Best Games of 2002
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakeron 3 of 13 rankings2
Super Mario Sunshineon 2 of 13 rankings3
Mafiaon 2 of 13 rankings4
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaoson 2 of 13 rankings5
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2on 2 of 13 rankings6
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonuson 1 of 13 rankings7
Resident Evilon 1 of 13 rankings8
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowindon 1 of 13 rankings9
Madden NFL 2003on 1 of 13 rankings10
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cellon 1 of 13 rankings
Black & White: Creature Isleon 1 of 13 rankings
Syberiaon 1 of 13 rankings13
Grand Theft Auto: Vice Cityon 1 of 13 rankingsHow this ranking is made
According to Made the Cut's census of 13 independent rankings, recounted 20 October 2026, the best game of 2002 is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, followed by Super Mario Sunshine and Mafia.
How this is counted
This chart counts 13 ranking sources, one voice each: the published ranking of games from that source with the most titles released in 2002, cut down to those titles, in the order that source listed them. A title's place is its average position across all sources counted: a title someone left off their ranking counts as tied with their last place (here, that source ranked titles of this kind and left this one out). A small pull toward the middle keeps one enthusiastic list from crowning a #1. Every title in the computed chart has a numbered position, with its source count shown beside it. It is recounted whenever a ranking is published, changed or removed, last on 20 October 2026. Member rankings and attributed external lists use the same calculation. Multiple lists from one member or external author count once; linked slices add no extra vote. Frozen links, private or unlisted lists and unmatched titles are never counted. The full method.
12 of the 13 published rankings of games this counts, in the order they were published.