My Top 100 Favorite Video Games of All Time (2013)

This list was very difficult to create and is by no means final. New games can of course be added to this list and the ordering of the current games may also change around in the future. Also, there are even more games that I’m quite fond of that missed the cut and maybe I’ll change my mind and include them in the future. This is my personal list of my 100 favorite video games of all time (and is ranked accordingly) and not necessarily a list of the 100 “best” video games of all time, although I obviously feel all of these games are worthy of praise to some degree. 

Compiling this list and reflecting on all of the wonderful experiences therein has brought back some amazing memories and has reminded me just how important this medium is to me. Every single one of these video games is special to me and all of them have had an enormous impact on my life and have contributed to who I am in some way. I hope that as you peruse this list you will reflect on your own unique experiences with your own most-beloved video games and maybe you'll even see some or many of those personal favorites here.

            And if you’re wondering where the likes of Uncharted, Mass Effect, Red Dead Redemption, Ni no Kuni, etc. are, I haven’t played them yet. In fact, there are many modern classics I have yet to get around to playing (even though I actually own many of them, such as the four listed above), and I’m sure they’ll sit somewhere on this list when I finally do play them (granted they’re as special as I hear they are).

Note: These games are labeled with the first console they appeared on, to the best of my knowledge. In cases where games were released on multiple platforms simultaneously, I labeled the game with the console that I first played it on.

Key: NES=Nintendo Entertainment System, SNES=Super Nintendo Entertainment System, N64=Nintendo 64, GCN=Nintendo GameCube, Wii=Nintendo Wii, SG=Sega Genesis, DC=Sega Dreamcast, PS1=Sony PlayStation, PS2=Sony PlayStation 2, PS3=Sony PlayStation 3, PC=Personal Computer, GB=Nintendo Game Boy, GBC=Nintendo Game Boy Color, GBA=Nintendo Game Boy Advance, DS=Nintendo DS

The List

100. Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii)

 

99. Sonic Colors (Wii)

98. Half-Life (PC)

97. Soul Calibur II (GCN)

 96. Portal 2 (PS3)

 95. Lunar Legend (GBA)

94. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii) 

93. Heavy Rain (PS3)

92. Pikmin 2 (GCN)

91. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (GCN)

90. God of War II (PS2)

89. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)

88. Gunstar Heroes (SG)

87. Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA (N64)

86. Beyond Good and Evil (GCN)

85. Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)

84. Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening (PS2)

83. Super Paper Mario (Wii)

82. Mega Man 2 (NES)

 

81. Pokemon: Sapphire Version (GBA)

80. God of War (PS2)

79. Resident Evil 4 (GCN)

78. Super Castlevania IV (SNES)

77. Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

76. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (SNES)

75. Metroid Fusion (GBA)

74. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (GB)

73. Golden Sun (GBA)

72. Chrono Cross (PS1)

71. Tales of Symphonia (GCN)

70. The Legend of Zelda (NES)

69. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS)

68. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1)

67. Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA)

66. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii)

65. Kirby Super Star Ultra (DS)

64. Kirby’s Nightmare in Dream Land (GBA)

63. Kirby’s Dream Land (GB)

62. Sonic Adventure 2 (DC)

61. Sonic Adventure (DC)

60. Sonic the Hedgehog (SG)

59. Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)

58. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA)

57. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)

56. Super Mario World (SNES)

55. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

 

 

54. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

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

52. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA)

51. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (GCN)

50. Resident Evil (GCN)

49. Silent Hill 3 (PS2)

48. BioShock (PC)

47. Viewtiful Joe (GCN)

 46. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)

45. Jet Grind Radio (DC)

44. Pokemon: Silver Version (GBC)

43. Pokemon: Blue Version (GB)

42. Metal Gear Solid (PS1)

41. Silent Hill (PS1)

40. Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

39. Streets of Rage 2 (SG)

 38. Portal (PC)

37. Super Metroid (SNES)

36. Kirby’s Dream Land 2 (GB)

35. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (GB)

34. Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)

33. Animal Crossing (GCN)

32. Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

31. Journey (PS3)

 

30. Paper Mario (N64)

29. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GCN)

28. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA)

27. Cave Story (PC)

26. World of Goo (Wii)

25. GoldenEye 007 (N64)

24. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS)

23. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GCN)

22. Super Mario 64 (N64)

21. Super Mario Bros. (NES)

20. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (SG)

19. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2)

18. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)

17. Metroid Prime (GCN)

16. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

15. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC)

14. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (GBC)

13. Okami (PS2)

12. Half-Life 2 (PC)

11. Shenmue (DC)

10. Silent Hill 2 (PS2)

9. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

8. Chrono Trigger (SNES)

7. Golden Sun: The Lost Age (GBA)

6. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles (SG)

5. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN)

4. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX (GBC)

3. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)

2. Skies of Arcadia Legends (GCN) 

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64)