I recently got finished with the bracket for the Greatest Video Game of All-Time. While I put a lot of thought into that, there were a few games that I missed. It was a pretty ambitious first endeavor, but to wrap it up nicely and put a bow on it, I figured I’d include a list ranking the top 20 games (there were 16 in the bracket). Most of this is informed by the bracket that I made, but sometimes I just had to make a gut decision.  I also decided to make tiers in order to give this some organization. Often the video games in each tier are relatively interchangeable regarding their position. Speaking of segues…

Bottom Tier

20. Rock Band 2

In hindsight, Rock Band 2 was the least deserving game to be on my bracket. It’s a great game, don’t get me wrong. I have tons of fun memories playing the drums and the (poorly constructed) guitar. It just doesn’t measure up to any of the other video games on this list.

D-Tier

19.Counter-Strike: Source

This begins the second tier of video games.  I put Counter-Strike source last because I think I would get tired of playing this game the fastest of the three of them, though it’s difficult to say. All three would definitely take awhile.

18. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart is just pure simple fun. It’s likely the least balanced of the three games in this tier and the most repetitive in gameplay, but it’s also the most joyful and the easiest to have a party with. You can’t pick up a game of Counter-Strike like you can with Mario Kart. Plus the game is just fun.

17.Halo: Reach

Based on the categories of single-player gameplay, multiplayer gameplay, atmosphere, and replay value, Halo:Reach has to take the top spot in this tier. It’s got a great story, great gameplay, and plenty of reasons to come back to it. One way or another, however, I just like the games higher on the list more.

C-Tier

16. Marvel Ultimate Alliance

We reach the first game that I should have put into the bracket. Ultimate Alliance is one of those games that you either love or hate. I happen to love it. It’s a dungeon crawler with a large cast of Marvel heroes. The story is one of the most intricate stories I’ve experienced in a video game and the RPG elements are fantastic. Still, the game has it’s flaws. The graphics don’t hold up well, some characters are far more exciting to play as than others, and there are occasional glitches. However, I think it earns this spot just for the voice acting and the cutscenes alone. I love this game.

15. Super Mario 64

I think that Super Mario 64 is the most classic game that I have on this list. There’s a reason why this game is so loved and adored by anyone who was gaming when it came out. It revolutionized that gaming industry and showed that 2D video games could translate well into the 3D video game market. I still have fond memories that flood back every time I hear the “Slide” music.

14. Sonic Generations

Of all the games that could be interchanged in this tier, I think that Super Mario 64 and Sonic Generations are easily the closest. The biggest reason I put Sonic Generations ahead is because I simply like Sonic better than Mario. I’ve liked his games more, his character more, and his TV shows more. Because Sonic Generations has fantastic gameplay with a huge trip down the nostalgia road, it edges ahead of Mario here. The games ahead of it, however, just have more to offer.

13. League of Legends

This game is easily the most competitive game on this list. It’s tons of fun with an insane amount of depth and a strong professional scene. Based on pure fun value, one might suggest that it ought to be higher. Unfortunately, the gaming experience often takes away from the actual game’s fun. It can be insanely frustration, huge skill gaps can exist between players, and the community can be toxic. To say all that and still have the game this high on this shows just how much fun this game can be.

12. Warcraft III: Frozen Throne

I love this game. A “Reforged” edition was just recently announced and I’m pretty excited. It’s a fun RTS game with plenty of difficulty. Getting together a group of friends to play is a blast and the campaign is exciting and engaging. The downside is that the game suffers from a lack of variety after playing a few games with friends. Like a great meal though, if you give it a little bit you’ll start craving to play this game again.

11. Borderlands 2

I can’t believe I forgot to put Borderlands 2 on the list. It had serious potential to make it past the first round. This game brilliantly combines the genre of FPS and RPG into a game that I still find very enjoyable. My buddies and I have about played this game to death. I just hope that Borderlands 3 will come out soon. I’ve got to get my loot fix.

B-Tier

10. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Beginning our B Tier is, in my opinion, the best Star Wars game ever made. I’m still kicking myself for not including this game in the bracket. You travel around the galaxy in order to save the Old Republic from Darth Malak. You can choose to follow the light or join the dark side along the way which can lead to very different endings. The cast and voice acting is great. Fun note, this game also introduced me to the fighting mechanics of DnD.

9. Pokemon HeartGold

It’s pretty sad that Pokemon HeartGold had to go up against Fire Emblem Awakening in the first round. It might have made it farther. This game is easily the best Pokemon game ever made. It includes two regions, the best selection of Pokemon, and solid gameplay improvements that actually encouraged me to get more involved into competitive Pokemon. This game rocks.

8. Spider-Man (PS4)

I’m a Spidey fanboy. I’ll wear that title proudly. But even if I wasn’t, this game would earn its place on this list. This game is so much fun. Swinging feels fluid and natural. Combat is creative and engaging. The story is a fantastic re-imagining of the world of Peter Parker. The fact that it’s not number one on this list just shows you how highly I hold ever game that’s above it.

7. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

This is the highest ranking game that I didn’t include on the original bracket. In fact, as I’m writing this, I’m considering boosting it up to number five. That’s how great this game is. There’s basically no excuse for me on not including this game in the bracket. It’s a turn-based RPG with a delightful cast of characters. The game is funny but surprisingly dramatic. I’d play it again and again just to get a different colored Yoshi companion.

6. Final Fantasy VII

On a basic note, there isn’t an RPG with a cast that I like more than Final Fantasy VII. Everybody (except for Cait Sith) brings so much to the table that I always have a problem deciding which two to take with Cloud. The first time through it was Tifa and Yuffie. The second time through was Cid and Vincent. And each time I mix it up a little bit. This game is old… very old… full of memory… and anger. (I’m a dork. I started the sentence and just had to finish it that way.) But I love it.

5. The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-Earth 2: Rise of the Witch King

Speaking of The Lord of the Rings (heh), here we have the only game that can likely compete with Smash Bros on time played. This game is so much fun. You can have regular fights, custom hero matches, and even entirely new mods of the game. I loved holding out the defenses of huge castles against the onslaught of evil on the hardest difficulty. Does the game have it’s flaws? Sure. Unlike Warcraft III, the resources are unlimited, so if you get into super late game, it’s sometimes very difficult to take somebody down (especially if you’re doing PVP). I still love it though.

A-Tier

4. Fire Emblem: Awakening

The place of all three of the games in “A-Tier” are entirely interchangeable. Seriously, the hardest decision I think I made in the bracket was between Awakening and Breath of the Wild. I love all three of these games.

Awakening is easily the most difficult of these three games. It can be incredibly frustrating, but also incredibly rewarding. It likely has the best cast of the three games which is saying a lot when you’re going up against Donald and Goofy. The only reason I put it below these other games is because it’s the game that can make me rage quit the most.

3. Kingdom Hearts 2

Again, I have to stress how easily I could rearrange the order of these three. This game is fun with a compelling and complicated story. All of the drive forms are fun and hanging out with Cloud, Squall, and Mickey in the same room has got to be the most ridiculous thing I’ve done in a video game.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Zelda made it to the finals for good reason. Honestly, after writing these posts, I’ve been real tempted to play Breath of the Wild again. Very few games out there immerse you into the world like Breath of the Wild does. Plus the game made excellent use of my amiibos, so…. score!

S-Tier

1. Super Smash Bros Wii U

There has never been a video game out there that I enjoyed as extensively as Smash. Some rival it for a time, but none have the staying power that Smash has. No game has hyped me up as much. I think that anyone who knows me knew that this game had to be at the top. It’s in a tier of it’s own.

 

Conclusion

Maybe your video game tastes are different than mine. I know a few people that aren’t the biggest fans of Smash. That’s understandable. This is just my opinion. But if you haven’t played any of these games and they sound interesting to you, do yourself a favor and give them a shot.

I wonder how many hours of my life were taken up by the games on this list? Now that’s a scary thought…