On the one hand, you have a French fry that represents old Disney movies and characters -- tasty, comforting, and classic. On the other hand, you have a Frosty from fast-food chain Wendy’s that represents the Final Fantasy games -- satisfying, but prone to cause a headache if consumed too fast. Individually, both things are absolutely delicious, but, together -- gasp! -- how could they ever work?!
Well, Square braved the underappreciated French fry/Frosty combination and managed to create a surprisingly delicious treat: Disney and Final Fantasy characters, starring together in an epic action/RPG hybrid!
Looking past the obvious fan service, Kingdom Hearts is a highly polished game with some very addictive gameplay. But, let’s face it: it’s seeing classic Square characters fighting alongside Donald Duck and Goofy through increasingly exciting Disney-themed stages that’s the real selling point. And that’s okay. Because, seriously, it’s really, really awesome seeing these two vastly different worlds collide in such a beautiful way. It’s still hard to believe a game like this ever happened.
Out of the 17,000 music games that came out this past decade, Rock Band 2 is the best. Sure, Guitar Hero started a revolution in the videogame industry and the original Rock Band took things up a notch by adding more (expensive) plastic instruments and the ability to sing, but Rock Band 2 perfected the formula.
The music game genre may be starting to get a little stale (don’t kill me, Nick Chester!), but it doesn’t change the fact that Rock Band 2 and games like it truly changed videogames in the new millennium. Love ’em or loathe ’em, you can’t deny the drawing power those little plastic instruments have over random people walking through the Best Buy. Games like Rock Band 2 took the basic “follow the beat” gameplay established in things like Rhythm Tengoku and Elite Beat Agents (two incredible games in their own right!) and made it accessible to people of all ages and tastes, gamers and non-gamers alike. It’s a truly remarkable feat from a fascinating slice of videogame culture.
There are many reasons why Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is the most beloved 2D fighting game since Street Fighter II. Let’s see: 1) The game has an absurdly huge roster of playable characters featuring some of the best heroes and villains from the Marvel and Capcom worlds. 2) The easy-to-pick-up, tough-to-master controls translate perfectly from the arcade to the slick Dreamcast port. 3) The combos are out of control. 4) The artwork in the game is gorgeous and absolutely timeless. 5) It ... oh, heck, these are reasons enough!
I think we can all agree Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is a fighting classic. And, honestly, if the rabid fans of the game are any indication, it might even be a better overall package than reigning king Street Fighter II. You won’t get an argument here.
After the glorious era of the Super Nintendo and the PlayStation release of Final Fantasy VII, role-playing games started shifting away from their traditional Japanese roots of turn-based random battles and mystical settings, and slowly moved to more “Western” gameplay themes. While this shift was not a bad thing by any means (change is good!), there were many who missed the days of a good old-fashioned role-playing experience -- one that slowly started to become extinct over the last ten years.
At first glance, Mistwalker’s Lost Odyssey (from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi!) seems almost too stuck in the past -- the battles and interface feel like they were taken directly from an RPG made in the early ’90s -- but once you get sucked into the exceptionally moving story about a band of heroes working together to save the world, you immediately start to realize the kind of classic role-playing experience you have been missing after all these years.
Lost Odyssey is a breath of fresh air and one of the best combinations of wonderfully nostalgic gameplay and modern visual flair.
It makes perfect sense that many developers are constantly trying their best to reboot older videogame franchises. There is already an established brand and it’s more than likely older fans will be the first in line to buy a brand new game in a series they love. It’s just smart business.
That’s what makes something like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time -- Ubisoft’s complete retooling of the Prince of Persia franchise -- such a nice surprise. Even if the game was originally intended to cash in on a familiar name, nothing in the final product should be that easily dismissed. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time combines everything that made the Prince of Persia series so memorable -- mainly, smooth animation and death-defying platforming -- with a pretty revolutionary time-reversing mechanic that lets you retry all those dumb jumping mistakes all gamers make from time to time. The result is a game that is impeccably designed and a blast to play.
Along with the birth of the “band” games, the early part of this last decade brought about a crazy obsession with skateboarding simulators. Leading the charge was the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series. A far cry from the fondly remembered, but ultimately sub-par, skateboard games from the NES and early arcade era (I am looking at you Town & Country Surf Designs!), Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 is a skateboarding game that is not only super addictive, it controls like a dream. Skating through multiple open world levels and stringing together fluid combos is an absolute joy to experience.
While the second game in the series is a near-perfect creation, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 polishes everything just enough to get our vote for the best the series has to offer. It's a shame the once-stellar series fell into an unfortunate rut in its later years ...
There is a point in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’s breathtaking single-player campaign that instantly solidifies the game’s position as one of the greatest videogames of the last decade. For people that have played the game, the moment is obvious (two words: nuclear blast). For everyone else, I won’t dare continue in the fear of spoiling such a shocking piece of videogame storytelling.
As amazing as this particular sequence is, the reason Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is so fantastic is this high quality, unique presentation remains intact the entire game.
With the tired influx of World War II threatening to poison the first-person shooter genre, Infinity Ward made the brilliant move of setting the fourth game in the Call of Duty series during the present time. Although most of the locations are fictional, this brave, topical decision completely rejuvenated the entire genre. Even ignoring the deep and addictive multiplayer, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a harrowing, staggering experience that should not be missed.
Transitioning from talking about Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare to BioShock makes perfect sense. Both games are first-person shooters. Both games came out the same year. And both games excel in telling engrossing stories completely through the eyes of their main characters. But what ranks BioShock a little bit higher on this list is its gorgeous, completely original undersea setting and dark, engrossing story.
Including a plot twist that is destined to be talked about just as much as the shocking loss of a particular character in Final Fantasy VII (the “[blank] is [blank]” quote is already legendary), BioShock establishes a creepy, haunting tone as you play through its superb single-player campaign. Regardless of how the game’s upcoming sequel turns out, the original BioShock -- with its iconic Big Daddies and Little Sisters -- will always be viewed as a modern day classic. It is easily one of the most memorable videogame experiences of the last ten years.
Na naaaaah, na na na na na na na, na na na na na naaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
When Katamari Damacy premiered at E3 2004, it was one of the strangest games the enormous crowd had ever seen. Because of this, its designated area at the show remained mostly empty. As the conference continued over the next few days, however, more and more people began to play it, and, much like the Katamari itself, the game’s buzz grew and grew until there were so many people gathered around the Namco booth it was almost impossible to even see the screen!
This reaction is the perfect way to explain Katamari Damacy. The first time you see the game, it freaks you out a little (WHY IS THE KING SO MEAN AND WHY IS SO MUCH RANDOM STUFF SCATTERED AROUND THIS PERSON’S HOUSE?!), but once you sit down with it, the odd, totally Japanese gameplay takes over your mind in a wonderful way. The game is endlessly addictive and the music -- my God, the music! -- is so good.
As complex and intimidating as they are, the Civilization games -- originally created by mastermind Sid Meier -- are surprisingly accessible. Once you get past the initial fear of trying to manage a deep and evolved empire simulator that follows the player from the start of recorded history to modern times, the Civilization games are some of the most playable, oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-believe-it’s-already-4-in-the-morning videogames ever created (trust me on this one from personal experience).
Civilization III is a highly balanced, impressively designed simulation game that is a must play for anyone with a PC and even the smallest interest in the very particular, sometimes overwhelming genre. Don’t let the educational subject matter fool you -- Civilization III is not Mavis Beacon Teaches History! It is a real testament when, even today, eight years since the game’s release, people are still falling in love with Civilization III.
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There are many items on this list that got the debate juices in the Destructoid offices flowing! (And, yes, that does sound disgusting.) Some games had many stellar installments, and it was very tough to decide which one game would represent the best of that particular series. One of these was Grand Theft Auto. One thing we did agree on: The series is too significant to not be included on a list of best games of the new millennium. Heck, Grand Theft Auto almost defined this last decade (based on media coverage alone)!
As for which is the best in the series, San Andreas just slips past Vice City to win the crown (a crown used to beat hookers to death, naturally). Both have great characters. Both have fully realized, intricately detailed open worlds. Both have creative and over-the-top missions. But Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has a few things extra that make it the best the series has to offer. It has an addictive upgrade system that rewards main character CJ with better abilities. It has more ludicrous missions. It has three gigantic cities and even more area to explore in between each of them. There is so much to do in the corrupt, fantastic world of San Andreas that it is easy to come back to the game at any time and find something completely new to experience.
Dreamcast classic Shenmue II is actually kind of similar to Grand Theft Auto in that it follows around a main character as he goes about his daily life in a large, metropolitan city. The obvious main difference, though, is, as Grand Theft Auto is completely over-the-top and set in a fictional world, Shenmue II takes a brilliant, realistic take on the actions performed by main character Ryo as he solves a mystery around multiple real locations around Hong Kong.
Shenmue II takes pleasure in the normally mundane. In most games, killing a creature will earn you money. In Shenmue II, you have to get an actual job. Used to your character not having to worry about sleeping? Well, Shenmue II features a complex day and night system. Even the weather effects are realistic! This attention to detail is what makes Shenmue II so special. The clever minigames and abundant QTEs (quick time events) sometimes make Shenmue II feel more like a glorified cutscene than an interactive movie, but the one-of-a-kind experience is so fascinating and engrossing that it is easily one of the most unique videogames of the last decade.
When Left 4 Dead released last year, we declared it one of the most innovative and revolutionary multiplayer experiences ever created. We still feel the same way.
Even if you are not a fan of zombies, the ingenious way Valve combines the exciting, narrative structure of a single-player game with the chaotic glory of a multiplayer shooter has to be recognized. Instead of randomly throwing an [x] amount of players on a giant battlefield and letting them fight off continually spawning hordes of the undead, Left 4 Dead follows four specific characters on semi-linear campaigns that perfectly balance a giant open world, multiplayer structure with scripted events straight out of a single-player survival horror game. The game is a nonstop, intense thrill ride -- a thrill ride you can even enjoy with three friends!
[Editor’s Note: Left 4 Dead 2 may turn out to be a better game than the original, but, at the time this list was finalized, the sequel had not yet been released.]
Skies of Arcadia doesn’t pretend to revolutionize the role-playing genre. The game is full of many common RPG trappings: random battles, elaborate dungeons, multiple playable characters. Where Skies of Arcadia shines -- and the reason it is still worshipped to this day by anyone who has played it -- is in the world it creates.
The main heroes of Skies of Arcadia bubble over with personality and inhabit a world full of numerous charming characters, brightly-colored locales, and some of the most entertaining use of airships in any game that has ever featured the popular fantasy vehicles. Skies of Arcadia may be a highly polished role-playing game, but, most importantly, it has a heart.
If you have not played Skies of Arcadia and are planning on giving it a try, make sure to pick up the GameCube port Skies of Arcadia: Legends. Sure, it doesn’t have some of the cool Dreamcast-only features (VMU!), but it includes more content and a much fuller story.
Before Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was released on the Super Nintendo, people were skeptical about their beloved Mario starring in, of all things, a role-playing game. Lucky for everyone, Super Mario RPG turned out to be one of the greatest games of the 16-bit generation. Cut to years later, when screens of a supposed follow-up to Super Mario RPG made their way around the industry. To say people’s excitement turned into fear is an understatement. Gone was the Square-inspired, gritty, isometric look of the original; in place of it was a brand new, completely cartoony art style.
In a surprise to everyone, Paper Mario (a clever change from the original title, Super Mario RPG 2) turned out to not be just a kid’s game, but a robust, lengthy, and incredibly creative role-playing game -- maybe even more unique than its inspired predecessor! On the surface, the gameplay is very simple, but once you start to play it, Paper Mario contains a rich, deep mechanic that requires player interaction during every battle -- no more just sitting around idly while the action plays out in front of you.
Even more impressive than the fun gameplay is the gorgeous look. Sporting an art style inspired by a pop-up book, Paper Mario uses the 2D visuals and “Paper” name to its advantage, showing off some of the most creative visual touches ever seen in a videogame (environments unfold, Mario “flips” when turning from side to side, etc.).
The Paper Mario sequels are great, but the original will always be the best.
After Saving Private Ryan hit theaters, movie critics rightfully declared that it was almost pointless for any future director to stage the historic and bloody D-Day invasion, since the one captured in Steven Spielberg’s opus was too visceral and realistic to ever be topped. A similar thing happened with The Sopranos. Once the series ended, television critics and audiences alike knew there could never be a television show about the mob again -- at least, not one even close to as good as The Sopranos.
The same thing feels to be happening with Naughty Dog’s very recent Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for the PlayStation 3. No other action/adventure game has ever told a story in such a cinematic way, it feels very probable that no other game could ever present a similar movie-like presentation and come out even half as polished. Uncharted 2 is an extremely tough act to follow. It may be the most perfectly paced videogame ever created, from its first amazing set piece to its last.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is significant for many reasons. First off, it was the first entry in the highly successful series to be released on the PlayStation 2. Secondly, it was the first Dragon Quest game to contain a completely 3D, cell-shaded world. And, finally, it was the first game in the series to be released in America with the original “Quest” in the title, as opposed to the name Dragon Warrior that we had all become used to over the years.
All these milestones are important, but the game’s inclusion on this list is for one reason and one reason only: Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is an excellent game.
Most videogames suffer from having too many retro sensibilities -- especially ones of the role-playing variety -- but one of the charms of Dragon Quest VIII is its old school vibe. The game looks and feels exactly like a Dragon Quest game should, from its familiar enemies to its classic, beautifully scored music. In a way, Dragon Quest VIII combines a little piece of every other RPG on this list so far: It has the nostalgia of Lost Odyssey, the charm of Skies of Arcadia (thanks in part to some stellar voice casting), and the gorgeous art style of Paper Mario. Dragon Quest VIII is a classic in every sense of the word.
Cave Story is the little indie that could.
Created by only one guy (!) over five years (!!), Cave Story was initially released as Japanese freeware that you could download on the PC. Once people got their hands on it, they were instantly impressed by the game’s design. To this day, many regard Cave Story as one of the most ingeniously designed videogames ever made.
The game itself is a massive adventure in the vein of Metroid or the recent Castlevania games, following a pixellated main character as he explores a huge world, battling numerous enemies and discovering hidden power-ups to access new areas. In addition to the fantastic gameplay, Cave Story adds a surprisingly interesting story full of a great cast of characters and sharp dialogue (it was translated into English shortly after its initial release). If anything, Cave Story is an inspiration to anyone wanting to create a game with limited resources. It’s an absolute masterpiece and a testament to the effect indie games have had on the industry this last decade.
The rise of advanced technology in the new millennium brought about the ability for videogame designers to start making their creations full of so much more than just basic gameplay and graphics. Videogames started to display their own voices -- their own souls. They started to take such beautiful forms that the “games as art” debate hit a fever pitch.
Leading the charge that videogames could be seen as art was Ico for the PlayStation 2. The minimalist adventure game follows a troubled outcast who teams up with an ethereal girl to escape a massive and stunningly constructed prison. Playing the game almost feels like playing a dream. Each sequence takes on a life of its own -- at times relaxing, at other times harrowing. The game almost contains no dialogue, but the relationship formed between the hero and his female companion is unbelievably powerful.
There should be no debate: Ico is a work of art.
It goes without saying that Ikaruga is amazingly designed. Instead of offering a traditional vertical scrolling experience like most other shooters, the classic Dreamcast shoot ‘em up (or “shmup”) features one of the most complex, yet simple mechanics ever seen in a videogame. With the touch of a button, players can swap polarities on their ship from dark to light, affecting how the ship interacts with enemies. This strategic dance almost makes Ikaruga feel like a puzzle game at times. It’s an incredibly well-made mechanic that is taken to dizzying heights in the game’s later levels.
And Ikaruga only gets more and more impressive as the years go by. The design of the game is so ingenious that it really is hard to wrap your head around the way the opposing polarities are so seamlessly implemented. Could Ikaruga be the greatest shmup ever created? It is a definite possibility.
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Each new Final Fantasy game brings with it an inordinate amount of hype. And rightfully so, since Square has both the money and the time to create role-playing games of such high quality that it is only natural to expect each new installment in the long-running Final Fantasy series to be more fantastic than the last.
Of all the Final Fantasy games released in the last ten years, we here at Destructoid love Final Fantasy IX the most. We also adore Final Fantasy X -- it was a close race! -- but feel that IX encompasses everything that originally made the Final Fantasy games so great: a fantasy world full of fantastical creatures, powerful crystals, and soaring airships. Most importantly, though, Final Fantasy IX marked the end of a role-playing era -- the last “classic” game in a series that changed the videogame industry forever.
Oh, it also stars Vivi. Seriously, no one can deny the power of Vivi.
If this were a list of the most significant videogames of the last decade, World of Warcraft would have little competition for the #1 spot. Can you think of any other game in the last ten years that has inspired such a following and single-handedly changed the way we all play videogames? It’s hard to deny how much World of Warcraft has affected the videogame industry.
But this is not a list of the most “significant” games of the decade (although that is an important factor) -- it’s a list of the “best.” Even with that being said, World of Warcraft still easily places in the Top 20. Thinking about the game’s overall quality is more difficult now, five years after the game’s release, since, well, the PC juggernaut is starting to lose a little of its initial appeal. But if you are one of the millions of fans out there, think about World of Warcraft in its heyday. There was nothing else like it. Fighting in a PvP or banding together with a clan to take on a powerful beast, World of Warcraft offers one of the most incredibly social, entertaining gaming experiences ever, let alone of the last ten years.
Thank heavens Persona 4 was not based on my real-life high school experience. If that were the case, clever weapons and items would be replaced with Trapper Keepers, the slick costumes in the game would be nothing but cuffed jeans and Ocean Pacific t-shirts, and everyone’s controversial Personas would be the uncanny, but ultimately useless, power to decorate your entire car with Disney movie decals.
But enough about me! Persona 4, with its surprisingly seamless combination of dungeon-crawling RPG and social-based simulator, is one of the most intriguing and absolutely amazingly well-crafted role-playing games of the last generation. Who knew dating and social interaction could actually be fun?! Persona 4 fixes what little was wrong with Persona 3 and, by including a strong story and memorable characters, manages to surpass its beloved predecessor in almost every way.
Talk about an amazing sequel! The original Pikmin -- the adorable result of what happens when genius Shigeru Miyamoto makes a videogame based on his time working in his garden -- is a clever, innovative, wonderfully addictive little gem that was released early in the GameCube’s life cycle. While loved by almost everyone, there were little things in the game that people felt could have been fixed. Lucky for everyone, Pikmin 2 fixed every issue -- no matter how small -- and turned the final, improved product into a near-perfect game. Actually, no, make that a perfect game, dammit!
The originality on display alone in Pikmin 2 is enough to secure its place on this list. Controlling Olimar, players are tasked with finding hidden treasures around an alien planet (that looks very much like Earth) by leading an army of little flowery creatures called Pikmin. The game is a little bit real-time strategy and a little bit third-person action/adventure, but all amazing.
Get back in the garden and grow us some Pikmin 3 soon, Miyamoto! Do I have to beg?
I would bet most of you reading this list right now are not instantly familiar with Deus Ex -- the cyberpunk role-playing PC game was kind of a revolution when it was released nine years ago. You may have heard of it, but chances are you may have not played it. To be honest, that naïve assumption is based on a completely unscientific study I did by asking a few gamers if they had played it over lunch, but still ... the game has tragically fallen off people’s radars over the years. That much is definitely true.
If you have not played it, now is the perfect time to go out and find it! Deus Ex tells an incredible narrative through a first-person interface years before that started becoming cool. It features a variety of different mechanics that make the game refreshingly unique -- from amazing weapon selection to frustrating, but clever, lock picking. The game may not have aged that well graphically, but at the time it contained some of the most impressive storytelling techniques ever seen in a videogame. It’s an awesome game that really deserves a return to the spotlight.
When asked what their favorite survival horror videogame of all time is, many gamers quickly answer Silent Hill 2 for the PlayStation 2. And, really, it’s hard to disagree with that choice. Aside from being a marked improvement on the original foggy scare-fest, Silent Hill 2 contains one of the most disturbing, chill-inducing stories ever featured in a videogame.
Taking place in the titular town of Silent Hill, the moody sequel follows around main character Jack as he searches for answers on his wife’s death. What starts as a normal third-person journey through a twisted videogame world turns into a thing of nightmares. The detailed game mechanics are as creepy as they are brilliant, but Silent Hill 2 is most memorable for its introduction of iconic videogame character Pyramid Head. Just try to go to a videogame cosplay event and not see at least one person dressed up as the instantly recognizable monstrosity.
Most survival horror games throw numerous parlor tricks at you to appear scary (and usually fail miserably). Silent Hill 2 is the real, traumatizing deal.
Finding inspiration from an older videogame’s key mechanics can result in a positive reaction from the public or a decidedly negative one. On the one hand, you already have a well-established formula, guaranteeing the gameplay will, at the very least, be familiar to gamers. But on the other hand, you risk people criticizing the game for lacking any originality.
For Clover Studios, this risk carried with it some enormous stakes. With Okami -- their jaw-droppingly gorgeous Japanese folklore action/adventure game -- the developer decided to pull inspiration from one of the most critically-acclaimed, universally adored videogame series of all time: The Legend of Zelda. How could a game molded in the gameplay style of Zelda be even half as exceptional?
Maybe it was Clover’s stellar track record. Maybe it was Okami’s undeniably beautiful look or unique painting mechanic that let players actually “draw” main character Amaterasu’s powers on the screen. Whatever the reason, Okami turned out to not only be an absolute masterpiece that imbues enough originality to only feel like a Zelda-clone in basic presentation alone, it even manages to top the series that it so lovingly drew inspiration from in the first place -- a mystical feat only a Japanese wolf goddess could accomplish.
Super Metroid for the Super Nintendo is arguably the greatest 2D videogame ever created. Because of its perfection, many people -- including most of us here at Destructoid -- felt the Metroid series would only work well as just that, a 2D game. Years ago, when word broke that a new Metroid game was going to come out on the GameCube (the first new Metroid game on a Nintendo home console since the SNES!), people got excited! When these same people found out the classic formula would be shifted to the first-person perspective, they freaked out (and that’s putting it mildly)!
Retro Studios managed to accomplish the impossible. Metroid Prime, in every way, shape, and form, feels like a Metroid game, but one brilliantly presented through the helmet of classic heroine Samus Aran. For all the naysayers out there, try imagining what Super Metroid would look like if you could see the entire game through Samus’ eyes. Think of every enemy, every design choice. Think of every power-up item, every section of the environment. Think of the feeling of isolation. A first-person Super Metroid is Metroid Prime.
That’s what makes the game so impressive. Can you imagine any other 2D game (from any other development studio) that could make such an extreme shift to first-person and feel just as effortless? Metroid Prime is an ingeniously designed, timeless classic that will be remembered and replayed for years to come.
It was almost impossible for us to choose between Metal Gear Solid 3 and Metal Gear Solid 4 as to which is the better game. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots has its fair share of incredible moments and one of the most satisfying conclusions to any videogame. So does Metal Gear Solid 3. Both are, without question, masterpieces. To be honest, Guns of Patriots might have taken the cake had it not been for Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence.
When Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was originally released in 2004, it was an incredible addition to the stellar, if somewhat convoluted Metal Gear Solid series, but was plagued by an old-school overhead camera that made navigating the game’s lush jungle environments almost unplayable at times. In a brilliant, unheard-of move, Konami re-released the game in 2006 with the new subtitle “Subsistence” and a completely revamped camera that moved to a behind-the-back, more traditional 3D action/adventure perspective. The adjustment vastly improved the quality of the already awesome game.
Aside from the normal stealth gameplay that the Metal Gear Solid series perfected, Subsistence offers some of the most memorable videogame moments of all time and some highly detailed flourishes that only a genius like Kojima could design. Just try not to be endlessly impressed by the classic sniper face-off with The End ... or the epic confrontation with The Shagohod ... or The Sorrow’s walk of death ... or the tragically beautiful final meeting with The Boss.
The list of jaw-dropping moments goes on and on ...
Choosing between Metal Gear Solid 3 and 4 may have been tough, but the internal debate between which is better, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask or The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, proved just as difficult. To be fair, there were many Zelda games that came out this last decade that are fantastic (Four Swords, Minish Cap, and Phantom Hourglass come to mind), but as for the two best, Majora’s Mask and Wind Waker topped our list of personal favorites.
So, why did we choose The Wind Waker to represent the Zelda series on this list? Well, while graphics are usually not nearly as important as original gameplay, in this rare case, Wind Waker is so beautiful, so absolutely stunning to look at, that it stands out as arguably the most visually striking game to come out in a very long time. Sailing the open seas in Link’s ship is a treat for the eyes and one of the most breathtakingly soothing (if there is such a thing) time-eaters in videogame history. Of course, none of these visuals would matter if the game still didn’t play just as perfectly as past Zelda games (to make it official: it does!).
If the game had a few more dungeons -- a favorite of most Zelda fans -- Wind Waker would have easily made it into the Top 10. As it stands, the game is still one of the best the last ten years had to offer. It is a triumph in visual artistry.
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It feels sacrilegious to say the Resident Evil games were once growing stale, but after the remake of the original game and prequel Zero released on the GameCube, the once revolutionary series started to feel uninspired. Even worse, the completely archaic control scheme and awkward camera angles -- while passable on the PlayStation -- were completely out of date.
Resident Evil 4 changed everything.
Gone were the pre-rendered backgrounds and set camera angles. Replacing them was a behind-the-shoulder view that followed hero Leon Kennedy as he journeyed through a fully 3D world. Not only did this complete visual overhaul look incredible, it managed to turn the Resident Evil series’ laughable B-movie vibe (“master of unlocking!”) into a game that could genuinely terrify you. It is impossible to forget the first time Leon steps foot in the opening Spanish village and is chased by the now-iconic chainsaw-wielding maniac. It is one of the most visceral and haunting videogame sequences of all time. From the first stunning set piece to the last, Resident Evil 4 is absolute perfection. There may never be a survival horror game as good.
Hyperbole is rampant when talking about videogames you love, but sometimes it is the only way to express a game’s brilliance. With that being said, Super Mario Galaxy is quite possibly the greatest 3D platformer ever created. I know that sounds like a bold statement, but try to think of any other game that does every aspect of platforming better.
Super Mario Galaxy builds off the perfectly-controlled gameplay established in the truly revolutionary Super Mario 64 and, instead of adding a shaky gimmick like in Super Mario Sunshine, it expands on everything that makes a classic Mario game so great -- mainly charming characters, creativity as far as the eye can see, and ingenious level design. And instead of a series of grounded stages, Super Mario Galaxy allows Mario to jump, glide, and soar over an entire universe. Watching Mario spring from one perfectly constructed planet to another is entertaining, but grabbing a Wiimote and feeling the fluidity of everything is absolutely exhilarating.
Super Mario Galaxy doesn’t just feel like the perfect Mario game. It is a perfect Mario game.
Released during one of the busiest videogame holiday seasons in recent memory, Sega’s Valkyria Chronicles for the PlayStation 3 was almost dead on arrival. The game was a tactical role-playing game (already a tough sell!), and to people unfamiliar with the genre, it looked complex and overcomplicated (it’s not at all!).
But over the last year, as more and more people started playing it, Valkyria Chronicles grew a massive cult following and healthy sales (even spawning an upcoming sequel!). Everyone that played it instantly fell in love with its gorgeous visuals, solid strategy gameplay, and surprisingly moving story. In a way, this slow build only helped the game in the long run. Instead of the over-hyping that curses most big videogame releases, Valkyria Chronicles was able to be sought out by gamers rather than shoved down their throats.
And once found, gamers were rewarded with one of the richest, most brilliantly constructed turn-based strategy games ever made, topped off with a powerful, extremely moving story (one that affected me in ways I can’t even describe) and a wonderfully endearing cast of characters. There is an extra special place in people’s hearts for Valkyria Chronicles. It is easily the most pleasant gaming surprise of the last decade.
Back in 2000, Diablo II was unbelievably popular -- it was one of the most played and talked-about games of the year. That’s a pretty amazing accomplishment. But what’s really amazing is that you can hop onto Battle.net today (Blizzard’s free online gaming service) and still see around 50,000 people playing the classic hack-and-slash role-playing game. 50,000 people. TEN YEARS AFTER THE GAME’S RELEASE! This die-hard devotion is what makes Diablo II so timeless, and an obsession among certain gamers.
The story in Diablo II is classic Blizzard, involving a dark lord and some mystical powers, but that is not what makes the game so fantastic. The addictive gameplay is what brings people back to this game over and over again. By choosing between a handful of varied classes (Barbarian, Necromancer, and Paladin, to name a few), players enter the isometric realm of Diablo II and explore elaborate, multi-level worlds while fighting an ungodly amount of constantly spawning enemies. Unlike the original game, Diablo II was designed with online play in mind, so jumping into an eight-person party, exploring a randomly-generated dungeon, and collecting loot and gaining levels is hopelessly addictive. It really is one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences you will ever have.
Beyond Good & Evil met a very similar early fate as fellow cult classic Valkyria Chronicles. Both games are incredible, but were released during very competitive times and never received enough initial support. Unfortunately for Beyond Good & Evil, a late sales surge never occurred, forcing the fantastic third-person action/adventure to be played by far fewer people. Which is a real shame, since the game offers one of the richest gaming experiences of the last ten years.
The easiest, attention-grabbing way to explain Beyond Good & Evil to someone who has never played is to simply say it is just like The Legend of Zelda, but starring a girl with a camera instead of sword. This description, though, criminally undermines the actual experience of playing through Beyond Good & Evil. The Ubisoft masterpiece stars some of the most likable, well-rounded characters in the history of videogames, including, but not limited to, the strong, independent main character Jade (best videogame heroine ever?) and her loyal, lovable uncle, the half-pig/half-human Pey’j. The bond between the unlikely pair drives the central story and serves as the emotional core of the stellar, wildly inventive adventure.
Even though Beyond Good & Evil grabs a lot of its various gameplay elements from other games (as mentioned before, The Legend of Zelda seems the most obvious), there is something about the game that makes it feel completely original throughout. Maybe it’s the way the beautifully spun story is told. Maybe it’s the underappreciated direction by Michel Ancel. Maybe it’s the unique, detailed world that always feels alive. Whatever the specific reason, Beyond Good & Evil is a videogame that is easy to fall in love with. Once it is over, the experience sticks with you, making it almost impossible to forget. Not that you would ever want to.
Choosing between the original God of War and God of War II is like choosing between a bowl of chocolate ice cream topped with sprinkles or a bowl of chocolate ice cream topped with sprinkles and covered in hot fudge. Sure, the second choice is a little tastier, but no matter which one you choose, you are in for a delicious, mouth-watering treat.
The original God of War is a master class in badass game design (the battle with the Hydra is a thrill ride!), but the sequel truly takes everything up a notch. The polished gameplay transitions perfectly from fighting massive enemies with a one-of-a-kind fighting mechanic, to solving genuinely challenging environmental puzzles that are magnificently designed, to screen-filling, QTE-abundant (quick time event) boss battles that really need to be seen to be fully appreciated. Based on pace and design alone, nothing comes close to God of War II. From its opening, epic battle with the towering Colossus of Rhodes to its final, jaw-dropping sequence in the loom chamber of the Fates, God of War II never ceases to impress. And don’t feel bad about cheering after ripping out the eye of a Cyclops. That guttural, visceral connection is what God of War II is all about!
The world that Valve creates in Portal is extraordinary. Sure, most of the critical acclaim is placed on the first-person puzzle game’s unique and revolutionary gameplay -- and rightfully so! -- but what elevates Portal from a fancy puzzle game to a fully realized videogame experience are the remarkable details that permeate the game’s every nook and cranny. Main character Chell is not just blindly journeying through a series of levels in a complex facility, creating portals that she can teleport through to access new areas and solve increasingly challenging puzzles. No, she is part of a videogame world that hosts a remarkably cohesive, inspired journey from start to finish.
The details present in Portal -- from the glass viewing booths that line the facility to the hilarious and terrifying guidance from artificial intelligence GLaDOS -- are absolutely superb. The puzzle mechanic itself is intelligently designed, but it never feels overwhelming. Chell’s adventure -- ending with the now-legendary song “Still Alive” -- never hits a false beat. In fact, it can be argued that the final climatic sequence of Portal (the one that starts right after an encounter with a certain fiery pit) is one of the most surprising and satisfying videogame conclusions in history. Portal amazes you with its gameplay, but blows you away with its creativity.
Despite its completely retro (but gorgeous!) presentation, Mother 3 may have the most complex, mature, and heart-wrenching story of any videogame of the last decade. The tragically beautiful tale of Lucas, his family, and the complicated characters that surround them is both powerful and unbelievably emotional. If you haven’t played the game, you are missing out on an experience that you will never forget for the rest of your life. True, Mother 3 may hold the honor of being the Japan-only game with the highest demand for an international release, but thanks to the two-years-in-the-making fan translation patch provided by the hard-working heroes at Starmen.net, the game has found a brand new audience in the West! (Just make sure to follow the rules and make it a brand new, legal audience.)
The fervor to get the game released outside Japan is understandable, since Mother 3 is the direct sequel to the incredible EarthBound for the Super Nintendo -- a game with a massive following of its own. Not only is Mother 3 a vastly superior game (and that’s saying a lot!), it takes a similar presentation and gameplay style and adds little detailed touches, and, as mentioned early, a much darker story to mold a sophisticated role-playing game wrapped up in a colorful, almost childlike package.
Mother 3 is a game that looks like it could have come out in the early ’90s, yet it sits high at the top of a list of the best games that came out in the new millennium. Despite all the advanced technology, it just goes to show you that, as long as a videogame has a strong story and great gameplay, it doesn’t matter how many polygons can be displayed on the screen at one time.
Mother 3 may be the last game of its kind to ever be released. It truly is something special.
Here we are with Half-Life 2, a game many people may have predicted would be ranked very high on this list of the best games of the decade -- we here at Destructoid cannot be accused of holding back our love for the game. But every single bit of praise we have thrown at Half-Life 2 is completely deserved. The game is an undisputed masterpiece.
The original Half-Life really raised the bar in terms of what a first-person shooter could do -- more specifically, how a solid story could be presented from a first-person perspective. Half-Life 2 maintains this stellar presentation and continues the story of never-seen, crowbar-wielding protagonist Gordon Freeman as he bands together with fan favorite Alyx Vance (best videogame heroine ever?) and robot DOG to try and save the world from the evil Combine. The story in the game is expertly told through the eyes of Gordon -- the game has no cutscenes; everything is, technically, one continuous shot -- and contains some unbelievably powerful moments in the form of surprisingly moving character interaction and shocking plot twists. The game has an uncanny ability to make you care about every single friendly character you meet.
So far, the original Half-Life 2 and its two expansion sequels -- Episode One and Episode Two -- have been released, with a third, highly anticipated Episode on the way. Half-Life 2’s quality is so far beyond a typical first-person shooter, that even non-fans of the genre are impressed by the way the game tells its exciting tale. Every location that Gordon visits in the lengthy, meticulously-designed game contains a handful of ridiculously memorable moments, that by the time the player reaches the impossible-to-describe, thrilling conclusion of Half-Life 2 – Episode 2, they are gasping for breath and bowled over by what they just experienced.
Half-Life 2 is a shining example of what videogames can accomplish, both technically and emotionally.
The first decade of the new millennium was a turning point for videogames. With new technology at their fingertips, designers could imbue so much feeling into their videogames that their creations could be anything of their choosing! This is why true lovers of videogames believe the medium they are so passionate about is unquestionably a form of art. Videogames are not at all a mindless series of beeps and blinks. Some videogames have the power to elicit just as much emotional response as any soaring aria, lush painting, or dramatic monologue ever could (maybe even more so!).
The prime example of this -- and the reason it is the #1 game on our list of the Top 50 Videogames of the Decade -- is Shadow of the Colossus. The masterpiece (from the artistic mind of creator Fumito Ueda) is the perfect representative of the last ten years of gaming. It combines unique gameplay, gorgeous visuals, and pure imagination in such a perfect way that it elevates the entire medium of videogames.
Shadow of the Colossus follows hero Wander in a vast, stark world as he hunts down and violently kills sixteen massive colossi to presumably save the woman he loves. To do this, he journeys across the surrounding, abandoned landscape to search for the giant beasts atop his trusty horse Agro. The story is deceptively simple, but it unfolds in such a beautiful way.
Everything about Shadow of the Colossus shines. The game only contains nineteen characters (give or take a few extra at the beginning and end): Wander, his true love, Agro, and the sixteen completely innocent, majestic colossi. Using almost no dialogue, the game has the player question things like morality, life and death, passion, courage, unflinching loyalty, and noble sacrifice. Outside of the peacefulness and breathtaking scope of wandering around the huge world, there are specific moments in Shadow of the Colossus that will make you cry, others that will make you gasp, and still others that will leave you speechless. The game is a masterful work of art and a gaming experience like no other.
Shadow of the Colossus is the best videogame to be released in the first decade of the 21st century.
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Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobile
Well, at least Wind Waker is on there, but it should have been in the top 10!
I found this Fedor gif at Sherdog.
It is taken from a Korean Snickers ad and it fits this thread perfectly.
just perfect
Here is the Snickers ad for the curious.
**Must resist the urge to fap!**
No Metal Gear Solid 4?
No The World Ends With You?
None of the Disgaea games. At all?
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Kingdom Hearts? Really?
Valkyria Chronicles? That high on the list? Really?
Resident Evil 4? That low on the list?
Galaxy? That LOW on the list? Really?!
Beyond Good and Evil. Better than BOTH of the above games?!
Why even bother putting Mother 3 if most of us can't even play it?
Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. BOTH on the list? Colossus NUMBER ONE ? ! ?
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I can't figure out what they are trying to do more of: trying to appeal to the hardcore by putting a bunch of popular favorites on there, or stirring up controversy by putting blockbuster AAA's lower and excluding some altogether? This whole list just baffles me.
Suck it up guys.
Shenmue 2 - the one-of-a-kind experience is so fascinating and engrossing that it is easily one of the most unique videogames of the last decade.
I just scrolled through the top ten.
I'll give this list credit for one thing. The author clearly doesn't give a shit what other people thing, and didn't base this for anything other than his own interests and preference. To me that's actually the sign of a good list, as opposed to one that obviously caters to what the media generally considers "the best games." To me there's value in a list like this.
And on that note I'm going to track down a copy of Mother 3 to try out, and see if its actually worthy of the praise.
No mention of Doom 3, but Braid, Ikaruga, and Prince of Persia make the list. HAHAHAHA!
Listen to Iced Earth and play Doom
Dvader said:What complete shit.
I cant improve on that. this is THE worst top list I've ever seen. Usually I'll respectfully disagree with 5 or ten selections, maybe 2-3 in the top ten, but THIS? Wow. I always suspected that the Destructoid dudes had the good hookup, but there comes a time when you need to set the pipe down and do some serious editorial work, and this ain't it.
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All of the Metal Slug games are fantastic in their own special ways, but Metal Slug 3 takes everything to a new level. Like the first two games, Metal Slug 3 contains some of the most addictive run-and-gun 2D gameplay, gigantic bosses, awesome music, and gorgeous sprite art ever seen in a videogame. But then it adds zombies. And aliens. You can even ride an elephant strapped with a cannon, for crying out loud!
While the series eventually went back to its more “traditional” roots, the ridiculousness of Metal Slug 3 is what makes it the best in the series.
BioWare is arguably one of the most influential videogame developers of the last decade, producing a string of incredibly epic role-playing games largely focusing on player choice and character interaction. In a strange and compelling twist, the Baldur’s Gate creators decided to apply this winning formula to a Star Wars-themed role-playing game.
Instead of firing the guy who would ever dare pitch such a crazy idea, BioWare ended up creating one of the most well-received movie licensed videogames ever created. The developer’s later RPGs were also great (Jade Empire, Mass Effect), but Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic will always be their best.
With its unbelievably memorable characters and oddly addictive adventure/courtroom gameplay, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is easily one of the most unique and surprising games of the last decade. The fact that Capcom was able to produce something so fantastic from such an absurd concept is reason enough for its inclusion on this list.
While the third game in the series, Trials and Tribulations, offers the most robust and satisfying story in the series, its reliance on past references and plot twists makes it almost too self-referential (which is not necessarily a bad thing!). The original game’s freshness combined with its solid, challenging cases makes it the best of the bunch.
OBJECTION (to anyone that doesn’t like this game)!
Coming from Square, most gamers expected Vagrant Story to be another traditional role-playing game. While that would have most likely been fine, Square surprised everyone with a strange little RPG that is anything but traditional. Vagrant Story has no towns, no shops, focuses most of its gameplay on strategy and weapon customization, and possesses a visual style that looks like it was pulled straight out of a comic book. And, for these reasons, it is awesome.
Although it sold well, the unique and refreshing Vagrant Story has kind of fallen off people’s radars over the years. Which is a shame, since a sequel to this highly original and remarkably well-made RPG would be very welcome -- especially amongst the diehard fans of the cult classic. If you are reading this, Square, I will say it one more time: Can we please have a sequel? Pretty please?
It’s a strange thing. Even though Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii has more characters, more stages, an online mode, and a huge single-player adventure, fans still seem to prefer the balanced perfection that is Melee on the GameCube. I guess too many cooks spoil the broth ... or, in this case, too many characters from past Nintendo classics competing in a deep and complex fighting game spoil the deceptive simplicity of a game still worshiped by a large group of hardcore fans that continually like to play it at parties, including ones that I still go to, in which I like to choose Peach or Mr. Game & Watch and spam everyone by standing in the corner and throwing sausages.
Am I right?
Also, the GameCube controller is totally the way to go.
How many of you were worried that Team Fortress 2 was just going to feel like an afterthought when it was announced the game would be attached to the almost-too-good-to-be-true Orange Box compilation that included all the episodes of Half-Life 2 and brand new, revolutionary puzzle game Portal? Okay, fine, maybe it was just me. What can I say? Online multiplayer games used to scare me!
But the point is: Team Fortress 2 turned out to not be just an afterthought. In fact, it turned out to be one of the deepest and most addictive multiplayer shooters in recent memory. Not only does the game sport a great visual style, each of the completely varied, instantly recognizable classes is perfectly balanced. If you are not a big fan of online multiplayer games like I once was, Team Fortress 2 will make you a convert.
Eff the Wii! Wario Ware: Twisted! is the perfect example of what motion controls can do to elevate a videogame experience. Well, no, don’t really eff the Wii -- it’s a great system! -- but years before motion control became the new hot thing, WarioWare: Twisted! utilized a plug-in motion sensor for the Game Boy Advance that picked up on a player’s rotating movements ... and it was (and still is!) one of the coolest things ever. You really need to feel it in action to appreciate its brilliance.
WarioWare: Twisted!, with its endless barrage of infinitely creative five-second “microgames” that make full, hilarious use of the rotation tracker, is the best game in the series and one of the best games ever released on the Game Boy Advance.
Okay, let’s be honest: there is almost too much stuff to do in Banjo-Tooie. There are so many items to collect and charming characters to meet in the game’s enormous 3D worlds that it can be a little overwhelming at times. Banjo-Tooie balances the fine line between ambitious and overstuffed, but the sequel to the beloved Banjo-Kazooie is still a modern day classic and one of the last great 3D platformers to come out on the Nintendo 64.
Even better, anyone that missed Banjo-Tooie the first time around (for shame!) can download it on Xbox Live Arcade and experience the game with slightly improved visuals that still look good all these years later.
You say the name Tim Schafer in a room full of videogame nuts and it usually results in a stampede of excitement and oh-my-gosh-is-he-here fervor. So when it was announced that the writer of The Secret of Monkey Island and creator of Full Throttle was moving from his comfortable adventure gaming roots and creating a platformer/adventure game for multiple consoles, I ... er ... I mean, gamers everywhere rejoiced!
Lucky for everyone, the game delivered, as Psychonauts is one of the most revered videogames of the last ten years. The game -- which follows a psychic named Raz in his quest to become a “Psychonaut” at a twisted summer camp -- features solid gameplay, but its real strength lies in the world Schafer creates, filled with inspired locations, clever dialogue, and quite possibly the greatest cast of characters ever to grace a videogame.
When Braid was released for Xbox Live Arcade, there had already been a few downloadable titles that proved these kinds of games could be financially successful (Pac-Man: Championship Edition and UNO are good examples of that). But Braid was the first game to prove downloads could also be taken just as seriously as their bigger retail brothers.
Winning accolades for its mind-bending time-based puzzle/platformer gameplay and gorgeous graphics, Braid is considered by many to be the first true masterpiece on XBLA. Playing through the game is both challenging and surprisingly moving, thanks to a beautifully told story and one of the most talked about videogame endings of all time.