Rank The Video Game Series

[Dagger Dias]

Thought this could be a fun topic. Since the film counterpart of this thread is doing well, why not give a video game themed one a try? Pick any video game series (or a many as you wish) and rank them from best to worst. I'll go first and get the most obvious one (for me anyway) out of the way, my rankings for Final Fantasy.

1. Final Fantasy 7
2. Final Fantasy 4
3. Final Fantasy 6
4. Final Fantasy 9
5. Final Fantasy 3 (Not to be confused with FF3 SNES which is FF6)
6. Final Fantasy 1
7. Final Fantasy 10
8. Final Fantasy 8
9. Final Fantasy 5
10. Final Fantasy 12
11. Final Fantasy 13-2
12. Final Fantasy 13
13. Final Fantasy 10-2
14. Final Fantasy 2 (Not to be confused with FF2 SNES which is FF4)

I often struggle between 4 and 7 in choosing a top game in this series, it always comes down to those two. With 4 it is more about nostalgia though, 7 is the better game otherwise. Nostalgia can be powerful when determining which game you LIKE more, regardless of which is superior. You really cannot go wrong with FF7 though. Some call it overrated. Others call it the greatest RPG in history. I'm of neither extreme. It's in my top tier and an experience no rpg fan should miss out on if they still have not played, but it's not my favorite RPG. Tales of Symphonia gets that honor. FF6 and 9 nearly tie for the 3rd spot and that was a difficult call to make as well. It's not too difficult to rank them after that. The bottom tier are the only ones that are remotely bad, there's a reason this legendary series remains one of the most talked about in its genre.

There may be disagreement with my rankings, if so that's fine. With the larger series of games there is always going to be differences between favorites or least favorites amongst the fans. I love the whole series, even FF10-2 has its moments. The only one I dislike is FF2. Its battle system was atrocious and I found each version of it to be a chore to get through. I even rank the infamously too easy Final Fantasy Mystic Quest higher than it....

I've got several more series I plan on ranking but I would like to hear from the rest of you too. What are some series you play and how would you rank them from best to worst, what are your thoughts on the games in said series?

Also, if you have not played all games in a series that's fine, you're welcome to still rank the ones you have played in said series if you'd like.

 

[Mr. HD]

I personally find FF7 to be overrated. I think 9 is much better, but that's my opinion.

I guess I'll just choose a long series rather than a short one. I'll go with one of my faves: Kingdom Hearts. Of all the games and side games and whatever, here's how I'll rank them.

1) Kingdom Hearts
2) Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
3) Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
4) Kingdom Hearts 2
5) Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories
6) Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
7) Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded

 

[Lee]

Mario

Galaxy/2 on a level footing.

I've been playing Mario games for 22 years now and I love these games. The gameplay is flawless, the physics are great and the Mario enjoyment is just there. A great mix of basic and different. I linked 2 together as 2 is better than Galaxy but it doesn't justify the title of best Mario Game.

Super Mario World.

Take the wonders of SMB3 times it by 100 and bring in Yoshi. Score.

SMB3

World maps, Toadstool houses, warp whistles, secrets galore. My first Mario game yet I can still play it today. My nephew loves it.

Mario 64

Revolutionary. Huge. Fun.

SMB 2

I'm talking DokiDoki Panic here. Loved the craziness of the game, I also like that you can play one of four characters.

SMB

This should be higher but I enjoy the others more. Still a fantastic game that I play quite regularly.

Sunshine

Not a bad game, just the other Mario games are better. I have to feel for FLUDD, his mechanics let the game down.

Lost Levels

Take SMB make it harder. You can tell why it wasn't released in the west.

Missing is NSMB as they're not too different from each other as well as the handheld games.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Dragon Quest Series (Also known as Dragon Warrior)

1. Dragon Quest 4
2. Dragon Quest 6
3. Dragon Quest 7
4. Dragon Quest 8
5. Dragon Quest 3
6. Dragon Quest 9
7. Dragon Quest 5
8. Dragon Quest 2
9. Dragon Quest 1

Another amazing RPG series and second only to Final Fantasy. 4 is by far my favorite. I loved the intro chapters for each hero leading into the main storyline, it had a great story for its time. Having the themes of each character play on the world map if they were the active party leader at the time was a nice touch. Throw in good music (phenominal for NES quality) and you have the best Dragon Quest game. 6 and 7 are also extremely good. I recall spending more than 200+ hours on DQ7, per the in-game clock. More than probably any other single play through of any game that I have ever played. 8 gave us the modern names for abilities and was a nice change of pace from the older games in terms of the exploration and finally being able to see party members in battle. It's one of the more popular entries in the series for obvious reasons. 3 is also very good and worth multiple play through's. The main reason I rank it outside of my top tier is the lack of main characters that you don't create yourself. It had a great system of character creation for its time, but I prefer characters with predetermined backstories and predetermined classes. That often makes for a better story.

Some may disagree with my ranking the 5th game so low. I was turned off by the recruitment of monsters, I felt the game focused way too much on that and I would rather have had the option of more playable characters before the (spoiler of names withheld) late game recruitments show up. The story was good though and the option of up to 3 different love interests (2 unless it's the DS remake) provide replay value. 2 is underrated, it isn't as bad as some make it out to be and it's a challenge. I'll never play it more than twice though, I played it through once as a child and once again as an adult. It's not that it's a bad game, it's exceedingly tough and I find it more enjoyable than the first game, although I may be in the minority there.

 

[Galvatron]

Metal Gear Solid Series

1) Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater (Subsistence version with better camera system)
2) Metal Gear Solid (PS1)
3) Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots
4) Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
5) Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker (HD Collection version)
6) Metal Gear (HD Collection)
7) Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake (HD Collection)

 

[Trance Metaphor]

Tenchu series. It is my favourite game series of all time and truly delivers the ninja experience with its high emphasis on stealth rather than direct combat.

1. Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins <-- most people would probably rank Stealth Assassins at 1, but not me. Tenchu 2 changed my life with its strong and engaging epic story.
2. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
3. Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (Tenchu 3 in Japan and XBOX's version is called Tenchu: Return from Darkness)
4. Tenchu: Shinobi Taizen (Time of the Assassins in UK)
5. Tenchu: Shadow Assassins (Tenchu 4 in Japan) <-- The fourth Tenchu game got a lot of hate for its multiple differences in gameplay functions and style trademarks, but I loved everything about it. I truly hope that this isn't the final Tenchu game.
6. Tenchu: Fatal Shadows
7. Tenchu Z
8. Tenchu: Dark Secret

 

[Dagger Dias]

Beath of Fire
1. Breath of Fire 3
2. Breath of Fire 1
3. Breath of Fire 2
4. Breath of Fire 4
5. Breath of Fire Dragon Quarter

A fun series that you don't hear so much about anymore. In my opinion 3 was the best. It has an underrated soundtrack that gets far too much hate, took the series in a great new direction with how the main maps were done, and I loved the formula they used for the story with how the main characters are young in the first half then adults in the second half. You didn't see things like that in gameplay as often back then. 1 and 2 remain very fun as well. 1 was great in the sense that everyone was out adventuring at the same time, you could switch in anyone into battle at any turn whereas in 2 or 3 you were stuck with the 4 (in 2) or 3 (in 3) you had chosen for your active party. 1's main flaw is that it hasn't aged that well. It's an extremely oldschool RPG that today's gamers might get bored with. 4 brought back the concept of everyone being in the "active party" at once but I always felt it fell a bit short of what it was capable of, it had the potential to be the best in the series and ultimately fell short of that. My main complaints with it were too many locations that had sound effects instead of background music and maps that were difficult to navigate due to the camera angles having to be shifted so much. It's one I am not in a hurry to replay. As for Dragon Quarter, it was so bad that I'd rather forget that I ever played it.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

1. Super Mario Bros. 3 (SNES)
2. Super Mario World
3. Mario Galaxy 2
4. Yoshi's Island
5. Super Mario RPG
6. Super Mario Bros.
7. Mario 64
8. Mario Galaxy
9. Super Mario Sunshine
10. Everything else

There are very few games better than Super Mario Bros 3. Between the unique worlds, new suits, smooth controls buffed up for the SNES re-release and the ability to store items for a rainy day, it IS the best Mario game ever made.

Super Mario World is a close second, but I don't feel there's as much variety in the level design. The Galaxy games are downright fantastic, are probably worth owning a Wii for. Yoshi's Island may not be considered one of the core games, but it does deserve to be listed among the best games made for the SNES. Not only was it a fitting spin-off for a character that didn't get much love, but it was actually good!

Then there's Mario RPG, which is a vastly underrated game and if you haven't played it, you're cheating yourself out of an amazing experience. And I listed Sunshine last, because it doesn't get a whole lot of respect, but I thought the platforming was fucking awesome, and one of the most unique Mario experiences I have ever witnessed.

There's other great games obviously. The Mario Kart series has really never disappointed me. The New Super Mario Bros games are fun, but hectic and not nearly as challenging as they need to be. Luigi's Mansion is boss. Mario Golf and Mario Tennis are brilliant. I put them all on or around the same level though, and there's no point trying to figure out which one of the spin-off games is better than the other.

 

[Lee]

Some may disagree with my ranking the 5th game so low. I was turned off by the recruitment of monsters, I felt the game focused way too much on that and I would rather have had the option of more playable characters before the (spoiler of names withheld) late game recruitments show up. The story was good though and the option of up to 3 different love interests (2 unless it's the DS remake) provide replay value.

I've never been more emotionally attached to a game than Dragon Quest V.

To start as a baby to young adult to getting married, having kids and getting old. This made me invest in the game more and that concerns me more than recruiting monsters.

That beats anything Zelda or FF has thrown out.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I've never been more emotionally attached to a game than Dragon Quest V.

To start as a baby to young adult to getting married, having kids and getting old. This made me invest in the game more and that concerns me more than recruiting monsters.

That beats anything Zelda or FF has thrown out.

You make a valid point about how the hero grows up. The game has a ton of replay value and I played through it multiple times so I could see the results of each love interest on both the SNES and DS versions. I can see why many fans will disagree with me ranking it lower, the story is very good. However I'm very turned off by the monster recruiting and the lack of traditional playable characters until the end. You're stuck with just the hero and the tiger for WAY too long unless you try to recruit monsters. These monsters have no backstory whatsoever other than "random creature wants to come with you". No character development makes me not care about said character. If the game didn't make it to the point where you basically HAD to recruit monsters I'd look back on it more fondly; although that's a bigger problem to me than it would be to most people. 6 for example, had the perfect blend of traditional heroes AND optional monsters.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Super Mario Series
1. Super Mario World
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2
3. Super Mario Galaxy 1
4. Super Mario Bros 3
5. Super Mario Bros 1
6. Super Mario Bros 2 (Doki Doki Panic)
7. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
8. Super Mario 64
9. New Super Mario Bros Wii
10. Super Mario Bros 2 (Lost Levels)
11. New Super Mario Bros
12. Super Mario Land 1
13. Super Mario Sunshine

**I have not played Super Mario 3D Land, New Super Mario Bros 2, or New Super Mario Bros U yet.

Galaxy 1 and 2 both came very close to winning this ranking, but were defeated by Super Mario World. I love that game and it's just as fun as it was when I was a little kid. Large amounts of nostalgia, great gameplay, great graphics for its time, and great music make it just about untouchable. I love the Mario Galaxy games too, they are by far the best modern Mario games. Highly recommended to anyone who has not played them yet. Super Mario Bros 3 is not far behind my top tier, it has aged very well despite the outdated graphics, especially the All Stars version on the SNES. Dead last is Super Mario Sunshine. Not a terrible game by any means but someone has to come in last place in this series so due to frustrating camera angles and my overall dislike of the gameplay that comes with using Fludd, Sunshine is my least favorite. Unless they make a terrible Mario platformer, which is doubtful in of itself, I doubt Sunshine will be leaving the bottom slot anytime soon.

 

[AndThat'sTheBottomLine]

My rankings of the God of War series:

1.God of War 3
2.God of War:Ghost of Sparta
3.God of War: Chains of Olympus
4.God of War 2
5.God of War

I obviously will wait until I play Ascension before I rank it. I loved how it finalized his war with Olympus yet left you wanting more as well as making you wonder if it was actually the end for Kratos. Ghost of Sparta was possibly the biggest look into the past of Kratos that we've ever seen and obviously Ascension will be about his past. I like 2 because of how badass he was with his Godly powers only to lose them and then gain even more power and the first one was pretty good as far as story. Chains of Olympus gave you the back story to the first game. That and kicking Atlas's ass is pretty fun.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Mario Kart
1. Mario Kart 64
2. Mario Kart Wii
3. Mario Kart DS
4. Super Mario Kart
5. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
6. Mario Kart: Double Dash

*I have not played Mario Kart 7 yet, but it looks fun.

It's a close call at the top between Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 64, but in the end the nostalgia behind 64 and how much of a vast improvement it was over its SNES ancestor give it my vote at the very top of the series. Gone were the days of annoying predetermined orders of computer controlled characters depending on which character you chose as well as items exclusive to computer controlled characters such as Bowser's Fireballs, Yoshi's Eggs, or Toad & Peach's Mushrooms. Mario Kart 64 was where the mayhem we see in the rest of the series began, anything can happen even against computer controlled characters and it's aged VERY well considering it's 15+ years old now.

Mario Kart Wii was amazing in its own right. Its selection of classic tracks redone included some of my favorites among the older games including an awesome remake of Bowser's Castle from MK64. It also had one of the best rosters of available characters. The new tracks featured some extremely enjoyable tracks such as the Maple Treeway and Coconut Mall. For a couple of years I'd spend each friday after class doing a run through all 32 tracks one after another. The DS one was also very well done. I recall playing 8 player VS mode a few times with my D&D group from 2006 with all of us in the living room of my friend's apartment on our DS systems, that was crazy and fun.

Then we have the original game, which is still pretty fun but it hasn't aged that well. The controlls are a bit rough and its frustrating that the computer controlled characters get items exclusive to them, I hated that about it even as a kid; but it came first and it was very good when it first came out. It also contains to this day, by far, the best Rainbow Road track of any of the games in the series. I do like it more than Super Circuit which was a decent game but paled in comparison to MK64.... and dead last is Double Dash. I hated the 2 characters to a kart concept, that ruined the game for me when it first came out and I still dislike it. They should have included a classic mode where it's one character to a kart, plus I didn't like many of the tracks in the game either. It felt like such a step down from MK64 and even Super Circuit. The series picked up again significantly with the DS and Wii games. Haven't played MK7 yet, but I've heard good things about it.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Legend of Zelda
1. Link to the Past
2. Ocarina of Time
3. Twilight Princess
4. Link's Awakening
5. Legend of Zelda
6. Four Swords Adventures
7. Oracle of Seasons/Ages
8. Minish Cap
9. Wind Waker
10. Spirit Tracks
11. Phantom Hourglass
12. Adventure of Link
13. Majora's Mask

No matter how hard I try to be open and look past the graphical style of the Toon Link titles, that ruins those games for me. Any Toon Link title would have been more enjoyable if it weren't for that graphical style. I'm certain some may disagree but I doubt I am alone in my opinion. Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time will probably never be topped. They are by far the best titles in the series and I'll never get tired of them. I have not played Skyward Sword yet so I left it out of the rankings for now. Dead Last is Majoras Mask. I hated that game and never plan on playing it ever again. Unlocking the Fierce Deity mask was the only good thing about it and finishing the game once was enough for me. No offense to those who did like it.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I've ranked Mario's platformers and racing games, now for his RPG games!

Mario (RPG's)
1. Paper Mario
2. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
3. Super Mario RPG
4. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
5. Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door
6. Super Paper Mario
7. Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time

It was a tough choice between Paper Mario and Bowser's Inside Story for the top spot. They are both such amazing games. You really cannot go wrong with either one and I highly recommend them to those who have not played them yet. Getting to play as Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story was a real fun experience, he totally stole the show in that game. Not to mention it features the one of best battle themes in gaming history, against Dark Bowser. Paper Mario barely defeats Bowser's Inside Story for the top spot. Everything about it was so well done and I've kept replaying it for over a decade now. The soundtrack, the gameplay, the worlds, the new characters it introduced, just everything really. I can't think of a single bad thing to say about it other than perhaps nitpicking a little about how the desert area drags on a bit. Experimenting with the badge combinations and different allies was a lot of fun. It had a ton of hilarity too from the sound effect badges to the endless list of silly lines found in the dialogue.

The original Super Mario RPG rounds out the top tier. It too has been replayed countless times. Its very memorable cast, great story, user friendly gameplay (especially for an oldschool RPG) and music are all excellent. It has aged very well. Superstar Saga was a rather enjoyable title that I'd also recommend to those who have yet to play it. The Beanbean Kingdom was a cool new region to play in, and I hope to see more of it in future games. It's nowhere near as good as Bowser's Inside Story though, which is definitely the best of the "Mario & Luigi" titles. Thousand Year Door and Super Paper Mario never quite captured the magic of the first Paper Mario title. Coming in last is Partners in Time. This is still a game worth checking out, the main reason I ranked it so low is due to the inclusion of Baby Mario & Baby Luigi. I cannot stand Baby Mario or Baby Luigi, they are the most annoying characters in the Mario universe. Despite their inclusion it is still a game worth at least giving a try.

I have not played Sticker Star yet, so it is left out of the rankings for now.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I was feeling nostalgic about this series while discussing DKC2 with Brain the other day, so it will be my next ranking.

Donkey Kong Country
1. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
2. Donkey Kong Country
3. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble
4. Donkey Kong 64

You cannot go wrong in the SNES trilogy, all three are awesome titles. The second game is the best of the three in every category though. It was the most challenging, had the best soundtrack, the best available animal companions, the coolest bosses, the best Kong team of the trilogy in Diddy/Dixie, and was all around the most fun to play. Despite being the most difficult, the majority of the game was the type of challenge that made you appreciate getting through it and then come back for more again and again. I really don't have any negatives against the first game. It's a legendary title in of itself; it's just that there isn't anything it can provide that the second game didn't do a better job at.

The third was a step down in my opinion. They tried out a few new things such as the vehicles, a unique boss fight style against the snowman, the Brothers Bear locations, and the banana bird puzzles which were fun. Overall it had a tough act to follow after the first two but remains a game worth playing if for some reason you haven't yet. I really would have found it interesting to play as some of the Kong teams we never had a chance to such as Donkey/Dixie, Donkey/Kiddie, or Diddy/Kiddy. I'm referring to the original SNES releases here so forgive me if that did happen in some remake that I'm not familiar with. DK64 was yet another step down from the SNES titles. It had its moments, but I just found it a bit of a chore to get through and it got old to keep having to go back through each world as multiple characters. I have not finished Donkey Kong Country Returns, so I have left it out of the rankings for now.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I haven't ranked a video game series in a while, so here's the Mother/Earthbound series.


Mother/Earthbound
1. Mother 2 (Earthbound)
2. Mother 3
3. Mother 1 (Earthbound Zero)

The second is the game many of us know and love as Earthbound. It's by far the best in the series. It was a phenomenal game. The main cast of young kids you played as (especially Ness who saw appearances in the Smash Bros games) were quite memorable. The "modern" style it took as opposed to the medieval fantasy or science fiction setting that so many games have taken over the years. Then you had all of the strange (for lack of a better word) enemies that you encountered such as hippies, crazy animals, aliens, inanimate objects that got possessed, and more. Never before has a game been so ridiculous yet so good at the same time. Hilarious every step of the way and I have replayed it countless times.

The third game had a tough act to follow and it was also a game several years in the making. Anyone else remember reading patiently in Nintendo Power for updates about "Earthbound 64"? The wait was worth it, and it got released as Mother 3. Mother 3 is a game worth playing.... Its main problem is that it just isn't anywhere near as good as its prequel. It did feature Lucas, who joined Ness over in the Smash Bros games. The main cast wasn't as memorable as Earthbound's was, the music wasn't as good, and the overall experience just wasn't as enjoyable. With that being said it still contained the "modern" setting style, silly enemy names, and other aspects of its prequel. Check Mother 3 out if you were a fan of Earthbound and haven't played it yet.

The first game was the worst. It's not one I would ever recommend to anyone unless they want a challenge. Why is that? Earthbound Zero was a game that bordered on insanely unfair in difficulty. The only good thing about it was seeing the origins of the gameplay and style of Earthbound in NES form. I've made it through that game twice and I will never put myself through that level of torture again. Seriously.... I had my party maxed out and the final cave/mountain still had me ripping hairs out in frustration. Then there's issues such as Ninten's asthma or how much Loid just plain SUCKS. I still get shivers down my spine anytime I hear the battle theme (the one used most often of the three, against the more "dangerous" enemies) as I associate it with such tough fights. This is one title I'm keeping in the past where it belongs. Not so much an awful game, just HARD AS HELL! That, and the other two titles were a lot more fun to play.

 

[Shotaro]

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed 2
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed 3
Assassin's Creed: Revelations

Pretty sure I'm done with the series now but I hated revelations, it did nothing for the main story and just meandered introducing some weak ass gameplay elements and adding to the crowded (but well balanced) mechanics of Brotherhood, AC3 was disappointing too but better than Revelations.

 

[Scuba 06]

Tomb Raider Series ( 1996 -
1#.Tomb Raider (1996)
2#.Tomb Raider II
3#.Tomb Raider (2012)
4#.Tomb Raider Anniversary
5#.Tomb Raider Legend
6#.Tomb Raider III
7#.Tomb Raider : Last Revelation
8#.Tomb Raider : Underworld
9#.Tomb Raider : Chronicles
10#.Tomb Raider : Angel Of Darkness

 

[Scuba 06]

Resident Evil Series ( 1996 -
#1. Resident Evil 4
#2. Resident Evil (2002-Remake)
#3. Resident Evil 2
#4. Resident Evil (1996)
#5. Resident Evil Code : Veronica
#6. Resident Evil 3 : Nemesis
#7. Resident Evil Zero
#8. Resident Evil 5
#9. Resident Evil Revelations
#10. Resident Evil 6

 

[Scuba 06]

Mortal Kombat Series ( 1992 -
#1. Mortal Kombat II
#2. Mortal Kombat (2012)
#3. Mortal Kombat (1992)
#4. Mortal Kombat : Deadly Alliance
#5. Mortal Kombat 3 / UMK3 / Trilogy
#6. Mortal Kombat : Deception
#7. Mortal Kombat : Armageddon
#8. Mortal Kombat v.s DC Universe
#9. Mortal Kombat 4 / Gold

 

[Shotaro]

TIL there have been 10 tomb raider games...

Mario
SMB3
64
SMB
Galaxy
World
Sunshine
Galaxy 2
SMB: The Lost Levels
SMB2

 

[newwaveknight]

I'll go with Legend of Zelda, since I'm a big enough fan to have the Triforce tattooed on my chest.

1. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
3. Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
4. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
5. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
6. The Legend of Zelda
7. Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
8. Zelda II: The Adventures of Link
9. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

 

[Scuba 06]

Street Fighter Series ( 1987 -
1. Street Fighter II
2. Street Fighter IV
3. Street Fighter Alpha 3
4. Street Fighter III
5. Street Fighter EX
6. Street Fighter Alpha 2
7. Street Fighter EX 2
8. Street Fighter Alpha
9. Street Fighter
10. Street Fighter EX 3