Best Game Series Ever Countdown

[Smudge]

Ive tried with Elder Scrolls, but it must be a Bethesda thing, as I cant deal with Fallout either. Cant deal with the controls, the inventory, skills etc, and theres so much to do, it gets overwhelmingly boring. Much prefer Baldur's Gate.

 

[Smudge]

Also on 39 points but more lists...
17th: Sonic the Hedgehog (4 lists)

Games in series to date: 30 (1991-2013)
Genre: Platformer
Platforms: 18 (Mega Drive, Master System, Game Gear, Sega CD, PC, Sega Saturn, Sega 32X, Neo Geo Pocket Colour, Sega Dreamcast, Gameboy Advance, Playstation 2, Xbox, Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U)
Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog (MS & GG), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (MS & GG), Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic CD, Sonic Chaos, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble, Knuckles Chaotix, Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic Blast, Sonic Adventure, Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Advance, Sonic Advance 2, Sonic Advance 3, Sonic Heroes, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) Sonic Rush, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic Rush Adventure, Sonic Unleashed, Sonic and the Black Knight, Sonic 4 Episode 1, Sonic Colours, Sonic Generations, Sonic 4 Episode 2, Sonic: Lost World.

Sega's original mascot who has sadly declined along with them. Once the absolute king of platformers and a legitimate rival to Mario with its speed, awesome music and excitement, with the exception of the recent Sonic 4 episodes and Sonic Generations which briefly recreated everything boss about retro Sonic with a modern twist, Sonic has been on the downward spiral since the Dreamcast. Not to say that the original Mega Drive/ Master System games were not and still are retro classics. The Sonic & Knuckles add on cartridge to give you even more playability out of Sonic 2 & 3 as well as multiple characters and endings was revolutionary, the boss fights were always memorable, the endings always worth your while. Everything they tried in the early days came off, from the hang glider in Sonic 2 on the Master System, to being able to control Tails in single player, the hidden bonus stages in Sonic 3 & S&K, to the classic Tails biplane. To a generation, Sonic will always be awesome, no matter how many terrible efforts they add to the franchise.

 

[Cas]

Sonic and Knuckles was my favourite of the series. Only ever played the Megadrive entries though.

 

[Smudge]

I always enjoyed the Master System ones too actually. Quite rare I suppose that even though the first Sonic game on both MD & MS were released the same year, they were completely different games, different levels etc. Sonic 2 on the Master System was excellent. You couldnt reach the final level unless you had found the Chaos Emerald on each level.

Sonic 3 & Knuckles was stunning though.

 

[Oaf]

Sonic is great. Old, fat, non speaking Sonic that is. Skinny speaking Sonic can do one.

 

[Don Tonberry]

I thought that Sega might have revived Sonic after Generations but nope, if anything the franchise is even worse now.

 

[Smudge]

Next up on 42 points...
16th: Championship/ Football Manager (3 lists)

Games in series to date: 30 (1992-2014)
Genre: Football Management
Platforms: 3 (PC, PSP, Xbox 360)
Championship Manager, Championship Manager 93, Championship Manager 2, Championship Manager 96/97, Championship Manager 97/98, Championship Manager 3, Championship Manager 99/00, Championship Manager 00/01, Championship Manager 01/02, Championship Manager 4, Championship Manager 03/04, Championship Manager 5, Championship Manager Online, Championship Manager 2006-2011, Football Manager 2005-2015

Another life sapping social life destroying classic. Im pretty sure any football supporting gamer has ploughed far too many hours into at least one game in the series. (Mine were 97/98 and 01/02...) Its got a bit too realistic for me personally now and I miss the simplicity and fun of the older games. But the level of detail involved now has only made it even more popular and life draining for most.

 

[Smally]

Sonic Adventure 2 was the last Sonic game I really played, apparantly the series went majorly down hill from there, with the odd exception like Generations, Shadow the Hedgehog and the Wii games.

Sega even came out and said recently that they've been a bit shit. Hopefully they can get sonic back to the levels it once was at. Sonic 3 & Knuckles was a masterpiece

Football manager is just plain addictive. Loved it since the first once I played (96/97) and can see me dipping in and out of it for a few more years yet

 

[Smudge]

Next up on 46 points...
15th: Uncharted (3 lists)

Games in series to date: 5 (2007-2012)
Genre: Action, adventure, shooter
Platforms: 3 (Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation Vita)
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Uncharted: Fight for Fortune

One Im quite new too, having only started the first one a few weeks ago, but it seems to have filled the gap on Playstation left behind by Tomb Raider finding itself again. One of the most popular selling series on the PS3, with a 4th series installment coming next year, the series focusses on adventurer Nathan Drake and his travels around the world searching for various relics. Tomb Raider but a bit more action rather than puzzle orientated, which isnt necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Smally]

Uncharted 2 is a fantastic game, one of the best I've played on PS3. Uncharted 3, while not quite as good as 2 had some memorable set pieces and again another superb game. The first one, while probably the weakest, is still really good as well. Not played the PSP games but on the whole Uncharted is a great series. Another reason I wish I had a PS4

 

[Oaf]

15th?!?!

 

[Smudge]

Coming highly in 3 lists on 48 points...
14th: Dark Souls (2 lists)

Games in series to date: 2 (2011-2014)
Genre: Action RPG
Platforms: 3 (Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
Dark Souls, Dark Souls II

I havent really played this, did get a free download of the first one but havent played it properly yet. Dark Souls has already entered gaming folklore for its unforgiving, and almost retro difficulty! Quite old fashioned too in the way it gives you very little to start with in terms of plot and equipment, and you are expected to fill in the gaps and learn as you go like you used to in old games!

 

[Smudge]

On 50 points next its...
13th: Mario (4 lists)

Games in series to date: 18 (1985-2013)
Genre: Platformer
Platforms: 9 (NES, Gameboy, SNES, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii U)
Super Mario Brothers, Super Mario: The Lost Levels (Mario 2 in Japan, only ever released on Mario Allstars on SNES IN US/UK) Super Mario Brothers 2, Super Mario Brothers 3, Super Mario Land, Super Mario World, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, New Super Mario Brothers, Super Mario Galaxy, New Super Mario Brothers Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Mario 3D Land, New Super Mario Brothers 2, New Super Mario Brothers U, Super Mario 3D World .

Fairly inevitable given Sonic's decline, but Mario wins the king of the mascots these days. As popular now as he was when the first game was released on the NES 30 years ago, Mario gets better and better. There have been some innovations and changes along the way, but for the most part, Nintendo have kept their big seller simple. The recent games still capture that same excitement and excellent level design that they always did. Generations of gamers have grown up playing Mario. I know I have! From playing the original trilogy on my cousin's NES, to owning Mario World on the SNES and me and my best mate finding Star World and all the secret exits. From whiling away road trips with the Mario Land games, the sheer open mouthed size of Mario 64, to the brilliant simultaneous 4 player fun of the New Super Mario Brothers. Mario is one thing Nintendo have never got wrong.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

I myself was a sonic to Mario player (in the 90's you had to pick one or other as couldn't play both on one console like most games thesedays) but I think Mario was easier to modernize to 3d than sonic which just didn't work in 3d, I think probably because Sonic goes too fast to really look good in 3d.

but I also think the big boost Mario got to Sonic was Mario Kart............a great alternative with the same characters. but because I was a Sega guy over a Nintendo guy I've never actually yet properly played a full Mario game............even 20 years later, tut, tut. played Mario Kart as you went to friends and the old 2-4 player games were on, but never Mario.

 

[Smudge]

Mario may have beat Sonic, but he's not king of the platformers, just 1 point ahead on 51 points is...
12th: Crash Bandicoot (6 lists)

Games in series to date: 7 (1996-2008)
Genre: Platformer
Platforms: 9 (Playstation, Playstation 2, Xbox, Nintendo Gamecube, Xbox 360, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Playstation Portable)
Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, Crash Twinsanity, Crash of the Titans, Crash: Mind Over Mutant

To be honest, apart from the racing games which arent included here, I didnt realise there had been any Crash games since Warped on the PS1! Sony's answer to Sonic and Mario with their own mascot platformer, making use of the jump to 3D graphics, and its more unusual 3rd person view rather than side on! Solid platform series with good humour, good levels and ever increasing difficulty!

 

[Oaf]

FUCKING YES. Crash is the king of platform.

Warped was the series high point for me. Brilliant game.

 

[Don Tonberry]

There hasn't been a decent Crash platformer since Warped, to be honest.

 

[Oaf]

That is true. In fact I say this, but I've never actually played any since Warped. But those first 3 games. So good. I'd love to see Naughty Dog go back and give a proper Crash Bandicoot 4 a go, now that they're basically the best thing ever, just to see what they'd come up with. Though I'm sure that there are rights issues and such that'd cock it all up.

 

[Smudge]

Just missing out on the top 10 on 55 points, only by virtue of the number of lists it was selected on...
11th: Batman Arkham (4 lists)

Games in series to date: 5 (2009-2015)
Genre: Action
Platforms: 8 (Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Playstation Vita, Playstation 4, Xbox One)
Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Arkham Origins, Arkham Origins Blackgate, Arkham Knight

Made the top 3 in my own list, and thats without having played the new one yet! The series that brought the Batman mythology to the new gen, and what a series it is. Written predominantly by old school Batman writer Paul Dini, it's Batman at his best. Fantastic action, gadgets for every situation, the Riddler trophies giving the puzzle element, brilliant boss fights, and a cast of pretty much anyone who's anyone in the Batman universe. Arkham Origins was a bit of a disappointment after the first 2, but I think that says more for the quality of the series overall, rather than saying Origins is a bad game. Arkham Asylum as far as Im concerned is one of the best games ever made.

 

[Oaf]

It's amazing just how right they got a Batman game with Arkham Asylum. So many attempts before at delivering us mediocre Batman games then suddenly Asylum came along and seemed to get it near perfect. The predator/hunting style gameplay, the gadgets, the amazing fighting system and a brilliant Batman story came together to give us something special. And then they went and did it again with City and Knight (which I still haven't finished yet, but am looking to finish off tonight hopefully). After seeing how well Batman can be translated to a video game, looking back it seems amazing that it even took them this long to get it this right in the first place when there was that much potential there.

But it seems a bit short sighted to simply label it as a "Great Batman game", because it really is just a great game series full stop. I seem to be thinking that Arkham Knight is the end for the series, but that'd be a massive shame... I do wonder what is next, though. Start a new, non Arkham trilogy? Or go with another hero altogether...? I reckon they could do a cracking job with The Green Arrow. Plus there are always rumours flying around that they're looking to go for a Superman game. Superman sounds so damned hard to get right... but so did Batman before Arkham Asylum. If anybody can do it, these guys can.

 

[Don Tonberry]

I do love the Arkham games. I'm undecided on which one is my favourite but probably City just because it has the best overall cast of characters and that part of the story is the best. Also expanded on everything that was good about Asylum, too.

 

[Jockney]

I played arkham asylum again recently and was really indifferent to a lot of it -- especially the storyline and its mission structure. There just isn't a great deal to it and most of the missions are a variation on the same theme (i.e. recover something via heavily staged set pieces and stealth sections). What it gets right is the art design and tone, esp the scarecrow sections.

 

[Smudge]

I dont know, I still think Arkham Asylum is pretty strong. The overall storyline is fairly linear by today's standards, but I dont think thats a bad thing. City is good too, and expands on the surroundings and characters a lot more, but overall I always lean towards Asylum. I think City overdid it with the challenges, far too many with the campaigns too, and then if you're a damn completionist like me, you've got to do exactly the same thing with 4 different characters! It wouldnt be so bad if there was at least different maps for different characters, but they are all the same. Likewise it gets a bit annoying going for the 100% that you have to redo every little side mission. Ive currently got 97% on the New Game Plus playthrough, all Im missing is the street crimes...which spawn at random. There's nothing else for me to be getting on with, so I just put it on every now and then, glide around aimlessly until I get bored and give up again!

 

[Smudge]

So here we are, into the top 10. As ppinted out by number 11, just squeezing in by making more lists than Batman, on 55 points, its...
10th: The Legend of Zelda (6 lists)

Games in series to date: 16 (1986-2013)
Genre: Adventure, action, RPG, puzzle
Platforms: 11 (Famicom, NES, SNES, Gameboy, Nintendo 64, Gameboy Colour, Nintendo Gamecube, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS)
The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, The Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, Twilight Princess, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds.

Along with Mario, Nintendo's other mascot who can generally do no wrong. Link has been around almost as long, and like Mario, pretty much every gamer has played or owned at least one Zelda game in their life. With it's deep mythology and changing timescapes, the Zelda series is wide ranging across time and connection. The only real connections between them all is Link, Princess Zelda and the Triforce, with Ganon being the most regular villain. With classic sword and shield action elements, the boss fights and dungeon puzzles are now legendary, with many of the game using elements that completely change the landscape, and its learning how to use these elements to solve the puzzles, time travel in Oracle of Time, and the power to change the four seasons in Oracle of Seasons, or using music in Ocarina of Time. Like Mario, Nintendo rarely lose when it comes to Zelda, and its still one of their most popular series, with a new game coming to Wii U next year.

 

[Oaf]

Eh, fair enough.

Wind Waker is the best one, by the way.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Eh, fair enough.

Wind Waker is the best one, by the way.

I agree with you Oaf but I fear we're in the minority!

 

[Smudge]

Never actually played Wind Waker! Oracle of Seasons is my favourite!

 

[Don Tonberry]

Wind Waker gets a lot of shit because of the cel-shaded look but I think it oozes charm and I actually enjoyed the sea exploration side of things, too.

 

[Oaf]

Yeah, I think I'll always be a little biased toward it as it was my first Zelda game... but you Don says, the whole look of it was just so damned charming. And again like Don, I loved the whole sailing stuff. I've played Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword and OOT on the 3DS and none of them come close for me personally... in fact, Wind Waker is the only one I've actually completed!

I have to say though, I may have enjoyed Skyward Sword the second most out of them all. To be fair though, if we're talking about how great the games were for their time, then I can see why OOT is so highly rated. I can only imagine how cool that game would have seen back when it came out.

 

[Rammy]

I wish I'd seen this. Assassins Creed, Mario, and Zelda would most certainly have figured highly in my list.