The Best Reviewed Games of All-Time – Critically Acclaimed and Classic Video Games

As is the case with most art forms subject to criticism, it's important to look at more than a single critical review for a video game. While it's not necessarily true that a high review aggregate score equates to a title being one of the best games ever made, there's something to be said for how many of the best-reviewed games of the last 30 years can count themselves as being some of the best gaming experiences of a generation, many of them still holding up today in a modern context. Of course, there is a bit of a recency bias in that review aggregates weren't calculated during the third and fourth console generations, thanks to games media not being quite as firmly established. But you'll still see plenty of titles you'd expect, like every 3D Zelda and Grand Theft Auto game, or all the modern Super Mario titles.

• Release Date — October 18, 2011
• Developer — Rocksteady Studios
• Publisher — Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 88% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Still referred to as one of the greatest superhero games ever made, Batman: Arkham City takes everything that made Arkham Asylum great and builds upon it. While the general combat and gameplay loop remain similar, the switch to an open-world setting really hammers home the fantasy of stepping into the shoes of the World's Greatest Detective.

• Release Date — August 23, 2001
• Developer — Capcom Production Studio 4
• Publisher — Capcom
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS2, PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

Capcom's Devil May Cry is one of the few games of the 6th generation responsible for creating its own subgenre, that being the character action game. While the Devil May Cry series has arguably only gotten better since, it's hard to overstate the importance of the first game in the franchise and how influential it continues to be on modern action game design.

• Release Date — April 20, 2018
• Developer — Santa Monica Studio
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4

All of the God of War games are synonymous with quality, but it's hard to beat the 2018 reboot in terms of both its gameplay and its story. Reinventing Kratos and giving him a new family, along with changing settings from Greek to Norse mythology, was a brilliant move that significantly shook up the series and saw its emotional peaks finally match the strength of its combat sandbox.

• Release Date — July 7, 2000
• Developer — Square
• Publisher — Square
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Android, iOS, PC, PlayStation, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

For many, Final Fantasy IX is their favorite game in the series, and it's easy to see why. In addition to closing out one of the series' most important eras on the PS1, Final Fantasy IX is a glorious return to form for the franchise that sees both series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi return and a shift back to the high-fantasy settings of the earlier Final Fantasy games.

• Release Date — September 6, 2024
• Developer — Team Asobi
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PlayStation 5

Team Asobi's Astro Bot is practically pure joy distilled into video game form. Much more than a simple expansion of the excellent Astro's Playroom pack-in title with the PS5, Astro Bot is the kind of 3D platformer that used to be hugely popular but has since taken a backseat to other genres, and the title's near-perfect execution of that premise is a reminder of the inherent fun and childlike wonder that a video game can produce and elicit.

• Release Date — April 18, 2011
• Developer — Valve
• Publisher — Valve
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360

The original Portal was an incredibly impressive proof of concept for Valve, which then took that premise and ran with it in the sequel to create one of the best puzzle platformers ever made. It doesn't hurt that the expansions to the story and setting of the Portal universe in the sequel establish one of the best video game villains of all time in GLaDOS and plenty of chuckle-worthy dark humor.

• Release Date — May 18, 2010
• Developer — Rockstar San Diego
• Publisher — Rockstar Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360

While the early preview footage for Red Dead Redemption drew plenty of "Grand Theft Horse" jokes, that sentiment quickly fell flat once we all got to get our hands on this modern-day Western masterpiece. Much more introspective and RPG-like than a Grand Theft Auto game, Red Dead Redemption is a loving tribute to America's frontier, and the brave — and sometimes lawless — pioneers who tamed it.

• Release Date — October 31, 2019
• Developer — P-Studio
• Publisher — Atlus
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 87% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The amazing breakthrough success and popularity of Persona 5 helped introduce an entire new generation of players to both the Persona franchise and JRPGs as a whole, and the series would continue that momentum with an expanded version of Persona 5 that serves as the definitive experience of its story and characters. It's not hyperbole to claim that Persona 5 Royal might be the best JRPG of the modern era, and its importance in bringing people over to the genre can't be overstated.

• Release Date — August 12, 2002
• Developer — EA Tiburon
• Publisher — EA Sports
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 69% (Mixed or Average)
• Platforms — Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PC, PlayStation, PS2, Xbox

One of two different licensed NFL games to count itself as one of the best-reviewed games of all time, Madden NFL 2003 has long been considered a peak in the franchise's long history. While the visuals and updated rosters of more modern Madden games make them feel more current, there's an argument that the series' tried and true gameplay never got better than it was more than 20 years ago in Madden 2003.

• Release Date — November 19, 2006
• Developer — Nintendo EAD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 88% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — GameCube, Wii

The first Zelda game to utilize motion controls and a launch title for Nintendo's groundbreaking Wii console, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an important footnote in the Zelda series' history. While players were somewhat mixed on the title's implementation of motion controls, there's something to be said for Twilight Princess' uncharacteristically dark atmosphere and its dungeons, which rank as some of the best in the series.

• Release Date — June 14, 2003
• Developer — Naughty Dog
• Publisher — Sony Computer Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PS3, PS4

The impact of The Last of Us on video game discourse is profound, with the title serving as one of the primary examples of how storytelling in interactive media has simultaneously caught up to, and in some ways surpassed, other art forms. It's also just a great stealth-action game with some visceral combat to back up its bleak, heart-wrenching tale of survival, love, and revenge in the post-apocalypse.

• Release Date — December 2, 2002
• Developer — Nintendo R&D 2, Capcom
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 88% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Game Boy Advance

Had there been more games media outlets at the time of its original release, the SNES version of A Link to the Past would certainly be on this list, thanks to it being one of the all-time greatest Zelda games. Thankfully, the title's re-release on the Game Boy Advance, which also includes the excellent multiplayer-centric Four Swords, has helped it earn its rightful place among the other best-reviewed games in history.

• Release Date — April 27, 2000
• Developer — Nintendo EAD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Nintendo 64

Speaking of excellent Zelda games, Majora's Mask might borrow heavily from Ocarina of Time's template, but it's truly unlike any other game in the series. Most of its unique qualities center around its horror-like atmosphere and atypical approach to gameplay, thanks to a continually resetting clock as Link tries to stave off the destruction of Termina.

• Release Date — November 9, 2004
• Developer — Bungie
• Publisher — Microsoft Game Studios
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 87% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, Xbox

Alongside its excellent single-player campaign, Halo 2 more than earns its place as one of the most critically acclaimed titles on the Xbox thanks to its paradigm-shifting online multiplayer courtesy of Xbox Live. To say that both first-person shooters and console gaming would never be the same is an understatement.

• Release Date — April 28, 2001
• Developer — Polyphony Digital
• Publisher — Sony Computer Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PlayStation 2

The first two Gran Turismo titles were beloved and critically acclaimed simulation racers that practically defined the PS1 era. So it should come as no surprise that the series' first 6th-gen entry, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, is yet another monumental achievement for both Polyphony Digital and Sony. Even in the wake of Gran Turismo 4, there's still a case for GT3 being the best the series got on the PS2.

• Release Date — October 27, 2008
• Developer — Media Molecule
• Publisher — Sony Computer Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 82% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PlayStation 3

The LittleBigPlanet series has since gone by the wayside (complete with the closure of developer Media Molecule), but that doesn't diminish the importance and brilliance of the first entry in the franchise. Both a solid 3D platformer and an impressive suite of level creation tools that helped introduce millions of gamers to concepts central to game design and development, LittleBigPlanet's player-created stages were even better than the ones that came pre-loaded courtesy of Media Molecule.

• Release Date — October 29, 2002
• Developer — Rockstar North
• Publisher — Rockstar Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 87% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Android, iOS, PC, PS2, Xbox

Building on the groundbreaking success of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City transported players back to a neon-soaked 1980s version of Miami that would fit right at home in shows like Miami Vice or films like Scarface, and it played even better than its predecessor doing so. Not to mention, Vice City still holds the crown for the greatest video game soundtrack in history, with more than 120 licensed hits from the era.

• Release Date — October 26, 2004
• Developer — Rockstar North
• Publisher — Rockstar Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Android, iOS, PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360

Continuing with the time-specific theme of Vice City, the third and final GTA game of the 6th generation would drop players into a 1990s version of fictional Los Angeles that would've felt right at home in movies like Menace II Society or Boyz n' the Hood, once again with an iconic, era-appropriate soundtrack. But more than its change in scenery, San Andreas features some impressive expansions to the GTA sandbox, including a brand-new RPG-style progression loop and the largest map of the series to date.

• Release Date — September 21, 2000
• Developer — BioWare
• Publisher — Black Isle Studios, Interplay Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC

Following up on the original Baldur's Gate was practically a given, considering how successful and well-received that title was. Somehow, BioWare was able to outdo itself, crafting a sequel that takes everything that made the original great and refines it. Something that the studio would do again with Mass Effect almost a decade later.

• Release Date — November 13, 2001
• Developer — Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
• Publisher — Konami
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS2, Xbox

While there's a strong case for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater being the best game in the series, the highest-rated Metal Gear game is Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. The hype for Sons of Liberty was incredibly prevalent around the time of its release, and Kojima's bait and switch (leading players to believe they'd once again take the role of Solid Snake when it was instead new protagonist Raiden who took center stage) is the stuff of legend.

• Release Date — December 23, 1997
• Developer — Polys Entertainment
• Publisher — Sony Computer Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 85% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PlayStation

At a time when most racing games on the PS1 were heavily indebted to the arcades, Gran Turismo came along and redefined the way players thought about realistic driving simulations, complete with some truly impressive visuals for the era. While Gran Turismo 2 might have expanded that formula, there's something to be said for the purity of the original game in the franchise.

• Release Date — November 19, 1998
• Developer — Valve
• Publisher — Sierra Studios
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS2

Valve's Half-Life sits right alongside games like Deus Ex and Thief as one of the most important FPS titles to push the needle forward for the genre. And like those games, it remains a timeless experience that still feels as exciting and fresh to play in 2025 as it did back in 1998, even with its visuals beginning to show their age.

• Release Date — December 13, 2002
• Developer — Nintendo EAD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — GameCube

Despite initially drawing a knee-jerk reaction from fans hoping for a more "adult" take on Link and The Legend of Zelda, The Wind Waker now stands as one of the most timeless entries in the series precisely because of its cartoonish visuals and lighthearted tone. Just looking at the title's user score speaks for itself concerning how most fans feel about the title now.

• Release Date — May 12, 2023
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 88% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

Both an impressive evolution from the Breath of the Wild formula and one of the Switch's technical achievements, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is perhaps the greatest action-adventure game of the 8th console generation. That the title is likely going to be just as successful on the upcoming Switch 2 is testament to its importance in Nintendo's library and the Zelda franchise.

• Release Date — April 9, 2021
• Developer — Novectacle
• Publisher — Limited Run Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 70% (Mixed or Average)
• Platforms — PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch

Seeing a visual novel on a list of the best-reviewed games was a surprise, especially considering the genre's mostly niche popularity here in the West. Despite that, though, The House in Fata Morgana is both one of the Switch's highest-rated games and the best-reviewed game in the visual novel subgenre, even if its user score seems to paint a bit of a different picture.

• Release Date — November 11, 2011
• Developer — Bethesda Game Studios
• Publisher — Bethesda Softworks
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 86% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Skyrim has been around for so long at this point (not to mention re-released so many times) that it can be easy to forget how groundbreaking it was at the time of its initial launch. But for those of us who had been eagerly anticipating the title since we first rolled credits on Oblivion, Skyrim felt like the realization of an open-world RPG dream, and it still serves as a major influence on Western RPGs.

• Release Date — February 25, 2022
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 82% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

FromSoftware's Elden Ring is nothing short of a masterpiece. Taking the design philosophy of the Dark Souls trilogy and expanding it into an open-world sandbox is something that could have resulted in many of the core FromSoft elements getting lost in translation. Instead, Elden Ring is the action RPG of a generation and an experience that only seems to get better with age.

• Release Date — January 26, 2010
• Developer — BioWare
• Publisher — Electronic Arts, Microsoft Game Studios
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS3, Xbox 360

The first Mass Effect was an exciting proof of concept that BioWare would eventually expand upon in the sequel, Mass Effect 2. Bigger and better in every conceivable way, Mass Effect 2 features better combat, a more exciting story, higher stakes for Shepard and his crew, and some of the best visuals and music of any 7th-gen title. Simply put, Mass Effect 2 is the Empire Strikes Back of its trilogy.

• Release Date — March 26, 1998
• Developer — Namco
• Publisher — Namco
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PlayStation

The Tekken franchise was one of the early series of titles to take inspiration from Virtua Fighter and try to outdo Sega at its own game, and Tekken 3 marks the point at which the student surpasses the master. Tekken 3 has a strong claim to being the best fighting game on the PS1, and it's also still one of the best-playing and fairly balanced games in the series all these years later.

• Release Date — August 3, 2023
• Developer — Larian Studios
• Publisher — Larian Studios
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

As great as BioWare's Baldur's Gate games are, they almost can't hold a candle to the masterpiece that is Baldur's Gate 3. The amount of passion that Larian Studios put into the long-awaited third entry in the Baldur's Gate series is evident, resulting in an RPG that offers players an unprecedented amount of freedom and choice in how they approach both story and combat, and it has only continued to improve through one free update after another.

• Release Date — January 11, 2005
• Developer — Capcom Production Studio 4
• Publisher — Capcom
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — GameCube

While Resident Evil 2 will always be a personal favorite, Resident Evil 4 is undoubtedly deserving of being both the highest-rated Resident Evil game and one of the best-reviewed games of all time. Much more than a dramatic, more action-oriented rebirth of the series, Resident Evil 4 would go on to influence countless action games across multiple generations, helping to standardize the "behind-the-shoulder" third-person perspective.

• Release Date — October 13, 2009
• Developer — Naughty Dog
• Publisher — Sony Computer Entertainment
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 88% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PlayStation 3

Similar to Mass Effect 2, Uncharted 2 is arguably the series-defining middle chapter in its respective franchise, building upon the foundation of its predecessor to deliver an experience that's more refined in its approach. But in the case of Uncharted 2, it almost earns most of its critical praise simply from its jaw-dropping setpiece moments, of which the opening sequence on the train is at or near the top.

• Release Date — August 23, 1997
• Developer — Rare
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Nintendo 64

What Doom did for PC gaming, GoldenEye 007 did for consoles, helping to introduce an entire generation of players to first-person shooters both through its excellent movie-inspired campaign and its generation-defining multiplayer mode. For a lot of players, GoldenEye 007 represents the ground zero of their love for the FPS genre.

• Release Date — August 21, 2007
• Developer — 2K Boston
• Publisher — 2K
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 88% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — iOS, PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Outside Half-Life, perhaps no other story-driven FPS title is as important as BioShock. A title that places just as much emphasis on its atmosphere and storytelling as it does its gameplay, BioShock is part FPS and part immersive sim, but it melds those disparate halves of its identity into something special that would come to help define the 7th generation.

• Release Date — November 16, 2004
• Developer — Valve
• Publisher — Valve
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360

The airtight gunplay and carefully scripted campaign of Half-Life 2 help to elevate it beyond its predecessor to serve as one of the most important FPS titles ever made. In fact, you could say that Half-Life 2 belongs on a list of the best games ever made simply for its Ravenholm segment alone.

• Release Date — November 15, 2001
• Developer — Bungie
• Publisher — Microsoft Game Studios
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 86% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, Xbox

Bungie's Halo helped Microsoft get the Xbox out of the gate and into players' living rooms. More than that, though, it also featured some groundbreaking multiplayer action thanks to its ability to support 16 players through LAN play, transforming many apartments and dorm rooms into battlegrounds to test players' mettle.

• Release Date — September 7, 2000
• Developer — Visual Concepts
• Publisher — Sega
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 56% (Mixed or Average)
• Platforms — Dreamcast

The highest-rated professional football game ever made, NFL 2K1 represents the peak of virtual NFL for many players. The definitive quality of NFL 2K1 that helped separate it from Madden was its commitment to realism, but that still didn't stop the title from providing dozens (if not hundreds) of hours of fun in either solo seasons or multiplayer.

• Release Date — October 27, 2017
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

The first and only full 3D Mario game on the Switch, Mario Odyssey feels like both a continuation of the Mario Galaxy games and a more grounded (both literally and figuratively) approach to a 3D Mario game more in line with Super Mario 64. But the brilliance of its platforming and unique Cappy mechanic helped the title earn its place as one of the highest-rated games on the Nintendo Switch.

• Release Date — October 26, 2018
• Developer — Rockstar Games
• Publisher — Rockstar Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, Xbox One

Like the first Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a loving tribute to the Wild West and the final days of the American frontier that mixes strong storytelling with some excellent shooting gameplay and RPG elements. Just in terms of the company's single-player experiences, Red Dead Redemption 2 has a strong claim to being the best story mode that Rockstar has ever crafted.

• Release Date — October 23, 2001
• Developer — DMA Design
• Publisher — Rockstar Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Android, iOS, PC, PS2, Xbox

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto III would end up being one of the most important and pivotal games to release during the 6th console generation, effectively kicking off the open-world action game craze. While it hasn't aged as gracefully as its follow-ups, Grand Theft Auto III is still an impressive title that, for its time, granted players a level of freedom not seen before in a piece of interactive media.

• Release Date — November 18, 2002
• Developer — Retro Studios
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — GameCube

Nintendo and Retro Studios' Metroid Prime proved that the series could work as a 3D first-person adventure game rather than a side-scrolling action-platformer, and it also happens to stand as one of the best games in the Metroid series to this day. So beloved is Metroid Prime that physical copies of the game's Nintendo Switch remaster sold out in a matter of minutes.

• Release Date — September 17, 2013
• Developer — Rockstar North
• Publisher — Rockstar Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 85% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Before Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar used to release games almost once a year or every other year. But GTA V's groundbreaking campaign and online mode have helped catapult the title into the stratosphere in terms of its success, allowing Rockstar to patiently develop its follow-up while they continue to earn billions from the strong player base, more than 10 years since the game's original release.

• Release Date — May 22, 2000
• Developer — Rare
• Publisher — Rare
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 84% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Nintendo 64

Rare's choice to follow up GoldenEye 007 with a wholly original FPS was a brilliant move that gifted the world Perfect Dark. While Perfect Dark does share a lot of characteristics with GoldenEye, its improved single-player campaign and feature-rich multiplayer place it as the best FPS on the Nintendo 64 and one of the greatest games of its era.

• Release Date — October 30, 2001
• Developer — Neversoft
• Publisher — Activision
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 77% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, GameCube, PC, PlayStation, PS2, Xbox

Without a doubt, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 represents the peak of the THPS franchise, building off of everything established in the first and second games in the series and striking a perfect balance between the old and new before the series started to go off the rails a bit. On top of its new mechanics and roster of pro skaters, THPS 3 features some of the best parks in the entire series.

• Release Date — March 3, 2017
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

Reinventing The Legend of Zelda as an open-world title was a brilliant move on Nintendo's part that helped the series come back to its roots while also bringing it its greatest commercial and critical success. While Ocarina of Time is rated slightly higher, Breath of the Wild has the honor of being the best-selling game in the Zelda franchise by a large margin.

• Release Date — May 23, 2010
• Developer — Nintendo EAD Tokyo
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Wii

The second of two groundbreaking and critically acclaimed 3D Mario games on the Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is essentially just more of what players loved about the first game. But considering how well-received the original Galaxy is by both players and critics, you can hardly fault Nintendo for simply iterating on an already strong formula.

• Release Date — November 1, 2007
• Developer — Nintendo EAD Tokyo
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 97% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Wii

The highest-rated 3D Mario game is surprisingly not Super Mario 64, but instead Super Mario Galaxy. But considering how well Nintendo integrated motion controls into a mainline Mario title (arguably better than their implementation in the Wii launch title, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess), it's easy to see why Super Mario Galaxy is looked at as both an essential 3D Mario game and one of the most essential titles on the Wii.

• Release Date — April 29, 2008
• Developer — Rockstar North
• Publisher — Rockstar Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 98% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Even in the wake of Grand Theft Auto V, there's every argument that Grand Theft Auto IV represents the series' high point. Both in terms of its narrative pull and its gameplay, Grand Theft Auto IV feels more grounded and refined than a lot of other games in the series, and it has subsequently stood the test of time as a definitive game of the 7th generation.

• Release Date — August 5, 1999
• Developer — Project Soul
• Publisher — Namco
• Review Aggregate Score — 98% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 78% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Dreamcast

Namco's SoulCalibur is both the best fighting game on the Sega Dreamcast and one of the best-reviewed games of all time. It also happens to have a strong claim to being the best arcade conversion in history, going so far as to outclass the original coin-op cabinet through its inclusion of better controls, sharper visuals, additional modes, and more.

• Release Date — November 21, 1998
• Developer — Nintendo EAD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Review Aggregate Score — 99% (Universal Acclaim)
• User Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Nintendo 64

More than 25 years since its original release, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time still has the crown for being the best-reviewed game in history. Considering the title's importance in helping to evolve the state of 3D gaming and prove that video games had officially entered a new dimension, it's easy to see why. But more than its importance as a groundbreaking title, Ocarina of Time is one of the most tightly paced and perfectly executed games in history, and it somehow still feels groundbreaking even after all the Zelda series' subsequent evolutions and advancements throughout the years.