Anybody seen a top 1000 video games list?

[Anthony1]

It seems on the subject of the best video games of all time, there are always top 10 lists, and top 50 lists, and top 100 lists, but has anybody seen a Top One Thousand Video Games of all time list?


Or a top 500?


The reason that I ask, is that so many lists seem to try to be politically correct and have games from every system represented, and they also seem to have alot of games from the year that the list was made.


So I think if there was a more comprehensive list, like a top 500, then you could get a more accurate view of all the best games. So many great games get left off a top 100 list, and so many systems get underrepresented, or not even represented at all.




ONE LAST THING!

If anybody has any magazines that list the best 100 games of all time, could you please post those lists on this site. I'm trying to track down all the top 100 lists out there, and then combine them together to come up with an overall list.

[zmeston]

The reason that I ask, is that so many lists seem to try to be politically correct and have games from every system represented, and they also seem to have alot of games from the year that the list was made.

I would explain the former phenomenon as the result of there being all-time-great games available on every system, as opposed to PC behavior; I would explain the latter phenomenon as the result of game design continuing to evolve and improve with each passing year.


So I think if there was a more comprehensive list, like a top 500, then you could get a more accurate view of all the best games. So many great games get left off a top 100 list, and so many systems get underrepresented, or not even represented at all.

Hold on... you just stated in the last paragraph that every system is represented, and now you're saying that some systems aren't represented at all. Which do you mean?

-- Z.

[Anthony1]

The reason that I ask, is that so many lists seem to try to be politically correct and have games from every system represented, and they also seem to have alot of games from the year that the list was made.

I would explain the former phenomenon as the result of there being all-time-great games available on every system, as opposed to PC behavior; I would explain the latter phenomenon as the result of game design continuing to evolve and improve with each passing year.


So I think if there was a more comprehensive list, like a top 500, then you could get a more accurate view of all the best games. So many great games get left off a top 100 list, and so many systems get underrepresented, or not even represented at all.

Hold on... you just stated in the last paragraph that every system is represented, and now you're saying that some systems aren't represented at all. Which do you mean?

-- Z.


Well, I was recently looking at a top 100 video games of all time list from EGM that was made in 1997. Almost every system was represented in terms of systems that had been released about 8 or 9 years prior, up to that point. But I don't think they had Atari 2600 games or Colecovision games or stuff like that. I also don't think they had one single Atari Jaguar game. And they only had one 3DO game in the list.

What I meant by them trying to be politically correct, is that it appeared like they tried to throw every system at least one bone, so that fans of that particular system would feel like they've been included.

But the reason that I think they need to go beyond 100 games, is because they didn't have any games on systems prior to the NES, and they didn't have a single Jaguar game, and they only had one 3DO game, and stuff like that. Let me go get the list and post it, so you have an idea of what I'm talking about.

[RetroYoungen]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm glad that the number has been kept to as high as 100. I don't know if I could read through a list of one thousand games. But I would be interested in a list of the top 5 games for every system in existance. Like the top five for the NES, 2600, Virtual Boy, FM Towns Marty, Lynx, @World (I know there were only like 8 games/software packages for it, maybe it should get a three). You get the picture.

[RetroYoungen]

The reason that I ask, is that so many lists seem to try to be politically correct and have games from every system represented, and they also seem to have alot of games from the year that the list was made.


So I think if there was a more comprehensive list, like a top 500, then you could get a more accurate view of all the best games. So many great games get left off a top 100 list, and so many systems get underrepresented, or not even represented at all.

One little comment: ever think that some systems should just be forgotten? I think that the reason that the Game.com wasn't represented was because all of it's games were just not good. So would it be politically correct to put put Tiger Casino for the Game.com on a top 100 (or thousand for that matter) to simply represent a system that very few people got into, and even more (myself included) dispised?

[Anthony1]

Here is EGM's 100 Best Games of All Time from the November 1997 issue


100. Qix - NES - Nintendo - 1990
99. Samurai Shodown - Neo-Geo - SNK - 1993
98. Virtua Cop 2 - Saturn - Sega - 1996
97. MLB 98 - Playstation - Sony - 1997
96. WipeOut XL - Playstation - Psygnosis - 1996
95. DecAthlete - Saturn - Sega Sports - 1996
94. Ice Hockey - NES - Nintendo - 1988
93. Blast Corps - Nintendo 64 - Nintendo - 1997
92. Flashback - Genesis - U.S. Gold - 1993
91. Axelay - SNES - Konami - 1992
90. Panzer Dragoon Zwei - Saturn - Sega - 1995
89. Ms. Pac Man - Genesis - Tengen - 1991
89. Ms. Pac Man - SNES - Willaims - 1996
88. Ninja Giden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos - NES - Tecmo - 1990
87. Baseball Stars - NES - SNK - 1989
86. Galatic Attack - Saturn - Acclaim - 1996
85. Bonk's Adventure - TG - 16 - Hudson Soft - 1990
84. Kirby's Avelanche - SNES - Nintendo - 1994
84. Mean Bean Machine - Genesis - Sega - 1993
83. Revenge of Shinobi - Genesis - Sega - 1989
82. Jumping Flash! 2 - Playstation - SCEA - 1996
81. Sega Rally Championship - Saturn - Sega - 1995
80. Legendary Axe - TG-16 - NEC - 1989
79. Virtua Fighter 2 - Saturn - Sega - 1995
78. Mega Man X4 - Playstation - Capcom - 1997
78. Mega Man X4 - Saturn - Capcom - 1997
77. Blazing Lasers - TG-16 - NEC - 1989
76. Life Force - NES - Konami - 1988
75. ActRaiser - SNES - Enix - 1991
74. WorldWide Soccer 97 - Saturn - Sega - 1997
73. Mega Man 2 - NES - Capcom - 1989
72. Zelda II: The adventures of Link - NES - Nintendo - 1989
71. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Genesis - Sega - 1992
70. NiGHTS - Saturn - Sega - 1996
69. Snatcher - Sega CD - Konami - 1994
68. WaveRace 64 - N64 - Nintendo - 1996
67. Game Boy Donkey Kong - Game Boy - Nintendo - 1994
66. Guardian Heroes - Saturn - Treasure - 1996
65. Tecmo Super Bowl - NES - Tecmo - 1991
64. Twisted Metal 2: World Tour - Playstation - Sony - 1996
63. Return Fire - 3DO - Prolific Publishing - 1995
62. Phantasy Star - Sega Master System - Sega - 1988
61. NHL Hockey '94 - Genesis - E.A. Sports - Sega - 1993
60. Shining Force II - Genesis - Sega - 1994
59. Thunder Force III - Genesis - TechnoSoft - 1991
58. Dragon Warrior IV - NES - Enix - 1992
57. Castlevania III - Dracula's Curse - NES - Konami - 1990
56. Super Punch Out - SNES - Nintendo - 1994
55. Dragon Force - Saturn - Working Designs - 1996
54. Tomb Raider - Playstation - Core - 1996
53. Gates of Thunder - TG-16 CD - NEC - 1992
52. R.C. Pro AM - NES - Nintendo - 1987
51. Tekken 2 - Playstation - Namco - 1996
50. Devil's Crush - TG-16 - NEC - 1990
49. Mario Kart 64 - N64 - Nintendo - 1997
48. Military Madness - TG-16 - NEC - 1989
47. Ghouls 'n Ghosts - Genesis - Sega - 1989
46. Space Megaforce - SNES - Toho - 1992
45. Contra - NES - Konami - 1988
44. Metroid - NES - Nintendo - 1986
43. Herzog Zwei - Genesis - Sega - 1989
42. Strider - Genesis - Capcom - 1990
41. Arkanoid - NES - Taito - 1986
40. Lunar: Eternal Blue - Sega CD - Working Designs - 1995
39. Star Fox 64 - N64 - Nintendo - 1997
38. Ys Books 1 and 2 - TG-16 CD - NEC - 1990
37. Super Mario Bros - NES - Nintendo - 1985
37. Super Mario Bros - SNES - Nintendo - 1993
36. Street Fighter Alpha 2 - Saturn - Capcom - 1996
35. Metal Gear - NES - Ultra - 1988
34. Kid Icarus - NES - Nintendo - 1987
33. NBA Live 97 - Playstation - E.A. Sports - 1997
32. Bionic Commando - NES - Capcom - 1988
31. NFL Gameday 98 - Playstation - 989 Studios - 1997
30. Phantasy Star II - Genesis - Sega - 1989
29. Chrono Trigger - SNES - Square - 1995
28. The Legend of Zelda : Links Awakening - Game Boy - Nintendo - 1994
27. Gunstar Heroes - Genesis - Treasure - 1993
26. Super Mario RPG - SNES - Square - 1996
25. Goldeneye 007 - N64 - Rare - 1997
24. International SuperStar Soccer 64 - N64 - Konami - 1997
23. R-Type III - SNES - Jaleco - 1994
22. Super Ghouls 'N" Ghosts - SNES - Capcom - 1991
21. Final Fantasy IV - Playstation - Square - 1997
20. Castlevania IV - SNES - Konami - 1991
19. Madden NFL 98 - Saturn - E.A. Sports - 1997
19. Madden NFL 98 - Playstation - E.A. Sports - 1997
18. F-Zero - SNES - Nintendo - 1991
17. Sonic CD - Sega CD - Sega - 1993
16. Tetris Attack - SNES - Nintendo - 1996
15. Super Mario Kart - SNES - Nintendo - 1992
14. Super Mario Bros 2. - NES - Nintendo - 1988
14. Super Mario Bros 2. - SNES - Nintendo - 1993
13. The Legend of Zelda - NES - Nintendo - 1987
12. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Playstation - Konami - 1997
11. Super Mario World - SNES - Nintendo - 1991

10. Saturn Bomberman - Saturn - Sega - 1997

9. Final Fantasy III - SNES - Square - 1994

8. Contra III: The Alien Wars - SNES - Konami - 1992

7. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - SNES - Nintendo - 1995

6. Super Metroid - SNES - Nintendo - 1994

5. Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting - SNES - Capcom - 1993

4. Super Mario 64 - N64 - Nintendo - 1996

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - SNES - Nintendo - 1992

2. Super Mario Bros 3 - NES - Nintendo - 1990

2. Super Mario Bros 3 - SNES - Nintendo - 1993

1. Tetris - Multiplatform - Alexy Pajitnov - 1988

[Anthony1]

Now looking at this list, you will notice that 16 games are from 1997 and 17 are from 1996. Of these 33 games, how many are just on this list, because this list happened to be made in November of 1997?


How many of these 33 games would actually make a top 100 list today?

So what I'm saying about top 100 lists, is that they always will favor games that have been released in the last two years before the list was made (cause they are more fresh in the mind), and they will always have a large number of games from the most current systems as well. (To appease the little kiddies that own these systems.)

[Anthony1]

Looking at games released in 1997, what were ranked in the top 100, you can see that the year in which the ranking was made has an awful lot to do with certain games getting on the list.

I think that people that make these lists, tend to feel it necessary to add alot of current games to the list, whether they really deserve it or not.


Here are the games that are on that list that are from 1997.



97. MLB 98 - Playstation - 989 Sports - 1997
93. Blast Corps - N64 - Rare - 1997
78. Mega Man X4 - Saturn - Capcom - 1997
78. Mega Man X4 - Playstation - Capcom - 1997
74. Worldwide Soccer 97 - Saturn - Sega - 1997
49. Mario Kart 64 - N64 - Nintendo - 1997
39. Starfox 64 - N64 - Nintendo - 1997
33. NBA Live 97 - Playstation - E.A. Sports - 1997
31. NFL Gameday 98 - Playstation - 989 Sports - 1997
25. Goldeneye 007 - N64 - Rare - 1997
24. International SuperStar Soccer 64 - N64 - Konami - 1997
21. Final Fantasy VII - Playstation - Square - 1997
19. Madden NFL 98 - Saturn - E.A. Sports - 1997
19. Madden NFL 98 - Playstation - E.A. Sports - 1997
12. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - PSX - Konami - 1997
10. Saturn Bomberman - Saturn - Sega - 1997


So you can see, by looking at games from 1997 that were added to the list, very few of these games would even come close to a top 100 list today.

I would have to say that only Final Fantasy VII would be a sure lock to make a top 100 list today.


Goldeneye 007 and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, would also have a decent chance of making the list.

But the other games probably wouldn't see any top 100 list ranking today. Blast Corps, StarFox 64 and Mario Kart 64 are all decent N64 games, but they certainly wouldn't be top 100 games of all time.

The only thing that I'm trying to illustrate with this, is that any time you have a top 100 list done by a video game magazine, or video game website (mainstream), you will typically see alot of games from the 2 most recent years on their lists, and these games may or may not stand the test of time.

Looking back at this list, which is almost 6 years old, you can defintely tell that alot of these games don't stand the test of time.