The Best of the Best - Top 25 (Update 2013)

*Note ** for updates*

Everyone has a favoruite. There will always be a list ranking the best of the best, and in some cases the worst of the worst.

Since I'm in a sharing mood, I thought I would take the time out to share with you all my top 25 games lists. Mostly every game on this list has impacted me in some way. To this day I still have multiple copies of these games, and play them every now and again. To me they have all aged well, or will.

NOTE: I replayed a few of these games recently and the list still remains the same.

*I thought about something from a comment some one left with there list. If you are going to put up your own list. Lets make it a bit fun. Here four rules. Things that I go by to maybe help make you think about your list. This means I'll have to re-edit this list.*

  1. You can't have a game from the same series/franchise. Example - You can only pick one of the 3 Gears games
  2. Place them in a Order. This may force some of you to actually think about your list.
  3. Top 10 only. To keep the comment space down some. Also it could be harder.
  4. You get two honorable mentions. Since I had to re-edit the list to follow my rules I wanted to keep one game from my original list.

1) Resident Evil 4 - Gamecube

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Gamecube, Playstation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, I own a copy for each system. Not only that but two of which are special editions. The day I got my hands on the demo of this at my Gamestop I knew... THIS was a masterpiece. Everyday before and after my shift I would spend a hour or so running around the village honing my skills. Leather Face (chain saw guy) was not going to get me this time. I talked up this game to every customer showed them the demo and was selling Gamecubes left and right. When RE4 finally hit I took a week off. I thought this is going to take me about a week. WRONG. I could not put it down. I blew 12 hours straight on the game day one. Turned it off to try and sleep, but couldn't. After five minuets, I was back in action. I finished the game that day after about 18 hours of straight playing. I sat there stunned. So what did I do next? Rebooted it right back up and went to town again.

Never once have I ever started a game right back after completion. RE4 to me is the best game of all time. No faults, or hiccups, it's a beautiful looking game, controls like a charm and still holds up to this day. Not to mention it revamped and reinvigorated a franchise and help establish and survival horror/action genre all over again.

2) Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Super Nintendo

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To date I have completed this game a total of 50 times across all four consoles it's been on. I also fully believe that this is the best Zelda game ever. Not OoT, Windwaker (its on this list), or Skyward sword. There is something magical about Links third game and the only Zelda game to appear on the SNES.

3) Metriod Fusion - Gameboy Advance

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But what about Super Metroid? Yes Super Metroid is and was awesome, but this was Super Metroid on steroids..... AND IT WAS PORTABLE. This was also the only sequel we have gotten in a long time. The Prime games while good stood as a side story. Prime also took a different approch by going first person. Fusion, was classic 2D side scrolling Metroid. It took everything Super did refined it and slapped it all in one nicely tight package for the GBA. I no longer have a GBA but I still have the game......somewhere.

4) Raiden 2 - Arcade

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Last year I was in Dave and Busters and saw this in a corner. I jumped up like a little school girl and ran over swiped my card and the memories of yesteryear came back. Back in the 90's when this game dropped I can fondly remember me and my cousin spending ungodly amounts of cash on this game. When I say ungodly amounts I mean, upwards of $30-$50 a week, each!. Yea this game sucked up a lot of time during my arcade days..... When I get my house I'm getting a cabinet of this to have on hand.

**5) Bioshock Infinite - Xbox 360**

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It happened. Something eclipsed Bioshock 1. Befitting that it's the second came by Ken Levine. I wouldn't know where to begin. As I could write a full article on the things that make the such a wondrous game I will say this. Infinite surpasses every area of Bioshock by light years. Not only is it the best way to do a sequel but it also closes a book on this generation and this franchise. It is everything a AAA game should be and wants to be and so much more.

6) Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - Genesis

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Spin Dash..... THAT my friends that is what you call a game changer. Oh and Super Sonic too. Sonic 2 was/is top notch. Amazing soundtrack? Check. Very well made levels? Check. And it added the one sonic move that made everything better. Also who else remembers this, 19, 65, 9 17?

7) Lumines Electronic Symphony - PS Vita

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This was a tough choice for me. I wanted to add the original from the PSP, but ES is the exact same game with a few added features. I also ador the soundtrack on this, even though it lacks Shinin'..... SHININ SHININ SHININ SHININ SHININ.....

8) Metal Gear Solid 3 - PS2

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I'm just going to go on a say it. Snake Eater is not only the best Metal Gear Solid game, it is the best Metal Gear game period. That's it.

9) Final Fantasy X - PS2

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I know six is the best one. Yes 7 was awesome and made folks cry. But Ten? Ten has a special balance that others didn't have. Likable characters, story, and a good balance of gameplay and a nice leveling system. However it did have Blitzball.... I still can't get that taste out my mouth.

10) Knight of the Old Republic - Xbox

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Pfft, Empire might be the best Star Wars movie, but KOTOR is the best Star Wars story ever. Bioware not only delivered in the gameplay department, but it delivered and out-shined almost every Star Wars story ever told. Plus it gave us HK-47.... That right there deserves a slow clap.

11) Super Mario World - SNES

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Sorry, while Mario 3 was amazing, Mario World trounced it. Simply put it does everything better.... Oh and there is Yoshi.

**12) Fallout 3 - Xbox 360/PC**

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My total count was about 160 hours. I'm sure plenty of you have either more or about the same. Yet I'm still not even done, Like the game is still not complete. With all 5 DLC packs, and the countless choices you can make in the game, there is always something to do in the wasteland.

13) Kingdom Hearts

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Final Fantasy + Disney = The best freaking mass up since peanut butter and jelly hooked up. Who would have thought? Oh I know, the guys who made this game. Now if we could please get a Kingdom Heart 3 all would be right in the world

14) Zombies Ate my Neighbors - SNES

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What does Left for Dead, Dead Island, Dead Rising, and other zombie games all have in common? They're not Zombies Ate My Neighbors. Water guns, soda cans, weed wackers, rocket launchers on 48 stages against, chainsaw hockey mask killers, giant worms, zombies, and a huge giant baby. I repeat HUGE GIANT BABY. I really wish I could get another one :(

15) TMNT 4 - Turtles in Time - SNES

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There is and will never be a better Turtle game than this. Ever. While the arcade version is superior, I very much enjoyed the SNES version because I didn't have to waste/use quarters... Those went to Raiden. It's a shame the Re-Shelled version sucked so bad.

16) Halo Reach - Xbox 360

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Bungie's swan song to Halo. The franchise that changed shooters on consoles, and gave birth to the Xbox platform. Reach is the best of them all. While 4 will be interesting and bring shift back to Master Chief, the tale of Noble Team is one of a team fighting to the end. Something the other games couldn't even touch. From the start you know how it ends, but that ride to that point is brutal as you watch each member fall one by one till you are the last. Reach also features the best game ending level of all. Thank You Bungie.

**17) Prince of Persia - PS3**

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Escort missions are awesome. While another game might do it better, there was something magical at work here. It was a stunning looking game, with solid game play/platforming. And a story that so so. But the relationship of the Prince and Elka? Loved it. Every chance I go to talk to her I did, and it made the relationship tighter, stronger, it made it something relatable. Really wish we could revisit this version of the Prince and not the OTHER guy.

18) Team Fortress 2 - PC

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I have become cracked out on this game. I'm not a huge PC gamer but TF2 is such a simplistic game to get into. It's easy jump in and out, and there is enough variance in the classes, that help change the game up. You can always find something new to like and love about each class. Also there are Hat's Yo.

**19) DOOM - PC**

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I didn't have a PC in my home when this game came out. But I had a uncle who had one. He was/is a news editor for the Philadelphia Inquire. One day I'm over there hanging out, and he was like "want to play a game." I said "sure", and by God he showed me one of the greatest games ever. Every weekend I would ask to stay over his house so I could sit in front of his computer and shoot things in the face. I never thanked him for that.

20) Burnout Revenge - Xbox 360

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Burnout 3: Takedown was a hit, Revenge took everything thing Takedown did and made it better. It's a reason why Paradise failed in many regards with some fans. A lot of fans remember that Takedown and Revenge are the best Burnouts ever. Why? Crash Mode. Paradise replaced it with some showtime crap... So Criterion after your done with Most Wanted how about we go back to the good Burnout games? This indent on my thumb needs to be refilled again.

21) Ninja Gaiden Black - Xbox

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Truth be told I would have used Sigma but I really hate Rachel... her levels suck. Anyway, best action game ever. No it's not hard, it can be fustrating or a pain to get through, maybe tough, but not hard. But there is a joy when you slice open a few enemies with a perfectly timed dodge, block, counter, to a combo izzuna drop.

22) Punch Out - NES

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For the longest I hated Soda Popinski (I still do), that uppercut he had killed me. Every. Time...and even to this day it sometimes gets me. However eventually I got to him.... But Iron Mike.... I hate you to this day Iron Mike. And you know why? Once. I have only ever beaten that prick once in my entire lifetime.

23) Portal- PC

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It's a first person puzzle shooter. Yes you heard that right, and idea that could have failed but didn't. Portal sold me once again on the fact that Valve and the guys there are brilliant. And who doesn't love GlaDos?

24) Devil May Cry 3 - PS2

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What is there to say about DMC3, It's story is insane, the dialogue is ridiculous, and the animation looks dated. But man is this game a blast to play. Action heavy with a variety of weapons, and styles to choose from. Oh and the game gave birth to the coolest bad guys since Darth Vader, Vergil.

25) Rock Band 3 - Xbox 360

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As of right now, Rock Band sucks up most of my 360's hard drive space. I have a butt ton of songs and I still pop it in from time to time to jam out. I have 3 guitars 2 mics, a keyboard, and the ION drum set (which I play the most). Rock Band holds a special place in my heart for getting me into drumming for real.

Honorable Mention - Mass Effect Trilogy

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Some of you may know about my feelings toward Mass Effect. In short, I felt as though I could not add any of the games because I love each differently and equally. As a whole, to me, each game needs each other and neither really stands out as the best of the series. It really is one large epic journey.

Legend of Zelda: Windwaker - Gamecube

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The second Zelda game on my list. Windwaker can give A Link to the Past a run for it's money on best Zelda game ever. Once you get past the animation, as you really should, you will find Windwaker to carry a plethora of fine treasure. It still looks and hold up better than any Zelda game to date.


That's it. Now your turn.