It's no secret that StarCraft is the best RTS game of its time, and among the best games ever released. With its revolutionary three unique races, stunning graphics and single-player storyline, StarCraft was ahead of its time when it was released almost a decade ago in 1998. The fact the game is still included in professional gaming tournaments today is a testament to its influence.
IGN has recently ranked their top 100 video games, and StarCraft proudly stands at #11, beating out games like Street Fighter II, Metroid Prime, Doom and Half-Life, and StarCraft gracefully steps out of the Top Ten to make way for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Tetris, and Super Mario Brothers. There's no shame in losing to such classics, especially when StarCraft itself is a classic. What's more, even fellow Blizzard products like WarCraft II: Tides of Darkness, and the mighty World of WarCraft have been outranked by their space-oriented cousin.
From IGN:
[quote]Why It Made Our Top 100 List
Well, considering it's THE real-time strategy game of record, how could it not make this list? StarCraft continues to be enormously popular today, almost ten years after it was released, especially in South Korea where professional gamers make more-than-decent livings just by playing. If you haven't experienced at least a bit of the three-way war between the Terrans, Protoss, and Zerg, you have probably been living under a rock.
The supremely compelling multiplayer is mostly due to the balance Blizzard has managed to achieve after the Brood Wars expansion and patches. Each race is distinct, a different style of play, but they don't overpower each other in weird ways. The replay feature elevates the game to a study; like when researching old chess moves, players can examine their opponents' strategies and confront their own weaknesses. Add in the campaign editor and you're set for replayability leading to an addiction of an unhealthy level. Give it one more round![/quote]
While we may think that description is luke-warm, the main points are covered. The list is a who's-who collection of some of the most influence, well-remembered and best video games in history, and Blizzard's creation has certainly earned its spot on that list. Well done, StarCraft. Here's another award for your ever-vast trophy case of honors.
Source:IGN's Top 100 Games - #11
