At least once a year, we make it our goal to assemble our team and break down a top 25 list on a given subject. After we parsed down our list of the best comedies ever made, we’re heading back to video games with a new twist: the best series of all-time.

As a rule, a series has to include at least two titles, and almost everything we looked at has a minimum of three. There were some borderline calls, but in general, if a game is similar, it’s in the same series. Metroid includes Metroid Prime, but not Metroid Pinball. Mario contains Super Mario World, but not Mario Party (because its a whole different series) or Mario Kart (ditto).

We’ve put together a panel of ON stars and guests to narrow down the list. And you’ll have a chance to give us your input every step of the way. Agree with our choices? Wish a choice was ranked higher/lower? You’ll be able to sound off in both comments and polls.

Here’s how the whole thing will go down…

HOW IT WORKS

The top-ranked item on an individual’s list received 100 points; the No. 25 item received 1 point. It’s weighted toward the top and looks like this: (1 rank/100 points, 2/75, 3/60, 4/50, 5/45, 6/40, 7/37, 8/34, 9/31, 10/28, 11/25, 12/23, 13/21, 14/19, 15/17, 16/15, 17/13, 18/11, 19/9, 20/7, 21/5, 22/4, 23/3, 24/2, 25/1). The main folks from the site got an increase in how many points their votes were worth.

Our list only focuses on the top 25, because that’s what we were shooting for. Ultimately, I ended up compiling the list of the 50 highest choices, and we’ll run all the way through them so you can see how it turned out as well. It’s usually pretty interesting.

HONORABLE MENTION

These received at least one vote, but didn’t accumulate enough points to crack the top 50, let alone the official top 25. But we’re putting them here so you won’t hate us forever:

Mario Party (2 votes), Professor Layton (2 votes), Castlevania, Madden, DOOM, NBA 2K, Half-LIfe, Portal, Battlefield, Assassin’s Creed, Little Big Planet, Final Fight

THE BOTTOM LINE

Series are serious. Serious series. But let’s all have a good time and discuss like friends, okay? No one needs to get hurt–

PREVIOUS TOP 25s:
Video Games
Pokemon
Male VG Characters
Female VG Characters
Zelda Items
Animated Movies
Comedies