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!
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I hope that however you spent the Christmas time, it was enjoyable and filled with gaming goodness.
My week in gaming has been spent using my Chromatic, a beautiful console, playing Marvel Rivals (and Snap), and hacking my PS3 to load every guitar game from the PS2/PS3 era to relive the golden era of music games.
This week’s newsletter has 37 stories—including a Sega Genesis/Megadrive “Star Wars Holiday Special” game, watching films on the Game Boy Colour, Gen Z’s retro love, and a lot more. Thanks for reading!
News
🥳 Experience the force of nostalgia with the “Star Wars Holiday Special” mod for Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, adding a festive twist to your retro gaming. [RetroShell] Link
So bad it’s good.
🎮 Columbus Circle reveals the 8-Bit Compact HD, a modern 720p Famicom console designed to honour retro gaming in style. [RetroShell] Link
😂 Nintendo gives the NES a glow-up—officially rebranding it as “Regular Nintendo” after 39 years of memes. [Hard Drive] Link
📅 Celebrate gaming history with Fabli’s 2025 Retro Gaming Calendar (🇯🇵), packed with iconic dates and imagery to relive the classics. [RetroShell] Link
🖥️ Another N64 gem joins the PC world as dedicated fans bring a beloved classic to life with a new port. [VideoGamesChronicle] Link
🦊 Star Fox creator praises fans for porting Star Fox 64 to PC, even though it’s likely to draw Nintendo’s ire. [Automaton Media] Link
📺 Watch movies on your Game Boy using a creative link cable hack—because why not? [Hackaday] Link
🎄 SuperSega claims Sega approves its FPGA console—just in time for Christmas cheer! [Time Extension] Link
🎵 The Super Mario 64 soundtrack is now streaming via Nintendo Music—featuring all your favourite tunes from Peach’s Castle. [Nintendo Life] Link
🕹️ A passionate Sega fan has crafted a Final Fight MD console, blending creativity with retro fandom. [Time Extension] Link
🚫 Sega confirms no more mini consoles, exploring bold new ventures in retro gaming’s future. [GeekSided] Link
🤔 Sega confesses it’s unsure how many games it actually owns—some mysteries may remain forever unsolved. [Time Extension] Link
📦 Could Sega’s own game subscription service be on the horizon? Early hints point to a retro-inspired future. [Passionate Geekz] Link
🚀 “Sonic Robo Blast 3D 32X” brings a new dimension to the Sega 32X, with vibrant visuals and fast-paced gameplay. [RetroShell] Link
Features
🥌 Discover Japan’s hidden Sonic games, a treasure trove of forgotten adventures, and uncover what made these titles special and elusive. [RetroShell] Link
What’s the difference between a hedgehog and a police car? (Bad joke, google it)
📟 Witness Doom Eternal running on a Game Boy Color screen powered by a Raspberry Pi Pico in an incredible retro tech feat. [XDA Developers] Link
🪐 Dive into the rise and fall of Sega during the Saturn era, an odyssey marked by innovation, ambition, and bittersweet legacy. [RetroShell] Link
🎮 Do you really need to play the Virtual Boy? A humorous exploration of Nintendo’s most infamous console. [Nintendo Life] Link
🚀 Uncover Metroid Origins and the birth of Samus Aran, revealing the start of an iconic saga that defined generations. [RetroShell] Link
📺 Is this the ultimate CRT? A love letter to retro displays for enthusiasts who demand authenticity in gaming. [RetroShell] Link
🌟 Take a deep dive into overlooked video games, rediscovering hidden gems that are still worth playing today. [RetroShell] Link
There is one man who can solve this New Jersey drone problem.
🪱 Explore the untold story of Worms, where a simple idea revolutionised gaming with explosive results. [RetroShell] Link
🕹️ Miyamoto shares his son’s “frustrating experience” playtesting Super Mario 64, revealing valuable lessons in game design. [GameReactor] Link
📂 Go behind the scenes of game preservation with Square Enix, Capcom, Taito, and Sega, safeguarding retro gaming history. [RetroShell] Link
📈 Retro gaming sees a massive resurgence among Generation Z, with 70% showing interest in classic titles. [RetroShell] Link
🔮 Discover how the Zelda CD-i games inspire Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore, a spiritual successor for fans. [CBR] Link
🎮 Track the evolution of game controllers from A-B simplicity to X-Y complexity, celebrating decades of innovation. [RetroShell] Link
🎴 Relive the magic of the Super Game Boy, bringing Game Boy games to the SNES, complete with hidden secrets. [RetroShell] Link
Lists & Rankings
🎮Discover the best games exclusive to the Nintendo 64, ranked from fan favourites to hidden gems. [Game Rant] Link
🤖Ranking Robocop video game ports from the downright awful to the surprisingly awesome—don’t miss our breakdown![RetroShell] Link
Kind of hard to see with the urban camo.
🎂These early SNES classics still hold up today—proof that age is just a number in gaming! [CBR] Link
🤑From rare Pokémon cards to priceless collectables, dive into the world of Pokémon treasures that are worth a fortune. [The Gamer] Link
🛡️Relive the best Link moments across The Legend of Zelda franchise, ranked for their impact and nostalgia. [CBR] Link
🌟Take a deep dive into overlooked video game hidden gems—discover titles you might have missed but shouldn’t! [RetroShell] Link
📣Explore the most unforgettable video game marketing campaigns that redefined how we see games. [The Gamer] Link
🕹️A look at the best Game Boy games of each year—relive the iconic handheld’s golden moments. [The Gamer] Link
