2000s games that still hold up

Metropolis Street Racer 2000 i Why it still holds upKudos come from Skill and from Style, so how you take a corner counts as much as how fast, which still gives each lap a point beyond the clock.

Mega Man Battle Network 2001 i Why it still holds upIts fights hide inside a network, and that idea is still what gives the game an identity of its own.

LocoRoco 2006 i Why it still holds upEven now, merging and splitting the blob makes tilting a world feel like handling something alive.

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal 2004 i Why it still holds upAnyone who wants a game that is mostly about its weapons will find that still true here.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift 2007 i Why it still holds upHandicaps you choose for bigger rewards still let you set your own difficulty today.

Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins 2000 i Why it still holds upCreeping up on guards is still the point of it today.

Pikmin 2001 i Why it still holds upWith only 30 days and a hundred Pikmin, every day is still something to plan.

LocoRoco 2 2008 i Why it still holds upMoving by tilting the whole world, rather than steering a character, still gives it a feel of its own today.

Tales of the Abyss 2005 i Why it still holds upRoom to run anywhere, and ground that can be turned into an upgrade, still give its battles more to do than trading blows today.

Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2003 i Why it still holds upForging new weapons from the materials you find still gives each trip into the labyrinth a purpose.

ISS Pro Evolution 2 2000 i Why it still holds upA long league of 25 teams over two divisions still makes for a season worth playing today.

Syphon Filter 2 2000 i Why it still holds upA 2022 rerelease for PlayStation Plus Premium added trophies, which makes it easy to try today.

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation 2007 i Why it still holds upFlying real jets with simplified arcade controls still has its appeal today.

Project Gotham Racing 2 2003 i Why it still holds upReal cities and cars you earn make every race feel like a tour.

I Wanna Be the Guy 2007 i Why it still holds upLearning each trap makes the challenge fair.

Crush 2007 i Why it still holds upFlattening a level in your head opens a path that was not there.

Championship Manager: Season 01/02 2001 i Why it still holds upTaking charge of a club in any of those leagues is something a patient fan can still settle into.

Fatal Frame III: The Tormented 2005 Also known as Project Zero III: The Tormented i Why it still holds upThe flat is still the safe place that the house is coming for.

Age of Empires: Mythologies 2008 i Why it still holds upChoosing a god before each game makes each army different.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box 2007 Also known as Professor Layton and Pandora's Box i Why it still holds upEvery stop still has its own brainteaser, across puzzles spread along a train journey.

Mega Man Xtreme 2 2001 i Why it still holds upTwo heroes with their own stages and bosses still give a second run a reason to start again today.

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin 2008 Also known as Advance Wars: Dark Conflict i Why it still holds upA campaign that teaches its rules one at a time still makes a large set of units approachable today.

Maximo vs. Army of Zin 2003 i Why it still holds upThe shield meter is gone, so blocking is unlimited, and the original's pay to save system was removed.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena 2009 i Why it still holds upSlipping through a ship full of guards is still a tense way to spend an evening today.