list of video games considered the best part of a series onvideo games platforms arcade game console game game console home console electronic game audio game electronic handheld handheld game handheld console mobile game online game social network game pc game linux mac genres action beat em up fighting platform shooter survival actionadventure stealth survival horror adventure interactive fiction interactive movie visual novel roleplaying action roleplaying tactical roleplaying simulation construction and management life simulation sports vehicle strategy multiplayer online battle arena realtime strategy realtime tactics turnbased strategy turnbased tactics massively multiplayer online lists arcade video games bestselling video games bestselling video game franchises highestgrossing video game franchises mostplayed video games by player count mostplayed mobile games by player count highestgrossing arcade games video games considered among the best game of the year awards video games notable for negative reception development game ai game design interaction design game programming level design video game art video game design video game graphics video game music vte this is a list of video games that have consistently been ranked among the best of all time by video game journalists and critics the games listed here are included on at least five separate bestgreatest of all time lists from different reliable publications while any single publications list reflects its own taste when the lists are taken in aggregate a handful of notable games have achieved something approaching critical consensus by multiple appearances in such lists list year game genre publisher original platform refs 1972 pong sports atari arcade 1977 zork adventure infocom pdp10 1978 space invaders shoot em up taito arcade 1979 asteroids shoot em up atari arcade 1980 pacman maze namco arcade 1981 defender shoot em up williams entertainment arcade donkey kong platform nintendo arcade frogger action sega arcade galaga shoot em up namco arcade 1982 joust action williams entertainment arcade ms pacman maze midway arcade pitfall platform activision atari 2600 robotron 2084 topdown shooter williams entertainment arcade 1984 elite space simulation acornsoft bbc micro tetris puzzle the tetris company electronika 60 1985 gauntlet action roleplaying atari arcade super mario bros platform nintendo nes 1986 the legend of zelda actionadventure nintendo nes 1987 contra run and gun konami arcade double dragon beat em up technos japan arcade mike tysons punchout sports nintendo nes rtype shoot em up irem arcade 1988 mega man 2 platform capcom nes ninja gaiden platform tecmo nes super mario bros 3 platform nintendo nes 1989 prince of persia platform broderbund apple ii simcity citybuilding maxis macintosh 1990 the secret of monkey island adventure lucasarts pc super mario world platform nintendo super nes 1991 the legend of zelda a link to the past actionadventure nintendo super nes lemmings puzzle psygnosis amiga monkey island 2 lechucks revenge adventure lucasarts pc sonic the hedgehog platform sega sega genesis street fighter ii fighting capcom arcade 1992 sonic the hedgehog 2 platform sega sega genesis super mario kart kart racing nintendo super nes wolfenstein 3d firstperson shooter apogee software pc 1993 day of the tentacle adventure lucasarts pc daytona usa racing sega arcade doom firstperson shooter id software pc the legend of zelda links awakening actionadventure nintendo game boy mortal kombat ii fighting midway arcade myst adventure broderbund macintosh nba jam sports midway arcade phantasy star iv roleplaying sega sega genesis sam max hit the road adventure lucasarts pc secret of mana action roleplaying square super nes simcity 2000 citybuilding maxis macintosh 1994 donkey kong country platform nintendo super nes earthbound roleplaying nintendo super nes final fantasy vi roleplaying square super nes star wars tie fighter space simulation lucasarts pc super metroid actionadventure nintendo super nes ufo enemy unknown turnbased strategy microprose pc 1995 chrono trigger roleplaying square super nes warcraft ii tides of darkness realtime strategy blizzard entertainment pc wipeout racing psygnosis playstation yoshis island platform nintendo super nes 1996 civilization ii turnbased strategy microprose pc command conquer red alert realtime strategy virgin interactive pc nights into dreams action sega sega saturn pokmon red and blue roleplaying nintendo game boy quake firstperson shooter gt interactive pc resident evil survival horror capcom playstation super mario 64 platform nintendo nintendo 64 tomb raider actionadventure eidos interactive sega saturn 1997 castlevania symphony of the night actionadventure konami playstation final fantasy tactics tactical roleplaying square playstation final fantasy vii roleplaying square playstation goldeneye 007 firstperson shooter nintendo nintendo 64 gran turismo racing sony computer entertainment playstation quake ii firstperson shooter activision pc star fox 64 shoot em up nintendo nintendo 64 star wars jedi knight dark forces ii firstperson shooter lucasarts pc tekken 3 fighting namco arcade ultima online mmorpg electronic arts pc 1998 dance dance revolution rhythm konami arcade grim fandango adventure lucasarts pc halflife firstperson shooter sierra studios pc the legend of zelda ocarina of time actionadventure nintendo nintendo 64 metal gear solid stealth konami playstation panzer dragoon saga roleplaying sega sega saturn resident evil 2 survival horror capcom playstation soulcalibur fighting namco arcade starcraft realtime strategy blizzard entertainment pc thief the dark project stealth eidos interactive pc 1999 age of empires ii realtime strategy microsoft game studios pc everquest mmorpg sony online entertainment pc homeworld realtime strategy sierra studios pc planescape torment roleplaying interplay entertainment pc shenmue adventure sega dreamcast silent hill survival horror konami playstation system shock 2 firstperson shooter electronic arts pc 2000 baldurs gate ii shadows of amn roleplaying black isle studios pc counterstrike firstperson shooter valve corporation pc deus ex action roleplaying eidos interactive pc diablo ii action roleplaying blizzard entertainment pc jet set radio platform sega dreamcast the legend of zelda majoras mask actionadventure nintendo nintendo 64 the sims life simulation electronic arts pc tony hawks pro skater 2 sports activision playstation 2001 advance wars turnbased tactics nintendo game boy advance animal crossing life simulation nintendo nintendo 64 final fantasy x roleplaying square playstation 2 gran turismo 3 aspec racing sony computer entertainment playstation 2 grand theft auto iii actionadventure rockstar games playstation 2 halo combat evolved firstperson shooter microsoft game studios xbox ico actionadventure sony computer entertainment playstation 2 max payne thirdperson shooter gathering of developers pc metal gear solid 2 sons of liberty stealth konami playstation 2 rez shoot em up sega dreamcast silent hill 2 survival horror konami playstation 2 super smash bros melee fighting nintendo gamecube 2002 grand theft auto vice city actionadventure rockstar games playstation 2 the legend of zelda the wind waker actionadventure nintendo gamecube metroid prime actionadventure nintendo gamecube 2003 prince of persia the sands of time actionadventure ubisoft playstation 2 star wars knights of the old republic roleplaying lucasarts xbox warioware inc mega microgames action nintendo game boy advance 2004 burnout 3 takedown racing electronic arts playstation 2 xbox grand theft auto san andreas actionadventure rockstar games playstation 2 halflife 2 firstperson shooter valve corporation pc katamari damacy action namco playstation 2 metal gear solid 3 snake eater stealth konami playstation 2 world of warcraft mmorpg blizzard entertainment pc 2005 civilization iv turnbased strategy 2k games pc devil may cry 3 dantes awakening actionadventure capcom playstation 2 god of war actionadventure sony computer entertainment playstation 2 guitar hero rhythm redoctane playstation 2 resident evil 4 survival horror capcom gamecube shadow of the colossus actionadventure sony computer entertainment playstation 2 tom clancys splinter cell chaos theory stealth ubisoft xbox 2006 the elder scrolls iv oblivion roleplaying bethesda softworks pc xbox 360 gears of war thirdperson shooter microsoft game studios xbox 360 kami actionadventure capcom playstation 2 wii sports sports nintendo wii 2007 bioshock firstperson shooter 2k games pc xbox 360 call of duty 4 modern warfare firstperson shooter activision pc playstation 3 xbox 360 god of war ii actionadventure sony computer entertainment playstation 2 halo 3 firstperson shooter microsoft game studios xbox 360 portal puzzle platformer valve corporation pc xbox 360 super mario galaxy platform nintendo wii team fortress 2 firstperson shooter valve corporation pc 2008 braid puzzle platformer microsoft game studios xbox 360 dead space survival horror electronic arts playstation 3 xbox 360 fallout 3 action roleplaying bethesda softworks pc playstation 3 xbox 360 grand theft auto iv actionadventure rockstar games playstation 3 xbox 360 left 4 dead firstperson shooter valve corporation pc littlebigplanet platform sony computer entertainment playstation 3 persona 4 roleplaying atlus playstation 2 spelunky platform derek yu pc 2009 assassins creed ii actionadventure ubisoft playstation 3 xbox 360 batman arkham asylum actionadventure warner bros interactive entertainment playstation 3 xbox 360 uncharted 2 among thieves actionadventure sony computer entertainment playstation 3 2010 limbo platform microsoft game studios xbox 360 mass effect 2 action roleplaying electronic arts pc xbox 360 red dead redemption actionadventure rockstar games playstation 3 xbox 360 rock band 3 rhythm mtv games playstation 3 xbox 360 wii nintendo ds super mario galaxy 2 platform nintendo wii super meat boy platform team meat xbox 360 2011 batman arkham city actionadventure warner bros interactive entertainment playstation 3 xbox 360 dark souls action roleplaying namco bandai games playstation 3 xbox 360 the elder scrolls v skyrim action roleplaying bethesda softworks pc playstation 3 xbox 360 minecraft sandbox mojang pc portal 2 puzzleplatformer valve corporation pc playstation 3 xbox 360 2012 dishonored stealth bethesda softworks pc playstation 3 xbox 360 fire emblem awakening turnbased strategy nintendo nintendo 3ds journey adventure sony computer entertainment playstation 3 mass effect 3 action roleplaying electronic arts pc playstation 3 xbox 360 the walking dead adventure telltale games pc playstation 3 xbox 360 2013 dota 2 moba valve corporation pc grand theft auto v actionadventure rockstar games playstation 3 xbox 360 the last of us actionadventure sony computer entertainment playstation 3 2015 bloodborne action roleplaying sony computer entertainment playstation 4 the witcher 3 wild hunt action roleplaying cd projekt pc playstation 4 xbox one 2016 inside platform playdead xbox one overwatch firstperson shooter blizzard entertainment pc playstation 4 xbox one 2017 the legend of zelda breath of the wild actionadventure nintendo nintendo switch wii u list publication list 1 next generation 1996 list 2 next generation 1999 list 3 entertainment weekly 2003 list 4 ign 2003 list 5 the age 2005 list 6 ign 2005 list 7 yahoo 2005 list 8 ign 2007 list 9 empire 2009 list 10 game informer 2009 list 11 fhm 2010 list 12 gamestm 2010 list 13 g4 2012 list 14 time 2012 list 15 gamesradar 2013 list 16 gamingbolt 2013 list 17 slant magazine 2014 list 18 popular mechanics 2014 list 19 ign 2015 list 20 edge 2015 list 21 hardcore gaming 101 2015 list 22 time 2016 list 23 edge 2017 list 24 stufftv 2017 list 25 thewrap 2017 list 26 whatculture 2017 list 27 polygon 2017 list 28 game informer 2018 list 29 ign 2018 list 30 slant magazine 2018 list of bestselling video games list of game of the year awards list of video games notable for negative reception notes 