top 100 sci-fi video games

Basically, the list is completely subjective and very rough draft. (I had about 60 at my initial posting.) The ratings are all based on my opinion, and some of them are not even all that informed, (as I frequently never finished playing the game in question). I know I am missing plenty, so help me out.

In some cases, mostly toward the top of the list, I’ve tried to rate games better based on plot and sci-fi content, but gameplay was always the foremost consideration. If a game isn’t fun to play, it shouldn’t really have appeared on this list at all.

There are so many games with sequels that in many cases I’ve combined the games into one listing. In some cases, a later version of the game is substantially better, and if that was the case I did try to split the games into two listings for the sake of their ratings.

Some games made the list that are probably only implied science fiction. The Myth series, for example. Usually this is because they are just too cool to leave out.

[Click “MORE…” to see the whole list.]

Codes are as follows: GC=Nintendo Gamecube, PS2=Playstateion2, XB=Xbox, PS=Original Playstation, N64=Nintendo 64, SG=Sega Genesis, SN=Super Nintendo, N=Original Nintendo, AR=Arcade, Mac=Apple Macintosh/Apple, C64=Commodore 64.

1. Metroid Prime (GC 2002)
2. Starcraft (PC 1998)
3. Half-Life (PC 1998)
4. Final Fantasy X (PS2 2001)
5. Space Invaders (AR 1978)
6. Halo (XB 2001)
7. Quake (PC 1996)
8. Tribes (PC 1998)
9. Deus Ex (PC 2000)
10. Unreal Tournament 2003 (PC 2003)
11. Quake III Arena (PC 1999)
12. Zone of the Enders (PS2 2001)
13. Final Fantasy VII-IX (series PS 1997-2000)
14. Homeworld (PC 1999)
15. Myst, Riven, Myst III: Exile (Mac 1994, 1997, 2001)
16. Unreal (PC 1998)
17. Rez (PS2 2002)
18. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (PC 1984)
19. Planetfall (PC 1983)
20. Alien Vs. Predator, AVP2 (PC series 1999, 2001)
21. Wing Commander (PC series 1990-2003)
22. Unreal Tournament (PC 1999)
23. Quake II (PC 1997)
24. Marathon II: Duranderal (Mac 1995)
25. Doom II (PC 1994)
26. System Shock, System Shock 2 (PC 1994, 1999)
27. MDK, MDK 2 (PC series 1997, 2000)
28. Marathon (Mac 1992)
29. Doom (PC 1993)
30. Battle Zone II: Combat Commander (PC 1999)
31. Septerra Core (PC 1999)
32. Chrono Trigger (SN 1995)
33. Phantasy Star I-IV (N, SN series 1988-1994)
34. Metroid Fusion (GB 2002)
35. Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee (XB 2002)
36. Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee (PC 1997)
37. Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus (PC 1998)
38. Pikmin (GC 2001)
39. Armored Core, 2, 3 (PS, PS2 series 1997, 2000, 2002)
40. Mech Warrior (SN, PS, PC series 1992-2002)
41. Resident Evil (PS, GC series 1996-2003)
42. Mega Man (N, PS, N64, GC series 1987-2003)
43. Xenophobe (AR 1987)
44. Asteroids (AR 1979)
45. Tron (AR 1982)
46. Defender (AR 1980)
47. Galaxian & Galigan (AR series 1979, 1981)
48. Jedi Knight II (PC 2002)
49. Descent (PC series 1995-2001)
50. Netrek (PC ~1989)
51. Perfect Dark (N64 2000)
52. Out of This World (PC 1990)
53. Battle Zone (PC 1994)
54. Abuse (PC 1996)
55. Area 51 (AR 1995)
56. Star Wars: Dark Forces (PC 1996)
57. The Lost Vikings (SG 1992)
58. Timesplitters, 2 (PS2 series 2000, 2002)
59. Starship Titanic (PC 1998)
60. Maniac Mansion (C64, Mac 1987)
61. Star Wars: Rouge Leader (GC 2001)
62. Metroid, Metroid II, Super Metroid (N, GB, SN series 1987, 1991, 1994)
63. Wipeout (PS, PS2 series 1995-2002)
64. Missile Command (AR 1980)
65. Oni (PS2 2001)
66. R-Type (AR 1987)
67. Ground Control (PC 2000)
68. Command and Conquer (PC series 1995-2002)
69. Star Wars: Rouge Squadron (N64 1998)
70. Dune, Dune 2000 (PC series 1992-1993, 1998)
71. Star Wars: X-Wing, Tie Fighter, X-Wing Alliance, X-Wing vs Tie Fighter (PC series 1993-2001)
72. Space Channel 5 (PS 2000)
73. Toejam & Earl (SG, XB Series 1991, 1993, 2003)
74. Marathon Infinity (Mac 1997)

    Never played ’em (but heard they were good so ignore the #s from here on out):

75. .hack (PS2 series 2003)
76. Chrono Cross (PS 2000)
77. Contra (AR, N, PS2 series 1987-2003)
78. Duke Nukem 3D (PC 1996)
79. Elite (C64 1985)
80. Fallout, Fallout 2 (PC series 1997, 1998)
81. Laser Squad (PC 1988)
82. Master of Orion (PC series 1993-2003)
83. O.R.B. (PC 2002)
84. Project Eden (PC 2001)
85. Robotron 2084 (AR 1982)
86. Spacewar! (PC 1962)
87. Star Control (PC series 1990, 1992, 1996)
88. Starflight (PC 1986)
89. Star Raiders (PC 1979)
90. Startopia (PC 2001)
91. Star Trek Bridge Commander (PC 2002)
92. Star Wars: Rebel Assault (PC series 1993-1995)
93. Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (PC 2001)
94. Syndicate (PC 1993)
95. Time Crisis (PS 1997)
96. Total Annihilation (PC 1997)
97. Trade Wars 2002 (PC 1990)
98. Wasteland (C64 1986)
99. X-COM: UFO Defense (PC 1994)
100. Xenogears (PS 1998)
101. Xenosaga (PS2 2003)
102. Zak McKracken And The Alien Mindbenders (PC 1988)

[A final note, I feel it is necessary to give credit to the All Game Guide, GameFAQs.com, and GameScreenShots.com for much of the research I did while compiling this list. Also, here are some other “best” lists: GameSpy’s Hall of Fame, IGN’s Top 25 games of all time and PCGameplay’s top 50.]