If you’ve been with us since the very beginning, you’ll remember issue 8, pictured above – and you might well remember that we did a two-part feature on the top 100 games of all time beginning in that issue and concluding in issue 9. Of course, if you haven’t been with us all that long (and those issues did come out in 2004, after all) you won’t know what the list is. So here’s that list in full!
If you want to know where our readers ranked these games in 2015, make sure you pick up our special 150th issue, out now at all good newsagents as well as online and digitally. As well as an enormous feature on readers’ top 150 games featuring lots of brand new interview content, we’ve got features on the titans of the gaming world – an feature on the creation of the Commodore 64, the history of console giant Nintendo, a career retrospective interview with Yu Suzuki and a making of Jet Set Willy.
100: Turrican (Electronic Arts, 1990)
99: Spy Hunter (Midway, 1984)
98: Sim City (Maxis, 1989)
97: Resident Evil 2 (Capcom, 1998)
96: Missle Command (Atari, 1980)
95: Grand Theft Auto 3 (Rockstar Games, 2001)
94: Gran Turismo 3 (Polyphony Digital, 2001)
93: Final Fantasy (Squaresoft, 1987)
92: Delta (Thalamus, 1987)
91: Championship Manager (Intelek, 1992)
90: The Last Ninja (System 3, 1987)
89: Super Metroid (Nintendo, 1994)
88: Double Dragon (Technos, 1987)
87: Star Wars (Atari, 1983)
86: Shining Force (Climax/Sonic, 1992)
85: Pitfall (Activision, 1982)
84: Pirates! (Microprose, 1987)
83: Oids (FTL Games, 1987)
82: Mr. Do! (Universal, 1982)
81: Mayhem In Monsterland (Apex, 1993)
80: Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo, 1996)
79: Jet Set Willy 2 (Software Projects, 1985)
78: Exile (Superior Software, 1989)
77: Donkey Kong (Nintendo, 1981)
76: Turrican II (Rainbow Arts, 1991)
75: Soul Calibur (Namco, 1999)
74: Secret Of Mana (Squaresoft, 1993)
73: Repton (Superior Software, 1985)
72: New Zealand Story (Taito, 1989)
71: Magicland Dizzy (Codemasters, 1990)
70: Metal Gear Solid (Konami, 1998)
69: Match Day II (Ocean, 1988)
68: The Last Ninja II (System 3, 1990)
67: James Pond II: Robocod (US Gold, 1991)
66: Shenmue II (Sega, 2001)
65: Flashback (Delphine Software, 1992)
64: Street Of Rage II (Sega, 1992)
63: Laser Squad (Blade Software, 1988)
62: Ultima Underworld (Origin, 1992)
61: Cannon Fodder (Sensible Software, 1993)
60: Worms (Team 17, 1995)
59: Football Manager (Addictive, 1981)
58: Yoshi’s Island (Nintendo, 1995)
57: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (Sega, 1993)
56: Sensible World Of Soccer (Sensible Software, 1995)
55: Mortal Kombat (Midway, 1992)
54: Kick Off II (Anco, 1990)
53: Lords Of Midnight (Beyond, 1984)
52: Jetpac (Ultimate, 1983)
51: Atic Atac (Ultimate, 1983)
50: Gunstar Heroes (Treasure, 1993)
49: Galaxian (Namco, 1979)
48: Street Fighter II Turbo (Capcom, 1992)
47: Dizzy (Codemasters, 1987)
46: Sabre Wulf (Ultimate, 1984)
45: Impossible Mission (Epyx, 1984)
44: OutRun (Sega, 1986)
43: Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe (Bitmap Brothers, 1991)
42: Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Sega, 1992)
41: Chaos (Games Workshop, 1985)
40: Skool Daze (Microsphere, 1985)
39: Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins (Capcom, 1985)
38: Half-Life (Valve, 1998)
37: Resident Evil (Capcom, 1996)
36: Super Brothers Bros. 3 (Nintendo, 1988)
35: Head Over Heels (Ocean, 1987)
34: Dungeon Master (FTL, 1987)
33: The Secret Of Monkey Island (LucasArts, 1990)
32: R-Type (Irem, 1987)
31: Boulder Dash (First Star Software, 1984)
30: Rainbow Islands (Taito, 1987)
29: Civilisation (Microprose, 1991)
28: Chuckie Egg (A&F Software, 1983)
27: Street Fighter II (Capcom, 1991)
26: GoldenEye 007 (Rare, 1997)
25: Wizball (Ocean, 1987)
24: Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, 1985)
23: Paradroid (Graftgold, 1985)
22: Knight Lore (Ultimate, 1984)
21: Lemmings (DMA Design, 1991)
20: Frontier: Elite II (Frontier Developments, 1992)
19: Tomb Raider (Core Design, 1996)
18: Halo (Bungie, 2002)
17: Super Mario 64 (Nintendo, 1996)
16: Zelda: A Link To The Past (Nintendo, 1991)
15: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Rockstar Games, 2002)
14: Tetris (Alexey Pajitnov, 1984)
13: Super Mario Kart (Nintendo, 1992)
12: Bubble Bobble (Taito, 1986)
11: Sonic The Hedgehog (Sega, 1991)
10: Pac-Man (Namco, 1980)
9. Doom (id Software, 1993)
8: Sensible Soccer (Sensible Software, 1992)
7: Jet Set Willy (Software Projects, 1984)
6: Space Invaders (Taito, 1978)
5: Zelda: Ocarina Of Time (Nintendo, 1998)
4: Final Fantasy VII (Squaresoft, 1997)
3: Manic Miner (Bug-Byte, 1983)
2: Super Mario World (Nintendo, 1990)
1: Elite (Braben/Bell, 1984)