Every Year In Video Gaming Ranked From WORST To BEST

[@TeamTripleJump]

Do you have a favourite year in the long history of video games? Maybe when you got your first system? Perhaps the year your favourite game of all time released? Sound off below! 🎮

[@CBeanss]

2007 was a remarkable year for video games. The gaming industry was seeing some of its most significant releases of all time, and we were met with a plethora of titles to choose from. Halo 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Uncharted, Half-Life 2 Episode 2, Crysis, The Witcher, and Modern Warfare - to name a few. 2007 was an outstanding year for games.

[@rommebernardcutamora]

Amazing Video.

[@whyisthisafeature]

why does this have no likes it's been 45 minutes

[@stuartyeah]

@@CBeanss I wasn't playing video games at all in 2007, despite being 14 years old. In fact, I've never been a COD fan ever. However, after reading this, the impact that 2007 had on the industry is undeniable. Anyway...I'm going to watch the list now! Happy New Year!

[@jayesun3420]

That's cool, I'm a 1978 baby too

[@BadAssMacmillan]

The two year run from 2004-2005 was insane. Four of my top 10 video games of all time were released in those two years (RE4, Ninja Gaiden, MGS3, DMC3). Just look at this list of games: Resident Evil 4 Ninja Gaiden Black Metal Gear Solid 3 Devil May Cry 3 Half Life 2 Halo 2 San Andreas World of Warcraft Shadow of the Colossus God of War Tekken 5 Soul Calibur 3 Dragon Quest VIII Chaos Theory Pandora Tomorrow Metroid Prime 2 Metroid Zero Mission Civilization IV Unreal Tournament Dawn of Sorrow Zelda the Minish Cap Advance Wars Dual Strike Killer7 Fear Fable Call of Duty 2 Battlefield 2 Guitar Hero Midnight Club 3 Rome Total War Psychonauts Ace Attorney Mario Kart DS Paper Mario Katamari Damacy Tales of Symphonia Pikmin 2 Sly 2 Fire Emblem Up Your Arsenal Escape From Butcher Bay King Kong and many more. The fact that all of these games came out months from each other is ridiculous. Half Life 2, Halo 2, MGS3, World of Warcraft, Metroid Prime 2, and Nintendo DS came out in the same month (November 2004). That has to be the best single month in gaming history. What's crazy is that before that at the end of October San Andreas was released.

[@synx1018]

Where’s COD 2?

[@BadAssMacmillan]

@@synx1018 I can’t believe I forgot COD2. I edited my comment and added COD2 and other games worth mentioning.

[@Thanksforthefish]

Born in 1988 and having my first touch with the SNES in 1996 due to war in Yugoslavia, never stopped being amazed by Nintendo's output. Owned Xbox and Xbox 360, PS4, and played PC games as well, nothing brings more excitement than Nintendo games.

[@Chalky.]

Being born in 1978 I do think I was fortunate enough to be born at the perfect time to grow up alongside advancements in gaming.

[@monkeymagic00001]

I was born in 1978 and feel exactly the same 👍

[@zengram]

Born in 77 myself. Still enjoying videogames with passion

[@patrickhein6986]

I was born in 1977. We grew up in the best Period to grow up, in my opinion. Starting with the Atari 2600 we had the Luck to play aaaall the great Games when they were new.

[@affliction1979]

1979 here, I'm usually the oldest person commenting on this type of stuff, but we definitely have seen the best years of gaming.

[@jordysmetalshop4341]

'74 here

[@dwatts64]

I was actually surprised 2007 wasn't higher. CoD4, Halo 3, BioShock, Half-life Orange box (which includes portal and team fortress 2), Mass Effect, Uncharted, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 (not one of the best, but still, a great Metroid game) geez the list goes on and on. The only thing it feels like it was missing was a great Zelda game. 2007 is my pick for the best year ever.

[@mrjayk1982]

They didn’t even mention COD4. Stupid review really, and actually very childish to not mention it considering it’s one of the most influential games of all time

[@ryantheanimator1156]

@@mrjayk1982 They also didn't mention God of War 2, one of the greatest sequels and best Playstation exclusives that came out near the end of PS2 life cycle, but nope, let's just showed a footage of Bee the movie video game instead, smh.

[@fawkkyutuu8851]

@@mrjayk1982 Yeah Cod4 is the most important multi-player videogame of the entire 7th generation.

[@MrAmbition774]

@@mrjayk1982 people hate call of duty so much that they forgot how innovative and influential it was. Cod 4 literally changed the FPS genre, multiplayer gaming, and shot the entire series into the stratosphere. It doesn’t get enough respect.

[@mrdillerfar]

@@mrjayk1982 Childish? Your reaction seems more childish. Maybe they just didn't think it as important as you do in the great scheme of things. Lots of things they didn't mention that some us might feel they should have. It's already 2 hours long.

[@themarkandrus]

I didn't expect to have a strong reaction right out of the gate but I certainly didn't expect the year that had Earthbound, FF6, Super Metroid, Doom 2, Sonic 3 (I could go on for a very long time), would be ranked lower than the year of E.T. The Extra-terrestrial. The beginning of the end for Sega is an interesting point, but the fall of the entire video game industry seems more extreme to me

[@llpalm08]

The gaming crash was mainly a US thing and the strength of the industry in Japan and Europe is what saved the year and maybe also the industry, even if it did affect the world through the issues at Atari. Japan was going strong with the Famicom and Europe, especially the UK, had a strong home computer market with things like the ZX Spectrum, Commodor 64 and the BBC Micro.

[@oggiv]

Not to mention just how influential Super Metroid has been for Indie Games and any Metroidvania game since it's release

[@snorzyyt]

You looked up the wikipedia page for 1994 in gaming, didn’t you Squidward?

[@themarkandrus]

@@snorzyyt No, I'm just old

[@dstinnettmusic]

@@llpalm08 I mean…gaming wasn’t that big in Europe. They had mini PCs that could play games but also were meant for productivity tasks. The US basically was the video games market at the time, at least the “global market” outside of Japan. It’s important to note that video games were seen by many as a fad at this time. Similar to electro-mechanical arcade games, which went in and out of fashion. That’s why a company like Nintendo was able to sneak in and own the market when other industry players, like Mattel (the biggest toy maker) and Magnavox or RCA (leading American electronics makers) really struggled. (Compare to how Nintendo struggled against the PlayStation, despite being the more established company) There has been a tendency to overstate how big the crash was, with some commentators saying gaming “could have died” with the “Atari Crash”, but this is clearly over simplifying things, as the video shows that people wanted to make video games before there were even computers that could run them….so someone would have made video games even if everyone had actually stopped in the 1970s…but that doesn’t mean we should understate the harm of the crash to the industry. The industry went pretty dormant. I’ll put it this way….let’s say the global economy tanked and most of the major US and Japanese Automakers died off. Yes the Germans will still have cars, but we would still talk of this as the “Global Auto Crash”

[@shaunwilson7783]

Really appreciate the effort the team put into these videos. This has to be one of my favourites, so much information given on each year which I never knew about. Keep them coming.

[@supizgamerpro101]

I honestly didn't expect you to put 1994 as the lowest, especially given that it's the year the original PlayStation, which is the first console to sell more than 100 million units, came out.

[@gamernaut8864]

I was 31 in 2001, and I remember feeling like gaming was becoming the most mind-blowing and magical form of entertainment ever. I loved my Saturn, my PS1, my N64, my Dreamcast, and the Gen 6 consoles were about to become my all-time favorite generation. It seemed like it would ONLY get better and better as time passed, but now with the benefit of hindsight, I can see it kind of didn't ... get better. I would say it's been a mixed bag ever since. The early 2000s were definitely the peak. It was nice to see 2017 coming in strong however. Perhaps there is hope that gaming can reach new highs again. Great video Triple Jump. Not an easy list to create. I think you did the topic justice.

[@planstoesc2]

50+ and still gaming. Love to see it.

[@VeggyZ]

True, though I think gaming has always been a bit of a mixed bag. My thoughts are still in line with your "most magical / mind blowing form of entertainment" comment - because it still is easily that - at least in comparison to any other. It's too bad it isn't a steady incline in quality, but it's still... pretty great. I'm not sure what my life would be like if I hadn't been brought an NES at age 3 back in like 1987 or 1988... but I have a feeling it would probably have involved a lot more criminal activity in my youth, haha. Video games helped me stay out of trouble, no doubt about it.

[@unisonproto]

2007 is my best year but that's partly nostalgia talking. That said you got COD 4, Halo 3 and Mass Effect which are all favourites of mine. Portal, Assassin's Creed, Super Mario Galaxy, Crysis, Uncharted, Team Fortress 2, all classics!

[@schelbboy22]

I can't believe he didn't mention Halo 3, Cod 4, or Mass Effect as high points, I thought 2007 was easy top 5 lock

[@RedRudolph73]

This video is like watching a parade, the entire time your waiting for your favorite part to come up, but not sure where they’ll be

[@neiko9251]

1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023 have been the greatest gaming years of my life. I was born in 1992. And yes I remember playing Yoshi’s Island, ultimate Mk3, Clayfighters, DKC 1&2, Killer Instinct, and Zelda:Links Awakening on my SNES vividly at 3 years old. 1995 was the years I essentially became conscious to the world I was living in and started applying memory and conceptualizing. If you have a 3 year old, don’t think they won’t remember what you are doing because they’re young, 3 is when memories start to stick.

[@jdbruiser]

2013 was pretty great too.

[@MichaelPomar-z7w]

I know you briefly touch upon this but there was NO video game crash in the rest of the world outside of the US in 1983. I was there during this time and it was when I really got into gaming, there were games like the original Football Manager, Elite and many more that were engaging. What was happening over the pond had no bearing whatsover on us in the UK and elsewhere. Also away from 1983 Asteroids wasn't just a good game for it's time it was truly excellent and hugely popular and was indeed a step forward from space invaders.

[@fawkkyutuu8851]

The crash has long been blown way out of proportion with people only focusing on the state of gaming In the US for many years and running with this narrative for whatever reason , I guess It made for more marketable sensationalism and a greater sounding comeback story/legacy. Japan was always fine too that's why they decided to test NES In the US after continually enjoying rapid success for almost 2 years prior , and were so confident about It they agreed to cover any losses taking back whatever didn't sell.

[@misteraskman3668]

So, I think everyone here can agree that this is a quick summary of Videogame history. Making it must have been extremely difficult, but no only is it entretaining, but even educational (edutainment, our favorite genre!l) for those who want to work in the videogames industry. Thanks Phillip for all your work. Your writer voice was unique, and this is the best way you could've say goodbye to your audience. Thanks to everyone in Team TripleJump. You may not know how much you mean to everyone of us.

[@pgratedslasher6076]

No hyperbole, Ben and Peter are seriously two of the best VOs. Great job as always, crew! Also, how about a "Best worst to best list, from worst to best" video?

[@_UPRC]

For sure. I don't always see eye to eye with their countdowns (like this one), but I've followed them since their WhatCulture days and am happy that they're still churning out great content together.

[@thejosephchrist]

They are almost like ASMR

[@CrowTRobot]

Agreed. Making the jump from WC to TJ was the easiest choice in the world for me.

[@pgratedslasher6076]

@@CrowTRobot Ben, Peter, and Jules..man if Jules came over to TJ that would be amazing

[@JohnnyVee007]

you'd just need to play this in reverse lol

[@dudefromtheearth]

2001 definitely deserves the top spot! I really loved this Triple Jump video and feel that it was done fairly. I really enjoyed seeing all the games of yesteryear. It was historical and also a trip down memory lane for any of these generations gaming. You have to pay homage to where it all started and it's amazing to see how it all evolved and become a fun and innovative industry that also is great for content creators who's expertise is gaming like those at Triple Jump that is seriously respected!

[@makasete30]

To be honest, many years deserve top spot, and I wouldn’t have put 2001 as top spot due my own biases. Looking at the majority of comments, everyone has a different idea of what should be top and there seems to be no consensus. They also seem to ignore the Amiga, BBC, and spectrum which for a UK based channel is quite baffling. Those computers had a huge impact on the industry. This list of course, has an entirely subjective assessment but quite a few people have pointed out that a few entries at the start don’t make sense, and really could be a lot higher, and so could be interpreted entirely differently by the same scale they created. But the ranking shouldn’t be taken seriously. and it was a really good look at the development of the gaming industry. I feel the ranking is more of a hook to get interest -it definitely succeeded in that!

[@fawkkyutuu8851]

Overall I still give 1998 the top spot but It's close. You could make an argument for both being the best In two different ways.

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

2001 had banger games from the N64, Dreamcast, GameCube, Xbox, GBA, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2. It’s unbeatable as the best year in gaming.

[@schelbboy22]

I called it when I saw this video 2001 was legendary, I thought 2011 and 2007 would be top 5 also, 2007 is the only placement i would debate on this list, nothing bad and legendary finishes to titans as we knew them, as well as beginnings to new legends.

[@maximrukinov3101]

All periods of gaming history were exciting in some regards. For me, 1997-2006 were years of crazy technological leaps, 2006-2013 - times of big loud AAA-blockbusters and 2013-nowadays as a period of rising indie. As long as something new is being made and "backlogs" aren't banned by law, there is no bad years for gaming!

[@luistorres8005]

100% true

[@aitehs]

Хуєта 100%

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

Truth

[@EvilApple567]

I never even really considered any year to be better than '07. The latter half of that year just seemed so jam packed with franchise and even genre defining titles it just seemed clear to me no other year could stand up. Halo 3, CoD 4, GH3, and Mario Galaxy were the heaviest hitters, but right under you have Orange Box (Portal, TF2), Super Paper Mario, Metroid Prime 3, Pokemon D&P, Bioshock, Assassin's Creed, Rock Band, Mass Effect, Oblivion: Shivering Isles, and Forza 2. Things were admittedly slower on the PS side, but even in arguably their worst year ever they still got God of War 2, Uncharted, and Ratchet & Clank Tools of Destruction. Giving a full scope retrospective, the whole late mid 90's to 2000's were pretty outstanding (the most noteworthy being '96, '98, '01-'05), but I still don't think any of them reach the peaks of '07. It still seems pretty clearly a step above the rest imo.

[@alexpace1783]

Mostly good shouts for 2007. But just to point out (without trying to be pedantic), Pokemon Diamond and Pearl strictly speaking did first release in 2006 in Japan, and I think the scrutiny towards PS in 2007 was more to do with the PS3 as a console. 2014 immediately springs to mind in terms of a worse year for PS, across all platforms at their respective times.

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

2007 was a weak year for Japanese games aside from Nintendo. That’s why lots of other years surpassed it since western games are overrated.

[@lordevyl8317]

I'm not a COD fan at all, but I do agree with you, 2007 was a great year for gaming.

[@mootang7349]

Sooooooo. The video game crash was actually the crash of console sales in North America. One of the contributing factors was the explosion of home computer gaming. Try googling Commodore Vic 20, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga. Sinclair ZX80 ZX81, Spectrum. BBC Micro. AMSTRAD CPC. Atari ST. I know this will come as a shock, but the history of video games is not just the history of consoles, arcades, and PCs. One mention of Manic Miner is all the home computers merited? By the way, there was this game once called Elite. You should look into it. One of the best, most important and most influential games of all time. Probably worth a mention in a video looking at the entire history of computer gaming.

[@nevousabonnezpas4286]

14) 2015 (1:31:58) 13) 2007 (1:33:51) 12) 2010 (1:35:59) 11) 2016 (1:38:00) 10) 2011 (1:40:04) 9) 2000 (1:42:38) 8) 2008 (1:45:19) 7) 2002 (1:47:54) 6)1996 (1:50:28) 5) 2005 (1:53:13) 4) 2004 (1:55:56) 3) 1998 (1:58:51) 2) 2017 (2:02:07) 1) 2001 (2:05:25)

[@Aqua.man045]

proof the 2000s were the best decade in gaming

[@moonraker5846]

@@Aqua.man045not is 2010s is better

[@itsaustin1410]

Wow. You guys always post high quality stuff, but this was really something special. Can’t imagine the amount of work that went into this, but I already know I’ll be rewatching this multiple times. Feels like this should be played at a video game museum lol. Fantastic!

[@nanorider426]

Well, they missed a huge part of the gaming industry that were the reason it became and industry in the 80 's and 90's. Look up Commodore 64 and Amiga, , Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum and Atari ST.

[@pathaider]

2001 was a legendary year full of genre defining games that shaped the next two decades of gaming. It also ushered in the birth of online gaming on consoles. I watched this entire countdown saying to myself, "This whole list is void if 2001 isn't #1," and I wasn't disappointed. Everyone has their favorite year, but no year has been or likely ever will be as impactful as 2001.

[@ThomastheDankEngine8900]

Facts

[@hectiicclaw1388]

Thoroughly enjoyed this massive appreciation for the effort it must take to make long form videos that a lot of people wouldn't sit through but I love this content!

[@I-ONLY-BUILD-MECHS-AND-DUSTERS]

I think the ranking method of this list is flawed. Bad years should be ones where nothing of note happened or only massively disappointing games (Cyberpunk 2077) came out. No one really cared if obscure bad games like Action 52 came out in a certain year. We ignored such games and focused on the good ones.

[@Dizzy-lane]

What a great video guys, thanks for all the hard work you all do. This was awesome a trip down memory lane. I remember so many of these games and when they came out. Keep up the great work

[@qactustick]

Dang, you're definitely right that I was surprised by what ended up being the worst year, despite all of the good stuff it still had. I'm really gonna have no idea what to expect from the rest of this list!

[@killia999]

Very nice list, and super informative. I have one complaint though. Seeing as it's not sorted by year but by metrics, and it jumps around a lot, I could have used a little reminder in the corner which year is being talked about, I mean there definitely was space for it. Still minor complaint

[@andrescardoso7731]

I remember when I suggested this list way back in 2021 Thanks for taking it into consideration! Great list as always :D

[@andyackerman7123]

Thank you for being the random, and sole reason for the making of this video.

[@kcollier2192]

EXCELLENT job here gentlemen! Looking back at this timeline some of my personal highlights were my brothers and I getting our first video game console (the OG Intellivision and then Intellivision 2), buying my own first console (Master System), discovering what all the fuss was about the GameBoy, my first PC (the C64), discovering PC gaming legends like Zork, Ultima, Might & Magic, Wizardry, Command and Conquer, Civilization, the Gold Box series. And back to the console side It's easier to say that I own or owned more consoles than I haven't- Magnavox Odyssey, Atari 5200 & 7800, WiiU, Switch and PS 3,4 &5 are about the only major systems I didn't/don't have. What a great hobby to have!

[@Lucromis]

The late 90s to the mid 2000s have a great blend of technology with some internet and refinement, without season passes and micro transactions wanting to take your money at every turn in an unfinished modern game.

[@addamcockayne5343]

Being born in 1973 definitely Pong. Asteroids. Space invaders and donkey kong were the games that sparked my interest. Games like afterburner. Outrun and eventually street fighter and mortal combat got me hooked. I'm more of an explorer nowadays in massive open world or RPG style games where choices impact gameplay making games even more immersive Be it just mindless fun or intricate decision making. Games full a lot of my time now and they're only getting better!!! Nice timeline vid. Keep up the good work 😸

[@oliveruschmann2644]

I get crazy. My first spontaneous thought by watching the title of this astonishing video was "1994" as a high contender for one of the best positions... and then it comes in as the worst year at first!

[@jamesborb4255]

The piece you made about Space Invaders should be put in a museum and should be shown to anyone who doesn't understand what videogames mean

[@emlyndewar]

Not getting the Master System jokes tbh, it was pretty popular in the UK. Had a few friends with Master System, instead of NES.

[@patrickhein6986]

Here in Germany too. The NES and MS were on the pretty same pupularity Level were I grew up.

[@TAGibby]

It was more popular in Europe, but less popular in Japan and North America.

[@emlyndewar]

@@TAGibby Yeah, definitely North America it sounds like most people weren’t even aware of it. With it being a UK based channel though, just thought it might get some more love. 😢😂 I would have been pretty happy with a master system back in the day.

[@kieransp2010]

From the simple perspective of gaming pleasure, 1997 is my favourite year. Tekken 3, Gran Turismo, GoldenEye 64... Literally my top 3 games of all time

[@GG3695]

When this list started I had 2017 in my mind for the top spot. I'm happy to see it got 2nd place and I wondered what was beating it (too many years to naturally figure it out). Having been born in '95, 2001 was the first year I can remember actively playing video games and my god it was a good year. It fully deserves the too spot.

[@fawkkyutuu8851]

I don't understand how you could possibly justify 2017 for the #1 or #2 spot , 2001 and 1998 are unquestionably better , 2004 Is better , and there's a few more easily stronger years I could think of. 2017 was a good solid year maybe 8th gens best but I just don't feel like It has any business In top 5 all time.

[@Agreel]

@@fawkkyutuu8851 Matter of taste. For me, 1998 mostly defends itself with Baldur's Gate, nothing too impressive. 2001 was pretty good, same with 2004, but I couldn't really call them one of the best. 2017 on the other hand, easily belongs to my top 3, right behind 2002 and 2005.

[@theLethalRabbit]

Gaming was definitely a huge thing in 1994... The whole "Snes vs Genesis" debate, the arcades, lots and lots of magazines, talk about the upcoming consoles, some classic games that stood the test of time and the simple fact that we were playing LIKE CRAZY when we were kids in 1994. This is not just nostalgia factor. 1994 was certainly not among the "best", but it belongs in an era that games were on a constant rise. So, seeing 1994 in the bottom, as the "single worst year in gaming"... it really seems strange!

[@jeremyshepherd1700]

What is AS CRAZY?

[@theLethalRabbit]

@@jeremyshepherd1700 Well, excuse me if my english is not 100% accurate, since it's not my mother language. I meant "like crazy", but you already knew it of course. The satisfaction some people get out of nitpicking...

[@jeremyshepherd1700]

@@theLethalRabbit that makes more sense. Thought AS CRAZY was a game I’d never heard of before

[@patrickhein6986]

For me personally it was 1992: A Link to the Past, Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat, Super Mario Kart, Contra 3, Sonic 2, Quackshot, Super Mario Brothers 3, Mega Man 5, Super Mario Land 2, Kirbys Dreamland. Oh what a Year. 😘

[@belhariry]

My birthday year is GOATED

[@capn_capacitor]

1992 was huge for PC gaming: Wolfenstein 3D, Dune II, Ultima VII, Wing Commander, Ultima Underworld, Star Control II. Some of the greatest PC games ever made.

[@Aqua.man045]

street fighter 2 is from 1991 and SMB3 from 1990

[@jupitervideos7702]

SMB3 is from 1988

[@ThatShyGuyMatt]

1999-2001 were just the best years of gaming for me. So many good games. From Half Life, to Halo, GTA 3, Unreal Touranment....etc.

[@SmashBroRazz]

I am baffled as to how 1) 1983 wasn't the bottom year (or 1982 for causing its crash) and 2) the Fairchild Channel F wasn't mentioned as a positive for 1976. It was the first non-dedicated console with interchangeable games! That at least deserves a mention.

[@spotieotie]

This video is just incredible. Thanks for putting this together. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@1978gazmack]

What a bunch of rankers 😂 Happy new year to you all love all your vids good luck in 2023 xx

[@SophiaNyx]

"1994 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy VI, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Super Street Fighter II Turbo and Virtua Fighter 2 and Doom II, along with new titles such as Daytona USA, Ace Driver, Alpine Racer and Tekken."

[@_UPRC]

Earthbound and KIller Instinct were there as well, and it's also the year in which The Elder Scrolls and Warcraft both got their starts. 1994 was freaking awesome, I can't fathom how they think it's the worst year for gaming of all time. Like, I just can't wrap my head around it at all. Legitimately perplexed by it, haha.

[@SophiaNyx]

it's probably my favorite year. up there for sure. 90s gaming was very strong and 94 had an amazing lineup.

[@JMB19941]

Great video as always guys but I can't believe you didn't mention World of Warcraft amongst 2004

[@theelmapache]

THEY METIONED THE 7TH GUEST!! This is now my favorite channel.

[@4504595]

1991 @ #49? Because of a bad unlicensed game? I’m so confused 😢

[@NowUndefined]

Happy New Year BAP(And James) and walrus clan! Edit: Took me all day to finish it but it's a great look at every year, thanks for putting it all together. RIP Philip J Reed

[@cavalier5570]

1994 had DKC, S3&K, Doom II, the PS launch, Final Fantasy 6, Warcraft, Tekken, Super Metroid, Lion King, Theme Park, the home release of Street Fighter II... tf is wrong with you?

[@marioplayer9687]

Great video! Watched the entire thing and you just earned yourself a subscriber. Funny how the sixth generation console years are almost exclusively at the top of the list. That was the greatest generation to be a gamer, after all. We had Super Mario Sunshine, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Need For Speed: Most Wanted, The Simpsons: Hit & Run, Luigi's Mansion, the NBA Street series, the Pac-Man World series, the Harry Potter series, the Medal of Honor series, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, the Tony Hawk series, Bully, the Spider-Man games, the Hulk game, I could go on for hours. There will never be another console generation like the sixth and I feel so lucky to have grown up in that generation as opposed to any other.

[@RespectTheLogos3]

For the 2000s: 2000 - Deus Ex, Diablo II, The Sims, Perfect Dark, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 2001 - Halo, Luigi's Mansion, Pikmin, Max Payne, Conker's Bad Fur Day 2002 - Kingdom Hearts, Metroid Prime, Animal Crossing, Ratchet & Clank, Splinter Cell 2003 - Call of Duty, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Beyond Good & Evil, Star Wars: KotOR, The Simpsons: Hit & Run 2004 - Half-Life 2, GTA: San Andreas, Burnout 3: Takedown, Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door, World of Warcraft 2005 - God of War, Psychonauts, Resident Evil 4, Guitar Hero, LEGO Star Wars 2006 - Wii Sports, Gears of War, Bully, Okami, Black 2007 - Halo 3, Portal, BioShock, Super Mario Galaxy, COD4: Modern Warfare 2008 - Fallout 3, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, LittleBigPlanet, Braid, Left 4 Dead 2009 - Uncharted 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Borderlands, Infamous, Bayonetta

[@fawkkyutuu8851]

missing these... 2000 - Vagrant Story , Valkyrie Profile , Skies Of Arcadia , Final Fantasy IX , Spyro Year Of The Dragon , Tekken Tag Tournament , Jet Set Radio , Banjo-Tooie , Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes , WWF Smackdown 2: Know Your Role , WWF No Mercy , Age Of Empires II: The Conquerors , Thief II , Diablo 2 , Mega Man Legends 2 , Power Stone 2 2001 - Silent Hill 2 , ICO , Final Fantasy X , SSX Tricky , Red Faction , Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 , Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty , Super Smash Brothers Melee , Shadow Hearts , Fatal Frame , Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec , Grand Theft Auto III , Twisted Metal Black , Sonic Adventure 2 2002 - Biohazard Remake , Age Of Mythology , Warcraft III: Reign Of Chaos , Timesplitters 2 , Mafia , Dark Cloud 2 , Suikoden 3 , Armored Core 3 , Contra: Shattered Soldier 2003 - Def Jam Vendetta , Mario Kart Double Dash , NBA Street Vol. 2 , Tony Hawk's Underground , SSX 3 , Silent Hill 3 , Homeworld 2 , Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield , SOCOM II: US Navy Seals 2004 - Ninja Gaiden , Far Cry , Gran Turismo 4 , Def Jam: Fight For NY , Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic II , The Sith Lords Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher's Bay , WWE Smackdown! vs Raw , NFL 2K5 , Suikoden IV , Shadow Hearts: Covenant 2005 - Biohazard 4 , Shadow Of The Colossus , Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory , Ninja Gaiden Black , Age Of Empires III , Condemned: Criminal Origins , Cold Fear , Fear , Devil May Cry 3 , Kingdom Hearts II 2006 - Wii Sports , Company Of Heroes , Guitar Hero II , Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter , Lost Planet: Extreme Condition , Motorstorm , Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2 , Suikoden V 2007 - S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow Of Chernobyl , Mass Effect , Lost Odyssey , Assassin's Creed 2008 - Call Of Duty: World At War , Dead Space 2009 - Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 , Street Fighter 4 , Demon's Souls , 1 vs 100

[@gregoryedwards9097]

You guys provide some of the best commentary and are genuinely funny af w your jokes. I highly disagree with how the list is compiled, though I understand your reasonings for the placement, I still don’t think blunders should weigh more than the successes. I’m talking about 1994 and 1991 specifically being lower than some of the entries from the 70s or the down turn of video games, especially if a year has no really noticeable game. That should easily be the worst one due to obscurity, lack of relevance and impact, whereas SNES and Sega truly had some amazing classics. But that’s just my opinion, I’m just sharing my two cents lol. Overall awesome video as always!

[@eddiehimself]

I'm slightly disappointed that there is no mention of home computers outside of the PC (Previously known as the IBM PC Compatible) and Apple II. Things like the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST etc might not have been designed to play games, but they were certainly popular gaming platforms back in the 1980s/early 90s. Also, I really don't think it can be overstated just how much the low-cost ZX Spectrum turned numerous teenage bedroom coders in the UK into game development juggernauts by the 1990s/2000s. One example of that is DMA Design, a Scottish studio started by a bunch of kids on Speccies in the 80s that would go on to create Grand Theft Auto, which is now one of the biggest game series in the world. Edit: also Japanese computers like the NEC PC-9801 and the MSX, the latter of which was the platform for the first two Metal Gear games.

[@mootang7349]

Every year in video gaming ranked based on what Nintendo were doing in each particular year.

[@michaelplatt1959]

The script was either written by an American or the research was based off the typically US-centric take on 80s gaming history. The dismissive attitude toward the Master System illustrates this too, as it was very popular in Europe and the UK. Frustrating how myopic US gaming historians can be.

[@Newsherkilla]

You guys are amazing. Thank you for getting me through another tough day

[@codykline1558]

How can you not even mention the launch of the Dreamcast on 9/9/99 in 1999. What the heck! I got mine at midnight and loved it for the next, well two years -_- Wish I never sold it.

[@dkvestboy]

It was launch in Japan in 1998 thats why Sorry to say it but the whole world doesn't just focus around the usa there are over 200 other countries on this earth

[@pjomayo]

@@dkvestboy By the same token this video doesn't mention the entire legacies of European /British 8 and 16 bit home computers launched in the 80's despite the fact it begins covering games from 1972.

[@its3005]

Crikey, that was a long video. Somehow didn't drag while being fun and informative. Lovely stuff.

[@Loknath009]

Great job, but a 2+ hour video with no timestamps really?

[@SOM-v4o]

I think it's a bit of a crime to not have 2013 The Last Of Us, GTA 5, WWE2k14, God Of War Ascension, Pokemon Y and Z, Batman Arkham Origins,

[@nonsuch]

I don't quite understand the layout of this ranking. It feels like It's all over the place and not cohesive. The disclaimer at the beginning is really the only thing that made sense to me. This is just how I'm taking it in, other's mileage may vary.

[@Gsoda35]

it's quite fun seeing the similarity between the old and new games. something that surprised me is the bad design of input devices.

[@alyssinwilliams4570]

I was one of the 5 not playing Elden Ring; instead I was playing Dorfromantik, FFXIV and being oppressed by some of the worst depression I've felt in years

[@RespectTheLogos3]

For the 2010s and this decade so far: 2010 - Red Dead Redemption, Limbo, SMG2, Alan Wake, Mass Effect 2 2011 - Minecraft, LA Noire, Skyrim, Battlefield 3, Portal 2 2012 - XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Journey, Borderlands 2, Far Cry 3, Spec Ops: The Line 2013 - GTA V, The Last of Us, Papers Please, Bioshock Infinite, The Stanley Parable 2014 - Mario Kart 8, Shovel Knight, FNAF, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Titanfall 2015 - The Witcher III, Splatoon, Undertale, Rocket League, Life is Strange 2016 - Overwatch, Battlefield 1, Stardew Valley, INSIDE, Civilization VI 2017 - LoZ: BotW, Super Mario Odyssey, PUBG, Cuphead, Sonic Mania 2018 - RDR2, God of War, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Celeste, Spider-Man 2019 - Apex Legends, Sekiro, Disco Elysium, The Outer Worlds, Luigi's Mansion 3 2020 - Cyberpunk 2077, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Doom Eternal, Ghost of Tsushima, Hades 2021 - It Takes Two, Psychonauts 2, Metroid Dread, Halo Infinite, Resident Evil Village 2022 - Elden Ring, Sonic Frontiers, Stray, God of War: Ragnarok, Pokemon Legends: Arceus

[@fawkkyutuu8851]

missing these... 2010 - Call Of Duty: Black Ops , Super Street Fighter IV , Heavy Rain 2011 - Dark Souls , Dead Space 2 , Modern Warfare 3 2012 - Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 2013 - The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel 2014 - The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel 2 2015 - Bloodborne 2016 - Dark Souls III , Nier Automata 2019 - Days Gone , Biohazard 2 Remake 2020 - Yakuza: Like A Dragon

[@armyofuno8196]

@@fawkkyutuu8851 fellow days gone enjoyer 🗿 🤝 🗿

[@Poiwodjdndn]

I love you guys but holy sh** this list made no sense

[@oswinner9265]

This is great. Would love it in a year by year format.

[@CrowTRobot]

1994. One of the greatest years in music and movies, but yeah, messy year for gaming.

[@Cristian-vm1bg]

Superunknown and Definitely Maybe. The best albums from the best bands of the 90's. yeah, 1994 was badass for music. Turned quickly to shit from 1998 on tho.

[@CrowTRobot]

@@Cristian-vm1bg yup. Also Smash, Dookie, Illmatic, Downward Spiral, Blue Album, Jar of Flies, Ill Communication, Parklife, Ready to Die, Mellow Gold, Monster, Vitology, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, No Need to Argue, I'm sure I'm forgetting more. The year was insane.

[@Cristian-vm1bg]

@@CrowTRobot Vitology and Dookie that year too. Holy cow i forgot about those. for some reason i those were later. Man this is like the modern summer of love. Epic year for albums.

[@joshenzo7201]

This is my Video of The Year! Excellent job!

[@tomspencer5433]

No mention of Elite in 1984? That was my childhood!!

[@ratspike8017]

As far as I can tell, the UK and Europe didn't exist for triple jump for the past 50 years, so nothing happened there. Oh well.

[@burgertim7878]

Americans don't care about our microcomputer history over here.

[@michaelplatt1959]

I had to scroll way too far down to see this comment. Everyone is saying how amazing this video is - and it is well put together - but it almost entirely ignores the European microcomputer market. Deriding the Master System also illustrates how US/Japan centric this list is.

[@Tetsu9701]

I've always felt the mid 90's early 00s were the best years in gaming due to the introduction already refined 2D games & introduction and some refinement of 3D game, on top of online gaming coming to consoles. Essentially the 4th through 6th console generations, or in terms of consoles, from the Genesis launch up to the Xbox launch. My personal favorite consoles being the Dreamcast & PS2.

[@trippyboi91]

What makes me upset about 92-93… is that people REALLY acted like the 80s just didn’t happen… the 90s may have been graphic… but the 80s were worse imo.

[@Triggermappy]

"longer, deeper (quiet back there)" ben, you are the best

[@handleunavailable]

I mean, 2001 could be considered one of the best and one of the worst years in gaming based on consoles.

[@WintersInBerlin]

Such a fantastic video; what an amazing writer Phillip was!

[@OfficialFingazMC]

Wait, I loved my master system!

[@jordanscherr6699]

It's interesting how the 90s keep coming back and forth throughout this list. In video game terms, to call it a volatile time would be an understatement. So many new innovations were appearing that people/developers didn't quite know what to do with it. Throw a ton of money on top of with the end of the cold war, and it's little surprise there's so much back and forth regarding that time.

[@aaronworthing1023]

This video would’ve been 100% better if you just do 50 years of video game history, in chronological order, and dispensed with the ranking

[@unkn0wn289]

Literally, this. But i think it's their "thing", ranked... and this is probably for spicy comments, too. That's why so contriversial strange takes right here.

[@barrygoddards]

I concur, consumer wise, but as for their efforts & research is expensed, I understand why they did as they did

[@philipboardman1357]

I'm sure that's been done to death already

[@denard7926]

I enjoy it in the ranking format much more

[@Imgema]

Agree. No way 1994 is the worst year in gaming.

[@bwestacado9643]

Thankfully I was born in 85, so I have gotten to watch the industry grow and play through nearly it's entire lifespan. I went from a Nintendo fan, to an Xbox fan to a "buy what interests me the most" fan lol. The Switch right now is my favorite console to play on and it's my 1st Nintendo console since the N64. Can't wait for the Switch 2 this year

[@5british5]

When guns were more prevalent mass shootings weren't.

[@bjchit]

More like when mental asylums and lack of gun free zones. Amazing how losing one and gaining another lead to a bunch of tragedies.

[@DeaDGoD_XIV]

52:15 You can only say this with hindsight, it wasn't clear that Fallout or GTA would go on to be as big as they are today for those of us that played the games back then

[@tapetedepadaria]

The explanation about 1994 is not enough. I strongly disagree, and to me is one of the best years. It's ok to not be the best, but worst?! That's not a good start for a list :(

[@jackturner6266]

I cracked a smile for this despite my achey breaky head this morning. Happy new year PAB!

[@_UPRC]

I'm only thirteen minutes in, but the fact that they put 1991 almost at the very bottom of their list leaves me feeling very cynical and skeptical about this countdown. Kudos on Ben, Peter, and gang on pulling this off, but 1991 was actually pretty darn good relative to the hardware at the time. Don't even get me started in 1994 being even lower. Some games regarded as the best of all time were released in that year, and they're claiming it's the worst year of all time for gaming? TripleJump really missed the mark with the countdown and I'm not even 10% of the way through it yet.

[@kriscynical]

They unfortunately let a lot of personal biases into these lists when it's not based strictly on scores and numbers. I love these lists to death, but I had the same feeling about their Zelda game rankings with how pathetically low they placed Twilight Princess while also completely (and warrantless-ly) TRASHING the visuals.

[@Apanblod]

1994 as the worst year ever in gaming is quite a hot take. I would rank it as one of the best. 🤷‍♂️

[@_UPRC]

@@Apanblod Same. I'm so confused by their take!

[@burgertim7878]

Super Metroid and DKC alone elevate that year by a lot already.

[@Agreel]

1999 is also way too low, considering we got games like Heroes of Might & Magic 3, Unreal Tournament, Quake 3, Pokemon Gold/Silver, Re-Volt, Worms Armageddon and Planescape Torment.

[@irishTheTroll]

I find it odd, that probably a game that had the largest market and impact in its genre was not mentioned at all. World of Warcraft. Love it or hate it, not only is it still going after 20 years... but it changed the MMO market forever.

[@ZackT9225]

I'm genuinely surprised 1983 wasn't the worst

[@YouthPotential]

Great video lads; I always appreciate history in gaming.

[@benjamindurkin]

Watching this list is a bit like watching a French film historian only remembering the American history of cinema

[@Sinn0100]

Yes, because it's not like the US was and still is the biggest market for gaming in the world. Focusing on smaller markets while covering the best years in the entire 50 year history of gaming really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Moving along... I guess you missed the part where they only talked about 3rd and 4th generation console launches from Japan huh? For reference, the SG-1000, Famicom, PC Engine, Sega Mega Drive, and Super Famicom were not released here in the states at all. Did you also ignore the part where the narrator spoke almost exclusively about Japanese game releases? You know the bit "if they released in Japan first, that's the date they went with?" Well, that was roughly half the games on the list making your "American centric" claims ridiculous.

[@benjamindurkin]

@@Sinn0100 The people who made this video are *checks notes*... British. What infuriates me is that people who are British talking about the history of videogames, just fudge over the history of gaming in Britain. Whilst you in the US were afflicted by a videogame crash, the gaming scene here in the UK was thriving, not struggling in the slightest. When they made sneering comments about the Master System, or went on about how the NES was dominating the gaming scene, it goes counter to the experience of the country they were born in, live in, and work in. The Master System did better than the NES in the UK market, but neither could really compete with the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, or Amstrad CPC 464. Why was this? A game on the Speccy could feasibly be bought with pocket money (starting as they did at £1.99), and a huge collection could be gathered if one your mates had a tape-to-tape recorder. The NES didn't save anything in the UK, it barely made a blip on the sales charts. Some of the most important studios got their start here in the UK. Psygnosis made WipeOut (and much, much more), Rare (formerly Ultimate Play the Game) made legendary games on the ZX Spectrum, some of which still hold up today. Peter Molyneux (for all his sins), was an important figure in gaming for many years before he became a walking punchline. It's upsetting that this history barely gets a mention, and thus risks being forgotten. Who cares if the American market is larger? It's not the be all, end all of the history of gaming. Neither is Japan (I was making an analogy, not a one-to-one comparison). At the very least, it would be appreciated if the history of gaming includes a full account, rather than focusing on the one that America tells itself. I'm not being petty, I'm standing up for a past I lived through. You'd think that a group of content creators from Britain would remember their own history wouldn't you? Which was my point in it's entirety. You Americans might learn something if you were introduced to the history of gaming as experienced by other countries, and history wouldn't be left distorted. Personally, I want to hear about the history of gaming from the perspective of France, Spain, Russia, Germany etc. Don't you? At the very least I'd expect journalists from those countries to not only remember and recall, but to value the lived history of their communities. Wouldn't you? The videogame crash if 1983 WAS important, I'm not denying it, but the bedroom coders, studios and publishers of 1980s Britain are being done a disservice when their stories are not even an effing footnote in the history recounted by their fellow countrymen. Their history is still important, regardless of the size of the market. So, what did French filmmaking contribute to the stories told by Hollywood? Which filmmakers were inspired by it? Same principle applies to games... Hence my comment.

[@MattyisaG]

@@benjamindurkin If you have the time and resources to make that video list that you (and only you) want, go ahead.

[@benjamindurkin]

@@MattyisaG Not even an effing footnote for the history of gaming in their own country. Is that not important? In 1982 the ZX Spectrum was released. It's maker wanted it to be for serious stuff, schoolwork, accounts etc. It was only ever used for games, and for a fair few game developers who are STILL active in the industry, it was their first introduction to coding. Sure, if journalists from the USA want to remember gaming history from the perspective of the US, then that's great, but if a generation from Britain that didn't grow up with the 'dead flesh' keyboard are remembering another country's history of gaming, that's really sad isn't it? And not only is it sad, it's a sign of things to come. So please, don't pooh pooh these concerns as irrelevant, or churlish... They're not. History and its preservation is important. If it wasn't everyone would believe that Braveheart was a factually accurate telling of actual historical events wouldn't they? Or that U-571 was an accurate account of a key moment of WWII. Those retellings of history not important?

[@MattyisaG]

@@benjamindurkin It’s a gaming KZbin channel my guy. It’s really not that deep.

[@PikaStu666]

Great video... although three of my favourite gaming years are at / near the bottom :D I guess it's all relevant to when you grew up, the 90s for me was the most exciting decade, starting with a Megadrive (huge upgrade over my C64) and ending with a Dreamcast and Voodoo powered PC. Those were the days :sob:

[@rtrmorais]

Some ideas for ranked videos: Final fantasy games Pokemon games Indiana Jones games X-men or marvel games Lord of the rings games Fifa or other sports time franchise for april fools Disney games

[@lukasmunzenmayer7489]

i will say 2009 might be one of the best of not one of the more important years. of big games that year that has define gaming over the last 15 years we have. Call of Duty: Modern Warefare 2. Deamons Souls. Assassin's Creed 2. Uncharted 2. Borderlands. Left 4 Dead 2 Dragon Age: Origins the Alpha version of Minecraft Angry Birds. that is 9 games of the top of my head that has helped shape the modern video game scene for the better or worse.

[@TheRebelDottie]

I hate the echo chamber of hate for FO76 but glad it helped get us even more content for a great game.

[@NateTheGnat]

1994 was the year of Final Fantasy 6/ III, Earthbound, Killer Instinct, DKC, Super Metroid, Demon's Crest, Super Punch Out, Ninja Warriors.... the SNES was on fire. On PC Doom 2 was released, which was a phenomenon. Genesis was less impressive but still had some good ones like Sonic 3, Bare Knuckle III, and Beavis & Butthead (hey I liked it!) and Virtua Fighter II for arcades. The PSX was born and the Game Boy Color was doing well. There's no way 94 was worse than the 1970s or early 80s. This list is bogus, dude.

[@fawkkyutuu8851]

Yeah 1994 should at least be top 25 or higher.

[@dashund365]

And now you have to do a summary of each year going forward and to then rank them relative to this list. This is the Heavenly Mandate you have been given.

[@kwoni3337]

Top job lads. Happy new year

[@robgbaby]

Great effort and an overall good order, but putting 2007 at only #13, not talking about Halo 3, and saying it's "Not likely to be anyone's favorite year" is a fail. It was an objectively iconic year with so many classic releases and so little fails.

[@WadeLife]

What an upload only took me Sunday and Monday to finish fantastic work fellas...👍🤙👌

[@TheLemonyBard]

“The company understood that it couldn’t ‘leave luck to Heaven’” Heh, I see what you did there; wonder how many people got that.

[@jamesianhutchison1165]

1976 kid here, little disappointed that the ol' Speccy and C-64 didn't get a mention. Had a 48k with the rubber keys and a 128k+3 which had a unique disc drive format. Surprised that the Amiga didn't get a mention either. That definitely had some game changing developments. Elite 2: Frontiers was the most mind bogglingly huge game I'd ever come across at the time. 😅

[@lukamagicc]

There is literally no reason to get upset over video game opinions, but goddamn you mad British men.. You’ve managed to pull it off. I have to go apologize to IGN, Watchmojo and all the other pointless ranking/review channels for making what I thought was garbage now lol

[@LunarWingCloud]

I can't argue with your #1 pick. Definitely a very deserving title, I was 9 at the time and can't say I disagree with the offerings. I was definitely surprised that 2017 was as high up as it was, but also kinda not surprised

[@MisterTTG]

i kinda wanna watch a version of this video that has the years in order

[@schelbboy22]

being born in 1989.....my cousins has the NES and had the PlayStation; best friends had the Genesis and SNES and I was lucky enough to have my first console itself be a Nintendo 64 that I purchased with my own money. Since then, I've seen the growth of the technology and the industry my whole life. It inspired me to go into software dev/computer engineering because of the things that code can bring to life.

[@extrasalt9053]

2016 was a pretty underrated year full of bangers: Battlefield 1 Uncharted 4 Dark Souls 3 Doom Killing Floor 2

[@mugurelpena5723]

2016 also had Far Cry Primal