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[Anth0ny]

2013 was a pretty good year. We got 2 of the best games of the generation in GTA5 and The Last of Us.

Bioshock Infinite, Super Mario 3D World, Wind Waker HD, A Link Between Worlds, Fire Emblem Awakening, Pokemon X/Y, Tomb Raider, Ni No Kuni, were all great and I'm sure I'm missing a ton more.

Yeah, people forget about 2013. Really fantastic year. Look at my homepage in my profile. Those games are crazy.

 

[TheRedSnifit]

You forgot Marathon, Doom II, and System Shock in '94.

 

[Ninja Dom]

1997 to me was the best year IMO. Made a pcgamer out of me

Completely crazy how we look at gaming from a completely different perspective. I hardly played one game in your list. And in return you got no arcade games in your list.

 

[Sephiroth_GR_]

2001

and done.

 

[jholmes]

I try to not get annoyed when people talk about this subject and say anything but 1994, but it's hard. I understand not everyone was there and that other games resonate more with different people.

Especially since the main thing I remember about 2004 is a really crummy E3.

 

[Wiktor]

Completely crazy how we look at gaming from a completely different perspective. I hardly played one game in your list. And in return you got no arcade games in your list.

Heh...in 1997 the arcades in Poland were mostly filled with early 90s Capcom titles.

1997 was when I abandoned console gaming and turned PC only. Later on Dreamcast would make me come back, but fro 1997 onwards consoles at most could retain 10% of my gaming time.

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Correction, Breath of Fire 1 was 1994, not 2. Also, some other noteworthy 1994 console games in the US included Illusion of Gaia & Shining Force 2.

 

[randomkid]

If you were an RPG fan in America in the year 2000, this is what you got.

Saga Frontier 2
Front Mission 3
Legend of Mana
Vagrant Story
Threads of Fate
Chrono Cross
Parasite Eve 2
FF9
Valkyrie Profile
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Ogre Battle 64
Breath of Fire 4
Grandia 2
Skies of Arcadia
Koudelka
Lunar 2 Complete
Pokemon Gold&Silver
Vandal Hearts 2
Wild Arms 2
Avernum 1&2
Baldur's Gate 2
Deus Ex
Diablo 2
Icewind Dale
Might and Magic 8
Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption

Also, OP, your 2004 list is missing the best game release of that year, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne.

 

[Ganondorfo]

Most video game franchise dont even have the quality anymore like the 2004 releases.

We wont ever see a dark Metroid again like Metroid Prime Echoes, we wont ever see a great Paper Mario game, we wont ever see a Tales of game like that again that isnt MOE.

We wont ever see a single player rpg anymore in the universe of Star Wars (like Kotor 2)

 

[VLiberty]

In recent memory? The 3DS's 2013 was pretty insane. I know that's only for one system, but nostalgia aside that's probably the most relative example.

3ds's 2013 was great, but nothing to make that big of a deal. The usual ps3/360 year line up is better.

If we go by counting exclusive games only, then Wii's 2010 is even better.

 

[Salmonax]

1998 was just unfair to other years. But I can see how 2004 gives it a run for its money.

 

[New002]

Notible D:

1994

Super Metroid
Final Fantasy VI
Sonic & Knuckles
Donkey Kong Country
Mega Man X
Sega Rally
Virtua Cop
Virtua Fighter 2
Tekken
Killer Instinct
EarthBound
Breath of Fire II
Lunar: Eternal Blue
Doom II
Beneath a Steel Sky
Contra: Hard Corps
Castlevania: Bloodlines
Demon's Crest
Dynamite Headdy
Earthworm Jim
Blackthorne
Ninja Warriors

2004 who?

 

[crimzonflame]

1998

 

[Stereogatari]

don't forget zelda and xenoblade possibly comes out that year as well along with halo.

Christ and possibly even Persona 5.

 

[alexandros]

1998 is the gaming year of the forever, I doubt it will ever be surpassed in our lifetimes. So many groundbreaking titles, so many legendary designers releasing their best work. 1998 is where it's at, I'm glad to have lived through that magnificent gaming year.

 

[Hyperactivity]

I try to not get annoyed when people talk about this subject and say anything but 1994, but it's hard. I understand not everyone was there and that other games resonate more with different people.

Especially since the main thing I remember about 2004 is a really crummy E3.

At least for Nintendo, 2004, 2007, 2010, and 2014 are all regarded as their best conferences.

2004 was the DS and Reggie being introduced and the TP reveal

 

[Portugeezer]

2015. Not a guess.

 

[BrokenSymmetry]

2003, because it had my personal top 3 of greatest games ever:

1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
2. Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time
3. Beyond Good and Evil

 

[eot]

You forgot Falcon 4.0 in 1998! Possibly the best combat flight sim ever, it's still played today.

Personally I don't think 2004 is in contention. It's a solid year, but not god tier.

 

[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

What year did this come out?

That year does not stack up.

I would say there hasn't been a year as good as 2004 since then, but going back,1998 is a strong contender.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

2011.

Duke Nukem Forever came out that year. <sarcasm>

For me:

2009.
Infamous
Batman Arkham Asylum
Uncharted 2
Assassins Creed 2
Ratchet and Clank: Crack in Time

 

[Hyperzephyrian]

2011

 

[Kevin Shields]

2011 this gen

Top 3 2011 - dark souls,arkham city, deus ex hr (all in my top 20 games of all time), skyrim, L.A. Noire, uncharted 3 etc.

All time is harder for me because I remember being broke in 2011 cause of all the great games... Although as a kid I remember loving 1998 games.

 

[Stereogatari]

2011 this gen

You mean last gen.

 

[IllumiNate]

2015

 

[Lothar]

If you were an RPG fan in America in the year 2000, this is what you got.

Legend of Mana
Vagrant Story
Chrono Cross
Parasite Eve 2
FF9
Vandal Hearts 2
Wild Arms 2

Yep, if you were a RPG fan in 2000, you got one disappointment after another. FF9 is still the only FF I couldn't manage to finish because the massive amount of load times and slow battles.

 

[Khalifa Jayy]

Mods, can we sanction a poll to settle this once and for all? I think 1998 is my pick, now. Dat variety. Dem incredible leaps forward.

 

[rjc571]

The OP also missed Outrun 2 and Rallisport Challenge 2, which were probably the 2 best racing games of that generation not named F-Zero GX.

 

[conman]

I have to go with 1998 by a very long mile (with 2007 a distant second).

2004 looks average at best.

 

[Tidus_Great]

1998,2001 and 2007 all beat 2004

1998
MGS
xenogears
zelda OOT

2001
FFX
MGS2
GTA3
DMC
ico
silent hill 2
halo

2007
halo 3
mass effect
bioshock
ass creed
COD4

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

I prefer 1998 or 2001. Getting MGS and Xenogears on the same day was so amazing.

 

[Scoops]

For me personally it's 2007, but 2013 is a nice dark horse and 2015 has potential. LOL at anyone saying 2014. This year has been pretty bad especially outside of Nintendo.

2013:

The Last of Us
Grand Theft Auto 5
Super Mario 3D World
Bioshock Infinite
Tomb Raider
Pikmin 3
Assassin Creed Black Flag
Wind Waker HD
Rayman Legends
The Wonderful 101
Devil May Cry
Deus Ex Director Cut
DOTA 2 (official release)
Splinter Cell Blacklist
Fire Emblem Awakening
A Link Between Worlds
Pokemon X/Y
Animal Crossing New Leaf
Luigi Mansion Dark Moon
Tearaway

Then the indies in 2013:

Gone Home
Stanely Parable
Papers Please
Fez
Guacamelee
The Swapper
and many more....

 

[xevis]

Notible. Youd. Ushring. I can't take it anymore

 

[Syf]

1998 is still king

 

[UraMallas]

The best year of gaming for me was 2007. I played games with every waking hour of my free time that year because there was so much to play.