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A millennial's trip down video game memory lane, part 2
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items This list is all about racing, sports, and music. Late 90s and the 2000s. That was the golden age of gaming for me. Whether you want to revisit some of the greats or explore some you’ve never heard of, I encourage you to dive in. Video games are for ...
Sections
4
Racing
Skateboarding
More Sports
Music
Racing
The games which taught concentration and perseverance through failure.
By no means the first NFS title, but this was the first one that mattered to me. I never grew tired of playing co-op with my friend and taking turns being the cop chasing the racer. Legendary game with a soundtrack I still think about.
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 (2002)
A formative experience for me. Street racing culture in a disc. To this day, I remember hearing Snoop Dogg's remix of Riders on the Storm while driving a car through a city at night.
Need for Speed Underground 2 (2004)
The utter satisfaction of climbing the list and knocking off each racer, feeling like I was above-average at the game mechanics. A+ experience at the time.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005)
I'm not ashamed to say I was massively into NASCAR in the 2000s. This game was like living my dream. Dale Jarrett was my guy.
Nascar Thunder 2003 (2002)
Bringing the more absurd, over-the-top mechanics to the racing experience at home. A blast to play with friends.
Burnout Paradise (2008)
Skateboarding
It was all about Tony Hawk. Full stop.
Where it all began. I played this on Gameboy Color with my friends. This is the game that introduced me to skating terminology and culture, which was a staple of the 90s and early 00s.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (1999)
At the time, these graphics were mind-blowing. So raw. So niche. So incredibly fun.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (2000)
This one solidified the “street” feel to the games. That punk ambiance. All the board customizations. Such a ride.
Tony Hawk's Underground (2003)
My all-time favorite TH game. Bam's antics. The soundtrack. The “Nawlins” map. The builder. Everything about this game still lives in my head.
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 (2004)
More Sports
Making you feel like you can do anything.
As crazy as it sounds, this game was an absolute phenomenon when it came out. The idea of moving your arm to “go bowling” or “swing a tennis racket” captivated me for endless hours. Never forget how Nintendo blew our minds back then.
Wii Sports (2006)
I wish I could go back to my first time seeing this game in action. I had no idea snowboarding could be interesting. The exhilaration of racing my friends down the slope stuck with me.
SSX: Tricky (2001)
To this day, I'm still surprised by how much I loved this game. It's relatively straightforward. Not too complex. Gives plenty of challenge. Great flow-state experience with an incredible soundtrack.
NBA Street, Vol. 2 (2003)
I know, there's a Madden game every year, so how do you pick just one? This cover is the most memorable to me. I played a ton of Madden, but '03 was a giant.
Madden NFL 2003 (2002)
Similar story with NCAA. I played the franchise across many years (and actually preferred it to Madden, if I'm being honest), but '05 was my pick.
NCAA Football 2005 (2004)
Music
When we learned gaming is not just for nerds.
Can we just stop and recall for a minute how utterly novel this concept was at the time? Having a guitar as a controller and playing your favorite songs in a gamified way? I couldn't believe the technology back then.
Guitar Hero (2005)
My personal favorite. This game performed better than the first two and it provided so many fond memories. This was one of those games that got the whole family in the mix, even grandparents.
Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (2007)
And then a game came along that outdid Guitar Hero by including drums and a microphone as game inputs. Wow. Talk about a party game.
Rock Band (2007)