After 20 years of video games, series have come and gone with each changing of the tides. However, some have let irreversible marks on the video game industry in general. Though some series have faded to obscurity, the greatest continue to stay in relevance. With that, p8i.com presents a list of the 10 greatest video game series ever to grace our fingers.

10. Sonic the Hedgehog

In the prehistoric years, when Sega was relevant, Sonic the hedgehog helped catapult Sega into popularity. Responsible for selling almost 50 million games, Sonic has seen a rebirth in recent years, in 3-D. The speedy hedgehog known for bringing fast paced, high intensity gaming to the masses, spent the majority of his prime running through rings and battling the evil Dr. Robotnik. Though Sonic eventually reached the dreaded troughs of obscurity, Sonic is still a beloved member of many gamers repertoire. Defining many a childhood, Sonic’s popularity created a plethora of spin-offs including tangible merchandise such as action figures and plush dolls in addition to a long running television show and a cartoon series to boot. Sonic's failure to capitalize in modern times puts this series at the end of the list.

9. Street Fighter

Perhaps the premier and groundbreaking fighting series ever developed, Street Fighter emphasized multiplayer fluidity, complicated button sequences and explosive special moves. Despite the fact that Street Fighter began focused on Ryu and his counterpart Ken, the series has expanded to an assortment of colorful characters. The staple of any coin operated arcade, Street Fighter has devoured many 25 cent coins over the last two decades. Strategies were developed to ensure domination, reputations were destroyed and tempers flared as gamers battled with reckless abandon to decide who was best over their friends. Developed in 1987, Street Fighter became an instant cult phenomena; since then Street Fighter and its subsequent titles have been made available on almost every console developed. Street Fighter has survived many hardships and is still one of the front runners of the industry. Like all other ancient series, Street Fighter has made the shift to 3-D and is still well received. One of the few video game series to have its own Comic Book, Movie, Manga, RPG and animated cartoon, Street Fighter has earned itself a permanent place in popular culture.

8. Mega Man

The Mega Man franchise was one of the most popular series of the 8-Bit era. Through the use of side scrolling action, Mega Man was simple enough to allow almost anyone to play. Battling huge bosses were common and they were as varied as the level design. As technology advanced and series faded into nothing more than rereleases, Mega Man X was introduced. Mega Man back with a new design, new moves and a new story, provided just as much side scrolling fun as the original. Although Mega Man has not had a major success in recent years, attempts have been made to revitalize the series through rereleases of the classic games. With the inception of characters such as Zero and the comical Dr. Willy, Mega Man created a series enveloped in a protective bubble of innocence, providing unadulterated fun whenever called upon. As a result, Mega Man earns its place on this list.

7. Kingdom Hearts:

Naysayers may claim what they want, but Kingdom Hearts deserves to be on this list. Though not as well seasoned or long lasting as other series on this list, Kingdom Hearts was a melting pot of brilliance. An engaging and emotionally stimulating series, Kingdom Hearts brought together the best characters from a variety of series, such as Cloud and Mickey Mouse, and put a new spin on them. With gorgeous graphics in both installments, a wonderfully orchestrated score Kingdom Hearts had a cinematic quality about it. Fun and exhilarating combat which was both easy yet intricate allowed both casual gamers and seasoned gamers to jump on board. Sora is one of the few characters in recent memory I can recall having felt a slight emotional attachment to. The environments in Kingdom Hearts were brilliant, being wonderfully themed to each particular “world” and unfalteringly innovative. Flying through space playing a Starfox-esque mini-game provided just enough distraction to keep game play fresh. The second installment brought a more serious overtone to the series, though kept the story and the gameplay as a main focus. Developed with a pedigree, through Square Enix, Kingdom Hearts is one of the best series introduced in the last decade.

6. Metal Gear Solid

Metal gear & Metal Gear Solid: Metal Gear began its humble origins as a NES port, offering what was at the time, advanced combat and visually appealing graphics. However, the series didn’t evolve into the one we all know and love until it was developed under a new title “Metal Gear Solid”, by Sony. You play as Snake, an operative charged with defeating mastermind criminals, disarming nuclear compounds and other monumental tasks. Defining the stealth-action genre, Metal Gear Solid provided lush and varied environments as well as exciting combat. The series begins with Snake as a rookie recruit and ends with Snake as an old man. As Snake progressed in age and skill, Metal Gear’s fan base grew. At one point, Snake acted as an impromptu face of the Playstation. With Snake’s assumptive final appearance on The Playstation 3, a mega series has ended, though its impact on gaming in general cannot be undermined. Its longevity and critical acclaim provide ample evidence of its significance.

5. Halo

One of the most modern series on the list, Halo has capitalized on the growing number of video gamers. Known for having some of the most enjoyable multiplayer of any series and the largest following base, Halo has gained popularity over the years. Responsible for producing some of the most crazed and avid fans ever, Halo has broken many records set by its predecessors. Through the magic of modern technology, namely Xbox live, Halo has become a phenomena and has spread through our homes like a virus. Millions of gamers have played Halo for countless hours, toiling away battling others in the virtual realm using its fun and accessible multiplayer. Many men have spent more hours logged in Xbox live, than their jobs. Halo details the battle of humans in their attempt to colonize the outer reaches of space, and aliens, The Covenant, hell bent on destroying them. Though the developers of Halo “slipped up” with Halo:Wars, Halo ODST promises to deliver the same fast paced action that gamers love.

4. Final Fantasy
One of the longest and most expanded on franchises ever, available in some form almost every console produced, Final Fantasy has left its mark in the gaming world and deserves recognition. From Leon to Squall to Cloud to Tidus and many others, the characters of Final Fantasy have been both abundant and well received. Commercially successful and critically claimed with every release issued (aside from the headache known as Final Fantasy X-2) across consoles such as the NES or Wii and the PC. Basing itself around turn based combat, heavy emphasis on a mature and cohesive story and magic, the series offered something innovative. Created by Square, the Final Fantasy series rose from the ashes of Square’s creative concepts starting in 1987 and has never looked back since. A veteran in a voracious industry, Final Fantasy aims to be one of the longest running series ever.

3. Warcraft

First introduced in 1994 by Blizzard Entertainment with Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, Warcraft was a real time strategy game instead of the RPG it is known as today through its World of Warcraft. The Warcraft series has come a long way. World of Warcraft has now become the largest MMORPG series ever, though it was popular in yesteryear through its real time strategy installments. A captivating game, World of Warcraft has ruined the lives of as many as it has enriched. Hours upon hours are devoted to playing the game and building the best character possible, with people paying thousands of dollars for the best character money can buy. The level of devotion players have to World of Warcraft is not seen in any other game series. With an interesting class system, a wide array of spells and possibilities and a massive community, World of Warcraft has all of the makings of a historic video game. The Warcraft series itself, gained notoriety through its RTS games, which created a cult following. One of the longest computer franchises still running, Warcraft is on pace to be one of the most celebrated franchises ever.

2. The Legend of Zelda

The most well developed franchise of all time, The Legend of Zelda series has created a following comparable to a small religion. The Legend of Zelda is known for being in general, a series of perfectly orchestrated video games starting with the Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time and for being a game of high quality, noticeable from its first title, The Legend of Zelda on the NES. The loveable hero Link, often a farmer or peasant in Hyrule, is the strong and silent type. Though the story is often of the simple, “save the damsel in distress” mould, numerous side characters and side quests have made the series remarkable. One of the first games to introduce the concept of puzzle solving to the action-adventure genre as well as massive boss fights, the avant-garde weapon, problem solving and level design propelled the Legend of Zelda into the limelight. Now available on every Nintendo console, the Legend of Zelda series has received a rating of above 8 in every single one of its games, a feat noted in very few other series. The current record holder for such titles such as “Longest Running Action-Adventure” as well as “Highest-Rated game of all time”, the Legend of Zelda’s position as the best second best series of all time is warranted- Link is no stranger to greatness.

1. Mario

Whether saving Princess Peach time over, throwing fireballs at Pikachu, scoring goals on Donkey Kong or racing Sonic, Mario has constantly reinvented himself over the years. The Madonna of video games, Mario is what most people picture when they hear the word video games. Mario has matured at the same pace as the video game industry, transitioning from a 2-D sprite to a 3-D icon. A plumber of humble origins, the plyometric marvel, “Jumpman” as he was once called, traverses the perils of the Mushroom Kingdom and other realms, to save the world from certain destruction. Mario is the Renaissance man of video games, able to play tennis, golf, basketball and soccer like a pro, Mario has become the face of the Nintendo franchise. The series itself, consisting of Mario himself and his associated titles and the Mario Bros, is responsible for selling over 200 million copies of the respective games over the years and at one point, Mario was more recognizable than Mickey Mouse. When you begin taking on Walt, you know you’ve conquered the world.

Though what position you put the series' in the list is arguable, their significance in the overall gaming industry has been demonstrated time and time again. Series which have enriched our lives, defined consoles and brought new and otherwise unheard of concepts to the gaming industry are the only ones listed. The cream of the crop, these games have helped catapult the video game industry to its current level.

I agree with you. I do think that LoZ should be #1. There are still some smaller, yet amazing series that deserve runner up. Greatest doesn't necessarily mean popular. If it was by popularity, then Marios #1 for sure.

I feel like Final Fantasy should be switched with Warcraft, and Sonic should be ahead of Kingdom hearts. I mean if we're talking about the Series' and not just the new games, Sonic would be above Kingdom Hearts simply by his great games of the past.