I have posted in this thread numerous times over the years, the earliest post being 2005 I believe. I will be doing two lists this time. I have put some thought into this, but i am sure I am leaving something important out which will be covered in a revised list at some point in the future.
All games must fit into my new new criteria - I have to still enjoy playing them despite beating them several times, spending hundreds of hours with them, generally knowing the game inside and out - so games that I love, but never play, or don't know as well, I try to remove from the list(s).
I tallied up repeated mentions from my previous posts counting series as one entry with the first list to save room for other games. One limitation is I cannot name any game released recently, the only caveat I have on that is with the Shadowrun series; Shadowrun Returns and Dragonfall are relatively new, but the SNES version is my favorite in the series.
Without further ado, in no particular order.
List 1 (The Cheat)
1. Fallout series - Mainly 1, 2, Tactics, and New Vegas. This is a no brainer.
2. Mother series - Earthbound and Mother 3. I actually own Earthbound t-shirts, so I consider myself a crazy Earthbound fan. Glad to see Ness getting an Amiibo soon.
3. Legend of Zelda series - Pretty much every game, from Link to the Past, Windwaker HD, to the original two on the NES, minus some of the weird stuff. I can't have a list of top games without a Zelda title.
4. Half-Life series - What can I say? The first game blew me away with scripted sequences that I thought impossible at the time. The expansions were all great to various degrees, and then came Half-Life 2 and Orange Box. I fear that Half-Life 3 might bring about a new age of gaming. People will bow to it.
5. Shadowrun series - I am a die hard Shadowrun fan as well. The SNES was my introduction to the series, but I enjoyed the one on Genesis too, along with the recent Shadowrun Returns, and Shadowrun: Dragonfall. Sometimes this one drops off my list for some reason. i think it made it back on the list this time due to the recent games.
666. Doom series - This has been a mainstay for me through the years. I still play Doom today, more now than usual with the Brutal Doom mod, and megawad packs I have missed; Hell Revealed 1 and 2, Scythe 1 and 2, Complex Doom, Weasels SS Nazi mod, Trailblazer, Memento Mori, WolfenDoom - the list goes on and on. Playing Brutal Doom with Hell Revealed, the Doom Heavy metal soundtrack mod, on Ultra Violence = The ultimate Doom experience. There has never been a bad Doom game imo. The originals are masterpieces in level design. Doom 3 held some merit as well despite it's departure from the roots of the series.
7. Duke Nukem series - Of course Duke Nukem 3D would be my favorite, but I have enjoyed every game they have put out from the sidescrollers, to the console ports like Time to Kill(loved the soundtrack), and even Duke Nukem Forever.
8. Quake - No series love on this one. I always preferred the original Quake to anything else. I played Quake 2 and enjoyed it, but it doesn't belong on my list, nor does Quake 3, since I never had good enough internet to play it, and Quake 4 was shit. The original Lovecraftian influence was superior to the Strogg bullshit.
9. Resident Evil series - If I had to pick just one it would be Remake, but 1, 2, 3, Code Veronica, 4, and even to some extent 5 were all some of my favorites. 5 being at the bottom of the list, but still there due to co-op.
10. Metal Gear series - I haven't played the NES versions as much, but I have enjoyed every game in this series immensely. The story is where it is at for me. The stealth is great too, but honestly I suck at stealth a lot of the time. I think this may be the one series I really love delving into the lore on. All the complicated side-plots, easter eggs, and commentary on the state of the world today...really interests me.
I struggled with that last one. A part of me wanted to put Final Fantasy series on there, but I can hardly play those games anymore due to the grind. I think that is the nostalgia trying to kick in.
The second list will be under strict guidelines with only one entry per series. This list changes a bit since I am trying not to list multiple entries per genre as much, so I added in a racing, fighting, and puzzle game to even things out, otherwise my list would be mainly RPG's and shooters, and much like the list above.
List 2 (The Stickler)
1. Fallout 2
2. Earthbound
3. Resident Evil Remake
4. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
5. Metal Gear Solid
6. Doom 2
7. Mortal Kombat
8. Shadowrun
9. Mario Kart (Wii U because fuck it)
10. Catherine (obligatory puzzle game that I love to death)
When it comes down to it, I simply cannot choose 10 games very easily. The problem is certain games hold a place in my heart - let's call it the Nostalgia Factor - removing them from the list can become extremely difficult since they are special in some way, otherwise I wouldn't care if they weren't mentioned, thus the dilemma of the Top 10 list. Top 50 is much easier to deal with. Top 10 is a bitch. Maybe that is why I am cheating with multiple lists. These last ones deserve a place up above but due to the nature of such things they sit below, hoping to move up the list one day, somehow, maybe in another post...
Honorable Mentions
Warcraft 1 and 2 - These two games floored me back in the day. Even the instruction manual for the original was badass. I still own the disk and manual for the first one.
Castlevania 4 - I still go back and play this from time to time.
Eternal Darkness - I never had the chance to beat this when it came out, but years later I finally got the chance. This is probably in my top three survival horror games. I wish we could get that sequel.
Silent Hill 1 and 2 - I recently replayed 2 and it held up. It deserves to be on the list, but I keep it down here to piss off Planhex.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors - Pure nostalgia and co-op fun. I am a huge horror fan so this one always appealed to me.
System Shock 1 - Unfortunately I never played 2 when it came out. I have tried getting into it with some mods, but it is hard to enjoy. The original holds a special place in my heart. See what I said about the Nostalgia Factor? This is science people.
Worms Armageddon - The ultimate party game.
Elder Scrolls series - Primarily Morrowind and due to the highly moddable nature of the games. The series has suffered a decline of sorts, so this remains at the bottom of the list.
Super Mario Bros series - Who doesn't enjoy these games to some extent? I have enjoyed every mainline Mario game I have ever played. The first 8 or 9 Mario games are all classics, highly repayable, and polished unlike a majority of games released. Super Mario Bros was the first video game i ever saw being played and ever since then I have been captivated by them. Standouts in the series are all 4 originals, Mario 64, and Mario Galaxy imo, but I could just as well choose Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, since I loved it so damn much too.
Super Mario RPG - One of my favorites. Too bad Square will never collaborate on another one.
Super Mario Kart series - Probably my favorite racing series. The newest one on Wii U is great, but the SNES version was the one I jammed on the most.
Planescape: Torment - It sits here because i never played it when it came out, and trying to play it nowdays is a bitch. It deserves a mention whether I can enjoy it now or not.
I could go on and on listing Legacy of Kain, Street Fighter, Marvel vs Capcom, Maximum Carnage, Super Ghouls and Ghosts, KotOR 2, Twisted Metal, Crusader Kings 2, Medieval 2: Total War, The Sims, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Wizards and Warriors, Castelvania: SotN, GTA (the original), Shining Force, 7th Guest...how about Outpost, Dark Reign, Tenchu, Blood, Dink Smallwood, Max Payne, Tomb Raider, or Dead Rising 2?
Please forgive any grammar errors in this wall of text.