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Best single-player games

The 250 best single-player games, ranked from 44,309 critic and player ratings.

The best single-player game right now is Super Mario World, with a critic score of 100/100. Updated October 2026.

How this ranking is built
  • Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
  • A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
  • Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
  • Release window covered: 1970 to 2026.
  • 50 games are listed on this page, carrying 44,309 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 22 October 2026.

Top 50

01 Super Mario World A Super Mario World 1990 · 2,048 ratings · 1 Tier vote A 2D platformer and first entry on the SNES in the Super Mario franchise, Super Mario World follows Mario as he attempts to defeat Bowser's underlings and rescue Princess Peach from his clutches. The game features a save system, a less linear world map, an expanded movement arsenal and numerous new items for Mario, alongside new approaches to level design and art direction. 100 /100
02 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 1991 · 1,732 ratings Venture back to Hyrule and an age of magic and heroes. The predecessors of Link and Zelda face monsters on the march when a menacing magician takes over the kingdom. Only you can prevent his evil plot from shattering the land of Hyrule. In your quest, you'll venture into twisting mazes, dungeons, palaces and shadowy forests. Test your mettle with mighty swords and magical weapons. Or heft a boulder and hurl it at your enemies. If the going gets tough, dive into a river - you can swim to escape! Learn powerful spells, locate magical artifacts and solve the mysteries of the evil magician and the hidden realm of Hyrule. 100 /100
03 Super Smash Bros. Melee Super Smash Bros. Melee 2001 · 1,111 ratings Super Smash Bros. Melee is the second installment in the Super Smash Bros. series and the follow-up to the Nintendo 64 title. It includes all playable characters from the first game, and also adds characters from franchises such as Fire Emblem, of which no games had been released outside Japan at the time. Super Smash Bros. Melee builds on the first game by adding new gameplay features and playable characters: it's major focus is the multiplayer mode, while still offering a number of single-player modes. 100 /100
04 Super Metroid Super Metroid 1994 · 1,085 ratings The Space Pirates, merciless agents of the evil Mother Brain, have stolen the last Metroid from a research station, and once again Mother Brain threatens the safety of the galaxy! Samus Aran must don her awesome array of high-tech weaponry to retrieve the deadly Metroid hidden deep within the cave-riddled planet Zebes. Super Metroid features excellent graphics, with a huge variety of enemies and worlds to explore. The side-view action will be familiar to many players, only now there are new weapons and items, including the Grappling Beam, which allows Samus to swing across large chasms, and the X-Ray Scope, which reveals secret passages. 100 /100
05 FINAL FANTASY VI FINAL FANTASY VI 1994 · 772 ratings Final Fantasy VI is the sixth main installment in the Final Fantasy series, developed and published by Square. It was the final title in the series to feature two-dimensional graphics, and the first story that did not revolve around crystals. The game gives players up to fourteen playable characters, the largest cast in the series, and features the Active Time Battle pseudo-turn based menu command system. A party can consist of up to four characters, though some events require the player to assemble three different parties of up to four and switch between them. Each character has a unique command ability, such as Terra's Trance, Locke's Steal, Edgar's Tools or Sabin's Blitz, and can also learn Magic spells from earning AP from battles with magicite equipped. Each character's rare Desperation Attack will randomly activate after using the Attack command when at critical health. 100 /100
06 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island 1995 · 732 ratings Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is a platform video game acting as a prequel to 1990's Super Mario World. The game casts players as Yoshi as he escorts Baby Mario through 48 levels in order to reunite him with his brother Luigi, who had been kidnapped by Baby Bowser's minions. As a Super Mario series platformer, Yoshi runs and jumps to reach the end of the level while solving puzzles and collecting items. In a style new to the series, the game has a hand-drawn aesthetic and is the first to have Yoshi as its main character. The game introduces his signature abilities to flutter jump, produce eggs from swallowed enemies, and transform into vehicles. 100 /100
07 Pokémon FireRed Version Pokémon FireRed Version 2004 · 560 ratings Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version are a pair of core series Generation III games that are set in the Kanto region. They were released in Japan on January 29, 2004, in North America on September 9, 2004, in Australia on September 23, 2004 and in Europe on October 1, 2004. As the first remakes in the Pokémon franchise, the games revisit the original pair of Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Green Versions, and so feature all of the characters, plot elements, and challenges of them, but with several important upgrades to bring them up to speed with other Generation III games. The Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter was initially included with the games when they were first released, eliminating the need for Game Link Cables when trading between the two games (and later Pokémon Emerald Version). In later copies, it was sold separately. FireRed and LeafGreen went on to become the second best-selling games of the Game Boy Advance, only behind Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions. They also received Nintendo's Player's Choice awards. 100 /100
08 Unreal Tournament Unreal Tournament 1999 · 287 ratings Unreal Tournament is a first-person arena shooter video game developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. It was the second installment in the Unreal series. It is an arena first-person shooter, with head-to-head multiplayer deathmatches being the primary focus of the game. Other game modes include TDM. CTF, Assault, Domination, Last man Standing etc. 100 /100
09 Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee 1997 · 257 ratings Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee is the first game set in the fictional Oddworld universe. It is a platformer with puzzle-solving elements, focusing on the portrayal of a weak, underpowered character in a grim and hostile world, who has to rely on his cunning to outwit enemies and overcome hazards. The game has pre-rendered background graphics and uses CG movies of similar style to advance the story between the levels. The main character Abe is almost completely helpless: he cannot use weapons and is usually instantly killed by his brutal enemies if he confronts them directly. For this reason, most of the game involves careful exploration, timed movement, sneaking, and outsmarting the foes through various means: throwing stones to confuse them, luring them into traps, etc. Abe can run, jump, climb, tiptoe, crouch, and roll; in most areas these actions are essential to his survival. A few stages involve Abe riding a large animal known as Elum. Abe's only special power is chanting, which he can use to stun certain enemies for a while or possess them. When Abe possess an enemy he gains his abilities: for example, possessing the body or a ferocious Slig allows the player to shoot from his machine gun, communicate with other creatures of his kind, and even commit suicide, clearing the way for Abe. 100 /100
10 Super Castlevania IV Super Castlevania IV 1991 · 194 ratings A century of Transylvanian tranquility is about to come to a shocking end. Once again the mortifying screams of helpless villagers shake the ground as they huddle against new nightmarish horrors unleashed by the Duke of Darkness, Count Dracula. And this time he has a tombstone with your name on it, Simon Belmont. You must descend into Castle of the Undead and its gruesome ground, accompanied by the most chilling sound effects to ever tingle your spine. Inside, a freshly dug 11 levels maze features the treacherous Terrace of Terror, the dangerous Rotating Dungeon, the Sunken Ruins of Lost Spirits, torture chambers and creature filled caves. Use your whip like a grappling hook and swing past hundreds of traps and a host of ghost freaks, living corpses and hidden goblins. All while dodging or destroying the unpredictable spitting lizards, carnivorous coffins, and more. Find the concealed weapons needed to defeat everything from eerie phantoms to haunted furniture. Then prepare to find yourself face-to-thing with hideous torments like the Tongue Lasher, the Darkest Knight, the Bone-Afide Horseman and the Granite Crusher. When your nerves get shot, use your password and take a breather. But forge on, Simon Belmont, because if you though Dracula was down for the count, he's only just begun to fright! 100 /100
11 Advance Wars Advance Wars 2001 · 140 ratings 100 /100
12 Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec 2001 · 138 ratings 100 /100
13 Mini Metro Mini Metro 2015 · 137 ratings 100 /100
14 SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom A SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom 2003 · 129 ratings · 1 Tier vote 100 /100
15 Street Fighter II' Turbo Street Fighter II' Turbo 1993 · 115 ratings 100 /100
16 Suikoden II Suikoden II 1998 · 115 ratings 100 /100
17 Super Mario Galaxy Super Mario Galaxy 2007 · 1,306 ratings 99 /100
18 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild S The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2017 · 2,997 ratings · 4 Tier votes 98 /100
19 Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence 2005 · 352 ratings 98 /100
20 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess 2006 · 102 ratings 98 /100
21 The Last Of Us Remastered S The Last Of Us Remastered 2014 · 1,698 ratings · 2 Tier votes 97 /100
22 Elden Ring S Elden Ring 2022 · 2,321 ratings · 6 Tier votes 97 /100
23 Super Mario Odyssey S Super Mario Odyssey 2017 · 1,883 ratings · 2 Tier votes 97 /100
24 Gears of War 3 Gears of War 3 2011 · 353 ratings 97 /100
25 ICO ICO 2001 · 300 ratings 97 /100
26 Undertale B Undertale 2015 · 1,894 ratings · 2 Tier votes 96 /100
27 Super Mario Galaxy 2 Super Mario Galaxy 2 2010 · 952 ratings 96 /100
28 God of War A God of War 2018 · 3,607 ratings · 6 Tier votes 96 /100
29 God of War III A God of War III 2010 · 809 ratings · 1 Tier vote 96 /100
30 LittleBigPlanet A LittleBigPlanet 2008 · 277 ratings · 1 Tier vote 96 /100
31 Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story 2009 · 149 ratings 96 /100
32 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain S Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 2015 · 1,184 ratings · 1 Tier vote 96 /100
33 Mass Effect 2 Mass Effect 2 2010 · 2,788 ratings 96 /100
34 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 2009 · 2,232 ratings 95 /100
35 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom A The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom 2023 · 932 ratings · 3 Tier votes 95 /100
36 The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages 2001 · 173 ratings 95 /100
37 Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Super Smash Bros. for Wii U 2014 · 331 ratings 95 /100
38 The Last of Us Part II S The Last of Us Part II 2020 · 1,814 ratings · 1 Tier vote 95 /100
39 Grand Theft Auto III S Grand Theft Auto III 2001 · 1,628 ratings · 1 Tier vote 95 /100
40 Final Fantasy X S Final Fantasy X 2001 · 1,103 ratings · 2 Tier votes 95 /100
41 Metroid Prime Metroid Prime 2002 · 891 ratings 95 /100
42 The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth S The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth 2014 · 557 ratings · 1 Tier vote 95 /100
43 New Super Mario Bros. New Super Mario Bros. 2006 · 413 ratings 95 /100
44 Sid Meier's Civilization IV Sid Meier's Civilization IV 2005 · 308 ratings 95 /100
45 Metroid: Zero Mission Metroid: Zero Mission 2004 · 296 ratings 95 /100
46 Company of Heroes S Company of Heroes 2006 · 253 ratings · 1 Tier vote 95 /100
47 Driver (1999) Driver (1999) 1999 · 232 ratings 95 /100
48 Super Mario Bros. Wonder Super Mario Bros. Wonder 2023 · 219 ratings 95 /100
49 Satisfactory Satisfactory 2024 · 211 ratings 95 /100
50 SoulCalibur II SoulCalibur II 2002 · 192 ratings 95 /100
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Frequently asked questions

What is the best single-player game?

Super Mario World currently tops the ranking with a score of 100/100 across 2,048 ratings. Ranking updated October 2026.

How is this ranking built?

Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.