The 2000s were a transformative time forvideo games. From the rise of online multiplayer to the refinement of console hardware and the explosion of cultural icons, this decade shaped the modern gaming landscape. Some games were more than just successful releases and went on to became cultural landmarks, defining entire genres and inspiring generations of players.
Top 20 Games of the 2000s That You Never Played - Part IV: The End
Sometimes it was the LAN-fueled chaos of an Xbox party that defined the era of gamingm; other times it was the comfort of booting up a simulation game after school that old-school gamers still remember to this day. Eitherway, these are the titles that stood tall as the face of gaming in the 2000s.
10Super Smash Bros. Melee
The GameCube’s Crown Jewel and a Competitive Beast in Disguise
Super Smash Bros. Melee
On the surface, it looked likea chaoticparty fighter starring Nintendo’s most beloved characters. But beneath that approachable shell, Super Smash Bros. Melee offered one of the deepest and most technical fighting experiences of its time. Released in 2001 as a GameCube launch window title, it quickly grew into a competitive phenomenon, eventually anchoring itself as a mainstay in the fighting game community for over two decades.
Its wave-dashing, edge-guarding and absurd speed weren’t designed with esports in mind, but the fanbase turned it into one anyway.
9Counter-Strike 1.6
The Cafes Were Loud, and the Bomb Was Always Planted
Before battle passes and operator skins, there were internet cafes packed with players yelling “rush B” into cheap headsets. Counter-Strike 1.6, born from a Half-Life mod, was a worldwide movement. Released in 2003, it refined the slow, tactical pacing of a shooter where reflexes mattered just as much as map knowledge and coordination.
Its simplicity of no killstreaks, no sprinting and no aim-down-sight helped it age gracefully. And despite newer iterations like CS:GO, 1.6 remained an iconic cornerstone of early online multiplayer culture.
8Wii Sports
No One Cared About Specs When Grandma Was Bowling Strikes
Wii Sports
It came bundled withthe Wiiin 2006, but Wii Sports didn’t need a price tag to become a phenomenon. It was the first time many players saw motion controls working as intended, and it turned gaming into a household activity. Families, retirement homes and even physical therapy clinics adopted it for its easy-to-learn mechanics and surprising depth.
Whether it was tennis rallies, baseball swings or the universally beloved bowling, Wii Sports captured a kind of magic that had nothing to dowith storylinesor graphics. It was all about pure, joyful interaction.
7Guitar Hero 2
When Plastic Guitars Ruled the World
Guitar Hero II
Before rhythm games were flooded with DLC and peripherals, Guitar Hero 2 arrived in 2006 and kicked the genre into overdrive. With its curated setlist of rock classics and a difficulty curve that ranged from air-guitar fun to hand-cramping expert runs, it turned basements into makeshift concert halls.
The sequel added hammer-ons, pull-offs and a cleaner UI, making it feel more like an instrument and less like a toy. For many, Guitar Hero 2 wasn’t just about hitting notes; it was about pretending to be a rockstar, even if only for a few minutes.
6Resident Evil 4 (2005)
A New Camera Angle, A New Standard
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 did more than reinvent its own series; it laid the groundwork for modern third-person shooters. Released in 2005, it traded tank controls for an over-the-shoulder camera and introduced a tight, dynamic aiming system that would influence games like Dead Space and Gears of War for years to come.
The game also balanced action with tension perfectly, especially during set pieces like the cabin standoff or fights against towering bosses like El Gigante. It was a technical and creative leap, and it remains one of the most influential games of the decade.
5The Sims (2000)
Controlling Digital Lives Never Felt So Personal
Maxis released The Sims at the dawn of the new millennium, and it quickly became a digital sandbox for players who wanted to simulate life without the stress of real-world consequences. Its isometric view and point-and-click controls belied an underlying complexity of mood systems, relationship meters and object-based storytelling.
6 Best Racing Games From the 2000s
From high-speed chaos and iconic tracks to pure adrenaline, these 2000s racing games defined a generation of unforgettable driving experiences.
Whether building architectural masterpieces or trapping Sims in pool-less backyards, the game was equally fun and cathartic. It wasn’t about winning or losing, it was about watching a virtual world react to every quirky decision players made.
4Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
War Changed Forever in 2007
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
Prior to Modern Warfare, most Call of Duty titles stuck to the trenches and beaches of World War 2. But Infinity Ward’s 2007 release changed everything, launching the series into the modern era with cinematic flair, tight gunplay and a multiplayer system that set the template for an entire generation of shooters.
The campaign introduced unforgettable moments like the Chernobyl sniper mission and the harrowing nuke scene, while the online progression system inspired the leveling and prestige mechanics that would define multiplayer design going forward.
3World of Warcraft
Azeroth Was a Lifestyle For Many
World of Warcraft
Blizzard’s 2004 juggernaut wasn’t the first MMO, but it was the one that finally made the genre mainstream. World of Warcraft combined accessible questing with a vast, living world full of dungeons, raids and PvP battlegrounds. And for millions of players, it was a second home.
Guild drama, auction house economies and long-haul raid nights defined a new kind of social gaming. Whether adventuring through the lush forests of Elwynn or storming Molten Core, WoW captured the magic of exploration like few games ever had.
2Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The Definition of Open World Before that Was a Buzzword
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Released in 2004, San Andreas didn’t just give players a map. It gave them a state. Three full cities, each with its own distinct flavor, and countless towns, deserts and countryside to explore. The story followed CJ’s journey through gang life, betrayal and eventual redemption, but it was the side activities like working out, robbing houses and flying jets that defined the experience.
San Andreas pushed the PS2 to its limits and gave players a level of freedom that felt almost absurd at the time. It remains one of Rockstar’s boldest and most ambitious efforts.
1Halo: Combat Evolved
The One that Changed Console Shooters Forever
Halo: Combat Evolved
Launched in 2001 alongside the original Xbox, Halo: Combat Evolved proved that first-person shooters could not only work on consoles but thrive on them. Its tight controls, regenerating health system and split-screen co-op became instant hallmarks, while the campaign delivered massive sci-fi set pieces and introduced one of gaming’s most iconic characters: Master Chief.
Multiplayer LAN battles became a ritual, and the game’s balanced weapons and map design helped fuel its longevity. Halo became not just the gaming behemoth that Xbox needed, but also the literal face of what gaming was like during the 2000s.
8 Best Retro Game Collections on Modern Consoles
Old games never lose their charm and only get more and more nostalgic, which is exactly what these eight retro game collections try to hit.
