The 8 Most Fun Video Games of All Time, Ranked

Image via Mojang Studios Published Aug 28, 2026, 1:04 PM EDT Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. Sign in to your Collider account Video games are meant to evoke emotions and feelings in players through intended experiences, and that is exactly what goes into designing a game. Some titles, like God of War, aim for a narrative masterpiece with incredible storytelling and emotional weight, while others, such as Red Dead Redemption 2, want to immerse players in massive open worlds. However, no matter what their specific goal is, all video games try to be fun. Fun is entirely subjective, with some players enjoying difficult combat that is challenging yet rewarding, and on the other hand, some gamers want a relaxing and cozy atmosphere and a simple gameplay loop to enjoy. That is why this list will rank the eight most fun video games of all time based on aspects such as gameplay, design, fan opinion, visuals, narrative, entertainment value, polish, creativity, and overall quality. 8 'Elden Ring' (2022) FromSoftware is one of the most prolific gaming studios responsible for a lot of fun, yet challenging video games, including their magnum opus, Elden Ring. Set within the Lands Between, gamers play as the Tarnished One, a lost soul sent on a quest to retrieve the shards of the titular object and become the Elden Lord. However, to do this, they must battle the demigod children of Queen Marika in a series of boss fights. Fun comes in many shapes and sizes, and some fans believe that includes extremely difficult games, mainly because winning can be so much more rewarding. Elden Ring may be challenging, but that enhances the tension and video game engagement. Outside its combat, Elden Ring evokes the thrill of discovery through exploration and stumbling upon lore, worldbuilding, and boss fights. 7 'Pokémon Black 2 and White 2' (2012) Image via The Pokémon Company There are plenty of game franchises that don't have the best reviews, such as Pokémon, which only seems to be getting worse with each new modern interpretation. However, the formula is tried and true to deliver fun moments, and the best in the franchise is arguably Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. Following the events of the first game, the remnants of Team Plasma are still haunting Unova, and it is up to the player to stop this. Sure, there are more influential and popular Pokémon games than Black 2 and White 2, but when it comes to which is the most fun, that honor goes to this game. These games perfected the ageless formula that has won over so many hearts with polished combat, an incredible story, gorgeous art, and flawless animation. Black 2 and White 2 refined the Pokémon experience not just critically, but they made it more fun with an expanded Pokédex, difficulty modes, and lots of post-game content, proving why it is one of the best JRPG titles. 6 'Resident Evil 4' (2005) Image via Capcom Some games are fun because they have low stakes; others find fun in horror games and fright, which is why so many players absolutely adore Resident Evil 4. After a cult kidnaps the daughter of the President of the United States in Spain, Leon S. Kennedy is on the case to bring her back safely. However, when they learn that the cult has been taken over by a parasitic being, escaping becomes even more difficult. Resident Evil 4 switched up the normal formula for something a bit more engaging, making it more of an action-survival horror with plenty of flashy moments and third-person shooting action. One key to making a game fun is through pacing, and this title is flawlessly managed through progression. There is never a dull moment in Resident Evil 4, and that masterfully paced experience is why fans have such a blast with it. 5 'Marvel's Spider-Man 2' (2023) Image via Insomniac Marvel's Wolverine is an upcoming PlayStation video game that will undoubtedly be fun, but Insomniac has one other, more fun title that defines the console. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 brings Peter Parker and Miles Morales together, where they must face their most dangerous mission yet, pitting them against tough supervillains like Kraven the Hunter and an unknown alien invasion. The narrative could definitely be improved compared to the first, but Marvel's Spider-Man 2 improves on the gameplay drastically, and that is what most people find fun. The innovative, cinematic, and remarkable boss fights put players into the role of Spider-Man through addictive mechanics and awe-inspiring moments. The swinging mechanics and traversal are what make this game so entertaining and fun, proving why Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is the most fun PS5 video game. Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory? 🕷️Spider-Man 😈Daredevil 🤖Iron Man 💀Punisher ⚡Thor 🛡️Cap FIND YOUR HERO → 01 What drives you to do what's right? Choose the answer that feels most like you. AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can't protect themselves. BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark. CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I've learned that others depend on me now. DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay. EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms. FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully. NEXT QUESTION → 02 It's 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you'd think. ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. BRunning rooftops in Hell's Kitchen, listening for trouble. CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby. DStaking out a target I've been tracking for three weeks. ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand. FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn't sleep. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What's yours? AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again. BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside. CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins. DMake sure they don't escape a third time. Permanently. EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end. FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it's hard. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything. AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am. BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face. COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I'd do it again. DI'm a ghost. The less people know about me, the better. EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There's no hiding it. FI don't hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust. NEXT QUESTION → 05 You've lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it. AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day. BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting. CI buried myself in work for years. I'm only recently learning to face it. DIt transformed me completely. I'm not the same person I was before. EWith warrior's grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have. FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win. NEXT QUESTION → 06 What's your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are. AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up. BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most. CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation. DI don't do teams. I'm more effective operating solo, on my terms. EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle. FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are. AClearly — I don't kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly. BI try to hold the line, but I've come terrifyingly close to crossing it. CPractically — I do what's necessary to protect people, including hard calls. DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won't admit it. EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic. FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against. NEXT QUESTION → 08 When you're not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story. ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends. BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets. CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I'm sleeping enough. DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions. ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary. FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly. NEXT QUESTION → 09 What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of. AThe people I couldn't save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow. BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too. CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough. DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I've made my choices. EWhether I'm truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect. FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing. NEXT QUESTION → 10 The battle is lost. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully. ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything. BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going. CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan. DI don't accept that it's lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore. ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me. FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it's not over. REVEAL MY HERO → Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed. 🕷️ Spider-ManYou carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing. You do the right thing not because it's easy, but because no one else will. You understand that responsibility isn't a burden you choose — it's one that finds you. Whether it's a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up. Peter Parker's lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn't a slogan to you. It's the code you live by, even when it costs you everything. 😈 DaredevilYou fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free. You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks. You've looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy. Matt Murdock's duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own. Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you. 🤖 Iron ManBrilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem. You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic. You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility. Tony Stark's arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too. You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you're willing to give everything. Because in the end, you're Iron Man. 💀 The PunisherYou've been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What's left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief. You don't ask for forgiveness, and you don't expect gratitude. You see a corrupt, broken world and you've decided to do something about it, consequences be damned. Frank Castle's war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours. Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute. ⚡ ThorPowerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry. You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth. You're larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on. Thor's story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector. You bring the storm when it's needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much. 🛡️ Captain AmericaYou believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will. You don't bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard. Steve Rogers didn't become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you. Your strength isn't in your fists; it's in your refusal to compromise what's right, no matter the cost. In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 4 'Super Mario Odyssey' (2017) Image via Nintendo Nintendo aims to deliver fun gaming experiences, so they know how to make an entertaining game, and Mario embodies fun more than most gaming franchises. There are plenty of great 3D platforming games, but none as great as Super Mario Odyssey. When Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach to serve as his bride, Mario must travel around multiple kingdoms to find and save her while taking over the bodies of his enemies. There is only one 3D Mario game on the Nintendo Switch, and the reason there aren't more is that Super Mario Odyssey is perfect. This game has plenty of sandbox worlds for players to explore, and inside they can find a plethora of collectibles, which is only natural for the best collectathon video game. The capture mechanic adds a new layer of entertainment to the fold, making every level more compelling. From endless freedom to unlimited scope and unrestrained creativity, this is such a definitive experience that is also addictively fun. 3 'Minecraft' (2011) Image via Mojang Studios As this list said, fun is subjective, but this list compiles the games that most people find enjoyable, and one title that everyone can agree on is Minecraft. There is no dedicated narrative, but that means players are free to do whatever they want, which includes mining, crafting, building, and exploring. Players can do whatever they want in this sandbox world, including traveling to the End and defeating the Ender Dragon. Minecraft is a game that fans either love or hate, but it turns out there are a lot more people who love it than hate it. The procedurally generated sandbox world means players can find what they find fun inside of it, and that agency is exactly why Minecraft is such a beloved video game. Gamers can put as much or as little into the experience and still walk away satisfied. Even though fun is subjective, Minecraft gives the ingredients to it, and gamers make their own cake and eat it too. 2 'Portal 2' (2011) Image via Valve Valve doesn't release too many video games anymore, but in their prime, they used to deliver some of the most innovative and engaging titles, like Portal 2. Taking place sometime after the first game, Chell wakes up to the same scientific testing facility, except this time it is worn down. With the help of a cheerful robot, the players try to find a way out only to wake GLaDOS back up. Escaping was already difficult, but now it is nearly impossible, unless they were to somehow team up. Puzzles are thought-provoking and engaging, but most importantly, fun, and Portal 2 does this better than almost any other game. Learning can be fun for some, but tutorials are often boring, which is why this game teaches through gameplay and flawless pacing. Portal 2 is innovative and imaginative, using its creative gameplay and engaging puzzles in tandem to deliver one of the best gaming experiences. Not only that, but Portal 2 is also charming, witty, and sharp with its dialog and style, cementing its fun vibe. 1 'Wii Sports' (2006) Image via Nintendo It only makes sense for some of the best-selling video games of all time to be the most fun as well, which is why Nintendo's bestseller is first on this list. Wii Sports is an intuitive sports game where players use their Wii Remote to immerse themselves in a number of sports, which include boxing, golf, bowling, tennis, and baseball. Gamers can take on friends, family, or strangers in this competitive yet fun sports game. It is the best-selling Nintendo game because it was bundled with the Wii, and while people played it because it came with the console, they kept playing it because it was so fun. Wii Sports isn't just a video game; it is an icon that cemented a legacy as a cultural landmark in multiplayer games. Kids, adults, and elderly people alike could all enjoy Wii Sports, which used its intuitive controls to make the game easy and fun to play. Some people may not find it fun, but almost everyone played and enjoyed it, even non-gamers, which is why it isn't only the most fun Nintendo game, but the most fun video game of all time.