25
Games Ranked
/30
Max Score
1984–2022
Years Spanning
3
Score Dimensions
Leaderboard
| # | Game | Year | Play | Innov | Legacy | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | 1998 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
| 2 | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | 2017 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 29 |
| 3 | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 2015 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 29 |
| 4 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | 2018 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 28 |
| 5 | Super Mario Bros. | 1985 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 29 |
| 6 | Minecraft | 2011 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 29 |
| 7 | Half-Life 2 | 2004 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 29 |
| 8 | Elden Ring | 2022 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 28 |
| 9 | Portal 2 | 2011 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 28 |
| 10 | The Last of Us | 2013 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 28 |
| 11 | Dark Souls | 2011 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 28 |
| 12 | Chrono Trigger | 1995 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 28 |
| 13 | GTA V | 2013 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
| 14 | Mass Effect 2 | 2010 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
| 15 | Super Metroid | 1994 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 28 |
| 16 | BioShock | 2007 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 27 |
| 17 | God of War (2018) | 2018 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
| 18 | Tetris | 1984 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 28 |
| 19 | Final Fantasy VII | 1997 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 27 |
| 20 | Halo: Combat Evolved | 2001 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
| 21 | Metal Gear Solid | 1998 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 27 |
| 22 | Shadow of the Colossus | 2005 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 27 |
| 23 | Resident Evil 4 | 2005 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 27 |
| 24 | Bloodborne | 2015 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 26 |
| 25 | Celeste | 2018 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 26 |
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time(1998)
The Perfect Score
“The game that defined 3D adventure.”
Ocarina of Time is the gold standard of game design. Every dungeon is a masterclass in pacing, every mechanic feels purposeful, and the transition from 2D to 3D adventure was executed with a precision that still feels miraculous. Z-targeting, context-sensitive buttons, and a living open world were all revolutionary. No game before or since has so completely redefined what an entire medium could be.
Read full profileThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild(2017)
The Reinvention
“Open-world design rewritten from scratch.”
Breath of the Wild threw out every open-world convention and rebuilt the genre around curiosity and physics. Climbing anything, gliding anywhere, and solving problems with emergent systems made every player's journey unique. Nintendo proved that open worlds do not need quest markers and minimap clutter — they need wonder. Every open-world game released after 2017 exists in its shadow.
Read full profileThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt(2015)
The Storyteller
“The RPG that made every side quest matter.”
The Witcher 3 proved that an open-world RPG could have writing that rivals the best novels. Every quest — from the main storyline to the smallest village contract — is a hand-crafted narrative with moral complexity and consequence. The Bloody Baron questline alone is better than most entire games. CD Projekt Red set a standard for narrative depth that the industry is still chasing.
Read full profileRed Dead Redemption 2(2018)
The Living World
“The most immersive world ever built.”
Red Dead Redemption 2 is less a game and more a place you inhabit. Rockstar built a living, breathing American frontier with a level of detail that borders on obsessive — horse testicles shrink in cold weather, NPCs remember your past interactions, and Arthur Morgan's story is the most emotionally devastating narrative in gaming history. It is a slow burn that rewards patience with one of the greatest endings ever crafted.
Read full profileSuper Mario Bros.(1985)
The Foundation
“The game that saved the industry.”
Super Mario Bros. did not just launch a franchise — it resurrected an entire industry. After the 1983 crash, Miyamoto's masterpiece proved that console gaming was not a fad. Every single level is a lesson in game design: World 1-1 teaches you to run, jump, and explore without a single line of tutorial text. The precision of the controls, the iconic music, and the sheer joy of movement set the template for every platformer that followed.
Read full profileMinecraft(2011)
The Phenomenon
“The infinite canvas.”
Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time because it gave players something no game had before: true creative freedom with virtually no limits. It spawned an entire generation of builders, modders, and creators. Schools use it to teach architecture and coding. The survival loop is addictive, the creative mode is boundless, and the community has built things that would make professional architects weep. Notch built a universe out of blocks.
Read full profileHalf-Life 2(2004)
The Physics Pioneer
“The shooter that became cinema.”
Half-Life 2 redefined what a first-person shooter could be. The gravity gun alone changed game design forever, turning physics from a gimmick into a core mechanic. Valve told its story entirely through the environment — no cutscenes, no loading screens, just seamless immersion. City 17 is one of the most atmospheric settings ever created, and the Ravenholm level is proof that a shooter can be genuinely terrifying.
Read full profileElden Ring(2022)
The Open World Souls
“FromSoftware's magnum opus.”
Elden Ring took the punishing brilliance of Dark Souls and placed it in a vast open world designed by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. The result is the most critically acclaimed game of the 2020s. Every cave, castle, and catacomb hides something worth discovering, and the sense of exploration rivals Breath of the Wild. It proved that difficult games can also be the most popular games on earth.
Read full profilePortal 2(2011)
The Thinking Person's Game
“The funniest puzzle game ever made.”
Portal 2 is proof that a first-person puzzle game can have better writing than most Hollywood comedies. GLaDOS, Wheatley, and Cave Johnson deliver some of the sharpest dialogue in gaming history while you solve spatial puzzles that make you feel like a genius. The co-op campaign is the gold standard of cooperative play. Valve created something so perfectly crafted that demanding a sequel feels ungrateful.
Read full profileThe Last of Us(2013)
The Emotional Devastator
“The game that made you cry.”
The Last of Us proved that video games could deliver emotional storytelling on par with the best films and novels. Joel and Ellie's journey across a fungal apocalypse is harrowing, tender, and morally complex in ways that most games never attempt. The opening sequence is the most devastating 15 minutes in gaming. Naughty Dog set the bar for cinematic narrative games and then cleared it by a mile.
Read full profileDark Souls(2011)
The Genre Creator
“Prepare to die. Prepare to learn.”
Dark Souls did not just create a genre — it created a philosophy. Every death teaches you something. Every victory is earned through perseverance and pattern recognition. The interconnected world of Lordran is a masterpiece of level design where every shortcut you unlock is a dopamine hit. FromSoftware proved that difficulty is not the opposite of accessibility — it is a form of respect for the player.
Read full profileChrono Trigger(1995)
The Timeless Classic
“The JRPG that transcended time.”
Chrono Trigger assembled a dream team — Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yuji Horii, and Akira Toriyama — and the result was the greatest JRPG ever made. Time travel is not just a plot device but a core mechanic that affects everything from combat to world-building. Multiple endings, no random encounters, and the New Game Plus feature were all revolutionary. Thirty years later, it remains the standard by which every Japanese RPG is judged.
Read full profileGTA V(2013)
The Revenue King
“The most profitable entertainment product ever made.”
GTA V is an absurd achievement in scope, satire, and sandbox design. Three playable protagonists, a sprawling recreation of Los Angeles, and the cultural juggernaut of GTA Online have made it the most commercially successful entertainment product in human history. Rockstar's satirical take on American excess is sharp, funny, and occasionally profound. It has sold over 200 million copies and shows no signs of slowing down.
Read full profileMass Effect 2(2010)
The Perfect Sequel
“Your crew. Your choices. Your suicide mission.”
Mass Effect 2 is the perfect sequel — it took everything that worked in the original, stripped away the bloat, and delivered the tightest sci-fi RPG ever made. The Suicide Mission is the greatest final level in gaming because every squad member can live or die based on your decisions throughout the entire game. BioWare made you care about every character on the Normandy, then put all of them at risk.
Read full profileSuper Metroid(1994)
The Genre Blueprint
“The blueprint for exploration.”
Super Metroid is the reason the 'Metroidvania' genre exists. Every room on Zebes is connected in a way that rewards curiosity and backtracking with new abilities. The atmosphere — created through minimal music, environmental storytelling, and a crushing sense of isolation — is unmatched. The final boss fight and the escape sequence that follows are among the most thrilling moments in gaming history. It taught an entire genre how to breathe.
Read full profileBioShock(2007)
The Intellectual Shooter
“Would you kindly question everything?”
BioShock proved that shooters could be intellectually ambitious. Rapture — Andrew Ryan's underwater objectivist utopia fallen to ruin — is the most memorable setting in gaming. The 'Would you kindly' twist is not just a plot revelation but a meta-commentary on player agency and the illusion of choice in games. Ken Levine created a game that is simultaneously a satisfying shooter and a dissertation on Ayn Rand.
Read full profileGod of War (2018)(2018)
The Reinvention
“Boy became the word of the generation.”
God of War reinvented one of gaming's most iconic franchises by turning a rage-fueled hack-and-slash into a deeply personal story about fatherhood. The single continuous camera shot — no cuts, no loading screens — creates an intimacy that few games have achieved. Kratos's relationship with Atreus is gaming's best father-son dynamic. Santa Monica Studio proved that even the most bombastic franchise can grow up.
Read full profileTetris(1984)
The Eternal Game
“Pure design. Zero waste.”
Tetris is the most elegant game design in history. Seven shapes, one objective, infinite depth. Alexey Pajitnov created something so fundamentally satisfying that it transcends language, culture, and technology. It has been ported to every platform ever created and remains as addictive today as it was in 1984. When the Game Boy launched with Tetris as its killer app, it proved that gameplay purity beats graphical fidelity every time.
Read full profileFinal Fantasy VII(1997)
The Global Breakthrough
“The game that brought RPGs to the world.”
Final Fantasy VII did not invent the JRPG, but it brought the genre to a global audience. Aerith's death remains the most shocking moment in gaming — a permanent loss that broke the rules of what games were supposed to do. The Materia system, the Midgar opening, and Sephiroth's iconic villainy created a cultural phenomenon that transcended gaming. Square proved that games could tell stories that stayed with you for life.
Read full profileHalo: Combat Evolved(2001)
The Console FPS King
“The game that built Xbox.”
Halo: Combat Evolved proved that first-person shooters could work on consoles. The two-weapon limit, regenerating shields, and vehicular combat created a formula that every subsequent console FPS adopted. The Silent Cartographer is one of the best levels in gaming history. Master Chief became an icon, the multiplayer spawned a competitive scene, and Microsoft had its system seller. Without Halo, there is no Xbox.
Read full profileMetal Gear Solid(1998)
The Auteur's Vision
“Stealth became an art form.”
Metal Gear Solid proved that stealth could be the foundation of an entire game, not just an optional approach. Hideo Kojima blended cinematic storytelling with fourth-wall-breaking genius — Psycho Mantis reading your memory card, the codec frequency on the back of the CD case — to create something that felt alive and aware of itself. Snake's mission in Shadow Moses Island is a masterclass in tension, spectacle, and postmodern narrative.
Read full profileShadow of the Colossus(2005)
The Art Statement
“Every boss is the entire game.”
Shadow of the Colossus is the strongest argument that video games are art. Sixteen colossi, no filler, no enemies between fights — just a vast, empty landscape and the growing weight of what you are doing. Each colossus is simultaneously a boss fight and a puzzle, and the emotional toll of destroying these majestic creatures is the entire point. Fumito Ueda proved that subtraction is the most powerful design tool of all.
Read full profileResident Evil 4(2005)
The Camera Revolution
“Survival horror reloaded.”
Resident Evil 4 reinvented survival horror by introducing the over-the-shoulder camera that every third-person shooter still uses today. The village siege, the lake monster, the Regenerators — every section introduces a new mechanic or threat that keeps you off balance. Shinji Mikami threw out everything that was not working and rebuilt the franchise from the ground up. It is the most influential action game of the 2000s.
Read full profileBloodborne(2015)
The Gothic Nightmare
“Gothic horror perfected.”
Bloodborne took the Souls formula and drowned it in Lovecraftian horror. The shift from shields to aggressive rally-based combat created FromSoftware's most visceral game. Yharnam is a nightmarish Victorian city where the architecture itself feels hostile, and the mid-game genre pivot from werewolf horror to cosmic horror is one of gaming's greatest twists. It is the most atmospheric game FromSoftware has ever made.
Read full profileCeleste(2018)
The Indie Triumph
“Precision platforming with a heart.”
Celeste is a precision platformer about climbing a mountain and confronting your inner demons — and it succeeds brilliantly at both. The controls are pixel-perfect, the level design escalates beautifully, and the story about anxiety and self-acceptance is told with a sincerity that most AAA games cannot match. The assist mode set the standard for accessibility in difficult games. Matt Thorson and the team proved that indie games can stand shoulder to shoulder with any blockbuster.
Read full profileFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best video game of all time?
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) is widely considered the greatest video game ever made. It scored a perfect 30/30 across gameplay, innovation, and legacy. It defined 3D adventure gaming, introduced Z-targeting and context-sensitive controls, and set the template for every 3D action-adventure that followed. Over 25 years later, its design principles remain the foundation of the genre.
How are the games scored?
Each game is scored across three dimensions: Gameplay (controls, mechanics, fun factor), Innovation (how much it pushed the medium forward), and Legacy (lasting influence on the industry and culture). Each dimension is scored out of 10 for a maximum total of 30. Ties are broken by the strength of the game's overall cultural and industry impact.
Why are older games ranked so highly?
Older games like Super Mario Bros. (1985), Tetris (1984), and Chrono Trigger (1995) score extremely well on innovation and legacy because they invented mechanics and genres that every subsequent game builds upon. Super Mario Bros. saved the entire industry. Tetris proved that pure game design beats graphical fidelity. Innovation and legacy carry enormous weight in these rankings because first-movers shaped the medium itself.
Are there any indie games on the list?
Celeste (2018) represents indie gaming at its finest, ranking #25. It started as a four-day game jam project and became one of the most acclaimed platformers ever made. Minecraft (2011), which began as an indie project by Markus 'Notch' Persson, ranks #6 and is the best-selling game in history. Both prove that a small team with a brilliant idea can stand alongside the biggest studios in the world.
What is the highest-scoring game from the 2020s?
Elden Ring (2022) is the highest-scoring game from the 2020s with 28/30. FromSoftware combined their signature punishing combat with a vast open world co-designed with George R.R. Martin. It sold 12 million copies in 18 days and won Game of the Year at virtually every major awards ceremony. It proved that difficulty and mass appeal are not mutually exclusive.
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