Video Games of All Time

Inside this ranking: 15 headline-making yachts, following the source's published order and reported estimates. Prices can change and should be read as editorial estimates rather than live appraisals.

• Tetris — A Rule Set That Explains Itself — Tetris — A Rule Set That Explains Itself. Tetris needs almost no fiction to create tension, planning, and self-correction.
• Super Mario Bros. 3 — Movement as Endless Surprise — Super Mario Bros. 3 — Movement as Endless Surprise. Super Mario Bros.
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — Adventure in Three Dimensions — The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — Adventure in Three Dimensions. Ocarina of Time gave three-dimensional exploration a readable grammar: lock-on combat, spatial puzzles, memorable landmarks, and time-shifting structure.
• DOOM — Speed, Space, and Combat Readability — DOOM — Speed, Space, and Combat Readability. DOOM's historical importance is inseparable from its feel: fast movement, immediate weapons, maze-like spaces, and enemies readable in an instant.

Tap any name above to jump in, or start at entry #40 and count down to number one.