Rolling Stone’s top 50 video games of all time

Rolling Stone has revealed its list of the best video games of all time, celebrating titles that have redefined gaming and left an enduring mark on the industry. The top three games in this illustrious ranking are:

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) – A genre-defining open-world adventure that set new standards for exploration and gameplay design.

2. Tetris (1984) – The universally loved puzzle game that remains a timeless classic, captivating players for decades.

3. Grand Theft Auto V (2013) – A sprawling open-world epic known for its gripping storytelling, dynamic multiplayer, and record-breaking success.

Here’s the full list.

50 – ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’
49 – ‘Hades’
48 – ‘Castlevania: Symphony of the Night’
47 – ‘The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past’
46 – ‘League of Legends’
45 – ‘Fortnite’
44 – ‘Elden Ring’
43 – ‘Celeste’
42 – ‘Batman: Arkham City’
41 – ‘Metroid Prime’
40 – ‘Chrono Trigger’
39 – ‘God of War’ (2018)
38 – ‘Shadow of the Colossus’
37 – ‘Pokémon Gold and Silver’
36 – ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’
35 – ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’
34 – ‘Hollow Knight’
33 – ‘NBA 2K11’
32 – ‘Ms. Pac-Man’
31 – ‘Counter-Strike’ (1999)
30 – ‘Wii Sports’
29 – ‘Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’
28 – Minecraft
27 – ‘Resident Evil 4’ (2005)
26 – ‘Mass Effect 2’
25 – ‘Stardew Valley’
24 – ‘The Sims’ (2000)
23 – ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’
22 – ‘Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’
21 – ‘Fallout 3’
20 – ‘Mario Kart 64’
19 – ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’
18 – ‘Madden NFL 2004’
17 – ‘Diablo II’
16 – ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’
15 – ‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’
14 – ‘Street Fighter II’
13 – ‘Doom’ (1993)
12 – ‘World of Warcraft’
11 – ‘Halo: Combat Evolved’
10 – ‘Super Metroid’
9 – ‘The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
8- ‘Final Fantasy VII’
7 – ‘Metal Gear Solid’
6 – ‘Half-Life 2’
5 – ‘The Last of Us’
4 – ‘Super Mario World’
3 – ‘Grand Theft Auto V’
2 – ‘Tetris’
1 – ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’

For me, it is missing some key titles – no Perfect Dark, Gran Tourismo, Space Invaders or Championship Manager!

For the full list and more details, visit Rolling Stone’s feature: Best Video Games of All Time.

Whats missing for you?

If you love gaming, check out our free weekly retro gaming Substack, delivered each Monday – and if you are a collector, check out our “World’s best” RetroShell™ game protectors.