100 GREATEST
Number crunching
Behind the scenes – and inside the results – of our 30th anniversary greatest games poll
CONSOLE WARS
In our analysis of the most popular formats, we only took into consideration the earliest release of each game – one of a few factors that gives PC the lead, especially with more recent and smaller titles, where console versions often come after a short delay. Sony’s machines aren’t far behind, though, leading both in total games (48, as seen in the chart on the facing page) and exclusives (20). While Nintendo is far behind in the overall numbers, its ratio is much closer, with 19 of its 22 games being exclusive to its own hardware.
Should you want to cause anguish in the videogame industry, you need only ask a bunch of its representatives for a definitive list of their favourite games. This is just one of the things we discovered as we compiled this issue’s anniversary countdown. Alongside the current Edge administration and some of our most trusted contributors, past and present, we asked for picks from a group of leading names in the world of game development and publishing. Their nominations appear throughout this issue, starting on p10 with a selection of cases made for what should occupy the highest spot. They join a generous helping of Edge reader testimonies in the countdown itself. Thank you to everyone who took the time and effort to take part.
In the region of 100 industry representatives accepted our invitation, their selections contributing to a total of 876 nominated games. One thing that all camps – editorial, reader and developer/publisher – had in common: frequent reports that they were handing over their lists in part to have rid of the decision. But many other trends emerged.
There was a clear consensus on the greatest years for videogames, as you’ll see on the facing page. These were spread evenly across the magazine’s lifetime, as videogames new and old found their place on the list. The two oldest games come from our very first year, 1993, one of which had to be grandfathered in on the basis that it was reviewed in issue one, the other having an equally notable place in Edge history. The newest game on the list, meanwhile, is just a few months old, while the most recent to attract significant support is Baldur’s Gate 3, which narrowly missed out on a spot in the final 100, surely in part because it was released late in 2023, during our voting window.
In terms of games that didn’t make it, you’ll notice the absence of some storied series from the list. In part this is a result of long-running series splitting the vote; how do you pin down the greatest Civilization, for instance? Do you reward that first spark of innovation, the most polished entry, or just a personal favourite? Everyone had their own answer to such questions.
Fire Emblem and Dragon Quest were two victims of this effect, while another Japanese series of similar vintage saw just a single representative make the cut. But most of all it impacted series that receive regular, iterative instalments – in particular, those in the sports, racing and music genres. While there was a clear preference for the glory days of Pro Evolution Soccer (and its predecessor, ISS) over FIFA, for example, no single incarnation received more than a single nomination, and the handful of NHL devotees who voted will be likewise disappointed. The Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games attracted more significant support, but split evenly between 1, 2 and 3; while Burnout 3 and Paradise both vied for places but ultimately pushed each other off the road. More than one other Edge-favourite racing series met a similar fate; we’ll let you discover which for yourself. As for choosing between Guitar Hero and Rock Band, well, let’s say they didn’t exactly help each other.