Pro A.'s top 100 list

[Pro A.]

Now that 2006 is in the books, I've revised the list, adding several new and a few old games. Other titles have been moved around for various reasons. I'm sure many will disagree with my choices, and that's fine. Please, however, keep the comments tasteful. Without further ado, here's the list:

1. Tetris, Multiplatform, 1985-2006
2. Super Mario Bros. 3, NES, 1990
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, SNES, 1992
4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, N64, 1998
5. Super Metroid, SNES, 1994
6. The Legend of Zelda, NES, 1987
7. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, PS2, 2004
8. Final Fantasy III, SNES, 1994
9. Metroid Prime, GCN, 2002
10. Super Mario World, SNES, 1991
11. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, PS-X, 2000
12. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, PS2, 2004, 2006
13. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, SNES, 1995
14. Super Mario Kart, SNES, 1992
15. Final Fantasy VII, PS-X, 1997
16. Half-Life 2, PC, 2004
17. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, N64, 1997
18. Resident Evil 2, PS-X, 1998
19. Perfect Dark, N64, 2000
20. Super Mario 64, N64, 1996
21. Super Mario Bros., NES, 1985
22. Tetris Attack, SNES, 1996
23. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, PS2, 2002
24. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, PS2, 2001
25. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Wii, 2006
26. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, PS2, 2001
27. Goldeneye, N64, 1997
28. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, N64, 2000
29. Mega Man, NES, 1987
30. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, GBC, 2001
31. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, GBC, 2001
32. Gears of War, X360, 2006
33. Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, SNES, 1993
34. Contra, NES, 1987
35. Ms. Pac-Man, Multiplatform, 1981-2006
36. Metal Gear Solid, PS-X, 1998
37. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, GCN, 2004
38. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, MSX-2, 1990, PS2, 2006
39. Grand Theft Auto III, PS2, 2001
40. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, GCN, 2003
41. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, PS-X, 1999
42. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, PS-X, 1997
43. New Super Mario Bros., NDS, 2006
44. Phantasy Star II, Genesis, 1990
45. Doom, PC, 1993
46. World of Warcraft, PC, 2004
47. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Xbox, 2005
48. Super Castlevania IV, SNES, 1991
49. Resident Evil 4, GCN, 2005
50. Contra III: The Alien Wars, SNES, 1992
51. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, GB, 1993
52. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, PS2, 2004
53. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Xbox, 2003
54. Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, SNES, 1993
55. Metal Gear, NES, 1988
56. Call of Duty 2, PC, 2005
57. Viewtiful Joe, GCN, 2003
58. Crazy Taxi, Arcade, 1999
59. Sonic CD, Sega CD, 1993
60. Resident Evil Code: Veronica, DC, 2000, PS2, 2001
61. Castlevania III, NES, 1990
62. Super Mario RPG, SNES, 1996
63. Donkey Kong Country, SNES, 1994
64. Sonic the Hedgehog, Genesis, 1991
65. Super Smash Bros. Melee, GCN, 2001
66. F-Zero, SNES, 1991
67. Mario Kart DS, NDS, 2005
68. Star Fox, SNES, 1993
69. Mega Man 2, NES, 1989
70. Super Mario Bros. 2, NES, 1988
71. Pong!, Multiplatform, 1972-2006
72. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, PS2, 2001
73. Super Punch-Out!!, SNES, 1994
74. Panzer Dragoon Saga, Saturn, 1998
75. Half-Life, PC, 1999
76. Halo 2, Xbox, 2004
77. Zelda II: Link’s Awakening, NES, 1988
78. Mega Man X3, SNES, 1996
79. Mario Kart: Double Dash, GCN, 2003
80. Bionic Commando, NES, 1988
81. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, PC, 2002
82. Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Genesis, 1992
83. Chrono Trigger, SNES, 1995
84. Shadow of the Colossus, PS2, 2005
85. Donkey Kong 64, N64, 1999
86. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, X360, PC, 2006
87. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, GBA, 2002
88. NHL 94, Genesis, SNES, 1993
89. F.E.A.R., PC, 2005
90. Simcity 4, PC, 2003
91. Soul Calibur, DC, 1999
92. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, PS-X, 1999
93. Command & Conquer: Red Alert, PC, 1997
94. Resident Evil, GCN, 2002
95. Final Fantasy XII, PS2, 2006
96. God of War, PS2, 2005
97. Metroid: Zero Mission, GBA, 2004
98. Halo, Xbox, 2001
99. Everquest, PC, 1996
100. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, NES, 1987

[Mach]

Interesting perspective as usual.

[The Dude]

The thing that always bothered me about top 100 lists are the context on how they are choosen. Do you judge placement on just by how fun the games are? If so, would you really rather play Turok than Mario 64, Halo 2, ect? If you choose games that only influence/innovate the industry, it makes it nearly impossible to include sequals such as the multiple Tony Hawk games. Or do you judge them on how popular they were at the time? In that case it would be hard to argue against the original Super Mario bros as #1. Just as an example. Not really saying I agree or disagree with your list btw, just kind of rambling on....

[Pro A.]

The list is judged on quality of the titles, obviously. Tetris, I believe, is the greatest game ever, and so on down the line. I use my top 10 lists, which go back some years, to help determine which games are better and so forth. The 4 star rating, which I've used since 2000, also helps. A four-star game, by this standard, won't be mixed up with the 3.5 star group. The top 20 titles, incidentally, are the 4-star titles. Popularity really doesn't have an influence. I try to judge games as what they are on their own. Obviously, being part of a dynasty like Zelda seems to have different rules, but that's okay. These are the games I regard as the best for their top-notch quality in gameplay and game design. The desire to replay them also has a slight value only because these are the titles I do play months, even years, after their release.

[speed stick]

I was surprised to see Metroid Prime Gamecube in ninth spot. Not that it was a bad game but surprised still.

[Dorbin]

Interesting to find Twilight Princess just baaaarreellly sneaking into the Top 25, at 25.

[[[tavis]]]

perfect dark above goldeneye

you are GOD

[masteratt]

What I don't get is why start the thread saying "now that 2006 is in the books" and then go on to list games from all over time.

I was pleasantly shocked at first thinking you were going to pick 100 games from 2006 =-o

i skimmed through it, good enough list i guess. Shadow of the colossus needs to be much higher though.

[koten]

I was surprised to see Metroid Prime Gamecube in ninth spot. Not that it was a bad game but surprised still.Metroid Prime is easily one of the greatest games ever made.

I fond it impossible to create a top 100 list as there are many games I have given high rankings for many different reasons. The effort of trying to catagorize them would be insufferable and I would never be satisfied with the choices I made.

[Pro A.]

Well, there are several changes to the list. Some of the older games that weren't there before (Everquest and Phantasy Star II are good examples) are just games I played recently and really enjoyed as a re-discovery. This tends to happen. Some games got bumped up the list (World of Warcraft is one) while others got knocked down (Wind Waker). Time has that funny way of working its magic. Its rare for a game to get demoted (I'd have to be really wrong for that to happen) games can improve and it has happened over the years. Deus Ex, for example, was a game I did not like when I first played it in 2001. Over the years, however, I have come to really appreciate it for what it is and it even joined my library. Funny how that works.

[Shadow Voa]

I was disappointed to see that Chrono Trigger which is my fav game of all time only coming in at 83rd spot. Of course its your list, but I believed that game was of a quality that isnt seen anymore except during that golden era of gaming.

Interesting none the less.

[Blaksmoke]

Double Dash does not belong.

[Unspoken]

Where's Legend of Dragoon? :'(


Nice list, though. There are some I disagree with, and some that I am 100% with you on.