2000 was 21 years ago, but the amazing games from that year live on in remasters, remakes, or just in the hearts of fans. For the gamers of today, these games are a trip down a nostalgic road. Gameboys and Gameboy Colors were selling in the millions, the PS2 was released, andgamer households had Dreamcastsas well asNintendo 64s.
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The year made significant strides in the gaming world. Even gamers that were not born yet know of these titles, or at least currently play titles that were built on the backs of these games.
10The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Released for the Nintendo 64,The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Maskstill has a claim to fame even 21 years after its release. MajorZeldaseries fans usually have this title among their top favorites. It introduced a darker storyline to the series, memorable characters, and gamers still trade theories aboutMajora’s Maskto this day.
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Due to its popularity, it later got a Gamecube release in 2003 anda remake for the 3DS in 2015.
9Paper Mario
This charming sub-series ofMariohad its first title in 2000, simply calledPaper Mario.The popularity ofPaper Marioled to an entire series in the same paper style with other hits likeThe Thousand-Year Door, Super Paper Mario,Sticker Star, Color Splash, and the most recent,Origami King.
The 2000 game is not considered the best of the series, but it was still critically acclaimed in its time and started the entire series in the first place.
8Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows Of Amn
Baldur’s Gatehas been a popular series since its first game came out in the late 90s. However,Shadows of Amnis considered the best among them. It goes to show that time does not improve all things, as all theBaldur’s Gategames that came after never got comparable critical acclaim.
Shadows of Amn won many awards such as Role-Playing Game of the Year, Best Art Direction, Best Male Supporting Character, and others. It was considered a must-play for any avidDungeons and Dragonsfans.
7The Sims
Even non-gamers have played or at least heard ofThe Sims.The life simulation game lent its players a ton of creativity, letting them build their own homes, families, and set their own goals. The first game that came out in 2000 was a best-seller and paved the way for a ton of sequels as well as expansion packs.
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Today,Sims 4is the most recent in the series witha total of 10 expansions. The 2000 game had seven expansions such asHot Date, House Party, Unleashed, Superstar, Makin' Magic,andVacation/On Holiday.
6Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
Today this game is still considered the best skateboarding video game. In its time, it was not just considering one of the best skateboarding games, but just plain one of the best video games to have. It got critical acclaim for its large environments, easy-to-use controls, customization options, and more. It won awards for Best Sports Game from many publications.
The game was pretty accessible too, over time it released on Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, iOS,Game Boy Advance, and the Playstation.
5Diablo II
A remaster of this title calledDiablo II: Resurrectedis currently in the works for theNintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Windows. Originally in 2000 though, the game was only for PC players. While its predecessor in the series was already loved, this sequel still managed to improve the gameplay and story. It’s so beloved that there are still enough players for Blizzard to have released patches for the game.
The game had both single and free online play capabilities, and fans enjoyed its combination of horror and dark fantasy.
4Perfect Dark
Released for the Nintendo 64,Perfect Darkwas a sci-fi first-person shooter game that spawned a series that lasted until 2010. The game had both a single-player story as well as a multiplayer mode. It received praise for its voice-acted cutscenes, challenging enemies, and its replay value.
In terms of awards, Perfect Dark won Best Shooting Game and Best Interactive Product. It also was known as the spiritual successor to another Nintendo 64 title,GoldenEye 007,from the late 90s.
3Deus Ex
Deus Exwas a game with a little bit of everything considered popular in the industry, RPG elements, action, stealth, first-person shooter, and adventure. It also had an interesting setting, taking place in a dystopian cyberpunk future where many conspiracy theories turn out to be true. This 2000 game lead to a series with its latest title having come out in 2016.
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On PC though, the originalDeus Exwas rated the most highly. It was also available for the PS2. It won awards for Excellence in Game Design, Game Innovation, PC Action/Adventure, and got PC Game of the Year.
2Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasyseries games are typically highly regarded by the gaming community, and that was true for its ninth main title as well. It did not do as well asVIIorVIII, but it still did very well when not considering comparisons. It still won awards like Console RPG of the Year, Best Interactive Product/Video Game, Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, and Outstanding Achievement in Animation.
Final Fantasy IXgot a remaster in 2016 for iOS and Android. Later, a port was made for the PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Microsoft windows.
1Resident Evil – Code: Veronica
Originally released for the Dreamcast, Code Veronica is much likeFinal Fantasy IXin that is received critical acclaim but pales a little in comparison to other games in its series. Luckily for Code Veronica though, it only pales in comparison to futureResident Evilgames. In its time, it was considered the best entry in the series so far. It eventually spread to other consoles such as the PS2, PS3, Gamecube, and Xbox 360. This was especially beneficial to the game, as the Dreamcast was not selling well at the time. The game is set up as a sequel toResident Evil 2.
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