Almost at the halfway point! It’s at this point that I start to feel fatigued with these lists, but once I break past the halfway point, I pick up enthusiasm again. It’s not that I’m unenthusiastic about any of the games that have come so far, it’s just that the top 50 are really a cut above all the rest. I also have to purposefully stop myself from just skipping right to the top 10!

60 – Papers, Please

Year Released: 2013 | Platform: PC

Papers, Please is the kind of game that when explained, your first thought is “I thought video games are supposed to be fun?” After all, working a boarder patrol gate in a communist state doesn’t exactly scream joy. But Papers, Please immerse and engages you. While the gameplay is rudimentary, considering it’s mostly text and an approve/deny stamp, as well as an in-game document telling you what to look for, it’s surprisingly fun to find the counterfeit documents.

What really elevates the game is the humanity injected into every interaction. On one hand, you need to care for your family, and part of that is working quickly and efficiently, as mistakes will dock your pay. Immigrants will plead with you to approve them, despite their insufficient documents, and as the game goes on, implore you to assist those trying to bring down the communist regime.

Papers, Please excels at ethical dilemmas, which is something I weirdly enjoy. It’s a fascinating experience and one I highly recommend.

59 – Mario Kart Wii

Year Released: 2008 | Platform: Wii

I mean, what can be said about Mario Kart that hasn’t already been said? Mario Kart Wii is a bit special because it was the console Mario Kart that came out when I was a teenager, and was the edition that I spent the most time with, outside of Mario Kart 64.

I’ve played lots of racing games, but I’ve always preferred the arcade style games over the realism based ones, as I’m not a car guy. Mario Kart represents the best in the genre, and even though Mario Kart Wii was insistent on motion controls, this entry introduced bikes, which was a big deal at the time. Bikes could shake the controller to pop onto one wheel for a speed boost, but had less handling, and their drifts could only mini boost one level. I really liked that trade off, and am kind of sorrowful that the differences have been negated in later editions.

58 – Shovel Knight

Year Released: 2014 | Platform: PC

Shovel Knight is an indie darling that is a love letter to the 2D platformers that I grew up playing. With gorgeous pixel art, amazing chip tune music, and addictive, well crafted gameplay, Shovel Knight is a modern classic that I absolutely adore.

It’s an excellent throwback to games of yore. The mechanics are simple, run and jump, and point your shovel down to pogo stick onto your enemies. The platforming is tight and fair, and once you get into your groove, flying through the levels is utterly satisfying. The characters all feel unique and funny, but not crazy. If you have fond memories of platforming in the early 90’s, then Shovel Knight is a must play.

57 – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Year Released: 1998 | Platform: Nintendo 64

I’ll admit that 57 feels criminally low for one of the most critically acclaimed video games, ever. But this isn’t an objective list, this is fully subjective, and even if at this moment in time I feel the urge to push The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time waaay higher on the list, this is the spot it fell on when I originally created it, so here it will stay.

For those who haven’t played, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is an adventure where a young boy, Link, adventures across Hyrule to save the kingdom. His adventures hurl him through time into a future where the villain achieved his goals, and Link is tasked with undoing the damage.

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a masterpiece, do not get me wrong. Link’s first 3D adventure was magical back when I first played it, and even to this day I have fond memories and strong urges to return to the low-poly version of Hyrule.

56 – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Year Released: 2011 | Platform: Xbox 360

Skyrim has a special place in my heart. The summer after I broke up with my long time girlfriend, and started college, this was the game that filled every waking moment between work and school. For months I was immersed in the Elder Scrolls universe, which I also need to point out, this is my first and only Elder Scrolls game I’ve ever played.

Bethesda Studios sucked me in with Fallout 3, then hooked me with Skyrim. A decade ago, I was so happy and excited with what Bethesda was doing, and I was thirsty for more. Unfortunately, over the next 10 years they haven’t been able to release a game that gets me as excited as these did.

55 – Dragon Age II

Year Released: 2011 | Platform: Xbox 360

Now THIS is a game series that I keep meaning to revisit. Dragon Age was a really excellent introduction to the world, but I personally fell in love with Dragon Age 2. The combat system was nowhere near as tactical as the first game, but instead felt a lot more action-y, which suited me just fine, as I was playing on the console.

My main qualm with Dragon Age: Origins, was that the story basically boiled down to “We need backup! go to these three factions and gain their loyalty” then each faction was like “Hey, we’d love to help, but we’re in the middle of a crisis. Solve our problem, then we’ll help you”. While the second game felt a lot more insular, the story centres around Hawke, the “Champion of Kirkwall”, and is a flashback about Hawke’s arrival at Kirkwall, and his growth within the city’s power structure.

I haven’t played Dragon Age since 2012, so my memory is quite fuzzy. I have the games installed, and they’re just waiting for me to come back and revisit them, especially since I never played Inquisition, and with Veilguard just on the horizon, I feel like I should really start prioritizing this replay.

54 – Chrono Cross

Year Released: 1999 | Platform: Playstation

Chrono Cross was the JRPG that I played in snippets as a child because I didn’t have a PSOne. Instead, I would visit my friend, and try to remember what happened since the last time we had played. With an impressive 40 companions to recruit, Chrono Cross is a big experience. What I do remember from the game is vibrant locations, a robust, tactical battle system, and some really great (for the time) visuals.

An important caveat here, I’ve never actually played Chrono Trigger. It’s one of those games that I’ve always meant to go back and play, but I’ve never made it a priority to do so. I’ve read that those who have a deep reverence for Chrono Trigger don’t care for Chrono Cross, but that’s not my story.

53 – Batman: Arkham Asylum

Year Released: 2009 | Platform: Xbox 360

This was the first time I actually enjoyed playing a superhero game. Batman: Arkham Asylum made me feel like Batman. Constrained to the small map of Arkham, and containing a great cast of villains, Arkham Asylum features a fast and fun combat system, and some really satisfying stealth moments. The combat is simple, but also complex enough to pose a challenge when you’re being overwhelmed.

The most important moment for me was near the end of the game when Batman is ingesting Scarecrow’s fear serum, the game appears to glitch and the opening cinematic begins to roll. That cold feeling ran down the back of my neck as I worried my entire save file just got corrupted somehow. But then in the cinematic, Joker is driving the Batmobile and Batman is the one in restraints, being delivered to Arkham Asylum. Well played, Rocksteady Studios!

52 – BioShock Infinite

Year Released: 2013 | Platform: Xbox 360

This is absolutely an entry for the entire BioShock franchise. From the depths of Rapture into the skies of Columbia, the BioShock franchise gripped my heart for a solid couple months when BioShock Infinite came out. The original game, being somewhat a post apocalyptic situation, as you arrive and everything is ruined and the only humans you’re finding attack you on sight. Fast first person, gameplay, a story shrouded in mystery, characters who don’t make sense, and plot twists that leave you reeling for days made BioShock a beloved series for me, back in the day.

An iconic franchise, with its Big Daddy monsters, it now seems to lie dormant. 13 years have passed since BioShock Infinite, and I’m quite surprised. Two separate film adaptions have been talked about, but since the early 2010’s, BioShock seems to have gone into hibernation.

51 – Caesar III

Year Released: 1998 | Platform: PC

Upon reflection, I have no idea how Caesar III came into my possession, but in my late teens, it became the obsession for both my mom and I. Somewhat ironically, we diverged in the missions we preferred. She took the military route, while I felt the combat was the weakest part of the game, and took on the peaceful missions. For dozens of hours, we toiled, trying to raise our damned prosperity rankings so we could move onto the next map.

Even to this day, Caesar III is a game I’ll install from GOG and pour a few hours into. The city building feels intuitive, I like the roman aesthetic, and it isn’t too complex, which is what keeps me way from more modern city builders, like Cities: Skylines. Caesar III is a hard recommend for me, and right now I need to fight the urge to launch the game and start a new campaign for Caesar!