Games released on December 1

Eight games that still hold up, from Mega Man X3 in 1995 to Xenoblade Chronicles 2 in 2017

1. 

   Mega Man X3 1995

   Turns 31 this year SNES

   In a world where humans live alongside robots called Reploids, X takes on the Mavericks, Reploids turned to crime, in the third Mega Man X for the Super Nintendo.

2. 

   Thief: The Dark Project 1998

   Turns 28 this year

   Garrett, a master thief trained by a secret society, plies his trade in a fantasy city until a string of robberies draws him into a scheme to unleash chaos on the world. It made light and shadow part of the play and influenced Splinter Cell.

3. 

   Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense 1999

   Turns 27 this year Dreamcast, PlayStation

   Every other car in the arena has to be destroyed in this car combat game, and the salvage from wrecked rivals upgrades yours until it turns into a different design.

4. On sale

   Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones 2005

   Turns 21 this year GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox

   The close of the Sands of Time trilogy, an action adventure in which the Prince crosses a palace, later ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii as Rival Swords.

   $1.99 on GOG -80%

5. 

   Mario Kart 7 2011

   Turns 15 this year Nintendo 3DS

   Mario Kart on the 3DS, with 32 courses where hang gliders lift the karts over the jumps and some stretches drop them underwater. The body, tyres and glider are now chosen separately.

6. 

   Rainbow Six Siege 2015

   Turns 11 this year PlayStation 4, Xbox One

   A shooter, five against five in a building, attackers outside and defenders in, in which any wall can be blown or shot through and nobody comes back when killed.

7. 

   Just Cause 3 2015

   Turns 11 this year PlayStation 4, Xbox One

   Rico Rodriguez returns to a Mediterranean island to overthrow a dictator, with a grappling hook, a wingsuit and a parachute to reach any base and blow it up, in an open world action game.

8. 

   Xenoblade Chronicles 2 2017

   Turns 9 this year Switch

   Rex, a young salvager, meets Pyra, a legendary Blade, in Alrest, a world where people live on giant Titans above a sea of clouds. Drivers fight beside the Blades they wield, each one a tank, a healer or an attacker.