NotPopCulture: The 50-26 Greatest Games of the Decade

Everyone loves a list don't they? This being the final month before we head into Space Year 2010, the whole world's going list-mental. So being the bandwagon-jumping-fiend that I am, here's what I think have been the best, most important or most influential games of the decade. Putting them in a numerical order is obviously a little ridiculous, but I suppose I'd say the ones closer to "1" are slightly more essential than the ones nearer to "50".

The top 25 can be found here.

50. Super Monkey Ball (2001, GC)

In singleplayer it's disgustingly difficult at times yet hugely compulsive; in multiplayer it's hours of fun for all the family.

49. Metal Gear Solid 3 (2004, PS2)

Bombastic, over-the-top, but more playable than either its predecessor or successor

48. Zelda: Wind Waker (2003, Gamecube)

Certainly among the best looking games of the decade, and with the exception of a lull toward the end, a brilliant adventure.

47. Project Gotham Racing (2001, Xbox)

While the rest of the field was chasing realism and soulless “maxing” of your vehicle, the spiritual successor to Metropolis Street Racer knew it was all about style.

46. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (2006, PS2)

Imagine a videogame version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that abandons the usual JRPG plot conventions and adds a bit of dating sim, and you're on your way to understanding what a delightfully charming game this is.

45. Metroid Prime (2002, Gamecube)

Many doubted whether it could ever work in 3D. They were wrong.

44. Final Fantasy X (2001, PS2)

A well told story, even if the protagonist is a little on the whiny side.

43. Okami (2007, PS2, Wii)

The most beautiful and memorable of a fine bunch of games by the sadly now defunct Clover studios.

42. Bully/Canis Canem Edit (2005, PS2. Wii, Xbox 360, PC)

A brilliant satire of school life.

41. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002, PC, Xbox)

A ridiculously ambitious roleplaying game, whose size and scope still embarrasses many more recent games.

40. Football Manager (2000-2009, PC)

Addictedness rating currently at, “turning you underwear inside out saves on washing”.

39. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (2003, PS2, Xbox, GC)

Beautifully designed and a joy to control.

38. Team Fortress 2 (2008, PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

As good as class-based multiplayer games get

37. Braid (2008, PC, Mac, 360. PS3)

It's rare for a modern videogame to be the creative vision of just one man, and even rarer for it to be this good and have so big an impact.

36. Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009, Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

A wonderfully polished game that perfectly captures the essence of comic book Batman character.

35. Mario Kart DS (2005, DS)

Simply the best Mario Kart game of the decade.

34. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 (2008, Xbox 360)

Brought high-score chasing back into fashion.

33. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (2002, GC)

Admittedly controls like a game made eight years ago, but simulates the process of going mad quite brilliantly.

32. Mass Effect (2007, Xbox 360, PC)

Gripping big-budget sci-fi epic, that might just be the start of the first great videogame trilogy.

31. Perfect Dark (2000, N64)

The N64 groans under the weight of everything it tried to do, but the Arcade remake due next year is worth getting excited about.

30. Crackdown (2004, Xbox 360)

A proper superhero sandbox game, where you end up able to leap over buildings and punch cars across town. Joyous.

29. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (2007, PC)