I agree that these things turn into popularity contests, and the format of pre-selecting a set of high-profile games -- rather than giving us the option of picking any game we want upfront -- encourages that.

(Yes, I know we can "write in" games, but the point is that doing so takes additional effort -- I can't remember all the games I'd vouch for without having a list in front of me -- and so it subtly discourages off-list picks.)

More generally, I've lost interest in most "top X" games lists anyway. They tend to be biased towards easy-to-learn games with flashy graphics and slick presentation, and against games with tough learning curves and offbeat gameplay styles. They also tend to have a lot of received wisdom -- people frequently vote for well-regarded games they haven't even played themselves.

(Sorry to be such a grump, but I've been playing through Virtua Tennis which everyone swears is the best tennis game ever, and I find myself asking whether anyone's even played the damn thing for more than 15 minutes. Sure, it looks and sounds good, but when every single lob the CPU hits lands perfectly on the baseline, and a ball smacked right in their face is always deflected perfectly for a winner...it's a pretty joyless experience.)