By: Adam Tuck
10. BEJEWELED (2001)
A small company called PopCap Games created this simple, gem-swapping game and began a phenomenon. ZUMA, PEGGLE and many other addicting, casual games followed.
9. THE SIMS (2000)
Whether you love it or hate it, THE SIMS is easily the most popular PC game ever released. It’s stolen hours of players’ time as they live out fantasy lives in a fantastical world.
8. Wii SPORTS (2006)
As simple as it was, it wasn’t just wildly popular. It represented how popular the Wii was when it was released, and how it has inspired so many previous “non-gamers” to get into video games. It’s simple, fun and effective.
7. METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS (2008)
Good storytelling is essential and none has done it quite as well as the METAL GEAR SOLID games have. This installment pushed the limits of the PS3, delivering such a gripping, utterly confusing story that it couldn’t help but amaze.
6. GRAND THEFT AUTO III (2001)
One word: controversy. This is one of the most talked-about games in the last ten years, and in spite of the illicit content that gets it in so much trouble, it really is just fun to play.
5. SUPER SMASH BROS. MELEE (2001)
Nintendo’s family-friendly fighting game with its all-star cast of characters took the world by storm. It eventually inspired a competitive tournament scene, simply because of how fun it is to play for amateurs and professionals alike.
4. HALO (2001)
Say what you want about HALO, but it found a formula for a shooter that felt right for a whole generation of players. It resulted in many sequels and imitations and gave birth to a multiplayer scene that has almost no equal.
3. WORLD OF WARCRAFT (2004)
Still running after five years, WoW has two expansions (with a third on the way) and has become a pastime for over 11.5 million people around the world. The biggest adventure to be had on the Internet, this set a new standard for online and strategy games.
2. GUITAR HERO (2005)
It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since this franchise began, but here we are. GUITAR HERO redefined the music rhythm game and resulted in an entire genre that spans across every platform imaginable.
1. PORTAL (2007)
In recent years, games and stories that are “original” are hard to come by. This had originality all over it: a shooting game with no shooting, PORTAL has you hunted by a lonely computer hungry for cake, while your best friend is a box covered with hearts. Loveable through and through, it’s mind-bending, challenging and fun to play, making it our game of the decade.