search
Get Started
search

Best Sci Fi Classic

Filter by Tags

Rankings use category fit, feature coverage, pricing signals, public reception, and recency. Affiliate relationships do not affect scores.

0.0 - 10.0
Best 1 Orson Welles - War of the Worlds

"The War of the Worlds" is a 1938 radio drama directed and narrated by Orson Welles, broadcast on the CBS radio network as part of "The Mercury Theatre on the Air." Adapted from the 1898 science fiction novel by H.G. Wells, the performance was formatted to simulate live news bulletins interrupting m...

2 Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation aired from 1987 to 1994, comprising seventeen seasons and one hundred seventy-eight episodes. The series depicts the voyages of Starfleet’s USS Enterprise-D within the United Federation of Planets during the 24th century. Its exploration encompassed the Alpha and Beta...

3 Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Ghost in the Shell is a 1995 Japanese animated science-fiction film directed by Mamoru Oshii and adapted from Masamune Shirow's manga. It follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg officer in Public Security Section 9, as she investigates a hacker known as the Puppet Master. The film examines identity,...

4 Jurassic Park

Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster redefined the summer movie experience with its groundbreaking CGI dinosaurs and thrilling adventure. 'Jurassic Park' seamlessly blended practical effects with computer-generated imagery, creating a visually stunning and immersive experience. The films innovative t...

5 Halo: Combat Evolved

Halo: Combat Evolved redefined the first-person shooter genre with its compelling story, innovative gameplay, and iconic visuals. While its graphics are dated, its impact on gaming is undeniable. The games introduction of the Master Chief and the Halo universe captivated audiences and established a...

6 Back to the Future

Robert Zemeckis' 'Back to the Future' remains a cornerstone of the time travel genre. Marty McFly's accidental journey to 1955 and his subsequent efforts to ensure his parents' meeting are both hilarious and heartwarming. While the film employs the 'alternate timeline' trope, it does so with charm...

7 Back to the Future Screenplay

The Back to the Future screenplay was written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale for the 1985 science-fiction comedy film directed by Zemeckis. It follows teenager Marty McFly after he is sent from 1985 to 1955 in a time machine built by Doc Brown, where his actions threaten to alter his family history...

8 2001: A Space Odyssey Screenplay

The 2001: A Space Odyssey screenplay was developed by Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke alongside Clarke's novel, with both works emerging from the same creative collaboration. The 1968 science-fiction story moves from human prehistory to space exploration and centers on a mysterious monolith, th...

9 Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 space-fantasy film directed by Irvin Kershner, with a story by George Lucas and a screenplay credited to Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. The sequel follows Luke Skywalker's training with Yoda while the Galactic Empire pursues the Rebel Alliance and ca...

10 Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

Star Wars, later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, is a 1977 space-fantasy film written and directed by George Lucas. It follows Luke Skywalker as he joins Princess Leia, Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the Rebel Alliance in opposing the Galactic Empire and destroying the Death Star. The fi...

11 Planetfall
Planetfall

Planetfall is a 1983 science fiction text adventure game developed by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom. The player assumes the role of a low-ranking Stellar Patrol ensign who becomes stranded on a deserted, ruined planet after his ship explodes. The game is notable for featuring the robot com...

12 Dune
Dune

Frank Herbert's 'Dune' remains a cornerstone of science fiction, lauded for its intricate world-building, complex characters, and profound exploration of ecology, politics, and religion. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, the story follows Paul Atreides as he navigates a treacherous landscape and ful...

13 Blade Runner (The Original Film)

While often classified as cyberpunk, its core themeswhat defines humanity when replicants are indistinguishable from humansmake it a foundational dystopian text. The film explores corporate control, manufactured life, and the blurring lines between organic and synthetic existence in a perpetually ra...

14 The Empire Strikes Back

“Released in 1980, *Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back* is a landmark science fiction film renowned for its intricate plot and dramatic character development. It expands upon the original’s universe with challenging themes of loss and betrayal. This epic adventure appeals to fans of classic sci-fi a...

15 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Screenplay

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 science-fiction screenplay written by Melissa Mathison. It follows Elliott, a young boy who discovers and befriends an extraterrestrial stranded on Earth, then tries to help him return home while avoiding government capture. The screenplay centers on childhood fr...

16 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Screenplay

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science-fiction action screenplay credited to James Cameron and William Wisher. It follows John Connor, a teenager targeted by a more advanced Terminator, while another reprogrammed Terminator protects him from the future machine known as the T-1000. The screenpl...

17 Parasyte
Parasyte

Parasyte is a completed science fiction manga series by Hitoshi Iwaaki. It explores a world where parasitic organisms, known as “Parasytes,” invade human hosts, altering their physiology and minds. The narrative delves into themes of infection, identity, and humanity through intense horror elements....

18 Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century

This Warner Bros. animated short film, *Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century*, features Daffy Duck as a celebrated space commander battling his longtime rival, Marvin the Martian. Created by Chuck Jones in 1953, it’s notable for establishing the popular and eccentric character of Duck Dodgers and showc...

19 StarCraft: Brood War

StarCraft: Brood War is a real-time strategy game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It builds upon the original StarCraft, introducing new Terran units and storylines alongside the existing Zerg and Protoss factions. The expansion’s complex strategic depth and asymmetrical gameplay established it...

20 Ever17: The Out of Infinity

Ever17: The Out of Infinity is a science fiction visual novel created by KID. It’s notable for its intricate narrative centered around seven survivors trapped within a collapsing artificial world. Players investigate a complex mystery involving time loops and alternate realities. The game is designe...

21 The Twilight Zone

The quintessential anthology series. Each episode functions as a self-contained, thought-provoking fable, using science fiction or supernatural elements to explore deep human flaws, societal anxieties, and moral dilemmas. Its enduring legacy lies in its ability to be both thrilling and deeply philos...

22 Suspended
Suspended

Suspended is a 1983 interactive fiction game developed and published by Infocom, designed by Michael Berlyn. The player is a human controller permanently housed in a cryogenic vault, tasked with maintaining a planetary colony by issuing commands to six specialized robots. Each robot has distinct sen...

23 Battle Angel Alita

Battle Angel Alita is a completed science fiction manga series created by Yukito Kishiro. The story centers on a young female cyborg who awakens with no memory and discovers a warrior body in a post-apocalyptic world. Notable for its detailed cyberpunk setting and complex narrative, it’s appreciated...

24 Star Wars CCG

Star Wars Customizable Card Game is a collectible card game published by Decipher in 1995 and based on the Star Wars universe. Players build Light Side or Dark Side decks and use characters, vehicles, weapons, effects, and locations to pursue objectives across a changing battlefield. The design uses...

25 The Day the Earth Stood Still

The film *The Day the Earth Stood Still* depicts an extraterrestrial visitor, Klaatu, and his robotic companion arriving on Earth to deliver a stark warning. Released during the Cold War, it presents a dystopian scenario highlighting humanity’s potential for self-destruction through nuclear weapons....

26 Frank Frazetta

Frank Frazetta was a highly influential American illustrator renowned for his dramatic oil paintings depicting fantastical scenes. His work primarily focused on fantasy and science fiction themes, most notably through iconic illustrations for *Conan the Barbarian*. He created visually arresting imag...

27 TimeSplitters 2

TimeSplitters 2 is a first-person shooter released in 2002 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. The game’s narrative involves a space marine attempting to retrieve time crystals from the TimeSplitters, an alien race spanning eras from the 19th to the 25th century. It incorporates elements of horro...

28 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Return of the Jedi represents the climactic conclusion to George Lucas’s Star Wars saga. The film details the final confrontation between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire, culminating in a decisive battle on the forest moon of Endor. It showcases the destruction of the second Death Star an...

29 Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack

The year is Universal Century 0093. Char Aznable has taken command of Neo Zeon, the rebels of outer space. He firmly believes that humankind can only achieve peace by relocating to space. Thus, he plans to crash the giant asteroid Axis into Earth and plunge the planet into an uninhabitable winter. C...

30 Ralph McQuarrie

Ralph McQuarrie was a prominent American illustrator whose gouache paintings significantly shaped the aesthetic of the early *Star Wars* films. His concept art established iconic imagery and influenced the visual direction of science fiction cinema for decades. Primarily utilized by George Lucas, hi...

Loading more...

Save to your list

Save your favorites and follow how their scores change over time.

Save favorites
Track changes
Compare scores

Already have an account? Sign in

Compare Items

See how they stack up against each other

Comparing
VS
Select 1 more item to compare