The ninth console generation is already underway, and players have a plethora of excellent gaming brands to choose from, let alone individual titles. After all, there's nothing better than finishing a fantastic game only to discover it's part of a larger series.
Fans have long loved discussing which franchises are superior to others, but it's difficult to say which is superior given how subjective the debate is. Fortunately, because to Ranker's huge sample size, thousands of fans have voted on which game series is the greatest of all time.
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10. Fallout
Before selling the Fallout IP to publisher Bethesda Softworks in 2007, developer and publisher Interplay Entertainment Corp developed this post-apocalyptic action role-playing series, which became one of the company's greatest video games. Players must escape a hazardous American future where radioactive ghouls and insane bandits alike wander the Wasteland after a nuclear war has destroyed civilization.
The archaic 1950s radio melodies and retro-futuristic aesthetic of Fallout belie the frantic moment-to-moment action seen in the franchise's later installments. It's very gratifying to blow up a super mutant monster with a tiny nuclear weapon or use the V.A.T.S. mechanism to shoot a charging Deathclaw's leg off. Players may also modify their characters to handle issues in their own unique ways, such as via shooting, stealth, or slick-talking.
9. Halo
Bungie and Microsoft collaborated to create this sci-fi first-person shooter franchise. The games in the series have been developed by 343 Industries since the release of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary in 2011. Master Chief John-117, a Spartan supersoldier, must lead mankind in an apparently hopeless attempt to prevent a brutal, agonizing annihilation during an intergalactic conflict with an alien species called The Covenant.
Halo: CE was the flagship game for the original Xbox system, and it was preceded by two of the best-selling first-person shooters of all time, Halo 2 and Halo 3. Innovative and responsive shooter gameplay, memorable characters, and epic stories are all hallmarks of the franchise.
8. The Elder Scrolls
Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks collaborated on this fantasy action role-playing game series. The Elder Scrolls series, set on the fictitious continent of Tamriel, often portrays players as outcasts on their path to become the greatest hero of their day.
While several series have promised wide worlds to explore, few have delivered on that promise as effectively as the Elder Scrolls games. Players may mix and match talents to become anything from a brutish warrior who dabbles in Restoration magic to a stealthy archer who utilizes Illusion spells to turn foes against each other in the series' character customization choices.
7. Grand Theft Auto
Developer Rockstar North and publisher Rockstar Games collaborated on this action-adventure series. Players take control of characters who fight, shoot, and drive their way to personal prosperity in different fictionalized versions of American cities such as New York City (Liberty City) or Los Angeles (Los Santos), with numerous carjackings along the way.
As the Grand Theft Auto series progressed, players were given more freedom to live a wild digital life in the vast and highly realistic cities that were available. The series' fourth and fifth editions featured its own in-game internet, replete with chatrooms, emails, and online stock trading. Since 2013, the newest edition has had a devoted online player population, so perhaps they've had enough time to finish GTA 5's ten most difficult objectives.
6. Super Smash Bros.
Although the games have been developed by Sora ltd. since 2008, and co-developed with Bandai Namco Studios since 2014, this crossover fighting series was created by developer HAL Laboratory and publisher Nintendo. Players battle against A.I. or their friends to knock opponents off of different combat arenas, selecting from several of the most well-known video game characters ever.
While the mechanics and combinations in many fighting game series have become more complicated, Super Smash Bros. has remained relatively basic and accessible. The gameplay in SSB epitomizes the term "simple to learn, hard to master," since it avoids hundreds of input instructions per character. The inclusion of hundreds of popular video game characters such as Link, Cloud, Snake, and Mario adds to the enjoyment. With dynamic changes in the midst of battles, the artistically distinct combat venues sometimes appear to explode off the screen.
5. Final Fantasy
Square Enix, the developer, and publisher, developed this turn-based fantasy action role-playing game series (formerly known as Square when the series launched). The Final Fantasy series' anthological structure puts players in various worlds with varied casts of people with each new installment, yet the games almost always feature a heroic quest to vanquish a malevolently strong entity.
Many of the elements that have become cornerstones of the series in subsequent games were included in the first Final Fantasy game, including random monster encounters, towns with stores and inns, and unlocked vehicles to further explore the global map. This series seems to be a conspicuous absence from the list of the ten greatest RPGs ever created, with stories that are frequently equal parts epic and dramatic, excellent turn-based RPG systems, and vividly colorful characters.
4. Mario Kart
Although the games have been produced by Nintendo EPD since 2017, the developer Nintendo EAD and publisher Nintendo originated this go-kart racing series. Players race against A.I. or one other on a variety of entertainingly dangerous courses, utilizing equipment like a Starman of Invincibility or a slippery Banana Peel to gain a competitive edge.
Though some players like accurate representations of real-life cars in their racing games, it seems that many more would prefer to see Baby Peach throwing Spiny Shells from a turbo-powered baby carriage. Mario Kart is a source of amusement and/or aggravation for many a gamer due to the unpredictability created by randomized objects and difficult racecourses, which frequently leads to exciting shifts of fortune for players several times each match.
3. Pokémon
Game Freak and Nintendo collaborated on this turn-based action role-playing game series. Professor Oak often assigns the player the job of conquering different Pokémon Gym Leaders, as well as foiling the schemes of the nefarious criminal Team Rocket.
Pokémon first appeared in 1996 on the Gameboy handheld device, and has since become a global phenomenon of a brand. The basic concepts of collecting, fighting, and trading Pokémon have captivated a generation of players for 25 years as the highest-grossing gaming series of all time. The journey to "get 'em all" starts modestly, therefore players should take notice of the 10 most undervalued starting Pokémon.
2. Super Mario Bros.
Although the games have been produced by Nintendo EPD since 2015, this platformer series was established by developer Nintendo EAD and publisher Nintendo. The player controls Mario, an Italian plumber who must rescue Princess Peach from the evil King Koopa, Bowser, in the cartoonish and magical land of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Running and leaping are the two primary aspects of the Super Mario Bros. games. The fact that those fundamental movements have been the backbone of a gaming franchise for three and a half decades is an incredible testament to the series' unrivaled design. Each sequel is as enjoyable to play as the last, with excellent platforming gameplay, fun power-ups, creative and progressively challenging levels, and a wealth of secret locations to discover.
1. The Legend Of Zelda
Since 2015, a variety of developers, including Capcom, Grezzo, and Nintendo EPD, have worked on this fantasy action-adventure series, which was produced by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo. Players take control of Link, a Hylian who must find all of the pieces of the Triforce in order to defeat the evil Ganon and save Princess Zelda in this game set in the fictional Kingdom of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda is arguably the most widely loved video game series among fans and reviewers alike. The Ocarina of Time, the fifth game in the series, has the highest Metacritic rating of any video game, with a score of 99, which borders on ostentatiousness.