WatchMojo: Top 20 Best Video Games Of The Century So Far

[MauroNL]

"For this list, we'll be looking at the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful, and influential video games released in the 21st century. Because this is a tight squeeze, only one entry per franchise will be allowed. We're also putting a stronger emphasis on their legacy within the gaming industry, so there may be a few changes from our best of the decade list."

Spoiler

20. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
19. Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain
18. Dark Souls
17. World of Warcraft
16. Batman: Arkham City
15. Portal
14. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
13. God of War (2018)
12. Bioshock
11. Super Smash Bros. Melee
10. Minecraft
9. The Last of Us
8. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Mass Effect 2
6. Resident Evil 4
5. Halo: Combat Evolved
4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
3. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
1. Half-Life 2

Honorable Mentions:

League Of Legends
Celeste
Shadow of the Colossus
NieR: Automata
Red Dead Redemption

 

[Dreamboum]

But Vagrant Story was released in 2000. That has to be a mistake, let me email them

 

[Noppie]

Weird list with all these rules.

 

[Astandahl]

No BB , no Mario Galaxy sigh.

HL2 deserves the top spot though.

 

[Deleted member 8196]

Half-Life 2 first?

That's good in my book

But Portal 2 is a much better game than the first Portal, come on watchmojo, let' be real here.

 

[Slipknot666]

But Vagrant Story was released in 2000

Click to shrink...

Don't do this.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

hooo boy, century?
#3 is a decent spot for botw

 

[Trickster]

Personal opinions aside, the only thing I really think is wrong with that list is putting WoW down at 17. Should be way higher on that list

 

[Astandahl]

Personal opinions aside, the only thing I really think is wrong with that list is putting WoW down at 17. Should be way higher on that list

Click to shrink...

True. Wow vanilla is easily one of the best game of all time.

 

[AzorAhai]

Yeah let's vote for game of the year in March. The hell?

Moreover I'm not sure how they combined all these criteria. A personal list would be far more interesting.

 

[Rndom Grenadez]

Not a single Mario game on this list?
Galaxy 2
Galaxy
3D Worlds
Odyssey

Laughable

Yeah let's vote for game of the year in March. The hell?

Click to shrink...

well what are the odds anyone here will be posting in 2100?

 

[RedAhmed]

Any list that hasn't Majora's Mask on #1 is wrong. Fact.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

Not a single Mario game on this list?
Galaxy 2
Galaxy
3D Worlds
Odyssey

laughable

Click to shrink...

another obvious omission is metroid prime

 

[Fliesen]

At "1 entry per franchise" it feels crazy that MGS V and not, say, 1, 2 or 3 made the list.
Especially in hindsight, and considering how "influential" they were.

Also, i second the "WoW should be way higher" sentiment

Also, i third the "Not a single Mario game? wtf?" sentiment

 

[Deleted member 7948]

Imagine making a list of the best of the 2000s without Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. 😂😂😂😂😂

 

[Rndom Grenadez]

another obvious omission is metroid prime

Click to shrink...

Holy Shit didn't even notice that was missing.

 

[PeaceSeeker]

I prefers mgs4 rather than mgsv. the flaw in v is just too obvious on top of better gameplay

 

[Exede]

Don't do this.

Click to shrink...

Well, technically Dreamboum is right.

 

[Fevaweva]

Arkham City?

Arkham Asylum is a much better game and should replace it in that list.

 

[Deleted member 2752]

"What is multiplayer?"

 

[Nere]

Pretty bad list tbh, as others have mentioned, no metroid prime or super mario galaxy, meanwhile mgsV is there and half life 2 is sooo overrated.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

At "1 entry per franchise" it feels crazy that MGS V and not, say, 1, 2 or 3 made the list.
Especially in hindsight, and considering how "influential" they were.

Click to shrink...

mgs 1 is not from this century

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

I dunno bout some of these but they got the right Smash game.

 

[Deleted member 8593]

The one omission from these lists that makes me the saddest is still Into the Breach. It's easily my favourite strategy game of the last ~10 years and I don't think I've seen it on any of those lists.

 

[AzorAhai]

Not a single Mario game on this list?
Galaxy 2
Galaxy
3D Worlds
Odyssey

Laughable



well what are the odds anyone here will be posting in 2100?

Click to shrink...

Damn you're right. Let's hurry up and make a list for the third millenium :P This time with Mario !

 

[upinsmoke]

It's too difficult to do a best of the century. However no way should MGSV TPP be on there. Its not even top 20 in the single year it released (okay maybe just!)

MGS2, 3 and 4 shit on it.

 

[Deleted member 46948]

What a weird list.

 

[Rygar 8Bit]

List would have to be several hundred if not thousand long.

 

[KillstealWolf]

I prefers mgs4 rather than mgsv. the flaw in v is just too obvious on top of better gameplay

Click to shrink...

Heck, if we are doing Century, I'd give it to Metal Gear Solid 3 over both.

 

[SonovaBeach]

Good lord these lists are always so damn predictable.
(except for MGS, I guess)

 

[Opa-Opa]

Wow, personally to my taste, one of the worst lists I've seen.

 

[Mark1]

another obvious omission is metroid prime

Click to shrink...

This. Metroid Prime is such an odd game to exclude. Very surprised by the lack of Mario games.

Also, not sure how I personally feel about Melee being in this list instead of Ultimate.

 

[Nakenorm]

Nice! They put Among Thieves on the list, absolutely deserves it.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

Also, not sure how I personally feel about Melee being in this list instead of Ultimate.

Click to shrink...

They explained it in the video that while some might consider Ultimate the best, SSBM is the most important legacy game in the series with an unusually strong lifespan.

 

[Nameless]

I love several games frim this list, but it's a poor representation of the last 20 years of gaming. Needs a lot more Gen 6(and some late Gen 5 standouts). Clearly they're big 360 fans.

 

[Mark1]

They explained it in the video that while some might consider Ultimate the best, SSBM is the most important legacy game in the series with an unusually strong lifespan.

Click to shrink...

Aye I understand their reasoning behind the choice.

Just not sure if it is one that I fully agree with. But glad they discussed it.

 

[Saint-14]

No FFXIV and Nioh, automatically wrong list by my standards.

 

[Jindrax]

MGSV should not be on that list.

 

[J2d]

Every list feels the same, sp domination as usual.

 

[Kerberosorthos]

Watch Mojo.... one of so many useless You Tube channels.

The only reason I click those videos sometimes is to find out if that one has the same cringe factor as all the videos before. So far a flawless streak. :D

 

[byDoS]

Half-Life 2 at #1 and Melee at #11 give me fucking life.

Great list, surprisingly

 

[MadMod]

Having MGSV on that list kinda voids their opinion for me. I CANT TRUST THEM NOW. :/

 

[YolkFolk]

Super Mario Galaxy is better than a lot of games on that list in my opinion.

Metroid Prime is better than nearly every game on it.

 

[jaymzi]

It's 20 years worth of games being narrowed down to 20.

Of course a shit ton of amazing games will be missing from this list.

 

[Garlador]

another obvious omission is metroid prime

Click to shrink...

I was honestly expected Metroid Prime to be in the top 3... Yeah, that's a snub.

 

[*Splinter]

Good lord these lists are always so damn predictable.
(except for MGS, I guess)

Click to shrink...

Yeah this is my biggest gripe, it's a very boring list. Could have been written by an AI rather than someone who's actually been playing games all century.

 

[Flevance]

We've only seen 20% of this "century" tho, too early for such a list. Either way, not even a single Mario game on the list is absurd. They could've replaced few games with the last main Mario games and it would make a better list

 

[Nameless]

I only have a problem MGSV because MGS3 exists. It's absolutely one of the best playing/feeling games out there, it's just lacking as a complete experience.

 

[Mad_Titan86]

HL2 being first is the best choice. It's an amazing game that I have played at least once a year since it came out.

 

[SonovaBeach]

Yeah this is my biggest gripe, it's a very boring list. Could have been written by an AI rather than someone who's actually been playing games all century.

Click to shrink...

Well, since it's not someone's opinion but rather a "most popular games of the century", it kind of was written by an AI.