Why is it every time I encounter a best of all time games list, the top spot is always held by a game like Super Mario 3 or Legend of Zelda. Classics, ABSOLUTELY, but seriously, best games ever? I have to say I'm a little uncertain.

While flipping through this month's Game Informer (the magazine's 300th issue) I couldn't help but wonder why the two aforementioned games take the top two slots on their list of the 300 Best Games of All-Time or something like that. You know, the same list that gets updated regularly to reorder the popularity of the Call of Duty franchise, like anyone cares at this point.

I have to hand it to the list, games like Witcher 3 and Grand Theft Auto V ranked among the top 10, logically. As I got closer to the top 2 I noticed the games I would've pegged for the top spot were already on the list. What games were missing in the GOTY catalog in my brain? The classics of course.

Now believe me when I tell you I'm not here to mock the 8-bit days that paved the way for what we know of games today. But c'mon, developers have created totally immersive worlds with hours of gameplay and adventure! Can you really try to sell me on the idea that a title like LoZ is better than that?

So you're a hard-core Zelda fan and now you hate me and have sworn to never read one of my trash articles ever again? Just hear me out! I too love the classics and if you try to step up to me saying something about how Pokémon: Blue Version just didn't do it for you we are going to have a fucking problem, but I'm not going to sit here and try to convince you that it is a better game than something expansive and immersive like World of Warcraft. Frankly, it isn't a fair comparison.

I guess what I'm really getting at is that we can't allow lists of great games to be determined by the sentimental value of a game to the author of the list. Just because Mario was the franchise that made you love games, it doesn't make it the end all be all in franchises!

If those games were all so perfect, why did developers adapt to the times and create things like Mario Party or Breath of the Wild? Because more attention to graphics, story, game design and mechanics actually make a game better and more fun for the gamer. A pretty important factor in the equation if you ask me!

So yes, the classics are the classics, but stop trying to convince me they are the greatest games ever made; that's just your childhood talking! I'm sure if more gamers took an objective approach and considered not only what game made them fall in love with gaming, but maybe which they spent the most time on or had the most fun with, I'd venture those are the true greats.