As per this forum thread, this is the list (as of 24th June 2024) of games that are among the top 100 wishlisted games on the forum, that are not among the top 100 rated, or appear in the IFDB 100 list.
That is to say, classic games a lot of people mean to play that aren't currently the most highly rated.
1. Galatea by Emily Short (2000) Average member rating: (343 ratings)
Joey Jones says:
This takes less than 15 minutes to get an ending, and you can spend longer if you like. If this is on your wishlist, you have no excuse for not investigating it.
2. Jigsaw by Graham Nelson (1995) Average member rating: (81 ratings)
Joey Jones says:
Graham Nelson said in The Craft of the Adventure that, "An adventure game is a crossword at war with a narrative" and this philosophy can be seen in this challenging work from 1995.
3. Shade by Andrew Plotkin (2000) Average member rating: (416 ratings)
Joey Jones says:
Shade is an excellent example of what kind of game can be best done in text. Worth going in without knowing anything else about this one.
This one is huge, which is probably why so many of us have been putting off playing it.
5. De Baron by Victor Gijsbers (2006) Average member rating: (165 ratings)
Joey Jones says:
De Baron is an interesting example of a work which is more remarkable for its experimentation of form as a philosophical exploration than its writing or gameplay.
6. The Dreamhold by Andrew Plotkin (2004) Average member rating: (176 ratings)
Joey Jones says:
Designed as an introductory game to interactive fiction that is less forgiving than itself, The Dreamhold is perhaps outshone by Plotkin's many other fine games.
7. So Far, by Andrew Plotkin (1996) Average member rating: (71 ratings) Joey Jones says:
You would be forgiven for thinking this is a list of Andrew Plotkin games that aren't Hadean Lands and Spider & Web.
People say So Far is his cruelest but best written.
8. All Roads by Jon Ingold (2001) Average member rating: (154 ratings)
Joey Jones says:
A supernatural thriller time twister. Jon Ingold has gone on to make a great many other games (i.e. with Inkle), but his early gems are well worth playing.
9. Christminster, by Gareth Rees (1995) Average member rating: (84 ratings) Joey Jones says:
Classic big puzzle-heavy mystery game, structurally in a similar vein perhaps to Anchorhead. Its size and puzzle difficulty have probably kept many from taking the plunge.
10. Floatpoint by Emily Short (2006) Average member rating: (101 ratings)
Joey Jones says:
Winner of the 2006 IFComp, Floatpoint is still heralded as a solid game. It is left languishing on wishlists perhaps due to the greater kudos given to several other of Emily Short's games (Counterfeit Monkey, Savoir-Faire, City of Secrets...).
