Sony polled 10,000 Japanese PlayStation fans about their favorite games in PlayStation’s 20 year history. Sony broke down the raw data to compile different category lists, such as “Most Popular Among People in Their 40s” and “Most Exhilarating Games Among Women.” This list, however, concentrates on the Top 10 games overall, as decided by the fans.
Interestingly enough, the majority of the top games were only released in Japan, and multiple games in the same series made the list. Due to this, I will only elaborate on the highest ranked game in each series. The entire Top Ten list is found at the end of this article.
The Dragon Quest series swept the competition, with different sequels taking first, third, sixth, and eighth place on the Top Ten List.
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Ranked #1
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride is a role-playing game for the PlayStation 2. It was released in 2004. The game has first-person turn-based battles with monsters that can be enemies, yet later join your party. The story-line follows our hero throughout his life. The first part of the game has our hero at age 6, but the hero ages as chapters pass. Each chapter has a different age and facet of the plot, which comes to a culmination when the hero is an adult man with grown children.
The PlayStation 2 version of Dragon Quest V is actually a remake. The game itself was the most successful Dragon Quest remake, selling 1.5 million copies.
Final Fantasy VII
Ranked #2
Final Fantasy also did well in the Sony survey, taking the second, fourth, and seventh spots in the Top Ten List.
Final Fantasy VII is a role-playing game released on the PlayStation 1 in 1997. It involves turn-based gameplay with multiple party members. It is currently the best-selling game in the Final Fantasy series.
In Final Fantasy VII, gamers play as Cloud Strife, a mercenary for hire. Through a series of events, Cloud goes from working with an eco-terrorist organization to protecting the world from Sephiroth, the main antagonist. While the game is older, it is a fan favorite, with a rating of 4.5/5 on Metacritic.
Resident Evil
Ranked #5
Resident Evil is a horror video game based on surviving a zombie attack. It was released in 1996.
In Resident Evil, characters Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine investigate the disappearance of their S.T.A.R.S. elite task force, but get trapped in a mansion with zombies. They need to fight and navigate their way out through puzzles, traps, and enemies.
Resident Evil was one of the pioneers of the modern survival horror genre, and is getting an HD remake that will be released in 2015.
Puyo Puyo!
Ranked #9
Puyo Puyo! is a tile-matching puzzle game made in 1991. The object of the game is to clear your side of puyos to fill your opponent’s side with garbage.
To do so, you must connect and remove puyos. Four or more puyos of the same color must be connected vertically or horizontally to be removed; diagonal puyos do not count. Chain reactions and multiple removals score extra points.
Puyo Puyo! was only released in Japan, and its creation sparked a multitude of spin-offs.
Tetris
Ranked #10
Tetris is an iconic game for any player. It is the highest-paid downloadable game of all time, having sales since 1984 on various consoles. The PlayStation 1 version made the Sony list.
In Tetris, blocks of various shapes fall from the top of the screen. Players attempt to clear the board by filling in every piece of a line by rotating blocks. If you fill up the screen, you lose.
While the gameplay is simple, the game itself is fairly addicting. There’s no other reason for the game’s success, and the fact it is continuing to come out on newer consoles.
Entire Top Ten List
- Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
- Final Fantasy VII
- Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
- Final Fantasy X
- Resident Evil
- Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
- Final Fantasy
- Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden
- Puyo Puyo!
- Tetris
Was there anything that surprised you on this list? What games have you played?
