rusty... especially with the chains >_<

[Jawbone54]

I had to think about this for a while. This is my list of personal favorites. I'm not saying everyone should appreciate this list; it's by no means definitive.

In no particular order...

Goldeneye - I have no idea how many hours I lost hanging out at my friends house, going quarter screen against my best bud and our twin neighbors. This game, along with the following title, kept me occupied for a long, long time.

Mario 64 - Mario 64 rocked my world. I loved every Mario game released up to that point, but I was taken aback when I first laid hands on the N64 controller and tried to figure this whole 3D thing out. Mario 64 changed gaming forever. I have no doubt about that.

Halo - 16 guys, separated into two rooms...all drinking energy drinks, yelling, and laughing until 5:00 AM. These were some of my favorite "just hanging out" moments with my friends. Halo brought us together just when our lives started getting busier. I never did finish the single-player campaign. I didn't have to.

Civilization II - Sitting alone at home for hours on end, glued to the screen, trying desperately to balance my imperial ambitions with my diplomatic ideals...yeah, I was a dork. I curse the day my friend every introduced me to this game; it rotted away about a whole year of my young life.

Metal Gear Solid - At the time, the graphics on this game were amazing. Looking back, the textures are blocky and the camera absolutely killed me sometimes...but I played this game through twice (something I'd never done before), and I was hooked on the stealth action games.

The Sims - Let's just include all the Sim games here. Sim City 2000, The Sims, Sims 2, etc. The "god game" genre is really alluring for someone like me, who gets just as much of a kick out of editing game content to my own design as I do playing the stupid things.

Final Fantasy VII - This game MADE me finish it. It MADE me work hard and race freakin' chocobos for hours on end just to get the Knights of the Round materia. I had NEVER played a "real" RPG until FFVII, but it opened the gates for me. I was blown away by the way I actually got wrapped up in some of these characters. No, I didn't cry when Aeris died (stupid people spoiled it for me, so I knew it was coming), but I did care. I still can't believe how worked up I got about that game.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 - Long before I got sick of the Tony Hawk series, I got stuck playing THPS2 exclusively for a while. Sure, the formula is stale now, but it absolutely rocked back then, and this one, IMO, was the best.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 - This is the best sports game in existence...period. The only things that keep it from perfection are the absence of the FIFA license, a few graphical shortcomings, and a lack of inspired crowd responses. But all those things are small complaints. I had a good time remaking the kits anyways.

GTA III - Forget the content and the controversy here; the GAME itself was so ridiculously addictive that my friend actually busted into another friend's house while he was away at school so he could play it. You could do absolutely nothing but drive around and cause trouble for hours on end, and that's the way everyone played it, it seems. Who cares about finishing the game when you can just ramp a car onto a roof and start pickin' grannies off with a sniper rifle?

[feethea]

Battlefield 2 head and shoulders above all others for graphics and team gameplay.

[ApeInTheShell]

Console Games

10. Brave Fencer Musashi (Playstation 1)
9. Final Fantasy X (PS2)
8. Chrono Trigger (SNES, Playstation 1)
7. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES, Gameboy Advance)
6. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, Gamecube)
5. Chronicles of Riddick (XBOX)
4. Grand Theft Auto III (Playstation 2)
3. Time Splitters 2 (Playstation 2)
2. Halo 1 (XBOX)
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Playstation 2)

I base my results on overall game play and repeated addiction. There is nothing like blowing up cars on the highway in a U.S. Army Tank or jumping off of a building on a motorcycle into oncoming traffic.

3. The Sims
2. Sim City 2000
1. World of Warcraft

I have played a lot of computer games and I think these are the best. The Sims challenges you to meet the needs of others or ruin their lives by taking away their free will.
Sim City 2000 offered an ever better experience because you could build, manage, and create all in one game. You had to think things through before building your city. Need a College Campus? You better have at least two Police Stations. Sim City 4 is an awesome expansion but I don't spend enough time as I did on SC 2000.
I chose WOW because it remains one of the most addicting games in the world. My friend at work said it best, "WOW takes away your soul." All you need is a credit card and the patience to work around until level 40.

[ApeInTheShell]

i meant "walk" around.

[sek929]

Originally Posted by ApeInTheShell 

5. Chronicles of Riddick (XBOX)

Since I own this game I can sincerely say that it isn't among the 100 top games, let alone the top ten.

[dpicardi]

I don't know about best of all time, but games I really enjoyed (and played way too much of)...In no particular order:

Final Fantasy VII
Diablo
Myth 1 & 2
FreeSpace 1&2 (best spaceflight sims of all time IMHO)
NHL 98
FreeLancer
Counter Strike
Warcraft 3

[Big Mac]

random order:

Starcraft
Street Fighter II
Legend of Zelda Ocarina
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario World
Mike Tyson's Punch Out
Mario 64
Metal Gear Solid
Smash Bros. Melee
WoW

[ApeInTheShell]

Hello sek929! The original poster had his in ascending order of awesomeness! I think Chronicles of Riddick is an awesome game. Fills in the gaps that you wouldn't get from the movie. Similar to the Animatrix and Star Wars: Clone Wars did for their movie counterparts. Now if you own the game and don't think it is going to be in the Top 100 than why keep it?

I still can't believe I forgot Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The problem is there are so many games. You would have to divide them into sub-categories and even than your Top 10 list is bound to change each year.

[monkeybrain]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

Assuming we are talking about Majora's Mask,

What part of the Water Temple were you having problems with? Once I learned that I could make plateaus with my ice arrows, it was relatively easy. The boss of the Water Temple is hard though.

I meant in Ocarina of Time. It gave me many a headache. I don't remember why I couldn't solve it, but that was when I gave up. That music, inspired by Debussy I think, still haunts me sometimes.

[sek929]

The water temple was maddening. You most likely didn't find the secret hatch under a floating platform that reveals the passage once you raise the water level in that room.

My friend got stuck at this part, and it tormented me for days.

[starman]

It's hard to make a "top 10" list when you've been playing videogames since their inception

Final Fantasy VII / Ocarina of Time. I always tie these two for the top spot. Sue me.

The rest, not in any order:

Final Fantasy X. If you're gonna bash it, STFU.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Asteroids
Space Invaders
World of Warcraft
Everquest
Halo
Quake
Marathon

The problem with these lists is you invariably leave stuff out. Arkanoid, Pinball machines (Cyclone), Defender, Sinistar, Pac-Man, Tron, Paperboy, Space War, Star Trek (Vector), Miner 2049'er, Jumpman, Lode Runner, Pinball Construction Set, Preppie I and II, Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., Alternate Reality, Rogue, Starflight I, the Phatansie series for the Atari ST, Dungeon Master, Starglider, Vanguard, Demon Attack, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Last Starfighter, Star Raiders, Shufflepuck Cafe, Maelstrom, the Tekken series, Halo, Ballblazer, Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, Dead or Alive, Soul Calibur, Space Channel 5, Final Fantasy XII, Gran Turismo, Star Castle, Mr. Do!, Crystal Castles, Gauntlet, Dragon's Lair, Star Wars (Arcade....one-handed all the way to level 9, baby), Superman (Atari 2600), Turok 2, Rogue Squadron, Bloodrayne, Discs of Tron, Myst, Unreal, Unreal Tournament '99, Space Hawk, Star Fire, Starship I, Diablo

That's off the top of my head.

[jokell82]

I have three favorite games of all time that I'm not sure I can rank in any order. They are:

Final Fantasy III (US)
Super Metroid
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Too many favorites to make a top 10 list, it'd end up looking like Starman's list.

[loki74]

Originally Posted by ApeInTheShell 

...
10. Brave Fencer Musashi (Playstation 1).
...

Now there is a game I did not expect to be mentioned here! Barely remember it, but I do remember it being fun. lol.

[exca1ibur]

No order..

Final Fantasy VII
I got into the series late and have only played VII, X, XII, but this one really stands out and I understand why people think its the best of the series.

Final Fantasy XII
I like the new battle system, personally

Resident Evil
Pionered the survival horror genre

Street Fighter 2
2D fighters owe it all to this one

Diablo 2
Great part game that I STILL play to this day

Battlefield 2
Massive battles like anything else, but the player teamwork options are done right (The only game I really enjoy playing online)

Pool of Radiance
Gold Box Series Dungeons & Dragons. Great RPG based on the real pen and paper game, what was great is you could transfer your characters from each game to the next.

Starcraft
Best RTS ever made, period

Gran Turismo 3
Complete package driving simulation with real cars and options.

Dues Ex
The first successful push of a FPS with a solid story and RPG elements.

Honorable Mention: Combat (Atari 2600), Donkey Kong, Pac-man, Pheonix, Defender, Dig Dug, Breakout, Berzerk, Gauntlet, SOCOM (The voice commands are VERY good), Golden Eye, Dragon's Lair, Star Castle, Super Metroid, Super Mario Bros (Pioneer for the platformers), Sim City (Started a genre on its own), many more I can list but I'll stop here.

[dongarcia]

Originally Posted by pyrite 

Video games have come a long way in recent years. Most web sites or mass polls will say that Super Mario Bros on NES was the greatest video game of all time, but in my opinion that's purely based on nostalgia. The truth is, SMB started something... Later games have developed and improved on that platform, drawing from its inspiration... they've used the infectious elements of platforming action and added newer and better elements to bring the genre to new levels.
In the same way that saying that Super Mario Bros was better than the later Super Mario World on SNES is ludicrous, claiming that Sonic 2 was better that Halo or Gran Turismo 3 is equally irrational (Sonic 2 was my favourite game as a kid, by the way). Of course, this is only my opinion...
So please understand that this list is coming from someone who loves to play the newest and best games, because I feel they truly are the pinnacle of gaming (with the exception of a few 6+ year old
games that have since stood unmatched). Also, understand that I have fairly specific tastes in
games. As you'll see, I mostly play action and racing titles. I love RPGs, I love RTSs etc, they're just not my focus.

Also, I haven't played some of the later PS2 titles, including the God Of War series and Okami, and from everything I've seen quite a few of them would probably make the list. Unfortunately I surrendered my PS2 for an Xbox well before the release of these titles, thanks to our good friend Master Chief
Half-Life 2 is undoubtedly another game that will make the cut, which I will finally get to play through when I buy Orange Box for 360 next month.

Without further ado, Here are my top 10 video games of all time, in ascending order of awesomeness...


10. Burnout: Revenge (Xbox 360 - 2006)
Many would laugh at this game being in any hall of fame or top ten list, but for God's sake... Is the Burnout formula not the coolest premise for a video game EVER?!! Drive insanely fast and blow things up for points... get bonus nitro for every dangerous move you make, including simply driving on the wrong side of the road or not-quite-hitting another car, then going even faster and blowing even MORE stuff up... and do it all at 60 frames a second. Nice.
Burnout 3 was arguably better than Revenge in terms of Solo mode progression, but Revenge on 360 is three times as hot, and even faster and more furious than its predecessor, making it all the more fun... It's never leaving my collection.

9. Command And Conquer (PC - 1995)
I'm going a little against my own word here, since the RTS genre has evolved so much since 1995, but I've still never had as much fun with any RTS as I had with C&C. Pure annihilation. The enemy AI was so bad you could build a wall around an enemy camp and destroy them confidently without them figuring out how to even knock the wall down... now THAT'S my kind of strategy game
It had the coolest sountrack ever in an RTS game, and some killer FMV sequences for its time. Very, very fun stuff. The only RTSs that have come close for me since C&C are Red Alert 2 and StarCraft, which was a little too sophisticated for my one-thing-at-a-time, gelatinous mind

8. Gears Of War (Xbox 360 - 2006)
I really do like Gears this much. It may not be the deepest game out there, but holy crap, they totally nailed the gameplay mechanics and fun factor... and the visuals - where do I start. This game is gorgeous. I can't tell you how many times i've been killed because I'm staring intently at a wall texture or a corroding pipe, we all know that's not normal. I can't stop playing through this game, I've finished it more times than I can count. It's macho, over-the-top fun, and played on Insane difficulty it's hard to find a better 3rd person shooter anywhere (impossible, actually).

7. Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)
I'm giving this game a top ten spot in good faith, as I'm currently in the process of playing through it... and having the time of my life. This has all the components of a great action game, and then some. Imagine Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time on crack. Now make it twice as fun, twice as hard, twice as addictive, make it Japanese and put swords an decapitations in it, and you're starting to get the idea. If you want to kick some ass Ninja style, there's only one way to do it.

6. Bioshock (Xbox 360 - 2007)
Rapture, the underwater world of Bioshock, is a dark and disturbing place. It is a world saturated with mood and atmosphere, and is slowly woven together as you play, revealing a geniunely surprising and believable (and significant) story. It tackles real issues of morality and the nature of man, and features movie-quality voice acting and music, resulting in a truly unforgettable game. The only catch? An abrupt and poorly paced ending which leaves you wishing 2K had wrapped it up with the same loving care that they displayed throughout the rest of the game. Despite this flaw, it stands alongside Halo: Combat Evolved and Half-Life as one of the greatest shooters of all time. Genius.

5. Halo 2 (Xbox - 2004)
The single player campaign in Halo 2 was inferior to Halo: Combat Evolved in terms of structure and progression, but it still rocked my socks from start to finish. The reason it's in my top 10, however, is not because of its single player campaign, but because of its multiplayer value. It's IMPOSSIBLE to play Halo 2 with friends and not have insane amounts of fun. Whether it's cooperative or versus, Halo 2 multiplayer will make you laugh yourself silly with pure satisfaction.

4. Metroid Prime (GameCube - 2002)
I'd never played a Metroid game until Prime, and it single-handedly threw me head-long into the Metroid universe, never to return. In a word: Immersive. Unbelievably immersive, in fact. I don't want to say any more about this game, because there's too much to say. As a first-person action/adventure game (I don't classify this as a shooter), it knows no equal.

3. Soul Calibur (Dreamcast - 1999)
It's a flawless fighter. Google it, then buy a Dreamcast and play it. Now find a friend and keep playing it until the end of time, or Soul Calibur 4 (which better be good).

2. Gran Turismo 3 (PS2 - 2001)
What can I say. Sadly but very truly, the day I achieved 100% completion on Gran Turismo 3 was one of the more satisfying moments of my life. From the minute I started playing this game til its sweet, immeasurably satisfying end, it held me ferociously in its grasp. To say I lost many a nights' sleep and missed many a college class to finish it would be a vast understatement. A veritible technical masterpiece, matched only by Soul Calibur in this regard, one could never play GT3 and not be constantly conscious of its brilliance and attention to detail. There's never a framerate drop or a technical distraction from the game itself (I'm a huge fan of a solid framerate). After GT3, Polyphony decided, as they did after Gran Turismo (original on PS), that the next game would benefit from a ridiculous number of cars and tracks, but no improvement to the core game, and a noticeable step down in game focus, stability and solo progression. As a result, it never reached the heights of GT3. Fingers crossed for GT5 on PS3

1. Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox - 2001)
Master Chief is the coolest video game hero in history, period. He's mysterious, he's an experienced combat veteran, and holds the utmost respect of all those around him. Deeper and far superior to the macho, characitured forms in Gears of War, Master Chief succeeds in one main regard; he's believable. Despite his near impossible feats, you can't help but get caught up in his journey, and make it your own - Wholly your own. I'm sure I'm not the only person who felt like the only person who'd ever seen or experienced the journey of Halo while playing through it for the first time. Bolstered by a flawless musical score, this is intense, believable action from start to finish.


...there you have it, my personal top 10

hit me with 'em, detailed game reviews welcome...

ei, how about final fantasy men.....

[mdc]

Originally Posted by loki74 

good to see another Ikaruga fan on the boards!! (^_^) lol.

Here's another fan. Ikaruga is one of the few GameCube games that I still play. Great game, so difficult though, but that adds to the game.

[mdc]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 - Long before I got sick of the Tony Hawk series, I got stuck playing THPS2 exclusively for a while. Sure, the formula is stale now, but it absolutely rocked back then, and this one, IMO, was the best.

I have to agree with you regarding Tony Hawk 2. The Dreamcast version of TH2 was the greatest version in the Tony Hawk series. If you still play games and have a 360, you should try skate. In my opinion it is what Tony Hawk 3 should have been if today's technology was possible back then.

I guess I should try come up with a list of my own, since I've posted twice in this thread already.

In no order:
skate: As I stated above, I was a huge fan of Tony Hawk 2 and I think skate is what TH3 should've been. I've been playing this non-stop since it came out. In three years I might forget all about this game, but as of right now, one of my favorite games I've played.

Marvel vs. Capcom 2: The Dreamcast is my favorite system of all time because of all the 2d fighters and shoot 'em ups. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is my alltime favorite 2D fighter.

Gears of War: I've grown tired of FPS after FPS lately. As soon as I played Gears of War I fell in love with the over the shoulder camera and the gameplay is just awesome. I feel the story left a lot to be desired and I hope a sequel is in the works. More of the same would be fine with me. Change the scenery, maybe a bit more story.

Prince of Persia: The original Prince of Persia has a special place in my heart. I loved that game, and have played through the xbox live arcade version a few times already.

Quake 3: When I was into first person shooters, this was my favorite. I felt that id software did a good job in making this tournament out of Quake, and I didn't miss the story at all. I spent many hours playing this and even managed to beat a few stages on the hardest difficulty. I heard something about maybe setting up some Quake 3 in my office sometime.

I need to get back to work, maybe I'll finish this list soon.

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by dongarcia 

ei, how about final fantasy men.....

like i said, it's a PERSONAL top 10 list

I really like RPGs, loved FFX, but they've never been my main focus.

[pyrite]

Originally Posted by mdc 

I have to agree with you regarding Tony Hawk 2. The Dreamcast version of TH2 was the greatest version in the Tony Hawk series.

man, THPS2 on DC was without a doubt the most flawless skating game of all time.. and kudos for mentioning Marvel vs Capcom 2 on DC - that game was freaking awesome