# What is the greatest video game of all time?

> From the NES to modern consoles, certain games have transcended their era to become cultural monuments. Settle the debate: which is the greatest video game ever made?

*By YPB Team · Published May 8, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-greatest-video-game-of-all-time*

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## Current results (0 votes)

1. **The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time**
   Nintendo's 1998 action-adventure that defined 3D gaming and is still considered by many critics the greatest game ever made.
2. **Super Mario Bros.**
   The 1985 NES platformer that single-handedly revived the video game industry and established the blueprint for the medium.
3. **Minecraft**
   The open-world sandbox game that became the best-selling video game in history, captivating hundreds of millions of players worldwide.
4. **The Last of Us**
   Naughty Dog's 2013 cinematic masterpiece that pushed storytelling in games to new heights with its emotional tale of survival.
5. **Grand Theft Auto V**
   Rockstar's colossal 2013 open-world crime epic that broke entertainment industry revenue records and remains one of the most-played games ever.
6. **Half-Life 2**
   Valve's 2004 first-person shooter that revolutionized physics-based gameplay, storytelling, and game engine technology.
7. **Tetris**
   The deceptively simple 1984 puzzle game that transcended all demographics to become one of the most universally recognized games in history.
8. **The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt**
   CD Projekt Red's 2015 open-world RPG epic acclaimed for its massive scope, rich storytelling, and incredible depth of world-building.
9. **Portal 2**
   Valve's brilliantly inventive 2011 puzzle game featuring the iconic Aperture Science facility, dark humor, and mind-bending mechanics.
10. **Dark Souls**
   FromSoftware's 2011 landmark action RPG that invented a whole new genre of punishing, rewarding difficulty-based design.
11. **Red Dead Redemption 2**
   Rockstar's sweeping 2018 open-world Western saga, praised as one of gaming's greatest narrative and technical achievements.
12. **Final Fantasy VII**
   Square's 1997 JRPG that brought Japanese role-playing games to a global mainstream audience with its unforgettable characters and story.
13. **Super Mario 64**
   Nintendo's groundbreaking 1996 launch title that established the grammar of 3D platformers and remains one of the most influential games ever made.
14. **Doom**
   id Software's 1993 first-person shooter that essentially invented the FPS genre and sparked decades of debate about violence in games.
15. **World of Warcraft**
   Blizzard's 2004 massively multiplayer RPG that defined the MMO genre and built one of gaming's most devoted long-running communities.
16. **Chrono Trigger**
   Square's acclaimed 1995 SNES RPG widely regarded as the pinnacle of 16-bit storytelling, with multiple endings and a timeless score.
17. **GoldenEye 007**
   Rare's 1997 N64 shooter that defined console multiplayer gaming and remains one of the most beloved games of its era.
18. **Disco Elysium**
   ZA/UM's 2019 dialogue-driven RPG that reimagined what a video game narrative could be, earning unprecedented critical acclaim.
19. **Halo: Combat Evolved**
   Bungie's 2001 Xbox launch title that made console first-person shooters viable and launched one of gaming's biggest franchises.
20. **Street Fighter II**
   Capcom's 1991 arcade phenomenon that defined the fighting game genre and introduced competitive gaming to a mass audience.

Tags: games, action, nintendo, classics, legends, all-time