The Game Canon

Since Greg Costikyan has just posted a list of 300 games that every game developer (or gamer) should now, here’s the game canon that me and Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen at the Game Center put together.

Note: Understand what status this list has: It was quickly put together in December to see if it is possible to create a list of the most important games of all time. It is certain that you will disagree.

It was created in response to a discussion at the Game Developer’s Conference in March, where it was suggested that IGDA or DiGRA should create a game canon listing all the games that a knowledgeable game developer or researcher should beware of.
I was against this not because I think canons are bad, but because canons are more useful when coming from an identifiable perspective than from the compromises of a committee.

The platforms are listed alphabetically, and each game is listed according to the platform that we have mostly played it on.
If you compare to Costikyan’s list, this list only discusses computer and video games. It is also quite European in that it includes the Commodore 64, Amiga, and ZX Spectrum [Timex Sinclair] but not the Apple II.

The list is, of course, completely objective. I think it makes sense.

Amiga
Defender of the crown
Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge
Battle Chess
Lemmings
Wings of Fury
Flashback
Blood Money

Arcade
Bomb jack
Death Race
Double Dragon
Battlezone
Space Invaders
Galaga
Lunar Lander
Mortal Kombat
Pacman
Night Driver
Outrun
Rampage
Space Invaders
Spy Hunter
Dragon’s Lair
Star Wars
Moon Patrol
Street Fighter *
Operation Wolf
Time Crisis
Gunfight
Galaxians
Gorf
Donkey Kong
Virtua Cop
Yie-Air Kungfu
Marble Madness
Qbert
Arkanoid
Asteroids
Tapper
Dig Dug

Commodore 64
Exploding Fist
International Karate
Elite
Mission Impossible
Commando
Little Computer People
Pitstop II
Matrix
Attack of the mutant camels
Revenge of the mutant camels
Sheep in space
Summer Games, Winter games, World Games, California Games
Football Manager
Raid on Bungeling Bay
Pirates
Blue Max
The Hobbit
Pinball Construction Set
Archon
Boulder Dash
Where in the world is Carmen San Diego
Monty Mole
Arkanoid
Barbarian
Beach Head
Raid on Moscow
Bruce Lee

Dreamcast
Shenmue
Crazy Taxi

Gameboy advance
Chu-Chu Rocket

Gamecube
Super Monkey Ball
Pikmin
Super Mario Sunshine
Metroid Prime

Macintosh
Maelstrom
Spectre VR
Balance of Power
Bolo

Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64
Starfox
Legend of Zelda

Other
Hearts
Minesweeper
Adventure
Tetris
Spacewar
Breakout
Sokoban
Hunt the Wumpus

PC
7th Guest
Myst, 2, 3, Riven
Monkey island
Blackout
Grim Fandango
King’s Quest
Space Quest
Lesiure Suit Larry
Maniac Mansion
Zork
Alone in the dark
Gabriel Knight
Day of the tentacle
Final Fantasy *
Last Express
Prince of Persia
Under a Killing Moon
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Blade Runner

Age of Empires
Age of Kings
Starcraft
Sim City
Sims
Civilization
Warcraft
Red Alert
Command & Conquer
Dune 2
Second Front
North & South
Colonization
Alpha Centauri
Railroad Tycoon
Rollercoaster Tycoon
Zoo Tycoon
Battle Isle
Europa Universalis

688 Attack Sub

Doom
Doom II
Quake 1,2,3
Wolfenstein
Magic Carpet
Descent
Unreal
American McGee’s Alice
Half-Life
Counterstrike
Battlefield 1942
Duke Nuke’m
Thief
Hitman 1 & 2
Max Payne
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Canon Fodder
No One Lives for Ever
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Serious Sam
Soldier of Fortune
Unreal Tournament
Tribes
Alien Vs. Predator
Deus Ex

EverQuest
Ultima *
Dark age of Camelot
Anarchy online
Asheron’s Call
Lineage
Baldur’s Gate
Diablo I & II

Wing Commander
Worms

Fifa
Actua Soccer
Flight Simulator

Heroes of Might and Magic
Warlords

Supercars
Micro Machines

Syndicate

Black & White
Dungeon Keeper
Populus
Megalomania

Airborne Ranger
Atomic Bomberman

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Barbie Fashion Designer
Bar Games

Playstation
Tomb Raider
Vib-Ribbon
Resident Evil
Gran Turismo
Tekken
Driver
Dance Dance Revolution
Parappa the Rapper
Metal Gear Solid
Puzzle Bubble / Bust-a-Move
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
Battle Area Toshinden

Playstation 2
Grand Theft Auto III
Gran Turismo III
Tekken 3 & 4
Metal Gear Solid 2

Super Nintendo (SNES)
Super Mario

Sega MegaDrive
Sonic the Hedgehog

Sega Saturn
Virtua Fighter

XBOX
Halo
Jet Set Radio Future

ZX Spectrum
Jetpac
Jet Set Willy
Sabre Wulf
Manic Miner

18 thoughts on “The Game Canon”

  1. Game Informer ran a piece this month called “The 50 Greatest Games of this Console Generation”. And, Jesper, you are right. It’s a great canon on its own because it comes from a perspective. But also because for each selection, they offer in summary why a game was chosen. I really enjoyed reading your list as well as Greg’s. But I am left wanting a game-by-game rationale. Not saying you have the time! But lists are pretty abstract. They leave a lot to the reader to connect the dots!

  2. “…all the games that a knowledgeable game developer or researcher should beware of.”

    More truth in that than maybe you intended…

    It’s truly sad (and scary and humbling) how many of the games on the list are essentially unavailable to anyone who wanted to play them now.

  3. two X-windows games for that list: netrek (www.netrek.org) and X-pilot, they are as important as the Mac’s “bolo” to the history of the developement of networked gameplay.

  4. I can understand not having the Fallout series on the list–even though it’s a very well-developed game, it’s not quite as important as some others. But leaving off games like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, two games repeatedly voted best of the best of their respective systems (SNES, Playstation), is practically unforgivable. I would also assert that grouping game series together in one title is also short-sighted; e.g. Warcraft II is more canon-worthy than Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, the series originator, is, just as Final Fantasy VII is more than others of the series.

  5. Hmm, for once I agree with all the comments here.
    Certainly X-Pilot, netrek, probably also nethack.
    And yes, the list is PC-centric, and there are a lot of omissions on the console side, especially previous generation consoles.
    And the numbering issue is relevant.
    I think we will make a new list soon.

  6. Great list. I’m curious why you included Jet Grind Radio Future on Xbox instead of the original on Dreamcast, which did far more in terms of impact (cell-shading and design) than the Xbox version. Also, I’ve noticed that Starflight and Pirates! are missing on both your list as well as Greg’s. I find that interesting, since they are open-ended gameplay oriented that pre-date GTA3.

    And finally, where’s ICO and REZ for the PS2? In many interviews in the last few months (Naughty Dog of Jak and Daxter/Crash fame, the guys designing the new Soul Reaver game) with designers they are making reference to ICO, not only as a puzzle adventure game but also in pioneering the interface-less presentation.

  7. Thanks for going to all the hard work of making this list BTW! At least I’ve played more of them than the Apple II section of costik.com’s list ;) Now for a few quick comments:

    1. Metroid Prime: Good to hear it’s going to pick up soon, all I’m seeing is an Unreal-style eye-candy FPS so far, I’m afraid.

    2. Blade Runner: IMO, it was _awful_. Multiple endings do not a good storyline make, in my experience.

    3: and finally — what, no Nethack! ;)

  8. Hrum. Ya know, because of lack of bolding, the Other and n64 categories are “hidden” in the Mac section. Jus’ sayin’.

    And I agree with the bloke who wanted a game-by-game explaination.

  9. Nice. But where are the Williams classics? Defender, Robotron, Joust? And what about Space War, granddaddy of all?

  10. Jet Set Radio Future? I can’t think of a more annoying game. You have GOT to be kidding me. The gameplay is somewhat interesting at first, but the soundtrack needs to die, and the game is just begins to get boring and reoccuring.

  11. I think the system orientated organization doesn’t make too much sense. So many of the early games ran on all the 8 bit platforms. For example all the Infocom games are much more associated with Apple, Commodore etc than PC, though they of course (eventurally) ran on all platforms. Organized by year would provide additional information IMO.

    Some additions:
    Apple II – Aztec, Autoduel, Lode Runner, A Mind Forever Voyaging (unique even for InfoCom)
    Macintosh – Marathon Trilogy

  12. I’m disappointed that ‘”The last ninja” isn’t in this game list.
    And what about the MSX?? Konami started it’s empire with that computer.
    So why isn’t it worth mentioning?
    In other words. This list is everything but complete.

  13. As I’ve said, it’s an attempt at seeing what would happen if you made such a list. And it’s quite Euro-centric, and MSX was never very big here.
    I guess I could make some kind of system where people could propose new games and vote on them.

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