kisrael.com | videogames | powerlist

These are the ratings from EMG's 100th issue "Top 100 Games Ever" from 1997, their 2002 list, Game Informer's "Top 100 Games of All Time" (August 2001) then IGN.com's online lists from 2003 and 2005. This page calculates each game's "power ranking" by adding their cumulative "(101 - rank)" for its entry in each of the lists. (This is probably unfair for games that are too recent to make the older lists; thems the breaks.)

This isn't meant to be a "better" list, just an interesting little tool. Each of these lists made much better reading, with a description of why it made the cut, so it's worth looking for the back issues or at least seeing IGN's online charts.

Yes, I know this is tragically geeky of me. I started seeing had the made out in which systems and which years made the biggest impact from the 1997 list. When the 2002 update came out, I then wanted to see how the list changed. Then I added in IGN's info into a big static page. When I threw GI into the mix (an "odd man out" in many rankings...plus they don't include year info) I went a little nuts and put the script itself online, allowing people to only look at certain charts. I had to fudge a few things, ignore a few differences in versions and years and what not. (And a lot of typos) but I think the numbers are pretty good. If EGM makes a new list (in 2007 or so) I might tweak the interface to allow comparing in different orders. (It's not chronological so that the EGMs would be lumped together...what's a year difference among friends.)

Use Charts:
EGM
1997 		EGM
2002 		GI
2001 		IGN
2003 		IGN
2005 		  
  Name Year Pts EGM
2002
1. Super Metroid 1994  100         1       
2. Tetris 1988  99         2       
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 1992  98         3       
4. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 1997  97         4       
5. Super Mario 64 1996  96         5       
6. Soul Calibur 1999  95         6       
7. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 2000  94         7       
8. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 1998  93         8       
9. Final Fantasy III (VI) 1994  92         9       
10. Super Mario World 1991  91         10       
11. Super Mario Bros. 3 1990  90         11       
12. Final Fantasy V 1999  89         12       
13. Street Fighter II 1993  88         13       
14. Metal Gear Solid 1998  87         14       
15. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec 2001  86         15       
16. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island 1995  85         16       
17. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 2000  84         17       
18. Pokemon Puzzle Leage 2000  83         18       
19. Panzer Dragoon Saga 1998  82         19       
20. Galaga 1981  81         20       
21. Dragon Force 1996  80         21       
22. Super Mario Bros. 1985  79         22       
23. Gunstar Heroes 1993  78         23       
24. Super Castlevania IV 1991  77         24       
25. The Legend of Zelda 1987  76         25       
26. Chrono Trigger 1995  75         26       
27. Sonic CD 1993  74         27       
28. Hot Shots Golf 2 2000  73         28       
29. Super Mario Bros. 2 1988  72         29       
30. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike 2000  71         30       
31. Madden NFL 2002 2001  70         31       
32. NCAA Football 2002 2001  69         32       
33. Saturn Bomberman 1997  68         33       
34. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! 1987  67         34       
35. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon 2001  66         35       
36. Chrono Cross 2000  65         36       
37. Resident Evil Code: Veronica X 2001  64         37       
38. R-Type Delta 1999  63         38       
39. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages 2001  62         39       
40. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons 2001  61         40       
41. Ms. Pac-Man 1981  60         41       
42. Contra III: The Alien Wars 1992  59         42       
43. Final Fantasy Tactics 1998  58         43       
44. Super Mario Kart 1992  57         44       
45. Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 2001  56         45       
46. Pokemon Gold-Silver-Crystal 2000  55         46       
47. Panzer Dragoon Zwei 1996  54         47       
48. Paper Mario 2001  53         48       
49. Contra 1988  52         49       
50. Guardian Heroes 1996  51         50       
51. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse 1990  50         51       
52. Herzog Zwei 1990  49         52       
53. Super Punch-Out!! 1994  48         53       
54. Devil's Crush 1990  47         54       
55. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 1994  46         55       
56. Landstalker 1993  45         56       
57. Final Fantasy IX 2000  44         57       
58. Sonic the Hedgehog 1991  43         58       
59. Virtua Fighter 2 1995  42         59       
60. Super Mario RPG 1996  41         60       
61. NiGHTS 1996  40         61       
62. Resident Evil 2 1998  39         62       
63. R-Type (R-Types Version) 1998  38         63       
64. Mega Man II 1989  37         64       
65. Perfect Dark 2000  36         65       
66. Donkey Kong 1994  35         66       
67. Street Fighter Alpha 3 1999  34         67       
68. Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts 1991  33         68       
69. Metroid 1987  32         69       
70. Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos 1990  31         70       
71. Phantasy Star II 1989  30         71       
72. Advance Wars 2001  29         72       
73. The Revenge of Shinobi 1989  28         73       
74. Shining Force III 1998  27         74       
75. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete 1999  26         75       
76. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1992  25         76       
77. Metal Gear Solid (GBC) 2000  24         77       
78. Star Fox 1993  23         78       
79. Mario Kart 64 1997  22         79       
80. Skies of Arcadia 2000  21         80       
81. Ape Escape 1999  20         81       
82. Mean Bean Machine/Kirby's Avalanche 1993  19         82       
83. Daytona USA 2001  18         83       
84. Samurai Shodown II 1994  17         84       
85. F-Zero X 1998  16         85       
86. ActRaiser 1991  15         86       
87. Sega Rally 2 1999  14         87       
88. Virtua Tennis 2000  13         88       
89. Dragon Warrior IV 1992  12         89       
90. Resident Evil 1996  11         90       
91. Final Fantasy VII 1997  10         91       
92. Ice Hockey 1988  9         92       
93. Super Smash Bros. 1999  8         93       
94. Baseball Stars 1989  7         94       
95. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 1988  6         95       
96. Phantasy Star 1988  5         96       
97. Mario Golf 1999  4         97       
98. Quake III Arena 2000  3         98       
99. Wipeout XL 1998  2         99       
100. DecAthlete 1996  1         100