Network now...FEATURE
The 100 Best Games To Play Today
The following article is an abridged version taken from Edge’s landmark 200th issue, which goes on sale March 12.
The uncut version reveals the favourite games from leading industry figures such as Gabe Newell, Rez designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada. UK subscribers will see the magazine delivered to their doors from today, while US subscribers will receive their copy some three weeks before the issue hits the retailers.
With another Edge anniversary comes another deliberation over the best games of all time. But we didn’t want to think about the indisputable classics all over again. This time we wanted to make it personal by asking the question, if you had every game ever made at your fingertips, which would we play right now? What are the games, shorn of nostalgia and presumption, that we would actually want to spend time playing?
It means that you’ll find many games that did so much to inspire and direct videogame culture and design missing. Our selection process quickly made clear the effect of the insatiable march of progress, new titles building upon the successes of older ones to better effect. That’s why you’ll find few 8bit games in the list. Elite, which this year celebrates its 25th birthday, isn’t present, for example, but Eve Online is. Which is not to say that all old games are out of the picture. Certain games are remarkably resilient to time, with the Zelda series in particular proving its exceptionally consistent quality.
We hope we’ve come up with a snapshot of the titles that define modern videogaming as it stands in March 2009. You can read the justification behind the inclusion of each and every game on the list in issue 200, on sale March 12.
100
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4
NamcoIn-house
Playstation 1
The game that shrugged off the ‘coin-op conversion’ tag and turned a swirly mass of recycled roads into Ridge City.
Home to the series’ finest tracks, even its aircraft enter and exit the corners with perfect timing. Difficult jumps to PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 dulled Ridges V and 6, leaving this the most feature-rich and focused of the series; its soundtrack more explorative, its drift styles more deliberate, its singleplayer mode more complete, and its introduction of Gouraud shading more transformative.
99
Far Cry
UbisoftCrytek
PC
An inexplicably accomplished first effort for a small German developer, Far Cry at release was remarkable for its tech. Today, after Crysis failed to recapture its raw thrills, it’s remarkable for its mechanics.
Rather than grant or deny total situational awareness within its opaque jungles, it asks players to acquire it themselves. After scouting with slightly magical binoculars, you have enough information about the enemy to plan angles of attack, or avoidance. It encourages clarity of tactics within its freely explorable islands that feels both hard-won and thoroughly satisfying.
98
Star Fox 64
NintendoIn-house
N64
Or, the day Nintendo went Hollywood. From its opening bars, Starfox 64 bellows “EPIC”, ripping off movies from Independence Day to (of course) Star Wars, and delivering in spades.
That’s what gets the blood pumping, but the most memorable moments are the small things: the chatter between the pilots, branching difficulty routes, and Easter eggs dotted throughout its stages. With Miyamoto on development duties, it’s also one of the finest on-rails shooters ever made – so good, actually, that the fact it introduced rumble feedback to videogames is just a footnote.
97
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Resident Evil
CapcomIn-house
GameCube
It’s now commonly shrugged away as decrepit and clumsy, and solely taking the slumbering controls, confined inventory and arbitrary puzzles, it’s hard to argue.
But the vividly realised mansion of the GC remake still galvanises attention, the puzzles and scant storage intricately threading your superbly paced progress through corridors infested with lethal crimson zombies and dreaded Hunters.
By now, you’d have thought you knew what to expect, but it still makes you stop and desperately listen before turning any corner, every sense tuned into its weird rhythm of moans and scuffles.
96
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
NintendoIn-house
Wii
That it’s a great adventure should be taken for granted but Twilight Princess is perhaps the most polarised Zelda, with series-best moments grinding against those that are close to mundane.
But Link’s lame wolf form and the incoherent overworld are mitigated by labyrinthine dungeons in which Link’s actions are the stuff of spectacle: hookshotting on to the back of a giant fish, hopping from wall to wall on a spinning disc, battling a dragon on a tiny platform suspended in the sky.
The scale of the biggest Zelda of them all almost makes Link seem small, and that’s no inconsiderable achievement.
95
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Football Manager 2009
SegaSports Interactive
Mac/PC
Those that dismiss Football Manager as just being a game of numbers presumably haven’t heard the epic rags-to-riches stories any player is keen to tell of their games.
Involving dramas are ten a penny: a new and expensive signing winning a promotion against the odds, a change of tactics sending fortunes into freefall and causing a sacking.
Whether they mirror or contrast with them, FM’s alternative versions of real-life football seasons are endlessly fascinating. Numbers might be abstract, but FM pops them into reality.
94
Space Giraffe
LlamasoftPC/Xbox 360
Gaming Marmite? Only if you lack taste.
This maligned title is Llamasoft’s attempt to revitalise the tube shooter, and it’s a searing masterclass in updating old-school rules. It tests players’ ability to tune in to its warbles, bleats and psychedelic visuals as much as it does their trigger fingers with uncompromising visual design that turns off most new players, but that tie-dyed aesthetic hides a system of rare simplicity that balances risk and reward so finely that few shooters can hold a candle to it.
Destined for oblivion, perhaps, but the very definition of a blaze of glory.
93
The Sims 2
EAMaxis
Mac/PC
The original Sims created a new genre, people simulation, but the sequel made the characters human. The Sims 2 sticks to the open-ended model of the original but adds aspirations for each individual, small details that make them much more engaging to interact with and provide a much-needed extra layer of motivation for the player.
Even more crucial, perhaps, is its modelling of six stages of life, allowing Sims to age. The enduring depth and warmth of this living dollhouse often goes unnoticed, but it makes The Sims 2 one of the great accomplishments of modern game design.
92
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Animal Crossing: City Folk
NintendoIn-house
Wii
Animal Crossing’s daily drip-feed is still magical: the turn of seasons, of special holidays, of shop opening times.
Yes, it’s very low-tech magic, and Animal Crossing still hasn’t really ventured into the wilds of online. But then speeding it up to the rate things churn on the internet might erode some of the anticipation of the mundane: the thrill of completing a fossil collection, of getting a new line of conversation from the coffee shop pigeon. After all, Animal Crossing is a celebration of the magic of patience.
91
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
UbisoftUbisoft Montreal
GameCube/PC/PS2/Xbox
Amon Tobin’s soundtrack gets the nod, but, really, Chaos Theory’s music is half the game, creating synaesthesia usually reserved for art-house rail shooters.
It exactly echoes Sam Fisher’s feline movements, passing from foreboding noir to heart-rattling action as you dart from the shadows. Fisher gives Snake a run for his money in the sneaking stakes.
It’s not about gadgets or guns – Chaos Theory is a playground for Fisher’s physical gifts and mastery of discretion: warfare, one broken neck at a time.
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panzer dragoon 2 zwei?sonic on genesis?shinobi...?
Where the hell is Manhunt!!!! and Shadow of the Colossus should be #1!
oh, and world of warcraft suks hard too. silkroad is much much better.
ok... compared to final fantasy : zelda = fail, halo = fail, grand theft auto = huge fail, sims = huge fail, splinter cell = fail, silent hill = fail, singstar = fail, gears of war = fail, and so on... hu the hell compossed this list? lmao, most games on here are complete crap, lol. mario, ff, mgs, call of duty and pokemon should be much much higher. and whats with the big buzz about zelda? lol, suks..
Computers, video games, and the Internet have become entrenched features of our daily lives. Computer use has reached beyond work and is now a major source of fun and entertainment for many people. For most people, computer use and video game play is integrated into their lives in a balanced healthy manner. For others, time spent on the computer or video game is out of balance, and has displaced work, school, friends, and even family. It seems like all life has come to a stop if you can't surf the web. This is the reason why so many of us shell out for better internet service, and wireless utilities. It's worth a payday loan to keep one's self from having no internet.
This list sucks! Having those two outdated, unenjoyable and overrated borefests at the top of the list is a huge disservice to countless better games, some of them on the list and many of them not!
Well, I gotta agree with the #1 title. Ocarina of Time is a great game.
I finished it and all the graphics throughout the game are marvelous.
Best game of the N64 console by far. And there weren't a lot of good ones on this console after all...
Only thing about list is I personally would put Mario64 first and Zelda Second. All other ideas I agree. At least the games I played.
"I think having 5 Zelda games and 6 Mario games in the top 100 isn't right anyway"
Exactly !
And it's like the Amiga or the Megadrive/Genesis never even existed... If you can still play NES or Gameboy, you can still play these too. Frak Nintendo !
OOT is by far the best single player adventure in videogame history. I've played most of these games throughout my life, but I would consistently pick Ocarina as my favourite game of all time without a doubt.
Combine Counterstrike's impact on online gaming with the fact that it's still entirely playable today, and it's hard for me to see it anywhere but the top 10.
As a huge Half Life 2 fan I am very happy with it being third (though I would have placed it first myself). This list is about the best games from a current perspective, as though they were all released today and what you would think about them based on that. Thus, i find the choice of things like pokemon yellow odd, because they don't really stand up to newer versions when compared in this manner. Half Life 2 is very deserving despite being from 2005, because it was so far ahead of its time (with respect to physics and things like the water effects, and not the total package), that it does not portray itself as a games that was released a while ago. Even if Half Life 3 was released today and was not quite as good as HL2 was in 2005 (but still very close), you would have to put HL3 ahead. Everything ages, and videogames, unlike wine, never improve when they do, instead getting worse (from our current perspective) at varying rates. HL2 is just getting worse very slowly.
On another note, anybody who insults or suggests changes should go out and write their own list, if they feel strongly enough. If they don't bother, they can't expect their opinion to be taken seriously, because this is a subjective feature.
Did anyone check out this new WCG Ultimate Gamer show on Sci Fi?????? The first ep was last Tuesday and I'm totally hooked. It's all about video games, the cast is HOT and it's really high tech. The next ep is this Tues Mar 17 at 10pm and since it's St. Pattys day and I plan on getting my drink on, I am going to play this drinking game for the show that I found. Go to www.wcgultimategamer.com to check it out.
• Every time you hear Samsung or see a logo, drink for 5 seconds
• Every time you hear WCG or see a logo, drink for 8 seconds
• Every time you hear Virtua Fighter or see a logo, drink until you don’t hear/see it anymore
• Every time Dante plays with his hair, drink for 10 seconds
• Pick a gamer – every time they cry, drink while in a funny position
• Pick a gamer – every time they curse, assign a drink to someone
• Predict whether a team will pass or fail the real world challenge.
o If you are correct, make someone else drink.
o If you are incorrect, you drink.
• Predict which gamer will win the Isolation Challenge.
o If you are correct, make someone else drink.
o If you are incorrect, you drink.
• Predict which gamer will win the Elimination Challenge.
o If you are correct, make someone else drink.
o If you are incorrect, you drink.
I think having 5 Zelda games and 6 Mario games in the top 100 isn't right anyway. Be critical Edge, but be fair to other worthwhile games. The list is subjective as somebody mentioned earlier, and I suppose this is what we all should remember. Every gamer has his/her favourite games, Edge are just a number of gamers like everyone else.
I have been reading Edge for 10 years now, and it has always been the same story when it comes to the lists of the best games. Why this game is in the Top XY, and not that? Nintendo fanboys or Microsoft's? Or maybe Sony's? Ridiculous. I don't have to agree with them (and usually I don't) but I appreciate the scope of the list and diversity of the games on it. It is not your average list when you can find Rez, Peggle, UFO: Enemy Within, Virtua Fighter 5, R-Type Final and Super Metroid sitting happily alongside each other.
But, having seen almost unchanging taste on their part (Zelda and Mario games, Total War series, Advance Wars, and so on) I am wondering why there are no Treasure games on the list? In Edge's 10th anniversary issue, there was a similar list (sorted by genre) and Treasure was represented by Gunstar Heroes, Bangai-O and Ikaruga. And, being built around complex gameplay elements rather than the newest technology, they are pretty unaffected by time.
P.S. There is no place for Tekken. Subjective tastes and opinions aside, even Namco knows that Soul Calibur is a better series. And the serious gamers in Japan prefer Virtua Fighter and Street Fighter, so there is really no place for Tekken, except in the case the disproportioned part of the list is populated by beat 'em ups.
Final Fantasy XII?, did the Edge staff actually played it "today"?, I did it yesterday, I while I have a lot of good memories, it is definitely a game that you won't play today.
Good list, I think it did what it was supposed to well.
Just a little miffed at the lack of Puzzle Fighter...
I'm sure something of the Unreal series, Diablo or wipeout could of been squeezed in somewhere surely?
In short Nintentendo had the magic, but with miyamoto away from his best duties, (producer) i cant help thinking that previously in house games sequels feels like inferior competitors wannabe's(every mario kart after the SNES original) Dont get me wrong, metroid series was ALL good, but it wasnt handled inhouse,would it have been that good if it had? i dont think so, and i think Nintendo did! Graphicaly speaking mario kart wii(along with tha game cube) are very nice,BUT, they are not as fun as the snes version. i can appreciate a game taking new directions,but that particular game lost its racing edge, the tracks waay too wide, weapons based on player position has opposed to timing a fast alternating option box. even the physics felt better on the snes! took away the feather! that was loads a fun taking the short cuts. if that game was a dog, it would be the rotweiler with tha biggest spuds! gamecube and Wii?..newterd poodle! F.Zero G.X given to sega to produce why? they made that stink on purpose! I am a disalusioned die hard Nintendo fan that needs convincing that Nintendo hasnt lost its "minerals". love what they have done regarding the tech of the Wii, i jost dont think that they should be relegating their key titles to "party games" shovel ware, make new titles for that!
So did Jeremy Beadle respawn for a day and take control of the Edge writing staff ?
That's the only possible explaination for the omission of Metroid Prime from the Top 100 List.
Not only a wrongful decision but a ludicrous one as well and one that undermines all the other good choices that are present and correct.
Most of the complaints here seem to be of the 'my favourite game wasn't included - therefore I call the whole thing a sham'
It's picking 100 games out every game ever made. Sure a huge amount are now crap, but it still leaves an ungodly amount to pick from. There will be loads of games that were considered, but rejected in favour of something else.
Saying a game you think should have been in there and justifying why is fine. Saying that it's absence undermines the whole thing is talking rubbish. These things are here to create debate, so tell us, why should Prime have been in, and what would you have it in place of.
Before even start reading this list i was sure for the no 1,for now and forever zelda,for some games agree for some not,maybe a list for every decade or for every console generation was even better.i thing a lot of good games are missing of this list or is in lower positions.FALLOUT 3 take 7 at review and now is 37!!!And fifa 09 i thing never review it from EDGE.Anyway.Happy Birthday EDGE,i wish you the best because you are the best.
This article gets 5 stars from me for two reason:
1. My fav game of all time is #1; awesome.
2. This is the first time I've seen any prominent publication openly acknowledge that Rock Band has superior note charts to competitors. It's about time someone realized this other than the hardcore gamers.
Rock Band IS superior because after all, Harmonix pioneered the music rythm game and, obviously has the most experience in this field.
May I ask what's the basis of this 100 Best Games To Play Today? Can't believe that World of Warcraft is only number 17, it should have been placed on top 10 or even top 5. I enjoy this game even if farming wow gold can sometimes be a pain in the ass.
I have been gaming for over 29 years, and I believe Ocarina of Time is not the Best game of this modern age. Nooooooo way, yes it should be listed but definitely further down. Where is the Baldur's Gate Series?? A game which pushed RPG games forward into the modern age. What about Sonic? Wasn't there one particular game you enjoyed Edge? What about Knights of the Old Republic 1? No System Shock 2? No Donkey Kong Country? Max Payne or Max Payne 2 should at least get a mention...
At least you recognised UFO Enemy Unknown...
I give up.
Whilst I am at least partially overjoyed at your recognition of UFO: Enemy Unknown. I also agree with you on Baldur's Gate (a game, which I'll concede, I forgot about). Though was Diablo II there? If not, why not? That was a very enjoyable hack'n'slash game.
As for further down, I noticed someone mentioned flight/military sims? Well let's look to what this list is for.
If you had all the games at your disposal, what are the 100 games you would choose to play right now? Now, call me a cynic, but a flight sim wouldn't be one of those - perhaps not even an RTS - C&C was a great game, but incredibly frustrating and I believe I finished Total Annihilation out of principle (and the music) rather than a sheer desire for enjoyment. I'm sure this will have been the same for others -- especially the bit about flight sims. Though maybe X-Wing. Was that there? I forget. If not, then it should be. The only flight sim worth fighting for.
Enjoyable reading, but I think you make your own problems by grading the list as little more a run-down of favourites - does it really carry any more weight than the thousands of lists on websites all over the web? Not really.
It really just underlines the demographics of the people making the list. Adults (no kids games), predominantly male, English (no US sports). An unnatural weighting towards Gamecube games - in fact a huge amount of Nintendo-love. Lots of car racing titles - Top Gear-watching middle-aged grumpy types? Only token gestures towards RPGs, platformers, fighters, old-style shooters. RTSs, flight/military sims almost totally absent.
I just don't find it very representative of what I think of as gaming, which is much more of a broader, richer canvas than indicated here.
It's an English magazine - what did you expect?
I appreciate it's an English magazine - that was the point I was making. For a list or canon to be authoritative it needs a broader scope - you can find multiple 'my faves' lists like this on Amazon. I think Edge needs to set its ambitions a little higher than that.
Maybe my internet line doesn´t work too well, I can´t check where in the te rank are Metal gear solid 4,Wipeout, killzone2 and Mas Effect.
I bought space Giraffe, played for a while and erased it.It stinks, pure garbage.
Be serious.
I also miss Katamari in this list. Cause it still is a pretty damn piece of fun. But when you think of fun games to play in march 2009, 100 is a very limited number.
Kudos for including UFO: Enemy Unknown too. My favourite game ever. Such a huge amount of depth, there was never a point in that game where I thought..."Oh I wish I could do that!" or even "Oh jeez, why do I have to do that?".
Brilliance.
As an extra point, I got nightmares when I played UFO: Terrors from the Deep.
I'm surprised not to see Counterstrike on the list given its seemingly eternal popularity.
No matter what people say, I will always rate Ocarina lower than Mario 64 for the simple reason that you can't jump. Taking away random jumping was the first brick in building a wall that makes me have no interest in playing a Zelda game.
Brian
www.brianwoods.com
WTH is wrong with you? You gotta get some sleep man, Counterstrike Source is right there at no.56.
Speaking of CSSource, been playing it since it came out in 2004, and up to now, still clocking at least 12 hours a week. I can safely say that it ruined my life. I'm planning to get rid of it--by switching to Halo 3.
No, no. He's had plenty of sleep and I'll agree with him.
Where is Counter-Strike? Not this namby-pamby Counter-strike Source. I want Counter-Strike 1.5 on there! Before the AWP delay was introduced and fast-switching was disabled!
The one where gameplay > impressive graphics/ physics.
CS 1.5 will live on in my dreams and memories.
The only way you could make me play CS 1.5 again is to maroon me on a desert island with only a pentium 3 as my company.
I remember switching on Mario 64 for the first time and almost weeping - my jaw remained open for hours, my eyes fixated on this wonderful world that I had grown up with on the NES and Game & Watch. I would have friends round who were just happy to sit there and watch me play. We would host competitions to see who could get 50 stars the quickest. Those days were absolutely brilliant.
Upon receiving Zelda 64, I commented on how heavy the cartridge felt. It was creaking at the seems with all the features Nintendo crammed in there. Whilst it didn't enjoy the mass audience appeal when compared to its Mario cousin, I was still glued to our television for hours.
Thank you, Nintendo, for giving me such happy memories of my gaming past. And thank you Edge for being there with me.
What I actually like about this list are the many inspirations I draw from it; and all the notable moments I remember while reading a particular name on it. I would like to defend the number 1, that is Ocarina of Time; I played games on all mayor plattforms, all generations and there simply wasn`t a single game that was as moving as OoT; FF7 was amazing for its storytelling, Resi4 for the rollercoaster it was and Ico for its inherent aesthetics, but Ocarina of Time combines everything brilliant. From the very first moment when Navi hit the fence until walking the stairs in Ganon`s tower while the organ gets louder and louder, it`s simply the best game evermade.
what started as an interesting idea for a list that would avoid awarding the "best game ever" status seems to lose its way by the time it reaches number one and becomes as predictable as the lists it sought to escape. The write ups are wonderful as always, but i cant help but feel that the time would have been better spent making a list of the 100 best games we probably havent played, or even better, rather than try to sum up games we have all played in 50 words, examine what it is that makes games the best ever, take 10 games that are considered classics and write in depth analysis of their structures, design, elegance or lack of it.
For me, edge is at the top of its field, because of this the last thing I expect is something so unsuprising, and uninspiring as this list.
Something which only strikes me after reading the first paragraph of the HL2 entry.
How did I go through a whole city, ride a boat down an entire river and not see a reflection of Gordon Freeman?
Strange. Strange and clever.
Also, Nintendo dominates that list. 3 of the top 5 are Nintendo. 2 of those are Zelda. Quality.
Space Giraffe? Really???
lol Jeff Minter never woke up from his Tempest stupor
Woah, hold up Zelda fanboys. Lol, nice list and it shows your true colours. I think page 11(the final page) and page 8 were my favourites. Of course there were omissions I felt were glaring but in the end I can make my list and chuck it on a blog.... It just probably won't be as well recognised as your list. I think this list identifies why people return to Edge, we all can see that you really do love gaming as a medium and you take it seriously. With the judging criteria you chose I was expecting no1 LBP no2 GTA no3 Gears etc, but you stick to your esoteric guns as always.
Respect.
You gave Killzone 2 a what!!!! Oops, wrong rant, my bad...
To all the people moaning, it's simply a list, made up from several people's different views. Things can't be that bad with it, I mean at least Space Giraffe isn't in it, ah fuck man it is, YOUR LISTS ARE TEH SUX EDGE... : )
I registered for this website to rant about the stupidity and utter lack of any sensible knowledge that was applied in making this list.
I still hope to achieve that, but hopefully in a more respectable manner.
First swing is at your #1, Ocarina of Time. If you want to argue with me that the game is the best game of all time, I would agree that you have a very good argument, but when you tell me that it's the #1, best game to play today, I would laugh in your face.
Diablo 2 has a huge following still. Anything that wasn't up to par would not still be played 9 years after release. It doesn't have the best graphics, but it's got a great story, along with years of replay value. I find that that by definition is a game that should be played today.
Final Fantasy X.
Overall I find this list to be an embarrassment to gamers. My friend can put it better than I can.
"While you read this article, think deeply of your youth and the fond memories you have of your favorite games because by the time your done, you'll want to have those warm and happy thoughts handy while Edge lifts a defiant fist at the gaming gods and shits on all that, you as a gamer, hold sacred."
"I registered for this website to rant about the stupidity and utter lack of any sensible knowledge that was applied in making this list."
You shouldn't have done so, cause yours is definitely not mind blowing either.
Diablo II is a religion for some people, and one the few games I try I play all the way through nearly every year since its release.
If that doesn't qualify to be on the list, then how the fiddle sticks does BS Puyo Poppers 2000x get on the list?
Just a thought...
singstar? fail.
Final Fantasy XII above VI? Double fail. Mystic quest tops XII. I don't think that's an unfair exaggeration ; )
oh man
The problem with lists is that in the end they are subjective, the other problem is that people misunderstand them, this is a list of the best games to play today... not the best games ever.
So i take that to mean games that stand the test of time. Heck if you go through the list and read some of the narrative, the slant is for those games that get better with age or become either poignant or relevant only in retrospect.
Some games frozen in time were great, but go back and play today and you're in a world of hurt...
and fater all of that let me jump in and add
- i agree with PAPPO on the omission of Diablo II
- Audiosurf by its very nature should be relevant forever