I think these sorts of lists are mostly interesting if they steer people toward games they have forgotten or never knew about, but would likely appreciate, and that haven't been done to death by every other post in the thread. So, in that spirit, mine is:

1. The Fantasy Trip: horrendously edited GURPS-lite, ca. 1980...but with an awesome vibe and perfectly engineered to satisfy your hex crawling blood lust. Amazingly enjoyable tactical combat and magic - has to be played to be understood.

2. Behind Enemy Lines: The only game I've seen that makes you want to role play classic WW2 movies and historical scenarios. Sometimes described as more war gamey than role playey. This is inaccurate; it is just as much a role playing game as D&D or Traveller; it is just built around a situation where all the characters are at war! The combat hits exactly the sweet spot between outrageously lethal and fun. Player choices completely control outcome. Characters who survive long mostly spend fights curled up in a ball at the bottom of a drainage ditch, hoping a mortar round doesn't get them.

3. Dragonquest: best fantasy roleplaying game you never played. All the fantasy and dungeon-crawly fun of D&D, but characters are flexible and classless... but it isn't the skill system you are imagining. Magic is flavorful, interesting and powerful.

4. Traveller. The real one. Like, from 1977. A simple game that really feels boundless. One of the first games I ever saw that empowers players to take control of the campaign (the other is En Garde!).

5. Flashing Blades. Perfectly re-creates 17th century paris. Makes dueling fun. Social climbing is a major part of the game.

My own personal liste :

- D&D (AD&D 1 et 2, LOTFP, Scarlet Heroes, 13th Age) ;
- Rifts ;
- World of Darkness (both old and new) ;
- Numenera ;
- Kult.

1. Champions/Hero System
2. Star Frontiers
3  WEG Star Wars
4. GURPS
5. Marvel FASERIP


Honorable mention awards:

Part of me wanted to say Palladium (TMNT, Ninja and Superspies, Robotech, Beyond the Supernatural, etc). Its a cumbersome mess that drove you crazy after awhile but somehow we did have allot of fun struggling through it though you'd have to pay me to play it now. Same goes for the various classic White Wolf/WoD games.

I have an odd fondness for Marvel Heroic Role play that I can't explain. It's not my typical cup of tea at all but for some reason I kind of like though I don't think it will ever by my go to supers rpg. Shadowrun has allot of fond memories but our GM was a tool. Prime Directive was fun but short lived.

And a shout out to the countless one shots and aborted games that were fun but never got off the ground: Aliens, Conspiracy X, Twilight Conspiracy, Kult and many others I've forgotten.

various versions:

1. D&D
2. Mutants & Masterminds
3. Gamma World
4. Call of Cthulhu
5. Tie: Pendragon / Paranoia

Underground
Over The Edge
WasteWorld
D&D
Hero System

Hero
Gurps
Runequest
AD&D
Call of Cthulhu

1. James Bond 007
2. BRP - Call of Cthulhu / RuneQuest / Stormbringer / ElfQuest
3. Deadlands (original & SW)
4. WEG Star Wars
5. D&D 4E

Order subject to change, except CORPS.

1. CORPS
2. HarnMaster
3. Torg
4. Classic Unisystem
5. Dread: The First Book of Pandemonium

Ones that might bump their way onto the list if I ever got the chance to actually play them:

-Basic Roleplaying (I've played CoC...it almost made the top 5, haven't tried the new generic edition.)
-Thousand Suns
-Runequest 6e
-Over the Edge

Quote from: Tom B;757803Order subject to change, except CORPS.

1. CORPS
2. HarnMaster
3. Torg
4. Classic Unisystem
5. Dread: The First Book of Pandemonium

Ones that might bump their way onto the list if I ever got the chance to actually play them:

-Basic Roleplaying (I've played CoC...it almost made the top 5, haven't tried the new generic edition.)
-Thousand Suns
-Runequest 6e
-Over the Edge

Which edition of CORPS?

1. HarnMaster.
2. Werewolf: The Apocalypse (in "dark superhero" mode, not so much as "oh woe is me" exercise in navel gazing)
3. Midgard (a probably mostly unknown German  RPG)
4. Artesia: Adventures in the Known World
5. Gurps or Runequest/BRP, in a purely historical setting (or "Call of Cthulhu, without all that Lovecraft nonsense")

1. GURPS
2. Champions (not the overall Hero System.  See 1.)
3. TSR's Marvel Super Heroes
4. Rolemaster
5. Runequest/Elric!/BRP

GURPS, AD&D2e, oWoD games, MERP and Pathfinder

D&D (1e if pressed)
Original Traveller
2300ad
Call of Cthulhu
Dungeon World

Quote from: Vic99;756678And honorable mention . . .H.O.L.  Who remembers that one from Dirt Merchant Games?!?

Say what you like about Brother Aristotle Studbasket, but the game's solution to money hoarding was solid.

I'm a little surprised by the love that GURPS gets. It's share of the conversation in this board is basically zero.

Quote from: Piestrio;759966I'm a little surprised by the love that GURPS gets. It's share of the conversation in this board is basically zero.

I mine it, mercilessly like some guy that is trying to get inside my pants for inspiration and ideas like he does.