The finalists span an array of genres, platforms and eras as highlighted below:
Assassin’s Creed Candy Crush Saga Dance Dance Revolution The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Minesweeper Ms. Pac-Man NBA Jam PaRappa the Rapper Resident Evil Rogue Sid Meier’s Civilization Words with Friends
Several of these games have made the ballot before but fell short of being inducted. NBA Jam, for example, was a finalist in 2020, and Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) made the list in 2019 alongside Sid Meier’s Civilization and Candy Crush Saga. Ms. Pac-Man was on the ballot in 2018, as was DDR. Notable games that still haven’t made it into the Hall of Fame despite making the finals multiple times include Half-Life, Guitar Hero and Myst.
If it were up to me, the first three inductees would be easy: NBA Jam, Resident Evil and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. NBA Jam was a blast to play with friends, Resident Evil popularized the survival horror genre (the Hunter scared the daylights out of me even when I knew he was coming), and Ocarina of Time was truly breathtaking on the Nintendo 64. From now through March 24, you’ll have the opportunity to cast your vote through the Player’s Choice Ballot. Winners will be announced during a virtual ceremony on May 5.
