In 1996, for its 15th anniversary, Computer Gaming World released a mega-sized issue that contained, among other things, its selections for the best 150 computer games of all time. This was the same year Quake was released, a year before Final Fantasy VII. It's a unique moment in time, one on the cusp of viable 3D engines and the solidifcation of consoles as the default platform for gaming. It's a fascinating point to look both back on and from, a chance to see how different the world of computer gaming was.

It's by no means definitive. There's obvious bias, some notable omissions. But the list overwhelmingly favors games that were primarily at home on the PC, best-suited to its processing strengths, peripherals and modular nature. Only a few of these games made it to console, fewer still doing so particularly well. Any list that focused on or even included consoles would look utterly different, and that inherent difference is one I greatly appreciate.