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Top Video Games of All Time image of old video game consols

Top Video Games of All Time

22/07/2026 / / 0 Comments

Top Video Games of All Time (according to us)

You’d think that, as a Library, talking about video games wouldn’t be an obvious choice, but here at Edinburgh Napier we are a university at the forefront of video game design. Not to mention Scotland is the home of Rockstar North (formerly Rockstar Games), the iconic maker of Grand Theft Auto.

Video games have transformed from simple arcade experiences into one of the world’s biggest entertainment industries. Today, gaming reaches billions of people. It influences technology, storytelling, education, and even scientific research. Some games have shaped entire generations. Others have redefined what is possible in digital entertainment. Most of us have grown up with video games in some form, and gaming is no longer a niche hobby. Your nana is now much more likely to be gaming on her mobile phone alongside her grandson on his PlayStation.

There’s a Stat for that

Video games used to be traditionally thought of as something boys did, but the latest data shows that gaming has become far more universal.

  • Around 3.6 billion people worldwide play video games. That’s almost 45% of the world’s population!
  • The global games industry generates around $200 billion annually, making it larger than the film and recorded music industries combined.
  • More than 3 billion people play games on smartphones or tablets, making mobile the world’s largest gaming platform.
  • 92.5% of people aged 16–24 play video games, and over half of people over 65 play video games (mostly on their phones). My mum loves her Candy Crush!
  • Gaming is actually pretty evenly split between genders, with approx. 51% men and 48% women.

Want more stats? Try using Librarysearch.napier.ac.uk to learn more!

What Makes a Video Game Great?

Like anything creative, what makes something great can be considered subjective, but there are some clear winners that seem beloved the world over. The greatest video games do more than sell millions of copies. They introduce new ideas, inspire future developers and build loyal communities that last for decades.

A truly great game usually offers:

  • Memorable gameplay
  • Strong storytelling
  • Technical innovation
  • Replay value
  • Cultural impact

Below I’ve listed some of the top games that appear on almost all the “greatest” lists, and one I consider great too (It’s my list after all!)

Grand Theft Auto V

I mean, we are Scottish so this is an easy choice. Released in 2013 by Rockstar Games, GTA V continues to attract millions of players more than a decade later. Its enormous open world lets players explore Los Santos as they follow three interconnected protagonists. Meanwhile, GTA Online has evolved into one of the most successful online gaming platforms ever created.

The series has strong Scottish roots. The original Grand Theft Auto was developed by DMA Design in Dundee in 1997. The studio later became Rockstar North, now based in Edinburgh. Today, Rockstar North remains one of Scotland’s largest and most influential game developers. The new game is due to be released soon… well, soonish.

This success demonstrates how Scotland continues to shape the global games industry and highlights the opportunities available within the country’s thriving technology sector.

Minecraft

This one is big in my house, alongside Roblox.

Minecraft was a game changer, pun intended. It changed gaming by giving players complete creative freedom. Instead of following a fixed storyline, players build worlds from blocks, design machines using Redstone, and even learn programming concepts through modifications and educational editions.

Teachers now use Minecraft in classrooms across the world. Architects have recreated famous landmarks inside the game. Scientists have even used it to visualise complex environments.

The game’s simple appearance hides remarkable technical depth. It proves that creativity often matters more than photorealistic graphics.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Nintendo redefined open-world design with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Unlike many open-world games, players receive very little direction. They can climb almost every mountain, solve puzzles in different ways, and experiment with physics-based gameplay.

This freedom encouraged exploration rather than checklist gaming. As a result, many modern developers have borrowed ideas from its design philosophy.

Tetris

Sometimes the simplest ideas become the most successful. I remember having a Game Boy as a kid and playing this for hours.

Tetris first appeared in 1984, yet it remains one of the most recognisable games ever created. Its falling blocks are easy to understand but incredibly difficult to master.

Researchers have studied Tetris for decades because of its effects on spatial reasoning and cognitive processing. Some studies even suggest playing the game may improve certain aspects of visual thinking.

Its timeless gameplay shows that innovation does not always require advanced graphics.

Super Mario Bros.

Without Super Mario Bros., the gaming industry might look very different today. Released in 1985, Nintendo’s platform classic helped revive the video game market after the industry crash of the early 1980s. Its smooth controls, clever level design, and memorable characters established standards that developers still follow today. New generations are still coming to the game today, with spin-offs and merchandise finding new, young audiences even now.

Shout-out to one of my best friends, Suzi, for being the one who mastered all the levels first so she could beat her brothers and guide us through.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Admittedly, I’ve never played this one, but it tops the lists. It is one of the best games that encourages exploration.

Players can become warriors, thieves, mages, or simply wander across mountains and villages while discovering hidden quests. The game’s active modding community has also extended its lifespan far beyond its original release.

Importantly, Skyrim demonstrates the value of player choice. Modern developers increasingly design games that allow players to create their own stories rather than simply follow scripted paths.

Stardew Valley

So this one is my choice. I love a cosy game, and also there’s something special about a game created by one developer with a passion. Not every great video game is created by a huge studio with hundreds of developers, and Stardew is a great example of how a single creator can build a worldwide success story.

Released in 2016, Stardew Valley was created almost entirely by Eric Barone, who developed the game over several years while working on the project alone. The game combines farming, exploration, fishing, crafting, and relationship-building in a relaxing pixel-art world. Its simple design helped it reach millions of players across different generations and platforms.

I think that so much of the success of this game is the easy-going simplicity and the wholesome gameplay that it encapsulates. The characters are everything, and the mini quests scattered throughout the game give it such a rich depth that the simple design might not suggest. Stardew Valley encourages cooperation, exploration, and personal storytelling. Players can restore a neglected farm, build relationships with characters in the town, discover secrets, and create their own version of success. It speaks to a desire so many of us have to escape the rat race and run off to the country for a simple life. With 41 million copies sold, clearly there are a lot of us out there who love it.

Edinburgh Napier University and the Future of Gaming

For aspiring game developers, universities now play a major role in preparing students for industry careers.

Edinburgh Napier University offer a course in games development perfect for any budding game designer. We also offer several courses that develop the technical and creative skills needed across the gaming sector. Students studying Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Digital Design gain knowledge that applies directly to modern game development.

The Library can support you in any area of game design from theory to practice. Check out our library resources, including articles, books, databases, and so much more. We have a useful guide here.

By Juliet Kinsey

Image by Lorenzo Herrera on Unsplash

picture of well decorated by flowers for Wells and Springs: A Fascinating History

Wells and Springs: A Fascinating History

30/06/2026 / / 0 Comments

Wells and Springs: A Fascinating History

From time to time, we hear of water supply disruptions caused by burst pipes or contamination. Affected users are sent to collection points to get free bottled water to use until the issue is resolved. This usually only lasts a maximum of a few days. In the past, however, our ancestors would always have to go to fetch water from a collection point, most often a well or spring, as they did not have water piped to their homes. Towns and villages grew up around wells and springs as water was needed for everyday tasks and for personal cleanliness.

Well Dressing

The tradition of well-dressing is practised in parts of England throughout the summer. What is well-dressing? It’s a tradition in which wells, holy wells and springs are decorated with natural materials attached to wooden frames placed around and over them. Flowers, mosses, cones and seeds are used to create a decorative design which will be of religious significance at the holy wells. The custom is most relevant in the Peak District of Derbyshire. Many of the towns which take part in the custom owe their existence to the reliable water supply provided by the well or spring. The village well or spring would have once been a focal point for the community because most households had to visit them regularly. Well dressing may have started out as a pagan custom or a celebration of the water’s purity for those who survived the Black Death. There are local legends surrounding many of the wells suggesting that taking the waters could bring good health, good luck or happiness. Up until the late 18th century, the decorations were limited to bows and simple floral garlands, but the decorations became more elaborate in the 19th century, and nowadays there is also an emphasis on using only sustainable decorations.

Edinburgh wells and springs

Here in Scotland, there is no tradition of well dressing, but there is no shortage of wells and springs. Several holy wells and mineral springs can be found in Edinburgh.

St. Bernard’s Well – This grand well can be found beside the Water of Leith between Stockbridge and the Dean Village. It was discovered in the 18th century and developed a reputation for having restorative properties. It was designed to resemble the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, and although it is now rarely opened to the public, it is still in working order.

St. Margaret’s Well – This well is situated in Holyrood Park, where at one point there were seven holy wells. Most of them have dried up or are lost, but St Margaret’s Well, which was moved to its current position in 1859 to avoid railway works, still contains water.

Balm Well – Situated in Liberton, this well is known for an oily substance that coats the top of the water. The area was known for being the location of a leper colony and may have been chosen due to its proximity to the well as the oily substance could be applied to open wounds to help relieve them. Although the well has been used for many centuries, the current structure is believed to be from the 19th or 20th century.

Penny Well, The Grange – Situated at the east end of Grange Loan on the north side of the road, you will find a marker stone for the Penny Well. It is thought to be one of Edinburgh’s holy wells. The name may arise from people dropping pennies into it in the hope of gaining good health from the spirit of the water. It fell into disrepair, and a drinking fountain was installed sometime between 1830 and 1850. This was then replaced with a more ornate drinking fountain complete with a cup on a chain. Now all that remains is a deteriorating plaque on the wall where the fountain stood.

Nor Loch

What is now known as the Old Town of Edinburgh grew up around Edinburgh Castle. With no loch or river to supply water, the locals collected rainwater for their needs. The Nor Loch below Edinburgh Castle was created in 1460 by damming the Tummel Burn, but was polluted and did not provide drinking water for the growing population. Later, as the population grew further, so did the need for a more plentiful and fresh supply of water. In 1624, an act of parliament allowed fresh water to be brought into the city for the first time. This was done using pipes made of hollowed-out tree trunks which were connected to springs in the Pentland Hills to the south of Edinburgh, creating a gravity-fed system. The water was collected in a reservoir on Castlehill at the top of the Royal Mile, then flowed to twelve wells around the Old Town. Some can still be found, and two of them are still in their original locations in the Grassmarket and outside John Knox’s House .

Comiston Springs

Comison Springs Wellhouse, which sits on Cockmylane in the suburb of Comiston, was built to guard the four springs in the area which helped to provide the fresh water supply to Edinburgh. Inside it pipes from the springs poured into the collection tank, which filtered out debris before the water flowed down to Edinburgh. Originally there were four main springs which were all given the name of an animal – fox, swan, hare and peewit (lapwing). A model of each animal was used to mark the pipe from that spring flowing into the collecting tank. Fox Spring and Swan Spring still survive on the map as street names, and all the models can be found in the Museum of Edinburgh . Around Comiston square stone structures can be found which covered vital spring water that bubbled up from the ground. They are no longer in use but remain in various locations, some in residents’ gardens! Listen carefully, and you can still hear water running underneath. Now Edinburgh’s water is supplied by several reservoirs situated in the Pentland Hills, so although the method of delivery is different, the source is still the same as it has been for hundreds of years. Next time you turn on the tap, just think about how easy it is and how lucky we are to have a reliable supply of clean, fresh water at our fingertips.

Edinburgh Napier University

Water remains an important area of study at Edinburgh Napier University today. Through its civil and environmental engineering programmes, students examine topics such as water resource management, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), wastewater management and the resilience of water infrastructure in the face of climate change. As increasing pressure is placed on water supplies through population growth, ageing infrastructure and extreme weather events, the University’s work reflects the continuing need to understand, manage and protect this vital resource.

Find lots of great information on Librarysearch.napier.ac.uk

By Vivienne Hamilton

Read more from Vivienne:

A History of St Andrew

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