Polygon presents a ranked list of the most influential video game franchises to emerge in the 20th century, judged by their lasting impact on the medium rather than personal favourites. The selection spans multiple genres and platforms, from sports simulations to action-platformers and Gothic adventure games, highlighting how each series shaped its genre, its publisher's fortunes, or the wider industry.

Featured entries include EA's Madden Football series, launched in 1988 in partnership with John Madden, which brought mainstream sports fans into gaming and continues today with a film adaptation on the way; Capcom's Mega Man, whose 1988 sequel established a reliable action-platforming formula spawning numerous spin-offs and a 2027 instalment; Castlevania, whose 1997 entry Symphony of the Night helped birth the "Metroidvania" subgenre and has since inspired a Netflix anime and an upcoming 2026 release, Belmont's Curse; and Nintendo's Donkey Kong, which began in arcades before expanding through Rare's acclaimed Donkey Kong Country trilogy.