The VGC Top 100 Best Games of All Time, #10-1 - News

by VGChartz Staff , posted on 29 May 2009 / 139,632 Views

About a month ago, we started this Top 100 Best Games of All Time list with Silent Hill 2. Now we've reached the grande finale--the 10 best games ever according to our members. Obviously not everyone can be happy with every choice, but some issues aside, I think we've had a wonderful tribute to the gaming world.

10. Super Mario World

When the Super NES launched, Nintendo made the genius move of packing in the latest entry in the then-most popular franchise in video games. Although Miyamoto has repeatedly stated that he's not totally happy with Super Mario World, it's still an amazing game. Despite the fantastic graphics, refined platforming, and timeless music, perhaps the game's most memorable credit is the introduction of everyone's favourite green dinosaur, Yoshi!

Platform: SNES

9. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

After the success of The Legend of Zelda on the NES, it was inevitable that the series would continue on the Super NES. And how! Gone was the side-scrolling perspective found in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. A Link to the Past reverts to an overhead perspective similar to that of the original. At the beginning of A Link to the Past, a young boy named Link is awakened by a telepathic message from Princess Zelda, who says that she is locked in the dungeon of Hyrule Castle. As the message closes, Link finds his uncle ready for battle, telling him to remain in bed. Ever the video game hero, Link ignores the command and follows him to Hyrule Castle. When he arrives, he finds his uncle seriously wounded, and is instructed to rescue Princess Zelda from her prison with his new sword and shield. After his uncle passes out, Link navigates the castle and rescues Zelda from her cell, and the two escape into a secret passage through the sewers that leads to a sanctuary. This is only the prologue to the true adventure. Many innovations that were unique at the time, especially the changes from the light world to the dark world, make this an extremely memorable experience.

Platform: SNES

8. Final Fantasy VI

Originally released in in America as Final Fantasy III, this game is another Super Nintendo game. Combat in Final Fantasy VI is menu-based, in which the player selects an action from a list of such options as Fight, Magic, and Item. A maximum of four characters may be used in battles, which uses the series' traditional Active Time Battle system, or ATB, which was designed by Hiroyuki Itō and first featured in Final Fantasy IV. In contrast to the medieval settings featured in previous Final Fantasy titles, Final Fantasy VI is set in a steampunk environment. The structure of society parallels that of the latter half of the 19th century, with opera and the fine arts serving as recurring motifs throughout the game. The fact that Final Fantasy VI is often named best the Final Fantasy game says enough: this is a must play for anyone.

Platforms: SNES, GBA

7. Resident Evil 4

A lone multiplatform game in a list that's dominated by exclusives, Resident Evil 4 isn't just any game. The only PlayStation 2 generation game in the Top 10 is a technical marvel. Mikami wanted to reimage the Resident Evil series and did it in a fantastic way. As former Racoon City police officer Leon Kennedy you arrive in a small Spanish village to rescue the kidnapped daughter of the US President only to discover the locals are less than friendly. The gameplay focuses on action, horror, and shootouts involving crowds of enemies in large open areas. This is a departure from the previous games in the series which focused on exploration and conservation of ammunition.

Platforms: Gamecube, PlayStation 2, PC, Wii

6. Super Mario 64

In 1996 Nintendo revolutionized videogaming once again. The power of the N64 made a true 3D platformer possible for the first time ever, and Miyamoto showed why he's the best game creator ever. When there are boudaries he will break them. In this case, Super Mario 64 was the first to use a dynamic camera system and had great implementation of its analog controls. Super Mario 64 begins with a letter from Princess Peach inviting Mario to come to her castle for a cake she has baked for him, however, when he arrives, Mario discovers that Bowser has invaded the castle and imprisoned the princess and her servants within it using the power of the castle's 120 Power Stars. Many of the castle's paintings are portals to other worlds, in which Bowser's minions keep watch over the stars.

Platform: N64

5. Super Mario Galaxy

After the disapointing Super Mario Sunshine on Gamecube many thought the glory of Mario was over. How wrong they were. With Super Mario Galaxy Nintendo proved they still have the magic touch to create the perfect platformer. Mario is sent to space this time and the numerous strange planets function as the backdrop for the adventure. The big draw is the new physics system that allows for a unique feature: each celestial object has its own gravitational force, allowing the player to completely circumnavigate rounded or irregular planetoids, walking sideways or upside down, which makes for a great platforming experience.

Platform: Wii

4. Metal Gear Solid 4 : Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots has the distinguished honor of gaining the title of VGChartz' best game of the current generation. Metal Gear Solid is one of the few series' that managed to get all games in this Top 100, which shows the extreme quality of the series and its creator Hideo Kojima. Metal Gear Solid 4 is set five years after the Big Shell incident (depicted in Metal Gear Solid 2), in 2014. The world economy is based on continuous war, fueled by Private Military Companies, which constitute the majority among nations' armies. Snake accepts a request by Roy Campbell to terminate Liquid, with Otacon and Sunny providing mission support from the Nomad aircraft. Amazing graphics, fabulous (and abundant) cutscenes and gameplay that let's the player decide between sneaking or attacking. This game shows what can be done on current-generation hardware.

Platform: PlayStation 3

3. Super Mario Bros. 3

Kicking of the Top 3 is a golden oldie. A fabulous 2D platformer that is still a blast to play. The game centers on the quest of Mario and Luigi to save the rulers of seven kingdoms from Bowser. The two brothers must travel across eight worlds to restore order to the Mushroom World. Super Mario 3 took the amazing gameplay from the first game and improved it in every possible way. Bigger and more varied levels, an interactive overworld map and power-ups that transformed Mario or Luigi in a Frog, Statue or Raccoon (that could fly...). Super Mario Bros 3 proves that games don't need technology to be fantastic.

Platform: NES, GBA

2. Final Fantasy VII

A legendary title in a legendary series. There's a reason the internet explodes when rumours about the remake appear. Final Fantasy VII is the most popular JRPG ever and one that made millions and millions stick to their PlayStation for numerous hours. The PlayStation's CD-ROM medium allowed for never seen before cutscenes that proved to become a standard for the genre. The game's setting follows in the footsteps of Final Fantasy VI by presenting a world with considerably more advanced technology than the first five games in the series. Overall, the game's technology and society approximates that of near-future science fiction. Final Fantasy VII's story centers on mercenary Cloud Strife who joins with several others to stop the megacorporation Shin-Ra, which is draining the life of the planet to use as an energy source. As the story progresses, the situation escalates and Cloud and his allies must battle the game's main antagonist, Sephiroth. The most popular RPG of all time is the second best game of all time and rightfully so.

Platform: PlayStation

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Our readers have spoken and it wasn't close. With an overwhelming majority The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is chosen as the best game ever created. What can still be said about this game? Almost everyone knows about it and many have played it, whether on the N64, Gamecube or more recently on the Wii Virtual Console. The game remains a timeless masterpiece that can still stand up to the competition, despite being over 10 years old. Many will remember the feeling they experienced when exiting Kokiri Village for the first time and entering Hyrule Field, or the first time they travelled through time. Many gamers still get the Song of Time or Zelda's Lullaby stuck in their heads. Or nightmares about the infamous Water Temple. Sure things like Z-targetting and the giant open world were revolutionary for its time, but what most of all makes this the best game ever is its unique soul and the fact that it's an amazing adventure.

Platform: N64

Missed one? Check out a previous installment!

Numbers 20-11

Numbers 30-21

Numbers 40-31

Numbers 50-41

Numbers 60-51

Numbers 70-61

Numbers 80-71

Numbers 90-81

Numbers 100-91

The VGC Top 100 Best Games of All Time is based entirely on votes by our members. The source for the list can be found here . Only games released before January 1st 2009 are included.

226 Comments

Tecnolyzed (on 10 October 2011)

How can i see the other pages till the n 100? It doesn't work.

darkdayz (on 28 May 2010)

jesus christ im so sick of mario stink all over the place nice to see resident evil 4 up there seriously

ARCWuLF (on 10 May 2010)

Here's what I think of your Zelda:

http://gamegripe.blogspot.com/2008/09/game-that-ended-it-all-zelda-ocarina-of.html

ARCWuLF (on 10 May 2010)

Also, I have to agree with pacman91: Super Mario World is better than Super Mario 3. Mario 3 did have a buttload of power-ups, but the argument that I get from most people was that Mario 3 was "bigger," usually because they cite that it had more stages. While this last part may be true, if you ever actually compare the size of a typical Mario 3 stage to a Mario World stage, the Mario World stages are comparatively massive, and usually involve more exploration. In terms of sheer square area, Mario World dwarfs Mario 3.

But, Mario 3 did have the Hammer Bros. suit, so it's still a tough call.

ARCWuLF (on 10 May 2010)

I will never -- NEVER -- understand why everyone thinks that the N64 Mario and Zelda games are better than the SNES ones. I realize that a lot of you might be hypnotized by the blurry textures of 3D movement, but to me a real Mario game has fire flowers and difficulty based on skill, not technology (could you possibly have worse camera control in a game? I think not), and a real Zelda game doesn't force me to use inane puzzle solving to defeat bosses (really, I can't just hurt the boss with my sword? I have to use the hookshot, or boomerang, or arrows to knock the boss down to hit it with my sword, then repeat two more times, every time? Really?) , listen to an annoying fairy every other minute or so, force me to (pointlessly) memorize songs to do trivial things, and cuts out the LEGEND OF ZELDA THEME MUSIC I HAVE COME TO KNOW AND LOVE leaving the whole experience feeling like a shell of what came before.

Before you criticize me for being a retro fanboy, I love some other 3D platformers (the original Jak & Daxter and Psychonauts among them - though I suppose those are now considered "retro") and I have no problem with 2D franchises that I love going 3D, as long as they maintain the feel of what made the original great (Metroid Prime), but Mario 64 and Zelda TOoT are just far too overrated.

pacman91 (on 15 April 2010)

Why do people consider super mario 3 better than super mario world. I admit, I do have a bit of a bias b/c I grew up on the snes. Still, I think super mario world is superior in just about every way. To me Super mario world is perfection

pizzahut451 (on 14 April 2010)

nintendo bias too much?

IrishCollie (on 27 March 2010)

Metal Gear Solid > Metal Gear Solid 4

Gearbox (on 01 January 2010)

upgrade to pro today! bandwidth exceeded.... gahh stupid photobucket

Matdan1212 (on 21 December 2009)

Terrible list. COD 4 on there but no Battlefield games whom COD4 ripped off? GoW 1 and half of those old games are crowding this too.

Podings (on 15 December 2009)

Woah... Metal Gear Solid 4 in 4th, huh?

I guess these lists end up saying frightfully little when they try to be democratic.

revolver777 (on 15 December 2009)

Any list with Half Life or Half Life 2 not at the #1 spot is a complete and utter joke. Ocarino of Time is amazing, but should be #2, and Final Fantasy VII does not deserve to be in the top 5. If you're going to create a top 100 games list it should definitely take into account what the game has done for its genre, as well as the entire industry of gaming itself.

hitsu (on 19 November 2009)

Zelda???oh come on....I think FF 7 is much better than zelda...

Gintoki (on 15 November 2009)

Agree with most of this.

Shonen (on 19 October 2009)

What to say ....Ocarina of time IS the best game ever made ...

pixelfrenzy (on 19 October 2009)

I'm an old-school gamer and the list specifically says "Best Games of ALL TIME" ... but I m dis-satisfied by the list. So many great games never made it in the list. Not enough PC titles too ... Many of the classics have been over-shadowed .. I guess it is because there were more ppl from the new generation who voted in the list.. here's a list of games tht should have been in the list [maybe not in top 10, but definately somewhere on the list]:
Duke Nukem 3D
Carmageddon series
Megaman series
Prince of Persia [classic DOS based]
Pong
Counter-Strike
Team Fortress 1 or 2
Terminal Velocity
Shadow Warrior
Space Invaders
Contra <-- how can u miss this game ??? :S
Death Rally
Dave
Castlevania series
Wolfenstein
RoadRash
And tonnes of other games tht deserved atleast a mention in the list...

consoloid (on 20 September 2009)

now thats what I call a good List....

(except, wheres Goldeneye, Metroid and Mass Effect? they really should have been in the top ten list..., too many Mario Games..,

Mario 64 should have been before Mario Galaxy.....

and if MGS4's in the top ten, then Gears of War schould have been there too.....)

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Spring (on 08 September 2009)

@ desmondau
that would work if consumers all had the same opinion about games. Unfortunately, by comparing best-selling titles, Wii Sports would be the greatest game of all time with 40+ million units sold XD (plus, Earthbound wouldn't even be on the list :( )

nomorehalo (on 01 September 2009)

The link to Numbers 20-11 just goes to 30-21.

Funny, I guessed at the digits at the end of the address and found the right one: http://news.vgchartz.com/news.php?id=3700

Tyravinor (on 01 September 2009)

Too many console games... There are many pc games that are best than many console games that i see here.

Es. Monkey Island, Mafia, Max Payne, Ultima, Duke Nukem, F1 Grand Prix (Microprose), Populous, Prince of Persia, Gothic, Sims, Sim City, and many more :)

desmondau (on 13 August 2009)

It is hard to do justice to any game simply by voting.

Why not get a list of best-selling ever. At least, there is number to be reckoned with.

Evil_peanutbutter (on 11 August 2009)

Also, if guys were gonna put classics like tetris... what happened with the huge icon of vid games Pac Man, or galaga, digdui,etc.

Evil_peanutbutter (on 11 August 2009)

When i started watching from the hundred i swore i wasnt gonna get mad for the final results of the list, but lets face it the almost the like 50 of the games are misedplaced and a bunch of great games didnt came out: I was seriously expecting any of the Ratchet and Clank, Resistance, Prince of Persia, killzone,sly cooper, etc. games to come out!!! But pisses me more than no watching them games onthe list, is watching freaging Mario Galaxy in 5th, i mean sure the game is great, but not even near better to some games yall left behind.

I agree with number 1,3,4,6 and 7. Some of them are overplaced but they deserve to be very near their position. Number 5 is seriously a big mistake.

jajojajota (on 06 August 2009)

Eso es todo lo que tengo que decir sobre esta lista.

jajojajota (on 06 August 2009)

Sois todos una panda de hijos de la gran puta, macacos.

You, horde of bastard retards are all like monkeys blessing really stupid games of nintendo. I hope you all die slow and painfully.

Kisses.

CakeIsALieRunningDry (on 22 July 2009)

@ Selnor

Wow, Selnor, your post is filled with one sense of rubbish after another.

First off, the readers voted the list, so obviously the fan favorite games will make the cut, no matter how many games from a single franchise are represented.

I have made myself clear that I don't particularly like MGS4, and I would never consider it close to top ten material, but oh well other people like it.

And quite frankly Super Mario Galaxy DOES deserve to be on there. That and Resident Evil 4 are the only games from the 2000s that should be there. And also quite frankly I can't find any noticable fault in Galaxy, whereas Mario 64's camera could have used improvement. Have you actually played Galaxy my good sir? It seems the majority of people are quite astonished by it.

And of those three game you suggested for the top ten, only Gran Turismo can put up a true argument. That game was indeed a legendary racer that should be remembered. Halo should have a spot on the top 100, but top ten is definitely pushing it. Halo proves to become more obsolete as more entries in the franchise are released, it doesn't have a timeless factor to it as a few other franchises do.

And Mass Effect?! A top ten game?! The best RPG ever?! This is clearly a daft statement of a fanboy. Mass Effect is riddled with flaws, glitches, choppy frames, some of the worst AI in history. I would never put Mass Effect on a list of best RPGs, let alone a best of all time list.

Thank heavens people like you didn't control the outcome of the list, for that would have been quite the mess.

jahnerd (on 18 July 2009)

While I agree with the quality of MOST of these games I'm really dissappointed with VGC's voters for the lack of variety in their top 100. With only 2 different survival-horror franchises represented (Silent Hill & Resident Evil. I would have voted Fatal Frame 2 my No.1) and with no sporting games represented (unless I count Gran Turismo. Where are the Tiger Woods, Maddens, NBAs (And I'm Australian and don't even follow these sports), the Fight Nights, Tony Hawks, Smackdown vs Raw Wrestling, etc? (All acknowledged as the best of their genres)), and with big names like the Tomb Raider series, Socom series, Medal of Honor series, Fable 1&2, Tekken series, Syphon Filter series, Ratchet & Clank series, Prince of Persia series, to name a few, all unrepresented. Not to mention flying games (Ace Combat), driving games (Need for Speed, Burnout, Toca, Formula 1), old school format games (Wizball, Wonderboy, Gauntlet, Ghosts & Goblins, ....geez I don't care...how about Pacman & Space Invaders) etc, etc. What is with the rpg (especially jrpg)/nintendo sycophantism?

I'm starting to get a theory about all this. Action/adventure players are more likely to be trying to beat the next tricky bit in the level. Sports/driving/beat 'em up players are too busy trying to thrash their mates. Horror survival fans mix watching/reading the latest thrill a minute sensation released in between playing sessions. But (j)rpg followers can only get their menu fix outside of games by websearching and list filling.

Now before any fanboy starts a flaming war against me can I just say I appreciate the irony of my contribution to this board concerning the last paragraphs sentence, I write the last paragraph as an introspective jest, I don't hate nintendo or favour any other manufacturer, I really enjoy seeing lists like this cause they make me reflect on what it is I like/dislike about this medium I love so much, I really like rpg's, I really love all things Japanese, & I hope something of what I've said has been thought provoking.

I only came across this list right now. I don't now the rules for voting but if it was for your top ten well here's mine:

Fatal Frame 2 (Xbox)
God of War 2 (PS2)
Resident Evil 4 (PS2)
Wizball (C64)
Final Fantasy VII (PS1)
Wonderboy (Sega Master System)
GTA:San Andreas (Xbox)
Super Mario Bros Collection (1-3) (SNES)
Daytona (Arcade) (Cause of the many drunken pub thrashings)
Super Mario Kart (SNES)

selnor (on 15 July 2009)

WOW. What a load of absolute tosh. I never knew VGChartz acyual writers were biased beyond belief. This has to be THE worst top 10 ever. Then again the site is predominantly Sony and Nintendo, and you have to keep the traffic coming back. What better way than to keep your main userbase happy.

WTF is MGS4 doing in the top 10. LOL. Also WTF is Mario Galaxy doing there?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No way should it be considered better than Mario 64!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Not even better than Mario World.

Resident Evil 4?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh man this top 10 is fail.

Where is Gran Turismo 1?????

Where is Mass Effect???????

Where is Halo 1??????

These 3 games are musts for top 10.

Mass Effect the greatest RPG ever.
Gran Turismo 1 redefined the way driving games were done.
Halo redefined FPS on consoles and made them popular on a massive scale.

DynamicDevil (on 08 July 2009)

How is X-Com: UFO Defense not even on this list?

CakeIsALieRunningDry (on 26 June 2009)

@ NKAJ and Kyuu

Yes, it is nice to know there are some gamers on the internet who are still capable of acting civil and respecting the opinions of others. It's good to know we all have actual reasons as to why we like the games we like.
And it is definitely good to know that not every gamer is like that of the GameFAQs crowd.... shudders

Good luck to you both.

And yes this response is rather late. But I hadn't checked this list again until today...

NKAJ (on 13 June 2009)

@CakelsALieRunningDry

well it looks like we got that sorted out,my opnion of online forum things has just risen....thanks to people not just calling each other obscentaties and instead having a balanced argument

CakeIsALieRunningDry (on 12 June 2009)

@Kyuu

Of course you have your opinion and of course I have mine. I am not trying to make my opinions facts I merely have the facts to prove my opinions valid.

I'm not expecting you to think "EDGE magazine said it so it must be true" or anything of that sort. I'm merely stating how (as I previously said) the artistically minded gamer sees Mario as a work of art (despite the lack of story) while they don't see Metal Gear (with its "deep" story) as artistic. As such, my point is proven that story-lines aren't what make games artistic and good.

And I apologize for using the word "idiot" it was not only uncalled for but also uncharacteristic. But if someone were to not like Tetris, and they had the gull to call themselves a gamer, it would be hard to think of many more fitting words.

CakeIsALieRunningDry (on 12 June 2009)

@ NKAJ

Now you are making a more valid point. Though of course I still disagree at least this post seemed a bit more intellectual as opposed to offensive.

I can actually see the allure of LittleBigPlanet, and I know I'm a bit "over harsh" on most games these days. I can see why people are fascinated by it, but I just don't find the actual gameplay fun if not for one reason, the jumping. I'm sorry but the jumping just feels slow and somewhat broken. And for a platformer, that's a huge draw back. That and the fact that the average gamer today has very limited imagination and nearly any level you download is sure to include at least a few....umm...let's just say "unmentionables" in the background (of course I don't hold this against the game itself.). With that said, there were a few levels I played that showed promise.

I just don't think LittleBigPlanet (as a game) offers a very deep experience. I played it well enough to form a strong opinion of it, but it never left me wanting more. And it didn't leave much of an impact.

To say Mario has no depth is a bit silly, Mario pretty much created depth in gaming. And to this day, Super Mario World (and it's prequel) offer a deeper experience than nearly any other game ever made.

And of course people voted this list and voted for Metal Gear, I'm not holding it against people for voting their favorites into the list. The whole thing that started my ranting was a certain someone's mud slinging to one of the few video games that could rightfully be deemed "culturally significant." It was pretty much a slap to the face of the artistry of game design.

And of course I know EDGE's opinion is EDGE's opinion, I don't expect everyone to agree with it. I was merely making a point in that if the artistically minded find Mario to pretty much be the epitome of the medium, but don't see much artistic quality in Metal Gear, than obviously the "deep story" of Metal Gear adds nothing to its artistic depth while Mario, with the most simple plots, is considered a work of art because of everything else. Hence, it proves my point that storylines don't make games.

If someone's favorite game is MGS4 than that's fine by me, but to act as though it's some inapproachable masterpiece and Mario is some kind of side show is simply dumbfounding.

And yes, it was a bit harsh (and uncharacteristic) of me to use a word like "idiot." But I should point out that I didn't directly refer to him as such, but rather I said if he found Tetris to be a bad game due to the lack of story than he must be blinded by rabid fanboyism and anything he would say from then on would just make him look like an "idiot."

And yes, I am harsh on today's games, likely due to the fact that they simply aren't as endearing as they used to be (not to mention the rise of extreme fanboyism that seemed to have began with FF7). To be honest, the only two games from the 2000s that I can see people playing 10 years from now are Super Mario Galaxy and Resident Evil 4, maybe Half-Life 2 (because it's so wonderful), but it's hard to call on that one.

But maybe I am too harsh on LittleBigPlanet, I see it's appeal but it just doesn't stick with me. I guess so long as it's not Grand Theft Auto I shouldn't hate on it too badly. At least LittleBigPlanet doesn't make gaming look like the pastime of the scum of the earth.

Nunza (on 11 June 2009)

Well, not a suprise that top 10 was Japan only.

NKAJ (on 11 June 2009)

@CakelsALieRunningDry

umm yeah sorry you think im a metal gear fanboy?i played about 30 mintues of MGS3 and have only just got MGS4 this week so yeah im not exactly a MG fanboy.

Sorry you were saying that LBP is just a platfromer with no depth,well arnt most mario games platformers?And i woudnt really say mario has a lot of depth to it and to be honest nothing to compare to the depth of LBP which was one of the few games that i found funny(with its really quirky charecters and ideas),and yes i have actually played mario.

Sorry i said that what you said was crap whereas you called Kyuu an idiot.slightly worse?

well yes tetris may outlive mgs4 but i dont really care mainly cos ones a endlessly repetitve game consisting of something that holds my attention for a few mintues whereas the other one is voted the best game this generation.

im not saying tetris is bad but i think theres a reason why MGS4 ranks much better.

i dont really care if EDGE voted four mario in the top ten while MGS4 didnt make it at all,thats there opinion.Just like i dont care if you think tetris is the best game ever but i do care when you challenge MGS4 s position,it was voted there.Yup, voted which shoes that people found it good so dont argue againsnt it being there because everybody had a chance to vote.

CakeIsALieRunningDry (on 10 June 2009)

@Kyuu and NKAJ

Between the two of you the only truly valid point made was what NKAJ said about LittleBigPlanet..but allow me to explain on that.

LittleBigPlanet's level editor (or creator, which ever people prefer to call it), is no doubt great and allows for seemingly endless possibilities. However, the actual gameplay is virtually just a platformer with any and all depth removed from the gameplay, and worse still, the jumping mechanic seems a bit dodgy. You can make incredible levels, but you can't make sackboy any more fun to play.

And of course you Metal Gear fanboys are going to agree with each other and say you know what you're talking about, but to use words like "crap" and to and accuse me of being a fanboy is an ignorant statement just there.

I don't like Super Mario Sunshine all that much, and I don't think Ocarina of Time is near the game so many people seem to make it out to be. I am no Nintendo or Mario fanboy, I'm merely someone who has played games for a very, very long time and I know what makes them good. And it certainly isn't story.

Video games are a different medium than movies or novels, in those mediums, story is THE requirement. In video games, story is merely a side dish that is complimentary to the gameplay when it's there. Or it is a detriment that holds it down, like in Metal Gear or Kingdom Hearts.

And I do not hate the Metal Gear series as a whole either. The original MGS on the PS1 was one of the best games on the console and that generation. Metal Gear Solid 3 was also a fun game, and had characters delightful enough to help redeem all that story, but MGS4 was like 2 all over again. An overrated game with a very un-enjoyable and dragged out plot.

Let's put it this way.

If I were watching a movie (may as well) with the same kind of plot and dialogue as Metal Gear Solid 4, I would find it convoluted and poorly written. It would leave a bad taste in my mouth like any bad movie would.

Metal Gear Solid 4 was a step backwards from 3 in every regard (graphics aside, obviously).

Once again. Tetris offers a better overall experience than MGS ever could, and it doesn't even have characters, let alone story. And it will continue to deliver that experience decades from now when no one will even care to remember what MGS4 was.

The same goes for Mario. Mario doesn't need a story. It just doesn't. It DOES indeed deliver a better overall experience than MGS, Zelda and Final Fantasy (A Link to the Past and FF6 aside, those are truly wonderful games).

Let's put things this way. EDGE magazine's most recent "best games ever" list featured 4 Mario titles in the top ten, while MGS4 didn't even crack the top 100. And EDGE Magazine are the kinds of snoots that go on about the artistic side of gaming. So if the artistic minds of gaming see things this way, than obviously my perception of them is awfully accurate by the standards of many.

While the Metal Gear crowd will continue to use words like "crap."

NKAJ (on 10 June 2009)

@CakelsALieRunningDry

sorry never heard so much crap apart from your earlier post...
Firstly,YOU dont find MGS4 fun,that doesnt mean it isnt fun.Thats just like I find mario games boring,that doesnt mean they are boring.
Also if you think mario has creativity,ingenuity and imagination not to mention fun then why do you think lbp(which has far far FAR more creativity,you make your own levels!!!and imagination ,just look at the levels in the story) is overrated?

CakeIsALieRunningDry (on 08 June 2009)

@Kyuu

Oh so you are insinuating that Tetris is a bad game because it has no story? If that is the case, than not only are you wrong, but you are also an idiot. Harsh words yes, but true.

Metal Gear lacks nothing huh? What about fun. There's something it greatly lacks. Even if you are not watching cinematics you are answering codecs, if you are not answering codecs you still hear someone rambling seemingly endlessly as you play. But even with all that aside, Metal Gear isn't fun enough to make up for any of it. Yes, I can skip cut scenes, but I can't make the game more fun.
But it could be worse, it could be LittleBigPlanet, or worse still, Grand Theft Auto.

And To say Mario is souless is completely ignorant. Mario's story is never anything complicated, but to say it's "soulless" is downright criminal. What Mario lacks in story it more than makes up for in Creativity, ingenuity and imagination, not to mention the fun factor. These things are what makes the Mario universe, and gives it a soul.

Now please, do do the world a favor and shut up, you are insulting the intelligence of us adults.

trestres (on 06 June 2009)

Now this is something we can finally agree on! Albeit partially, due to A Link to the Past not being the Nº1 game, but hey, at least it's in this top ten and OoT is first. Can't really complain.

vitoxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (on 06 June 2009)

is ff7 that good? glad that a ps3 game was on top 10 =D

Maynard_Tool (on 05 June 2009)

Yep, OoT #1. That's all i needed

Batman...WTF? (on 04 June 2009)

@CakeIsALieRunningDry
AMEN!
Whenever I think about Super Mario 64, I get reminded of one thing. Was that cake really THAT good? That he went through all that trouble and was rewarded with a DAMN CAKE!

CakeIsALieRunningDry (on 04 June 2009)

@Kyuu

Yes, Metal Gear Solid 4 is overrated. No one will ever convince me that a "game" that you spend 90% of the game watching instead of playing could ever be considered one of the ten greatest games of all time. Even if we were talking about the original MGS on the PS1 I wouldn't have a problem, but MGS4 has to be one of the most overrated games in recent memory, and if it weren't for Grand Theft Auto and LittleBoringPlanet, it would be THE most overrated.

Games don't need stories to be great. Tetris will always be one of the greatest of all time, and it doesn't even have characters.

Mario deserves those four spots in the top ten because they are better games than...dang nearly all of them.

It is also a shame Ocarina of Time is number one with FF7 taking second, had it been A Link to the Past and FF6 it would have made a lot more sense.

Mario World is also too low (yes low). Glad it's in the top ten but really, our children will be talking about how great it is.

Also, the fact that Yoshi's Island isn't anywhere on this list is absolutely criminal. I guess all those FPSs have finally taken their toll on our intelligence. Easily a top ten material game.

But with all that said, I agree with most of the other choices in the top ten. But MGS4? Really? I guess we all have to laugh sometime.

Bladeforce (on 04 June 2009)

Are you absolutely joking with this list or are all the vgchartz posters under 30? Best games of all time? What happened to space invaders, pong? These are the ones that put the games into videogames. WHERE'S THE CLASSICS???

bardicverse (on 03 June 2009)

Good to see OOT on the list. This game was probably the most influential game to me personally, and is what eventually made me want to get into the game industry. Nice to see RE4 on there too, by far my favorite RE game. The Wii controls brought an element of fun to the game for me. Headshots have never been so sweet.

AS for people complaining about OOT being on top, FF7 on my list wouldn't even make the cut. I guess we all have our different opinions.

StreaK bardicverse (on 01 October 2015)

You're absolutely insane. What FFVII did for rpg's is equal if not even greater than what Zelda did for action/adventure. FFVII, like it or not, is groundbreaking and worldwide FAR more popular than OoT. Just you watch...the FFVII remake sales will finally show everyone just how big of an impact this game created back in '97. It has some of the most loyal fans from any videogame ever made. Rightfully so. For me, the story was the FIRST in any videogame I have played that had me emotionally connected the way a movie would do.

el_rika (on 02 June 2009)

MGS4 is a clasic of our times, simple as that, and for many the best in the series and the best gaming experience ever.

The others that made top 10 are amazing as well, so again great list !

jbee02 (on 02 June 2009)

I'm glad that my favorite Game series Resident Evil got multiple spots on this top 100 list. I'm glad that Call of Duty Modern Warfare got a better spot than Halo 3. I'm glad to see so many of my favorite games on this list

darksquall2 (on 02 June 2009)

next list will have 1# final fantasy XIII ^^

Jacrid (on 02 June 2009)

@Kyuu: Are we talking about games or playble Movies? If so, Mario deserves to be in the top ten 4 times.
For me, Metal Gear Solid was far better than MGS4... It's my second place.

First place's great. I never played Final Fantasy 7. My third place would be Pokémon xD

Thx VG-Chartz for making a list of "100 Games you have to play!" =)

elvisbin (on 02 June 2009)

For all that complain about MGS4's position: let's take a look at MGS4 fanbase (not the PS3 user base) in comparison to Mario or FF or Zelda fanbase, tell me, how could it, but not Halo3, Grand Theft Auto series, Call of Duty 4,etc, reach that far if it was a meh?

chris1_16 (on 01 June 2009)

I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!

Paperdiego (on 01 June 2009)

And Zelda continues its reign on all gaming!

Lafiel (on 01 June 2009)

my top 5 of games that didn't make the list:

1.) Panzer Dragoon Saga
2.) Ico
3.) Anno 1602
4.) Gothic 2
5.) Phantasy Star 4

Aidman (on 01 June 2009)

Vcharts Member TOP FIVE GAME'S FRANCHISE :

The Legend of Zelda Franchise.
The Final Fanasy Franchise.
The Mario Games.
The Metal Gears Franchise (which the most overrated franchise ever).
The Resident Evil Franchise.

binary solo (on 01 June 2009)

It's funny, I've never played a Mario game, and none of the summaries in this top 100 list makes me interested in playing. But that fact that 4 Mario games are in the top ten does make me want to see what all the fuss is about. I think what's held me back with Mario games is the movie, which looked just awful

Araknie (on 01 June 2009)

Resident Evil 4 no please!!!! XD

Ckoal (on 01 June 2009)

@Seraphic_Sixaxis
Mario Galaxy is Current Gen.

Dante G (on 01 June 2009)

Nice top 10. I'm proud to say I've played and finished 9 out of 10 of those games. The only one I haven't played is MGS4 because of my lack of PS3. Maybe, if they drop the PS3's price, I'll play it... maybe by 2012...

Seraphic_Sixaxis (on 31 May 2009)

Lmao @ MGS4 Being the ONLY current generation game in the top 10 at the chartz and in the top 5 no less @ 4!!!

At anyrate, Those two games deserve to be that high up there both VII and OoT... Although i think VII deserves it more for so many reasons but still 2 is more then well enough out of 100.

Good job VGChartz you guys made a good list, much better then IGN's or Gamespots.

sebnod (on 31 May 2009)

Too many Mario, Zelda. Good for MGS4 but MGS 1 will be gor me above MGS4. both in top 10.

redsoxfan9477 (on 31 May 2009)

damn, I remembered being stuck in the water temple for at least a month. After, playing Ocarina of Time I looked at all video games in a completely different way

theRepublic (on 31 May 2009)

How my votes turned out:

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64) - Number 14 on the list. I think it is underrated as far as Zeldas go, but I'm happy with the position.
Metroid Prime (GC) - Number 16 on the list. Best position of all the Metroid games, so I can't complain.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) - Number 1 on the list. Great game, expected to win.
Super Mario All-Stars (SNES) - Not on the list. SMB is at 24, SMB3 is at 3.
Perfect Dark (N64) - Number 81 on the list. WTF? GoldenEye was 15 on the list and it was better than GoldenEye in almost every way. At the very least, those games should have been right next to each other on the list. Perfect Dark got screwed.

My Honorable Mention (in no order):

Tetris (GB) - Number 40 on the list. WTF? Should have been a lot higher.

Pokemon Red/Blue (GB) - Number 19 on the list.

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (GC) - Not on the list. Should have been.

Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - Number 56 on the list. WTF? Best Mario Kart gets the worst spot on the list?

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition (Wii) - Not on the list. GC version is at Number 7. Sounds good to me.

Relayer71 (on 31 May 2009)

And if more people had played the Persona games, I'm sure Persona 4 would have made the top 20.

Relayer71 (on 31 May 2009)

I can't believe Super Metroid didn't make the Top 10, hell it should be in the top 5. That game was sheer design perfection. Great art design, amazing music, terrific atmosphere, highly polished gameplay. Way too much Mario in the top 10. I mean, seriously - you've played one, you've played them all. It's an oversimplification yes, but for the most part it's true. Same with Zelda. And I'm so sick of FFVII making it so high on these lists. It's a good game and has its place in history to be sure, but FFX and FFXII were MUCH better games overall. Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night should have also made the top 20. Oh well.

Slimebeast (on 31 May 2009)

10 games of 10 are Japanese. Strange demografix we must have at VGC.

On my list all in the top 10 would be Western games.

Anyway, I can't check 11-20 because the link is broken and directs to 21-30 instead.

Aidman (on 31 May 2009)

Nintendo, Square, Konami & Capcom all these companies are from Japan so The BEST Games ARE JAPANESE GAMES this is the only thingno un-subjectively here.

Xen (on 31 May 2009)

How did FF VII make 2?

well, pretty predictable all around.

Simulacrum (on 31 May 2009)

Zomg Zelda won!I was 100% sure FF VII would win.
And I'm very dissapointed to top 100 since no devil may cry!

sanjon (on 31 May 2009)

ocarina of time will always be number 1 forever

joora (on 31 May 2009)

Not including at least 1 PC game in the top 10 makes this list fail.

mero4ever (on 31 May 2009)

ok........ this will seem awkward. but I never played # 1.

but I'm not saying its bad, its just that I am in no position to judge.

supermario128 (on 31 May 2009)

You have no idea how happy this makes me. :-D

Metal Man (on 31 May 2009)

Overall, not too bad of a list aside from a couple of glaring omissions. There should have been at least 1 Mega Man and Castlevania game in the top 100. Also, as previously noted, the ordering did seem a bit weird at times. Perfect Dark is way too low IMO.

NightstrikerX (on 31 May 2009)

I'm glad that Final Fantasy 6 is in the top 10, although I'm amazed that MGS4 is up there. I would imagine MGS2 or MGS1 would take that place instead of 4. I think it's FAR, FAR to early to say what a impact MGS4 will make on the gaming world like the rest of these games have.

tedsteriscool (on 30 May 2009)

I agree 100% that MGS4 is the best game this generation. It is flawless in execution, with the only thing I can point out are the 5 minute installations. Otherwise 10/10. So now VGChartz, IGN, and countless others agree with me...yay!

Vonmercury (on 30 May 2009)

Good list over all I'd have to say I've played more than half these games, so this list dosen't disappoint

Sapphire (on 30 May 2009)

agrre to those who says MGS4 Overrated

AnarchyWest (on 30 May 2009)

I am disgusted RE4 is in the top 10
As a diehard MGS fan I would say 1 2 3 should be above 4

coolestguyever (on 30 May 2009)

yawn how predictable.

Everyone knew Ocarina of time, several marios, MGS4 and FF7 would be up there.

SJGohan3972 (on 30 May 2009)

Very good top ten, 4 Marios and 2 Zeldas, 2 Final Fantasys, Resident Evil and MGS - very nice.

atma998 (on 30 May 2009)

MGS4 is way overrated.

Final-Fan (on 30 May 2009)

Link to 20-11 is still wrong. The pop-up label even says "30-21", lol.

Pepe2009 (on 30 May 2009)

7 out of 10 games belong to Nintendo.
Take that other systems. :P

Bobbuffalo (on 30 May 2009)

very nice list but I insist that Tetris belonged in the top 10 :(

rulo_rezn0r (on 30 May 2009)

Super Mario Bros. 3 is #1 for me

TowlieFTW (on 30 May 2009)

and MGS4 continues being overrated

Kenology (on 30 May 2009)

What MasterZack just said!

C_Hollomon (on 30 May 2009)

MGS4 would be #1 for me. The list is good though. If you don't have MGS4 get it and if you don't have a PS3 buy one for this game. The game is that good.

Shin Megami (on 30 May 2009)

4 SuperMario and 2 Zelda games in the Top10 of all times. What a stupid and unbalanced list.
VGChartz=NintendoFanboy-site.
Super Mario Galaxy on spot 5? Come on, this is really just totally stupid.

Staude (on 30 May 2009)

wow fail. I knew it'd happen though. I said so in the 20-11

Way too many nintendo games. Ph well.

EL_PATRAS (on 30 May 2009)

chrono trigger>ff VI. very good list all the way thpugh

el_rika (on 30 May 2009)

What's with all these crybabies..? Not that it wasn't 100% predictable that some would whine...but, you know it is still dissapointing everytime it happends...

I personally don't think Zelda, FFVII or Mario deserve to be top 5, but you don't see me crying about it. People obviously love those games.

On the other hand, in my opinion MGS4 well deserves to be top 5 and it got exactly what it deserves. For many (myself included), regardless if they are fans of the series or not, it is the best gaming experience of the recent years.

So show a little 'respect' for other's preferences (not that some of you know what this means sadly...)

Myviewing (on 30 May 2009)

FFVII is also on PC and FFVI is on the PS. Other than that, the people have spoken. Long live Democracy.

SaviorX (on 30 May 2009)

Galaxy and 64 should be interchanged, but I don't have a real problem with that.

MGS4 doesn't belong in the top 5. I think people forgot what they were voting for. It was for Best Games of All-Time, not "the best exclusive on your console".

marciosmg (on 30 May 2009)

How can MGS4 be in the top 10 is beyond me, and I am an MGS fan. How can FFVII be above FFVI.
Well, at least my favorite, FFVI is in here.
I will say nothing about Mario because, Mario usually kicks ass, but maybe people should have voted on other games to make it more diverse.

elvisbin (on 30 May 2009)

Castlevania SOTN is missing, so are contra games.

Beoulve (on 30 May 2009)

Top ten is very good :)

Sanzee (on 30 May 2009)

I am really impressed with the ENTIRE list. From #100 all the way down to the Top Spot, #1. VGChartz knows whats up.

Aidman (on 30 May 2009)

and something has to be said :

3 SNES Titles, 2 NES (2 GBA)Titles, 2 N64 Tiltes, 2 Wii Tiltes, 1 GC.

3 2 2 2 2 1 = 12 NINTENDO GAMES in the TOP TEN 12/10 ^_^.