The Greatest Video Games of All Time, Ranked
These are the 36 games we think matter most: the ones that invented a genre, perfected it, or are still worth playing today. We weighed how influential each game was, how well it holds up now, and how much fun it is to actually play.
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The list
- 1
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - 2
Super Mario 64 - 3
Tetris - 4
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 5
Super Mario Bros. - 6
Half-Life 2 - 7
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - 8
Elden Ring - 9
Minecraft - 10
Red Dead Redemption 2 - 11
Portal 2 - 12
The Last of Us - 13
Super Metroid - 14
Final Fantasy VII - 15
Dark Souls - 16
Chrono Trigger - 17
Grand Theft Auto V - 18
Street Fighter II - 19
Metal Gear Solid - 20
Baldur's Gate 3 - 21
Halo: Combat Evolved - 22
Pokémon Red and Blue - 23
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - 24
Hollow Knight - 25
Mass Effect 2 - 26
Hades - 27
BioShock - 28
God of War - 29
Super Smash Bros. Melee - 30
Stardew Valley - 31
Super Mario Odyssey - 32
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - 33
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - 34
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - 35
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 36
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#1 to #10
1 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
It showed how 3D action and exploration should work, and lock-on targeting and context buttons are still used everywhere. The dungeons remain some of the best ever designed.
About The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Released for the Nintendo 64, this was the series' first fully 3D entry and is frequently cited as one of the greatest video games ever made. It introduced Z-targeting and a child/adult time-travel structure.
- Platform
- Nintendo 64
- Released
- 1998
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made, Best Zelda Games Ranked
2 Super Mario 64
The game that taught the industry how to move a character and a camera in 3D. Decades later, just running around Peach’s castle still feels great.
About Super Mario 64
A 3D platformer released for the Nintendo 64 that established core conventions of analog-stick 3D movement and camera control.
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Released
- 1996
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
3 Tetris
Close to a perfect game. Simple enough for anyone, deep enough for world championships, and it has never really aged.
About Tetris
A tile-matching puzzle game designed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. One of the most ported and recognizable video games ever made.
- Designer
- Alexey Pajitnov
- Released
- 1984
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
An open world that trusts you completely. Anything you can see, you can climb, and the physics sandbox rewards every wild idea.
About The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
A launch title for the Nintendo Switch (also released on Wii U) that reinvented the series as an open-world game with physics-based puzzle systems. Widely credited with influencing open-world design across the industry.
- Platform
- Switch, Wii U
- Released
- 2017
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made, Best Zelda Games Ranked
5. Super Mario Bros.
It defined the side-scrolling platformer and helped save home gaming. World 1-1 is still the best tutorial ever made.
About Super Mario Bros.
A side-scrolling platformer that helped revive the video game industry in North America after the 1983 crash. Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Released
- 1985
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
6. Half-Life 2
Physics puzzles, unforgettable set pieces and storytelling that never takes control away from the player. Most modern shooters still borrow from it.
About Half-Life 2
A first-person shooter following Gordon Freeman's fight against an alien occupation in City 17. Known for physics-based gameplay via the gravity gun.
- Developer
- Valve
- Released
- 2004
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
7. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Side quests with more heart than most games’ main stories. It raised the bar for writing in open world RPGs.
About The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
An open-world fantasy RPG following monster hunter Geralt of Rivia, based on the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski. Praised especially for its side quest writing.
- Developer
- CD Projekt Red
- Released
- 2015
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
8. Elden Ring
FromSoftware’s demanding combat in a vast, mysterious open world. The sense of discovery is unmatched.
About Elden Ring
An open-world action RPG from FromSoftware, created in collaboration with fantasy author George R. R. Martin. Expanded the studio's punishing "Soulslike" design into a full open world.
- Developer
- FromSoftware
- Released
- 2022
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
9. Minecraft
The best-selling game ever, and a creative tool for a whole generation. It works as a survival game, a building toy and a classroom.
About Minecraft
A sandbox survival game built around breaking and placing blocks in a procedurally generated world. One of the best-selling video games of all time.
- Developer
- Mojang
- Released
- 2011
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
10. Red Dead Redemption 2
The most detailed world ever built for a game, with a slow, moving story about a gang falling apart.
About Red Dead Redemption 2
A prequel Western epic following outlaw Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang. Known for its density of simulation detail and slow-burn storytelling.
- Developer
- Rockstar Games
- Released
- 2018
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
#11 to #25
11. Portal 2
Brilliant puzzles, genuinely funny writing and a co-op mode that’s just as good as the story.
About Portal 2
A first-person puzzle game built around a portal gun, featuring the AI antagonist GLaDOS. Sequel to the original Portal.
- Developer
- Valve
- Released
- 2011
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
12. The Last of Us
A story-driven game that stands with great film and TV, anchored by the relationship between Joel and Ellie.
About The Last of Us
A post-apocalyptic survival game following Joel and Ellie across a fungal-infected United States. Later adapted into an HBO television series.
- Developer
- Naughty Dog
- Released
- 2013
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
13. Super Metroid
The blueprint for the "Metroidvania": a world that opens up as you gain abilities, with almost no hand holding.
About Super Metroid
A side-scrolling action-adventure game set on the planet Zebes, widely credited as the namesake and template for the "Metroidvania" genre.
- Developer
- Nintendo R&D1
- Released
- 1994
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
14. Final Fantasy VII
It brought Japanese RPGs to a global audience with a huge story, memorable characters and a famous twist.
About Final Fantasy VII
A landmark JRPG following eco-terrorist Cloud Strife and his allies against the Shinra corporation. Credited with popularizing JRPGs in the West.
- Developer
- Square
- Released
- 1997
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
15. Dark Souls
A tough, interconnected world where every victory feels earned. It spawned a whole genre of imitators.
About Dark Souls
An action RPG known for its difficulty and interconnected world design. Spawned the term "Souslike" as its own subgenre descriptor.
- Developer
- FromSoftware
- Released
- 2011
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
16. Chrono Trigger
Time travel, multiple endings and no wasted moments. Possibly the most polished 16-bit RPG.
About Chrono Trigger
A JRPG involving time travel across multiple eras, developed by a team of veteran Square and Enix creators sometimes called the "Dream Team."
- Developer
- Square
- Released
- 1995
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
17. Grand Theft Auto V
Three playable characters, a satirical Los Angeles and an online mode people still play more than a decade later.
About Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar's 2013 open-world crime game set in Los Santos, following three protagonists, Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. One of the best-selling video games of all time.
- Released
- 2013
- Sales
- 200+ million copies
- Setting
- Los Santos / Blaine County
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made, Grand Theft Auto Games Ranked: Every Entry, Best to Worst
18. Street Fighter II
It created the competitive fighting game scene, and its characters and combos are still iconic.
About Street Fighter II
A fighting game that popularized the genre in arcades worldwide, introducing special moves like the Hadouken and a competitive character roster.
- Developer
- Capcom
- Released
- 1991
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
19. Metal Gear Solid
Cinematic stealth that broke the fourth wall in ways players still talk about.
About Metal Gear Solid
A stealth action game following Solid Snake infiltrating a nuclear weapons facility. Directed by Hideo Kojima, known for its cinematic storytelling.
- Developer
- Konami
- Released
- 1998
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
20. Baldur's Gate 3
A tabletop RPG brought fully to life, where almost any plan you come up with actually works.
About Baldur's Gate 3
A CRPG based on Dungeons & Dragons rules, known for its reactivity, full voice acting and branching narrative paths.
- Developer
- Larian Studios
- Released
- 2023
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
21. Halo: Combat Evolved
It proved shooters could work on a controller and made split-screen and LAN parties legendary.
About Halo: Combat Evolved
A sci-fi first-person shooter and launch title for the original Xbox, following the Master Chief against an alien alliance called the Covenant.
- Developer
- Bungie
- Released
- 2001
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
22. Pokémon Red and Blue
Collecting and trading monsters with friends turned into one of the biggest franchises on Earth.
About Pokémon Red and Blue
The original Game Boy entries in the Pokémon series, introducing creature collecting and trading as a social, cartridge-linked feature.
- Developer
- Game Freak
- Released
- 1996
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
23. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
A huge fantasy world with endless things to find, kept alive for years by its modding community.
About The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
An open-world fantasy RPG set in the frozen province of Skyrim, following a prophesied Dragonborn. Famous for its re-releases across many platforms.
- Developer
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Released
- 2011
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
24. Hollow Knight
A small team made one of the best Metroidvanias ever, with beautiful hand-drawn art and precise combat.
About Hollow Knight
A hand-drawn Metroidvania following a small knight exploring the ruined insect kingdom of Hallownest. Developed by a small independent Australian studio.
- Developer
- Team Cherry
- Released
- 2017
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
25. Mass Effect 2
A great cast of squadmates and a finale where your earlier choices decide who survives.
About Mass Effect 2
A sci-fi RPG following Commander Shepard assembling a crew for a suicide mission. Known for choice-driven companion storylines.
- Developer
- BioWare
- Released
- 2010
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
#26 to #36
26. Hades
A roguelike with a story that moves forward every time you die. Fast, stylish and very replayable.
About Hades
A roguelike dungeon crawler following Zagreus, son of Hades, as he repeatedly attempts to escape the Underworld. Known for narrative that progresses with each death.
- Developer
- Supergiant Games
- Released
- 2020
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
27. BioShock
Rapture is one of gaming’s great settings, and the twist reframes everything you did before it.
About BioShock
A first-person shooter set in the underwater city of Rapture, blending philosophy with genetic-modification gameplay. Known for its twist ending.
- Developer
- 2K Boston/2K Australia
- Released
- 2007
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
28. God of War
The 2018 reboot turned a rage-fueled series into a thoughtful story about a father and his son.
About God of War
A 2018 reboot of the God of War series, following an aged Kratos and his son Atreus in a Norse mythology setting shot with a single continuous camera.
- Developer
- Santa Monica Studio
- Released
- 2018
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
29. Super Smash Bros. Melee
A party game that turned into a competitive scene with a devoted following.
About Super Smash Bros. Melee
A crossover fighting game featuring Nintendo characters, released for the GameCube. Became a long-running competitive esport.
- Developer
- HAL Laboratory
- Released
- 2001
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
30. Stardew Valley
One developer’s cozy farming game that gave a whole genre new life.
About Stardew Valley
A farming and life simulation game developed solo by Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone. Inspired heavily by the Harvest Moon series.
- Developer
- ConcernedApe
- Released
- 2016
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
31. Super Mario Odyssey
Capturing enemies with Cappy keeps every kingdom surprising, and it’s pure joy from start to finish.
About Super Mario Odyssey
A 3D platformer following Mario across varied kingdoms, featuring the possession mechanic via his sentient hat, Cappy.
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Released
- 2017
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
32. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
A whole state to explore, packed with things to do, and a soundtrack people still quote.
About Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
2004 entry following CJ across three fictional cities modeled on Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Known for its scope, RPG-style features, and gang-war storyline.
- Released
- 2004
- Protagonist
- Carl 'CJ' Johnson
- Setting
- State of San Andreas
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made, Grand Theft Auto Games Ranked: Every Entry, Best to Worst
33. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Its multiplayer unlocks and perks changed online shooters for good.
About Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
A first-person shooter that moved the Call of Duty series into a modern setting, known for its campaign and influential multiplayer perk system.
- Developer
- Infinity Ward
- Released
- 2007
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
34. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The most polished Mario Kart, and the easiest party game to pick up.
About Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
A kart racing game for the Nintendo Switch featuring antigravity track sections. An enhanced port and expansion of the Wii U's Mario Kart 8.
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Released
- 2017
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
35. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
A calm island life game that became a lifeline for millions in 2020.
About Animal Crossing: New Horizons
A life simulation game set on a deserted island, released for the Switch. Became a cultural phenomenon during 2020.
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Released
- 2020
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
36. Fortnite
Building, constant updates and huge live events made it a pop culture fixture.
About Fortnite
A battle royale and cultural platform that expanded into concerts, crossovers and a persistent building-based combat system.
- Developer
- Epic Games
- Released
- 2017
Also ranked in: Video Games Tier List: Ranking the Greatest Ever Made
How we ranked them
We ranked each game on three things: influence (did it change how games are made?), how well it holds up if you play it today, and how much fun it is. Influence counted most for older games, and staying power counted most for newer ones. Only one entry per series made the list, except where two games were each landmarks in their own right.
Think we got it wrong?
Drag all 36 greatest video games of all time into your own list, then download the image or share a link.
Rank these yourselfFAQ
What is the greatest video game of all time?
We rank The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time at #1, for how much it shaped 3D games and how well its dungeons and world still hold up.
Why is Tetris ranked so high?
Tetris is simple enough for anyone and deep enough for world championships, and it plays as well today as it did in 1984.
Which recent games made the list?
Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3, Hades and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are the newest entries in our ranking.
How many games are ranked?
36 games, spanning arcade classics, console landmarks and modern hits.
Can I make my own ranking?
Yes. Drag the games into your own order in the tool on this page, or open the full editor to add any game you think we missed.
From the blog
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Image credits
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Super Mario 64Image: Wikipedia · Source
- TetrisLogo: The Tetris Company, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons) · Source
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Super Mario Bros.Image: Wikipedia · Source
- Half-Life 2Image: Wikipedia · Source
- The Witcher 3: Wild HuntImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Elden RingImage: Wikipedia · Source
- MinecraftPhoto: Microsoft, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Red Dead Redemption 2Image: Wikipedia · Source
- Portal 2Image: Wikipedia · Source
- The Last of UsLogo: Naughty Dog, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons) · Source
- Super MetroidImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Final Fantasy VIIImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Dark SoulsImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Chrono TriggerImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Grand Theft Auto VImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Street Fighter IIImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Metal Gear SolidPhoto: Rockinrollblues, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Baldur's Gate 3Image: Wikipedia · Source
- Halo: Combat EvolvedImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Pokémon Red and BlueImage: Wikipedia · Source
- The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Hollow KnightImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Mass Effect 2Image: Wikipedia · Source
- HadesImage: Wikipedia · Source
- BioShockImage: Wikipedia · Source
- God of WarImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Super Smash Bros. MeleeImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Stardew ValleyImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Super Mario OdysseyImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Mario Kart 8 DeluxeImage: Wikipedia · Source
- Animal Crossing: New HorizonsImage: Wikipedia · Source
- FortnitePhoto: Sergey Galyonkin from Raleigh, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source