In shortNumber 1 in our ranking is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, followed by Super Mario Bros. and Tetris.
Choosing the best video games of all time pits whole generations of players against each other. We weighed influence on the industry, quality, sales and how well they have aged.
Are Elden Ring, Pokémon Red and Blue, Street Fighter II, Dark Souls or FIFA missing? Vote for your favourite game below or tell us which one is missing.
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1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Nintendo · 1998
It defined what a 3D adventure should be: lock-on targeting, the temples, the music. Many of its inventions are still used today.
2. Super Mario Bros.
Nintendo · 1985
It saved the video game industry after the 1980s crash and made Mario the medium's most famous character. Its level design is still a masterclass.
3. Tetris
Alexey Pajitnov · 1984
Created in the Soviet Union, simple and endless. It has been played on practically every device with a screen ever invented.
4. Minecraft
Mojang · 2011
The best-selling video game of all time. A world of blocks where you can build anything you imagine, now used as an educational tool in schools worldwide.
5. Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar Games · 2013
A living city, three protagonists and an online mode that has been running for more than a decade. One of the most profitable entertainment products ever.
6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt Red · 2015
A huge open world where even the smallest side quest tells a good story. It raised the bar for role-playing games.
7. Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar Games · 2018
The Wild West recreated in overwhelming detail and the story of Arthur Morgan, one of the medium's best-loved protagonists.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo · 2017
It reinvented the open world: if you see a mountain, you can climb it. Total freedom and physics that invite experimentation.
9. The Last of Us
Naughty Dog · 2013
Joel and Ellie in a world devastated by an infection. A story so powerful it became a hit TV series.
10. Half-Life 2
Valve · 2004
Physics, uninterrupted storytelling and a gravity gun that changed shooters. Its influence can be felt in almost everything that followed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best-selling video game of all time?
Minecraft, with hundreds of millions of copies sold across all platforms, ahead of Grand Theft Auto V.
What is the best video game of all time according to critics?
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) is the game that most often tops critics' lists, and it is our number 1.
Would you change the order?
Tell us what's missing, what shouldn't be here or what you'd put at number 1.