The reason I feel sorry for people that feel this way is simply because they missed the WOW factor that mario64 was.  Most people that feel otherwise simply played mario64 later, after every game that came out was already a copy image of it.  They weren't impressed because they've already been spoiled.  I'm not saying this person is you, but these people definitely exist and I feel sorry for them.  They really did miss that great WOW moment.

It's a decent game but I really don't feel it deserves the #1 spot, honestly I feel like I'm playing Super Mario 64 but with a much smaller wow factor.

Honestly I thought this was a pretty cool list of all time greatest games. They basically hunted down every "all time greatest games list!" and counted up which games showed up the most. Weird method, but actually pretty cool to see what shows up the most.

http://www.filibustercartoons.com/games.htm

Overall

Assuming these lists represent voices of authority in the gaming community, we can easily make a cumulative list averaging out the most universally popular games. I'm not smart enough to do mathematical averages of rank, but based on sheer popularity (as defined by appearing on 14 or more lists, ie: at least 50%), the top five games of all time seem to be:
1 Super Mario 64 (18 out of 27 lists) 66%
2 Tetris (appears on 17 out of the 27) 62%
2 Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (17 out of 27) 62%
3 Street Fighter II (14 out of 27) 51%
3 Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (14 out of 27) 51%

As you can see, it's very close. Every time I update this list with a new chart number the top five fluctuates.

Other popular titles:
Goldeneye 007 (11 out of 27)
Super Mario Bros. (10 out of 27)
Super Metroid (9 out of 27)
Final Fantasy III / VI (9 out of 27)
Final Fantasy VII (7 out of 27)

I wish the dude would update. It helped for a random argument with a friend over Tetris vs Columns.

I still think collective reviews are a nice objective method. My personal favorite game of all time is Operation Flashpoint, but most people would think I'm on crack.

my top ten is subject to random changes at any game purchase or depending on my mood.

at the moment SMG is definately at the top, but then i just bought it yesterday morning (80 stars )

however i can usually tell you what 5 games would definately be in my top ten regardless of mood/incredible new game..... The Windwaker would be top of that list, and in no particular order Wii Sports, Goldeneye, Banjo Tooie and Timesplitters 2 (GC)....others likely to be in the top ten are OoT, F-Zero X, Wave race Blue storm, Micro machines 2 turbo (megadrive) and Rogue squadron 2.

SMG i think, in a few weeks (after i have taken it out of the Wii for more than a week in one go) will definately be added to that top 5 to make a top six.

 I have to agree with Starcraft. My favorite game EVER!!!

Starcraft is also brilliance in a box. I just hope 2 can achieve even a fraction of the awesome of the first. Starcraft should be the new chess.

As you point out, best game of all time is not what gamerankings judges, best reviewed is. (otherwise small improvement sequels like MP:3 which are clearly superior to their originals but not nearly as innovative and groundbreaking and newer games with better graphics would dominate).

IMO, Soul Calibur definitely deserves to be the 4th best reviewed game of all time. For those who are wondering why --

First, of like many of the highly ranked games, it was the first of its genre, fighting, to successfully implement 3-D gameplay through its 8-way run system. Other fighting games had 3-D graphics, but none had a decent 3-D gameplay. This alone made the game incredibly revolutionary.

Second, it had an incredible depth of modes, especially the mission battle mode. It also had the now standard plethora of silly modes and even more: Time Trial, Survivor, Team Battle, Spectator, Martial Arts demonstrations, and opening cinema direction but the Mission Battle is what really stood out. You picked missions from an overworld map, each one introduced by a few paragraphs of second person narration that introduced the setting and advanced the story. The battles themselves had all sorts of interesting properties, such as only being able to damage your opponent while they're in the air, to having your weapons be invisible, to having little rats that scurrying around gnawing at your feet. Again, such a mode is now standard for super high production value fighting games (Super Smash Bros. Melee has a similar challenge mode but without the narration-story or overwold map) but at the time it was unheard of. For what its worth it also had a great image gallery that included the endings from the previous installment, as well as tons of additional artwork giving you more incentive to play through all the modes and missions in the game. Again this was not that common of a feature at the time.

Third, it was incredibly impressive graphically for its time. It was definitely the first game I played that actually had clothes that were separate from models and had impressive lighting effects and particle effects for many special moves. Instead of palettes swaps for characters, each character has three entirely different costumes. Furthermore, unlike most other fighting games, where combos literally cancel the animations of the fighters, all the animations of the fighters of Soul Calibur are completely seemless.

Fourth, it had great gameplay. Its tough to describe this without going into specifics, but the Soul Calibur franchise is to this day the only successful weapons-based fighting Game (afaik).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Soul Calibur [Correction: and Zelda:OoT] are the only games to ever recieve 10 out of 10 from IGN. It was that ahead of its time and virtually introduced or made standard all the additional content people now expect from top notch fighting games.

Sorry for the digression from the thread topic but I couldn't resist.

All my postings in this thread as based on the first posting in this thread. Go read the first post and show me where it says "best reviewed", all I see is "best". But later on he said they're the "best reviewed" so that's why I stopped posting since he obviously sees my point.

Sorry your wrong Zelda Ocarina of time has recieved a perfect score

Nintendo are the Beatles of video games industry. They innovate and they are consistent when making quality games. For those who disagree read the facts on what Mario 64 and Zelda Ocarina of time has done for the video game industry (go to wikipedia and check it out). Also Mario Galaxy is the perfect game any company would dream to have. The music is great, graphics spectacular, and of course the controls are phenomenon. Even with the few commercials Galaxy has, the game will still sell about much or maybe more then Halo 3. And this is simply because of word of mouth. Something only great have.