Summary
Each generation of gaming has always influenced the next in some way. Every new game console brings with it more powerful hardware and never-before-seen technology with all sorts of advancements. But most importantly, every generation sees a whole slate of new games to play, each trying to utilize all the latest, fancy technology to its full potential.
That same ambitious idea is what led to the creation of some of the most influential titles in the industry’s history — games that pushed the boundaries of console hardware, introduced unique mechanics, and opened up seemingly endless worlds for gamers to explore. While each generation has no shortage of notable releases, the sixth gen of game consoles is still widely regarded as one of the most important of all, due to its advancements in technology and its unique library of games.
Jet Set Radio(orJet Grind Radio, depending on where you live) is one of the most widely-recognized games on Sega’s Dreamcast. Whether it was the game’s strange concept or its uniquecel-shaded art style, it certainly stood out from the pack during the sixth generation of gaming.
Since the topic of skateboarding was dominated by you-know-who at the time(Hint:it was Tony Hawk),Jet Set Radiodecided to take a different route with its gameplay. Instead, it fit players into a pair of rollerblades, where they controlled a member of the “GG’s,” a gang of youths blading around parts of Tokyo, tagging up walls with graffiti and evading police in the process. The fast-paced gameplay and movement was a blast, and gliding around on a set of rollerblades through the color-packed streets and alleys of Tokyo felt fluid.
Sega took quite the risk with its unusual concept at the time, and it surely paid off, solidifyingJet Set Radioas one of the short-lived console’s cult-classic titles. Receiving critical acclaim for its style and gameplay, it eventually went on to get an HD remake for multiple different platforms over a decade later — and arguably ushered in the cel-shaded concept in gaming.
Continuing the story on Nintendo’s new Gamecube in 2002,The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakerbrought a different approach to the beloved series when it launched. Its colorful graphics and bright, tropical islands were a far cry from the games’ usual setting ofHyrule Kingdom.
Instead of exploring the forests and caves of Hyrule, however, Link set sail on The Great Sea, carrying over the series' tried and true gameplay feeling but with a whole new and creative way of traversing the map. Exploring its vast collection of gorgeous islands was done via Link’s sailboat, The King of Red Lions. Players also had to manage the wind when setting sail using the titular Wind Waker, a magic wand that controlled the wind’s direction. The game’s cel-shaded art style was beautiful but also quite different from the rest of the series, which surprisingly left many fans originally unsure how to feel about the new title overall.
Despite its somewhat divisive initial reception due to its art direction,The Wind Wakeris regarded as a staple title in the GameCube’s library nowadays, having a large impact on the future of action-adventure games in the years to come.
Unreal Tournamentwas one of the biggest titles in theFPS genre just before the 2000srolled around. The sixth generation of gaming saw the rise of the first-person shooter, with many iconic titles to note, butUnrealwas near the top of the podium throughout the generation.
Competitively focused FPS games around the turn of the century had the common focus of arena-based combat.Unreal Tournamentwas one of these arena-shooters, having maps with more enclosed areas and gameplay that focused around fast, often skill-based movement. The game was a revolution for the arena-shooter subgenre, having a simple, run-and-gun concept that combined mechanics that were easy to grasp yet incredibly hard to master. Thus, its competitive community thrived on PC, as well as both the PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast soon after.
Receiving critical acclaim,Unreal Tournamentis often considered to be the pinnacle game of 1990s arena-shooters, even still having a dedicated community of players today, over 25 years after its initial PC release.
TheShenmueseries isn’t widely known among most gamers nowadays, but it hasdeveloped a sort of cult-following among fanssince its first appearance on the Dreamcast back in 1999.
Set in a rendition of 1980s Japan, the story follows a martial artist named Ryo seeking to avenge his father’s death and uncover a mysterious artifact called the dragon mirror. WhileShenmuewas a traditional action-adventure experience at its core, it ambitiously mixed in other components that were not common in gaming at the time. The action focused around 3D fighting, with added gameplay elements like life simulation and social engagement. Players would search for clues by interacting with the environment and NPCs, who each had their own daily schedules throughout the day and night. It made the experience feel much more life-like and immersive than the average game of 1999.
When it comes down to it,Shenmuewas well-received for the way it offered a level of depth that hadn’t been reached with many other games before it, ultimately leading it to gathering a loyal following, receiving two more installments since.
When it came toPhantasy Star’snext installment for the sixth generation, Sega decided to go big with the Dreamcast release ofPhantasy Star Onlinein 2000. Not only was it the series' first entry since 1993, but it has also been credited as one of the first successful MMO games on a console.
MMORPGs were almost exclusive to PCs during their rise in the 1990s, butPSOfinally broke that trend. The game allowed a party of up to four to experience the game with one another through the blazingly fast glory of dial-up internet! The team could battle enemies, complete quests, and explore the brand-new world of Ragol without the need for split-screen play. The multiplayer component alone was revolutionary for online gaming, influencing many other titles, like theMonster Hunterand.hackseries of games.
Despite some stiff RPG competition that year,Phantasy Star Onlinewould still win 2000’sGame of the Year in Japanover the likes ofMajora’s MaskandDragon Quest VII. Even though official servers were shut down in 2010, there is still a small yet dedicated community of fans playing the original game on private servers to this day.
Ah, theHaloseries. Where does one even start when talking about one of the most popular and revolutionary names in the FPS genre? Well, it all started back in 2001 whenHalo: Combat Evolvedtook gaming by storm on Microsoft’s first ever game console.
The game was a launch title for the brand-new Xbox, as well as being exclusive to the platform. Its futuristic, sci-fi plot set in space, coupled with, of course, the unique and unforgettable design of the Spartans, generated a fair amount of hype for both the game and Microsoft’s new home console. It was the first and perhaps the best fast-paced, action-packed FPS title for the Xbox, even featuring bot support and split-screen multiplayer alongside its iconic campaign. Oh, and how could anybody forget the introduction of one of the most recognizable names in FPS history with thebeloved Master Chief.
Halo: CEwould end up being a smash-hit for the new console, getting rave reviews from critics and gamers, and the name has since grown into a multi-billion-dollar franchise. But, the original game still lives on in the hearts of gamers, and to this day still holds a high spot on the MetacriticBest Games of All-timelist.
Super Smash Bros. Meleecontinued Nintendo’s beloved beat-em-up series on the GameCube, evolving the original 1999 classic to hit the ground running in the next generation.
Nintendo is known for their family friendly approach to gaming, but the formula they developed with the platform-fighting ofSuper Smash Bros.takes the rough beat-em-up theme and gives it an almost comical style.Meleefollows that same approach, and while it has a single-player option, the game is at its best when experienced with a group of friends. Players can choose from a plethora of iconic characters and maps from the Nintendo universe and battle it out in intense couch-co-op fashion.
The game sold over 350,000 copies in Japanwithin its first week, making it the fastest-selling GameCube game in the country. In the years to come,Super Smash Bros. Meleewould becomeone of the staple “must-own” titles on the GameCube. Its popularity would soon branch out into esports as well, where it is played at a high level of competition, even to this day.
Surely any one of thePS2’sGrand Theft Autotitlescould easily be labeled as influential, butGrand Theft Auto 3was a fundamental starting point, jumping the series over to being fully 3D from a third-person perspective. This marked a big shift for the franchise and quickly moved it right into mainstream popularity.
Long known for its top-down perspective, experiencing Liberty City in 3D was a revolution forGTAfans.Grand Theft Auto 3took the same open-world freedom established in the first two games and brought it to a whole new level of realism. With that came a much more involved story and a diverse collection of characters, missions, and locations. The game follows Claude Speed, after being betrayed and left for dead during a bank robbery, wrapping the player up in a whole underworld of crime that takes them across the city on a mission for revenge.
Among its many advancements,Grand Theft Auto 3wasn’t just instrumental to the series but the genre of open-world games as a whole. At the time, the game was incredibly well-received, as many publications gave the game perfect review scores. As a testament to its groundbreaking legacy,GTA 3still currently sits in the list of Best Games of All Time onMetacritic.
