It’s always so difficult putting together a list of the greatest games of all-time. There are so many games that have come out on so many different consoles, and it’s impossible for one to play them all (as much as we may try.) There are also lists that are so long that they become bloated, and it’s difficult to differentiate rank 50 from rank 25. We are attempting to mitigate these issues and give you six games that we believe are the greatest games of all-time.
The Last of Us
While in the past I have raved that The Last of Us is vastly overrated, in retrospect, I was wrong. It’s a beautiful tale of two people thrown together by circumstance and has some thrilling gameplay. It’s not simply a film that masquerades as a video game; it has the best of both worlds. The narrative is one of the best in video game history, and Ellie is one of the strongest protagonists in video game history. With The Last of Us Part II on the horizon, The Last of Us will forever be remembered as not only a masterpiece but one of the best games of all-time.
Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3 is a controversial pick. Some would argue that it’s not even the best Mass Effect game; we beg to differ. Mass Effect 3 is the culmination of the threat that has been looming for three games, and it doesn’t disappoint in its size or scope. The set pieces are brilliant, the missions some of the best in any action-RPG, and the story is one of the all-time greats. The choices present true moral dilemmas and dwarf those in the first two installments of the series. It’s one of the few games where I felt like I was Shepard myself, and was overwhelmed with catharsis. Despite what some believe is a lackluster ending, it’s Commander Shepard’s journey that makes this game an all-time classic.
Super Mario World
Super Mario World was the first game I owned myself as a child. This isn’t why it’s one of our best games of all-time, but it’s one of the most influential games in video game history. Mario World not only re-defined Mario, but platformers as a whole. It revolutionized a genre, even moreso than its predecessors. The game was not easy by any means either. It wasn’t until I was 22 until I was able to beat all of the secret levels (my dad and I tried, but failed, many times when I was younger.) Super Mario World is not only one of the greatest games of all-time, but arguably the greatest Mario game of all-time, depending on whether or not you prefer 2D or 3D Mario. It launched with one of the greatest systems to ever be released, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and cemented its legacy as an all-time great.
A Link to the Past
A Link to the Past, much like its SNES Mario counterpart, Super Mario World, redefined The Legend of Zelda. The story was simple but sweet. It not only emphasized exploration, but puzzle solving as well, and to this day has some of the best puzzles and dungeons in the franchise’s history (I’m looking at you Ice Palace.) It set the standard for future Legend of Zelda games and without it, we wouldn’t have Ocarina of Time, which once again revolutionized Zelda for 3D. The Dark World was yet another innovation of A Link to the Past and with so many revolutionary mechanics, it still stands the test of time as one of the best games to ever grace any platform.
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy is the best Mario game, period. Whether you enjoy 2D or 3D Mario games, there’s no disputing the creativity that went into Mario Galaxy. The setting for the game is all you need to know: space. This was a huge risk for the game, but it paid off splendidly. The physics of the game is one of the things that makes it so great and sets it apart from any Mario game that preceded it or came later, such as Super Mario Odyssey. Mario Galaxy is the best platformer of all-time, with a unique take on the genre that hasn’t been matched since its release. Each galaxy is unique and utilizes different mechanics in order to reach completion. Not to mention, it’s a lot of fun. Super Mario Galaxy is the best game of one of the most storied franchises in video game history and has earned its spot as the number two game of all-time.
Ocarina of Time
It goes without saying, Ocarina of Time tops our list as the number one game of all-time. It not only revolutionized 3D gaming, but introduced so many gameplay mechanics, such as the Ocarina, and time travel, which became a staple of the series. And it still stands up today. It has some of the best dungeons and puzzles in any video game, even to date, and has stood the test of time. While the story is simple, it is executed to perfection. Every Zelda game has tried to emulate Ocarina of Time’s success since its release in 1998, and every single game has failed, including Breath of the Wild. The music is the best in the series, the gameplay hasn’t changed much in roughly 20 years since Ocarina’s release, and the bosses were both the most memorable, challenging, and fun battles to date. It also introduced Ganondorf, Link’s archnemesis, who has become one of, if not the best antagonist in video game history, so much so that they are finally bringing him back in Breath of the Wild 2.
The final battle in the game versus Ganon is the most epic boss battle in gaming history, still. It catapulted what was already an incredible game into the greatest game of all-time. Unless Breath of the Wild 2 manages to surpass it, which is possible, Ocarina of Time will continue to stand the test of time and be regarded as the greatest game of all-time.