VOTE: UKFF greatest videogames of all times thread

[Loki]

On 3/18/2024 at 2:06 PM, The Gaffer said:

5 - TimeSplitters 2

Again all of then are close together here for me, but the first one (yes, it's got merit. Probably the fastest gameplay and best multiplayer maps of the bunch) is too bare bones whilst Future Perfect is a tad too EA-ified. The true GoldenEye/Perfect Dark successor and so synonymous with PS2 split screen carnage in the early to mid noughties. a 15" screen split in four? No problem. It's not like you could even aim properly in this game anyway. I'm still taking your head off with a shotgun from the 16th century whilst trance music pumps out. 

Good call!  The 4-way split screen on the Xbox was the business.  So much chaotic fun, there's not been a multiplayer experience like it since for sheer bragging rights.  It had a funky level editor too, a rarity on consoles.

[Keith Houchen]

47 minutes ago, Loki said:

3 - The Great Escape (Spectrum)
One of the few games I played, and completed with my Dad.  Also one of the best film adaptations ever, let's be honest.

Oh wow, well done on completing it! I never did, but what a game!

[SpiritOfTheForest]

A caveat first of all that this list is mostly thrown together as I could spend the rest of my life thinking about this so, much like Loki, I'm just getting something down. It's based both on games that I remember fondly from my childhood as well as ones I loved as an adult. I should also add that I still haven't played many games that are regarded as big-hitters. Therefore, games that I'm sure I will love such as Red Dead Redemption 2 or Dark Souls 3 will of course remain absent here. 

 

10 points - Kingdom Come: Deliverance 

 

My favourite game of all time. Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a work of art in every respect.  Never before has a game managed to capture the idea that you really are a complete novice so well. You can't fight, you can't steal and you can't even read - everything has to be worked at and earned and the satisfaction you get when you start getting good at things is unmatched. As a huge history buff, the world is a joy to explore and KCD features the single most realistic forests I've ever seen in a game. Sometimes I'll stick it on at night just to take a virtual stroll in the woods! It's that good.  One of those games I feel everyone should play. 

 

9 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 

To be a 14 year old boy when Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas came out was brilliant. This game seemed to captivate everyone my age. The world seemed - and still is - huge and it really seemed like you could do anything. Whether it was storming through Red County massacring everyone in your path, taking a bike ride through the ghettos of Los Santos, betting on horses, playing pool, hijacking planes at the airport or the good old fashioned classic of picking up a hooker, killing her and getting your money back, San Andreas would provide hours upon hours of escapism. It was so much fun to play! And the soundtrack! Vice City gets a lot of attention for its tunes but San Andreas with Radio X and WCTR was brilliant. Not to  mention, GTA San Andreas provided all those rumours  - you know, things like Leatherface showing up in the woods or aliens in the desert. I remember my pals and I excitedly talking about them at school and then we all went home to try to find the secrets. Never had that happen with a game before or since. We were hooked. 

 

8 - Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

This game captivated me. For context, I had been totally out of the loop as regards to gaming for a few years until one day I came home from university for a visit and somehow ended up playing Oblivion. It really was like entering a whole other world. If it were ever possible to step through the TV screen and enter a game it would be Oblivion. It's gorgeous - the Great Forest, Niben Bay, the peaks of the Jerall Mountains, the grand old towns and bustling cities. Oblivion is the first game I ever played which really felt alive. Now the conversations and dialogue from the NPCs is laughed at but for me, who had  never seen a game like this before, Oblivion was revolutionary and totally beyond anything I thought a game could be. The quests are full of home runs and the guilds feel as varied as they are interesting. The Dark Brotherhood in particular provided some of my most memorable moments in gaming. I honestly think that Skyrim pales in comparison to its predecessor. 

 

7 - Spyro The Dragon

I love platformers. This one is full of nostalgia for me. I could choose any of the Spyro trilogy here but going for the original purely out of simplicity. I loved Spyro as a kid and I still love him now with the Reignited version. Easy, simple to pick up and play but full of colour, memorable levels and characters, Spyro The Dragon is a joy. I play through the entire trilogy again every year. 

 

6 - Dark Souls (Remastered) 

I came to Dark Souls late - I only played it the first time a couple of years ago after the Covid lockdown reignited gaming as an interest for me after a long, long absence of several years. Dark Souls is truly special. Much has been made of the world building, lore and the twisted genius of how it all interconnects. I too love that about it. I also love the atmosphere dripping with dread and how you never know for sure what lurks around the next corner. A game that stayed with me long after getting the platinum and one I'm looking forward to revisiting. 

 

5 - Ghost of Tsushima 

A game that definitely deserves a mention. The combat system here is incredible enjoyable as you parry and counter and cleave apart your foes. I'm a big sucker for anything samurai and Japanese history and so I loved the setting here. Combined with some of the most beautiful graphics I've ever seen and the genuinely engaging and unique mechanics like where you can create your own haikus, I loved Ghost of Tsushima every second I spent with it. Another entry with a tremendous story too. 

 

4 - Medievil 

Another one from my childhood (even though I didn't get very far back then!) that I replayed as an adult on a shiny new remastered version. What a little gem Medievil is and often underlooked. Medievil is all about atmosphere. Gothic yet cartoony, I was drawn to Medievil immediately and some of the levels are really clever. Special shout out to the Sleeping Village or the level in the hedge maze providing some of the most unique and memorable puzzles I've found yet in my gaming journey. The dialogue is also hilarious although I am sad that they changed the voice actors for the lads in the Hall of Heroes. A great game and you're missing out if you don't play it. 

 

3 - Far Cry 3

I'm not really a big FPS fan but I make an exception for the Far Cry games. Best of all was Far Cry 3, although that's no doubt down to it being the first I played. Far Cry 3 is very user friendly - it's not too challenging and was easy enough for a beginner like to master. Another decent story here and Vaas is a tremendous villain - always entertaining with that underlying layer of menace just beneath the surface. The island setting worked very well and I remember also being impressed with the hunting mechanics - it was the first time I'd ever seen it. Poker was fun to play too and surprisingly addictive! 

 

2 - Hogs of War 

Easily the most simplistic game here but one I will never forget. What a game Hogs of War is! Another one that's here because I loved it as a kid, the turn-based battle system as you caused chaos blowing up other pigs, all while the legendary Rik Mayall was being hilarious in the voiceovers, brings a level of gaming joy that it's hard to replicate. I would love to play Hogs of War again and am constantly hoping they will release the original for download on the PS Classics line. 

 

1 - Stardew Valley

I've seen others mention Stardew here and it's so good a game that I can't help but mention it too. Absolutely insane to think all of this masterpiece was made by only one man. Incredible piece of art. There's  a lot to do and whether you prefer fishing, fighting monsters, foraging, making pals with the townspeople or simply doing honest work by growing some tomatoes, you will definitely find something to do. What I find especially remarkable is that you are ostensibly doing exactly the same set of tasks every day and keeping a similar schedule however it never seems to get old. I clocked up something like 115 hours on my journey to the Platinum and yet not once did it drag or feel dull. I still can't explain what witchcraft is behind it but it's astonishing. A testament to how good a game this is and it is the ultimate chill, relaxing game. Until you get to Fector's Challenge of course....

 

And there you have my attempt! I'll no doubt change my mind a lot about this but here's my list. Some games that missed out include Smackdown 2, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Crash Bandicoot, Kingdom Hearts and Fifa (the series, they all seem the same). Hope you enjoyed reading. 

Edited March 20 by SpiritOfTheForest

[Tommy!]

10 pts: Super Mario World (SNES)
It's the best Mario game and just astoundingly good fun. I replay it every couple of years and it might be the only game I've ever 100% completed (although I regretted it because turning everything into different sprites looked crap, an Tubular can get fucked).

The level design is fantastic and provides a fun challenge with a steady curve. The general look was amazing, so vibrant and full of life and the sound is so wonderful too. All the pieces fit together perfectly. It's also aged perfectly.

9 pts: Skyrim (Nearly everything ever made)
I own it about 5 times, I regularly replay it and it's the peak of the Bethesda style. The game play is great fun, combat feels weighty and choices feel meaningful without cutting off areas of the game. The 2 main story's of dragons and civil war are involved enough to be deep and different enough to both feel engaging. Some of the side quests are a bit naff (most of the thieves guild, I'm looking at you) but the brotherhood of darkness and mages collage more than make up for it.

8 pts: Red Dead 2 (PS4)
It's all about the story here, following Arthur through the decline of the old west still draws me in. The gameplay is great fun and there's enough side stuff to keep it varied without the side stuff feeling like needless padding or fluff.

7 pts: Chrono Trigger (SNES / PC)
The only JRPG I've completed. It's got great characters, great story and great levels. The curve is perfect so there's no grinding and no getting lost while you can still explore. There are some fun little puzzles and it has replay value with new game +. 

6 pts: Fallout NV (PS3 / PC)
I've played through all Fallout mainline games recently and 4 still falls flat on the story once you get in the institute and 1 & 2 lack pace. It's a tough call between 3 & NV but NV wins. Not to knock 3 but playing through it's all so drab, and while it's the perfect thing for a nuclear wasteland it get's a bit waring. The characters all feel more connected in NV, all those little clans interweave by the end in a much more satisfying way, and they have a bit more variety and fun to them.

5 pts: Super Mario 64 (N64)
It's the second best Mario Game, still amazing to play now and ground-breaking at the time to take that leap to 3D. Level themes are all varied and mostly fun, a couple fall a bit short for me which is why SMW wins out

4 pts: C&C (I think it's call Tiberiam Dawn retrospectively) (PC)
I never liked the move in visual style and some of the more zany unit's in later games, so it's between this, Red alert 1 & Red Alert 2 but the original takes it for some of the later Allied missions in Red Alert 1 being a bit of a dull slog.
I played it on PS1 so much it's amazing looking back as a RTS on a control now is like torture, but on PC, especially with the remaster, it's just as much fun as it ever was.

3 pts: Arkham Asylum (PS3 / PS4)
Best of the run, tight and full of side content without bloat and great fun gameplay that keeps a challenge without being a frustration, gently adding mechanics and upping the ante you need to meet. City felt too bloated for me, it's a perfect case of less is more.

2 pts: WWE Here Comes the pain (PS2)
It's the peak of the smackdown games and while I go back to No Mercy more (and it is great) if HCTP was as easy to access that would be even more replayed. The roster was amazing, the mechanics near perfect and the gameplay great fun, hitting the sweet spot between the hyper pace of prior games without being bound by realism. 

1 pt: Theme Hospital / Two Point Hospital (PC)
Might be a cheat but lets face it, it's essentially a remaster. Again both games I love going back to time and time again, nice visuals which have aged really well in both cases and has a great a sense of humour about itself. There's a challenge but it's got the right curve to keep it fun.

Some honourable mentions that just missed the cut but didn't get a mention in the list live Fallout 3 and Red Alert,
Soviet Strike (PS) It's just really good fun, but I honestly couldn't explain why I love it so.

Civilization 2 (PC)
Still the best of the series for me because it's deep enough to get stuck into but not so much that you can't just relax and play. I'm also a sucker for the look and style.

Spider-Man (PS4)
It was amazing, the story was amazing and TBH batman is a cunt so I'd be inclined to go for this over Arkham but fact is looking back it's Arkham I'm keen to replay.

Tony Hawks Underground (PS2)
It had a fun story in a sports game, it had all the light-hearted skating joy of earlier titles without the 2 minute run limits.

GTA: Vice City (PS2)
GTA 3 was ground breaking and had an ungodly number of hours sunk into it but it's VC that really sticks with me. The 80's setting and movie pastiche were novel and fun, the characters were larger than life without being annoying or dull and the scale was just right. GTA:SA felt too big and had too much fluff tacked on for me that meant that while I loved it VC always takes the top spot of the PS2 era.
It's just aged badly, as have all the PS2 era GTA games TBH.

GTA 1 (PS1)

Still great fun, basic but challenging enough, still great to sip in and out of.

[FLips]

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - 10
My favourite Zelda game and favourite game overall. I didn't even know what Zelda was until I got a Gamecube and my Mario Kart Double Dash had an extra Zelda disc with the demo of this on. I played it to death until the full game came out and was blown away by just how gorgeous and fun the whole thing was. I know some people aren't keen on the art style, but fuck em cos it's class. The music is wonderful too. When the Dragonroost theme started playing in Breath of the Wild I'm man enough to admit I wept a little. Did the exact same when it played again during the Colgera fight in Tears of The Kingdom.
Aside from being a great game, it brings back memories of a really good time in my life. Not a care in the world.
It's a 10/10 game and it gets my 10.

Spyro The Dragon - 9
A very close second. I got this as one of my original 3 games on the PS1 alongside Tomb Raider 3 and Three Lions. As a lad that went from NES to MD/SNES to PS1 I was blown away by the graphics and 3D gameplay. I picked it up so quickly and immediately got to playing this to death. It's a little janky these days but if that bothers you play the Reignited Trilogy which are fabulously done remakes. Just a really fun game with plenty to collect, ear-worm music and simple gameplay. I do like Spyro 2 and 3 but similarly to Crash Bandicoot they went real heavy on the minigames. If you want standard back to basics gameplay then this is the one for you. It's certainly the one for me.

Mega Man 2 - 8
It wasn't the first game I owned, to my knowledge that was Super Mario Bros 2 and Donkey Kong Classics. This was my first favourite game though. I would take my NES with me everywhere and this and Ninja Gaiden would come with me. As would Bubble Bobble. I have great memories of all of them but this was the one I loved. Fun gameplay, 10/10 music and just the right balance of difficulty that I could pick the levels I wanted to practice them over and over. I wouldn't play a Mega Man after this one until 8 which almost made my list too. Sat on the living room floor at my Grandparent's playing Bubble Man's stage always springs to mind. As does my Mam getting two of my uncles over to play it and watching them do Dr Wily's stage.

Animal Crossing Wild World - 7
It's not the best Animal Crossing game in terms of features, graphics or just about anything really, but it was my first one and it helped me through one of the worst times in my life. It was routine and a place to be outside of reality. Just a nice chill game to play where you can switch off for hours and doss about collecting fruit and shells. I've played all the games since and while I've loved every one of them, this is the one that will always hold that place in my heart. Waking up in the middle of the night and Poncho rocking up and saying "the night is young and so are we, Little Bear" was always oddly reassuring.

Medievil -6
It has risen again! Sir Daniel Fortesque see? The Hero of Gallowmere who fell at the first charge!

What a great game and all time great protagonist. Full of action, comedy and some really excellent level design. It has it's moments for sure, but similarly to Spyro there's always the remake to play if the jank is too much. Another one of my favourite soundtracks is the cherry on top of this goofy hack and slash.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past -5
My other favourite Zelda and one that means a lot to my wife and I. There's a framed photo in our house of us completing it for the first time together. It's "our" Zelda game outside of our individual favourites (she likes Twilight Princess, yuck).
There may not be a peice of music that gets your blood pumping more than when you first go to the Dark World in this and that theme kicks in. Wowzers.

Mario Kart Double Dash - 4
There's an argument to be made that the Gamecube is one of the best consoles for multiplayer games ever made. If this was a top 20 then you'd be seeing Super Smash Bros Melee, Warioware Smooth Moves, Mario Party 4 and 5, and Super Monkey Ball all fighting for a spot on that list. I've stuck with Double Dash though for a few reasons, the main one being it's the whole reason I got my Gamecube. I read a copy of Gamesmaster round a mate's house and it was a full I think 4 page spread on Double Dash and I'd never played Mario Kart and not had a Nintendo console since the SNES. I just had to have Double Dash though.
The amount of hours me and my friend spent tearing up the tracks in Baby Park is disgusting and the gameplay still holds up today. It doesn't feel right voting for Mario Kart 8 because it feels like an unfair fight in terms of content so I've went purely with judging it for it's time and at the time this was mint. I'll always give it credit for having that Zelda disc too.

Theme Hospital - 3
Doctor needed in Inflator rooooooom.

Loved it on PS1, loved it even more on PC with music. Loved it slightly less as Two Point Hospital but still loved it. My wife tolerated it as board game Dice Hospital with me playing the soundtrack as we play. Great stuff.

Left 4 Dead 2 - 2
Has stood the test of time as it's still just an absolute blast to play through now, especially with all the available mods and fan-made levels. Get a couple of mates on this and you can play the same levels over and over and it'll be different every time. Still intense when the tank shows up, still terrifying sneaking past witches, still annoying as shit getting boomered and swarmed by a horde. Was great on 360 back in the day but PC is the way to go.

Pikmin 4 - 1
In a few years time this may sneak up the list, but having played it just the once and it breaking my Top 10 is as good a start as any. It's peaceful, charming, frantic and everything the other Pikmin games were but 4 has been refined to perfection. It's a beautiful game with excellent levels and a little something for everyone. Pikmin 1 was very close to making this list but I had to leave nostalgia at the door and just admit that even including remakes this one is better by far.
 

[Loki]

12 minutes ago, FLips said:

Mario Kart Double Dash

@RedRooster How are we planning to deal with games like Mario Kart?  I suspect a lot of people will cast a vote for various different iterations of what is, fundamentally, one long-running game?  Very hard to pick a "best" Mario Kart.

I'm trying to think of other examples - FIFA or Championship Manager or SmackdownvRaw?

 

12 minutes ago, FLips said:

Left 4 Dead 2 - 2

I thought the first one of these was brilliant but the sequel was a massive let-down wasn't it?  I remember the single player being a shell of its former self.

Edited March 29 by Loki

[FLips]

6 minutes ago, Loki said:

I thought the first one of these was brilliant but the sequel was a massive let-down wasn't it?  I remember the single player being a shell of its former self.

Not that I recall. There's was pushback at launch I think because of the perceived lack of content and how quickly it came out after Left 4 Dead 1 but that quickly died down at launch and they eventually added loads of content including all the L4D1 maps in shortly after launch as well I think. I'm not 100% sure but I thought it was class at launch and still play it on PC now so it can't have done too bad.

[RedRooster]

9 hours ago, Loki said:

How are we planning to deal with games like Mario Kart?  I suspect a lot of people will cast a vote for various different iterations of what is, fundamentally, one long-running game?  Very hard to pick a "best" Mario Kart.

I'm trying to think of other examples - FIFA or Championship Manager or SmackdownvRaw?

I did think about that when the votes started piling in funnily enough; but specifically with Smackdown/Champ Man/FIFA in mind - I’m happy to be a democracy on this one, but my view is that these games have very distinct entries - in the case of Mario Kart, for example, the original is nothing like Double Dash, which in turn evolves by the time we reach 8.

Champ Man is a bit more challenging - I’m happy to be a democracy on this one; but if it was to be considered as a series, there are people such as @gmoneywho have voted multiple games in the series in their picks, so in all fairness they’d need time to revise their votes, otherwise it would automatically win. I err on the side of the series having distinct entries; although there are a run of FM games which are very similar.

It’s probably most applicable to Smackdown, FIFA and Pro Evo; again though, I’m happy to be a democracy (and indeed, should probably have considered this at the start…) - Champ Man, as it stands, is the only one that ‘breaks the system’, so providing people revised their votes, we could treat it as a series if that was the preference.

Edited March 30 by RedRooster

[Mr_Danger]

The thing with games that have long running series and yearly releases is that they’re eventually take a leap forward and even on the iterative ones they still all mean something to someone. FIFA Road to the World Cup and ISS Deluxe will always be my favourite because they’re the first ones where me and my mates would spend our hours doing tournaments against each other etc. No footy game will ever come close to replicating that feeling because that time will never exist again. I just have the fear of my son surpassing me on FIFA to look forward to and that’s shit.

[RedRooster]

23 minutes ago, Mr_Danger said:

The thing with games that have long running series and yearly releases is that they’re eventually take a leap forward and even on the iterative ones they still all mean something to someone.

WWE Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth is that game for me as far as WWE games go. The gameplay doesn’t vary much throughout the series, but it was my first experience of the draft in a wrestling game - and I loved picking my own roster. More importantly, it’s also what led to me becoming a wrestling fan, as opposed to simply someone who enjoyed wrestling games. Woolworths sold it with the Wrestlemania 18 DVD as a free gift. I didn’t really want the DVD, but it was free so I took it anyway. I watched it, felt absolutely hooked and saved up my money to buy more wrestling DVDs - the next one being Summerslam 2002. Then I realised Smackdown aired on Sky One, and the rest was history.

[Fog Dude]

Giving this a bump for anybody who missed it or who's still mulling it over and might miss the deadline next weekend. When the thread first started I immediately reeled off the names of dozens of IPs that deserve to be in contention, quite a lot of which have more than one entry which could belong in a top 10 convo. 

Besides that, honestly depending on what mood I'm in I can easily feel like my personal favourites are all platformers or fighters or puzzlers or sports sims or point-'n'-clicks, or that they're all from the 16-bit or PS1/N64 eras. But I tried to come up with a list containing some variety and no more than on game per franchise, so that's what I might as well stick with now time's running out. So without further ado: 

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS, 2013) = 10pts

Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror (PSX/various, 1997) = 9pts

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble (SNES, 1996; GBA, 2005) = 8pts

Mischief Makers (N64, 1997) = 7pts

Suikoden (PSX, 1995) = 6pts

Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Arcade/PSX/Saturn/SNES, 1996) = 5pts

Final Fantasy VII (PSX, 1997) = 4pts

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2, 2002) = 3pts

Little Nightmares (PS4/Switch/Xbone/PC/mobile, 2017) = 2pts

Mega Man X (SNES, 1994) = 1pt

Is the scoring system unintentionally confusing by being kept so simple, or is that just me? I find it makes reading peoples' lists awkward because I keep thinking their #1 is their #10 and vice versa. Either you could've asked us to name a Top 10 and figured out the maths for yourself, or else done it Eurovision-style with everyone's #1 getting douze points, etc. then you can tell which end of each list is the top. 

[Donald J Trump]

10 Points - Red Dead Redemption 2 - PS4

Expectation was astronomical for this game. It not only met all expectations but completely blew them away. I've long had a fascination with the Old West and like many would love to have experienced it in some measure. This game took me closer than I could possibly have imagined. 

9 - Tetris - Game Boy

A game I still play to this day. Fun to play, difficult to master. The ultimate puzzle game. 

8 - Super Mario Bros 3 - NES

There have been some great entries in the 2D series. Super Mario World was great, Super Mario Bros Wonder is a modern classic. For a game released in 1988 Mario Bros 3 is nothing short of a masterpiece. 

7 - GTA3 - PS2

One of the games that changed gaming. The jump between 2 and 3 was remarkable. 

6 - Monster Hunter World - Playstation 4

Took a great Japanese favourite, polished the edges and made it accessible. Its made Monster Hunters weak, but made the franchise a global success. 

5 - The Simpsons - Arcade

There are loads of good arcade games that deserve a mention. This and Wrestlefest stand out among all others. 

4 - No Man Sky - XBOX Series X

An utter mess at launch, went on to become the biggest comeback since Lazarus. Truly endless. 

3 - PRO EVO 5 - PS2

You could pick a number of pro Evo games from this era, this one for me was the apex of football gaming. 

2 - Soul Calibre - Dreamcast 

IMO, the best fighting game of all time. Intuitive combined with depth. 

1 - Super Mario Odyssey - Switch 

Whenever I play this game I just have a big smile on my face. 

[Mr.Showtime]

Just gone for the first 10 off the top of my head...

10 points: Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)

The reason I bought a PS4. I hadn't been doing much gaming for a few years, and seeing this blew my balls off. The attention to detail alone makes it special, but the story is also full of entertaining twists and turns and incredible characters.

9 points: Streets of Rage 2 (1992)

The music, the sound effects, eating roasted chickens sitting on the floor of telephone boxes - it's all there. I've probably completed this game more than any other, it's a great little title to pick up and play with a friend.

8 points: Sonic 3 & Knuckles (1994)

I was firmly in the Sonic camp in the Sonic/Mario debate (although I would come to appreciate the dirty plumber later in life), and I think Sonic 3 with the Sonic & Knuckles expansion was peak Sonic the Hedgehog. Sandopolis Act 2 can feck off though.

7 points: Grand Theft Auto V (2013)

Returning to the story doesn't really do much for me on additional playthroughs, but that first time I was in awe. Superb characters, great music selection as always, and funny dialogue, with a bit of mystery here and there too. For the first year or so of GTA online I had a blast with some friends before moving on, but I'm glad I didn't get sucked into that for a bloody decade.

6 points: Rocket Knight Adventures (1993)

One of my favourite platformers from the Mega Drive or anywhere really. Your guy Sparkster has some neat moves, the enemy models are all really fun, but the bosses and mini-bosses along with the soundtrack pushes it even further ahead. I must not be great at games because I've played this so many times, and even now on a Miyoo Mini+ with an autosave function, I still can't complete it. There's some bullshit happens at the end (or I think it's the end) and I'm not good enough to survive it. Must go try again now...

5 points: Hitman: World of Assassination (2016, 2018, 2021)

I guess the most recent Hitman trilogy is now classed as a full game in its own right. Online, many players seem to prefer the opening levels of Hitman 1 but there are amazingly complex maps spread all over these games and the bazillion ways you can tackle them is just astonishing. I still don't know how they crafted them. And while it's very satisfying to complete a mission without anyone ever knowing you were there, it's also hours of fun to walk around a map and shoot everyone in the head. Or smack them all with a fish.

4 points: Horizon Zero Dawn (2017)

The sequel Forbidden West was obviously bigger and perhaps better, but the initial entrance into this world and learning about its history made more of an overall impact.

3 points: Ghost of Tsushima (2020)

The atmosphere and the gripping combat sold this game for me, it's just so darn stylish.

2 points: SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain (2003)

I think this was the best in the series mostly because of the roster, which was massive and included quite a few first-timers and legends. Season mode was also replayable as hell.

1 point: Assassin's Creed Odyssey (2018)

Yep, it's far too big, but I can forgive it because it looks so damn pretty. Playing as Kassandra worked for me, the naval battles are well done, some of the side characters are funny, combat for me is satisfying, and as @Loki said about Origins and Egypt, the game really shows off some of the history of the Greek world, and makes you just wanna visit and explore. I did visit Zante in 2006, but that was just a 2-week bender so that doesn't count.

Honourable mentions: The first three Contra games, the first three Mega Man games, Pitfall! (the first game I ever remember playing), Dynamite Headdy, Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter, Cities: Skylines, Cool Spot, Sensible World of Soccer, Cannon Fodder, and Road Rash II. Oh, and Elden Ring and Grand Theft Auto VI, even though I haven't played them yet. I'm pretty confident they'll be in the top 10 soon enough...

[RedRooster]

Last chance to submit your nominations this weekend, or to edit your votes. I’ve extended the deadline very slightly, from 5pm today until 7am Monday. Realistically, I won’t have time to start tallying therm until then, so I’m as well as to give people a little longer to cast their vote. Thanks for the enthusiasm, everyone - I’ll do my best to turn this into an enjoyable read once it’s done.