Video games are all the rage now, as gaming continues to grow. Tons of great games come out on a yearly basis, and those games are eventually adapted into movies or TV shows as well. It’s a great moment for gaming, but we can’t ignore the past, which has also been pretty strong. Throughout that time, some fantastic games have been put out. Here are the 10 best, according to me.

Note: I’m only going to include one from major franchises (separating 2D and 3D Mario, though, since those are very distinct from one another) so as not to have the list filled with The Legend of Zelda. Also, I’m only including games I have beaten or rolled credits on, so while Minecraft counts, things like Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Zombies and prime Fortnite do not.

The Greatest Video Games of All Time

Honorable Mentions: God of War (2018), Bioshock Infinite, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Not included because of franchise constraints: The Last of Us Part II, Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and Super Mario Bros. 3.

10. Death Stranding

There just is no other experience like Death Stranding. It is totally singular. It’s like a movie with gameplay that is so immersive, and it features storytelling unlike anything else. The depth of storytelling is its biggest asset. Sometimes the story itself suffers and has gaps, but it is otherwise incredible.

9. Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima features maybe the best-looking world in video games. It is gorgeous. The gameplay is great, too, but you could be forgiven for just wandering around to look at things. The story is also incredible, highlighted by one of the best lines in gaming history: “You have no honor!” followed by “And you are a slave to it.”

8. Minecraft

Minecraft counts. I beat the Ender Dragon and rolled the credits, so it counts. It is the most replayable game of all time, and it’s so much fun. There’s a reason people become randomly obsessed with it for a few weeks every few months.

7. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

2D platforming peaked in 1995. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island perfected it. The music is outstanding, the level design is immaculate, the collectibles are clever, and the art style is gorgeous. The gameplay being so good and so fun is the cherry on top.

6. Donkey Kong Bananza

You’ll wonder in a few entries if 3D Donkey Kong should be on the list when 3D Mario is, and the answer is yes. Donkey Kong Bananza was the best game of 2025. It is so impressive, allowing you to literally destroy the entire level in search of valuable items. It’s also so much fun to change DK’s colors and clothing, and a Pauline origin story is nice. The final boss, though, is so much fun.

5. Marvel’s Spider-Man

Back when I played Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, I was sure it was better than the original. The gameplay was better, as was the web-swinging. However, after getting some distance, I can admit it’s not quite as good. The story in the original is better, and a lot of the Spidey suits are, too. It’s also a little less bloated because it has one main protagonist instead of two.

4. The Last of Us

Is The Last of Us better than Part II? Barely. The first game has a better story with worse gameplay, while the second one has a worse story with better gameplay. I tend to lean towards the first game by a hair because it features Joel Miller so much more prominently.

3. Super Mario Odyssey

Does 3D platforming get any better than this? Super Mario Odyssey is phenomenal. It has brilliant levels, incredible depth of gameplay, a fantastic new gimmick, and tons of exceptional outfits to put on Mario. The story is whatever, but the story never matters in such a creative and fun platformer.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

I wouldn’t blame you if you said Breath of the Wild was better. I also wouldn’t mind putting Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess here. Those are all three perfect games sitting in my top 10, but because of the limits I put on myself, Tears of the Kingdom gets the top spot. It’s just more Breath of the Wild, giving you more open world with better skills, better bosses, and a better story.

1. Red Dead Redemption 2

It just doesn’t get better than Red Dead Redemption 2. It has literally everything you could possibly need: good gameplay, freedom of choice and consequences for those choices, incredible graphics, a rich open-world, and the best story ever told in video games. Arthur Morgan is a special character.