In November of 1997 Electronic Gaming Monthly celebrated its 100th issue by compiling a list of the "Top 100 Games Ever". Although the list is now a bit dated, and they ignore every from before the NES (except by putting "90 percent of the Atari 2600 games released in '83 and '84 (So bad, they crashed the industry!)" at the top of their "Top 10 Worst Games of all Time" sublist) I still find it a fascinating read. The article itself is great, with a capsule summary, "It made the list because..." "Coolest part", and an extra factoid for each game.
I ran some simple numerical analysis on the list, to see which systems and years made out the best. (Count is how many times an item appears on the list, Quality Points is (101 - the games rank).) Notice some games appear twice, released for different systems.
The Statistics
Rank Name System Manufacturer Year
100 Qix NES Nintendo 1990
99 Samurai Shodown Neo*Geo SNK 1993
98 Virtua Cop 2 Saturn Sega 1996
97 MLB 98 PlayStation Sony 1997
96 WipeOut XL PlayStation Psygnosis 1996
95 DecAthlete Saturn Sega Sports 1996
94 Ice Hockey NES Nintendo 1988
93 Blast Corps Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1997
92 Flashback Genesis U.S. Gold 1993
91 Axelay Super NES Konami 1992
90 Panzer Dragoon Zwei Saturn Sega 1995
89 Ms. Pac-Man Genesis Tengen 1991
89 Ms. Pac-Man Super NES Williams 1996
88 Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos NES Tecmo 1990
87 Baseball Stars NES SNK 1989
86 Galactic Attack Saturn Acclaim 1996
85 Bonk's Adventure TurboGrafx-16 HudsonSoft 1990
84 Kirby's Avelanche Super NES Nintendo 1994
84 Mean Bean Machine Genesis Sega 1993
83 Revenge of Shinobi Genesis Sega 1989
82 Jumping Flash! 2 PlayStation SCEA 1996
81 Sega Rally Championship Saturn Sega 1995
80 Legendary Axe TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1989
79 Virtua Fighter 2 Saturn Sega 1995
78 Mega Man X4 PlayStation Capcom 1997
78 Mega Man X4 Saturn Capcom 1997
77 Blazing Lazers TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1989
76 Life Force NES Konami 1988
75 ActRaiser Super NES Enix 1991
74 Worldwide Soccer '97 Saturn Sega 1997
73 Mega Man 2 NES Capcom 1989
72 Zelda II: The Adventures of Link NES Nintendo 1989
71 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Genesis Sega 1992
70 NiGHTS Saturn Sega 1996
69 Snatcher Sega CD Konami 1994
68 WaveRace 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1996
67 Game Boy Donkey Kong Game Boy Nintendo 1994
66 Guardian Heroes Saturn Sega 1996
65 Tecmo Super Bowl NES Tecmo 1991
64 Twisted Metal 2: World Tour PlayStation Sony 1996
63 Return Fire 3DO Prolific Publishing 1995
62 Phantasy Star Sega Master System Sega 1988
61 NHL Hockey '94 Genesis EA Sports 1993
60 Shining Force II Genesis Sega 1994
59 Thunder Force III Genesis TechnoSoft 1991
58 Dragon Warrior IV NES Enix 1992
57 Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse NES Konami 1990
56 Super Punch-Out!! Super NES Nintendo 1994
55 Dragon Force Saturn Working Designs 1996
54 Tomb Raider PlayStation Eidos Interactive 1996
53 Gates of Thunder TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1992
52 R.C. Pro Am NES Nintendo 1987
51 Tekken 2 PlayStation Namco 1996
50 Devil's Crush TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1990
49 Mario Kart 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1997
48 Military Madness TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1989
47 Ghouls 'n Ghosts Genesis Sega 1989
46 Space MegaForce Super NES Toho 1992
45 Contra NES Konami 1988
44 Metroid NES Nintendo 1986
43 Herzog Zwei Genesis Sega 1989
42 Strider Genesis Capcom 1990
41 Arkanoid NES Taito 1986
40 Lunar: Eternal Blue Sega CD Working Designs 1995
39 Star Fox 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1997
38 Ys Books I and II TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1990
37 Super Mario Bros. NES Nintendo 1985
37 Super Mario Bros. Super NES Nintendo 1993
36 Street Fighter Alpha 2 Saturn Capcom 1996
35 Metal Gear NES Ultra 1988
34 Kid Icarus NES Nintendo 1987
33 NBA Live 97 PlayStation Electronic Arts 1997
32 Bionic Commando NES Capcom 1988
31 NFL GameDay 98 PlayStation Sony 1997
30 Phantasy Star II Genesis Sega 1989
29 Chrono Trigger Super NES Square 1995
28 The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Game Boy Nintendo 1994
27 Gunstar Heroes Genesis Sega 1993
26 Super Mario RPG Super NES Nintendo 1996
25 Golden Eye 007 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1997
24 International SuperStar Soccer 64 Nintendo 64 Konami 1997
23 R-Type III Super NES Jaleco 1994
22 Super Ghouls 'N' Ghosts Super NES Capcom 1991
21 Final Fantasy VII PlayStation Square 1997
20 Super Castlevania Super NES Konami 1991
19 Madden NFL 98 Saturn Electronic Arts 1997
19 Madden NFL 98 PlayStation Electronic Arts 1997
18 F-ZERO Super NES Nintendo 1991
17 Sonic CD Sega CD Sega of America 1993
16 Tetris Attack Super NES Nintendo 1996
15 Super Mario Kart Super NES Nintendo 1992
14 Super Mario Bros. 2 NES Nintendo 1988
14 Super Mario Bros. 2 Super NES Nintendo 1993
13 The Legend of Zelda NES Nintendo 1987
12 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night PlayStation Konami 1997
11 Super Mario World Super NES Nintendo 1991
10 Saturn Bomberman Saturn Sega 1997
9 Final Fantasy III Super NES Nintendo 1994
8 Contra III: The Alien Wars Super NES Konami 1992
7 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Super NES Nintendo 1995
6 Super Metroid Super NES Nintendo 1994
5 Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting Super NES Capcom 1993
4 Super Mario 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1996
3 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Super NES Nintendo 1992
2 Super Mario Bros. 3 NES Nintendo 1990
2 Super Mario Bros. 3 Super NES Nintendo 1993
1 Tetris Multiplatform Alexy Pajitnov 1988
I ran some simple numerical analysis on the list, to see which systems and years made out the best. (Count is how many times an item appears on the list, Quality Points is (101 - the games rank).) Notice some games appear twice, released for different systems.
The Statistics
Rank Name System Manufacturer Year
100 Qix NES Nintendo 1990
99 Samurai Shodown Neo*Geo SNK 1993
98 Virtua Cop 2 Saturn Sega 1996
97 MLB 98 PlayStation Sony 1997
96 WipeOut XL PlayStation Psygnosis 1996
95 DecAthlete Saturn Sega Sports 1996
94 Ice Hockey NES Nintendo 1988
93 Blast Corps Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1997
92 Flashback Genesis U.S. Gold 1993
91 Axelay Super NES Konami 1992
90 Panzer Dragoon Zwei Saturn Sega 1995
89 Ms. Pac-Man Genesis Tengen 1991
89 Ms. Pac-Man Super NES Williams 1996
88 Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos NES Tecmo 1990
87 Baseball Stars NES SNK 1989
86 Galactic Attack Saturn Acclaim 1996
85 Bonk's Adventure TurboGrafx-16 HudsonSoft 1990
84 Kirby's Avelanche Super NES Nintendo 1994
84 Mean Bean Machine Genesis Sega 1993
83 Revenge of Shinobi Genesis Sega 1989
82 Jumping Flash! 2 PlayStation SCEA 1996
81 Sega Rally Championship Saturn Sega 1995
80 Legendary Axe TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1989
79 Virtua Fighter 2 Saturn Sega 1995
78 Mega Man X4 PlayStation Capcom 1997
78 Mega Man X4 Saturn Capcom 1997
77 Blazing Lazers TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1989
76 Life Force NES Konami 1988
75 ActRaiser Super NES Enix 1991
74 Worldwide Soccer '97 Saturn Sega 1997
73 Mega Man 2 NES Capcom 1989
72 Zelda II: The Adventures of Link NES Nintendo 1989
71 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Genesis Sega 1992
70 NiGHTS Saturn Sega 1996
69 Snatcher Sega CD Konami 1994
68 WaveRace 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1996
67 Game Boy Donkey Kong Game Boy Nintendo 1994
66 Guardian Heroes Saturn Sega 1996
65 Tecmo Super Bowl NES Tecmo 1991
64 Twisted Metal 2: World Tour PlayStation Sony 1996
63 Return Fire 3DO Prolific Publishing 1995
62 Phantasy Star Sega Master System Sega 1988
61 NHL Hockey '94 Genesis EA Sports 1993
60 Shining Force II Genesis Sega 1994
59 Thunder Force III Genesis TechnoSoft 1991
58 Dragon Warrior IV NES Enix 1992
57 Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse NES Konami 1990
56 Super Punch-Out!! Super NES Nintendo 1994
55 Dragon Force Saturn Working Designs 1996
54 Tomb Raider PlayStation Eidos Interactive 1996
53 Gates of Thunder TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1992
52 R.C. Pro Am NES Nintendo 1987
51 Tekken 2 PlayStation Namco 1996
50 Devil's Crush TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1990
49 Mario Kart 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1997
48 Military Madness TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1989
47 Ghouls 'n Ghosts Genesis Sega 1989
46 Space MegaForce Super NES Toho 1992
45 Contra NES Konami 1988
44 Metroid NES Nintendo 1986
43 Herzog Zwei Genesis Sega 1989
42 Strider Genesis Capcom 1990
41 Arkanoid NES Taito 1986
40 Lunar: Eternal Blue Sega CD Working Designs 1995
39 Star Fox 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1997
38 Ys Books I and II TurboGrafx-16 NEC 1990
37 Super Mario Bros. NES Nintendo 1985
37 Super Mario Bros. Super NES Nintendo 1993
36 Street Fighter Alpha 2 Saturn Capcom 1996
35 Metal Gear NES Ultra 1988
34 Kid Icarus NES Nintendo 1987
33 NBA Live 97 PlayStation Electronic Arts 1997
32 Bionic Commando NES Capcom 1988
31 NFL GameDay 98 PlayStation Sony 1997
30 Phantasy Star II Genesis Sega 1989
29 Chrono Trigger Super NES Square 1995
28 The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Game Boy Nintendo 1994
27 Gunstar Heroes Genesis Sega 1993
26 Super Mario RPG Super NES Nintendo 1996
25 Golden Eye 007 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1997
24 International SuperStar Soccer 64 Nintendo 64 Konami 1997
23 R-Type III Super NES Jaleco 1994
22 Super Ghouls 'N' Ghosts Super NES Capcom 1991
21 Final Fantasy VII PlayStation Square 1997
20 Super Castlevania Super NES Konami 1991
19 Madden NFL 98 Saturn Electronic Arts 1997
19 Madden NFL 98 PlayStation Electronic Arts 1997
18 F-ZERO Super NES Nintendo 1991
17 Sonic CD Sega CD Sega of America 1993
16 Tetris Attack Super NES Nintendo 1996
15 Super Mario Kart Super NES Nintendo 1992
14 Super Mario Bros. 2 NES Nintendo 1988
14 Super Mario Bros. 2 Super NES Nintendo 1993
13 The Legend of Zelda NES Nintendo 1987
12 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night PlayStation Konami 1997
11 Super Mario World Super NES Nintendo 1991
10 Saturn Bomberman Saturn Sega 1997
9 Final Fantasy III Super NES Nintendo 1994
8 Contra III: The Alien Wars Super NES Konami 1992
7 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Super NES Nintendo 1995
6 Super Metroid Super NES Nintendo 1994
5 Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting Super NES Capcom 1993
4 Super Mario 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo 1996
3 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Super NES Nintendo 1992
2 Super Mario Bros. 3 NES Nintendo 1990
2 Super Mario Bros. 3 Super NES Nintendo 1993
1 Tetris Multiplatform Alexy Pajitnov 1988