Top 100 Games

  • Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003

    Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003
    Platform:
    Electronic Arts, 2002
    Debut system:
    PlayStation 2

    Worthy of the man him self, thanks to a breakthrough in the control. Instead of tapping buttons to control a power meter, the analogue sticks make it ‘all in the swing’.

  • Time Crisis

    Time Crisis
    Platform:
    Namco, 1995
    Debut system:
    Arcade

    Namco realised that most people in a shoot out don’t just stand there waiting for the next bullet, providing a pedal to duck and cover. Exhilarating movie-style set pieces abound.

  • Smash TV

    Smash TV
    Platform:
    Midway, 1992
    Debut system:
    Arcade

    Move and shoot in eight directions using two joysticks – the idea originated with Robotron 2084 (1982), but matured in this madcap TV show, with its relentless battles against swarming enemies.

  • Commando

    Commando
    Platform:
    Capcom, 1985
    Debut system:
    Arcade

    We once believed this to be the most realistic depiction of warfare technology would allow: charging up the battlefield, tossing grenades while spraying the area with machine-gun fire. Totally exhilarating!

  • The Hobbit

    The Hobbit
    Platform:
    Melbourne House, 1982
    Debut system:
    Sinclair Spectrum

    Perhaps this is here due to nostalgia. However the makers of this RPG interpreted the guile of Tolkien’s novel so expertly that it became the must-play game of its era.

  • Donkey Kong

    Donkey Kong
    Platform:
    Nintendo, 1981
    Debut system:
    Arcade

    Unknown construction worker survives gauntlet of flaming barrels, bouncing springs, confusing conveyor belts, and collapsing floors to rescue beloved girlfriend Pauline from big ugly gorilla. This is The Daddy, folks.

  • Gradius III

    Gradius III
    Platform:
    Konami, 1989
    Debut system:
    Arcade

    Part three, because it incorporates all the cool Gradius gimmicks such as the Options orbiting the Vic Viper spaceship, plus the graphical muscle required to let Konami’s imagination run riot.

  • Colossal Cave Adventure (aka The Original Adventure)

    Colossal Cave Adventure (aka The Original Adventure)
    Platform:
    William Crowther, Don Woods 1972, 1976, 1981
    Debut system:
    Home Computer (various)

    This one is so old it didn’t even have graphics! But typing basic commands, letting your imagination do most of the work, was spellbinding as the magic word ‘XYZZY’ itself.

  • Defender

    Defender
    Platform:
    Williams, 1980
    Debut system:
    Arcade

    Famous for its sound effects, as much as the gameplay – plus a cool radar. It handled like a drag car with a silly handbrake, and looked like a fireworks display.

  • Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe

    Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe
    Platform:
    Bitmap Brothers, 1990
    Debut system:
    Commodore Amiga

    Ultra-violent futuristic sports ‘simulation’ for two players, whose genius is the multi-function action-button, used to jump, slide, tackle, pass and score with a metal ball! Still ahead of its time.