The first decade of the millennium gave us the first iteration of some video game franchises that would become the biggest in the industry. Every platform has at least one big franchise that either started in the 2000s or had an important entry in an already established franchise. Here are 25 important games that arrived between 2000-2009.
1. Animal Crossing (2001)
Nintendo first introduced Animal Crossing to gamers on the Nintendo Gamecube. Animal Crossing has changed over the years, but the basic premise remains the same. Your character lives in a village with cute animals, and through everyday tasks, everyone becomes friends. In the original Animal Crossing game, Nintendo hid retro games from the original Nintendo system that fans could play anytime. Hopefully, in the next Animal Crossing title, Nintendo returns to that idea as being able to play Excitebike in my Animal Crossing world sounds like a lot of fun.
2. Kingdom Hearts (2002)
At one time, a partnership between Square Enix and Disney seemed far-fetched. Even today, over twenty years later, it still seems like a miracle that it happened. Working together, Disney and Square Enix brought us a really fun action role-playing game that combined well-known Disney characters with some of the most popular Final Fantasy characters. Square Enix also created characters specific to Kingdom Hearts, like Sora, Riku, and Kairi. Watching Sora team up with Mickey Mouse to work with Cloud from Final Fantasy VII seems like a strange combination of characters. Still, it has worked well since the series debuted in 2002.
3. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002)
The last “normal” Warcraft game before World of Warcraft existed, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos has a high fantasy setting in a real-time strategy game. The events in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos occur a few years after Warcraft II. It tells the story of the Burning Legion’s attempt to capture Azeroth. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos featured four different factions, including Humans, Orcs, the Undead, and the Night Elves. Blizzard also released an expansion pack, The Frozen Throne, in 2003.
4. Metroid Prime (2002)
A significant departure for the Metroid series, Nintendo decided to test a new market with Metroid Prime. Instead of continuing the formula from Super Metroid, Nintendo opted to make a first-person shooter with Samus. The story for Metroid Prime occurs between the original Metroid and Metroid II: Return of Samus. For instances that require a third-person perspective in Metroid Prime, Samus can go into Morph Ball mode. Metroid Prime still has some of the exploration aspects from prior entries in the series. Still, the first-person approach received a mixed response. Some loved the idea of playing a Metroid game this way, while others preferred the more standard formula.
5. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003)
When Nintendo initially revealed the art style for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the development team received a lot of backlash. Almost everyone at the time hated it because Nintendo had pulled a bait and switch. Before the official reveal of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Nintendo had shown off some media that made it look like the next Zelda title would be a bit more dark and realistic. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker turned out to be a fun game with some great ideas, and people’s opinion on it has changed over time, but Nintendo didn’t do themselves any favors with that bait and switch.
6. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003)
Regarded as one of the best Prince of Persia games ever made, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time nears the top of the list for many fans. The Prince makes a big mistake, which results in people turning into monsters. The Prince must now figure out how to fix this problem he created while stopping the evil plot of Vizier. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time focuses on platforming action. If the Prince makes an ill-timed jump, the player can use the Sands of Time to rewind time so the Prince can attempt the jump again.
7. Final Fantasy X (2001)
Final Fantasy X marked a significant change in the franchise. For the first time, Square Enix no longer used pre-rendered backdrops, for the most part. Instead, it featured three-dimensional areas players could explore, and it also had voice acting for the first time in the franchise. Final Fantasy X introduced iconic characters like Tidus, Yuna, and Lulu. A new sports mini-game made its debut called Blitzball, and Final Fantasy featured a sphere grid for the first time. Final Fantasy X also became the first Final Fantasy title that had a direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2.
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
Star Wars video games are a gamble. There have been some incredible games set in George Lucas’s universe, but some failed to hit the mark. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic falls into the camp of a Star Wars game that fans love. This particular Star Wars game covers the period approximately 4,000 years before the rise of the Galactic Empire. The backstory of the game features the Mandalorian Wars. Saber Interactive and Lucasfilm Games revealed in 2021 that they created a team to work on a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. We have heard very little since then and have yet to learn the state of the game in 2023.
9. Burnout 3: Takedown (2004)
Fans widely regard Burnout 3: Takedown as the best traditional Burnout game. Burnout features racing with arcade-style gameplay that emphasizes risk-taking and fast-paced driving. Burnout 3: Takedown has many modes to enjoy. However, Road Rage could be the most fun mode. In this mode, the player must achieve a certain number of Takedowns during a preset time or before their car gets wrecked. A Takedown involves hitting another car just right to make it crash and become inoperable.
10. Guitar Hero (2005)
Guitar Hero took the industry by storm when it first arrived. It allowed everyone to become a rock star by being able to play popular songs on the guitar in their living room. It became so popular that Activision released multiple games in just a few months. Unfortunately, Activision released the games too quickly, and people eventually got tired of it. Now that Microsoft owns Activision, fans have hope that Microsoft might bring Guitar Hero back. If Microsoft does it right, enough time has passed and people will be happy to play it again.
11. Forza Motorsport (2005)
Forza sits at the top as the standard bearer for racing franchises today. The first iteration of the franchise arrived in 2005 on the original Xbox. It featured over 200 cars and had online multiplayer on Xbox Live. Forza Motorsport has turned into Microsoft’s realistic simulation racing game and for quite a while now, it has been the best racing game on the market. A new Forza Motorsport just arrived on Xbox Series X and continues to set the bar for the genre.
12. Guild Wars (2005)
Guild Wars made waves when NCSoft released it by not charging a monthly fee to play it, unlike other similar games such as World of Warcraft. Due to the low price of entry, Guild Wars found its audience in the online role-playing space and sold over six million units. Guild Wars primarily utilized a third-person perspective, but the game also has the option for first-person as well. Guild Wars also featured online play that pitted the player against the world, as well as another mode that had competitive play.
13. Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Nintendo signed a deal with Capcom for five exclusive games, with Resident Evil 4 being one of them. In Resident Evil 4, Ashley Graham has disappeared in Spain. The task falls to Leon to rescue her and get her to safety. Resident Evil 4 has some significant changes compared to the first three titles. The over-the-shoulder view for the camera highlights the different types of gameplay Capcom went for in Resident Evil 4. Capcom recently remade Resident Evil 4 for modern systems and, by all accounts, did a great job on it.
14. Dragon Quest VIII (2005)
Dragon Quest never quite took off in the West like Square Enix’s other big property, Final Fantasy. That said, Dragon Quest has a fanbase, and Dragon Quest VIII turned out to be a great entry to the franchise. Battles in Dragon Quest VIII feature turn-based action and happen randomly. Dragon Quest VIII also has a traditional experience point system that allows players to develop their characters and upgrade their abilities.
15. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)
Released on both the Nintendo Gamecube and the Nintendo Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess marked the first occasion where Nintendo decided to go a little dark with a Zelda game. Players on the Nintendo Wii version could utilize the motion controls in the game by swinging the Wii remote like a sword, which would have Link do it on the screen. Fighting an enemy became a truly active battle when using those motion controls. The two versions also had another interesting difference, with Link using his left hand on the Gamecube version, while Nintendo mirrored the game on the Wii, making Link right-handed.
16. Final Fantasy XII (2006)
When developing Final Fantasy XII, Square Enix made it as close to an online role-playing game as possible without the online component. Final Fantasy XII takes place in Ivalice, where an endless war rages on between Archadia and Rozarria. Final Fantasy XII marks an important milestone in the franchise, being the first mainline Final Fantasy title that doesn’t have random encounters. Players can see enemies in the overworld and decide whether or not to fight them.
17. Kingdom Hearts II (2006)
The original Kingdom Hearts enjoyed so much success that Square Enix and Disney decided to do it again. This one continues Sora’s story but also introduces the concept of a “nobody.” Kingdom Hearts II introduces the group Organization XIII, which consists of a group of “nobodies.” These “nobodies” equate to being copies of another person. So, for example, Roxas has the role of being the “nobody” for Sora. This means that Roxas has his own keyblade and can perform the same actions as Sora. Kingdom Hearts II follows the story of Sora as he deals with Organization XIII and the Heartless.
18. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion arrived during the launch window for the Xbox 360 and became one of the biggest games on Microsoft’s platform at that time. The setting for the game takes place in the fictional location of Cyrodiil. The main objective of the game revolves around stopping a fanatical cult trying to open portal gates to a demonic realm known as Oblivion. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion features an open-world setting allowing players to go through it in either third-person or first-person.
19. Gears of War (2006)
Gears of War tells the story of Delta Squad as the group battles the Locust Horde. The main campaign allows for solo and co-op play with some branching roads in some of the missions. Gears of War features third-person action where players can saw right through the enemy with the iconic chainsaw or watch the enemies explode from afar by firing a gun from behind the cover. Gears of War also has a multiplayer suite that pits players against one another in various modes.
20. Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Bowser shows up to wreak havoc once again. This time, Mario has to go through different galaxies to deal with him and save Princess Peach. Smaller planets and worlds fill the different galaxies in the game with varying levels of gravity. It adds to the overall challenge of the game, having to adapt your platforming strategy to the different environments. Super Mario Galaxy also includes a new feature with the Wii Remote, the Star Pointer. The player uses it to pick up special objects called “Star Bits,” which Mario can use against enemies.
21. BioShock (2007)
BioShock takes place in the fictional underwater city of Rapture. Andrew Ryan wanted to build a utopia for society’s elite to escape the law. His plan didn’t quite work out as Ryan started crossing lines people weren’t comfortable with. As a result, a resistance came together to stop him. On New Year’s Eve 1958, a full-scale assault on Andrew Ryan started, turning Rapture into a warzone and initiating the societal collapse players see in the game.
22. Halo 3 (2007)
Quite possibly one of the most important games to ever come out on an Xbox console, Halo 3 focused on Master Chief finishing the fight against the Covenant. Events from the first two games led to this as Master Chief sacrifices everything to save humanity. Halo 3 also featured multiplayer modes that the fans loved and introduced the Forge map editor. The map editor became a game changer for fans now that players could modify multiplayer maps to their specifications, which resulted in some truly amazing moments created by the community.
23. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare launched the Call of Duty franchise into the stratosphere and helped turn it into the juggernaut we know today. The campaign puts the players in different roles throughout the story and features one of the most gut-wrenching scenes ever seen up to that point. Once players complete the campaign, a special epilogue mission unlocks where your crew needs to rescue hostages on a plane and, depending on the level of difficulty, there might only be a minute or two to get that done. The multiplayer suite features team-based and deathmatch modes on a variety of different maps. The more time spent in the multiplayer, the more your character levels up. Getting to a higher rank means more weapons and perks become available to help wipe out your enemy. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare helped set the groundwork and has been the inspiration for countless first-person shooters since its release.
24. Fallout 3 (2008)
The first Fallout game developed by Bethesda set its sights on Washington D.C. and the ruins outside of Maryland and Virginia. Fallout 3 starts in a vault and then quickly opens up, allowing the player to explore the vast wasteland. In Fallout 3, your decisions have consequences, and one wrong move could wipe an entire city off the map. The story takes place in 2277, approximately 36 years after the events of Fallout 2. Fallout 3 allows players to go through it in either third-person or first-person. It employs systems like the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System to help dispose of enemies.
25. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2008)
Nathan Drake has had many adventures, and this one opens up with him dangling from a crashed train. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves picks up Nathan’s story where it left off in the original. New characters are introduced here to help give the crew a little more backstory as everyone continues to risk their lives in the pursuit of treasure. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves also had a multiplayer mode featuring cooperative and competitive modes.
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