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[TheDraconian]

Hey GaF.
This is a thread for highlighting those games, which you feel represented the pinnacle of gaming over those years.

I didn't place a limit to the number of years to which you can list out games (to allow various ranges of listings).

If you feel like it, you can also add a little discussion to give an exposition to your listing.

Lets Go!

Edit: Meant to say "Games of the Year(s)". Sorry about that.

 

[TheDraconian]

I'll begin with my own list, starting from 1996.

1996 - Super Mario 64
1997 - GoldenEye 007
1998 - Metal Gear Solid
1999 - Shenmue
2000 - Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
2001 - Metal Gear Solid 2
2002 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
2003 - Max Payne 2
2004 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas & Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
2005 - Shadow of the Colossus
2006 - Ōkami
2007 - BioShock
2008 - Grand Theft Auto IV
2009 - Uncharted 2
2010 - Mass Effect 2
2011 - Batman: Arkham City & Portal 2
2012 - Journey
2013 - BioShock Infinite
2015 - Metal Gear Solid V
2016 - INSIDE
2017 - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018 - Tetris Effect & Red Dead Redemption II
2019 - Disco Elysium
2020 - The Last of Us Part 2
2021 - Forza Horizon 5
2022 - God of War Ragnarök (hopefully)

I have particular interest in games with spectacular detail in them relative to their time (e.g. Shenmue, Metal Gear, Red Dead, Tlou2).

2004 was a very special year to me; in that my best games from that yr gave me two amazing gaming viewpoints: A brilliant, expansive open world with limitless exploration and a shitton of things to do, contrasted with an equally brilliant, more linear, gameplay focused experience with mind-blowing detail.

Sometimes, top-tier artistic value made me select some games over equally-amazing games (e.g. Ōkami over Bully, BioShock over Halo3, Journey over Max Payne 3, Disco Elysium over Sekiro, etc.)

2018 is my personal favourite year as Tetris Effect and RDR2 are tied as my favourite games.

Nothing really stood out to me in 2014, sadly.

 

[R6Rider]

I've tried making this list several times and in the end I always put way too much thought into it and can't decide on the top 3.

 

[TheDraconian]

I've tried making this list several times and in the end I always put way too much thought into it and can't decide on the to 3.

You only have to post top games (in your opinion) for a list of years.
NOT Top 10 for the year as you seem to think

 

[Captain Toad]

That's way too much work. I'd have to research what games came out every year and decide.

I'll just do this year. Elden Ring.

 

[Lady Jane]

2004 and 2007 were the best years

 

[nominedomine]

You already started is all wrong OP by listing multiple games in the same year.

All I know is that 1998 is an insane year and I would get stuck there.

 

[TheDraconian]

Guys, post whatever top games you know the years they came out.
No year limits.
Doesn't have to be a complete yr-by-yr list.

 

[Hobbygaming]

I won't look up the years for some lol

TLOU 2013
Ghost of Tsushima 2020
Nier Automata 2017
Gears 1
Uncharted 4 2016
Shenmue
Final Fantasy 7 (PS1)
Spider-man 2018
Horizon Forbidden West 2022 (so far)
Tomb Raider 1
Tomb Raider 2
Resident Evil 1
Killer Instinct SNES
Returnal 2021

 

[TintoConCasera]

This was a lot of effort OP, you owe me a pack of Camels and a large bottle of Mahou.

1991 - The Legend of Zelda - A Link to the Past
1992 - Dragon Quest V
1993 - DOOM
1994 - Donkey Kong Country
1995 - Chrono Trigger
1996 - Quake
1997 - Castlevania SotN
1998 - The Legend of Zelda - Malon's Big Tits
1999 - Super Smash Bros.
2000 - Perfect Dark
2001 - Max Payne
2002 - Metroid Prime
2003 - Star Wars KOTOR
2004 - Metal Gear Solid 3
2005 - FEAR
2006 - TES IV: Oblivion
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy
2008 - Fallout 3
2009 - Left 4 Dead 2
2010 - Miranda's ass
2011 - Dark Souls
2012 - TIME IS RUNNING FREE, I FEEL LIKE LETTING GO
2013 - The Legend of Zelda - A Link Between Worlds
2014 - South Park & The Stick of Truth
2015 - Bloodborne
2016 - Persona 5
2017 - Nier: Automata
2018 - Monster Hunter World
2019 - Sekiro: My patience dies twice
2020 - Half-Life: Alyx
2021 - Shin Megami Tensei V
2022 - Elden Ring

People like talking about gaming droughts, but we still get tons of good games each year. But still, 1998 is the king.

 

[yamaci17]

1998 - half-life

1999 - age of empires ii

2000 - the sims

2001 - halo combat evolved. still holds strong even in 2022. this game rocks.

2002 - gta vice city

2003 -

2004 - half-life 2

2005 - god of war (2005)

2006 - elder scrolls iv

2007 - cod 4

2008 - gta iv (or fallout 3. really, i can't put one after another. but if i had to... it will be gta iv)

2009 - assassin's creed 2 (arkham asylum is also too stronk. but ac2 was something else)

2010 - red dead redemption

2011 - the elder 5 skyrim (shame that it overshadowed masterpieces such as portal 2 and arkham city... what a freaking year.)

2012 - dishonored (i see walking dead getting more awards, but nah. dishonored is my kind of game)

2013 - the last of us ( didn't like gta 5 that much honestly. for me, worst gta game, go figure )

2014 - divitiny original sin (yet to play dragon age inquisition. it might change my vote for this year. but who knows when I will play that one)

2015 - well, the witcher 3

2016 - well, blood and wine. and yes, it would be its own game and no one would bat an eye

2017 - breath of the wild (divintiy 2 also a strong contender. nier automata too... this year too is stacked)

2018 - red dead freaking redemption 2

2019 - control... but currently playing death stranding. who knows, maybe DS will take over. and a future candidate in disco elysium exists to be unraveled

2020 - cyberpunk 2077. hades could dethrone it for me. yet to play that one

2021 - halo infinite (it takes two will probably dethrone it)

2022 - elden ring, for now. probably won't change

 

[Furozen]

1990 - The Secret of Monkey Island
1991 - Leisure Suit Larry 5
1992 - Final Fantasy V
1993 - Leisure Suit Larry 6
1994 - Breath of Fire II
1995 - Phantasmagoria
1996 - Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail!
1997 - The Curse of Monkey Island
1998 - Metal Gear Solid
1999 - Gorky 17
2000 - Final Fantasy IX
2001 - Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel
2002 - Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
2003 - Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
2004 - Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
2005 - Resident Evil 4
2006 - Yakuza 2
2007 - God of War II
2008 - Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People
2009 - 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
2010 - Red Dead Redemption
2011 - Dark Souls
2012 - Yakuza 5
2013 - The Last of Us
2014 - Tales from the Borderlands
2015 - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
2016 - Persona 5
2017 - Divinity: Original Sin II
2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2
2019 - Death Stranding
2020 - Yakuza: Like A Dragon
2021 - Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

 

[Touch fuzZy. get BizZay]

This is actually too hard and would take me a really long time, I would have go back and think about every game from every year.

But there's some I know since the last 7 years I posted them in the game of the year thread and I know a couple others since they're among my favourite games of all time so I don't need to try and figure out if they're my favourite for that year. So here's my list with some empty spaces:

1999 - Planescape Torment (Runners up FFVIII and Heroes of Might and Magic III)

2000 - Deus Ex

2001 - ???

2002 - The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker

2003 - ???

2004 - ???

2005 - Resident Evil 4

2006 - ???

2007 - ???

2008 - Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

2009 - Demon's Souls

2010 - ???

2011 - Dark Souls

2012 - ???

2013 - ???

2014 - Divinity Original Sin (runner up DK Tropical Freeze)

2015 - Bloodborne

2016 - Dark Souls III

2017 - Super Mario Odyssey

2018 - Dark Souls Remastered

2019 - Sekiro

2020 - Super Mario 35

2021 - Metroid Dread

2022 - ???

You can look at my goty posts for recent runners up, some of which were very close

 

[Batiman]

Would honestly take too long for this lol.

 

[EverydayBeast]

The Zelda format has been successful so many times.

 

[Craig of War]

ER got it on locked no other game releasing in 2022 has any chance not even the mighty God Of War

 

[killatopak]

Every time an RE game gets released, that’s my goty of that year.

 

[Deleted member 471617]

For me since 2006 -

2006 - Gears of War
2007 - Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
2008 - Gears of War 2
2009 - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
2010 - Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction
2011 - Outland
2012 - Far Cry 3
2013 - The Last of Us
2014 - Assassin's Creed Rogue/Far Cry 4
2015 - The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
2016 - Rise of the Tomb Raider
2017 - Horizon Zero Dawn
2018 - God of War
2019 - Days Gone
2020 - Ghost of Tsushima
2021 - Halo Infinite (campaign only)
2022 - Dying Light 2 (currently but expecting it to be God of War Ragnarok when all is said and done for 2022)

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

1995 - Chrono Trigger
1996 - Super Mario RPG
1997 - Final Fantasy VII
1998 - Final Fantasy Tactics
1999 - Star Ocean The Second Story
2000 - Chrono Cross/Final Fantasy 9
2001 - Final Fantasy 10
2002 - Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem/Resident Evil Remake/Suikoden III
2003 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker/
Beyond Good & Evil
2004 - Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
2005 - Jade Empire
2006 - Suikoden V/Okami/Xenosaga Episode III
2007 - Odin Sphere/The Witcher/Blue Dragon
2008 - Persona 3 FES/Persona 4/Fable II/Lost Odyssey
2009 - Batman Arkham Asylum
2010 - Mass Effect 2
2011 - The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings/Tales of Abyss 3D
2012 - Mass Effect 3/Xenoblade Chronicles
2013 - Bioshock Infinite/Trails of Cold Steel
2014 - The Last of Us Remastered/Trails In The Sky Chapter 1/Tomb Raider Definitive Edition
2015 - Trails In The Sky SC/The Witcher 3/
2016 - Trails of Cold Steel 2/Persona 5
2017 - Xenoblade Chronicles 2/Steamworld Dig 2/Nier Automata/Mario + Rabbids
2018 - God of War
2019 - Trails of Cold Steel 3/Luigi Mansion 3/Link's Awakening
2020 - Animal Crossing New Horizons/Ghost of Tsushima
2021 - Eastward/Persona 5 Strikers/Bravely Default 2/The House in Fata Morgana

2022 - Most likely Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Trails from Zero, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Yes I know I cheated

 

[Wohc]

2012 - Sleeping Dogs
2013 - Tomb Raider
2014 - South Park Stick of Truth
2015 - The Witcher 3
2016 - Hitman
2017 - Prey
2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2
2019 - Fallen Order
2020 - Yakuza: Like A Dragon
2021 - Psychonauts 2
2022 - Elden Ring

 

[Stephen Curry]

2022 - Elden Ring
2021 - Halo Infinite
2020 - Covid
2019 - Death Stranding
2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2
2017 - Breath of the Wild
2016 - Dark Souls III
2015 - Metal Gear Solid V
2014 - Wolfenstein: The New Order
2013 - GTA V
2012 - Max Payne 3
2011 - Skyrim
2010 - Red Dead Redemption

 

[TheDraconian]

2020 - Covid

I feel you bro
But I kinda think Gaming was a bit sick that year

 

[Ellery]

1995 - Donkey Kong's Country 2
1996 - Super Mario 64
1997 - Final Fantasy VII
1998 - Zelda Ocarina of Time
1999 - Final Fantasy VIII
2000 - Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
2001 - Silent Hill 2
2002 - Resident Evil Gamecube
2003 - Zelda Wind Waker
2004 - Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
2005 - Resident Evil 4
2006 - Zelda Twilight Princess
2007 - Portal
2008 - Wrath of the lich king
2009 - Demon's Souls
2010 - Starcraft 2
2011 - Dark Souls
2012 - Diablo 3
2013 - The Last of Us
2014 - Shovel Knight
2015 - The Witcher 3
2016 - Dark Souls 3
2017 - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018 - God of War
2019 - Slay The Spire
2020 - The Last of Us Part 2
2021 - It Takes Two



The late 90s and early 00s are so damn hard. In 1998 you have Half Life, Zelda OoT, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2 and Starcraft. Those games are all 10/10 masterpieces.
No idea if RE Remake in 2002 counts. If it doesn't then I pick Vice City. Zelda Wind Waker I put into 2003, because it only released in Japan in 2002.
2022 is too early for me. I am not going to count TLOU Part 1, but there are still a few games including God of War that could challenge Elden Ring. I loved Elden Ring and it is pretty likely that it wins, but I will wait a bit longer.

 

[Fredrik]

I don’t remember what arrived years ago. I can list a couple of years though.

2020 - Cyberpunk 2077 PC
2021 - Metroid Dread
2022 - Elden Ring

 

[TwiztidElf]

Not going to bother with pre-2000

2000 Asheron’s Call (PC). Runner up: Jet Set Radio (DC).
2001 Phantasy Star Online (DC)
2002 Project Gotham Racing (XB). Runners up: Eternal Darkness (GC), Halo (XB)
2003 Project Gotham Racing 2 (XB). Runner up: Panzer Dragoon Orta (XB)
2004 World of Warcraft (PC). Runner up: Ninja Gaiden (XB)
2005 Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (multi)
2006 Dead Rising (XB360). Runners up: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (multi). Advance Wars Dual Strike (DS)
2007 Project Gotham Racing 4 (XB360). Runners up: Mass Effect (XB360), Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
2008 Ninja Gaiden 2 (XB360)
2009 Street Fighter IV (multi)
2010 Starcraft 2 (PC), Runner Up: Bayonetta (XB360)
2011 Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (multi)
2012 XCOM: Enemy Unknown (multi)
2013 Grand Theft Auto V (multi). Runners up: The Last of Us (PS3), Starcraft 2 Heart of the Swarm (PC)
2014 Bayonetta 2 (WiiU)
2015 Splatoon (WiiU)
2016 Overwatch (multi). Runners up: Ratchet & Clank (PS4), Doom (multi)
2017 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch). Runners up: Persona 5 (PS4), Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4)
2018 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)
2019 Wreckfest (PS4). Runner up: Days Gone (PS4)
2020 Ghost of Tsushima (PS4). Runner up: Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)
2021 Yakuza Like a Dragon (PS5). Runners up: Guilty Gear Strive (PS5), Shin Megami Tensei V (Switch)

 

[VN1X]

These fuckin list threads lol.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

Just go to ign and find the games with the highest scores.

 

[CashPrizes]

I have this list at home on my PC, will update this post then!

 

[mxbison]

Some years will be incredibly hard to just pick 1, but I'll give it a shot.


1996 - Diablo
1997 - Fallout
1998 - Half-Life
1999 - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
2000 - Deus Ex
2001 - Max Payne
2002 - Warcraft 3
2003 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
2004 - GTA San Andreas
2005 - God of War
2006 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
2007 - God of War 2
2008 - Street Fighter 4
2009 - Uncharted 2
2010 - God of War 3
2011 - Mortal Kombat 9
2012 - Borderlands 2
2013 - Bioshock Infinite
2014 - Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
2015 - The Witcher 3
2016 - Uncharted 4
2017 - Zelda Breath of the Wild
2018 - God of War
2019 - Persona 5 Royal
2020 - The Last of Us 2
2021 - It Takes Two


Totally forgot how insanely stacked some years were. Especially the late 90's/early 00's was almost impossible.

 

[Roberts]

I never made lists for games before, but I joined ggapp last year and it just made the whole thing super easy.

2012 - Mass Effect 3 (Runner-up: Xcom Enemy Unknown)
2013 - Bioshock Infinite (Dead Rising 3) - Holy shit, what a terrible year!
2014 - Wolfenstein New Order (Guacamelee!)
2015 - Witcher 3 (Dying Light)
2016 - Titanfall 2 (Xcom 2)
2017 - Prey (Wolfenstein II)
2018 - Divinity: Original Sin II (God of War)
2019 - Sekiro (Control)
2020 - Wasteland 3 (Ori 2)
2021 - Psychonauts 2 (Halo Infinite)

 

[TheDraconian]

2020 - Super Mario 35

Interesting.... I had no idea that even existed.

2012 - Sleeping Dogs
2013 - Tomb Raider
2014 - South Park Stick of Truth
2015 - The Witcher 3
2016 - Hitman
2017 - Prey
2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2
2019 - Fallen Order
2020 - Yakuza: Like A Dragon
2021 - Psychonauts 2
2022 - Elden Ring

I respect the hell out of including Sleeping Dogs and Jedi: Fallen Order in your list. Both really amazing games.

Aaaaaand I just realized I should have placed South park into 2014. I really enjoyed the game when I played it. Escaped my mind. Great game.

2020 - Wasteland 3 (Ori 2)

Ori WotW was also my runner-up for 2020. The art style and music were

 

[Perrott]

1994 - Sega Rally Championship
1995 - Chrono Trigger
1996 - Resident Evil
1997 - Final Fantasy VII
1998 - Metal Gear Solid
1999 - Shenmue
2000 - Deus Ex
2001 - Silent Hill 2
2002 - Mafia
2003 - Call of Duty
2004 - Half-Life 2
2005 - Shadow of the Colossus
2006 - MotorStorm
2007 - Portal
2008 - Fallout 3
2009 - Killzone 2
2010 - Heavy Rain
2011 - Batman: Arkham City
2012 - Max Payne 3
2013 - The Last Of Us
2014 - DriveClub
2015 - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
2016 - The Last Guardian
2017 - Persona 5
2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2
2019 - Death Stranding
2020 - The Last Of Us: Part II
2021 - Returnal
2022 - Elden Ring
2023 - Starfield

 

[CashPrizes]

Feel free to read bottom to top if that helps, this is how it was in my word doc. Had to edit it down, a lot of years I had internal debates but in the spirit of the Post I just cut it down to 1 game per year.

2021: Darkest Dungeon 2 (If early access counts, if not Psychonaughts 2)
2020: Ghost of Tsushima, crazy strong year
2019: Resident Evil 2 Remake, a bad year
2018: Red Dead Redemption 2
2017: Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2016: Doom (2016), another bad year
2015: Witcher 3
2014: Shovel Knight? Terrible year
2013: The Last of Us
2012: Walking Dead
2011: Star Wars: The Old Republic
2010: Mass Effect 2
2009: Uncharted 2
2008: Fallout 3
2007: Orange Box
2006: Guitar Hero 2, Bad year
2005: Resident Evil 4
2004: World of Warcraft
2003: SSX3
2002: Warcraft III
2001: Phantasy Star Online
2000: Baldurs Gate II
1999: Soul Calibur
1998: Half Life (an Insane year, hardest one to pick)
1997: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
1996: Panzer Dragoon Zwei
1995: Chrono Trigger
1994: Final Fantasy VI
1993: Day of the Tentacle
1992: Streets of Rage II
1991: Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1990: Super Mario Bros 3
1989: Castlevania III
1988: Mega Man 2
1987: Contra
1986: Legend of Zelda
1985: Super Mario Bros

 

[anthony2690]

1992 - Sonic 2
1993 - Shinobi 3
1994 - Sonic 3 & Knuckles
1995 - Panzer Dragoon
1996 - Nights into Dreams/Virtua Fighter 2
1997 - Sonic Jam/Final Fantasy 7/Klonoa
1998 - Tekken 3
1999 - APE ESCAPE/Final Fantasy 8/Sonic Adventure/shenmue
2000 - Jet Set Radio/Skies Of Arcadia/Powerstone 2
2001 - sonic adventure 2/shenmue 2/crazy taxi 2
2002 - jet set radio future/panzer Dragoon Orta/Halo/Lost Kingdoms/ape escape 2
2003 - Billy Hatcher/project Gotham racing 2/Lost Kingdoms 2
2004 - THPS:U2/Burnout 3/tales of symphonia
2005 - Ninja Gaiden Black/Burnout Revenge/RE4
2006 - Final Fantasy 12/outrun 2
2007 Guitar hero 3/Skate
2008 - Gears 2/Tales Of Vesperia/Lost Odyssey
2009 - Resident Evil 5 (co op, not an exciting year)
2010 - Mass Effect 2/RDR/Castlevania HD/Hydro Thunder Hurricane
2011 - Sonic Generations/Child of Eden/Gears 3/MK9
2012 - Forza Horizon/Asuras Wrath/Fez
2013 - Killer Instinct/Rayman Legends
2014 - Titanfall/Sunset Overdrive/ Forza Horizon 2/Halo MCC
2015 - Ori & the blind forest/Witcher 3/Halo 5
2016 - Dark Souls 3/Quantum Break/Gears 4/FH3
2017 - Sonic Mania/Shadow of War/AC:Origins/BOTW
2018 - FH4/Monster Hunter World/RDR2/SOT
2019 - Gears 5/Sekiro /MHW:Iceborne
2020 - Ori Will of the Wisps/Yakuza:LAD/THPS 1+2
2021 -Tetris Effect Connected/FH5/Halo Infinite/ Psychonauts 2/Tales of Arise/RE:Village/Deaths Door/It takes Two.
2022 - Elden Ring/Klonoa Phantasy Reverie/Sonic Origins.

 

[Bonfires Down]

1994 - Final Fantasy VI
1995 - Yoshi's Island
1996 - Duke 3D / Diablo
1997 - Final Fantasy VII
1998 - Ocarina of Time / Baldur's Gate
1999 - Heroes of Might and Magic III
2000 - Diablo II
2001 - GTA3 / Black & White
2002 - Eternal Darkness
2003 - The Sands of Time
2004 - Half-Life 2
2005 - Resident Evil 4
2006 - Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
2007 - Stalker SoC
2008 - Dead Space
2009 - Resident Evil 5
2010 - Alan Wake
2011 - Human Revolution
2012 - The Walking Dead
2013 - Bioshock Infinite / Battlefield 4
2014 - The Evil Within
2015 - SOMA
2016 - XCOM 2
2017 - Breath of the Wild
2018 - God of War / Far Cry 5
2019 - Bloodstained RotN
2020 - The Last of Us Part II
2021 - TBD

 

[Touch fuzZy. get BizZay]

Interesting.... I had no idea that even existed.

Not your fault, I really liked it so, oh course, nintendo erased it from the face of the earth

 

[KàIRóS]

There was another thread like this in 2019 maybe you want to check it out OP, I just kinda copy pasted my answer from that and added the last 3 years.

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/your-historic-goty-awards.1504267/

2022: Elden Ring
2021: Tales of Arise
2020: Final Fantasy VII Remake
2019: Devil May Cry 5
2018: Dragon Quest XI
2017: TLoZ: Breath of the Wild
2016: Dark Souls III
2015: The Witcher 3
2014: Bravely Default
2013: The Last of Us
2012: Xenoblade Chronicles
2011: Dark Souls
2010: Fallout New Vegas
2009: Dragon Age Origins
2008: Lost Odyssey
2007: Persona 3
2006: Final Fantasy XII
2005: Shadow of the Colossus
2004: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
2003: Tales of Symphonia
2002: Kingdom Hearts
2001: Final Fantasy X
2000: Skies of Arcadia
1999: Planescape Torment
1998: Xenogears
1997: Final Fantasy Tactics
1996: Super Mario RPG
1995: Chrono Trigger
1994: Final Fantasy VI
1993: Mega Man X

 

[Jimmy_liv]

Elden Ring

 

[swaffles23]

1996: Super Mario 64
1997: Ultima Online
1998: Oddworld Abe's Exoddus
1999: Resident Evil 3
2000: Counter-Strike
2001: ICO
2002: Kingdom Hearts
2003: Morrowind
2004: Metal Gear Solid 3
2005: Resident Evil 4
2006: Oblivion
2007: Mass Effect
2008: Fallout 3
2009: Batman Arkham Asylum
2010: Mass Effect 2
2011: Deus Ex Human Revolution
2012: The Walking Dead
2013: The Last of Us
2014: Final Fantasy X remaster
2015: The Witcher 3
2016: The Last Guardian
2017: NieR Automata
2018: Celeste
2019: Death Stranding
2020: The Last of Us Part II
2021: Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker

2014 sucked ass for games

 

[FluffShake]

1990: Super Mario World
1991: Wonder Boy in Monster World
1992: Shining Force
1993: Shining Force II
1994: Final Fantasy VI
1995: Trials of Mana
1996: Pokemon Blue
1997: Hexen II
1998: Baldur's Gate
1999: System Shock 2

2000: Baldur's Gate II
2001: Silent Hill 2
2002: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
2003: Silent Hill 3
2004: Tekken 5
2005: Resident Evil 4
2006: Persona 3
2007: Umineko When They Cry: Question Arcs
2008: Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
2009: Steins;Gate
2010: Wonderful Everyday Down the Rabbit-Hole

2011: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
2012: Mass Effect 3
2013: Kara no Shojo: The Second Episode
2014: Shadowrun: Dragonfall
2015: Steins;Gate 0
2016: Dark Souls III
2017: NieR: Automata
2018: Pathfinder: Kingmaker
2019: 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
2020: Paradise Killer
2021: Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

 

[Efren is G.O.A.T.]

1990 - The Secret of Monkey Island
1991 - Leisure Suit Larry 5
1992 - Final Fantasy V
1993 - Leisure Suit Larry 6
1994 - Breath of Fire II
1995 - Phantasmagoria
1996 - Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail!
1997 - The Curse of Monkey Island
1998 - Metal Gear Solid
1999 - Gorky 17
2000 - Final Fantasy IX
2001 - Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel
2002 - Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
2003 - Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
2004 - Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
2005 - Resident Evil 4
2006 - Yakuza 2
2007 - God of War II
2008 - Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People
2009 - 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
2010 - Red Dead Redemption
2011 - Dark Souls
2012 - Yakuza 5
2013 - The Last of Us
2014 - Tales from the Borderlands
2015 - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
2016 - Persona 5
2017 - Divinity: Original Sin II
2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2
2019 - Death Stranding
2020 - Yakuza: Like A Dragon
2021 - Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Serious love for Point & Click there! I can respect a man of culture when I see one!

 

[Daytonabot]

2021: Deathloop (PC)
2020: Half-Life: Alyx (PC)
2019: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PC)
2018: Hitman 2 (PC)
2017: Prey (PC)
2016: Dishonored 2 (PC)
2015: Bloodborne (PS4)
2014: Alien Isolation (PC)
2013: BioShock: Infinite (PC)
2012: Dishonored (PC)
2011: Portal 2 (PC)
2010: Fallout: New Vegas (PC)
2009: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
2008: Gears of War 2 (360)
2007: BioShock (PC)
2006: Gears of War (360)
2005: Resident Evil 4 (GC)
2004: Half-Life 2 (PC)
2003: Star Wars: Galaxies (PC)
-----First true gaming PC-----
2002: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2)
2001: Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)
2000: Deus Ex (PC)
1999: Silent Hill (PS1)
1998: Resident Evil 2 (PS1)
1997: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1)
1996: Resident Evil (PS1)
1995: Daytona USA (SS)
1994: Star Wars: TIE Fighter (PC)
1993: Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo (PCE SCD)
1992: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (SNES)
1991: NHL Hockey (SG)
1990: Final Fantasy (NES)
1989: Super Mario Land (GB)
1988: Life Force (NES)
---First console that was actually mine---

 

[stn]

I'll just do the last few years that I can remember:

2022: Elden Ring
2021: Tales of Arise
2020: Nioh 2
2019: Sekiro
2018: Yakuza Kiwami 2
2017: Nioh

 

[BusierDonkey]

Like most 80's kids my first real leap into gaming came with the NES. My brothers and I owned several Tiger handhelds, a Frogger mini arcade game along with a handful of other battery-operated games. We also had a PC loaded with a pile of DOS games but none are what I'd put on a list of best games. We didn't get out NES until pretty late in the game but I still managed to play a lot at my friend's house before then.

Based on NA release dates:

1985 - Super Mario Bros.
1986 - The Legend of Zelda
1987 - Super Mario Bros. 2
1988 - Zelda II: The Adventures of Link
1989 - Duck Tales
1990 - Super Mario Bros. 3
1991 - Final Fantasy II (AKA Final Fantasy IV)
1992 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1993 - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
1994 - Final Fantasy III (AKA Final Fantasy VI)
1995 - Chrono Trigger
1996 - Super Mario 64
1997 - Goldeneye
1998 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
1999 - Gran Turismo 2
2000 - Perfect Dark
2001 - Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
2002 - Metroid Prime
2003 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
2004 - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
2005 - Forza Motorsport
2006 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy
2008 - Fallout 3
2009 - Batman: Arkham Asylum
2010 - Red Dead Redemption
2011 - Forza Motorsport 4
2012 - Xenoblade Chronicles
2013 - Super Mario 3D World
2014 - Forza Horizon 2
2015 - Fallout 4
2016 - Forza Horizon 3
2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018 - Forza Horizon 4
2019 - Luigi's Mansion 3
2020 - Doom Eternal
2021 - Forza Horizon 5
2022 - So far probably Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge

Looking back, things are pretty Nintendo-centric, RPGs, or racing games. Final Fantasy VI is my favorite game and I happen to be replaying it right now after a couple decades. I'm also replaying Arkham Asylum and it holds up really well. Zelda games have always been among my favorite games. Fallout 4 probably wasn't the best game in 2015 but I dumped 2500 hours into the game over the next few years and it really was a game that felt tailor-made for me. 2017 was a tough year with Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Super Mario Odyssey but BotW won out. The Forza Horizon games are another series of games that always click so well with me. Here's a cool giant map and every car ever, go have fun.

 

[Laptop1991]

1993 Doom
1996 Quake and Tomb Raider
1997 Quake 2
!998 Half Life and Unreal
1999 Age of Empires 2
2000 C & C Red Alert 2
2001 Return to Castle Wolfenstein
2002 MOH Allied Assault and Jedi Knight 2
2003 GTA Vice City PC and COD 1
2004 Doom 3 and Half Life 2
2005 GTA San Andreas PC, FEAR 1
2006 Oblivion
2007 Bioshock 1 and Assassin's Creed 1 and COD MW1 and Crysis
2008 Fallout 3 (although i played the whole game later)
2009 Bioshock 2
2010 Fallout New Vegas
2011 Skyrim
2012 Dishonored
2013 Bioshock Infinite
2014 AC Black Flag
2015 Fallout 4 and The Witcher 3, GTA V
2016 Dishonored 2.

 

[OOGABOOGA]

2001- Final Fantasy X (the year i started gaming, FFX the reason why I fell in love with gaming)
2005- Resident Evil 4
2006- Final Fantasy xii
2009- Final Fantasy xiii
2010- Heavy Rain
2013- Bioshock Infinte / GTA V / the last of us (2013 was a legendary year)
2015- Bloodborn
2016- Uncharted 4
2017- Resident Evil 7
2018- Reddead Redemption 2
2019- DMC 5
2020- Final Fantasy VII Remake / the last of us 2
2021- Resident Evil 8

 

[German Hops]

These fuckin list threads lol.

night gaf is pretty wild.

 

[TheDarkPhantom]

This was fun. Some years have multiple entries and even that was hard to narrow down. I decided to begin in '85. Though I started gaming on the Atari 2600 I don't feel like games reached a level of sophistication and had a variety of choices worthy of a "GOTY" until the NES era:

1985 - SMB
1986 - Bubble Bobble, Castlevania
1987 - Contra, Metal Gear
1988 - SMB3
1989 - Phantasy Star II, Final Fight
1990 - Super Mario World
1991 - Street Fighter II
1992 - Super Mario Kart
1993 - Starfox, NBA Jam
1994 - Donkey Kong Country, Killer Instinct
1995 - Yoshi's Island, Soul Edge
1996 - SM64, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil
1997 - FFVII, SoTN
1998 - MGS, Zelda:OoT, FF Tactics
1999 - Silent Hill, CTR, Soul Caliber (DC)
2000 - Vagrant Story
2001 - MGS2
2002 - Metroid Prime, Windwaker
2003 - SSX Tricky
2004 - MGS 3, San Andreas
2005 - Resident Evil 4, God of War
2006 - Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
2007 - Bioshock, Assassin's Creed
2008 - Little Big Planet, GTA4, Fallout 3
2009 - Uncharted 2
2010 - RDR, ME2, GoW3
2011 - Dark Souls
2012 - Borderlands 2
2013 - The Last of Us, Rayman Legends
2014 - The Evil Within
2015 - MGSV, Bloodborne, The Witcher 3
2016 - Dark Souls III, Hitman
2017 - Persona 5, Nier Automata, Yakuza 0
2018 - RDR2
2019 - Sekiro, Death Stranding
2020 - FFVIIR, Ghost of Tsushima
2021 - Returnal
2022 - Elden Ring, Ragnarok only upcoming release this year I could see sharing the spot.

 

[Havoc2049]

1979- Star Raiders
1980- Zork: The Great Underground Empire
1981- Pitfall!
1982- Miner 2049’er & River Raid
1983- Ultima III: Exodus & M.U.L.E.
1984- The Seven Cities of Gold, Bruce Lee, H.E.R.O & Pitfall II: Lost Caverns (Adventurer’s Edition)
1985- Phantasie & Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
1986- Phantasie II & Silent Service
1987- Sid Meier’s Pirates!, Phantasie III: The Wrath of Nicademus & Dungeon Master
1988- Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny, Battletech: The Crescent Hawk’s Inception & Pool of Radiance
1989- Dungeon Master: Chaos Strikes Back, Their Finest Hour & Mean Streets

I made it ten years and I'm done! This requires too much work! I've been gaming for a long time, love video games and want to put multiple entries for each year.

 

[Camreezie]

2000 Pokemon Stadium
2001 GTA III
2002 Windwaker
2003 Mario Kart Double Dash
2004 Halo 2
2005 Resident Evil 4
2006 Gears of War
2007 Bioshock
2008 Dead Space
2009 Assassins Creed 2
2010 Mass Effect 2
2011 Batman Arkham City
2012 Hotline Miami
2013 Bioshock Infinite
2014 Bayonetta 2
2015 The Witcher 3
2016 DOOM
2017 NieR Automata
2018 Spiderman
2019 Control
2020 Yakuza Like A Dragon
2021 Resident Evil Village