Acclaimed Video Games

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

Updated: March 25, 2026

Most Acclaimed MSX Games of All Time

Filters

27 of 27

#1 Tetris (1985) (#2)

Alexey Pajitnov | 8 , DOS , NES, GB | Puzzle | ~3h | 99 lists

2 (#155)

Pac-Man (1980)

Namco | , , , , | | ~48m | 33 lists

#2 Pac-Man (1980) (#155)

Namco | ARC , 3 , 5 , DOS , NES | Maze | ~48m | 33 lists

#3 Elite (1984) (#186)

Acornsoft, David Braben, Frontier Developments, Ian Bell | 6 , DOS | Space Combat | 23 lists

#4 Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985) (#293)

Origin Systems | 10 , DOS , NES | Role-Playing | ~21h | 18 lists

#5 Pitfall! (1982) (#303)

Activision | 4 , 3 | Platform | ~36m | 19 lists

#6 Bubble Bobble (1986) (#356)

Taito | ARC , 7 , DOS , NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 14 lists

7 (#387)

R-Type (1987)

Irem | , , , | | ~1h | 15 lists

#7 R-Type (1987) (#387)

Irem | ARC , 7 , SMS , TG16 | Shooter | ~1h | 15 lists

8 (#503)

Arkanoid (1986)

Taito | , , , , | | ~2h | 9 lists

#8 Arkanoid (1986) (#503)

Taito | ARC , 11 , DOS, MAC , NES | Puzzle | ~2h | 9 lists

#9 Final Fantasy (1987) (#516)

Square | MSX , NES | Role-Playing | ~15h | 10 lists

#10 Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981) (#538)

Sir-tech Software | 7 , NES , MAC | Role-Playing | ~25h | 10 lists

#11 Manic Miner (1983) (#590)

Bug Byte, Software Projects | 5 | Platform | 5 lists

#12 Head over Heels (1987) (#599)

Ocean Software | 7 | Action-Adventure | 6 lists

#13 Snatcher (1988) (#630)

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

#14 Bomberman (1983) (#638)

Hudson Soft | 4 , NES | Strategy / Maze / Puzzle | ~2h | 7 lists

#15 Shinobi (1987) (#706)

Team Shinobi | ARC , DOS , 6 , NES , SMS , TG16 | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~1h | 6 lists

#16 The Hobbit (1982) (#833)

Beam Software | 6 , DOS | Adventure | ~1h | 5 lists

#17 Track & Field / Hyper Olympic (1983) (#918)

Konami | ARC , A26 , A8, MSX | Sports | ~36m | 4 lists

#18 Football Manager (1982) (#943)

Addictive Games Ltd | 8 , DOS | Simulation / Sports | ~2h | 2 lists

#19 Knight Lore (1984) (#949)

Ashby Computers and Graphics Ltd. | 4 | Action-Adventure | ~2h | 4 lists

#20 Puyo Puyo (1991) (#1074)

Compile | ARC , 3 , 3 , GEN, GG | Puzzle | ~1h | 3 lists

#21 Ikari Warriors (1986) (#1080)

SNK | ARC , MSX, CPC , NES | Run and Gun | ~1h | 4 lists

#22 Salamander / Life Force (1986) (#1117)

Konami | ARC , 4 , NES | Shooter | ~48m | 5 lists

#23 Ballblazer (1985) (#1203)

Lucasfilm Games | 6 , A52, A78 | Action / Sports | ~18m | 4 lists

#24 Metal Gear (1987) (#1283)

Konami | DOS , C64, MSX , NES | Action-Adventure / Stealth | ~4h | 4 lists

#25 River Raid (1982) (#1304)

Activision | 3 , 3 | Shooter | ~24m | 5 lists

#26 Moon Patrol (1982) (#1308)

Irem | ARC , A26, A52 , 4 , DOS | Shooter | ~30m | 3 lists

#27 Balance of Power (1985) (#1365)

Mindscape, Inc. | 6 , DOS, MAC | Strategy | 3 lists

Alexey Pajitnov

AMI, A2, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, E60, GB, MSX, NES, ZXS

Puzzle

~3h

99 lists

Tetris 1985

#155

Namco

ARC, A26, A52, A8, C64, DOS, INTV, MSX, NES, PC88, ZXS

Maze

~48m

33 lists

Pac-Man 1980

#186

Acornsoft, David Braben, Frontier Developments, Ian Bell

CPC, A2, BBCM, C64, DOS, MSX, ZXS

Space Combat

23 lists

Elite 1984

#293

Origin Systems

AMI, A2, A8, AST, C64, DOS, FM7, MSX, NES, PC88, PC98, SX1

Role-Playing

~21h

18 lists

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985

#303

Activision

A26, A52, A8, CV, C64, INTV, MSX

Platform

~36m

19 lists

Pitfall! 1982

#356

Taito

AMI, CPC, A2, ARC, AST, C64, DOS, FDS, MSX, NES, ZXS

Platform

~3h

14 lists

Bubble Bobble 1986

#387

Irem

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, MSX, PC88, SMS, TG16, ZXS

Shooter

~1h

15 lists

R-Type 1987

#503

Taito

AMI, CPC, A2, MAC, ARC, A8, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, MSX, NES, PC88, TCC, ZXS

Puzzle

~2h

9 lists

Arkanoid 1986

#516

Square

MSX, NES

Role-Playing

~15h

10 lists

Final Fantasy 1987

#10

#538

Sir-tech Software

A2, MAC, C64, FM7, MSX, NES, PC88, PC98, SX1

Role-Playing

~25h

10 lists

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord 1981

#11

#590

Bug Byte, Software Projects

CPC, BBCM, C64, MSX, ZXS

Platform

5 lists

Manic Miner 1983

#12

#599

Ocean Software

AMI, CPC, A8, AST, C64, MSX, ZXS

Action-Adventure

6 lists

Head over Heels 1987

#13

#630

Konami

MSX, PC88, SCD, TG16

Point-and-Click

~8h

5 lists

Snatcher 1988

#14

#638

Hudson Soft

MSX, NES, PC88, SX1, ZXS

Strategy / Maze / Puzzle

~2h

7 lists

Bomberman 1983

#15

#706

Team Shinobi

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, DOS, MSX, NES, SMS, TG16, ZXS

Hack and Slash / Platform

~1h

6 lists

Shinobi 1987

#16

#833

Beam Software

CPC, A2, BBCM, C64, DOS, MSX, ZXS

Adventure

~1h

5 lists

The Hobbit 1982

#17

#918

Konami

ARC, A26, A8, MSX

Sports

~36m

4 lists

Track & Field / Hyper Olympic 1983

#18

#943

Addictive Games Ltd

AMI, CPC, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, MSX, T80, ZXS

Simulation / Sports

~2h

2 lists

Football Manager 1982

#19

#949

Ashby Computers and Graphics Ltd.

CPC, BBCM, MSX, ZXS

Action-Adventure

~2h

4 lists

Knight Lore 1984

#20

#1074

Compile

ARC, FDS, FMT, MSX, NES, PC98, GG, GEN, SNES

Puzzle

~1h

3 lists

Puyo Puyo 1991

#21

#1080

SNK

CPC, ARC, MSX, NES

Run and Gun

~1h

4 lists

Ikari Warriors 1986

#22

#1117

Konami

CPC, ARC, C64, MSX, NES, ZXS

Shooter

~48m

5 lists

Salamander / Life Force 1986

#23

#1203

Lucasfilm Games

CPC, A2, A52, A78, A8, C64, MSX, ZXS

Action / Sports

~18m

4 lists

Ballblazer 1985

#24

#1283

Konami

C64, DOS, MSX, NES

Action-Adventure / Stealth

~4h

4 lists

Metal Gear 1987

#25

#1304

Activision

A26, A52, A8, CV, MSX, ZXS

Shooter

~24m

5 lists

River Raid 1982

#26

#1308

Irem

A2, ARC, A26, A52, A8, C64, DOS, MSX

Shooter

~30m

3 lists

Moon Patrol 1982

#27

#1365

Mindscape, Inc.

AMI, A2, MAC, AST, DOS, MSX, PC88, PC98

Strategy

3 lists

Balance of Power 1985

All 27 results loaded

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