Greatest Hits

Game: Elite Beat Agents
System: Nintendo DS
Release date: November 6, 2006
Developed by: iNiS
Published by: Nintendo

There are many reasons the Nintendo DS outsells the PSP two to one, and games like Elite Beat Agents surely figure prominently in the consumer's decision to purchase a particular handheld system. In fact, because Elite Beat Agents relies so heavily on the touch screen and stylus it wouldnt make much sense on any other video game system, portable or otherwise.

Elite Beat Agents is a rhythm game, not unlike Guitar Hero, Donkey Konga or Dance Dance Revolution. Players must use the stylus to tap, drag and rotate objects on the touch-screen in rhythm with one of sixteen pop or rock songs. As the game progress, the difficulty level increases noticeably; the final two stages are a formidable challenge.

The heroes of Elite Beat Agents are a trio of top-secret agents who use music to solve the problems of everyday people. They dance, sing and rock out through each song, which is sung by a cover artist and which is split into three segments. Should a performance meter be yellow at each break, a video will appear showing the party in need making progress toward his or her goal; should the performance meter dip into the red "danger" zone, the video will show the party experiencing a setback. Each stage has three possible endings, wholly dependent on the players performance in the three segments.


Most of the stages in Elite Beat Agents are very, very funny. The crazy characters in need of help often find themselves in wacky, unlikely scenarios and choose to solve their problems in the most ridiculous or extravagant ways. There are a few exceptions, however, including the final stages which are more rousing and one tearjerker in the middle of the game which would make the toughest heart melt.

Games like Elite Beat Agents do not arrive very often, especially on handheld systems, typically the home of portable versions of console hits. Quirky, funny, imaginative and fun for all age groups, it represents the best the DS and third-party developers have to offer.

Score: 96/100

World War 2.0

Game: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
System: Xbox 360
Release date: November 6, 2007
Developed by: Infinity Ward
Published by: Activision

Every now and then a video game franchise will release a game which redefines the series and which sometimes is revolutionary enough to transcend an entire genre. Titles like Resident Evil 4 and Grand Theft Auto III naturally come to mind. Although Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has done very little to change the momentum of the first-person shooter, it represents an important progression within the Call of Duty franchise. It is easily the best Call of Duty game and boasts the best story (and storytelling), atmosphere and multiplayer modes.

Since 2003 the Call of Duty games have dominated the pool of WWII first-person shooters, but in Call of Duty 4 developed Infinity Ward fast-forwarded the action into the not-too-distant future, when American marines and British Special Forces are pitched in a global battle against Russian ultranationalists and Middle Eastern radicals. Like many other Call of Duty games, players control soldiers from more than one unit.


Because of its emphasis on the rules of modern warfare, Call of Duty 4 introduces weapons and technology which never before appeared in previous installments: soldiers can fire high-powered sniper rifles, use night-vision goggles and call in air strikes on unsuspecting targets. The rules of engagement are noticably different in Call of Duty 4 also: special forces tactics replace the squad formations from Call of Duty 1-3.

The multiplayer modes in Call of Duty 4 are especially good, rivaling Halo 3 in terms of replay value and intensity. In each match, players can select one of several classes of soldier, each with its own weapons and “perks.” Perk effects include increased weapon damage, the ability to withstand enemy fire, and radar invisibility.

Although Call of Duty 4 represents a huge leap forward in terms of the Call of Duty franchise, it has done almost nothing to revolutionize the genre. This fact, combined with the brevity of its single-player campaign, keeps Call of Duty 4 from being the masterwork that some critics claim it to be.

Score: 94/100

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1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

It should come as no surprise that the best video game ever made should come from the best video game franchise of all time and be supported by the console with arguably the best video game library. Granting Ocarina of Time the highest position on the Top 100 List might seem obvious (it is generally considered at the very least the best console game ever made), but competition has become increasingly stiff in the last few years, from first, second and third party developers; no longer is Ocarina simply the default number 1.

Released in 1998 (one of the all-time great years in the video game industry), Ocarina of Time was the fifth Zelda game. The franchise was 11 years old in North America and had already gone through several important innovations. The premier game, The Legend of Zelda, had revolutionized video games by including a save battery in the game cartridge so that players could recover their progress once the NES was turned off. Its sequel, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, changed the perspective from top-down to a side-view and flirted with RPG elements. Then came A Link to the Past, the greatest Zelda game after Ocarina, which might be the most important game in the franchise. A Link to the Past refined all the gameplay elements which had been established in its predecessors and would dominate the franchise going forward: a fantasy landscape filled with castles, towns, dungeons, mountains and rivers; challenges unrelated to the main arc of the story in the form of side-quests, upgradable weapons; brain teasing puzzles; mini-games; and an abundance of non-player characters (NPCs).

With the foundation built, the designers behind Ocarina of Time simply needed to make a few minor changes and release a repackaged but essentially familiar Zelda adventure. As the gaming industry knows now, they did much more than that.

Ocarina revolutionized video games, from the most superficial level to the core of its gameplay, many elements of which now seem unremarkable when featured in modern games. In many ways, Ocarina is the experience promised by Super Mario 64: a fully-realized three-dimensional world with living, breathing heroes, villains and everything in between; a virtual garden with unprecedented freedom; a game that was simultaneously familiar and intimidating. Ocarina was all of this and more.

Set before the events of the previous four Zelda games, Ocarina gave the player never-before-seen glimpses into the geography of Hyrule, the formation of the Triforce and the origins of Ganon, the franchise’s ultimate villain. Gameplay innovations include the realistic passage of time, time travel and the ability to catch fish, play an ocarina and ride a horse. It is these last three which point to what might be the greatest achievement of Ocarina, namely its unparalleled immersive qualities. Never before and never since has a game transplanted its players so convincingly from their couch into the game world. Everything in Ocarina captures the imagination and absorbs the mind: the grassy plains of Hyrule Field, the dusty alleyways of the Gerudo Fortress; the noxious air of Death Mountain. This, above all else, differentiates Ocarina from the pantheon of great games to which it belongs.

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2. Halo: Combat Evolved

In the years following its release, Halo was subject to the same strange phenomenon that surrounded 1997 Best Picture Oscar winner Titanic. It received so much praise from critics and consumers that a negative backlash was inevitable. Yet despite its inclusion on some lists of the most overrated video games, Halo is nothing short of a masterpiece and today stands as the best first-person shooter (FPS) ever made. Everything in Halo marks a brave new world in the genre: the control scheme, the epic sci-fi storyline, the weapon inventory system, the militarism. Halo takes place in the far reaches of space, where humans are struggling against a fanatically religious confederation of alien races.

3. Resident Evil 4

Before Resident Evil 4, the Resident Evil franchise was famous for its sinister storylines, atmospheric and scary gameplay and challenging puzzles; on the other hand, it was infamous for its awkward and sometimes frustrating control scheme. Resident Evil 4 solved all that. Where earlier installments of the franchise placed an immovable camera at certain spots in each game environment, Resident Evil 4 features a camera which follows the hero wherever he goes, faithfully situated just above his right shoulder. Resident Evil 4 is the story of Leon S. Kennedy (one of the two heroes of Resident Evil 2) and his search for the missing daughter of the American President. His investigation brings him to a small rural village in Europe where a new evil has taken up residence.

4. Final Fantasy III

It’s rare that a game developer should become so identifiable with a particular video game genre, but that’s precisely the relationship between Square and role-playing games. Their most successful franchise is Final Fantasy; the greatest game among the franchise Final Fantasy III. Epic in size and in scope, Final Fantasy III (Final Fantasy VI in Japan) features over a dozen playable characters, all of whom carry significant emotional baggage and who endure trials which range from rafting across raging rapids to, quite literally, the end of the world. Final Fantasy III features several unique events, including an opera, a dinner party and a number of multi-party battles, which allow the player to divide his or her party into two or more battle groups in order to fight off a multi-party enemy.

5. Half-Life 2

In Half-Life 2 players resume to role of Gordon Freeman, whose heroics in the original Half-Life appear to have only temporarily forestalled an alien takeover of planet Earth. Once again Freeman must use his weapons and his wits to save mankind, in this instance from alien overlords and their human collaborators. Boasting an incredible physics system, in which objects and people obey the laws of gravity, friction and buoyancy, remarkably sophisticated artificial intelligence and superior graphics, Half-Life 2 is the very definition of next-generation. Half-Life 2 unfolds across several chapters, some of which involve the use of vehicles, some of which are heavy on problem-solving. Chapter VI, “We Don’t Go to Ravenholm,” is among the scariest episodes to date in any video game.

6. Super Mario 64

Among the small number of games which have had the greatest influence on the video game industry, Super Mario 64 stands alone as the most influential. The finest example of the great migration from two-dimensional sprites to three-dimensional polygons, Super Mario 64 gave the platform genre unprecedented freedom of movement. It also introduced a revolutionary camera system which allowed players to manipulate the camera angles in the game. Set once again in the Mushroom Kingdom, Super Mario 64 sets Mario on a path to a final confrontation with his arch-enemy Bowser, who has once more captured Princess Toadstool. Super Mario 64 features fifteen diverse game environments and several hidden areas.

7. Tomb Raider

Beginning in 1996, video game enthusiasts for the first time had a choice of consoles that not only represented cosmetic and hardware differences but which supported software with thematic differences. Those who gravitated toward the N64 had family-friendly games likes Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings; those who were developing a taste for more mature content found on the Playstation Resident Evil and, a few months later, Tomb Raider. With its action-packed globetrotting storyline, its fearsome enemies and its brash, brainy and buxom heroine, Tomb Raider was emblematic of a new generation of software which introduced more bullets, more blood and more breasts, but which retained all the best elements found in action-adventure games.

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

While not necessarily the greatest Zelda game ever developed, A Link to the Past is definitely the quintessential Zelda experience and the game most responsible for bridging the gap between the two-dimensional titles and the three-dimensional games that would appear later on Nintendo 64, Gamecube and Wii. Similar in perspective to the original The Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past deviated from its predecessors by dividing Hyrule into two parallel worlds, one light and one dark, through which Link must travel to complete his quest. A Link to the Past also introduced several new items, including the hookshot, which has since appeared in several Zelda titles. Possessing terrific graphics, sound and game design, A Link to the Past is a must-own for any Zelda fan.

9. Metroid Prime

Of the big three Nintendo franchises, Metroid was the last to receive a three-dimensional treatment. Unlike Mario and Zelda however, which retained their tradition third-person perspective in the leap to three dimensions, Metroid adopted an entirely new first-person perspective in its remarkably smooth transition from 2D to 3D. The result: Metroid Prime, a game which featured the elements which made its predecessors so popular but which gave players new glimpses into the Metroid mythology. Crucial to success in Metroid Prime are its heads-up display (HUD), which features information vital to Samus, and a system of exchangeable visors though which she can pick up heat signatures, use x-rays and scan objects and enemies, collecting useful information from both.

10. Super Mario Bros. 3

It would be difficult to find a person, young or old, male or female, hardcore gamer or novice, who has played Super Mario Bros. 3 and didn’t enjoy it. Among the thousands of video games released over the past thirty years, it might be the single most popular. Although the Super Mario franchise had veered slightly off the road with Super Mario Bros. 2, it returned to form with Super Mario Bros. 3, the best NES game ever made. Designed with the same platform elements typical of its predecessors, Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced several additions, including mini-games, many new power-ups (e.g. Tanooki Suit) and an overland map which allows players to select which levels to play and which to bypass.

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11. Super Metroid

Set immediately after the events of Metroid II, Super Metroid once again pits the galaxy’s best bounty hunter against the Space Pirates, her perennial enemy. Samus Aran returns to Zebes, her childhood home and the site of the first Metroid game, to reclaim the last larval Metroid from Ridley and the Space Pirates. Like so many of the 16-bit installments of Nintendo franchises begun on the NES, Super Metroid features gameplay essentially similar to its predecessors with several notable innovations. The password save function of the original Metroid was discarded in favor of remote save locations and Samus was given newer and more powerful power-ups than ever before. Enemies introduced in the first Metroid game return with a vengeance in Super Metroid.

12. Banjo-Kazooie

The impressive library of Nintendo 64 games would seem much less substantial without all the contributions from Rare (then Rareware), Nintendo’s second-party game developer. Microsoft bought the company in 2002, but Rare’s best game, Banjo-Kazooie, can still be booted up on Nintendo’s 64-bit system. Players control the bear-bird duo of Banjo and Kazooie as they explore Spiral Mountain in an effort to rescue Banjo’s kid sister from the evil clutches of the witch Gruntilda. Like most Rare games, Banjo-Kazooie excels in graphics, sound and a uniquely British sense of humor. Gameplay is largely derivative of Super Mario 64, but features notable stylistic and thematic differences. Banjo-Kazooie was followed two years later by Banjo-Tooie.

13. Ico

This Playstation 2 game is a real gem, an action-adventure game stripped down to the basics. Players take control of Ico, a young boy born with horns. The customs of Ico's village dictate that every child born with horns is a bad omen and must be escorted to an isolated castle and imprisoned there. Ico is fortunate enough to escape his cell and afterward wanders through the immense fortress, where he meets Yorda, a young girl also trapped in the castle. For the rest of the game, Ico explores the castle, solving its puzzles and protecting Yorda from enemy spirits who ceaselessly try to reclaim the young girl. Ico was designed and directed by Fumito Ueda, who created in his game a minimalist yet immersive experience, short on story, text and music, but long on emotion and ambiance.

14. Super Mario World

Bundled with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991, Super Mario World was proof of the advanced processing power of the newest Nintendo console system and an important check to the growing power and influence of Sega’s 16-bit project. Like its immediate predecessors on the NES, Super Mario World is a platform game which demands its players jump, run, duck and swim to survive hazards and enemies in each level. It retains the overland map of Super Mario Bros. 3, but makes the game world and the levels within that world much larger, more graphically detailed and more diverse: ghost houses, fortresses and castles dot the landscape. Super Mario World marks the first appearance of Yoshi, who would become one of Nintendo’s most famous mascots.

15. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Perhaps forever destined to be overshadowed by its N64 counterpart, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask is a masterwork in its own right, one which actually improves upon its predecessor in several ways. Majora’s Mask is set in Termina, a region threatened with destruction by a giant foreboding moon. Link has 72 game hours to search dungeons, find artifacts and recover masks before the moon destroys Termina; when the 72 hours near completion, Link can play the Song of Time and return to 6 a.m. on the first day. Players repeat this three-day cycle until all the game’s objectives are complete. Where masks were largely secondary in Ocarina of Time, they are essential to progress in Majora’s Mask. Using masks, Link can transform into a Deku Scrub, a Goron and a Zora.

16. Metal Gear Solid

Before the blurring of the line between video games and movies was a fait accompli, Metal Gear Solid arrived on the scene and revolutionized the industry by presenting itself in an unparalleled cinematic way. Metal Gear Solid unfolds like a billion dollar blockbuster, with first-rate voice acting and masterful camera work. Set in a remote nuclear facility in Alaska, Metal Gear Solid follows the adventures of elite soldier Solid Snake, lured out of retirement and asked to liberate the facility from members of his former squad. Apart from its ground-breaking cinematography, Metal Gear Solid effectively invented the modern stealth action game, which has become a popular sub-genre. Its descendents include Splinter Cell and Hitman.

17. BioShock

Designed with elements of survival-horror games and role-playing games, BioShock is a first-person shooter which truly transcends its genre. Players control Jack, an unlucky man whose passenger plane crashes over the Atlantic Ocean. In a nearby submarine bay he discovers passage to Rapture, a hidden city beneath the waves. Once there, Jack encounters the twisted and gruesome inhabitants of Rapture, who stop at nothing to eliminate him. Jack can interact with almost everything in the underwater metropolis, including enemies, containers, machines and audio diaries, scattered throughout the city. In Rapture, players can upgrade weapons and create custom ammunition; they can also alter Jack’s very genetic code, infusing superhuman powers into his body in the process.

18. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Unfairly criticized for its cartoonish appearance, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker features some of the most memorable and vibrant graphics of any Zelda adventure and boasts, without a doubt, the most visually expressive Link of any franchise game. Set far in the future, after Hyrule has been replaced by a great sea, The Wind Waker is the story of Link’s quest to rescue his captured sister. Unlike other Zelda games, in which Link travelled by foot or on horseback, The Wind Waker asks its players to navigate across the vast ocean in a small sailboat. Aside from its gorgeous graphics, The Wind Waker boasts a terrific soundtrack and a deep, sometimes unpredictable story complete with several mid-game revelations and a truly shocking ending.

19. Super Mario Galaxy

Over the years Mario has accumulated a long and impressive resume: plumber, tennis star, golfer, go-kart driver, doctor. Now you can add astronaut. In Super Mario Galaxy, Mario for the first time has an extraterrestrial adventure, a jaunt among the stars which owes a lot to Super Mario 64, but which dwarfs it in size and scope. Super Mario Galaxy introduces an innovative physics system to accompany its spherical platform engine, whereby Mario can circumnavigate small planetoids, all the while a gravitational pull keeping him from flying off into space. The Wii remote and nunchuk are employed conservatively in Super Mario Galaxy, used mainly to perform a spin attack or to remotely collect “star bits,” colorful star-shaped gems used to defeat enemies or bypass obstacles.

20. Soul Calibur

Many people consider Soul Calibur to be the greatest fighting game ever made. It's difficult to argue with them. Soul Calibur is the continuation of the Soul series, which debuted in arcades as Soul Edge and found a home on the Playstation console renamed as Soul Blade. Like its predecessor, Soul Calibur is a 3D weapons-based fighter. Each colorful character uses a distinct weapon and employs a specialized fighting style. Unlike its predecessor and unlike every 3D fighter to come before it, Soul Calibur introduced a revolutionary 8-way run, where fighters could move freely in three dimensions. Soul Calibur also features a “mission mode,” in which players can complete mission objectives to gain points, which can be used to purchase costumes and artwork.

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21. Beyond Good & Evil

Tragically ignored by consumers, Beyond Good & Evil was a financial disappointment despite critical acclaim. Set on an alien world, Beyond Good & Evil follows the exploits of an investigative reporter named Jade, who stumbles upon a massive conspiracy. Stealth is an important component of the gameplay in Beyond Good & Evil: while Jade does carry an offensive weapon, she often has to embrace a clandestine approach when faced with overwhelming enemy forces. One of the most engaging and immersive elements in the game is the ability to take photographs with Jade’s camera. The camera can be used to photograph evidence of the conspiracy or simply to snap pictures of the fauna on Hillys.

22. Tomb Raider II Starring Lara Croft

Its very title indicates that the cult of Lara was already in full-effect by 1997, but Tomb Raider II is surprisingly non-exploitative; Lara Croft continues to be one of the industry’s greatest heroines, not merely a subject of sex. In Tomb Raider II Croft is once again raiding tombs, crypts, caves and long-forgotten temples. Her latest target is the Dagger of Xian, which is also coveted by a dangerous Italian mobster named Marco Bartoli. Although Tomb Raider II uses the same engine which made the original Tomb Raider such a hit, it improves upon the graphics and play control of its predecessor. Environments are bigger and are capable of presenting larger and more complex polygons. Tomb Raider II is more action-oriented than the original and the first Tomb Raider game to feature vehicles.

23. Metroid: Zero Mission

The Game Boy Advance has made a living off its enhanced remakes and ports, from Super Mario Advance to Final Fantasy VI Advance. Its best, however, is Metroid: Zero Mission, a retelling of the events of the first Metroid game. As in the original, Zero Mission takes place on Zebes, where Samus has tracked the Space Pirates, scourge of the galaxy and abductors of Metroids, highly dangerous parasitic life forms. Because of its familiar storyline and geography, Zero Mission is a treat for fans familiar with the Metroid mythology who wish to relive one of the most important games on the NES; it’s similarly a perfect starting point for those new to the franchise. Although Zero Mission closely follows the chronology of the original, it does not quite finish where Metroid ended.

24. Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers

For some strange reason, Street Fighter II Turbo is generally considered the best console version of Street Fighter II, but it pales in comparison to Super Street Fighter II, the game with the most characters, moves and modes. Super Street Fighter II features sixteen playable characters, twelve carried over from the previous games and four new to the franchise: Cammy, T. Hawk, Fei-Long and Dee Jay. Other novelties include eight color schemes for each character’s costume, new moves and new animation frames, music and sound effects, as well as adjustable game speed. Its greatest achievements, however, are its new game modes, which include time trial, group battle and tournament battle, an eight-player single elimination tournament.

25. Banjo-Tooie

The much-anticipated sequel to Banjo-Kazooie again pits the bear-bird duo against the evil witch Gruntilda along with her two wicked sisters. As in the first installment, players explore several enormous game environments with hidden collectables, the most important being “jiggies,” golden jigsaw pieces which allow the player to progress through the game. Additions include the ability to play as former non-player character Mumbo, new moves, and the option to split Banjo and Kazooie apart, thus taking advantage of the unique skills each possesses. The varied and expansive worlds include a prehistoric wasteland, an amusement park and a factory. Banjo-Tooie also features several hidden Easter eggs which first appeared in Banjo-Kazooie.

26. Halo 2

Bungie Studios described Halo as "Combat Evolved." And although it didn't redefine the rules of war, it certainly redefined a genre. Halo 2 could just as easily have been called "Multiplayer Evolved." Its multiplayer modes and networking options were second-to-none when it arrived in homes in late 2004; it’s still a blast to play today. The one-player campaign is shorter and more episodic than that in its predecessor, but to call it an afterthought would be wrong. Although brief (somewhere between 10 and 15 hours), the campaign in Halo 2 is nothing short of brilliant, with inspired level design, incredible production values and top-flight mechanics. The most exceptional and unexpected feature of Halo 2 is the ability to play as both Master Chief and a disgraced Elite (a Covenant infantryman).

27. Panzer Dragoon

Every video game system has at least one game or franchise unique to it and representative of its processing power and philosophy. For the short-lived Sega Saturn, the game was Panzer Dragoon, one of the titles released during the Saturn’s accelerated launch on May 11, 1995. In Panzer Dragoon, players assume the role of a young hunter entrusted with a vital mission and a powerful blue dragon. Panzer Dragoon is a rail shooter, not unlike Star Fox, and thus movement is limited along vertical and horizontal axes. Players can attack enemies with a rapid-fire rifle or with a lock-on energy blast which can seek out several targets at once. Panzer Dragoon also allows players to rotate the camera around 360 degrees to fight off enemies coming from the north, south, east and west.

28. Tetris

For its relatively short life, the video game industry has been dominated by Japan and by the United States, by England and by France. In 1984, however, the U.S.S.R. made a hugely significant contribution to the video game world with Tetris. Designed by Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris appeared on a number of personal computers throughout the 1980s, but its Game Boy version is the one that catapulted the game to stardom. Bundled with the Game Boy in 1989, Tetris introduced huge audiences to the greatest puzzle game ever made and created a generation of Tetris-addicted kids. The object of the game is to prevent blocks from piling up and reaching the top of the screen. Endlessly imitated but never duplicated, Tetris is the alpha and omega of puzzle games.

29. The Legend of Zelda

Within three years of its existence, the NES had produced two of the most important video games ever made and, in the process, introduced the world to what would become two of Nintendo’s most popular and profitable franchises: Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. Although both were developed by a team led by Shigeru Miyamoto, The Legend of Zelda was a far cry from its cousin Super Mario Bros. Set in a fantasy world of swords and sorcery, The Legend of Zelda is a nonlinear action-adventure game that introduced a quest so large that new technology was needed to support it. It was the first console game to feature an internal battery that allowed players to save their progress; no longer did would-be adventurers have to complete a game in a single sitting.

30. Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Hardcore fighting fans no doubt point to the Street Fighter, Tekken and Soul Calibur series when discussing the industry’s best one-on-one fighters, but the Super Smash Bros. brand has slowly but surely inserted itself into the conversation. Uncomplicated compared to more serious fighting games, the crossover Smash Bros. franchise reached its peak in 2008 with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Like its predecessors, Brawl uses a simple battle system and features a huge assortment of Nintendo mascots. Brawl for the first time also introduces non-Nintendo characters: Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake. Apart from supporting excellent offline and online multiplayer modes, Brawl features an incredible one-player adventure mode called “The Subspace Emissary.”

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31. GoldenEye 007

Before the release of GoldenEye 007 in 1997, most first-person shooters were corridor shooters which had one simple philosophy: shoot first, ask questions later. These shooters, mostly clones of Doom, asked their owners to shoot everything that moved, and little else. GoldenEye changed the prevailing paradigm by introducing mission objectives which demanded a combination of firepower and brainpower. GoldenEye is perhaps most famous for its legendary multiplayer modes, which allow four friends (or enemies) to shoot at each other in a number of environments with a variety of weapons. The legacy of GoldenEye is most evident when this fact is considered: console games released post-GoldenEye which did not feature a multiplayer mode were considered somehow incomplete.

32. Devil May Cry

Action game fans need look no farther than Devil May Cry, one of the most frenetic and dynamic video games ever made. Developed by Capcom, Devil May Cry borrows a lot of atmosphere and gloominess from its cousin Resident Evil, but introduces a brand-new demonic storyline and mythology. The game follows the half-human, half-devil Dante who travels to a far off island to confront a growing evil. Although Devil May Cry has a fair share of puzzle-solving and inventory management, the cores of its gameplay are the fights between Dante and the demonic agents he encounters on Mallet Island. Armed with several weapons, special attacks and the ability to transform into a super-powerful demonic creature, Dante is an indomitable fighting force.

33. Gears of War

Third-person shooters tend to get overlooked in favor of their first-person cousins, but it’s difficult not to be impressed with a game as technically sound and thrilling as Gears of War. Released roughly a year into the lifecycle of the Xbox 360, Gears of War was the first game to truly justify the purchase of Microsoft’s expensive hardware. Gears of War is the story of a deadly, protracted war between humans and a subterranean menace called the Locust Horde. The battles between the game’s hero, Marcus Fenix, and the Locust, which come in all shapes and sizes, are exhilarating, terrifying and emotionally exhausting. Gears of War features dazzling graphics and special effects and an intuitive battle system which places an emphasis on moving in and out of cover.

34. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Although Final Fantasy VII went a long way towards pushing the RPG into the mainstream, the genre still repels those gamers uncomfortable with the complexities and minutiae of hardcore RPGs. Consequently, ambitious titles like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind are not for everyone. For those who love the endless customization, huge variety and epic storytelling of hardcore RPGS, however, Morrowind is a dream come true. Although Morrowind has a central storyline, it allows players to explore freely the expansive and richly detailed game world, interacting with people and events which have only a marginal connection to the main story arc. This level of freedom and open-endedness, criticized by some, is what makes Morrowind so special.

35. Mario Kart: Double Dash

Mario earned his racing stripes on the SNES and N64, but it wasn’t until Mario Kart: Double Dash on the Gamecube that Nintendo go-kart racing reached its pinnacle. Double Dash is the fourth Mario Kart game, but the first to feature two characters per cart: one to drive, one to use items. Not only does this system of two interchangeable characters make Double Dash insanely perfect, but it introduces a cooperative mode previously unseen in Mario Kart. Players can choose from 20 playable characters, 11 of whom are new to the series. Each character has also been given a special item unique to him or her, like Mario’s fireballs or Donkey Kong’s giant banana. The only weakness in Double Dash is its battle arenas, which never quite match those in Mario Kart 64.

36. The Last Blade

The Neo Geo played host to a great assortment of one-on-one fighting games, but none every matched the style and substance of The Last Blade. Released late in the lifecycle of the Neo Geo, The Last Blade is considered by many fans to be a spiritual sequel of the Samurai Shodown series, another SNK weapons-based fighter. The Last Blade features an orthodox control scheme but adds a new flavor with the ability to deflect an opponent’s attack mid-swing and the option to choose a mode of attack before each match. Those who fight frenetically and rely on stringing together combos can choose “Speed mode”; those who fight with slower but more devastating moves can choose “Power mode.”

37. Shadow of the Colossus

The development team that produced the cult hit Ico returns with Shadow of the Colossus, an action game which pits a young warrior against sixteen colossi, enormous, formidable creatures which roam the plains, deserts, ruins and lakes of a forbidden and forgotten land. A mixture of organic and architectural parts, each colossus is a wonder to behold; each encounter with a giant is unique and memorable. Shadow of the Colossus eschews glossy graphics and complicated control schemes, opting instead to focus on mood, atmosphere and expressionism. Although director Fumito Ueda has hinted at links between Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, it is officially a spiritual successor and not necessarily a direct sequel.

38. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Had Bethesda stopped its production of The Elder Scrolls with its third installment Morrowind, it would be remembered as one of the top developers of both computer and console RPGs. In 2006, however, Bethesda released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and added to its resume a hugely ambitious title with some of the most beautiful graphics ever seen on a console game. Oblivion takes place in Cyrodiil, the central imperial province of Tamriel, where a secret cult is working to literally open the gates of hell. Like Morrowind, Oblivion is an open-ended RPG where players can postpone the main quest indefinitely, opting instead to undertake any number of side-quests or simply wander around the gorgeously rendered game world.

39. Excitebike 64

Of all the great Nintendo 64 games, Excitebike 64 is probably the most overlooked. It’s neither as sexy nor as famous as titles like GoldenEye 007 or Super Mario 64 but it’s an essential game in the N64 library and the best racing game to appear on the system, surpassing fan favorites like Wave Race 64 and F-Zero X. Like its ancestor on the NES, Excitebike 64 is a motocross racing game which combines a realistic physics engine with some arcade embellishments. Players can choose one of six riders and compete against the CPU or against three friends in twenty indoor and outdoor tracks. Excitebike 64 features several special tracks, stunt courses and a track editor, which allows players to build their own personalized tracks from scratch.

40. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

After its experiment with The Wind Waker, it was perhaps inevitable that Nintendo would opt for a more conventional Zelda adventure. Originally planned for a late 2005 release, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was postponed a year and released in November 2006 alongside the Nintendo Wii, making it the first Zelda launch title. Twilight Princess is a loving tribute to Ocarina of Time, and pays homage to its precursor throughout the game. It is one of the most ambitious Zelda games ever made and easily the largest, taking some 60 hours to complete. Twilight Princess marks the first appearance of Midna, one of the all-time great Zelda supporting characters, and several innovations, including horseback swordfights, Wii remote swordplay and Link’s ability to transform into a wolf.

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41. Perfect Dark

Although it has absolutely nothing to do with James Bond or MI6, Perfect Dark is considered a spiritual sequel to GoldenEye 007, in large part because both were developed by Rare and both use the same engine. Like GoldenEye, Perfect Dark is a mission-based first-person shooter with an in-depth one-player campaign and an addictive multiplayer mode. Perfect Dark sets itself apart from its spiritual predecessor, however, with a terrific sci-fi narrative, graphical enhancements (with the help of the expansion pack) and a multiplayer mode that features increased customization and “simulants,” computer-controlled bots which can fight against or with a human player. Perfect Dark was followed five years later by a prequel, Perfect Dark Zero.

42. Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones

Rarely does a video game trilogy close with its finest chapter, but that’s precisely what happened with the Prince of Persia trilogy. Set after the events of Warrior Within, which introduced more mature content into the series, The Two Thrones borrows elements from both its predecessors. The Two Thrones takes place in Babylon where the Prince encounters an old enemy and an old flame and once again attempts to set things right. Apart from the puzzles and acrobatics which define the series, The Two Thrones introduced new stealth fighting techniques, chariot stages and the emergence of a dual personality inside the Prince. This “Dark Prince” emerges at scripted moments in the game, allowing the player the use of the “daggertail,” a medium-range bladed whip.

43. Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee

When it was released, Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee was unjustly criticized for its level of difficulty and shortage of save locations. The game can be frustrating at times, but most great games dish out healthy doses of frustration to sweeten the eventual reward of success. Apart from a steep learning curve, Abe's Oddysee infuses traditional platform elements (running, jumping, crawling) with new and creative options. One of the most unique additions is "Game Speak," the ability to communicate with enemies, friends and animals with everything from words and whistles to growls and flatulence. Abe’s Oddysee is set on an alien planet called Oddworld where Abe, an unlikely hero, does battle with an evil corporation threatening the planet’s native species with extinction.

44. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Although Castlevania games have appeared on over seven systems, the Game Boy Advance (GBA) collection might be the finest. The best of the bunch is Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, the first Castlevania game set in the future. Aria of Sorrow is the story of high-school student Soma Cruz, who accidently finds himself in Dracula’s castle, thirty-six years after the dark lord’s final defeat. Although Aria of Sorrow plays like Circle of the Moon and Harmony of Dissonance, the other GBA titles, it introduces a “tactical soul” system, whereby Soma can absorb and equip the souls of defeated enemies. Each soul has a different function: some grant projectile weapons, others raise attributes; the most important, “ability souls,” grant Soma skills needed to access certain areas in the castle.

45. Half-Life

The years between 1997 and 2001 were pivotal years for the first-person shooter (FPS) sub-genre; titles like GoldenEye 007, Halo: Combat Evolved and Half-Life changed the rules by which shooters had previously played. Set in the Black Mesa research facility, Half-Life follows theoretical physicist Gordon Freeman as he attempts to escape the facility after a portal opens between Earth and an alien dimension. Half-Life was the first FPS to make use of scripted sequences, predetermined events which occur throughout the game which are activated by Freeman’s proximity to a person or place. Described fondly as “the thinking man’s first person shooter,” Half-Life often asks the player to solve puzzles, navigate mazes and destroy enemies by cleverly manipulating the game environment.

46. New Super Mario Bros.

Even though Mario’s 3D adventures are some of the best of the Super Mario franchise, the mustachioed plumber was born in two dimensions and continues to thrive there. New Super Mario Bros., as its name implies, is a new take on the old-school classics which appeared in the NES, SNES and Game Boy. Taking full advantage of the horsepower of the Nintendo DS, New Super Mario Bros. introduces three-dimensional polygonal renderings into the mostly 2D game, enhancing its graphical appearance. It also features several ingenious deforming effects: platforms warp and hills heave, something that would be impossible on the traditional 2D platform games. Although it’s neither the most innovative nor the most sophisticated Mario game, New Super Mario Bros. is a must-play.

47. World of Warcraft

MMORPGs are a tricky bunch, dangerously addictive and never-ending, but World of Warcraft is so polished, so engaging and such an enjoyable social experience that any minor problems are obscured by its obvious greatness. Although it belongs to the Warcraft franchise, World of Warcraft is a role-playing game and not a real-time strategy game like the previous three installments. Players begin the game by selecting a faction, Alliance or Horde, then choose a race, a class and finally make superficial alterations to their avatars. World of Warcraft is a superb one-player experience, but it shines brightest when played with others via the internet. Players can form alliances with strangers or friends and even challenge other players to duels.

48. Far Cry Instincts

A remake of the PC hit, Far Cry Instincts is less open-ended and more linear than the original Far Cry, but adds several innovations which distinguish it an a unique experience. Far Cry Instincts is the story of antihero Jack Carver, hired to transport a woman to a remote archipelago. Once there, the seemingly innocent job becomes more complicated and much more deadly. Far Cry Instincts covers a lot of diverse terrain, including rainforests, jungles, canyons, rivers, mines and volcanic wastelands, and features seven vehicles and seventeen weapons. Apart from a wide assortment of weapons, Jack is equipped with trap-making skills and, later in the game, “feral abilities” unique to the console version of Far Cry. “Feral abilities” include increased speed, night vision and a violent melee attack.

49. Grand Theft Auto III

Open-ended action games existed before 2001, but none revolutionized or popularized the “sandbox” game more than Grand Theft Auto III (GTAIII), the first three-dimensional Grand Theft Auto game. Not only did GTAIII breathe new life into the franchise, it became the standard for mature-themed nonlinear action-adventure games. It spawned a half dozen sequels and prequels and influenced an entire generation of video games. GTAIII follows an unnamed criminal who attempts to climb the criminal ladder in Liberty City, a metropolis more or less modeled on New York City. Players have the option to accept missions from several shady contacts or simply explore the streets, alleyways and suburbs of the city.

50. Elite Beat Agents

The Nintendo DS is perhaps the most significant piece of Nintendo hardware released in the past ten years and plays host to unique and innovative titles which combine traditional video game elements with new levels of interactivity thanks to the touch-screen and stylus. One of the most inventive titles for the DS is Elite Beat Agents, a rhythm game with a great sense of humor and huge replay value. Elite Beat Agents follows a trio of government agents who fly to the rescue of everyday people in need, using music and dancing to motivate them. Players must use the stylus to tap, drag and rotate objects on the touch-screen in rhythm with one of sixteen pop or rock songs. Most of the episodes in Elite Beat Agents are very funny; others are touching and emotionally powerful.

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51. Halo 3

Set shortly after the cliffhanger ending of Halo 2, Halo 3 follows super-soldier Master Chief in his campaign to reclaim Earth from the Covenant, a confederation of hostile alien species, stop a parasitic life form from ravaging the galaxy, and prevent a vast array of “Halos” from annihilating all living matter in the universe. Although the single-player campaign never reaches the levels of excellence established in the first two Halo games, Halo 3 boasts addictive, customizable and community-oriented multiplayer modes which give it immense replay value. Halo 3, for the first time, allows players to use special items in addition to weapons, grenades and melee weapons. These include deployable cover, regenerators, flares and “bubble shields.”

52. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

The original Prince of Persia was a different take on the platform game, one which put a special emphasis on solving puzzles and avoiding traps. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time recaptures the elements which made the original game so unique and adds several innovations, not least of which is an epic story of heroism, betrayal and sacrifice. Although the Prince occasionally engages in swordfights with ferocious enemies, his greatest antagonist is the environment. Using his agility and acrobatic skills, the Prince must run, jump, swing and climb across catwalks, castle walls, broken pillars and suspended platforms. Negotiating these hazards is a dangerous game; luckily the Prince has the “Dagger of Time,” which allows him to travel backwards in time, erasing a single mistake.

53. Ninja Gaiden

Developed by Team Ninja, the development team behind the Dead or Alive fighting games, Ninja Gaiden has a sophisticated and fluid combat system, one of the best on the Xbox or any other system. Ninja Gaiden is the story of ninja assassin Ryu Hayabusa, the hero of all three NES Ninja Gaiden titles, and his quest to avenge the slaughter of his clan. The game is divided into sixteen chapters which take place in a variety of environments: villages, cities, catacombs, even an airship. Ryu begins the game with few offensive and defensive tools, but can upgrade his arsenal, appearance and inventory by defeating enemies, solving puzzles and buying items and upgrades at shops scattered across the map. Ninja Gaiden is famous for its high level of difficulty.

54. Donkey Kong 64

Of all the Rare Nintendo 64 titles, Donkey Kong 64 probably polarizes fans to the greatest degree. Criticized, sometimes justifiably, for tediousness and excessive emphasis on backtracking, Donkey Kong 64 remains a game of epic proportions and one of the greatest platform games to grace a Nintendo console. The game follows Donkey Kong and four of his simian relatives, all of whom have unique (and upgradable) abilities. Each of the eight levels contains items or enemies that can only be collected or defeated by a certain member of the Kong family; consequently each level must be examined and reexamined. Donkey Kong 64 also, surprisingly, boasts a multiplayer mode, which features several environments, modes and all five Kongs as playable characters.

55. River Raid

Very few great games were released before the advent of the NES, but River Raid stands as a classic of the early 1980s and one of the best reasons to own an Atari 2600. In River Raid, players control an airplane that flies vertically along a river shooting down enemy planes, helicopters and boats; players can refuel by slowing down over refueling stations that appear along the river. While its graphics, sound and control scheme seem antiquated by modern standards, River Raid was technologically advanced for its time, featuring a huge amount of fixed, non-random terrain. River Raid was designed and programmed by Carol Shaw, a trailblazing woman in the video game industry and, by some accounts, the very first female video game designer.

56. Tempest 2000

The Atari Jaguar was a commercial and critical failure, but it supported a few great games in its short lifespan. Its greatest game is Tempest 2000, a reimagining of the 1981 arcade classic Tempest. Enhanced with smooth graphics and a techno soundtrack, Tempest 2000 boasts three one-player modes: Traditional Tempest, Tempest Plus, and Tempest 2000, which is a complete remake of the original coin-op classic, featuring new enemies, weapon power ups and a brand new jump move. Tempest 2000 also features a terrific two-player mode called Tempest Duel, in which players control ships at either end of a web and try to blast each other to smithereens. Each ship is equipped with a mirror which reflects enemy shots.

57. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell

As a series, Splinter Cell pales only in comparison to the stealth franchise par excellence Metal Gear; otherwise it’s as good as it gets in terms of stealth action. In the first Splinter Cell, players take on the role of Sam Fisher, a retired black ops specialist who reenters life with the NSA when two CIA agents go missing in Georgia. Although Fisher is well-armed, he is strongly discouraged from discharging his firearms; stealth and camouflage are the name of the game in Splinter Cell. Particularly important are areas that are bathed in light or shrouded in darkness. Players have access to a “light meter” which informs them to what degree Fisher is visible to the enemy. Splinter Cell features a training tutorial which helps players familiarize themselves with Fisher’s stealth moves.

58. Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie

Most lists of the greatest first-person shooters of the 2000s wouldn’t include Peter Jackson’s King Kong, but in reality it stands up favorably to its contemporaries. Peter Jackson’s King Kong is a collaborative effort between director Peter Jackson and one of the video game industry’s best designers Michel Ancel (Rayman 2, Beyond Good & Evil). The game is divided between first-person shooting stages and third-person action stages: in the former players control New York screenwriter Jack Driscoll; in the latter players control Kong. Although Peter Jackson’s King Kong closely follows the storyline of the movie, it features several embellishments and detours significantly from the action seen onscreen, focusing on action events which ostensibly occurred off screen.

59. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Capcom’s gaming portfolio is one of the best in the business; it owns the single-best fighting franchise, the greatest survival-horror franchise and even has had its hands in the development of three The Legend of Zelda games, including The Minish Cap. In The Minish Cap, Link has the brand-new ability to shrink down to microscopic size, helping him explore every inch of the game world, find secret items, and interact with the Picori, a friendly, mousy race of tiny creatures. Allowing Link to minimize his dimensions is a magical and very funny green hat named Ezlo, who becomes Link’s sidekick throughout the game. The game also features “kinstones,” two-part artifacts which produce items when matching pieces are combined.

60. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

The final chapter of the Metroid Prime trilogy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, is certainly the most ambitious of the series and the first to appear on the Nintendo Wii. Set several months after Metroid Prime 2, Corruption is the story of Samus Aran’s continued fight against the Space Pirates and her nemesis, Dark Samus. Unlike the previous two Metroid Prime games, which took place across several environments on a single planet, Corruption allows players to travel from planet to planet via Samus’ ship. The Wii remote and nunchuk are incorporated masterfully into Corruption: the nunchuk operates mostly as Samus’ left hand, controlling her grapple function; the Wii remote largely has the same function as a mouse in a computer first-person shooter.

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61. Super Mario Bros.

It’s difficult to believe that the financial juggernaut that is the video game industry was once in such dire straits that many business analysts doubted the long-term viability of North American video games, but in 1983 the Atari “crash” bankrupted several video game companies and almost destroyed the young industry. The game most responsible for resurrecting the video game industry was 1985’s Super Mario Bros. which, along with the NES, boosted game sales in North America and shifted the balance of power to Japan. Super Mario Bros. is the story of the titular character and his quest to rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser. It established Mario and Nintendo as household names and has since spawned multiple sequels, spin-offs and dozens of imitators.

62. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

There are a lot of great Star Wars video games but Knights of the Old Republic, a role-playing game set 4000 years before the Galactic Empire, might be the best. Designed by BioWare (Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights), Knights of the Old Republic asks players to create and customize a character who is then thrust into a galaxy-wide struggle between the forces of good and evil. Throughout the game, which takes place across several planets, the main character is joined by up to nine party members, all of whom can be equipped, customized and upgraded. Knights of the Old Republic also features an alignment system, whereby the main character’s actions and words determine whether he or she walks a path toward the light side or dark side of the Force.

63. Mario Tennis

Mario’s tennis career began on the short-lived Virtual Boy, but the first truly great Mario tennis game was the N64 classic Mario Tennis. Featuring over a dozen playable Nintendo mascots, including Waluigi (in his first video game appearance), Mario Tennis is a blast to play in single-player mode and insanely fun in multiplayer mode; up to four players can play in singles and doubles matches. Game modes include standards like Exhibition and Tournament and novelties like Ring Shot, Bowser Stage and Piranha Challenge. In Bowser stage, players can gather items by striking item boxes with a tennis ball and then use the collected items against their opponent. Mario Tennis was followed five years later by Mario Power Tennis on the Nintendo Gamecube.

64. Tetris DS

Although some worthy successors to the original Game Boy classic Tetris have appeared on home consoles, Tetris has and always will belong on handheld systems. One of the best handheld Tetris titles is Tetris DS, an amazing package of puzzle games and not merely a reiteration of the classic puzzle game. Tetris DS features six game modes, Standard, Mission, Push, Touch, Catch and Puzzle, all of which have a classic Nintendo theme. Not all modes are created equal, however; Touch mode, which allows players to move blocks with the DS stylus, is not nearly as engaging as Push mode, which frantically pits the player against a rival player or the CPU. Standard, Mission and Push mode each have multiplayer modes which can be played online (with as many as ten players).

65. Diddy Kong Racing

Many gamers point to Mario Kart 64 as the pinnacle of N64 racing, but it’s not nearly as good as Rareware’s Diddy Kong Racing. Unlike similar kart-racing games, Diddy Kong Racing allows players to choose from three vehicles, karts, hovercrafts and airplanes, although some vehicles are proscribed on certain courses. All tracks are laid out along a similar model, with boost markers and floating balloons which award players with various power-ups. What makes Diddy Kong Racing particularly engaging is its one-player adventure mode, in which Diddy travels among worlds, competing in races, unlocking battle stages and ultimately racing against a world boss. Several characters from Diddy Kong Racing, including Banjo and Conker, would later star in their own action games.

66. God of War

Greek mythology gets a bit of a facelift in Sony’s God of War, a dark and bloody tale of war, revenge and betrayal. Players control Kratos, a Spartan warrior who once swore allegiance to Ares, the Greek god of war, but who now seeks to destroy his former patron. Aided by other Olympians, Kratos embarks on an odyssey that brings him into contact with mythological beasts, deadly traps and horrible memories from his past. Although players must use Kratos’ formidable fighting skills to defeat hordes of nasty enemies, God of War is not merely an action game; it features adventure elements, like puzzle-solving, and platform elements, like scaling vertical cliffs and swinging between ropes hanging over the burning ruins of Athens.

67. NiGHTS into Dreams…

Sega may not design their games for everybody, but they know their audience and produce games accordingly. One of their sleeper hits (forgive the pun) is NiGHTS into Dreams…, a magical journey into the dreams of a young girl and boy, whose real-world insecurities are affecting the fabric of the dream world. In the many stages of the game, Claris and Elliot become NiGHTS, a genderless aeriel acrobat who seems to be the personification of courage. As NiGHTS, the youngsters fly through the dream world, avoiding enemies, collecting blue orbs and rescuing “Ideyas” from “Ideya captures.” At the end of each stage is a dream boss. Players can play through NiGHTS into Dreams… as both Claris and Elliot; finishing the game with both characters unlocks a very moving ending.

68. Gran Turismo

Racing games can be neatly divided between arcade titles with exaggerated physics and simulation titles which feature vehicles that perform like their real-world counterparts. Gran Turismo is the grandfather of the latter category, rich in detail, exhaustive in its customization and second-to-none in terms of car selection. While Gran Turismo features an arcade mode, the core of the game is simulation mode, in which players earn driver’s licenses to qualify for events, earn trophies (and credits), and unlock cars. Credits earned by winning championships can be used to purchase cars and replaceable parts. Gran Turismo features eleven tracks and 178 cars, all of which are modeled on authentic high-performance vehicles.

69. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

It may share a name with Super Mario World, but Yoshi’s Island has little to do with the premiere game on the SNES. Set years before Super Mario World and all other Super Mario games, Yoshi’s Island follows a clan of noble, friendly dinosaur-like animals called Yoshis who help the infant Mario find and rescue his kidnapped twin brother. Yoshi’s Island represents a high watermark in the platform genre, containing what one would expect from a well-designed platform game along with several unanticipated features, including mini-games, an innovative scoring system and stages which require as much foresight and strategic thinking as good timing and quick reflexes. In some stages Yoshis gain the ability to transform into a number of vehicles, including a helicopter and submarine.

70. Doom 3

The Doom franchise has a strong legacy to uphold, considering the first installment is largely responsible for the popularity of the first-person shooter. Doom 3 builds on the foundation built by Doom and Doom II, surpassing both in terms of atmosphere, graphics, gameplay and pure horror. Not necessarily a continuation of the storylines of the first two Doom games, Doom 3 is more a retelling of the events of Doom, in which hell literally breaks loose in a human research facility on Mars. Apart from its graphics and sound effects, which are superb, Doom 3 is a truly scary game, featuring lots of chills, thrills and spills. Adding to the sense of apprehension in the game is a weapon system which allows the hero to carry either a firearm or a flashlight, never both simultaneously.

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71. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

The Tony Hawk series of skateboarding games have now become a video game empire, but the franchise began rather humbly in 1999 on the Sony Playstation. Players skate through several single-player and multiplayer modes as one of ten celebrity skaters, including Bob Burnquist, Chad Muska and, of course, Tony Hawk. The single-player career mode includes nine open-ended environments in which players perform stunts, tricks, jumps and all manner of daredevil maneuvers. In six of the nine stages, skaters are asked to collect five tapes, some of which are unlocked by achieving high scores, some of which are hidden somewhere in the environment. The physics engine in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater is really something of a miracle, allowing players to do everything a real skater can do.

72. Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

In an industry dominated by fast-paced action games, adventure titles like Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure are rare indeed. In Zack & Wiki, players control Zack, a young boy whose aspirations stop at nothing short of being the greatest pirate in history, and his magical sidekick Wiki, a golden floating monkey capable of magically transforming living items into objects useful for solving puzzles. Early in the game, Zack and Wiki discover the talking skull of the famous pirate Barbaros, who promises guidance to Treasure Island should the would-be pirates collect the rest of his scattered bones. The puzzles in Zack & Wiki, which require cleverly using the Wii remote, become progressively more difficult as the game moves on; the penultimate level is insanely tough.

73. Final Fantasy II

The real Final Fantasy II never made the journey from the Super Famicom to the Super Nintendo; what is called Final Fantasy II on the SNES is really the fourth Final Fantasy game. Set in a fantasy world on the brink of chaos, Final Fantasy II unites heroes from different backgrounds who fight against an evil sorcerer trying to destroy the world. Although it’s not as masterful as its younger brother Final Fantasy III (Final Fantasy VI in Japan), Final Fantasy II is one of the most important RPGs of its or any generation. It largely introduced the idea of dramatic storytelling in an RPG, which has since become one of the genre’s defining characteristics. Final Fantasy II also features an incredible musical score and an Active Time Battle (ATB) system in which players input commands in real time.

74. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

From the creator of the best-selling franchise Crash Bandicoot comes one of the best platformers on the Playstation 2, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. Following in the footsteps of some of the greatest platform games ever made, Jak and Daxter opens up for players large, diverse environments littered with nasty enemies and tons of collectable items: power cells, “Precursor orbs,” etc. The story is representative of its genre and thus not especially deep; best friends Jak and Daxter trespass on Misty Island, run afoul of an angry “Lurker” and Daxter is thrown into a pool of “Dark Eco,” transforming him into a furry “Ottsel” (think otter meets weasel). Soon after the dynamic duo are searching for a cure, exploring richly detailed environments and gradually becoming real heroes.

75. Super Street Fighter II Turbo

The Street Fighter II franchise, which is largely credited with popularizing the fighting game genre, came to a close in North America in 1994 with the release of Super Street Fighter II Turbo (Super Turbo), an updated version of Super Street Fighter II. Although the SNES port of Super Street Fighter II is a better overall package than Super Turbo, the latter tops the former in terms of graphics, sophistication and balance. Super Turbo is the first arcade Street Fighter to feature adjustable game speed, special moves called “Super Combos” and a hidden player named Akuma. Considered by many hardcore fighting fans to be the series’ ultimate accomplishment, Super Turbo is still played in worldwide competitive tournaments.

76. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

The Call of Duty games have long dominated the pool of World War II shooters, but in 2007 developer Infinity Ward fast-forwarded to the not-too-distant future when American marines and British Special Forces are pitched in a global battle against Russian ultranationalists and Middle Eastern radicals. Because of its emphasis on the rules of modern warfare, Call of Duty 4 introduces weapons and technology which never before appeared in previous installments: soldiers can fire high-powered sniper rifles, use night-vision goggles and call in air strikes on unsuspecting targets. The multiplayer modes in CoD 4 are especially good, rivaling Halo 3 in terms of replay value and intensity. In each match, players can select one of several classes of soldier, each with its own weapons and “perks.”

77. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

One of the most unique games on the SNES is Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, an RPG developed by Square with direct guidance from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Super Mario RPG begins like most Mario games: Princess Toadstool is captured by local tyrant Bowser and mustachioed Mario flies to her rescue. The rescue attempt is interrupted, however, when a giant sword crashes through Bowser’s keep. As the story progresses, players learn that much more sinister forces than Bowser are attempting to overrun the Mushroom Kingdom. Although developed by Square, Super Mario RPG is a much simpler RPG than any of Square’s Final Fantasy series. The battle sequences are less complicated, the inventory is less robust, the playing time significantly reduced.

78. Rayman 2: The Great Escape

The first three-dimensional outing for the limbless hero Rayman is an excellent platform game with terrific graphics, sound and play control, one which ranks among the very best Nintendo 64 games. Rayman 2 is the story of an evil invading army of robotic pirates who are enslaving the population of Rayman’s home world. Equipped with powerful fists, which can fire charged projectiles, and aided by a group of friends, Rayman jumps, runs and floats through gorgeously-designed environments (aided by the expansion pack), defeating the minions of Razorbeard. Although Rayman 2 embraces traditional platform elements, the developers at Ubisoft added several unusual features, including waterskiing and riding “shells,” mule-headed missiles which can gallop or fly through the air.

79. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Although it comes with a certain sense of déjà vu, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is a worthy successor to the best game of 2002 Metroid Prime. Set six months after the events on Tallon IV, Echoes follows space hunter Samus Aran and her adventures on Aether, a planet which has two parallel realities. Like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Echoes asks players to maneuver between “light” and “dark” worlds; both realities must be explored to complete the game. Apart from its emphasis on duality, Echoes largely resembles its immediate predecessor in both appearance and gameplay, but adds, for the first time in the franchise, a multiplayer mode in which four players can do battle; unfortunately it adds almost nothing to the overall experience.

80. Street Fighter Alpha

While not nearly as good as its cousin Super Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha is an excellent fighting game and a tribute to the programmers and developers at Capcom, who packaged together a new artistic style and brand new mechanics with the essentials which make Street Fighter so much fun to play. At its core, Alpha is similar to Street Fighter II and all its immediate variations, but the game features a combo system which is light years ahead of the seminal fighting game. Alpha boasts a three-level Super Combo gauge, which gradually fills as players complete basic and special moves; when the gauge reaches a certain level, players can input button sequences to perform devastating Super Combo techniques. New moves include mid-air blocks and counter attacks.

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81. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!

Anyone who has ever played Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out (also known as Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream or simply Punch-Out!!) will never forget it. Punch-Out is one of those rare games which triggers almost immediate nostalgia; it belongs in the conversation with Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda not only because it’s a great NES game but because it acts as a miniature time machine. In Punch-Out players control Little Mac, an amateur boxer who rises in the professional boxing circuit as he tackles tougher and tougher fighters. His opponents, who sadly appear in hindsight as unapologetically stereotyped, are perhaps the most memorable part of the game: who can forget Piston Honda, Von Kaiser and King Hippo?

82. F-Zero

One of the reasons the Super Nintendo can justifiably be called the greatest video game console of all time is that it supports so many great games from so many different genres. In the racing category no game shined brighter on the SNES than F-Zero, the premiere game in the futuristic, high-speed franchise. In F-Zero, players control incredibly fast hovercars which zoom around fifteen tracks with jumps, hairpin turns and hazards which include landmines and magnets. The variety of tracks and excellent soundtrack in F-Zero make it an enduring classic; its low number of drivable cars (four) is its only real drawback. F-Zero was one of the first games to use “Mode 7,” a graphical innovation which makes games appear more realistic by creating an impression of 3D graphics.

83. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

It took several years for a Zelda game to arrive on a Nintendo handheld system, but the end result was worth any wait. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is one of only a few Zelda games which takes place outside of Hyrule; in fact it features none of the elements which traditionally appear in Zelda games: Ganon, Princess Zelda and the Triforce. Link’s Awakening follows Link’s adventures on Koholint Island, an isolated isle ruled over by the Wind Fish. Aiding him in his quest to recover items and brave dangerous dungeons are several non-player characters, including newcomer Marin. Link’s Awakening will never compete with some of the console Zelda games, but remains a fun, unique and sometimes irreverent take on The Legend of Zelda.

84. James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing

Ever since 1997, video games featuring James Bond have struggled to match the greatness of GoldenEye 007; only in 2003 did Electronic Arts design a game worthy of mention in the same breath as GoldenEye: James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing. Featuring a storyline independent of those penned by Ian Fleming, Everything or Nothing is a brand new chapter in the life of James Bond and MI6, although it has some connections to earlier events in Bond’s life. Electronic Arts brought in several James Bond actors to voice their characters in the game; these include Pierce Brosnan, John Cleese and Judi Dench. Everything or Nothing is only the second Bond game played in the third-person and the first to feature a two-player cooperative mode.

85. Fable: The Lost Chapters

It may not be everything Peter Molyneux and Lionhead Studios promised, but Fable: The Lost Chapters is an excellent RPG experience in which players have unprecedented control over their character’s actions, decisions, diet and appearance, all of which have small and large effects on his standing in the game world. In Fable, the morally good actions taken by the hero will draw him toward a positive alignment (townspeople will treat him kindly and applaud on his arrival); sinful actions, like killing civilians and breaking laws, will result in a negative alignment. The positively aligned hero will gradually earn fairer features (blond hair and light skin) and a halo above his head; the negatively aligned hero will bear glowing red eyes and horns.

86. Jet Force Gemini

It’s safe to say that Rare dominated video games in the 1990s. Games like Battletoads, Killer Instinct and Donkey Kong Country appeared on the NES and SNES and won popular and critical approval, but it was the N64 library where Rare made its most important contributions. Although it’s neither as influential as GoldenEye nor as innovative as Blast Corps, Jet Force Gemini belongs to the best Rare had to offer in the ‘90s. Jet Force Gemini is a third-person shooter which features three playable members of an intergalactic police force: siblings Juno and Vela and their dog Lupus. The game is easily one of Rare’s most ambitious titles, featuring over a dozen huge worlds to explore, a large assortment of weapons and several hidden items to collect.

87. Super Smash Bros. Melee

The original Super Smash Bros. was a real treat for Nintendo fans; a crossover fighting game, Smash Bros. allowed up to four players to play as their favorite Nintendo mascots in a variety of Nintendo-themed battlefields. Although Smash Bros. represented a great concept and was undoubtedly fun to play with a group of friends, it featured a single-player mode that appeared largely as an afterthought. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, however, HAL Laboratory complemented incredibly deep multiplayer modes with several terrific single-player modes, including “Classic Mode,” “Adventure Mode,” “Event Mode,” and several mini-games like “Home Run Contest” and “Target Test.” Melee features a total of 26 playable characters, 14 more than its predecessor.

88. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Wrongly derided as a “Doom clone,” Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is a unique game and one of the best first-person shooters on the Nintendo 64. Released in early 1997, when the N64 was still young, Turok gave players a mature-rated shooter set in the Lost Land, a forgotten territory inhabited by ruins, jungles and many deadly creatures, including dinosaurs. Although Turok features the standard gun fights between the hero and hordes of violent enemies, the game also allows players to explore the three-dimensional world of the Lost Land by climbing, swimming and jumping across chasms; in hidden areas players can find items, powerful weapons and artifacts. The emphasis in Turok on open environments (as opposed to the closed-in corridors of Doom) separates it from the pack.

89. Jade Empire

BioWare’s follow-up to the massively successful Knights of the Old Republic is an outstanding RPG in its own right, one which borrows from and enhances some of the elements found in its predecessor. Jade Empire is set in a fictional Chinese empire where the restless dead are troubling the land. As a young student at a secluded martial arts training school, players are quickly and violently torn from their peaceful surroundings and set on a path to bring peace to the land. Along the way, players are joined by several unique companions and forced to overcome several obstacles, some of which point to a sinister force at the heart of the empire. Jade Empire features an innovative combat system and a morality gauge which allows players to follow aggressive or pacifist philosophies.

90. NHL ‘94

Generally considered to be the best of the NHL franchise and one of the best sporting games of all time, NHL ’94 uses the engine and overhead camera of its immediate predecessor NHLPA Hockey ’93, although it introduces a new “one timer” move in which players can shoot the puck directly off an incoming pass. What makes NHL ’94 one of the all-time greats of the sports genre is its commitment to realism; players won’t find any arcade exaggerations or unrealistic physics. NHL ’94 was officially licensed by the National Hockey League and by the NHL Players Association and thus features player names and team logos (including the now defunct Hartford Whalers). The game includes four play modes, including exhibition, shootout and a single-game or seven-game Stanley Cup series.

91-100

91. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

The best way to understand Harmony of Dissonance is as a stepping stone between the first GBA Castlevania game Circle of the Moon and the masterwork Aria of Sorrow, the final GBA Castlevania adventure. Set in 1748, Harmony of Dissonance tells the story of Juste Belmont and the eternal nemesis of the Belmont clan, Dracula. Although most Castlevania games recycle the same storyline, Harmony of Dissonance features two of Juste’s childhood friends who are wrapped up in the darkness of Dracula’s shadow, adding an emotional and nostalgic element not always see in other Castlevania games. Juste primarily uses his whip to dispatch enemies, but players can enhance his sub-weapons with hidden spell books which increase their power and drain magic energy.

92. Super Dodge Ball

The odds that a video game about competitive dodge ball would end up being one of the best experiences the NES has to offer are very slim, but Technos’ Super Dodge Ball is an insanely fun (albeit short) sports game based on the rules of gym class’ cruelest game. In Super Dodge Ball, players take control of the six-man USA team in an international tournament against rival countries: India, England, China, the USSR, Kenya and Japan. The controls in Super Dodgeball are simple, but a good strategy goes a long way in the tournament. Each member of the six-man team has a unique set of statistics based on energy, throwing power, technique, agility, etc. Super Dodgeball is a very short game, but loads of fun while it lasts.

93. Killzone

Although it’s not the “Halo-killer” some had anticipated, Killzone is an excellent game with an engaging storyline, some great combat and an unmatched visual style. Killzone is set in the future, when humanity is colonizing outer space, and a vicious war has erupted between Earth loyalists and mutated separatists. The game unfolds across several environments on Earth colony Vekta: urban slums, steamy swamps, snowy mountain summits, etc. All have been drawn masterfully by the designers at Guerrilla Games, who have built in Killzone a bleak vision of humanity’s future, painted with gritty grays. Aside from its one-player campaign (in which players can control four different soldiers), Killzone features offline and online multiplayer matches.

94. Astro Boy: Omega Factor

American audiences probably won’t be able to make much sense of Astro Boy: Omega Factor’s cryptic plot, unique characters and strange dialogue, but its visual style, level design and gameplay diversity make it one of the best action games on the GBA. Astro Boy was designed by Treasure, the development team behind some excellent shooters like Ikaruga and Gunstar Heroes, and some of Treasure’s trademarks can be seen in Astro Boy: waves and waves of enemies, boss fights aplenty and explosive action filling every corner of the screen. The story is based on several Japanese sources, including Astro Boy comics and cartoons, and thus includes characters from the entire Astro Boy universe. With each character Astro Boy encounters, players can power up one of his abilities.

95. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

The first Donkey Kong Country was a huge step forward in graphical presentation, being one of the first mainstream games to feature expensive pre-rendered 3D graphics. Its sequel, however, surpasses it not only in terms of appearance but is also more challenging and a deeper, more rewarding experience. Diddy’s Kong Quest begins after Donkey Kong has been captured by Kaptain K. Rool. It’s up to Diddy Kong (Donkey’s nephew and sidekick from the first Donkey Kong Country) and his girlfriend and newcomer to the series Dixie Kong to save him. Although its features gameplay which is essentially similar to its predecessor, Diddy’s Kong Quest has many more diverse levels, more challenging enemies, tons of secret collectable items and several more animal sidekicks.

96. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

N64 owners who were Star Wars fans had a lot to celebrate: Shadows of the Empire, Episode 1: Racer and, of course, the arcade-style shooter Rogue Squadron which allowed players to control Luke Skywalker in several missions against the evil forces of the Galactic Empire. Unlike some of the Star Wars computer flight simulations, Rogue Squadron is more forgiving in terms of real-world flight mechanics and physics. The missions in Rogue Squadron consist of four main types, search and destroy, reconnaissance, rescue, and protect, each requiring a particular starship to complete a given mission. The replay value in the game is extremely high; players can revisit each mission several times in order to earn one of three medals, rise in rank and unlock hidden missions and starships.

97. Castlevania

The Castlevania franchise has since spread to non-Nintendo platforms, but for the first few years of its existence it belonged to the NES. Three Castlevania games were produced for the NES between 1987 and 1990 and although many critics point to Castlevania III as the high water mark, it’s the original Castlevania game which stands atop the rest. In Castlevania, loosely inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula, players take control of vampire-hunter Simon Belmont, armed with a whip and his wits as he takes on the forces of darkness: ghosts, mummies, skeleton warriors, etc. Castlevania lasts only six levels, but its famous level of difficulty will make a straight run almost impossible. A haunting soundtrack enhances what is already one of the most atmospheric titles for the NES.

98. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Developers at Nintendo seem to use a time-tested formula when producing new Zelda games: keep intact the essential core and add to it some small or large innovations which result in a unique experience. The first DS Zelda game, Phantom Hourglass, is a child of that formula, an excellent Zelda adventure with all the possibilities that the DS hardware provides: players control Link and attack enemies exclusively with the stylus. Set some time after The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass reunites Link and friendly pirate Tetra in a new quest against a powerful dark force. The game features much of the island-hopping found in The Wind Waker, but Link now braves the ocean in the S.S. Linebeck, a paddle steamer which is fully customizable.

99. Tak and the Power of Juju

Some gamers might immediately dismiss Tak and the Power of Juju because of its Nickelodeon affiliation or due to its cutesy graphics but those who do are missing out on an outstanding platform game with a terrific sense of humor and some gorgeous visuals. Players control Tak, a scrawny good-natured kid who must save his tribe from an evil sorcerer. Tak can travel to several game environments via flying machines or warp gates, where he must defeat enemies, collect items and solve brain-teasing puzzles. In many ways, Tak and the Power of Juju is no different from every platformer on the market today, but its visual style, hilarious jokes and colorful characters allow it to stand out. Tak also features snowboarding and “sandboarding” levels which are ridiculously fun.

100. Braid

There can be no doubt that the video game industry is dominated by the biggest companies with the most profitable franchises; so when an independent software developer produces a popular and critically-acclaimed game it’s impossible not to take notice. Braid is the brainchild of designer Jonathan Blow, a man who has been critical of several trends inside the industry and has called for new games using “innovative, ethical and personal art.” In Braid Blow has created a game which is peerless in its presentation and its time-bending gameplay. At its most superficial level Braid is a puzzle/platform game about a young man hoping to rescue a princess from a monster, but as players tread deeper into the game, the cryptic and metaphorical story allows many interpretations.

Top 100

When I composed my first list of great video games in 2005, it stopped at #50; I had simply not played enough great games to reach 100. Now, five years later I have finally played 100 games I feel comfortable describing as "great" and the game which had formerly been #50 would probably be #130 today.

The list is still heavy on titles from Nintendo systems and for two reasons:

1) Up until the summer of 2007 I only played games from Nintendo systems.

2) Some of the greatest games ever made, including those from the "golden age" of video games, were released on Nintendo consoles and handheld systems; there is simply no denying that.

This list of 100 games will be broken into 11 installments: 91-100, 81-90 and so on. The eleventh and final installment will be solely dedicated to my #1 game. If there is a great game you love and can't find on the list it is very likely I've simply not played it. One thing I've learned from playing video games is that there are very few overrated titles, although many more underrated ones.

Enjoy the list.