PixlBit

Pokemon finally got topped in sales by Grand Theft Auto this year with Vice City #1 and GTA III #3 in the U.S. . Critical acclaim went to GameCube's Metroid Prime and Zelda: Wind Waker. The Sims topped all-time PC sales beating out Myst this year. Microsoft bought Rare and Gametrailers began online. Remember Gametrailers? I used to check out that site all the time. Now for games I wouldn't mind playing again or for the first time. 

Played Then. Would Play Again:

Metroid Prime (NGC): Never finished it. I always compared the controls to Halo because it's first-person, and not exactly favorably. It took a little getting used to after a lot of Halo play. I still have it and will get another play in sometime. 

Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Xbox, XSS): I vividly remember getting killed in a forest by bandits and munched up by fish in the ocean. In other words, I didn't get far into it. I would try my luck again. I need a safer world, so I can explore it better next time though. Available on Xbox Series S these days. 

Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (NGC, Wii-U): I was attracted (as I always am) by cell-shaded graphics. This is the Zelda I am always interested in playing. I haven't finished it though. Will return. 

Kingdom Hearts (NGC, PS2, XSS): I've made various attempts at finishing this game over the years but never succeded. Its remaster is on Xbox Series S now and other systems. 

Ratchet & Clank (PS2): Played it several times over the years, but haven't finished it, like many others. I have the collection for PS3 but it would be nice to play it on PS2 like of old, if I can find a copy. 

Grand Theft Auto Vice City (PS2, Xbox, XSS): This is the one GTA game that has been of interest to me, maybe because of the 80s setting. I used to have the box set of music from all the music stations in the game. I think I had that before I even played the game. Well it's now available with III and San Andreas in a bundle on Xbox Series S that I've been keeping track of. I have the PS2 disc though, but it keeps crashing whenever any of the music tracks try to play. I think my disc is too old. 

Warcraft III (PC): The last of the RTS Warcraft games. I liked it but never beat it. I was dismayed to see them go MMO after this, but people really liked that in '04, so whatever. I just saw the Battle Chest box set at a Con the other week. How would I play those old CD ROMs though, anyway? 

Timesplitters 2 (Xbox, PS2): The first game was only multiplayer but when it added a story and co-op, I was all over it. Mad Krammer and I played it co-op and it was good. 

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (Xbox): This is backwards compatible now on current Xbox's. Fun game with lots of light saber slashing and chopping. 

Burnout 2 (Xbox, PS2): I so wish they'd remaster 1-3 and put them in a collection for all consoles. What is up with that! Make it so. 

Medal of Honor Frontline (Xbox, etc): Mad Krammer and I used to play a lot of WWII FPS games before COD: Modern Warefare came out and changed the formula, making the genre more realistic and more attuned to multiplayer. MoH was a good series. 

Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (all): I'd like to revisit this hack-n-slash game that came out alongside the Peter Jackson films. I seem to remember liking Return of the King best though. Still, I wouldn't mind trying it again. 

Serious Sam Second Encounter (PC, Xbox): I was still playing these games on PC first and then again whenever they came to console. Mad Krammer and I would play them co-op too. Always fun. 

State of Emergency (Xbox, PS2): Rockstar did some side projects outside of GTA and this was one of them. My friend Mad Krammer played this incesently, and I can still hear the narrator saying, "Smash the corporation!" as you rampaged through a mall blasting everything in sight. Fun game, but a little repetitive for my tastes. 

Army Men RTS (NGC, PS2): Put RTS in a title, and I'll play it. I think this was fine, but not great, just like all the Army Men games. I'd try it again though. 

Lost Kingdoms (NGC): This and King's Field: Ancient City were my first experiences with From Software this year. King's Field drove me nuts with its realistic, and difficult gameplay, but Lost Kingdoms was interesting. You used cards in battles. I ended up selling my copy when it got valuable though. 

Red Faction II (Xbox , PS2): I remember being not pleased with the changes in this series when this came out, but I got used to it and played it to the finish. I'd revisit it to see what annoyed me about it. 

BloodRayne (Xbox, XSS): Available now with the Revamped edition, this was a fun hack-n-slash game maybe like that Onechanbara game I just saw on sale on Xbox the other day. 

MechAssault (Xbox): I seem to remember playing this co-op with Mad Krammer but I think that was the sequel. Still, a fun mech game that was more arcady is style than those hardcore sims made by From Software. 

Never Played. Wanna Play:

Final Fantasy XI (lots): The series went MMO. Lately I've been scouting for a new social game and downloaded Phantasy Star Online 2. FFXI was out on Xbox 360, but I don't think it's playable on Xbox Series S. It's still running though, so maybe I'll break out the 360. 

Metroid Fusion (GBA): I still have this, and may have even tried it once. It's time to get back into it. 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (all): The next game they made after Socercer's Stone on PS1 I played recently. I'm just curious having just reread the first book. I can probably get it cheap on PS2 these days. 

Grandia II (DC, PS2): I'm about to get into Grandia III, which I still have. I think I used to own this but don't now. I tried one of them before and liked it. Time to try and finish one of them. 

Breath of Fire II (GBA, Switch): The SNES version is available with Switch online membership. I may even have the GBA cart too. Need to play it. 

Commandos 2 (Xbox, XSS): I was always attracted by the graphics in this war strategy game, and I used to have the Xbox version. Now it's been remastered and on Xbox Series S. I've been watching for sales. 

Suikoden III (PS2): I have IV. I may have played III too, but I can't remember. I played either III or IV and found the overkill random encounters unbearable. Too many of them. I'll play IV sometime soon and find out which one game me the fits. 

Spyro Enter the Dragonfly (PS2, NGC): This was the fourth Spyro console game and so not on the Reignited Trilogy remaster. It was also not done by Insomniac. It got some disturbing reviews too, but I'd like to try it anyway. 

Well, that's what's what for me in 2002. What's what for you?