What's the absolute best game in terms of gameplay?

and by best I mean the most fun. The one game that does not rely on its story or production values for it to be engaging. The one that can be examined in a vacuum and will resonate as fun to those play it regardless of its faults in other areas of the game.

For me, it's Vanquish. Good lord that game is adrenaline incarnate. Zooming in and out of gunfights and slowing down time to inflict massive damage is a damn awesome time.

What's yours?

I have to divide this idea up by genre.

First-person shooter: Cyberpunk 2077.
Third-person shooter: Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash.
Character action: Devil May Cry 3.
Souls-like: Nioh 2.
Racing: Need for Speed Heat.
Turn-based RPG: Final Fantasy X.
Action RPG: Kingdom Hearts II.
Musou: Fire Emblem Warriors.

Edit 7/22/22
Forgot one.

City builder: Cities: Skylines.

Titanfall 2

Tetris

Spelunky 2 feels perfect, if we're talking 2D platforming. And yeah, Vanquish is pretty dope.

I've also held a soft spot for Zone of the Enders 2 for life. It's so smooth and so fun, especially when you play the remastered PS4 edition. Considering you're flying a giant mech at blistering speeds, it feels remarkable.

I don’t know if I’d call it all “fun” because I love suffering but one of the best gameplay loops for my sick brain was Darkest Dungeon. I never even beat it, but I played over a hundred hours of it.

Final Fantasy Tactics

Burnout 3.

Power stone 2. It's an underrated gem I talk about way too much on this site, but like most Dreamcast games it gets shat on and disrespected by people who play it today for like a few minutes then say "Clone of the much better smash bros" when they are different IMO and powerstone 2 is the epitome of what anime fighter arena games try to chase and never get. It is something that can't be copied and hasn't. The gameplay is so simple but great to master. It's not about button inputs, novice can learn buttons in about a game. Simple... it's about mind games and putting fighting games to the fundamentals, of what it's like for two experts to play. It's what dive kick is about. You as a normal player get to experience top-tier play.

It's so simple to learn but people have to at least play for more than 40 minutes which isn't a big ask but most think by 5 minutes it's a mediocre party game and constantly compare it to smash bros while playing sloppy and trying to play it like an average fighter barely using items or jumping around the screen. I see tons of new players hop in this way and even old, they miss out. Which is weird cause for all the hate the game gets, it had near 10/10 scores back in the day at release.

Anyway, the game is just great once all weapons are unlocked (over 100 most new players only see 20 cause they only play for 5 minutes) and you can do 2 v 2, etc (most don't see or like this cause, they get confused by the zoomed out map)

It has only 1 button for attack, the next for picking/using stuff a jump with is intuitively just the usual jump and two triggers for specials. Each character has qualities to themselves like a floater jump, faster run, stronger so throw further, double jump (most useful so you can literally never touch the ground if you like) and specials are simple/contextual so jump in the air to do your air based special, stay on the ground do you ground one...same button, same simplicity. All about mind games and me seeing you use a special throwing something to knock you out of it, you catching what I throw, etc. Just thinking about online play in this game gives me goosebumps. I bore of the memorizing fighting controls, fun but we all hit the limit and only high level play is exciting and it all moves so fast even if you're good your just frame counting at that point. This game is all fun at every level. Could use a pc version to add more levels and characters but its my near or perfect idea of gameplay. Intuitive gameplay = perfect for me., one of the ways at least.

Super Mario 64

SSX3

I'll throw in another JRPG and say Chrono Trigger. One of the many reasons people call that game one of the greatest of all time.

I mean it's gotta be Tetris right? The game is fully enjoyable on a 10x20 monochrome display with no sound updating at like 5fps

For each genre:

• Hardcore Sim: Either iRacing, Assetto Corsa Competizione or rFactor 2
• Truck Driving Sim: Either Euro Truck Simulator 2 or American Truck Simulator
• Simcade Racing: F1 22
• Mechanic Simulation: Car Mechanic Simulator 2021
• Futuristic Racing: Distance (By Refract)
• Open-world arcade racer: Forza Horizon 5
• First Person Shooter: Halo Infinite

The first two that pop into my head are Devil May Cry 4 and a Tony Hawk's game.

A couple of games that immediately come to mind...

• Burnout Paradise
• Batman: Arkham City
• Tetris
• Ms. Pacman
• Titanfall 2
• Doom
• Super Mario World

The first one I thought of was MGSV. Then Heat Signature, CTR, Wreckfest, Brawlhalla, Descenders.

@eccentrix: I second MGSV. My out there choice would be the newest God of War which i had SO much joy playing, but fuck the ghost boat

God Hand, for sure.

Dead Rising, duh

Tetris is probably the right answer. Timeless classic. Timeless gameplay and feel. Buuuut...

Second this. More than any other game I've ever played, this is the one that I can pick up any time and just feel like it's pure gameplay joy. As someone who typically relies on things like story and mechanics to enjoy a game, this game is pure fun because of nothing more than how you move Mario through the world.

Nidhogg and Sportsfriends’ Super Pole Riders come to mind.

After getting back into it with the Advanced Edition, the tactical strategy of Into the Breach is deceptively deep without being overly complicated. Perfectly executed turns that avert seemingly hopeless disasters will make you feel like a genius.

the first three Rhythm Heaven games

• Doom
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2021 Season Update (I can't go back to PES6, as revered as it is) WAIT. Sensible World of Soccer?
• Burnout Paradise
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
• Super Mario 64
• Metal Gear Solid V
• Hitman 3
• Bloodborne
• NBA Jam
• Tetris

1. Titanfall 2
2. Titanfall 2
3. Titanfall 2
4. Titanfall 2
5. Titanfall 2

The Binding of Isaac is something I can keep coming back to. It's just a pick up and play game with just the right amount of tension and frustration to keep it fun for years.

Super Metroid (SNES, 1994) w/ control mods

Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES, 1988/SNES, 1993) & ​Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES, 1995)

StarCraft II w/ Expansions (PC, 2010)

Heroes of Might and Magic III (PC, 1999)

Saturn Bomberman (SAT, 1996)

The Typing of the Dead (ARC, 1999/DC/PC, 2000)

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (PC, 2018)

Rocket Knight Adventures (MD, 1993)

Seirei Senshi Spriggan (PCE CD, 1991)

Star Fox 64 (N64, 1997)

Langrisser II (MD, 1994) in emulation

​Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Multi, 2012/PC, 2013)

Elite Beat Agents (NDS, 2006)

Lords of Thunder (PCE CD, 1993/MCD, 1995)

Vanquish (PS3, 2010)

Ori and the Will of the Wisps (PC, 2020)

Just finished DOOM 2016 for the first time, and my God is that gameplay smoooooooth.

Sekiro