"Perfect" Games
An incomplete list of games I find to be perfect in some way or another, be that aesthetically, formally, mechanically, narratively, or otherwise. All entries on this list fit multiple, if not all, of those criteria. I consider each game here to be almost entirely flawless, or the perfect realization of its intent. These are not necessarily my favorite games, nor are all of my favorite games on this list. I love plenty of games that are flawed, broken, or downright awful, and even more that fit just one or two of the aforementioned criteria while failing in others.
The majority of these are arcade games, or at least mechanically similar to arcade games, as refined simplicity results in "perfect" games more often than increased outward complexity. Some of the other entries in this list are games that I would consider to be flawed in some minor ways (Shogun 2, Hitman 3), but I have included them regardless in cases where I believe the game can still be considered the pinnacle of its respective genre. If I were to limit this to the only games I think are truly, genuinely, 100% perfect and without flaw, it would probably just be Tetris and Yume Nikki. That isn't a very fun list, so some small exceptions have been made.
Please feel free to offer any suggestions or objections
(not ranked in any way, but obviously Tetris is the perfect game)
The majority of these are arcade games, or at least mechanically similar to arcade games, as refined simplicity results in "perfect" games more often than increased outward complexity. Some of the other entries in this list are games that I would consider to be flawed in some minor ways (Shogun 2, Hitman 3), but I have included them regardless in cases where I believe the game can still be considered the pinnacle of its respective genre. If I were to limit this to the only games I think are truly, genuinely, 100% perfect and without flaw, it would probably just be Tetris and Yume Nikki. That isn't a very fun list, so some small exceptions have been made.
Please feel free to offer any suggestions or objections
(not ranked in any way, but obviously Tetris is the perfect game)
20 Games