500 best game titles of all time (400-381)

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There are video games that only bring short moments of entertainment. As time passed, their names gradually sank into oblivion. But there are still games whose value will remain forever, always known to the world as symbols and milestones in the development of this type of entertainment. Those will be the games that we will introduce in the article series: 500 best games of all time, and this is a continuation of the previous part.

400. Mirror’s Edge

(2008, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, other platforms)

Constantly moving. That’s the main quest in Mirror’s Edge. Released alongside dozens of other first-person shooter titles, Mirror’s Edge dared to differentiate itself. Focusing on parkour in the first person perspective to overcome enemies, instead of shooting them down, Mirror’s Edge leaves the player’s mind with beautiful scenes of the white city while running through every corner.

399. Braid

(2008, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, other platforms)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBjBJRjRBn4

In many ways, the modern indie game boom is thanks to Braid. Unlike anything people had seen at the time, Braid and the ‘time’ puzzles created a completely different plot depiction.

398. Shovel Knight

(2014, PC, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, others)

Shovel Knight is a prime example of “old but new”. “new” is the part that makes this game so special. Sticking to the 2D left-to-right gameplay, Shovel Knight is commended for recalling old games with fresh style and depth.

397. Frogger

(1981, Aracade, other platforms)

Frogger never gets bored. The player controls the frog across the road, then across the river. Frogger’s addictive gameplay always makes players want to try one more time, because this time it is possible that they will make it to the other side.

396. Nights into Dreams

(1996, Sega Saturn, other platforms)

Nights into Dreams is what happens when game makers are free to do what they want. Led by veteran game makers of Sonic the Hedgehog, Nights into Dreams, influenced by psychotherapists Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, makes players feel like they’re flying in a dream.

395. Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

(1981, Apple II, other systems)

Wizardy: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is one of the pioneering games that brought the RPG genre to PC. The game introduces different races and classes, groups and color systems into the genre. Wizardry left its mark in all the RPG games that were released after that.

394. Uridium

(1986, Commodore 64, other platforms)

Uridium is a pioneer in bringing graphics to life – maybe it doesn’t look good compared to the current world. Stand out for its depth, impressive sound design, and ease of play on an arcade system. Uridium raised the bar for video games to a new level in the late ’80s.

393. Syberia

(2002, PC, other systems)

Syberia explores the meaning of love and relationships before Firewatch and Catherine were born. Recounting the process of completing the acquisition of a toy factory, Syberia also lets players understand what it feels like to have a relationship fall apart. When it was released in 2002, many praised Syberia for its intelligent, insightful, and emotional storyline.

392. Stephen’s Sausage Roll

(2016, PC, other systems)

Stephen’s Sausage Roll is one of the hardest puzzle games out there. Need to roll perfect sausages to grill sausages, the hardest challenge of the game is to achieve the perfect sausage that won’t burn anywhere.

391. Silent Hill

(1999, PlayStation, other platforms)

Silent Hill shouldn’t have existed. Created by the then despised Konami team, Silent Hill quickly revolutionized the survival horror genre. Instead of focusing on zombies and mutant sharks, Silent Hill focuses more on the psychology and fear of the real world.

390. Pillars of Eternity

(2015, PC and other systems)

Pillars of Eternity stands out for two reasons. Firstly, it’s a good RPG game. Second, it’s one of the pioneering ‘crowdfunding’ games in the gaming industry (funded by the community). Thanks to the community’s help, Obsidian Entertainment was able to make the game they’ve always dreamed of.

389. Mega Man 2

(1989, Nintendo Entertainment System, other systems)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejptcSxPnAg

Mega Man 2 is a second chance after Capcom’s rather disappointing first version. Surprisingly, they ‘give the green light’ to do the next version. The further developed action-platform genre made the franchise a hit, and Mega Man 2 was praised for its unexpected improvements over the original Mega Man. As of today, it is the best-selling title in the franchise.

388. Koronis Rift

(1985, Atari 8-bit, other platforms)

Koronis Rift resonates with innovative graphics. Explore levels such as maze to find enemy ships, the game utilizes Atari’s 8-bit graphics to create in-game environments with depth. This improvement makes the Konoris Rift feel like it’s moving in the real world with depth.

387. Jumpman Junior

(1983, Atari 8-bit, other platforms)

A pioneer in the platforming genre, Jumpan Junitor recreates the first version of Jumpan with more complex levels and improved graphics, while increasing creativity in the game thanks to a variety of running speeds. At that time, Jumpman Junior was one of the best platform games and had a big influence on the genre.

386. International Karate +

(1987, Commondore 64, other platforms)

International Karate + (IK+), inheriting the success of International Karate, changed the rhythm of fighting games of the 80s by pitting 3 fighters against each other. Instead of having to drag down the opponent’s health bar, the player wins in IK+ if he reaches 6 points. This unique scoring method compared to other fighting games makes IK+ stand out, an innovative strategy.

385. God of War 2

(2007, PlayStation 2, other platforms)

God of War 2 was unprecedented in scale compared to other games at the time. The game continuously exceeded the player’s expectations: they had to be on the move, the levels were different, and they had to fight the biggest enemies you hadn’t seen in games back then. God of War 2 is still making a strong impression thanks to impressive technological achievements, despite being more than 10 years old.

384. Fire Emblem Awakening

(2013, Nintendo 3DS)

Fire Emblem Awakening is a great starting point for newbies and an integral part of this franchise collection. As one of the best RPG experiences for mobile platforms, Awakening is both easy to play and has depth. The game pushes the value of Nintendo DS titles up, while owning one of the best systems, Awakening has shown that mobile systems can completely compete with consoles.

383. Fallout 2

(1998, PC, other systems)

It may look a bit different from the Fallout games you know today, but Fallout 2 is still considered one of the best RPG games of all time. The game’s adult content, such as issues of sex and slavery, combined with the open-world element – now fully developed – makes Fallout 2 one of the best RPGs out there. The open world is very influential today.

382. Devil’s Crush

(1990, TurboGrafx-16, other platforms)

Devil’s Crush helped shape the pinball video game genre. Adapted from the traditional pinball, the game becomes flashy, the boss battles stimulate curiosity. Moreover, Devil’s Crush has created great, new experiences beyond the expectations of players, from the classic pinball game genre.

381. Hunt the Wumpus

(1975, BASIC, other platforms)

One of the first commercial computer games, Hunt the Wumpus is a word game that forces the player to play a ‘find’ game with a monster named Wumpus. Hunt the Wumpus revolutionized the way characters are ordered, and a deep gameplay system that breathed new life into the word adventure game, paving the way for video game growth.

Source: Polygon

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