Video games have the ability to create a memorable experience. Some are still iconic to this day and continue to be refurbished for current game consoles. Here are the 10 video games you may remember playing in the 2000s with your family.
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Released in 2007, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga was a compilation of the previous Lego Star Wars games, Lego Star Wars: The Video Game and Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy.
I remember playing this game on the Playstation 2 with my brother and it was really fun. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga was nominated for a Kids’ Choice Award in 2012.
Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask was released in 2000 and is a continuation of Link’s adventure from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Link loses his companion fairy, Navi, and has to find her, but while doing so he ends up meeting someone known as Skull Kid and lands in an alternate world known as Termina.
The game won three awards and had four nominations, per IMDb. I currently play this game on my Nintendo Switch and it’s still as great as before.
Metroid Prime
Released in 2002 for the GameCube, Metroid Prime follows the adventure of bounty hunter Samus Aran who must save the planet Tallon IV. I would watch my brother play this game on our GameCube as kids and the music will forever remain in my memory.
Metroid Prime won four awards and had six nominations, per IMDb. A remastered version of this game is available for the Nintendo Switch and the updated graphics don’t disappoint (although it doesn’t have all the fun glitches like the original).
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy was released in 2007 for the Wii and proved itself to be a very good game. It won four awards and had 14 nominations between 2006 and 2009, per IMDb. Users played as Mario and must save Princess Peach from the villain Bowser.
There was something enthralling about this game and I still remember the opening intro. Nintendo has released sequels and similar versions to this game for the Nintendo Switch that still prove to be popular among kids.
Kingdom Hearts
I didn’t play Kingdom Hearts, but I remember checking out the mangas from the library as a kid and the storyline is still one of my favorite Disney spin-offs. Released in 2002, Kingdom Hearts follows Sora and his friends when they’re suddenly sent to different worlds during a storm. Sora meets Goofy and Donald, who are on their own quest to find the missing King Mickey, and together must face a bigger evil than expected.
It’s still highly rated as one of the best games with a 9.2 out of 10 stars on IMDb. Revamped versions are now available for most current game consoles and PC.
Poptropica
While not exactly a video game, Poptropica is a website that launched in 2007 that allowed kids to create their own character and explore different worlds. Marketed as an adventure game, kids would utilize problem-solving skills while also learning about actual history.
I remember playing this game a lot in elementary school and I’m glad it’s still available for current generations.
Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii came out in 2008 with its own specialized steering wheel to use for the game. Winning two awards and three nominations per IMDb, Mario Kart Wii is a continuation of previous installments in the Mario Kart series where users can choose among their favorite Nintendo characters and race each other.
I played this a lot with my family and is still my personal favorite one when it comes to the controller dynamics.
Wii Sports
Released in 2006, Wii Sports allowed players to choose from five sports that could be played in single player and multiplayer mode. Creating Miis (essentially your character), the game encourages the players to stand up and move around.
Wii Sports won six awards and three nominations, per IMDb. I remember playing this with my siblings and how we’d try to reach the pro rank.
Little Big Planet
Little Big Planet is a puzzle-platform game where users play as Sackpeople that came out in 2008 for the Playstation 3. The game was open to creativity from users while also leading the players through the adventure plot.
I remember playing this game with my siblings and I had the most fun changing the expressions of my Sackgirl. Little Big Planet won four awards and seven nominations, per IMDb.
Shrek 2
Riding off the success of the film, Shrek 2 was released in 2004, and I remember playing this game over and over again on the Playstation 2. The game expands on the movie and takes users on adventures as Shrek and his pals.
It won one award and one nomination in 2005 per IMDb, but there are still users that post walkthroughs and gameplays on Youtube for Shrek 2.