20 Greatest Video Games of the 20th Century

The 21st century of gaming has delivered some of the greatest titles of all time, including Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War. However, before the hyperrealistic games and open-world sensations took over the industry, the 20th century took the first step and invented video games. Starting around the 1970s, this century had three decades of flawless games, which is longer than we have had in the 21st century so far.

The graphics may be pixelated, the controls may be awkward, and the design is probably outdated, but this era of gaming was extremely important, shaping all which would come later. That is why this list will rank the best video games from the 20th century based on gameplay, design, visuals, narrative, influence, originality, staying power, critical acclaim, fan opinion, and overall quality. The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000.

20

‘Castlevania: Symphony of the Night’ (1997)

Image via Konami

The Metroidvania genre really took off in the 1990s, with two games in particular creating the name, and both are on this list, starting with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Alucard is the son of Dracula, and when he awakens from his slumber, he must save Richter Belmont from Dracula’s newly resurrected castle full of demons and ghouls.

There are so many incredible Metroidvania games, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is arguably the most polished. This 1990s classic has magnificent artwork and well-crafted action-platformer moments that merge the combat gameplay with the fun sense of exploring the Labryinth castle.

19

‘The Sims’ (2000)

Image via Electronic Arts

This list features games from a handful of decades, including the 2000s, which barely made the cutoff for this list. The Sims is an immersive life simulator where players get to create their own characters and set them loose in a suburban world of their own creation. This allows them to control their relationships, careers, hobbies, and daily life.

As the newest game on this list, The Sims was one of the last defining games of this century, and it earned its influence by broadening its demographic outside the usual circle of gamers. Non-gamers were introduced to the medium through this open-ended digital toy, which greatly shifted the way people viewed video games in the future.

18

‘Resident Evil’ (1996)

Image via Capcom

The 1990s introduced many new gaming franchises, one of which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026. Resident Evil is an acclaimed horror franchise, and it all started in 1996 with the first game. A handful of mysterious murders warrant the attention of an elite task force, which gets trapped inside the mansion with a bunch of zombie-like creatures.

This extremely dark video game kickstarted the greatest horror franchise, and while it may not be the best in the series, it is the one that started everything. Resident Evil coined the survival horror genre, blending the frightening moments with survival gameplay that enhanced the sense of dread. By prioritizing tension over action, this game is still regarded as a terrifying gaming experience 30 years later.

17

‘Super Mario 64’ (1996)

Image via Nintendo

There were a bunch of console and company wars in the 20th century, but the one that landed on its feet the best was Nintendo, which released many landmark titles in this era, including Super Mario 64. When Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser, Mario must travel inside the paintings in the castle to collect enough stars to open the path to Bowser.

The platformer genre is a staple of the 20th century, but Super Mario 64 brought it into the 3D realm with impeccable design and technical revolution. It pioneered many mechanics like the freely moving camera, making the 3D world feel more immersive. Super Mario 64 still holds up today and is better than most other 3D platformers.

16

‘Pokémon Red and Blue’ (1996)

Image via Nintendo

Pokémon is a distinctly 1990s franchise, from the card game to the anime to, of course, the video games. Pokémon Red and Blue started it all, with players travelling around the Kanto region in order to catch all the Pokémon, defeat the Gym Leaders, take down the evil Team Rocket, and finally topple the Champion in order to become the greatest trainer in the world.

Future Pokémon games perfected the formula, but props have to be given to the original game that introduced monster catching to the public, which would later become a global sensation. Pokémon Red and Blue emphasized real-world connection, and that nostalgic blend of digital and real life cemented its legacy as a celebration of gaming and companionship.

15

‘Space Invaders’ (1978)

Image via Taito

Even though the 1990s housed most of the best games from the 20th century, this list does feature some older titles, including a true classic from the 1970s, Space Invaders. Descending from the top of the screen are waves of enemy aliens seeking to destroy Earth, but the player and their spaceship must scroll across the screen and shoot down these invaders.

It may be a simple game that not many people play nowadays, but Space Invaders earns a spot on this list because of its influence and pioneering ways which set up the future of gaming. Even though it was done by accident, the increasing wave speed was a revolutionary mechanic that introduced rising difficulty.

14

‘The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past’ (1991)

Image via Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda franchise is one of the greatest of all time, and while the original should be on here for influence, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is the perfect 2D Zelda game. When Princess Zelda has been captured by the evil king Ganon, Link must defeat a wizard in order to travel between the light and dark realms and take down the villain.

Zelda is mostly a 3D franchise now, and that is because A Link to the Past perfected the 2D formula. The parallel-world mechanic allowed for incredible puzzle design and engaging exploration, both staples of the franchise, which made this game so compelling. A Link to the Past also influenced future 2D adventure games with its flawless format and intricate design.

13

‘Street Fighter II’ (1991)

Image via Capcom

Beefs lived and died in the arcade during the 1970s and 1980s, specifically with fighting games, and there is no better brawler than Street Fighter II. M. Bison decides to host a worldwide fighting tournament that promises a great reward. This enticement brings legendary fighters from all around the planet into one location where they all duke it out for glory.

This game was an arcade staple, using its unique combo system, special attacks, and engaging roster of characters to bring in millions of fans. However, Street Fighter II was also a console masterpiece, making itself a dual-icon which pioneered the fighting genre in both forms of play. In terms of influence, there is no greater fighting video game than Street Fighter II.

Image via Konami

Hideo Kojima is a legendary game designer, especially today, but his magnum opus, Metal Gear Solid, came from the 20th century. Solid Snake must come out of retirement after a new plot to destroy the world comes up. When a rogue special forces unit threatens to launch a nuclear strike, Snake must infiltrate the Alaskan facility and stop the terrorists before it is too late.

Unfortunately, the stealth genre is mostly dead, but it peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s thanks to Metal Gear Solid. It brought a cinematic narrative framework to video games, making each moment feel like an epic action movie. Metal Gear Solid isn’t just a stealth game sensation, but it features one of the best video game characters of all time, cementing its legendary status.

11

‘Pac-Man’ (1980)

Image via Namco

Speaking of the best video game characters, Pac-Man from 1980 was the first game to create a video game mascot. In this game, the players control a circle with a mouth, trying to eat all the pellets within the arena, but ghosts are slowly integrated into the level and will eliminate the player if they come into contact. Luckily, fruit power-ups give gamers the ability to eat these ghosts for a short period of time.

Pac-Man reinvented the video game industry by making the playable character a recognizable figure that could be a defining icon, not just something to control. Almost everyone knows Pac-Man, and that is because the game established an identity on top of being a fun-to-play title. The enemy AI created emergent possibilities where every playthrough was different, truly a visionary experience for its time.