The 50 Greatest Video Games That Made History

God of War Crushes the Souls of Those Who Play It

Kratos finds himself in a fantasy world that is harsh and unforgiving. He must learn how to survive in this environment and then pass the knowledge off to his son. The high level of gameplay required makes this game a fan favorite. Add to it the storyline, and you’ve got yourself the makings of a classic. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of God of War knows that the game is never over when you think it is. The longer you play the game, the more diverse and difficult it becomes. Anyone who finds themselves in front of the screen playing God of War can quickly find themselves thinking that minutes are actually hours.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brings war home to you

War is something that people have fantasized about since the beginning of time. Everyone loves the idea that they could be the brave hero that eventually leads their platoon to victory. You can do just that when you play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The game is one of the most realistic war games you’ll ever play. You’ll feel like you’re right there on the battlefield as you scope out the possibilities and plan out your future moves. A band of brothers is what the people who gather to form the allies think of themselves when they play this game with others.

Final Fantasy IX Draws in Old and New Gamers Alike

There are only a handful of games that a child today could play with their grandparents, and both be able to understand what’s going on. Final Fantasy IX is one of those games, and it feels like it’s been around forever. Let’s not pretend that the awesome graphics seen here was anything like the NES version because it wasn’t. The depth of the gameplay and the graphics’ cinematic quality is something that no 8-bit machine could ever replicate. However, the storyline is similar, and anyone who was around back in the day playing Final Fantasy will recognize all of Final Fantasy IX aspects. The key thing to remember about this game is that all the missing pieces from the past come together to ensure it all makes sense to the player in the end.

Bioshock Infinite Boils Down to an Age-old Love Affair

There’s a storyline behind BioShock Infinite, but it’s not what sticks out most to this game’s fanatics. What does is the love affair that Booker DeWitt so desperately wants with Elizabeth. He wants nothing more than to capture her heart but to do so; he’s got a battle of a lifetime ahead of him. The gameplay is similar to other fantasy games, but this takes place in a world, unlike the one we know today. The cities are above the clouds, and no one ever knows what they face when going up against the challenges that BioShock Infinite puts in front of them.

World of Goo Makes Physics Fun

Physics isn’t exactly one of those things that people are crazy to play a game about. World of Goo is a puzzle game that allows you to construct different things. If you’re a physics student, you’ve got to love how World of Goo brings together everything you’ve been learning. The whole idea is to make physics something that everyone can understand in an easy format. You can’t possibly get everything from a classroom setting, and being able to do all of this visually changes things in a way that makes everything that much more appealing. No longer will anyone see physics as a dull, dry subject.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Stays True to the Franchise

It’s all about going up against Snake. If you’ve ever played any of the Metal Gear games, you already know what you’re up against. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain delivers much of the same that many of you have known since playing the first Metal Gear game way back on the NES. The graphics and gameplay are superb in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, but it nicely carries the game’s tradition. Before you know it, you’re locked into a battle that only defeating Snake will put an end to. This game is such a hit because it has a rock-solid foundation of die-hard gamers behind it.

Portal 2 Is a Game Like No Other

It’s hard to fathom what the world of gaming would be like today if Portal 2 never existed. Some of you may have never heard of this game before, but you’ve been impacted by it. How? Games like Portal 2 not only impact players, but it affected the industry itself. The programmers, designers, and everyone else involved in making games study games such as Portal 2 to learn its intricacies. If you’ve never played Portal 2 before, it won’t take you long before you start to pick up on the aspects of it that have played a role in shaping the games that you love the most.

Madden NFL 2003 Is a Legend Among Sports Gamers

Madden had always been successful back when it was brought out for the SNES. Anyone who played the game for the first time was blown away to hear John Madden call the play by play. It made you feel like you weren’t playing a game but were a part of an actual NFL game. Madden NFL 2003 won so many people over because it was such an incredible upgrade from what everyone was playing at the time. It isn’t far fetched to say that Madden laid the groundwork for what everyone would think of as a sports game from the day it first hit the shelves. If you weren’t around to play Madden NFL 2003, at least know that the later versions carried on the tradition perfectly.

The Last of Us Is a Shockingly Realistic Game

The Last of Us sounds more like something based on reality as time goes on. The game takes place in a world where there’s a pandemic going on. Joel needs to smuggle Ellie out of a military complex to bring her to safety. The pandemic has left an untold number of people dead, and it’s spreading like wildfire. It has to make you wonder if some of these video game creators have a crystal ball that they look into. The graphics, gameplay, and storyline gel together seamlessly to create a playing experience that makes The Last of Us truly one of the best games of all time.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask Is a Timeless Classic

Zelda fans are a loyal group of people who will do just about anything to help Link save the day. Did you know that Robin Williams was a huge Zelda fan? Robin even named his daughter Zelda. You don’t get more hardcore than to name your daughter after your favorite video game. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is a complicated tale that leaves hardcore gamers glued to the screen as they try their best to help Link. His task is to put an end to Majora’s Mask wreaking all kinds of havoc on people. The brilliant graphics and gameplay are what everyone has come to expect from Zelda. Die-hard Zelda players all agree this is one of the must-play games in the series.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Is Like a Time Capsule

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is one of the early Zelda games that’s a fan favorite to this day. The gameplay and graphics are typical for a SNES game of its era. By today’s standards, the graphics are a little drab, but back in the day, this was cutting edge. They had to fit a lot of information into a tiny ROM, and the programmers did a fabulous job. No one takes better care of preserving an iconic franchise the way Nintendo does with Zelda. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past lives up to the franchise hype in every sense. If you consider yourself a Zelda fanatic, you’ve got to play this game to see why long-time gamers fell in love with trying to help Link save the day.

Halo 2 Picks Up Where the First One Left Off

Halo fans were ecstatic to learn of the sequel days before it came out. You don’t get much more die-hard than those who love to play Halo. What’s so fantastic about Halo 2? It’s all about Master Chief, a genetically enhanced super-soldier. You already knew that if you’re a player of this game, that makes your heart race. In Halo 2, there were new weapons, vehicles, and also a new environment. It was like you were playing a whole new game, but with familiar characters and scenarios. Halo 2 is the reason why so many people ran to buy an Xbox if they didn’t already have one.

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec Delivered an Entirely New Racing Experience

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec gave players more of what they craved. There were more tracks that included the Monte Carlo Grand Prix course to the downtown Tokyo circuit. If all that wasn’t enough, there was also new music in the game by Jimi Hendrix and Lenny Kravitz. You were able to go racing with new cars while jamming to some fantastic music. The gameplay seemed surreal, and it was like you were behind the wheel of a race car. Video games such as Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec helped put the genera on the map in ways that other games could.

Red Dead Redemption Brings the Wild West to You

Red Dead Redemption is one of the best video games that delivers what it was like living in the wild west. The game centers around John Marston, who isn’t afraid to get into his fair share of gun battles. Much like people from his era, he’s a guy who is as tough as they come. Playing Red Dead Redemption is like going back in time and seeing what life was like during an era when you had to be rugged to survive. There are many different locations and with them bring new opportunities to find good fortune or find yourself staring at the other end of the barrel of a gun.

The Legend of Zelda: Collector’s Edition Is Filled with Classics

Do you recognize the Zelda game in the picture? If you do, you’re a die-hard Zelda fan. The game shown above is the original Zelda. The graphics aren’t the best, and the gameplay is rough by today’s standards. The amount of fun that could be had with such a game is incredible. You can’t help but sit in front of the screen for hours while you travel to distant lands. Sometimes you most feel as if the game is never going to end, and you’re going to continue until your thumbs fall off. It’s only when you feel that you’re ready to give up that you end up conquering Zelda, and that’s what makes the game so addictive.

LittleBigPlanet Was a Big Hit with Kids

If you were a little kid when LittleBigPlanet took off, you probably spent countless hours playing the game. LittleBigPlanet was one of those games that were fun but not so overly difficult that a child couldn’t feel comfortable playing it. The characters are funny, and the situations they get themselves in are a total blast to get out of. It was all about getting the characters to do what you wanted them to. All of this happened while you were solving puzzles and getting yourself familiar with the environment. the goal wasn’t to conquer a bad guy, but to become highly skilled at the game and have a little fun in the process.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Delivers What People Crave

Grand Theft Auto is a little like McDonald’s; no one wants to admit how much they love it. GTA is a dirty secret that many gamers keep to themselves. It’s not a well-kept secret, considering the franchise is highly successful. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a blast from the past that takes place in the 80s. The game takes place in Liberty City, and it’s full of everything you’ve come to love about GTA. The one consistent thing about the franchise is, you can’t get away from it once you start playing. If you’re the type who can spend hours upon hours driving around while doing crazy stuff, you’re already addicted to GTA without ever knowing it.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Takes You Back to the 90s

The 90s is where you find yourself if you’re playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. You’re Carl Johnson, and you’ve left Los Santos, San Andreas. The city was overrun with drugs and violence. You know that it isn’t long before the same things occur to the characters in GTA. If anything, it seems that crime follows the characters of GTA, no matter where they go. These guys don’t look like anyone you want to mess around with. You get to drive around and cause all kinds of mayhem. The worst thing about the GTA franchise is, it sucks you in like no other game can. It’s not about driving; it’s about all you can get into while playing the main character.

Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn Is an Old School RPG

The look and feel of Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn is as old school as you can get. Those of you who love an RGP that feels like an original will love playing this game. It isn’t a matter of trying to convince gamers this RGP is well worth their time in front of the screen because it’s been tried and tested. Anyone who considers themselves a highly-skilled RGP gamer has either heard of it or has played it before. Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn broke the mold and ensured that everyone in gaming understood that this was a genre to be reckoned with.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Is Another Dance with Solid Snake

Metal Gear fanatics know all too well what Solid Snake is capable of. This game takes place on Shadow Moses Island, and it’s nothing like you’ve ever experienced before. Sure, there’s the familiar themes, but Snake this time, like always, means business. He’s not going to rest until you’ve been put through the test. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty delivers exactly what Metal Gear addicts crave. It’s all about the excitement and the battles that your character must face. At no time do you feel as if you’re playing a game that is anything short of mesmerizing. Every generation of consoles brings a new possibility for Metal Gear, and this version takes full advantage of the extra processing power.

Gran Turismo Delivers Heart Pounding Racing Action

This is the first of many installments of the Gran Turismo franchise. It’s not far fetched to say that Gran Turismo changed racing games. It’s hard to imagine what racing would’ve been without games such as Gran Turismo. The foundation for the future of success was laid with this game. The realistic graphics, lifelike gameplay, and the game’s thrilling addictiveness make this one a classic. It’s not unheard of for people to want to go down memory lane and break out their dusty old console to play Gran Turismo one more time. The world around you has a way of standing still while you’re playing Gran Turismo, and time becomes nonexistent.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Came with Updated Graphics

GameCube owners knew right from the start that something was much different about the games played on the console. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was no different, and it gave Link an entirely new look. The look was the result of cel-shaded graphics that separated The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker from the rest of the Zelda games. It’s easy to see why someone would fall in love with Zelda all over again. Link looks totally different, though; you know that he’s the same character that you’ve been playing for quite awhile now. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is a major installment in the franchise, and it led the game down the path that it’s currently in now.

Half-Life Was a Classic Right Out of the Gate

Gamers can look back at the games that changed gaming for eternity, and everyone agrees that Half-Life was one of them. Half-Life brought forth the type of bone-chilling excitement gamers expect to experience today. There’s no way to dance around the topic; Half-Life set the bar so high that many other games failed afterward. Why is that? It’s because the focus from day one when creating Half-Life was to bring to life something that hasn’t been done before. A handful of highly motivated individuals set out to change the video game industry, and that’s what they did the day that Half-Life was released.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Takes You into a Pure Fantasy World

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim enters gamers into a world of pure fantasy. It’s unlike other games in that you feel as if you’re right there. The fantasy is so real that you can almost taste it. The path you take throughout the game is entirely up to you, but the outcome is never to be determined. It’s hard to imagine how anyone can pick up the controller to their favorite console and put it down while playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. You can cast spells, use weapons, have special abilities, and so much more. Fantasy always meets reality when people get clued to the screen while playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Is More of What RPGers Crave

Link is back at it again in this stunning installation of another Zelda game. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess picks up where many left off. You can easily find yourself getting lost in the puzzles and mazes that this game has to offer. Link can transform himself into a wolf to scour Hyrule. That’s a good thing because it’s a darkened territory, and you need wolf senses to get past all of the obstacles that the forest has to offer. Zelda fans are a group all their own and anyone who considers themselves a fanatic of this game must either have played this game in the past or has it on their wish list. As with all Zelda games, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess sets a standard that all RGPs must follow.

Mass Effect 2 Is Where Humans Struggle to Survive

Saren’s evil army has put the human race between a rock and a hard spot. The Gerth soldiers have done their job with efficiency. How will humans overcome this terrible situation? They’ll overcome it with your help. It’s probably possible for you to already see why this was such a popular game. Everything about the game is stunning because it’s beautifully written and designed from start to finish. The theme is fantastic, and the gameplay is even better. No doubt in anyone’s mind plays this game that it will remain a classic for quite some time. Timeless classics like Mass Effect 2 have a way of getting more popular as time goes on.

Tekken 3 Was the Ultimate Fighting Game

Gamers who are into fighting games know how incredible Tekken 3 is. Just think about what the game was like back in the day when it first came out. There were games like it, but nothing captured the gaming world quite as Tekken 3 did. You probably know a few gamers who aren’t into fighting action style games which couldn’t get enough Tekken 3. The gameplay was quite simple and straightforward, and that’s why it became an instant classic right out of the game. The Tekken name is synonymous with high-quality fighting games, and this one is certainly no different.

Batman: Arkham City Stays Cutting Edge

Anyone familiar with the Batman games of the past knows that they’re always super high quality. Even back in the NES days, Batman games were still some of the most advanced on any platform. Batman: Arkham City doesn’t let anyone down in that regard. It’s hard to believe that Batman could improve over past generations of the game, but somehow the developers could do it. Batman: Arkham City is a not so hidden gem that many gamers for whatever reason overlook, but it’s high time that this gem sparkles the way it should. Getting your hands on Batman: Arkham City is a must if you’ve played the other Batman games or if you’re the type of gamer who loves action.

The Orange Box Is Alien Infested Earth

If you’re unfamiliar with The Orange Box, the title is a little misleading. The Orange Box is a compilation of Half-Life games. Yes, you probably knew that if you’re a fan of Half-Life. Everyone else is perhaps shocked or confused. Well, the world of gaming is rarely as straightforward as many would like it to be. So, if you’re new in the world of Half-Life, pick up The Orange Box and give it a twirl. You’ll find that it’s the franchise you love, with so many bells and whistles. Sometimes you’ve got to find your way through the game, and after you cross a certain point, you’ll wonder how you ever got there. A well-made game such as this compilation series is both intriguing and addictive to the point that it is impossible to put down the controller.

Resident Evil 4 Picks Up Where the Last One Left Off

Resident Evil 4 stays true to itself and continues to amaze with its realistic gameplay. Leon S. Kennedy is just one of many people who are reunited. Resident Evil 4 is a detective game where you get up close and personal with the city’s gritty side. Everyone knows there’s a dangerous underbelly, but few ever get to experience it. Resident Evil 4 brings the action straight to you when the President’s daughter has been kidnapped, and you’ve got to scour Europe to try your best to find her. All of the past elements that made Resident Evil such a highly successful game are here, along with plenty more surprises along the way.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Is Third-Person Excitement

There never seems to be enough third-person games. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves delivers the goods in a surprisingly simple way. The game is all about Nathan Drake and a mysterious artifact that he ends up finding. The artifact is the center of the game, and it leads to all kinds of unknown mysteries. Sometimes a game is more than just a game, and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the best example of that. You find yourself trying to discover all you can about the character and the lands you’re crossing to gain as much information about what’s going on as possible.

GoldenEye 007 Gives You a License to Kill

GoldenEye 007 delivers the goods as only a James Bond thriller can. Sure, you’ve got all the essentials that make a James Bond flick as exciting as it is. The main takeaway from all of it is, you’ve got to stay on your toes to defeat the bad guy. James Bond is the slickest of the slick, and GoldenEye 007 proves that point wonderfully. If you’re a fan of James Bond or action style games, GoldenEye 007 is something you need to play. There’s a reason why it’s one of the all-time bests, and it’s surprising because quite a few games based on movies aren’t as good as this one is. They really hit it out of the ballpark here, and that’s why GoldenEye 007 is a timeless classic.

BioShock Set the Standard for First Person Shooters

Fans of first-person shooters all flock to BioShock as it’s one of the best examples of the genre. It’s hard to imagine that any lovers of FPS could pass up BioShock as a potential time-waster. All of the elements are there, from the seedy underbelly of the city to the ability to upgrade your weapons. It’s all about somehow making sure that you see through the fog. BioShock is both fast-paced and thrilling enough to keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It’s a little on the heavy side when it comes to violence and gore, but that’s what people expect to see when they plop down their cold hard cash for a first-person shooter.

Half-Life 2 Has Become the Gold Standard of Action Games

If you’re a gamer, you’ve heard the story of Gordon Freeman and how he picked up a crowbar a million times. You know that he discovered a world of aliens that turned his life upside down. Half-Life 2 is a classic because it brings together a fantastic storyline with jaw-dropping graphics. The gameplay is spot on, and so is every other aspect of the game. Those who don’t believe that video games can be flawless should take a look at Half-Life 2 and see what perfection really looks like. The game plays almost as if you’re in a real-life movie, and the outcome will directly impact your life.

NFL 2K1 Was Legendary on the Dreamcast

The Dreamcast doesn’t nearly receive the credit that it should. Games like NFL 2K1 blazed forward and laid the groundwork for what would become an industry. The lucky gamers who played NFL 2K1 back in the day were mesmerized at what they were seeing. The graphics and gameplay were superior to everything out there. The problem was that the Dreamcast wasn’t exactly the biggest hit. Yes, it sold well, but it wasn’t like the other consoles Sega released in past generations. Those who played this game knew something fantastic was happening on the screen, but not enough people got their grubby little hands on it. Retro gamers are flocking to NFL 2K1, and it’s easy to know why that is because it delivers football action as few games have ever.

Halo: Combat Evolved Pits Aliens Verses Humans

Who’s going to win when you put humans up against aliens? Halo: Combat Evolved answers that question once and for all. The weaponry that humans have access to are some of the highest tech gadgets up until that point in the world of gaming. The objective is clear, and it’s easy to maintain your focus. What’s difficult about this game is that everyone seems to underestimate the power of the aliens. It will take quite a bit of quick thinking about determination to become victorious over the aliens. The desire to save humanity has led Halo: Combat Evolved to be revered as one of the greatest games of all time.

Super Mario Odyssey was a Legend After Day One

Nintendo always hits it out of the ballpark when it comes to their Super Mario games. Who can’t love Mario and all the silly things that he does? It seems that every generation has their Mario, and everyone thinks theirs is the best. It doesn’t matter if you’re someone who rarely picks up a controller or if you find yourself gaming more hours than sleeping; you always have a soft spot in your heart for anything Mario related. Super Mario Odyssey is one of those games that you can’t put down, and it’s because of the gameplay. As with all Mario games, it’s easy to learn Super Mario Odyssey, but not easy to master.

Grand Theft Auto III with Added Vehicles and Extended Cast

Grand Theft Auto III is legendary beyond belief among many gamers. Some play nothing but GTA all day and don’t even think about playing other games. Grand Theft Auto III has over 50 new vehicles and a ton of new characters. As always, you drive around while trying to see what kind of trouble you can get into. It doesn’t matter what installment of GTA you’re playing; you always know you’re playing a game that’s not only cutting edge but exciting regardless of the generation of the console. GTA is one of the few games that makes you feel like you’re living in the fantasy world, and at times that’s a little scary considering how rough it is.

Metroid Prime Continues Where the Others Left Off

NES players know what impact Metroid had on the console they loved so much. Metroid Prime had the same effect on the GameCube. Metroid Prime brings with it the Power Beam and Gravity Suit. Two things that you need so desperately while you’re playing. Casual gamers turned into addicts overnight when they got their hands on Metroid Prime. To this day, some people will go out of their way to try to find a GameCube and a copy of Metroid Prime. If you’re a fan of Metroid, you know what it’s like to not only hunt down retro games but the consoles that they’re played on.

Perfect Dark Brings Excitement as a First Person Shooter

You’re looking down the barrel of a gun while playing Joanna Dark, Carrington Institute’s newest promising agent. Perfect Dark’s graphics are a little crude by today’s standards, but they also have that classic Nintendo 64 look and feel. You feel like you’re in a 3D world that blends cartoons and reality in a way that feels like you are in the midst of battle. It doesn’t matter how advanced console gaming becomes; Perfect Dark will always stand out as one of the best first-person shooters of all time. Your primary focus is proving yourself as an agent, and to do that; you’ve got to keep your trigger finger in check.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 Enables You To Challenge Your Friends

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 gave players what they craved the most, and that was to challenge their friends via the internet. Sure, it’s fun to play with your friends while they’re at your house, but that’s not always possible. The internet makes it possible for you to play with your friends no matter where they are. Better yet, you could meet people online and play Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 with them. It didn’t matter if they were your friend for life or a stranger; Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 was a game that you could shred it up until your thumbs became sore.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Takes Exploration to New Heights

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild took everything people knew about Zelda and turned it upside down. You can’t possibly think of Link and Zelda the same way again after scouring through the Kingdom of Hyrule. You’re free to explore the kingdom and do anything that you like. That’s what separates The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild from the other Zelda games that came before it. The themes are similar, and so is the gameplay, but the exploration takes things to a whole new level. You get the feeling that you’re free to do almost anything you want in this game, and that’s what makes it such an exciting way to waste your time.

Grand Theft Auto V Stays True to Form

Grand Theft Auto has a reputation as being one of the grittiest games out there. How can the franchise keep everyone happy while maintaining their street cred? They were able to do just that by ratcheting up the violence in Grand Theft Auto V. you feel as if you’re right smack dab in the center of an economic downturn, and the only way to survive is to make a living on the streets. There are plenty of dealers, hustlers, and anyone else who knows how to talk fast to make a buck. You know without a shadow of a doubt that these are the people who want to do you harm, but they’re also looking to make money. Allow greed and a sense of primal violence take you over so you can master your craft playing Grand Theft Auto V.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Turns Everyone into a Cowboy

Red Dead Redemption 2 was created by the same people who made the first game in the series and Grand Theft Auto. Who else could bring together a gritty western game full of gore and gun battles like those who created GTA? Red Dead Redemption 2 was a smash hit because the people who made it weren’t compromised to do something they felt was unworthy of the name. The game itself centers around a gunslinger who is as bold as he is fearless. Sometimes the action is so real that it almost feels like it’s too much. No one ever said Red Dead Redemption 2 was for the weak of heart.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Delivers Fun for the Whole Family

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the sequel to the first Super Mario Galaxy. Sometimes parents feel like they need to tuck themselves away from their family to play their favorite games. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was a game everyone could play without fear of violence or anything associated with the negative side of gaming. Yoshi is a big player in this game, bringing older gamers back to the SNES days when Mario teamed up with Yoshi in Super Mario World. Super Mario Galaxy 2 has all the characteristics of Mario games that make them so famous. It’s not just about running and jumping; it’s about having fun and enjoying yourself without having to take the storyline so serious you’re fearful of missing out on something if you’re not paying super close attention.

Super Mario Galaxy Helped Define the Wii

Mario games have a way of defining a console, and that’s what Super Mario Galaxy did for the Wii. Super Mario Galaxy takes Mario, Princess Peach, Yoshi, and others into outer space. It’s a creative look at what can be done with Mario when the game developers have free reign to do almost anything they want. Mario has built Nintendo since back to the NES days, and it’s no different today. Everyone has their favorite Mario game, but it tends to be about a person’s place in their life more than the game itself. Your favorite Mario is probably the result of when you were a child or what was going on at the time to make it so special for you.

SoulCalibur Showed Off Dreamcast’s Abilities

The Dreamcast doesn’t get the love that it should. Games like SoulCalibur raised the bar that others had to follow. The graphics were out of this world. It’s hard to believe how long it has been since SoulCalibur came out on the Dreamcast. If such a game were released today, gamers would still go crazy over it. The Dreamcast was ahead of its time, much like the TurboGrafx CD player was. The combination of fantastic graphics and fighters with insanely efficient weapons was a combo that sent the gamer directly into a fantasy world where they were the ones in control of the action.

Grand Theft Auto IV Pursues the American Dream

Niko Belic is fresh off the boat from Europe. He quickly learns that the American Dream is more achievable when you’re asleep. He takes to the streets in Grand Theft Auto IV and earns money the old fashioned way. As anyone who has ever played GTA already knows, the game is full of crime and the bad guys who are more than willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. Success and failure are determined by how low you’re willing to go. If you’re willing to deal with the lowest of the low, there’s a bright future ahead of you in Grand Theft Auto IV.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 is the Ultimate Skating Game

Skateboarding games had been popular since back to the NES. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 had come a long way from those games that were simple in comparison. Not only could you skate as Tony Hawk, but you could skate as 12 other professionals as well. The tricks were off the hook, and so were the graphics. The gameplay is where the action is because you feel as if you’re right there on the board. You don’t have to be a skater to enjoy Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2; you only need to have a love of sitting in front of the television while pulling off some totally rad tricks.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Influences Games to this Very Day

Could it be possible that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time influenced more people than some of the most popular games of all time? Well, that’s always debatable, and there’s no doubt you have such debates among your friends. You can’t debate the impact that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time had on RGPs in general. The entire genera of role-playing games took cues from Zelda, which became even more evident after The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was released. Young Link was tricked by Ganondorf, who was the King of the Gerudo Thieves. The Hyrulean landscape may seem familiar to many, but it wasn’t to a young Link. The story and all that aside, this is one game that had such a significant impact on the industry that its impact is still felt to this day.