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Wikipedia's "List of video games considered the best". What's your take?
- Thread starter Phoenix Splash
- Start date
Didn't know about this list but there are a lot of great games there.
I also noticed this. Kind of weird because I think a lot of the best games ever are on handhelds.
I also noticed this. Kind of weird because I think a lot of the best games ever are on handhelds.
This list, particularly the older you go, feels more like a list of games with cultural significance than "best" but it's not a wholly bad list.
This goes for a wide selection of things and at least shows off a sense for what game years were the best at least from a mainstream standpoint. There are a few other consensus best of all time list's that do it better like this one :
https://gamicus.gamepedia.com/List_of_video_games_considered_the_best
https://gamicus.gamepedia.com/List_of_video_games_considered_the_best
No lies detected, I think that most of the games in that list could be considered 'the best.' Generally, I think that this is a really good list. I feel like you could go year by year and play these games and get a real strong essence of the best games from those particular years, with a lot of fresh entries that have stood up to scrutiny. For instance, I love that the list has Dance Dance Revolution in 1998, a game that I don't even like and it's not for me, but it's such an iconic game from 1998 that most people will forget about because it's such a different game from what most people would normally put on their "BEst games of 1998" list.
I also like that the list doesn't have as many games for recent years. It's best to let the dust settle IMO and then come back several years from now to update it with what has stood the test of time.
Personally, I love that Dishonored shows up for 2012, because it's a game that is so easily forgotten about but goddam it's so good.
*edit*
I've found a flaw. The list has a big blindspot to sports games and racing games, which isn't surprising because generally, 'greatest of' lists often pass over sports and racing and just have a blindness to them. For the "Sports" genre it has NBA Jam, Tony Hawk 2, Pong, and Wii Sports, but ... it's kinda arguably whether three of those are properly considered "sports" games, or at least, they're definitely not sports sims. I think all of those games deserve to be on, but I don't think they're a good representation of the sports genre. Even if you hate modern sports games today, there are some sports sim games that have a general consensus that they're great... Madden 94, Madden 2005 or NFL 2K5, NBA 2K11, Gran Turismo (or one of the Forzas, I don't care either way, but I'd just pick Gran Turismo 1 or 2 if I had to pick one racing sim, even if Forza 4 is "better" or something). At least, missing a Madden, Fifa, or Gran Turismo on this list is a big blindness. From the point of view that these games will generally capture a great cross-section of games, and if someone who knows nothing about gaming could play through this catalogue and generally get a strong sense of videogames through the decades, I think a racing and/or sports sim should be on the list.
Games that aren't on the list that I might nominate. I don't think I'd put all of them on, but maybe 2 of them, because if you went through the list otherwise you'd get the impression that sports or racing sims don't exist, but they're one of the most enduring, popular genres with some legitimately great, influential games through the decades:
I also like that the list doesn't have as many games for recent years. It's best to let the dust settle IMO and then come back several years from now to update it with what has stood the test of time.
Personally, I love that Dishonored shows up for 2012, because it's a game that is so easily forgotten about but goddam it's so good.
*edit*
I've found a flaw. The list has a big blindspot to sports games and racing games, which isn't surprising because generally, 'greatest of' lists often pass over sports and racing and just have a blindness to them. For the "Sports" genre it has NBA Jam, Tony Hawk 2, Pong, and Wii Sports, but ... it's kinda arguably whether three of those are properly considered "sports" games, or at least, they're definitely not sports sims. I think all of those games deserve to be on, but I don't think they're a good representation of the sports genre. Even if you hate modern sports games today, there are some sports sim games that have a general consensus that they're great... Madden 94, Madden 2005 or NFL 2K5, NBA 2K11, Gran Turismo (or one of the Forzas, I don't care either way, but I'd just pick Gran Turismo 1 or 2 if I had to pick one racing sim, even if Forza 4 is "better" or something). At least, missing a Madden, Fifa, or Gran Turismo on this list is a big blindness. From the point of view that these games will generally capture a great cross-section of games, and if someone who knows nothing about gaming could play through this catalogue and generally get a strong sense of videogames through the decades, I think a racing and/or sports sim should be on the list.
Games that aren't on the list that I might nominate. I don't think I'd put all of them on, but maybe 2 of them, because if you went through the list otherwise you'd get the impression that sports or racing sims don't exist, but they're one of the most enduring, popular genres with some legitimately great, influential games through the decades:
- Gran Turismo 1 or 2. I think one of those should be on there, and I'd probably go with GT2 if I had to choose. Sure, a game like Forza 4 (or w/e) might be better, or maybe Project Cars or something is your favorite racer, but I just think some sim racer should be on there, and GT1 or 2 is my choice.
- Madden NFL 94 or 2005. I think 2005 might be 'the best' Madden (well TBH NCAA '13 is really *the best madden*), but '94 is probably more important to the genre. Madden '94 popularized the sports sim and it was an introduction to sports sims for so many people who would go onto make Madden one of the biggest selling franchises of all time. Or perhaps NFL 2K5 deserves to be "the football sports sim," but while I think NFL 2K5 is a great game I think it's stood the test of time because it's the last NFL 2K game. If NFL 2K continued to be made then I think it'd have the same reputation as every sports sim does today, which is a pretty shitty reputation.
- NBA 2K11, I think this was the NBA 2K game that really broke through to the mainstream, it prominently focused the greatest American athlete of all time, and it made the NBA 2K series a household name. Sure, people knew about 2K for about a decade prior to this, but having followed the series since the original game, this is when NBA 2K jumped from the "sports sim players' basketball game" to a mainstream, hugely popular genre. It also happened to be a great game and, IMO, the last great NBA 2K game.
- A Fifa might deserve to be there, but I'd never played any since 16-bit era and I don't know enough, but the popularity of the franchise seems to merit some nomination somewhere.
- Games I wouldn't add but I think deserve some attention: A pro-wrestling game, like maybe WWF No Mercy or one of the early Smackdowns for PSX/PS2, or one of the best FirePro's. I'd probably lean WWF NoMercy because if you had an N64 and you were ages 12-18 in the USA, you almost definitely played a shit load of WWF No Mercy (it's also widely praised as the best wrestling game ever, and the genre has arguably never approached it since). Perhaps MVP Baseball 2005, which is, IMO, the best baseball game ever, but it's just not mainstream enough or highly praised enough.
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I don't like this one as much. Missing a lot of my favorites like Earthbound, Jet Set Radio, Katamari Damacy and Silent Hill 2.
Not a bad list but MGS should be there. I mean, it's not just one of the best but also one of the most influential games of all time.
It's a great list I can't really argue with. Of course games are missing, but there's no completely weird inclusions. Each game either was a massive success critically and/or financially, breathed life into an old franchise, and/or is the best of it's genre/franchise.
Honestly, if someone only played the games on this list, they'd have a great idea of the best of this medium. Then they'd have a number of games to try out that probably should be on there.
Do you mean MGS V, bc I think the original PlayStation 1 MGS is on there.
This list is fine if you take it as being an entry level for someone trying to get into videogames who's not sure where to start as to the absolute classics of the medium (hell, I used it that way a number of years back when I was probably getting into gaming). Obviously once you start getting into the minutiae of personal preference as to games loved by enthusiasts it gets a bit less useful.
I really tried hard to contain myself complaining about the people who just whine about their one or two favorite missing games to dismiss the entire list. But I guess I failed.
Anyways, the list is a rather objective thing. If a game gets a bunch of sources that are viable for wikipedia calling it one of the best, it will be added. So yes, the List of Games Considered the best is a list of games considered the best, no surprise there. It's an article about which games were historically called the best by critics, if you think one is missing, add the proper sources.
Anyways, the list is a rather objective thing. If a game gets a bunch of sources that are viable for wikipedia calling it one of the best, it will be added. So yes, the List of Games Considered the best is a list of games considered the best, no surprise there. It's an article about which games were historically called the best by critics, if you think one is missing, add the proper sources.
It generally seems like a fine list and I don't have too many complaints about the games which are included on it, but there are some strange inclusions and omissions.
I don't take particular issue with it, but I thought it was strange to only see the original Animal Crossing on the list.
Am I wrong to think that's a series of games which has been improved upon with every release, so the only one worth playing today is the latest version? (excluding Pocket Camp, that is)
There are many games where I still think there is merit in returning to the older games, but Animal Crossing doesn't seem like one of them.
- I love Quake II, but I'd never put it on a list like that in place of Quake III. No Unreal Tournament either.
- Fallout 3, but not 1, 2, or New Vegas? Bizarre. Fallout 3 was arguably the worst game in the series until 4 and '76 were released.
- Mass Effect 2 & 3, but no Mass Effect? ME3 doesn't belong on that list, while the original does.
- Same deal with Elder Scrolls - they have Oblivion and Skyrim but not Morrowind?
- Glad to see System Shock 2 on the list, but everyone overlooks the original.
I don't take particular issue with it, but I thought it was strange to only see the original Animal Crossing on the list.
Am I wrong to think that's a series of games which has been improved upon with every release, so the only one worth playing today is the latest version? (excluding Pocket Camp, that is)
There are many games where I still think there is merit in returning to the older games, but Animal Crossing doesn't seem like one of them.
My take is this list generally does not align with the average opinion you would hear on a dedicated gaming forum like this one, but it is also not a bad list.
Well, the criteria for a game being on this particular list is that the game has to be included in at least five 'best games of all time' lists from verified publications. So that's the consensus it's based on currently; GOTY and 'best RPG/FPS' etc. are not included. Newer entries of Animal Crossing just haven't been mentioned enough in those lists, no matter the date they were published. Unless you can find them on 5 or more lists, of course!
I think the problem with 'best' lists like this is that it's vague as to what the lists of 'best games' are measuring - is this meant to be a list of the best games to play today, the most significant, games that really impressed at the time of release or the personal favourite games of the critics?
Some of those games don't hold up at all, even if they were hugely significant at the time. I mean, would anyone really say that Tomb Raider 1 on Sega Saturn is one of the best games of all time for someone to play today?
But then a load of games particularly from the mid-to-late 80s that were really significant or ground-breaking at the time are missing - I mean personally I don't see how can a list like this doesn't include Knight Lore.
At the very least they need a way more diverse set of critics. There are 30 eligible lists to be considered from, and 5 are from IGN.
Some of those games don't hold up at all, even if they were hugely significant at the time. I mean, would anyone really say that Tomb Raider 1 on Sega Saturn is one of the best games of all time for someone to play today?
But then a load of games particularly from the mid-to-late 80s that were really significant or ground-breaking at the time are missing - I mean personally I don't see how can a list like this doesn't include Knight Lore.
At the very least they need a way more diverse set of critics. There are 30 eligible lists to be considered from, and 5 are from IGN.
Articles like this mark Wikipedia out for what it truly is, and also what it is not.
Try and imagine some dumb shit like this showing up in Britannica or Columbia.
Try and imagine some dumb shit like this showing up in Britannica or Columbia.
real lack of arcade games after 84-- like where the fuck is outrun, space harrier and lots of genre defining shmups... pretty sad last.
TBF almost all of them (sorry guys, full disclosure, I intensely dislike Nintendo 1st party) are at the very least great. Unoriginal, kinda generic, but hard to deny it.
EDIT: ONLY wipEout 1??!?? FUCK THAT NOISE!
EDIT: ONLY wipEout 1??!?? FUCK THAT NOISE!
Most Zelda games are there but Twilight Princess isn't. Man, fuck ya'll, Twilight Princess is a good game.
Wikipedia continuing to prove they don't know much about gaming, too many unforgivable absences.
did you even read the OP or the wikipedia page?
"This is a list of video games that have consistently been ranked among the best of all time by video game journalists and critics"
"The games listed here are included on at least five separate "best/greatest of all time" lists from different reliable publications"
So you're saying that video game journalists/critics don't know much about gaming?
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No disrespect but does anyone actually consider Pong among THE BEST? Influential of course, but no one is putting it on greatest of all time lists except just to acknowledge it exists.
These things are always subjective, but there are some strange inclusions. Dishonored? I think most people enjoy that game but among THE BEST OF ALL TIME? Inside? Limbo? Even as someone who put WarioWare Gold as #2 on the GotY list, I would hesitate to call the GBA game one of the greatest games ever made.
These things are always subjective, but there are some strange inclusions. Dishonored? I think most people enjoy that game but among THE BEST OF ALL TIME? Inside? Limbo? Even as someone who put WarioWare Gold as #2 on the GotY list, I would hesitate to call the GBA game one of the greatest games ever made.
That paciiing though. That uninspired characterization thooough.
I agree with a lot of them but some are surprising.
I'm happy to see BOTW/Witcher 3/Bloodborne on there. Those 3 games are brilliant.
I'm happy to see BOTW/Witcher 3/Bloodborne on there. Those 3 games are brilliant.
odd to see overwatch and inside in that list in 2016 but not uncharted 4 considering it ended up winning more awards:
https://gotypicks.blogspot.com/2016/09/2016-game-of-year.html
https://gotypicks.blogspot.com/2016/09/2016-game-of-year.html
Wikipedia's always been bad with conveying general consensus and opinions on media. If you look at album/games/tv/movie articles, most of them will read like marketing which undersell the criticisms. The same is kinda true for best of lists like this where the rules of inclusion are arbitrary and not necessarily exhaustive in their survey of lists either, not to mention that gaming critics lists and tastes are rather homogeneous.
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