So, a list thread, then. We’ve got a few of these now and I, generally speaking, have a low tolerance for these, but one always floated my boat and that was Stu’s Top 100 thread on the old Maroonrum. Back then I had my Top 100 and I kept it updated as games came and went - games I adored dropped off the list, and new favourites entered.

Many years have passed since then and a number of games are deserving of spots, pushing out old games. 100 may seem like a lot, but it’s really not. Anyone here who has been playing games for 20 years or more has likely played games on up to or above a dozen platforms, ranging from Triple-As, to indie quirks, to cult classics. My list below started at closer to 200 games, and a lot of great games got cut to bring it down to 100.

So, I hope people can put together a list of their top 100 games and maybe we can see games we’ve forgotten or missed and encourage each other to enjoy and discuss a wider range of games.

Some points first, though…

What is the purpose? Are you gonna grade these to find the BEST GAME EVAR?
The purpose is purely personal enjoyment. Ideally, people will do what I do and keep their lists up-to-date. Once you’ve narrowed it down, it gets harder and harder to remove games.

I will not score or grade them in any fashion.

If you update your list, post a message with what has gone in and out, and i’ll update the OP with current dates and shizzle.

What is the criteria for inclusion?
Whatever you want it to be. My list isn’t a list of the games I think are the best games ever. Micro Machines V3 used to be on there, not because I really loved that game, but because of the memories of multi tap sessions with my family and the laughter that went with it.

My list is a collection of games that I appreciate, enjoy and have emotional connection to - they are the 100 games that mean the most to me. Unfortunately, I don’t have a copy of my old list, so i’ve probably forgotten some big ones. Your list is whatever you want it to be, but (if you’re asking my preference) i’d rather you not just do a list of BEST GAMES for each console - we have those threads out there already. Make it personal.

I had to cut games like (but not limited to) Silent Hill 2, Halo 2, Red Baron, Ocarina of Time, Vampire: Bloodlines - The Masquerade, Warhammer 40,000: Squad Commander, Uncharted 2, Gravity Rush, Persona 2, Lego Rock Band, Hogs of War, Super Mario Land 1-3, Check Yaeger’s Air Combat, Dead Rising and Jubeat from my list - all games that I enjoyed or feel strongly about for one reason or another. And yet Megarace stays. Why? Because it blew my mind at the time running on our new family computer - the nostalgia and sentiment behind its inclusion far overrides the technical quality of the game. Games that provide a unique feeling or experience, like Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, get unfairly weighted for their uniqueness. That’s my list and that is my choice - you can own your choices in whatever way pleases you.

But they’re not numbered, what’s the point?
I don’t like numbering - what makes game 96 better than game 97? Numbering makes the numbers the most important part of the list, not the games. I’m sure a lot of people here are tired of my incessant grumbling re GOTY threads, and I’ll try to keep that in check. I have a Top 10 and the rest are alphabetised. You can do a full 1-100 if that’s what you want to do. There are no rules for organisation.

Can we add collections/trilogies? Or does it have to be single games?
I don’t care, it’s whatever you want it to be. As above, there are no rules for organisation. I’ve had some games down as individual entries,(Metroid Prime 1 & 2) and gathered others as trilogies (Mass Effect and Dark Souls, for example). Usually I split them if i want to include one game in my Top 10 but not the other. If you think this is “cheating” then the solution is simple: don’t do it. Listing every Zelda game ever under Legend of Zelda series would not be my choice - too many platforms and stuff, but if you want to do that then I have no intention of stopping you. It’s your list.

Should I turn this into a discussion on why Forum Member X didn’t include Game Y?
I tend to find that people who list omissions in lists rarely point out games that should have been omitted in its place. Spaces are limited, there are GOING to be great games that don’t make the cut.

I’m sure that several members here are gonna have a LOT more retro that I - my pre-32 bit gaming time was limited and while there are some games that I love from that time, it’s not really my era. My list reflects that, and I’m not going to project my taste onto others.

I want you to read each others’ lists, discuss them, ask questions. But simply saying “How can you have Driver on the list but not Ocarina of Time?” is not really the point of the thread. Ideally, again, it becomes about adding and removing games over time and talking about why that happens.

Thinking of 100 games seems super hard. What do I do?
It’s a daunting task in the beginning, but it soon becomes a case of having to trim and cut.
I first listed the obvious ones, then went through my console history to try to remember my faves. Then I scoured a few lists from the ‘net, both BEST GAMES lists and CULT CLASSICS lists, as it’s easy to forget games, even if you really, really like them (Freedom Fighters says Hello!). I also checked my gaming shelf and my Steam Collection.

I also found alphabetising helped as, once the main bulk was down, I could go from A-Z and spot some omissions.

Why isn’t Revenge of Shinobi on the list?
I don’t like shit games.

What about Sonic?
See above.

The Lists

acemuzzy
Andy
Cosby
darkglobe
davyK
davyK Part 2
Jaco
hylian_elf
JonB
Kazuo
Liveinadive
mistercrayon
Moot_Geeza
Nina
Raiziel
RedDave2
regmcfly
retroking1981
Tempy
Vela
weadre