ZippyGamer’s top picks of the year 2000.
Kelsey – Risk II
Risk II certainly is an odd choice at a glance. This wasn’t a year in gaming where there was a “drought” of games. The PC also saw the releases of Diablo II and Deus Ex – both considered classics. I definitely spent a lot of time playing both those titles, but Risk II is the ultimate party game (in my mind). Get a few friends, have a computer player or two, and sit around a laptop. The game has two modes – Classic and Same Time – that change up this classic board game. New territories have been added, you can change the value of continents, and there are new access points into continents to balance the game out. This is all in addition to providing friends a chance to vie for world conquest!
Liam – Skies of Arcadia
2000 was a tough choice for me, many of my favorite games were released this fine year, but after a grueling battle I had to pick the game that I’ve completed so many times and had the most fun with.
I first played Skies of Arcadia on a demo disc from Official Dreamcast Magazine UK, The demo was an hour’s long worth of game play. As soon as I saw the opening I fell in love. The music was grand and the character’s all had their own charm. It felt like they had been created with loving care. The Skies of Arcadia world was just amazing as well. Each town and capital city felt like it was alive, and I had even picked my own favorite town. The story revolves around pirates; you’re one of the good pirates. Think of Robin Hood and you’re on the right track. I think my favorite thing about Skies of Arcadia was the ship battles. I just loved blasting down enemy black pirate ships, or the evil Vaula Armada.
Overall, if you love J-RPG’s and Pirates, then do try to hunt down a copy of this game, you won’t regret it.
Honorable Mentions: Shenmue (Dreamcast), Final Fantasy IX (PS1), Grandia II (Dreamcast), Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64)
Lewis – Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon
What if I told you that in 2000 I spent my childhood running around burning the face off rhinos and desperately trying to save some eggs? Those of you who had a PS1 at the time would probably declare “Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon! Man that game was awesome!” And it was. A huge sprawling game, Spyro 3 took everything anyone could love about the series and turned up all the features to 11. Massive over-worlds, bigger levels, so many side-quests and mini-games you could often leave the main game well behind and even 4 new playable characters! A mix of RARE style collect ‘em up and Super Mario 64 exploration, Spyro dominated my childhood, and stands as one of the few games I beat 112%.
Honorable Mention: Banjo Tooie (N64), Spiderman (PS1.N64)
Jonathan – WWF No Mercy
2000 was a good year in gaming, especially for me. PC gamers saw such classics like the dark American McGee’s Alice and the dungeon-roaming perfection known as Diablo II. On the console side, the Nintendo 64 had the release of Rare’s Perfect Dark, which was highly anticipated because of the huge success Rare had with Goldeneye 007, a game many proclaim as the father of console first-person shooters. 2000 also had the release of Spiderman for the PS1 and N64, which was arguably the greatest superhero game ever made up until that point.
But best of all, 2000 gave me one of my favorite video games of all time: WWF No Mercy. This was the 4th and final N64 wrestling game created by THQ. With each wrestling game they made, they got a little better, and finally hit their peak with No Mercy, which many gamers still consider to have the best grappling-engine to be seen in video games. There were plans of a sequel titled WWF Backlash, but the Nintendo 64 era had passed before it was released. My heart wonders what could have been…
Joe – Shenmue
The year 2000 brought us some of the greatest games ever created; making this a very tough choice for me. The year brought us so many classics, such as The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Perfect Dark, the list just goes on. I was very close to choosing Majora’s Mask for this one. But then I realized that although it was released in Japan in 1999, Shenmue was released everywhere else in 2000. I haven’t played the game in at least 9 years, but it still sticks with me.
Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast was a gaming experience like no other at the time. You begin the game as Ryo Hazuki, who has just witnessed his father’s murder. You spend the entire game tracking down his killer.
The game has a variety of play styles based on different situations. When you get into a fight, it’s much like a fighting game. You learn many new moves throughout the game. You even have to get a job as a forklift driver at one point in the game. This will have you going to work for a few days to make some money. You will actually be working too. But sometimes your co-workers will challenge you to a forklift race. The game also features QTE (Quick Time Event) cut-scenes where you have to press the buttons the come up on screen at just the right time, much like the newer Resident Evil games (or for you hardcore Sega CD junkies out there, Revenge of the Ninja.) There’s even an arcade where you can play some classic Sega arcade games.
The game has a time system much like Majora’s Mask. Each hour is roughly one minute. You begin the game on November 29, 1986. Depending how long it takes you, you could finish the game on any given day. For me, it was January 1, 1987. I’m surprised I still remember that.
All and all, Shenmue was a very satisfying game that had everything, but still left me wanting so much more. Play through the game, and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
January 31, 2010
#1
We got a great Diverse of games for this year! I like it.
January 31, 2010
#2
I agree. Lots of variety.
January 31, 2010
#3
I’m really surprised no one picked Majora’s Mask. If it wasn’t for Shenmue, that would have been my pick.
January 31, 2010
#4
Yeah, that is a little surprising. As for me, I’m not a huge fan of any Zelda games, so Majora’s Mask wasn’t even on my radar.
January 31, 2010
#5
I’ve never been the big fan of Majora’s Mask that everyone else seems to be, mostly because the overworld interaction, while very cool, felt pointless due to the time travel mechanics.
January 31, 2010
#6
Eh? most people i know hate Majora;s mask whilst imo its my fav 3D zelda game. This year really was a hard choice to make for me as majority of my fav games came out. If it wasn’t for skies of arcadia or shenmue I would have picked Majora’s Mask.
January 31, 2010
#7
Really? Most people I know loved it aside from those who hate all Zelda games.
February 1, 2010
#8
I never got into it, I wouldn’t dare call it a bad game though, just like I daren’t call Final Fantasy a bad game, I don’t like it but you have to admire what it does for it’s audiance.
February 1, 2010
#9
So glad Shenmue and No Mercy made this list, never really played Shenmue but watched my bro play it often.
As for Majora’s Mask, never played it or had any real desire to.
February 6, 2010
#10
No Mercy was definitely my most played N64 game. It was great. Def Jam Vendetta was a nice followup use of the gaming engine, but it lacked modes and many other things.
February 6, 2010
#11
That’s true. I still play No Mercy, only ting that bothered me was the short entrances and it’s bad habit of randomly erasing
February 11, 2010
#12
“With each wrestling game they made, they got a little better, and finally hit their peak with No Mercy” I respectfully completely disagree– but you knew that already Websmythe!
February 11, 2010
#13
I never really played No Mercy, but I know a lot of people who love it. I use to love WWF Warzone for the N64. But most people hated it. I had ECW Hardcore Revolution for Dreamcast and it was almost the exact same game as Warzone with different characters. But god I hated it. Makes no since really. lol
February 11, 2010
#14
Joe, I had Warzone too. I liked it but I preferred the gameplay of the No Mercy engine.
February 11, 2010
#15
Haha, I was waiting for you to comment, Vulture! To those who don’t know, Vulture liked the first one the most, which is WCW vs. nWo: World Tour. This one would have ended up on my 1997 list.
February 11, 2010
#16
Oh yeah, WCW VS. NWO was a great game. I think it was one of the first games were you could create a character by editing existing characters.