EN

Games turning 25 in 2026

Released in 2001 and still worth playing, each with the day it turns 25

79 games

Jan 26 Oni 2001 Why it still holds upYou still get fights that favor your fists over scarce ammunition, and each encounter is a hand to hand duel.
Feb 27 The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages 2001 Why it still holds upWith the same map in two ages, puzzles are solved by changing something in the past and walking through the present, and that still gives each area two layers to work out today.
Mar 15 Gothic 2001 Why it still holds upExploring without markers, in a world of rival camps, is the reason to play it now.
Apr 21 Tropico 2001 Why it still holds upRuling a small island with a sense of humor is a change of pace that still works today.
May 8 Myst III: Exile 2001 Why it still holds upWandering the Ages is easy to pick up even now, with a free look at every point and a zip mode to skip back across solved areas.
Jun 15 Startopia 2001 Why it still holds upRunning a station is still an exercise in setting things up, with rooms and staff you choose and aliens you cannot order around.
Jun 19 Twisted Metal: Black 2001 Why it still holds upAnother run is still worth it for the different special weapon each driver gives, which gives each character its own way to fight.
Jun 21 Gitaroo Man 2001 Why it still holds upTracing a line to play a riff, with a guard and a solo in each song, still makes every song a short fight.
Jun 27 Anachronox 2001 Why it still holds upThe team is still a private eye's odd friends, with a jump to a new planet between fights.
Jul 19 Final Fantasy X 2001 Why it still holds upTime stops while you decide and swapping characters makes each fight a choice of who suits it, so the battles still reward planning.
Jul 25 Max Payne 2001 Why it still holds upBullet time is why it still plays well: it sets the pace of the fights, and the average gunfight lasts only about ten seconds.
Aug 1 Golden Sun 2001 Why it still holds upPuzzles solved with magic, in places you can return to with new powers, still give exploring a reward of its own.
Aug 23 Devil May Cry 2001 Why it still holds upGrading you on how well you fight, not just whether you win, still makes every combat a performance.
Sep 6 Shenmue II 2001 Why it still holds upA world where people keep schedules and the weather changes still makes waiting and looking part of the game.
Sep 10 Advance Wars 2001 Why it still holds upLimited fuel and ammo, and terrain that changes what each unit can do, make every turn a small puzzle, still worth solving.
Sep 14 Luigi's Mansion 2001 Why it still holds upEvery ghost is still a small two step puzzle, stunned with the flashlight and then sucked up.
Sep 25 Silent Hill 2 2001 Why it still holds upThe horror is the reason to go now: it is psychological, built from the characters' regrets and fears and from a town seen through fog, rather than from monsters alone.
Sep 25 Ico 2001 Why it still holds upNo HUD, a distant camera and one relationship between two characters still make it feel unlike later, larger games.
Oct 1 Uplink 2001 Why it still holds upThe contracts still make it a hacking game that feels like the films, one job at a time.
Oct 12 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 2001 Why it still holds upEach trial is a puzzle of attention: you spot the one statement in a testimony that your evidence contradicts, and the cases are fun to solve today.
Oct 17 Zoo Tycoon 2001 Why it still holds upAnimals that fight and fences that decay still keep the zoo something to tend.
Oct 19 Stronghold 2001 Why it still holds upToday a castle you build to hold off a siege, with fire as a threat, is as much of a challenge as fighting, and each one is a design problem to solve.
Oct 23 Grand Theft Auto III 2001 Why it still holds upThe city is built as a place rather than a level: what you do is your choice, and the world carries on around you, which is why it is still worth playing today.
Oct 26 Pikmin 2001 Why it still holds upWith only 30 days and a hundred Pikmin, every day is still something to plan.
Oct 30 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 2001 Why it still holds upThe revert links ramp tricks to manuals, so a single combo can run across a whole run, and that still gives score chasing its depth today.
Nov 6 SSX Tricky 2001 Why it still holds upThemed tracks and an uber trick system that turns trick chains into boost still give each run something to chase today.
Nov 15 Halo: Combat Evolved 2001 Why it still holds upWith two weapon slots and vehicles you can drive, every weapon you pick up is still a choice that shapes the next fight today.
Nov 15 Wizardry 8 2001 Why it still holds upBuilding a party of your own is the heart of the game, and the invitation to do so is still open.
Nov 15 Dead or Alive 3 2001 Why it still holds upToday, a tutorial that shows commands while you practice them makes the roster easy to learn.
Nov 22 Rez 2001 Why it still holds upEach stage is still something you play as much as watch, with music that changes as you shoot.
Dec 20 Ikaruga 2001 Why it still holds upEven now, a single polarity switch that turns bullets from danger into ammunition makes every screen a puzzle of order and timing.

Every anniversary in 2026