We’re at a weird time in gaming.
Many Millennials and Gen-Xers have been with video games through most of their lives. They’ve seen video games start out with the simplest graphic, transforming into sprawling worlds on par with quality cinematics.
Seeing where video games are now is nothing short of remarkable, but it’s still fun to look back on what came before modern video games. The problem is many Millenials and Gen-Xers have been at this long enough that they have a skewed perception of gaming history.
Many think that retro gaming only includes the 8-bit and 16-bit eras. Many have a hard time accepting that retro gaming now includes games from the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and the original Xbox.
Twenty years ago was 2004 and, at the time, these consoles were in their heydays along with other handheld consoles such as the Game Boy Advance. This year also marked the entry of the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable into the market.
To me, it’s absolutely wild to believe that the ’80s are now 40 years ago and it is the ’00s that fill that 20-year-old gap. So let’s take time to reminisce about games that were released 20 years ago.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
When people make their lists of the top Grand Theft Auto games, San Andreas usually ranks close to the top. Open-world games, as we now know them, were still in their infancy. GTA games embraced this approach and San Andreas got a lot of praise for its world. The response was overwhelmingly positive and this game has left a lasting impact.
Monster Hunter
While sequels were big in 2004, it was also a year for new intellectual properties. Monster Hunter made its debut in this year, spawning numerous sequels and spinoffs. At release, the game was exclusive to the PlayStation 2 before heading to the Wii five years later. Monster Hunter‘s first outing had lukewarm responses, but no one could’ve imagined what it would become 20 years later.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
This sequel is returning to the public mind since Nintendo announced its remake is set for this year. Paper Mario was a success in 2000 and The Thousand-Year Door built on everything its predecessor did right. Critics largely praised this game and fans have been wanting to return to Rogueport for years. The opportunity has finally arrived.
Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen/Emerald
Pokémon was still in its third generation in 2004, but the franchise opted to remake its first generation titles. Furthermore, it continued its third version trend by releasing Emerald that year in Japan. This set up what has become standard from Pokémon where fans can expect new games along with remakes in each generation. At the time, it was so exciting to get that much Pokémon in one year.
Far Cry
Another longstanding franchise had its beginnings in 2004 as Far Cry debuted on PC. While console owners wouldn’t get this game for another decade, the original Far Cry made a big impact on PC. Many praised it for its first-person shooter gameplay as well as its graphics. Furthermore, it spawned five sequels and numerous spinoffs, making for a successful debut.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The Minish Cap was a unique Zelda game. It included a different villain than Ganon and hitched itself to both Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures. It was the crowning achievement of the Capcom-Nintendo relationship after successful outings with Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. Fans in the U.S. and Australia would have to wait a year to get it, but 2004 was the starting point for The Minish Cap.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Many consider Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater the magnum opus in the Metal Gear franchise. It constantly tops list of the best PlayStation 2 games and has left a lasting impact. It spawned numerous direct sequels and recently made a return as part of the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection. Furthermore, a remake is on the way in the form of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. This game established quite the legacy.
Fable
Microsoft was new to the console game and almost three years into the Xbox experiment, Fable released. This game helped establish the Xbox and contributed to a successful outing for Microsoft. It raked in numerous awards and sold quicker than any other Xbox game at the time. It’s a game that needs to make a return and one that would be a welcome remake/remaster.
Halo 2
Halo was the game to establish the Xbox and while the original deserves plenty of praise, it’s sequel surpassed it. Halo 2 is the best-selling Xbox game and one that garnered widespread praise. Part of the success was it didn’t stray too far from the original. It knew what worked and helped make the franchise one of gaming’s premiere IPs.
World of Warcraft
The Internet wasn’t what it is today in 2004, but still continually integrating itself into daily lives. One game to take advantage of that was World of Warcraft. This game was a departure from previous Warcraft games, which were real-time strategy games. The shift paid off as the game quickly became on of the most successful MMORPGs of all time as it helped define the genre.
Featured Image: CBR
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