Back in 2004/5, I ran this thing called The Essential Charts on Gamesradar. The jist is this: Everyone picks their five favourite games and can either rank them from 1 to 5 (the game placed first gets five points, the game placed second gets four points and so on), or just have 5 games in no particular order, each scoring 3 points. I would then compile the scores and we’d have the top 15 “Essential” games for that format.
Here are the results for the first and second quarters of 2004.
Gamecube
1. Metroid Prime
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
3. Super Mario Sunshine
4. F-Zero GX
5. Eternal Darkness
6. Resident Evil
7. Super Monkey Ball
8. Animal Crossing (import)
9. Pikmin
10. Ikaruga
11. Soul Calibur 2
12. Viewtiful Joe
13. Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes
14. Super Smash Bros. Melee
15. Mario Kart Double Dash!!
Game Boy Advance
1. Advance Wars / 2
2. Wario Ware, Inc.
3. Metroid Fusion
4. Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire
5. Mario Kart
6. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
7. Golden Sun
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past / Four Swords
9. Metroid Zero Mission
10. Super Puzzle Fighter 2
11. Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3
12. Street Fighter Alpha 3
13. Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
14. Final Fantasy Tactics
15. Sonic Advance 2
Playstation 2
1. Pro Evolution Soccer 3
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
3. Gran Turismo 3
4. Grand Theft Auto 3
5. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
6. Ico
7. Final Fantasy X
8. Rez
9. Devil May Cry
10. Jak 2
11. Rachet and Clank
12. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
13. Jak and Daxter
14. Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution
15. SSX 3
Xbox
1. Halo
2. Project Gotham Racing 2
3. Knights of the Old Republic
4. Panzer Dragoon Orta
5. Jet Set Radio Future
6. Ninja Gaiden
7. Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
8. Shenmue 2
9. Splinter Cell
10=. GTA Double Pack
10=. Otogi: Myth of Demons
12=. Rainbow Six 3
12=. Top Spin
12=. Burnout 2
15=. Tiger Woods 2004
15=. Dead Or Alive Extreme Beach Volleyball
15=. Morrowind
