The Best Video Games of All Time – A Must-Play List of Games

What are the best video games of all time? Well, every era of gaming has its icons. Whether they revolutionized storytelling, defined new genres, or simply became synonymous with fun, these games have earned their place in the medium’s collective memory. While technology and trends evolve, truly great games remain timeless.

Here’s our take on some of the best video games ever made—from pixelated classics to modern masterpieces.

The Best Video Games of All Time

We couldn’t keep this list to just 10, or 12, so below are the 20 best video games of all time. Some didn’t make the cut, but the fact that your favorite might not have made the cut shows how many great games there are.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

A milestone in 3D game design, Ocarina of Time took players on a sweeping adventure through Hyrule, setting the gold standard for action-adventure games. With its lock-on targeting system, day-night cycles, and cinematic pacing, Nintendo pushed the boundaries of what 3D worlds could do on the N64.

Even decades later, the emotional weight of Link’s journey, combined with puzzle-filled dungeons and unforgettable music, make this one of gaming’s most beloved titles.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

When CD Projekt Red released The Witcher 3, they didn’t just set a new bar for RPGs—they redefined what open-world storytelling could be. With mature writing, meaningful choices, and side quests that rival main story arcs in other games, Wild Hunt is a modern classic.

Gritty, emotional, and sprawling, Geralt’s final journey earned a place in the pantheon of greats by combining world-class writing with one of the most beautiful game worlds ever rendered.

Dark Souls

Dark Souls didn’t invent hard games—but it reminded players that difficulty could be a feature, not a flaw. With its minimalist storytelling, interconnected world, and brutal combat, it spawned its own subgenre and a fan base that thrives on challenge.

Its “prepare to die” tagline wasn’t a warning—it was an invitation. Few games feel as rewarding or as deliberately crafted as Dark Souls.

Minecraft

From indie curiosity to global phenomenon, Minecraft turned creativity into gameplay. With no set objectives, players could build, explore, and survive in a procedurally generated world of blocks and endless possibility.

Equal parts toy and game, Minecraft has become one of the most-played and most-watched titles in history—and continues to grow a decade later.

Red Dead Redemption 2

A technical and narrative achievement, Red Dead Redemption 2 blurred the line between game and film. Rockstar’s Western epic delivered stunning visuals, complex characters, and a tragic story that rivaled Hollywood in its execution.

The level of detail in the open world—from campfires to conversations—is still unmatched, and Arthur Morgan’s journey remains one of gaming’s most emotionally resonant.

Half-Life 2

Valve’s Half-Life 2 didn’t just improve on the original—it rewrote the rules of game design. With a physics engine that powered everything from puzzles to combat, it felt revolutionary in 2004 and still holds up today.

The silent protagonist, the dystopian world-building, and the pacing all helped cement Half-Life 2 as one of the most influential shooters ever made.

Portal

Few games do more with less. Portal was a short, first-person puzzle game built on the Half-Life 2 engine, yet it quickly became a modern classic. The Portal Gun mechanic introduced a new kind of spatial thinking, while GLaDOS’ dark humor kept players engaged to the very end.

Smart, funny, and completely original—Portal proved that innovation doesn’t require scale.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

When Skyrim launched in 2011, it was immediately clear the bar for open-world RPGs had shifted. From the freedom to ignore the main quest to the massive modding scene, Bethesda created a world players could live in, not just play through.

Fus Ro Dah memes aside, Skyrim is a modern epic that continues to thrive across platforms—and generations.

Super Metroid

Atmospheric, precise, and beautifully designed, Super Metroid helped define the Metroidvania genre. Its minimal UI, haunting soundtrack, and intricate world made exploration both rewarding and immersive.

Years before games had tutorials and quest markers, Super Metroid trusted players to figure things out—and the result was one of the best video game platforming experiences of all time.

Chrono Trigger

A dream team of developers from Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest came together to create Chrono Trigger, and the result was lightning in a bottle. With time travel, multiple endings, and an active battle system, it pushed RPG storytelling to new heights.

Even today, it’s one of the most beloved 16-bit RPGs—and a benchmark for narrative complexity and character development.

Grand Theft Auto V

Few games have had the staying power—or the sales numbers—of GTA V. With its three-protagonist structure, massive open world, and sharp satire, it blurred the lines between single-player and online worlds.

More than a decade later, it’s still topping sales charts and setting the standard for open-world game design.

Metal Gear Solid

Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid brought cinematic storytelling and stealth mechanics to mainstream gaming. Packed with unforgettable moments, from the Psycho Mantis boss fight to the final Metal Gear battle, MGS turned the PS1 into a storytelling powerhouse.

Its mix of gameplay innovation and narrative ambition helped show what video games were capable of.

Street Fighter II

Fighting games existed before Street Fighter II, but Capcom’s masterpiece turned the genre into a global phenomenon. Tight controls, diverse characters, and a competitive arcade scene made it essential in the ’90s—and still relevant today.

Most of modern esports owes something to SFII—whether through combos, counters, or competitive balance.

Dota 2

Born from a Warcraft III mod, Dota 2 grew into one of the most complex and competitive games ever made. Valve’s standalone version refined the formula, balancing 100+ heroes, deep item builds, and game-altering mechanics into a MOBA experience unlike anything else.

It’s notorious for its steep learning curve, but that’s part of the appeal. Dota 2 rewards mastery, coordination, and adaptability—and with The International becoming one of the largest esports events in the world, its cultural footprint is undeniable.

Counter-Strike

Originally a Half-Life mod, Counter-Strike became the blueprint for competitive shooters. The balance of precision gunplay, round-based strategy, and unforgiving mechanics made it the go-to game for LAN parties, internet cafés, and professional esports alike.

Versions have changed—from 1.6 to CS:GO, and now CS2—but the core remains: skill-based gameplay where every shot, sound cue, and pixel matters. Few games have shaped online gaming more profoundly than Counter-Strike, securing its spot as one of the best video games of all time.

Disco Elysium

Narrative-driven RPGs rarely take risks like Disco Elysium does. Equal parts political satire, psychological study, and noir detective story, this text-heavy game redefined what interactive storytelling could look like. There’s no combat in the traditional sense—just dialogue checks, moral dilemmas, and inner voices fighting for control.

Its writing is dense and brilliant, its world bleak yet hilarious, and its systems refreshingly original. Disco Elysium isn’t for everyone—but for those it clicks with, it’s unforgettable.

Doom

When Doom exploded onto PC screens in 1993, it didn’t just invent a genre—it ignited a movement. Fast-paced, ultraviolent, and unapologetically metal, id Software’s shooter defined first-person combat with blistering speed and iconic level design.

More than just a technical achievement, Doom became a cultural lightning rod, influencing everything from modding culture to multiplayer deathmatch. Without Doom, the modern shooter wouldn’t exist—period.

Super Mario 64

Super Mario 64 didn’t just bring Mario into 3D—it redefined how 3D games worked. With its analog controls, free-roaming levels, and dynamic camera system, it created the blueprint that nearly every 3D platformer would follow.

The castle hub, the hidden stars, the sense of movement—it all still feels remarkably modern. A technical marvel for its time and a masterclass in game design that’s still studied today.

Undertale

On paper, Undertale shouldn’t have worked. It’s a minimalist, retro-style RPG built by a solo developer with quirky humor, strange characters, and mechanics that ask you not to fight. But it’s precisely those choices that made Undertale a cult phenomenon.

With branching narratives, emotional storytelling, and memorable music, Undertale manages to be both hilarious and heartbreaking—sometimes in the same scene. A true indie gem that challenged what a role-playing game could be.

World of Warcraft

When World of Warcraft launched in 2004, it wasn’t the first MMORPG—but it was the one that got everything right. Blizzard’s finely tuned world-building, quest structure, and social systems turned Azeroth into a second home for millions.

From raiding Molten Core to hunting boars in Elwynn Forest, WoW created stories that players lived, not just watched. It set the gold standard for online RPGs and continues to evolve decades later and is definitely one of the best video games of all time.