GameFAQs - The Top 100 FAQs
January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2003

Top 100 created by Jon "Ngamer" Barber of the-elite.net. Results were obtained solely through the use of the "Top 100 FAQs of the Year" posted by CJayC from 1999-2002, together with the 2003 Top 100 listing created by Ngamer through the use of statistical evidence gathered throughout the year. For more information, please continue on to the Frequently Asked Questions located at the bottom of the page.

The 23 bolded titles were involved in the Great Game Contest in the spring of 2004.

RankGameTotal Hits (millions)
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1
Final Fantasy X7.73978
2
1
9
2
Final Fantasy VII7.655215
6
8
4
4
4
3
Grand Theft Auto III7.26254
7
2
10
4
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City6.59976
1
3
5
Final Fantasy VIII6.452952
17
15
5
1
1
6
Kingdom Hearts5.65245
4
4
7
Final Fantasy IX5.397865
18
10
1
5
8
Metal Gear Solid 24.762555
25
5
7
9
Super Smash Bros. Melee4.632695
9
8
22
10
Zelda: Ocarina of Time4.4871
23
23
16
10
3
11
Pokemon Gold/Silver4.303484
52
28
3
3
12
Chrono Cross4.165061
41
26
6
2
13
Elder Scrolls III, The: Morrowind4.0939305
15
14
14
Golden Sun3.920985
13
7
33
15
Zelda: A Link to the Past3.71323825
42
47
42
49
62
16
Final Fantasy Tactics3.487305
22
22
20
34
19
17
Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire3.400896
3
68
18
Diablo II: Lord of Destruction3.151558
16
25
17
22
19
Animal Crossing3.0069225
8
16
20
Jedi Outcast2.6968425
36
9
21
Metroid Prime2.69211
10
18
22
Zelda: Majora's Mask2.682644
55
46
8
12
23
Final Fantasy III2.65797175
53
42
30
36
27
24
Phantasy Star Online2.640183375
84
66
2
25
Legend of Dragoon, The2.559433
66
49
21
8
26
Gran Turismo 3 A-spec2.379775
63
27
11
27
WarCraft III2.341902
30
13
28
Chrono Trigger2.3205375
73
63
27
26
51
29
Zelda: The Wind Waker2.29608
5
30
Baldur's Gate II2.2753935
67
52
12
37
31
Devil May Cry2.261804
68
20
25
32
Resident Evil2.16808875
69
11
33
Halo2.1270925
26
32
96
34
Super Mario Sunshine2.09285625
65
12
35
Dynasty Warriors 32.0801875
59
19
81
36
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis2.0487175
31
6
8
37
Neverwinter Nights2.040696
39
17
38
WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth1.88013
32
31
39
Pokemon1.85631
11
2
40
Suikoden III1.832133
38
29
41
Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages1.784685
92
50
13
42
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance1.774573875
95
36
43
Metroid Fusion1.772862
29
40
44
Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons1.689463625
93
56
14
45
Ragnarok Online1.6168575
14
87
46
Sonic Adventure 2 Battle1.563561
72
30
47
WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It1.563027
64
33
48
Xenogears1.5475375
53
38
6
49
Pokemon Crystal1.50910375
83
55
51
50
Silent Hill1.50699625
86
45
5
51
Silent Hill 21.49507125
94
59
34
52
Splinter Cell1.437831
60
43
53
Star Ocean: The Second Story1.43638
71
30
7
54
Dungeon Siege1.38306375
61
48
55
Dragon Warrior VII1.3390855
91
69
55
56
TimeSplitters 21.32533325
98
76
57
Gold Sun: Lost Age1.323435
11
58
Star Fox Adventures1.316743875
88
39
59
Onimusha 21.2748275
96
38
60
Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories1.22946
21
61
Dynasty Warriors 41.24371
12
62
Rogue Leader1.208256
41
54
63
Resident Evil 01.2074505
76
57
64
Eternal Darkness1.16997
24
65
Marvel vs. Capcom 21.139245
36
14
66
Wild Arms 31.107576
80
67
67
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 31.08588875
78
49
68
Perfect Dark1.07336
32
9
69
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers1.050927
78
75
70
Final Fantasy X-21.02048
19
71
Pokemon Yellow1.016865
17
11
72
FFTactics: Advance1.004535
20
73
Star War: KotOR0.98859
21
74
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin0.98859
75
71
75
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai0.979602
35
76
Legend of Legaia0.958275
46
9
77
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon0.950878
82
35
78
Dark Cloud0.947782
80
37
79
Final Fantasy XI0.92481
25
80
Gran Turismo 20.91603375
84
18
55
81
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance0.911908125
97
77
82
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 20.9107
50
20
83
WWF SmackDown! 20.90964
15
32
84
Soul Calibur 20.908865
27
85
Metal Gear Solid0.90288
44
10
86
WWF No Mercy0.90181
18
29
87
F-Zero GX0.89292
28
88
Mega Man Battle Network 20.85269
44
89
Xenosaga0.845085
31
90
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul0.842775
45
91
Mario Kart Double Dash0.813195
33
92
Seiken Densetsu 30.81175975
60
56
57
93
Syphon Filter0.80745
52
12
94
Donkey Kong 640.80403
23
25
95
Mario and Luigi Superstar0.79725
34
96
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater0.794385
16
33
97
Goldeneye0.79275
40
14
98
WWF Wrestlemania 20000.793311
23
29
99
Super Mario World0.77928
90
100
100
Super Smash Brothers0.778425
55
13

Frequently Asked Questions

How were the Total Hits calculated? The Top 100s for each year, as well as the total hits for the year's top FAQ, are released at the end of each year by CJayC. Using this information, a percentage value was assigned to each ranking, so that #1 received 100% of most-visited FAQ's hits, on through #100, which received only 10%.

How was 2003's Top 100 created? Through the acumulation of a large number of daily Top 50 FAQ listings throughout the year, it was possible to create a rough estimate for the overall Top 100. Given the nature of the evidence used, the listing is very accurate near the top of the rankings, but less so the farther down one looks. All results after #50 should be taken with a grain of salt.

Why are more recently popular games generally ranked higher than those from years past? A variety of reasons. Gaming has become more popular. More gamers have access to the internet. Most importantly, GameFAQs itself saw an enormous population explosion during the summer of 2002, fueled largely by the overwhelming success of the original Character Battle. In a single year, the #1 FAQ hits trippled, to just under 4 million visits to the FFX page, compared to a mere 1.5 million hits for the champs from each of the previous years [FF9 and FF8]. The same trend continued in the year 2003.

How could FF7 not be the all-time #1? See previous response. FFX did in 12 months what it took FF7 four years of consistent popularity to achieve. Also note that no records were kept until 1999, meaning FF7 misses out on what was no doubt a #1 position in the year of its debute. Case closed.

How do GTA/Morrowind/Tony Hawk do so well? In the case of a game being ported to another platform, the results were added together to create a more accurate portral of the overall popularity of the game. The GTA series is thus helped slightly by its presence on the PC, while cross-platform titles such as Tony Hawk, Timesplitters 2, and Soul Calibur 2 are also given a boost.

All content copyright 2004 by Jon Barber.