Shacknews Community Top 100 Games of the Decade: #10-1

Shacknews is getting things ready for our annual celebration for the Year in Games. But 2019 is a little special. That means we've hit the end of the decade and that means we have also begun looking at the very best games of the past ten years. That's a lot of games to look at and consider, so we chose not to leave this grand task to the Shacknews staff. Instead, we are choosing to spotlight the loyal Shacknews community, the many posters of Chatty. We're looking at the Top 100 Games of the Decade, as voted on by the Shacknews Chatty community. And guess what! We've hit the end!

Chatty has been a proud institution here at Shacknews since the site's inception over 20 years ago. Many have gone on to become developers, programmers, public figures, but most importantly, all of them are video game fans. So over the past few weeks, we've polled the Chatty posters on what they consider to be their best games of the decade. Through a rigorous process, we've put together a full list of 100 games and today, we're finishing with the Top 10.

In case you missed it:
Shacknews Community Top 100 Games of the Decade: #100-76
Shacknews Community Top 100 Games of the Decade: #75-51
Shacknews Community Top 100 Games of the Decade: #50-31
Shacknews Community Top 100 Games of the Decade: #30-11

So with no further delay, let's wrap up the Shacknews Community Top 100 Games of the Decade.

#10 - Minecraft (2011)

The 8-bit and 16-bit generation grew up on platformers like Mario and Sonic. So those kids grew up to make games that look like Mario and Sonic. For today's generation, kids have grown up on Minecraft, one of the single most influential games ever created. It takes all of the best building elements of toys like LEGO and opens up a world of total freedom for players to exercise their creativity. It's a truly great survival game, challenging players to brave the dangers of nightfall while exploring as much the greater world as they can. But if that's not your speed, Creative Mode is where Minecraft is truly at its best. For just the smallest sample of what Minecraft players are capable of doing, let's return to 2013 and this incredible Beetlejuice rollercoaster.

Minecraft is a world that continues to grow day by day, thanks to the dedicated team at Mojang. We're anxious to see what players can build next.

Hear it from Chatty:

"I don't think there has been a more impressive, innovative, and influential game ever released."
-icecreambus

"I bought Minecraft early in its alpha period, and still play it today. It's one of the neatest games out there, and it's great to see that it's playable on just about every device out there."
-ThomW

"Anyone who doesn't think this game has the most hours played in total by Shackers? We have had a server running pretty much 24/7 for pretty much the last decade with people on it quite a few of those years."
-WatcherXP

"I can't think of another game ever that I could play with my entire family and friends together where everyone enjoys the game as much as everyone else. Minecraft managed to break the barrier and be a creative outlet and game for everyone.
-VictoriouSecret

"This game created a genre and inspired a generation of people.
-ughhhhhhh

"It's a literal blockbuster of a game, having millions of players of all ages, and is still being updated all these years later! Some play it on peaceful just for the building, some play it on hardcore for the challenge, and some play it to build intricate machines that automate most resource gathering and automatically sort all their blocked into different chests. No matter how you play, it been played by most gamers in some way or another on one platform or another from phones, to consoles, to PC."
-TroZ

#9 - Bloodborne (2015)

FromSoftware built its reputation this decade for the Souls series, but one of the studio's crowning achievements was its PS4-exclusive adventure that leaned more into Victorian-era, Lovecraft-style goth and horror. A sight to behold, but a true challenge to all, let's look back at our original review:

"As I found myself caught up in Bloodborne, I had to ask myself: why? What about this experience appealed to me where the Souls games didn't? I think it comes down to a more aggressive combat system. As opposed to the Souls games, this very consciously rewards players who take a less cautious approach. Rather than sit and wait for the most opportune moment to strike my enemies, Bloodborne allowed me to decide when I could attack on my own terms, and rewarded me for taking a more aggressive posture."

Not everybody will survive Bloodborne, but even if you fall, there is greatness ahead if you get right back up.

Hear it from Chatty:

"Perfected the Dark Souls combat feel and the best setting/tone across all the Souls games."
-Wikus Van De Merwe

"Perfect action, perfect setting, perfect pacing and psychologically compelling. A complete package."
-borzoi

"Fear the old blood."
-shirif

#8 - Rocket League (2015)

Who could ever expected that the best sports game of the decade would be one on wheels that didn't involve racing? Psyonix had high hopes for its follow-up to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, but even they couldn't have expected the incredible success that Rocket League has achieved. One of the most accessible and one of the most fun sports games out there, Rocket League has a ridiculously simple premise. But like all great games, it's one that anybody can play, but one that takes true dedication to master. And with the continued addition of cosmetic items, there's a lot of fun to be had in mastering this game and looking good while doing it.

Bonus points for creating one of the most exciting esports scenes in the world, with the Rocket League Championship Series providing consistent thrills every season.

Hear it from Chatty:

"It's hard to argue with over 1600 hours of play time"
-boarder2

"Gameplay loop perfection."
-TinyWoodFarmer

"Even though it took me a while to pick it up, out of all the games on this list Rocket League is one of the few that I can see myself continuing to play well into the next decade. It is pure joy and frustration wrapped up in a bouncy ball."
-DirkSpanners

"Every time I score a goal in Rocket League, I think of how mechanically perfect the game is. Such a simple concept, but Psyonix created a sport with an endless skill ceiling that is pure fun at every level.
-icecreambus

"They invented a fun-ass new sport. Duh."
-tostador

#7 - Mass Effect 2 (2010)

When some people think of the Mass Effect franchise, they'll often think of the letdown of the Mass Effect 3 ending. But truly think about why that caused such a clamor across the internet. The reason for that is because Mass Effect 2 was an all-time great game. BioWare built an incredible space saga, one that put so much gravity into both its main story and its optional story. It made Commander Shepard (pick your gender) one of gaming's greatest characters, whose story players were determined to shape in the way they saw fit. A crowning achievement in action-RPG gameplay and video game storytelling, Mass Effect 2 stands as one of BioWare's best games, which says a lot given that this is the same developer that once released Knights of the Old Republic.

Hear it from Chatty:

"Topped everything about the first game, while adding amazing missions for every member of the crew, and giving me the best story in science fiction."
-dvldog760

"In my top 3 favorite games of all time."
-fatman

"Greatest action RPG of all time. Nuff said."
-greenbergMD

"Provoked a childlike awe at the world."
-thane

"The final EA game I have purchased on my PC, it is one of the best narrative games I have seen as you build up your party and fight for the survival of the galaxy."
-Grumbeld

#6 - Portal 2 (2011)

The first Portal caught the entire gaming world by surprise. It was a seemingly minor addition to the original Orange Box, but proved to be the package's biggest standout. So here was Valve, ready to make a full-length sequel, one that would further establish the world it build and further flesh out the backstory for sassy, murderous A.I. GLaDOS, while also telling the tragic tale of your bumbling sidekick Wheatley. Also, there was lots and lots of science.

Portal 2 continues to stand tall as the cream of the crop for 3D puzzle games, testing players in ways gaming hadn't attempted before. With new mechanics, gadgets, and hundreds of new puzzles, Portal 2's campaign remains an unforgettable experience, especially with the twist at the end. And if that's not enough, co-op puzzles allowed Valve to stretch their mind-breaking muscles further, giving friends a chance to bond through murderous scientific experiments.

Portal 2 was Valve's last truly great single-player game and when people lament the transformation of Valve from "game creator" to "storefront," it's because everyone was witness to the level of creativity and storytelling that the company is truly capable of producing.

Hear it from Chatty:

"Just the single-player game would have been enough to put it on my list. But an entire couch co-op campaign too? Brilliant game."
-MatthewPhillips

"Perhaps Valve's greatest game. A pinnacle of puzzle FPS gameplay with a wicked sense of humor."
-sonicdeathwalrus

"Moonshot."
-sze ior

"Probably my favorite single-player game of the last decade, so much fun.
-dmaownsyou

"The perfect mind bending puzzle game made better."
-WatcherXP

#5 - Dark Souls (2011)

It's the game that became a gaming phenomenon. Dark Souls is more than a game, it's become an adjective. It was one of the first games of its kind, to emphasize exploration, experimentation, and also adaptation. Players needed to make mistakes and learn from them. If their health started to dwindle, it was time to rest at a bonfire. But resting would mean respawning the game's enemies. Death carried heavy consequences, yet death would come all true frequently. Even to this day, it remains one of the most challenging games out there. It's the closest that a modern game has come to replicating the kind of unforgiving challenge of the old-school gaming era. It's unique, it's innovative, it's the Dark Souls of Dark Souls.

Hear it from Chatty:

"Praise the Sun!"
-systatic

"Dark Souls best defines the decade. It was released in 2011, and aspects of it are still seen in games that one wouldn't expect, such as Respawn's new Star Wars game. Every year, I have returned to the world, Praising the Sun, besting the Capra Demon, and marveling at Anor Londo. It's a game that builds mood in every aspect of the game. It is and always will be marvelous."
-Grumbeld

"Improving upon Demon's Souls and the true beginning of a dynasty of 'Souls' games."
-the_burd

"Seriously."
-brickmatt

"Tremendous influence, and tremendously entertaining. I've replayed it many times."
-kallanta

"Punk rock."
-sze ior

"No game changed me as a gamer the way Dark Souls did. "
-SqueegyTBS

"Even the broken-ass PC version (thank you durante/dsfix) and Dark Souls 2 couldn't ruin the legacy of this game."
-Hoax

"Most fun and different game of the decade that spawned a whole genre."
-reelbk

"One of the most important game series of all time."
-grendel

#4 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)

This was the game that not only set the standard for The Elder Scrolls going forward, but it set the standard for what a single-player RPG should be. Nobody could have imagined what Bethesda's Creation Engine was capable of until they first got their hands on this game and witnessed the vast world of Skyrim. Character-building is top-notch, thanks to the bold idea to remove classes and just let players build their characters the way they see fit. The quests and side-quests are rich with lore, interesting characters, and engaging dungeon layouts and challenges. There's hundreds of hours' worth of things to do in Skyrim and can easily consume entire days at a time. Also, dragons! There are so many dragons and each dragon encounter feels like a true event!

And this is before we even get to the mods! Yes, Skyrim was among the biggest games to receive mod support from the Steam Workshop and the result was some of the most creative add-ons that the player base could think of. Remember this?

Many games since have tried to replicate the Skyrim formula, but few have reached the magical heights that Bethesda has with the latest Elder Scrolls.

Hear it from Chatty:

"Sandbox gaming, that sense of wonder, the sheer joy of freedom and exploration, the modding - Skyrim has so many flaws but remains so darn fun to jump into."
-sonicdeathwalrus

"8 millions hours playeddddddddd."
-Lawgiver

"Most moddable game I've ever played. The shipping game isn't in my top 10 but the community's additions make it great."
-fatman

"A game that myself and others continually come back to. It is the current gold standard for the genre."
-obiquatro

"Hundreds of hours played and still haven't beat it!"
-father_crown

"This game came out in 2011 and I'm still playing it eight years later. Continuing sidequests and DLC for my years old character in Skyrim has become something of a winter tradition."
-al9000

"Brings me back to my youth and 'pajama gaming.'"
-WatcherXP

"Skyrim is the greatest video game escape. It's so easy to get lost in your own story, interactions, and journey. Each playthrough brings something new and unique to the experience. It's become video game comfort food. It didn't do everything right, but what it did do right, it absolutely nailed."
-VictoriouSecret

#3 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)

The Legend of Zelda has tried to change up its formula in the past, at least whenever it's gone 2D. However, its 3D games have largely stayed true to form. Yes, The Wind Waker shook up the series' art style, but the formula has largely remained the same. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, however, made some of the biggest changes in the series' rich history. For the first time in history, the game went to a massive scale and went open world, turning Hyrule into a giant playground for the first time. It introduced a large number of new survival elements, requiring players to manage Link's clothes, weapon inventory, cooking, and so much more. Different weather patterns made traversing Hyrule a treacherous journey.

But for all of the changes that Nintendo made, this was still Zelda. There were still intricately-designed dungeons, hidden secrets, engaging quests, and one final mission to bring down the evil Ganon. For managing to create something of such incredible scale while still iterating on all of the qualities that made the series so great, Breath of the Wild stands out as the greatest 3D Zelda game ever created.

Hear it from Chatty:

"No game, other than my number 2, has come close to giving me such a large and beautiful playground to play in, and really do whatever I want, whenever I want to."
-dvldog760

"My first Zelda game I completed. 'Nuff said."
-johnhead

"Going back to Zelda's roots of 'Just go explore!'"
-Lawgiver

"It narrowly beat out my previous favorite game of all time: Zelda: A Link to the Past."
-Godzilly

"Harsh and unforgiving at first, amazing once you learn all the mechanics."
-DerHuhnTeufel

"Will incite blood feuds for generations to come over the question: Which one is better, LttP or BotW?"
-Hoax

"Nintendo delivered easily the best Zelda game of the decade and possibly best game of the decade!"
-ovrlrd

"A game about total freedom and pushing your (stamina) limits at your own pace. Had more interesting side quests (Tarrey Town) than a main story but I can appreciate that they let you take on the final boss any time you want after the tutorial is over. Only complaint I have is that the cooking feature could have been more streamlined."
-Mad Brahmin Disease

"I'm not a huge Zelda fan, but I loved this game."
-ThomW

"GOAT."
-Yo5hiki

"While different from the Zelda game that came before it, it's a near perfect example of an open world exploration game. The sense of scale in the game is amazing, and the ability to climb nearly anything you see really opened up the world and the possibilities. About the only flaw with the game is the four dungeons are short and not a challenging as past games."
-TroZ

#2 - DOOM (2016)

If you thought MachineGames pulled a rabbit out of their hat for Bethesda by successfully reviving Wolfenstein, check out id Software's amazing magic act of creating an amazing new DOOM for a new generation of players. It's no secret that we at Shacknews absolutely loved the new DOOM, so let's go back to Asif Khan's words from a few years ago when we named it our 2016 Game of the Year:

"Doom doesn't take itself too seriously. It frequently winks at the player from the beginning of the game when you throw away the tutorial tablet, to the flashing "DEMONIC INVASION IN PROGRESS" signs, all the way to posters asking for people to sign up for the Mancubus program. The game wants you to have fun. I had fallen out of love with first person shooters in the last 5 years or so, but Doom merged new gameplay mechanics with the trademark heavy metal style of the good old id Software in a way that captured my attention unlike any FPS in years."

There were tears in the staff's eyes when we could proudly declare that "DOOM is BACK!" Long live Doom Guy! And glory kills for all of his enemies!"

Hear it from Chatty:

"Rip and tear. Until it is done."
-the_burd

"The return of old-school FPS."
-TabsAZ

"Frenetic action where you terrorize demons with metal playing in the background. No other game can get the blood pumping like this one."
-Psigun

"Shoot the bad guys."
-godm0de

"NuDoom got me enjoying twitch games for the first time in a decade. It made me sweat and curse and scream and just f**king love video games again."
-johnhead

"Awesome music. Awesome action. Everything I want in a shooter."
-Medic1542

"It's Doom."
-Sludgehead

"I mean... how is it not? DOOM IS BACK!"
-ovrlrd

"F**k yeah, did they ever live up to the DOOM name. Also wins for GOAT for soundtrack."
-waxthirteen

"Like this game needs explanation on the Shack. Rip and tear!"
-RevRaven

"A satisfyingly violent reboot and return to form of a beloved franchise. No other game has made me feel so much simultaneous dread and excitement about what's lurking in the next room."
-al9000

#1 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)

Geralt of Rivia's third adventure is more than just the peak of The Witcher series. It excels in just about every single area: in terms of visuals, quests, side quests, lore, mechanics, variety, and so much more. Words can hardly do it justice, so let's go back to our original video when we (quite easily) crowned this the Shacknews 2015 Game of the Year.

Chatty, you can take it from here.

Hear it from Chatty:

"Amazing in every way."
-Godzilly

"The Witcher Experience was my favorite thing I've ever experience related to gaming. If I could I'd put the entire thing. I started by reading the books, then playing 1 and 2 and 3 just wrapped all of that up amazingly well. I loved it. Best RPG ever and its not close. The DLC was also just out of this world good. Can't wait to see what they do with Cyberpunk."
-FreshwaterAU

"It's the best game I've ever played. Ever."
-DerHuhnTeufel

"Unquestionable excellence of the game aside, continuing customer friendly aspects like offering DRM-free versions, 'DLC' that were full expansions of a quality that not only rivaled/improved on the main game but shamed full price offering of other studios stand out to me even now."
-Hoax

"I played this game again and again. The immersion is unmatched. Every quest in the game was interesting and varied. It never felt like a chore to help out the NPCs."
-Hanabal

"Of course."
-]pm[chem

"Absolutely top-tier writing and atmosphere. While the combat can take a bit to get used to, just being in that world is worth any learning curve. I'd likely have beaten the game twice over if it wasn't for the occasional Gwent-a-thons I got myself locked into. I'll likely remember the Baron for at least a decade to come. Oh, and have I told you about Gwent? C'mon, just a quick hand or seven..."
-DirkSpanners

"So much of the books is crammed into this massive game in the best ways possible. The writing, voice acting, and graphics are a fantastic mix that represents an ideal goal for video game role playing. The only thing lacking is a robust / action fighting system; the usage of potions, elixirs, and oils provides depth and the animations are well done but the mechanics aren't up to par with the best Dark Souls games (which is a good thing for me)."
-obiquatro

"Duh."
-Jackass1233

"Innovation on all fronts and just incredible."
-reelbk

"0wns."
-kch

"Gwent alone would have won this."
-grendel

"It's the best."
-DM7

"It's impossible, yet it exists: the open world game with polish, soul, depth...everything. And f*** the haters, the combat is fine."
-the_doctor

"Nothing to say. Genre-defining game. "
-Gydot

"Beyond gameplay and graphics, the story is a remarkably mature and well-told: the world of the Witcher is ambiguous and its characters too."
-sonicdeathwalrus

"A singular achievement of open world adventure."
-firefly1985

"Just... wow. What a world, what a story, what a journey."
-kallanta

"Its DLCs are also better games than all other games in this decade."
-pyide

"Probably the best single player game I've ever played. I can't think of any other game, film, or book that gripped me the way that TW3 has. I imagine in another 10 years we'll still be pointing at this game as the genre defining title for everything that follows it."
-InfoBiter

"I loved Witcher 1 and 2 and this was the culmination of a great series."
-Lawgiver

"For me it's my greatest of all time. No other game even came close to getting me emotionally involved in the storyline. Team Yenn."
-Medic1542

That's all, folks! We've hit the end! How are you feeling about the top games of the decade? Join the conversation and let us know. And be sure to come back in another ten years when we do this all again.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?