At Displate, we don’t just play games — we mount them on metal, worship them like pixelated deities, and argue about the best mods over way too much coffee. From 8-bit icons to sprawling open-world epics, video games are more than entertainment. They’re culture, community, and creativity; a nostalgia trip, a way to procrastinate, or a way to blow off some steam after a long day.
To honor this, we asked our team the impossible: “What’s the greatest game of all time?” Cue the chaos, debates that ended in at least one thrown controller, and a passionate monologue about why Tetris is the GOAT (spoiler alert — it didn’t make the list). Welcome to the Displate gaming hall of fame.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
Breath of the Wild didn’t just evolve the franchise — it redefined what open-world games could be. It drops you into Hyrule with nothing but a stick and a dream, and somehow, that’s all you need. Just you, a tree branch, and an open world begging to be climbed, exploded, or accidentally set on fire.
This game doesn’t pretend to offer freedom. It is freedom. Want to surf down a mountain on your shield? Go for it. Tame a horse and name it “Zelda”? Absolutely. But what really makes it magic is the vibe — Hyrule feels alive. It’s not just pixels, it’s sunsets you didn’t expect to care about, quiet hilltops that make you pause, and horses that betray you at the worst possible moment.
It’s not just a game. It’s a headspace. A mood. A place you want to get lost in. No wonder it was nominated for a host of awards — from BAFTA’s Best Game to The Game Award for Best Action/Adventure.
Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
To say that Grand Theft Auto V left a mark on the industry would be the understatement of the decade. It didn’t just leave a mark — it hijacked the map, stole your car, and made you complicit in the getaway. From Franklin’s hustle and Michael’s midlife crisis to Trevor’s unhinged chaos, GTA V wrapped darkly satirical storytelling in a richly detailed open world.
While the single-player campaign was groundbreaking, GTA Online expanded the legacy to new heights. One minute you’re planning a cinematic heist in Los Santos, and the next, a guy named “420Sn1perDad” is attacking you in a flying DeLorean.
More than ten years later, its jabs at politics, influencers, and late-stage capitalism still hit hard. GTA V didn’t just predict the future — it mocked it before it even happened. Iconic.
Super Mario World (1991)
Few games have stood the test of time like Super Mario World. Still the GOAT of 2D platformers, it quickly became a rite of passage, giving players a sprawling overworld full of layered level design, secret exits, and the green dino buddy we never knew we needed: Yoshi.
With tight, responsive controls and secrets galore, Super Mario World pushed the boundaries of what platformers could be. Every jump felt intentional, every coin chase rewarding, and every “DUN-DUN” from the underground theme delivered instant serotonin.
More than 30 years later, devs still cite it as the gold standard. Players still replay it. And yes, we still scream when Yoshi falls into a pit.
Half-Life 2 (2004)
Half-Life 2 didn’t just raise the bar — it rewrote the rulebook. Set 20 years after the original, it embraced cinematic storytelling without cutscenes or handholding, reintroducing us to Dr. Gordon Freeman and his crowbar of destiny.
Set in a dystopian Earth crawling with alien overlords, HL2 told its story through rubble, intercoms, and atmosphere. And let’s not forget the real star: the Gravity Gun. Launching saw blades at headcrabs felt like high art.
Even better? The modding. This game gave us Garry’s Mod, Counter-Strike: Source, and half the weird internet playgrounds of the early 2000s. A true PC gaming cornerstone.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a full-on emotional rollercoaster in cowboy boots. You ride with Arthur Morgan — outlaw, philosopher, and the man with the most expressive mustache in gaming — through a story of loyalty, loss, and fading ideals.
Every quiet moment hits hard. Sunsets feel personal. Your horse becomes a therapist. And Dutch keeps promising “one last score.”
With jaw-dropping visuals, human writing, and a score that haunts long after the credits roll, RDR2 isn’t just gaming at its best — it’s existential art.
The Last of Us (2013)
Few games have captured emotional storytelling like The Last of Us. It’s Joel and Ellie against a broken world — with nothing but a shotgun, some duct tape, and a bond that’ll ruin you.
What starts as a smuggling job becomes one of gaming’s most unforgettable relationships — built through trauma, sacrifice, and survival.
Brutal, beautiful, and weirdly hopeful, The Last of Us pairs narrative gameplay with moral gray zones and has only grown in prestige since its acclaimed HBO adaptation.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
A turning point for the industry, Ocarina of Time was the childhood core memory that launched a thousand speedruns. The first 3D Zelda, it took us from pixelated dungeons to a fully realized Hyrule.
It introduced time travel, horse bonding, and Z-targeting. It redefined adventure and holds the highest Metacritic score of all time. If there’s a legend in gaming, this is it.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
Skyrim turned every player into a potion-hoarding, dragon-shouting, cheese-wheel-stealing legend. Whether joining the Dark Brotherhood or just Fus Ro Dah-ing goats off cliffs, this game was the ultimate medieval sandbox.
With open-ended design, endless mod support, and a legacy that just won’t die, Skyrim is still somehow getting new ports in 2025. If gaming had a Mount Rushmore, Skyrim would be carved into it — probably by a sneaky Khajiit named “Pickpocket 100.”
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)
We believe in the sword — and in storytelling so sharp it cuts deeper than steel. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the benchmark for open-world RPGs — sprawling, soulful, and charged with consequence.
As Geralt of Rivia, you navigate a morally gray world filled with war-torn kingdoms, cursed monsters, scheming sorceresses, and a daughter who might save — or doom — everything.
Its world-building is unmatched, quests feel genuinely lived-in, and even side stories carry the emotional weight of main arcs. Every choice matters. Every monster has a story. And don’t get us started on Gwent.
Dark Souls (2011)
Dark Souls didn’t just raise the difficulty bar — it set it on fire and dared you to cross it. Every death is a lesson, every boss a milestone, every bonfire a breath of relief.
Its cryptic lore, interconnected world, and minimalist storytelling inspired a whole genre. And let’s be honest — few things in gaming feel better than finally beating that one boss you thought was impossible.
It’s brutal. It’s brilliant. It’s the reason we all learned to git gud.
It’s Dark Souls.
Showcase The Best of the Best in Your Home
There you have it — our digital hall of fame. From emotional epics to button-mashing classics, these games continue to inspire how we play, how we create, and how we decorate our walls.
Got your own list of all-time greats? Explore our video game poster collection and turn your wall into a tribute to the games that raised you — whether that’s Diablo, Elder Scrolls, DOOM, or Assasin’s Creed, we’ve got just the poster to bring them home.
