Remembering the 8 Best 2000s Games of the 2000-2009 Decade

The 2000s saw games really embrace and refine 3D gaming. With that, a multitude of games featured new and exciting effects. However, only some were truly great games. Here are a few of the best 2000s games from the 2000-2009 decade.

Mario Galaxy

Nintendo’s Mario always seems to have hit games. When Mario Galaxy was released on the Wii, it could not be considered a surprise that many rated the game one of the best in history. Of course, Mario Galaxy had all the fancy 3D effects expected, but it also had great originality, variety in gameplay, intuitive controls, and reliable gameplay. All this made it one of the best 2000s games of the decade.

You don’t need a Wii console to play Mario Galaxy today. Instead, check out the Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 package Nintendo released for the Switch 2 in 2025. That package includes both Mario Galaxy games with updated visuals.

Halo: Combat Evolved

Halo was a great game for the Xbox. This FPS game received many awards, such as Game of the Year, and gained a big following as the game series expanded. Halo 2 and Halo 3 have since been released alongside other Halo titles, making it one of the top game franchises of the decade. The game has even had some cultural impact, with books and films based on Halo.

The best current way to play this classic today is to get Halo: The Master Chief Collection for Xbox and PC. That package includes the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary remastered version of the game. However, note that the Halo: Campaign Evolved remake of the original game is also scheduled for release in 2026.

Call of Duty 2

Another one of the big game franchises of the 2000s was Call of Duty. That is especially the case given the wide variety of game platforms Call of Duty has appeared on. All the games of this hit series have been decent gaming titles, so selecting one is harder. However, Call of Duty 2 gave the franchise some serious momentum, featuring realistic and atmospheric battles from World War 2 and impressive audio.

Half-Life 2

The sequel to the hit Half-Life game did not disappoint. This sequel continued where the original story left off, but moved out of the Black Mesa research compound. With an excitingly realistic graphics engine, new game characters, and a compelling plot, the game just got all the better with this sequel. Overall, Half-Life 2 received many awards, such as Best Game from the Game Developers’ Choice Awards, and had a strong showing at the British Academy Video Game Awards with four awards in total.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was an open-world masterpiece from Rockstar Games during the 2000s. Players loved this game because of its vast open-world state that included three cities to explore, alongside the countryside and the desert. The unprecedented freedom, extensive content variety, iconic soundtrack, satirical 1990s atmosphere, and memorable storyline in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas made it one of the best 2000s games.

World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft profoundly altered the MMORPG gaming scene during the 2000s. This was the game that defined the MMORPG genre as we know it today with its accessible yet deep gameplay, varied playstyles, and endless exploration. Players flocked to the immersive 3D world of Azeroth to choose sides between the Horde and Alliance. World of Warcraft has remained among the foremost MMORPG games, mainly thanks to its regular stream of content expansions that have kept the game fresh and exciting throughout its history.

Bioshock

BioShock was among the best 2000s games because it showed how they could grapple with philosophical themes and deliver top-notch blasting action. This game raised the bar for first-person shooters with its amazingly immersive underwater city setting, gripping environmental storytelling, legendary mid-game plot twist, and iconic enemies. Bioshock’s combat and mechanics, which combined gun weaponry and genetic Plasmid, were also quite revolutionary for their creative freedom.

To play this first-person shooter today, check out BioShock Remastered today. That remastered version has 4K resolution support with graphically updated models and textures. You can also explore the Museum of Orphaned Concepts and the director’s commentary for further insights into how they developed Bioshock.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

While many RPGs are typically fantasy-oriented, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was a groundbreaking sci-fi role-playing game based on the world’s foremost intergalactic movie series. KOTOR rolled back the Star Wars series thousands of years before the events of its movie franchise, which gave its developers more creative freedom for delivering a truly engrossing game. This was one of the best 2000s games because of its deep RPG choices, immersive Star Wars world-building, memorable characters, and strategic turn-based combat system.

So, those were a few of the best 2000s games. Games such as Mario Galaxy, New Super Mario Bros, Half-Life 2, Halo, and Call of Duty 2 were all big hits and excellent games. It was games like those that made the 2000s a golden decade for gaming, during which iconic franchises emerged.