The Top 7... Best launch games of all time

Nothing cures buyer's remorse like a system-defining game on day one

Words: Brett Elston on August 16, 2010

Back to Article

84 comments

View as:
Newest first
Oldest first

thedutewaw - August 16, 2010 8:01 p.m.

My parents would never buy a console, so I went through the N64, Dreamcast, and PSX only being able to play at friends' houses. I played Halo at my friends house and then spent the whole summer mowing lawns to buy Halo and an Xbox. I actually bought Halo before the Xbox and spent weeks just staring at the box and reading the manual. Because of that Halo is one of my all time favorite games.
- Reply
- Report
abbottfrizzell - August 16, 2010 7:52 p.m.

My brother got a N64 for his birthday and Mario along with it. I played that game all fucking night as my school burnt to the ground down the road, I was on the desert level with the pyramid :).
- Reply
- Report
Javv - August 16, 2010 7:47 p.m.

wait what no MGS2?
- Reply
- Report
SausageLozenge - August 16, 2010 7:47 p.m.

On Robert Ashley's podcast "A Life Well Wasted" he interviews the guy that owns the rights to all hand held versions of Tetris, Hank Rodgers. He's the guy thats responsible for it coming to the Gameboy at all. It was a huge gamble because the rights to Tetris was a huge mess because Russia was a communist country in 89 and capitalism didn't really exist there. The episode is titled "Big Ideas" and its really fascinating.
- Reply
- Report
CH3BURASHKA - August 16, 2010 7:46 p.m.

A quality Top 7. It's still amazing how universally appealing Tetris is. Its history is also equally fascinating.
- Reply
- Report
Shrimpandwhitewine - August 16, 2010 7:45 p.m.

Aaahh I remember my first LAN - it was my friends birthday, and it was Halo. A fine list, I don't really disagree with anything, though I've never played Lumines...
- Reply
- Report
Zodiax - August 16, 2010 7:34 p.m.

I was surprised to not find Super Mario World on the list.
- Reply
- Report
Superkev45 - August 16, 2010 7:30 p.m.

No Luigi's Mansion?
- Reply
- Report
KnightDehumidifier - August 16, 2010 7:28 p.m.

Altered Beast, the game that ushered in true-to-arcade style and sound that took the NES and kneed them in the balls.
- Reply
- Report
Unoriginal - August 16, 2010 7:27 p.m.

Not a list of best games at launch but the best launch games a.i. the best at justifying/pushing the system. Resistance was good but it was no system justifier. Wii Sports sold millions.
- Reply
- Report
allthegoodnameswheretaken - August 16, 2010 7:26 p.m.

Dear God not Wii Sports Also What's happened to Captcha it's seem's to have hone a bit crazy
- Reply
- Report
Austin_SJ - August 16, 2010 7:25 p.m.

Victory for Brett. Where is the wikiparez sound effect when you need it?
- Reply
- Report
Phazon117 - August 16, 2010 7:15 p.m.

In all seriousness, great top seven, Brett. Though, unless I did my research wrong, I'd put Panzer Dragoon on the Saturn in place of Soul Caliber, but, that's just my opinion, because Panzer Dragoon is AWESOME.
- Reply
- Report
Felixthecat - August 16, 2010 7:11 p.m.

UUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH I LOVE MARIO SO MUCH. And beautiful little Tetris.
- Reply
- Report
JPorFavor - August 16, 2010 7:06 p.m.

Yes, Tetris!
- Reply
- Report
Phazon117 - August 16, 2010 7:01 p.m.

NO PERFECT DARK ZERO OR MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: CROSSFIRE? MR. ELSTON, YOU ARE BIAS.
- Reply
- Report
GamesRadarBrettElston - August 16, 2010 6:56 p.m.

Mario Kart DS came out a year after the DS. Pokemon came out nine years after the Game Boy. Ocarina of Time came out two years after the N64. All great games, but none of them are launch.
- Reply
- Report
iusemychrisantistainducedbonertoslapbabies - August 16, 2010 6:56 p.m.

super mario 64 ds was really good.
- Reply
- Report
H2A2I00 - August 16, 2010 6:54 p.m.

man i remeber playing tetris my parents got it for me before I had a console so it was just there until i got the GBA hearing that horrible music in the background brings back memories good times
- Reply
- Report
nighthawk205 - August 16, 2010 6:51 p.m.

Pretty good top 7... I wasn't expecting Number 1 at all, but I can see why you picked it. As for Wii Sports, I totally was groaning the second I saw the title and started laughing when I read that first sentence.
- Reply
- Report