You know, I ran the game and don’t understand it, either…

Exactly!

Yes, there have been plenty of poor games that have been enjoyable; I consider that a testament to the people you game with. Even a bad game with good friends can still be time well spent.

Too true. Guess I’ve just been lucky to have (on the whole) good friends to game with.

My clearest personal example is my late 90s FR campaign (#5 on my list), which was 95% improvised, didn’t hang together worth a darn, etc. — but man, it was fun. And my players have said it stood out for them as one of their favorite campaigns, too, even years later (so it’s not just me .

Marc, I agree with your points: the past does tend to be viewed more favorably. However, on a long enough timeline and all things being equal, I think everything gets a fair shake, more-or-less.

Putting those two Palladium games on the list — or ranking them so high — wasn’t a quirk; we literally played the Palladium Fantasy RPG for five nights in a row and went on a gaming binge of debauchery that I’ve yet to match in 20+ years. It was one of the most fun and “pure” gaming experiences I ever had. Even back then we agreed the system was total crap but play it we did.

In the case of a more contemporary game, such as Doug’s D&D, it ranks quite high not because of the system, the group, nor any great characterization on my part. It had that certain je ne sais quoi that is difficult to articulate and almost defies explanation. I feel that great games (and gaming experiences) transcend the setting or system and achieve this particular level of deep involvement.

To circle back around, I don’t discount your comments but at least in my case, there have been less memorable games these past several years than in the past. That gives me pause for consideration…and concern.

What that means is that the games are frequently misrepresented in my head in disproportionately favorable light. I find this is often why I look back fondly on a lousy game.

With that said, I still think there is value in looking at what we’ve done and why it worked. After all, this process of self-discovery (even in the context of a hobby) is part of how we learn.

I’ll have to see about putting a list of my own together to see what I can figure out.

Oh, and on the gaming peak and marking time:

For me, gaming is a lot like a novel or film. Every now and again, you get something like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Aliens, the Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Highlander or what-have-you. These are experiences that in themselves express what we love about the medium (and yes, this list will vary for everyone).

Very few films, books, or games will meet this watermark of achievement, but we keep coming back hoping that the next cover we crack or ticket we buy will be the transcendentally inspiring experience we know it can be. Because of this, I don’t look at each new game as less than the others, but as an opportunity to experience something wonderful all over again. At the very least, they serve as a way to compare and contrast what works and why.

Anyhow, good read, thanks!

Great idea for a post, and it was an interesting way to learn a bit more about my gaming tastes.

This is my feeling as well. Anymore I feel as if I’m gaming for the sake of, well, just because that’s what I do. It’s like being on autopilot.

Yes, there have been plenty of poor games that have been enjoyable; I consider that a testament to the people you game with. Even a bad game with good friends can still be time well spent.

Are my best experiences in the past? I find myself enjoying the games I play or run, but wondering if I’m just going through the motions of late.

As for my Top 10, I’ll be honest, good games are like my kids. I find it hard to rank one over the other. There may have been games I didn’t particularly enjoy, but they all seem to have at least one redeeming memory, even if it’s poking fun at the game after the fact…