Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault 2004
Why it still holds upA squad that follows orders gives a sense of command, and it still does.
2000s games that still hold up
Games
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault 2004
Why it still holds upA squad that follows orders gives a sense of command, and it still does.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories 2004
Why it still holds upA hand of cards that shapes each room is a plan that is still worth drawing.
Super Paper Mario 2007
Why it still holds upA hero who steps from flat to deep and back again is a trick that is still fun to watch.
Jet Grind Radio 2000
Also known as Jet Set Radio
Why it still holds upA race against the timer with the police closing in still keeps each area tense.
On sale
Return to Castle Wolfenstein 2001
Why it still holds upA mix of stealth and combat still leaves each mission a choice of how to approach it.
On sale
Empire: Total War 2009
Why it still holds upEven now, a campaign that includes the sea as well as the land gives the age of sail its own shape.
LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy 2006
Why it still holds upIt is still easy to pick up with someone else, with wordless cutscenes and a second player who can join at any time.
On sale
Hostile Waters: Antaeus Rising 2001
Why it still holds upThe soul chips still give a crew of ghosts with opinions, and a factory ship to build them a body.
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction 2005
Why it still holds upHaving a sandbox to flatten still gives you creative choice in how you approach missions.
Super Monkey Ball 2 2002
Why it still holds upA rolling ball and a clock still make each stage easy to understand.
The Movies 2005
Why it still holds upMaking films with your own stars still gives a management game a creative side.
Supreme Commander 2007
Why it still holds upEvery expansion is still a risk, with one commander who is both the builder and the weak point.
Drakensang: The Dark Eye 2008
Why it still holds upThe three rolls still make every test the tabletop's, pause included.
Plants vs. Zombies 2009
Why it still holds upYou still have to choose which plant goes in which lane, since zombies have different weaknesses.
Headhunter 2001
Why it still holds upGuns that hurt without killing still make each arrest a tense decision.
On sale
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - The Director's Cut 2009
Why it still holds upIt is still the 1996 adventure with its second lead given her own half, and a hint when Paris stumps you.
On sale
Borderlands 2009
Why it still holds upA role-playing shooter with four hunters is still a reason to return to Pandora.
Overlord 2007
Why it still holds upFour kinds of minion still decide who to send into each fight.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game 2009
Why it still holds upTrapping a ghost is still the reason to play it now: weaken it, wrestle it with the capture stream and drag it into the trap, with the films' cast and music around you.
Sonic Rush 2005
Why it still holds upA boost button in place of built up speed still changes how a level is played.
Tekken Advance 2001
Why it still holds upTwo buttons and a side step still keep its fights quick to learn.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 2008
Why it still holds upACES still pays you for how you fought, kill by kill.
Empire Earth 2001
Why it still holds upFourteen epochs in one match still give it a long arc to play through.
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 2004
Why it still holds upFamiliar levels and a classic mode still give old fans a way back in.
On sale
Manhunt 2003
Why it still holds upThe violence and the snuff film look made it controversial in 2003, and hiding in the dark still makes it an unusual stealth game today.
Mario Tennis 2000
Why it still holds upTwo buttons with many shot combinations, and courts that change how the ball behaves, still make a match easy to start.
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin 2006
Why it still holds upA single map still has several settings, thanks to portals that lead to deserts and towns from inside a castle.
The World Ends with You 2007
Why it still holds upShort chapters and a combat system that uses both screens still fit a handheld.
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic 2006
Why it still holds upToday, kicking a foe into a spike rack is a good reason to pick a fight.
Medal of Honor: Underground 2000
Why it still holds upThe campaign still has an unexpected extra, a bonus level that turns the war into a castle full of oddities.
Kirby: Canvas Curse 2005
Also known as Kirby: Power Paintbrush
Why it still holds upToday, drawing the ground under him as he rolls makes every level a small puzzle of lines.
On sale
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth 2005
Why it still holds upThe sanity system still makes the fear come from the detective's own mind as much as from the enemies.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2006
Why it still holds upBuilding your own team from a huge cast still makes every run different.
Medal of Honor: Frontline 2002
Why it still holds upA campaign that moves from D-Day to covert operations still changes the pace from level to level.
Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 2006
Also known as Pro Evolution Soccer 6
Why it still holds upA national team to take through qualifiers still gives a different goal to chase.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars 2009
Why it still holds upIt still has a look of its own, with a camera that looks down on an open city and outlined comic book shapes.
On sale
The Thing 2002
Why it still holds upThe squad is still what makes it worth playing: you need them, and any one of them could be the Thing.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 2007
Why it still holds upDrones, tanks and aircraft under your orders still widen a firefight.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2008
Why it still holds upWalls that blow open still turn every firefight into a rearrangement of the map.
Nox 2000
Why it still holds upTrueSight still keeps the dungeon only as big as what your character can see.
Titan Quest 2006
Why it still holds upA skill system you mix yourself still gives each hero its own shape.
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance 2002
Why it still holds upEven now, two castles that share one layout but change each other make each room worth a second look.
Age of Empires III 2005
Why it still holds upBuilding an empire through the Ages is still a good way to spend an evening.
Syberia II 2004
Why it still holds upSince you cannot die or get stuck, it still suits a slow, relaxed pace.
Unreal Tournament III 2007
Why it still holds upEight modes, from Duel to Warfare with vehicles, still give a server many ways to play.
American McGee's Alice 2000
Why it still holds upToday, a set of toy weapons, each used in two ways, gives every fight a choice of how to answer.