Name: Ms. Pac Man
Platform: Arcade
Developer: Namco
Publisher: Midway
Year Released: 1981
Why it Made the Top 100 List: The easy-to-spot brilliance of Ms. Pac-Man lies in the simple gameplay and extraordinary accessibility. Anybody can play this arcade game right from the get-go, yet mastering the increased speeds and changing enemy patterns, and navigating the tricky maps with skill, is another thing entirely. Ms. Pac-Man was indeed a sequel, but along with its familiarity came cut-scenes, traveling food, more aggressive AI, and a complexity that built on the first without ruining it. Play this game today and you'll find it just as charming, enticing, and deep as it was in 1981. Plus, Namco brought a cheerful female lead character to the fray. Take that Lara Croft!

Name: Metal Gear Solid
Platform: PlayStation
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Year Released: 1998
Why it Made the Top 100 List: While loads of other games were chasing the goal of a cinematic experience with cutscenes set between regular action, Metal Gear Solid was a landmark: a game that truly felt like a movie with its expert mix of storytelling and gameplay. Attention to detail was lavished on several different aspects from the conspiracy theory storyline to the environment, but most notably on the unique and innovative fights that stand out several years later. As the founder of the stealth genre, the original experience is still the benchmark against which the followers are measured.

Name: ICO
Platform: PlayStation 2
Developer: SCEI
Publisher: SCEA
Year Released: 2001
Why it Made the Top 100 List: ICO's originality and near-perfection extended through every aspect of its experience. In the days of "more is better", ICO took the road less traveled and essentially abandoned the player in an almost entirely deserted castle, causing the environment itself to become a supporting character. The complete sense of loneliness makes ICO one of the more emotionally affecting games in history. As such, the game's art direction was essential in giving life to the title and it did so phenomenally. Very few games in history have blended game design and visuals together so seamlessly.

Name: Star Control 2
Platform: PC
Developer: Toys for Bob
Publisher: Accolade
Year Released: 1992
Why it Made the Top 100 List: Star Control 2 is one of those games that's very fondly remembered by pretty much everyone that played it. Not only did it let you save the universe from an evil race bent on enslaving everything it came across, but it did so with a lot of action, adventure, and freedom of choice -- not exactly common in these types of games back in 1992. Accolade created one hell of a space adventure, leaving us wondering why this isn't one of the series being revisited in this time of sequels and remakes.

Name: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Platform: PlayStation
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Year Released: 1997
Why it Made the Top 100 List: In the middle of the 3D age this 2D game came out and it was absolutely great. Although some of you may have a hard time wrapping your imaginations around what that exactly entails, just note that Konami's Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is an amazing experience. No one had considered that 2D games still had this much potential when it came out, but anyone who played SotN understands what the hype is all about. We followed the heroic Alucard through his dad's house, guiding his attacks against a flurry of demonic jerks. There was a huge range of weapons at our disposal and we even had access to some awesome magic upgrades. It could even be argued that this game is better than its 3D successor, Castlevania: Lament of Innocence. If that sounds absurd, go play and see for yourself.

Name: Super Mario Kart
Platform: SNES
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Year Released: 1992
Why it Made the Top 100 List: There have been few games which provide as many hours of fun as Super Mario Kart. It offered fast and challenging single-player gaming and furious competitive play thanks to the tight skill-based system of driving that let the real masters show their stuff. While the other games in the series have their own appeal, they simply don't have courses as tight, fast, and perfect as the original Kart masterpiece. When shaving a hundredth of a second off of a track time becomes an obsession, you know it's a good game. Plus, given the right crowd, it makes a brilliant drinking game!

Name: Rome: Total War
Platform: PC
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Publisher: Activision
Year Released: 2004
Why it Made the Top 100 List: A relative newcomer to the list, Rome: Total War nevertheless deserves its place here as the most cinematic and convincing representations of warfare available on any platform. Showcasing almost the whole panoply of ancient Roman Republican warfare, Rome: Total War is filled with everything a strategy gamer could want. Thousands of ancient warriors, from charioteers to hoplites, square off against each other in a beautiful 3D environment. The sights and sounds of battle have never been more compelling than they are here. A grand strategic campaign lets players train and march their armies across a map of Europe, North Africa and the Near East.

Name: Chrono Trigger
Platform: SNES
Developer: Dream Project
Publisher: Squaresoft
Year Released: 1995
Why it Made the Top 100 List: While many credit the Final Fantasy series for bringing role-playing games to the masses, Chrono Trigger is considered by many to be the best console RPG of all time. It has all the requirements of a great Japanese RPG -- time travel, animal morphing and a brilliant soundtrack. With character designs by Akira Toriyama and a score by Yasunori Mitsuda and Nobuo Uematsu, this dynamic adventure has the perfect pedigree. Featuring more than a dozen unique endings, vivid characterization and great gameplay, it's no surprise Chrono Trigger is our highest-ranked RPG.

Name: X-COM: UFO Defense
Platform: PC
Developer: Mythos Games
Publisher: Microprose
Year Released: 1994
Why it Made the Top 100 List: 1994 was certainly a memorable year. But while some will remember the cancelled World Series, that horrible Ace of Base song, and ice skaters clubbing each other in the leg, for us 1994 will always be remembered as the year of X-COM. The wonderful turn-based strategy game really has it all. Players battle an alien invasion all across the globe by building bases and handling inventory, intercepting and attacking UFOs, managing a staff of researchers and engineers, and sending your squads of soldiers off to engage in one of the most intense, enjoyable turn-based tactical games ever. Track this one down and we promise you won't be disappointed.

Name: Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Platform: SNES
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
Year Released: 1992
Why it Made our Top 100 List: The third game in Nintendo's acclaimed Zelda series, A Link to the Past ranks near Ocarina of Time as one of the greatest titles for a Nintendo platform. The game combines elements from its predecessors and spruces up the experience with updated visuals. Link must battle through a huge quest spanning two worlds, several complex dungeons and through opposition that includes huge monsters and an evil wizard. The game's wonderfully conceived exploration elements, environmental puzzles, colorful graphics and inspired soundtrack help it to stand out above the cream of the Zelda crop. A collector's item and a classic for any Zelda fan.