Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,400 most recommended games across 913 critic lists from 142 publications.

Updated: March 25, 2026

Most Acclaimed Video Games of 1988

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15 of 15

#1 Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) (#31)

Nintendo R&D4 | NES | Platform | ~5h | 61 lists

#2 Mega Man 2 (1988) (#102)

Capcom | NES | Platform | ~3h | 39 lists

#3 Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988) (#281)

Nintendo R&D4 | NES | Platform | ~3h | 16 lists

#4 Ninja Gaiden (1988) (#393)

Tecmo, Tecmo Koei Games | NES | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~3h | 13 lists

#5 Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny (1988) (#539)

Origin Systems | 4 , DOS | Role-Playing | ~20h | 8 lists

#6 Bionic Commando (1988) (#628)

Capcom | NES | Platform | ~2h | 10 lists

#7 Snatcher (1988) (#630)

Konami | PC88, MSX , TG16 , SCD | Point-and-Click | ~8h | 5 lists

#8 Ghouls 'n Ghosts (1988) (#687)

Capcom | ARC , 5 , GEN | Platform | ~2h | 6 lists

#9 Exile (1988) (#853)

Audiogenic | 5 | Action-Adventure | ~5h | 4 lists

#10 Wasteland (1988) (#1064)

Interplay Productions | A2, C64 , DOS | Role-Playing | ~26h | 3 lists

#11 King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella (1988) (#1138)

Sierra On-Line | 3 , DOS | Adventure | ~4h | 3 lists

#12 Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (1988) (#1159)

Lucasfilm Games | DOS , 4 | Point-and-Click | ~5h | 2 lists

#13 R.C. Pro-Am (1988) (#1176)

Rare | NES | Racing / Vehicular Combat | ~2h | 6 lists

#14 Ice Hockey (1988) (#1288)

Nintendo R&D4, Pax Softonica | NES, FDS | Sports | ~36m | 5 lists

#15 Carrier Command (1988) (#1345)

Realtime Games Software Ltd. | DOS, MAC , 5 | Vehicle Simulation | 2 lists

#31

Nintendo R&D4

NES

Platform

~5h

61 lists

Super Mario Bros. 3 1988

#102

Capcom

NES

Platform

~3h

39 lists

Mega Man 2 1988

#281

Nintendo R&D4

NES

Platform

~3h

16 lists

Super Mario Bros. 2 1988

#393

Tecmo, Tecmo Koei Games

NES

Hack and Slash / Platform

~3h

13 lists

Ninja Gaiden 1988

#539

Origin Systems

AMI, A2, AST, C64, DOS

Role-Playing

~20h

8 lists

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny 1988

#628

Capcom

NES

Platform

~2h

10 lists

Bionic Commando 1988

#630

Konami

MSX, PC88, SCD, TG16

Point-and-Click

~8h

5 lists

Snatcher 1988

#687

Capcom

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, GEN, ZXS

Platform

~2h

6 lists

Ghouls 'n Ghosts 1988

#853

Audiogenic

AMI, CD32, AST, BBCM, C64

Action-Adventure

~5h

4 lists

Exile 1988

#10

#1064

Interplay Productions

A2, C64, DOS

Role-Playing

~26h

3 lists

Wasteland 1988

#11

#1138

Sierra On-Line

AMI, A2, AST, DOS

Adventure

~4h

3 lists

King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella 1988

#12

#1159

Lucasfilm Games

AMI, AST, C64, DOS, FMT

Point-and-Click

~5h

2 lists

Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders 1988

#13

#1176

Rare

NES

Racing / Vehicular Combat

~2h

6 lists

R.C. Pro-Am 1988

#14

#1288

Nintendo R&D4, Pax Softonica

FDS, NES

Sports

~36m

5 lists

Ice Hockey 1988

#15

#1345

Realtime Games Software Ltd.

AMI, CPC, MAC, AST, C64, DOS, ZXS

Vehicle Simulation

2 lists

Carrier Command 1988

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