2001 in video games
Critically acclaimed titles
Table:
2001 games and expansions scoring at least 88/100 (MC) or 87.5% (GR)[3][4]

Game

Publisher

Release Date

Platform(s)

MC score

GR score

Halo: Combat Evolved

Microsoft Game Studios

November 15, 2001

Xbox

97/100

95.54%

Grand Theft Auto III

Rockstar Games

October 22, 2001

PlayStation 2

97/100

95.19%

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

Activision

October 30, 2001

PlayStation 2

97/100

93.43%

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Konami

November 13, 2001

PlayStation 2

96/100

95.09%

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

Sony Computer Entertainment

April 28, 2001

PlayStation 2

95/100

94.54%

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

Activision

June 11, 2001

Game Boy Advance

95/100

89.88%

Devil May Cry

Capcom

August 23, 2001

PlayStation 2

94/100

92.6%

Madden NFL 2002

EA Sports

August 19, 2001

PlayStation 2

94/100

92.32%

NBA 2K2

Sega

October 24, 2001

Dreamcast

93/100

92.82%

Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Nintendo

July 21, 2001

Game Boy Advance

93/100

91.54%

SSX Tricky

EA Sports

November 5, 2001

PlayStation 2

92/100

92.49%

Advance Wars

Nintendo

September 10, 2001

Game Boy Advance

92/100

92.38%

Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2

Nintendo

December 14, 2001

Game Boy Advance

92/100[5]

92.36%[6]

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

Nintendo

February 27, 2001

Game Boy Color

N/A

92.2%

Final Fantasy X

Square

July 19, 2001

PlayStation 2

92/100

91.73%

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Nintendo

November 21, 2001

GameCube

92/100

90.52%

Conker's Bad Fur Day

Rare

March 5, 2001

Nintendo 64

92/100

89.28%

NHL 2002

EA Sports

September 24, 2001

PlayStation 2

92/100

88.84%

Pro Evolution Soccer

Konami

March 15, 2001

PlayStation 2

N/A

91.69%

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

Nintendo

February 27, 2001

Game Boy Color

N/A

91.37%

Considering the provided table and the supporting evidence listed.

State the answer to the question: What is the name of the game available to play on a platform that is successor to the Nintendo 64 ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

Halo : Combat Evolved is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios . It was released as a launch title for Microsoft 's Xbox video game console on November 15 , 2001 . Microsoft released versions of the game for Windows and Mac OS X in 2003 . The game was later released as a downloadable Xbox Original for the Xbox 360 . Halo is set in the twenty-sixth century , with the player assuming the role of the Master Chief , a cybernetically enhanced supersoldier . The Chief is accompanied by Cortana , an artificial intelligence . Players battle various aliens as they attempt to uncover the secrets of the eponymous Halo , a ring-shaped artificial world . Bungie began the development of what would eventually become Halo in 1997 . Initially , the game was a real-time strategy game that morphed into a third-person shooter before becoming a first-person shooter . During development , Microsoft acquired Bungie and turned the game into a launch title for its new video game console , the Xbox . Halo was a critical and commercial success , and has been praised as one of the greatest video games of all time . The game 's popularity led to labels such as Halo clone and Halo killer , applied to games either similar to or anticipated to be better than it .
Xbox Game Studios , previously known as Microsoft Studios , Microsoft Game Studios , and Microsoft Games , is a division of Microsoft based in Redmond , Washington . It was established in March 2000 , spun out from an internal Games Group , for the development and publishing of video games for Microsoft Windows . It has since expanded to include games and other interactive entertainment for the namesake Xbox platforms , Windows Mobile and other mobile platforms , and web-based portals . As the studio grew , it has acquired and relinquished ownership of several other studios , and is the parent organization of fifteen other studios .
The Xbox is a home video game console and the first installment in the Xbox series of video game consoles manufactured by Microsoft . It was released as Microsoft 's first foray into the gaming console market on November 15 , 2001 , in North America , followed by Australia , Europe and Japan in 2002 . It is classified as a sixth generation console , competing with Sony 's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo 's GameCube . It was also the first major console produced by an American company since the Atari Jaguar ceased production in 1996 . Announced in 2000 , the Xbox was graphically powerful compared to its rivals , featuring a 733 MHz Intel Pentium III processor , a processor that could be found on a standard PC . It was also noted for its PC-like size and weight , and was the first console to feature a built-in hard disk . In November 2002 , Microsoft launched Xbox Live , a fee-based online gaming service that enabled subscribers to download new content and connect with other players through a broadband connection . Unlike online services from Sega and Sony , Xbox Live had support in the original console design through an integrated Ethernet port . The service gave Microsoft an early foothold in online gaming and would help the Xbox become a competitor in the sixth-generation of consoles . The popularity of blockbuster titles such as Bungie 's Halo 2 contributed to the popularity of online console gaming , and in particular first-person shooters . The Xbox had a record-breaking launch in North America , selling 1.5 million units before the end of 2001 , aided by the popularity of one of the system 's launch titles , Halo : Combat Evolved , which sold a million units by April 2002 . The system went on to sell a worldwide total of 24 million units , including 16 million in North America ; however , Microsoft was unable to make a steady profit off of the console , which had a manufacturing price far more expensive than its retail price , despite its popularity , losing over $ 4 billion during its market life .
Grand Theft Auto III is a 2001 action-adventure game developed by DMA Design and published by Rockstar Games . It is the fifth title in the Grand Theft Auto series , and the first main entry since 1999 's Grand Theft Auto 2 . Set within the fictional Liberty City , based on New York City , the game follows a criminal named Claude after he is left for dead and quickly becomes entangled in a world of gangs , crime and corruption . The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on foot or by vehicle . The open world design lets players freely roam the three islands of Liberty City . Development was shared between DMA Design , based in Edinburgh , and Rockstar , based in New York City . Much of the development work involved transforming popular elements from the Grand Theft Auto series into a fully 3D world for the first time . The game was delayed following the September 11 attacks to allow the team to change references and gameplay deemed inappropriate . It was released in October 2001 for the PlayStation 2 , in May 2002 for Microsoft Windows , and in October 2003 for the Xbox . Upon release , Grand Theft Auto III received critical acclaim , with praise particularly directed at its concept and gameplay . However , the game also generated controversy , with criticism directed at its depictions of violence and sex . It became the best-selling video game of 2001 , and has sold over 14.5 million copies since .
Rockstar Games , Inc. is an American video game publisher based in New York City . The company was established in December 1998 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive , and as successor to BMG Interactive , a dormant video game publisher of which Take-Two had previously acquired the assets . Founding members of the company were Sam and Dan Houser , Terry Donovan and Jamie King , who worked for Take-Two at the time , and of which the Houser brothers were previously executives at BMG Interactive . Co-founders Sam and Dan Houser head the studio as president and vice-president for creative , respectively . Since 1999 , several companies acquired by or established under Take-Two have become part of Rockstar Games , such as Rockstar Canada ( later renamed Rockstar Toronto ) becoming the first one in 1999 , and Rockstar India the most recent in 2016 . All companies organized under Rockstar Games bear the Rockstar name and logo . In this context , Rockstar Games is sometimes also referred to as Rockstar New York , Rockstar NY or Rockstar NYC . Rockstar Games also sports a motion capture studio in Bethpage , New York . Rockstar Games predominantly publishes games in the action-adventure genre , while racing games also saw success for the company . One of such action-adventure game franchises is Grand Theft Auto , which Rockstar Games took over from BMG Interactive , which published the series ' original 1997 entry . The most recent game in the series , Grand Theft Auto V , has shipped over 110 million copies since its release in September 2013 , making it one of the best-selling video games of all time . Other popular franchises published by Rockstar Games are Red Dead , Midnight Club , Max Payne and Manhunt .
The PlayStation 2 ( officially branded as PS2 ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment . It was first released in Japan on March 4 , 2000 , in North America on October 26 , 2000 , and in Europe and Australia on November 24 , 2000 , and is the successor to the original PlayStation , as well as the second installment in the PlayStation console line-up . A sixth-generation console , it competed with Sega 's Dreamcast , Nintendo 's GameCube , and Microsoft 's original Xbox . Announced in 1999 , the PS2 offered backward-compatibility for its predecessor 's DualShock controller , as well as its games . The PS2 is the best-selling video game console of all time , having sold over 155 million units worldwide , as confirmed by Sony . Over 3,800 game titles have been released for the PS2 , with over 1.5 billion copies sold . Sony later manufactured several smaller , lighter revisions of the console known as Slimline models in 2004 . Even with the release of its successor , the PlayStation 3 , the PS2 remained popular well into the seventh generation , and continued to be produced until 2013 , when Sony finally announced it had been discontinued after twelve years of production - one of the longest lifespans of a video game console . Despite the announcement , new games for the console continued to be produced until the end of 2013 , including Final Fantasy XI : Seekers of Adoulin for Japan , FIFA 13 for North America , and Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 for Europe . Repair services for the system in Japan ended on September 7 , 2018 .
Tony Hawk 's Pro Skater 3 is a skateboarding video game in the Tony Hawk 's series . Named after professional skateboarder Tony Hawk , it was developed by Neversoft and published by Activision under the Activision O2 label in 2001 for the PlayStation 2 , PlayStation , Game Boy Color and GameCube . In 2002 , it was published for the Xbox , Game Boy Advance , Microsoft Windows , Nintendo 64 and Mac OS . It was the first game released for the PlayStation 2 supporting online play as well as the last game ever to be released on the Nintendo 64 ( which was discontinued 4 months prior to release ) . Pro Skater 3 holds an average critic score of 97% making it tied for the highest-rated PlayStation 2 game .
Activision Publishing , Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica , California . It currently serves as the publishing business for its parent company , Activision Blizzard , and consists of several subsidiary studios . Activision is one of the largest third-party video game publishers in the world and was the top United States publisher in 2016 . The company was founded as Activision , Inc. in October 1979 in Sunnyvale , California , by former Atari game developers , upset at how they were treated at Atari , to develop their own games for the popular Atari 2600 home video game console . Activision was the first independent , third-party , console video game developer . The 1983 video game crash , in part created by too many new companies trying to follow in Activision 's footsteps without the expertise of Activision 's founders , hurt Activision 's position in console games , forcing them to diversify into games for home computers , including the acquisition of Infocom . After a management shift , with CEO Jim Levy replaced by Bruce Davis , the company renamed itself as Mediagenic and branched out into business software applications . Mediagenic quickly fell into debt , and the company was bought for around US $ 500,000 by Bobby Kotick and a small group of investors around 1991 . Kotick instituted a full rework of the company to cover its debts : dismissing most of its staff , moving the company to Los Angeles , and reverting to the Activision name . Building on existing assets , the Kotick-led Activision pursued more publishing opportunities and , after recovering from the former debt , started acquiring numerous studios and intellectual properties over the 1990s and 2000s , among these being the Call of Duty and Guitar Hero series . A holding company was formed as Activision 's parent company to manage the internal and acquired studios . In 2008 , this holding merged with Vivendi Games ( the parent company of Blizzard Entertainment ) and formed Activision Blizzard , with Kotick as its CEO .
Metal Gear Solid 2 : Sons of Liberty [ a ] is an action-adventure stealth game developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 on November 2001 . It is the fourth Metal Gear game written and directed by Hideo Kojima , the seventh overall game in the series and is a direct sequel to the original Metal Gear Solid . An expanded edition , titled Metal Gear Solid 2 : Substance , was released the following year for Xbox and Microsoft Windows in addition to the PlayStation 2 . The story revolves around the Big Shell , a massive offshore clean-up facility seized by a group of terrorists who call themselves the Sons of Liberty . They demand an enormous ransom in exchange for the life of the President of the United States and threaten to destroy the facility and create a cataclysmic environmental disaster if their demands are not met . The motives and identities of many of the antagonists and allies change throughout the course of the game , as the protagonists discover a world-shaking conspiracy constructed by a powerful organization known as the Patriots . The game had sold over seven million copies worldwide , and received acclaim for its gameplay , graphics , and attention to detail . However , critics were initially divided on the protagonist and the philosophical nature and execution of the game 's storyline , which explores themes such as memetics , social engineering , political conspiracies , censorship , artificial intelligence , existentialism , and postmodernism . Metal Gear Solid 2 has since been considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time , as well as a leading example of artistic expression in video games . The game is considered to be ahead of its time , for dealing with themes that later became culturally relevant in the 2010s , drawing comparisons to concepts such as social media , news feeds , post-truth politics , fake news , alternative facts and echo chambers .
Konami Holdings Corporation [ nb 1 ] [ nb 2 ] is a Japanese entertainment and gambling conglomerate . It operates as a product distributor ( which produces and distributes trading cards , anime , tokusatsu , slot machines , pachinko machines and arcade cabinets ) , video game developer and publisher company . Konami has casinos around the world and operates health and physical fitness clubs across Japan . Konami 's video game franchisee include Metal Gear , Silent Hill , Castlevania , Contra , Frogger , Gradius , Yu-Gi-Oh ! , Suikoden and Pro Evolution Soccer . Additionally , Konami owns Bemani , known for Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania , as well as the assets of former game developer Hudson Soft , known for Bomberman , Adventure Island , Bonk , Bloody Roar and Star Soldier . Konami is the twentieth-largest game company in the world by revenue . The company originated in 1969 as a jukebox rental and repair business in Toyonaka , Osaka , Japan , by Kagemasa Kōzuki , who remains the company 's chairman . The name Konami is a portmanteau of the names Kagemasa Kozuki , Yoshinobu Nakama , and Tatsuo Miyasako . Konami is headquartered in Tokyo . In the United States , Konami manages its video game business from offices in El Segundo , California and its casino gaming business from offices in Paradise , Nevada . Its Australian gaming operations are located in Sydney . As of March 2019 , it owns 22 consolidated subsidiaries around the world .
Gran Turismo 3 : A-Spec ( グランツーリスモ3 : A-spec , Guran Tsūrisumo Surī Ei-supekku ) is a 2001 racing game , the first in the Gran Turismo series released for the PlayStation 2 . During its demonstration at E3 2000 and E3 2001 the game 's working title was Gran Turismo 2000 . The game was a critical and commercial success and went on to become one of the best-selling video games of all time . Its aggregate score of 94.54% on GameRankings makes it the second-highest rated racing video game of all time . It has been listed as one of the greatest video games of all time .
Sony Interactive Entertainment ( SIE ) is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony Corporation , managed through Sony 's American hub , Sony Corporation of America . Its main headquarters is Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC ( SIE LLC ) , based in San Mateo , California , United States , while Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. ( SIE Inc. ) is based in Tokyo , Japan . SIE Inc. was founded as Sony Computer Entertainment ( SCE ) in Tokyo in November 1993 to handle Sony 's venture into video game development for the PlayStation systems , while SIE LLC was founded in San Mateo in April 2016 . Since the launch of the original PlayStation console in 1994 , the company has been developing PlayStation home video game consoles , accessories and services lineup . Expanding into North America and Europe , the company quickly became Sony 's main resource for research and development in video games and interactive entertainment . In April 2016 , SCE and Sony Network Entertainment International was restructured and reorganized into Sony Interactive Entertainment , carrying over the operations and primary objectives from both companies . The same year , SIE moved its headquarters from Tokyo to San Mateo , California . Sony Interactive Entertainment handles the research and development , production , and sales of both hardware and software for the PlayStation video game systems . SIE is also a developer and publisher of video game titles , and operates several subsidiaries in Sony 's largest markets : North America , Europe and Asia . By August 2018 , the company had sold more than 525 million PlayStation consoles worldwide .
Tony Hawk 's Pro Skater 2 is a skateboarding video game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision . It is the second installment in the Tony Hawk 's series of sports games and was first released for the PlayStation in 2000 , with subsequent ports to the Microsoft Windows , Game Boy Color , and Dreamcast the same year . In 2001 the game was ported to the Mac OS , Game Boy Advance , Nintendo 64 , and Xbox ( as part of the Tony Hawk 's Pro Skater 2x collection ) . The game was later ported to Windows Mobile and Windows Phone devices in 2006 and to iOS devices in 2010 . Tony Hawk 's Pro Skater 2 uses the same game engine as its predecessor while improving the graphics and the gameplay , most notably with the introduction of manuals and cash rewards . The game takes place in a three-dimensional urban environment permeated by an ambience of rock and hip-hop music . The player takes control of a variety of famous skateboarders and either performs skateboarding tricks or collects certain objects . The game offers several modes of gameplay , including a career mode in which the player must complete objectives and evolve their character 's attributes with earned profits , a free-play mode in which the player may skate without any given objective , a multiplayer mode that features a number of competitive games , and a level editor that allows the player to create customized levels . Tony Hawk 's Pro Skater 2 was critically acclaimed upon release and remains one of the highest-rated video games of all time , as well as the highest-rated sports video game . All versions of the game were praised , including its addictive gameplay , large environments , detailed graphics , fluid and precise controls , customization features and punk/metal/hip-hop soundtrack , with some minor criticisms directed at the lack of a first-person camera and the truncated soundtrack of the Nintendo 64 version .
The Game Boy Advance [ a ] ( commonly abbreviated as GBA ) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed , manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color . It was released in Japan on March 21 , 2001 , in North America on June 11 , 2001 , in Australia and Europe on June 22 , 2001 , and in mainland China on June 8 , 2004 as iQue Game Boy Advance . The GBA is part of the sixth generation of video game consoles . The original model did not have an illuminated screen ; Nintendo addressed that with the release of a redesigned model with a frontlit screen , the Game Boy Advance SP , in 2003 . A newer revision of the aforementioned redesign was released in 2005 , which included a backlit screen . The final redesign , the Game Boy Micro , was released in 2005 . As of June 30 , 2010 , the Game Boy Advance series has sold 81.51 million units worldwide . Its successor , the Nintendo DS , was released in November 2004 and is also compatible with Game Boy Advance software .
Devil May Cry [ a ] is a 2001 action-adventure game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 . Set in modern times on the fictional Mallet Island , the story centers on Dante , a demon hunter who uses his business to get his revenge on the demons after losing his brother and mother . He meets a woman named Trish who takes him on a journey to defeat the demon lord Mundus . The story is told primarily through a mixture of cutscenes , which use the game engine and several pre-rendered full motion videos . The game is very loosely based on the Italian poem Divine Comedy by the use of allusions , including the game 's protagonist Dante ( named after Dante Alighieri ) and other characters like Trish ( Beatrice Portinari ) and Vergil ( Virgil ) . The game was originally conceived in 1999 as Resident Evil 4 . Due to the staff feeling it would not fit the Resident Evil franchise , the project dropped its ties to Resident Evil and was made into its own story instead . Devil May Cry received prominent coverage in the video game media due to the impact it had in the action game genre , its high difficulty and the high overall scores given to it by professional reviewers . The game has sold more than three million copies , and spawned multiple sequels and a prequel .
Capcom Co. , Ltd. ( Japanese : 株式会社カプコン , Hepburn : Kabushiki-gaisha Kapukon ) is a Japanese video game developer and publisher known for creating numerous multi-million selling game franchises , including Mega Man , Street Fighter , Resident Evil , Devil May Cry , Onimusha , Dino Crisis , Dead Rising , Sengoku Basara , Ghosts ' n Goblins , Monster Hunter , Breath of Fire , and Ace Attorney as well as games based on Disney animated properties . Established in 1979 , it has become an international enterprise with subsidiaries in North America , Europe , and Japan .
Madden NFL 2002 ( also known as Madden 2002 ) is an American football video game . It features former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper on the cover . Pat Summerall and John Madden are the commentators . The Madden NFL 2002 commercial first aired during Super Bowl XXXVI , three days after Madden NFL 2002 started selling in Japan by Electronic Arts Square . Notably , it did not feature the Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady , who was included on later editions of the game as a roster update . It is also the first game to be developed by Budcat Creations .
EA Sports is a division of Electronic Arts that develops and publishes sports video games . Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts , in which they tried to imitate real-life sports networks by calling themselves the EA Sports Network ( EASN ) with pictures or endorsements with real commentators such as John Madden , it soon grew up to become a sub-label on its own , releasing game series such as FIFA , NHL , NBA Live and Madden NFL . Most games under this brand are developed by EA Vancouver , the studio of Electronic Arts in Burnaby , British Columbia as well as EA Tiburon in Maitland , Florida . The main rival to EA Sports is 2K Sports . Notably , both companies compete over the realm of NBA games . Konami is its rival in association football games . Unlike some other sports game companies , EA Sports has no special ties to a single platform , which means that all games are released for the bestselling active platforms , sometimes long after most of the other companies abandon them . For example , FIFA 98 , Madden NFL 98 , NBA Live 98 , and NHL 98 were released for the Sega Genesis and the Super NES throughout 1997 ; Madden NFL 2005 and FIFA 2005 had PlayStation releases in 2004 ( FIFA 2005 and Madden NFL 2005 were also the last two PlayStation titles to be released ) ; and NCAA Football 08 had an Xbox release in 2007 . Madden NFL 08 also had Xbox and Nintendo GameCube releases in 2007 , and was the final title released for the GameCube , with Madden NFL 09 following as the final Xbox title . Additionally , NASCAR Thunder 2003 and NASCAR Thunder 2004 were released not only for the PlayStation 2 , but for the original PlayStation as well . EA Sports brand name is used to sponsor English Football League Two team Swindon Town F.C . from the 2009-10 season onward and the EA Sports Cup in the Republic of Ireland .
NBA 2K2 is a basketball video game . It is the third installment in the NBA 2K series of video games and it was developed by Visual Concepts and published by Sega Sports . It was released on October 24 , 2001 on the Sega Dreamcast and later ported to the Sony PlayStation 2 , Nintendo GameCube , and the Xbox in 2002 after Sega discontinued the Dreamcast . NBA 2K2 featured more street courts such as Mosswood , Fonde Rec Center , Venice Beach , etc . The game still featured the old street courts like in the previous game NBA 2K1 . It was the first NBA 2K game to be released multi-platform on the series , and also the last to be on the Sega Dreamcast . The cover athlete is Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers . It is also one of the few games to cross all the 6th generation platforms , alongside Puyo Pop Fever and Capcom vs. SNK 2 .
Sega Games Co. , Ltd. [ a ] is a Japanese multinational video game developer and publisher headquartered in Shinagawa , Tokyo . Its international branches , Sega of America and Sega Europe , are respectively headquartered in Irvine , California , and London . Sega 's arcade division , once part of Sega Corporation , has existed as Sega Interactive Co. , Ltd. since 2015 . Both companies are subsidiaries of Sega Holdings Co. , Ltd. , which is in turn a part of Sega Sammy Holdings . From 1983 until 2001 , Sega also developed and sold video game consoles . Sega was founded by Martin Bromley and Richard Stewart as Nihon Goraku Bussan [ b ] on June 3 , 1960 . The company became known as Sega Enterprises , Ltd. after acquiring Rosen Enterprises , an importer of coin-operated games . Sega developed its first coin-operated game with Periscope in the late 1960s . In an effort to become a publicly traded company , Sega was sold to Gulf and Western Industries in 1969 . Following a downturn in the arcade business in the early 1980s , Sega began to develop video game consoles , starting with the SG-1000 and Master System , but struggled against competitors such as the Nintendo Entertainment System . In 1984 , Sega executives David Rosen and Hayao Nakayama led a management buyout of the company with backing from CSK Corporation . Sega released its next console , the Sega Genesis ( known as the Mega Drive outside North America ) , in 1988 .
The Dreamcast [ a ] is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27 , 1998 in Japan , September 9 , 1999 in North America , and October 14 , 1999 in Europe . It was the first in the sixth generation of video game consoles , preceding Sony 's PlayStation 2 , Nintendo 's GameCube and Microsoft 's Xbox . The Dreamcast was Sega 's final home console , marking the end of the company 's 18 years in the console market . In contrast to the expensive hardware of the unsuccessful Sega Saturn , the Dreamcast was designed to reduce costs with off-the-shelf components , including a Hitachi SH-4 CPU and an NEC PowerVR2 GPU . Released in Japan to a subdued reception , the Dreamcast enjoyed a successful U.S. launch backed by a large marketing campaign , but interest in the system steadily declined as Sony built hype for the upcoming PlayStation 2 . Sales did not meet Sega 's expectations despite several price cuts , and the company continued to incur significant financial losses . After a change in leadership , Sega discontinued the Dreamcast on March 31 , 2001 , withdrawing from the console business and restructuring itself as a third-party publisher . 9.13 million Dreamcast units were sold worldwide . Although the Dreamcast had a short lifespan and limited third-party support , reviewers have considered the console ahead of its time . Its library contains many games considered creative and innovative , including Crazy Taxi , Jet Set Radio and Shenmue , as well as high-quality ports from Sega 's NAOMI arcade system board . The Dreamcast was also the first console to include a built-in modem for internet support and online play .
Mario Kart : Super Circuit [ a ] is a kart racing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance in 2001 . The game is the third installment in the Mario Kart series and the first for handheld consoles , following Super Mario Kart ( 1992 ) and Mario Kart 64 ( 1996 ) . It was succeeded by the console game Mario Kart : Double Dash , which was released for the GameCube in 2003 . The game retains traditional game elements of Mario Kart set by its predecessors , and upon release , was well-received by reviewers .
Nintendo Co. , Ltd. [ a ] is a Japanese multinational consumer electronics and video game company headquartered in Kyoto . Nintendo is one of the world 's largest video game companies by market capitalization , creating some of the best-known and top-selling video game franchises of all-time , such as Mario , The Legend of Zelda , Animal Crossing , and Pokémon . Nintendo was founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produced handmade hanafuda playing cards . By 1963 , the company had tried several small niche businesses , such as cab services and love hotels , without major success . Abandoning previous ventures in favor of toys in the 1960s , Nintendo developed into a video game company in the 1970s . Supplemented since the 1980s by its major divisions Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe , it ultimately became one of the most influential in the video game industry and one of Japan 's most-valuable companies with a market value of over $ 37 billion in 2018 .
SSX Tricky is a snowboarding video game , the second game in the SSX series published under the EA Sports BIG label and developed by EA Canada . A direct sequel to SSX , the game was released in 2001 for PlayStation 2 , GameCube and Xbox and was later ported to the Game Boy Advance in October 2002 .
Advance Wars [ a ] is a turn-based tactics video game developed for the Game Boy Advance by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo . It was released in North America on September 10 , 2001 with a later release date in Japan and Europe , but the game release was put on hold in both Japanese and European regions due to the following day 's September 11 attacks in the United States . Although the game was released in Europe in January 2002 , neither GBA game was released in Japan until the Game Boy Wars Advance 1+2 compilation on November 25 , 2004 . Advance Wars has been released for the Wii U Virtual Console simultaneously in Europe and North America on April 3 , 2014 . Advance Wars is the first game in the Advance Wars series of video games , followed by Advance Wars 2 : Black Hole Rising ( also for the Game Boy Advance ) , and then by Advance Wars : Dual Strike and Advance Wars : Days of Ruin for the Nintendo DS . These games form a sub-series of the Wars series set of games . The game was originally intended to remain exclusive to Japan , like the previous entries in the series , which were kept in Japan due to Nintendo feeling that consumers would not be interested in turn-based games , or in such complicated games . In order to alleviate this , the developers made the mechanics easy to understand , adding in an in-depth tutorial that did n't require players to read the manual . Designer Kentaro Nishimura commented that Advance Wars ' success shifted Nintendos attitude over western tastes . The story involves Orange Star Army 's efforts in battling the other countries ' armies , where Orange Star commanding officer Andy is accused of attacking the other countries ' troops for no reason . The game was released to critical acclaim and has been listed among the greatest video games of all time .
Super Mario World [ a ] is a 1990 side-scrolling platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System ( SNES ) . The story follows Mario 's quest to save Princess Toadstool and Dinosaur Land from the series antagonist Bowser and his minions , the Koopalings . The gameplay is similar to that of earlier Super Mario games : Players control Mario or his brother Luigi through a series of levels in which the goal is to reach the flagpole at the end . Super Mario World introduced Yoshi , a dinosaur who can eat enemies and gain abilities by eating the shells of Koopa Troopas . Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development developed the game , led by director Takashi Tezuka and producer and series creator Shigeru Miyamoto . It is the first Mario game for the SNES and was designed to make the most of the console 's technical features . The development team had more freedom compared to the series instalments for the Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES ) . Yoshi was conceptualised during the development of the NES games but was not used until Super Mario World due to hardware limitations . Super Mario World is often considered one of the greatest video games of all time . It sold over 20 million copies worldwide , making it the best-selling SNES game . It also led to an animated television series of the same name and a prequel , Yoshi 's Island , released in August and October 1995 . It has been rereleased on multiple occasions : It was part of the 1994 compilation Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World for the SNES and was rereleased for the Game Boy Advance as Super Mario World : Super Mario Advance 2 in 2001 , on the Virtual Console for the Wii , Wii U , and New Nintendo 3DS consoles , and as part of the Super NES Classic Edition .
The Legend of Zelda : Oracle of Seasons [ a ] and The Legend of Zelda : Oracle of Ages [ b ] are two action-adventure games in the Legend of Zelda series , developed by Flagship ( a subsidiary of Capcom ) . They were released in 2001 for Nintendo 's Game Boy Color handheld console and re-released on the Virtual Console for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013 . The games make up the seventh and eighth installment in the Zelda series . The player controls the protagonist Link from an overhead perspective . In Seasons , the Triforce transports Link to the land of Holodrum , where he sees Onox kidnap Din , the Oracle of Seasons . In Ages , the Triforce transports Link to Labrynna , where Veran possesses Nayru . The main plot is revealed once the player finishes both games . Link is armed with a sword and shield as well as a variety of secondary weapons and items for battling enemies and solving puzzles . The central items are the Rod of Seasons , which controls the seasons in Holodrum , and the Harp of Ages , which lets Link travel through time in Labrynna . Before he can infiltrate Onox 's castle and Veran 's tower , Link must collect the eight Essences of Nature and the eight Essences of Time , which are hidden in dungeons and guarded by bosses . After experimenting with porting the original Legend of Zelda to the Game Boy Color , the Flagship team , supervised by Yoshiki Okamoto , began developing three interconnected Zelda games that could be played in any order . The complexity of this system led the team to cancel one game .
The Game Boy Color [ a ] ( commonly abbreviated as GBC ) is a handheld game console manufactured by Nintendo , which was released in Japan on October 21 , 1998 , and later released in November of the same year to international markets . It is the successor to the original Game Boy and is part of the Game Boy family . The GBC features a color screen rather than monochrome , but it is not backlit . It is slightly thicker and taller and features a slightly smaller screen than the Game Boy Pocket , its immediate predecessor in the Game Boy line . As with the original Game Boy , it has a custom 8-bit processor made by Sharp that is considered a hybrid between the Intel 8080 and the Zilog Z80 . The spelling of the system 's name , Game Boy Color , remains consistent throughout the world , with its American English spelling of color . The Game Boy Color is part of the fifth generation of video game consoles . The GBC 's primary competitors in Japan were the grayscale 16-bit handhelds , Neo Geo Pocket and the WonderSwan , though the Game Boy Color outsold them by a wide margin . SNK and Bandai countered with the Neo Geo Pocket Color and the Wonderswan Color , respectively , but this did little to change Nintendo 's sales dominance . With Sega discontinuing the Game Gear in 1997 , the Game Boy Color 's only competitor in the United States was its predecessor , the Game Boy , until the short-lived Neo Geo Pocket Color was released in August 1999 . The Game Boy and the Game Boy Color combined have sold 118.69 million units worldwide making it the third-best-selling system of all time , It was discontinued on March 23 , 2003 , shortly after the release of the Game Boy Advance SP . Its best-selling game was Pokémon Gold and Silver , which shipped 23 million units worldwide .
Final Fantasy X [ a ] is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth entry in the Final Fantasy series . Originally released in 2001 for Sony 's PlayStation 2 , the game was re-released as Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2013 , for PlayStation 4 in 2015 , Microsoft Windows in 2016 , and for Nintendo Switch and Xbox One in 2019 . The game marks the Final Fantasy series transition from entirely pre-rendered backdrops to fully three-dimensional areas , and is also the first in the series to feature voice acting . Final Fantasy X replaces the Active Time Battle ( ATB ) system with the Conditional Turn-Based Battle ( CTB ) system , and uses a new leveling system called the Sphere Grid . Set in the fantasy world of Spira , a setting influenced by the South Pacific , Thailand and Japan , the game 's story revolves around a group of adventurers and their quest to defeat a rampaging monster known as Sin . The player character is Tidus , a star athlete in the fictional sport of blitzball , who finds himself in Spira after Sin destroyed his home city of Zanarkand . Shortly after arriving to Spira , Tidus joins the summoner Yuna on her pilgrimage to destroy Sin . Development of Final Fantasy X began in 1999 , with a budget of more than US $ 32.3 million ( US $ 49.6 million in 2019 dollars ) and a team of more than 100 people . The game was the first in the main series not entirely scored by Nobuo Uematsu ; Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano were signed as Uematsu 's fellow composers . Final Fantasy X was both a critical and commercial success , selling over 8 million units worldwide on PlayStation 2 . It is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time . On March 13 , 2003 , it was followed by Final Fantasy X-2 , making it the first Final Fantasy game to have a direct game sequel .
Square Co. , Ltd. ( 株式会社スクウェア , Kabushiki-gaisha Sukuwea ) was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1986 by Masafumi Miyamoto . It merged with Enix in 2003 to form Square Enix . The company also used SquareSoft as a brand name to refer to their games , and the term is occasionally used to refer to the company itself . In addition , Square Soft , Inc was the name of the company 's American arm before the merger , after which it was renamed to Square Enix , Inc .
Super Smash Bros. Melee [ a ] is a 2001 crossover fighting video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube . It is the second installment in the Super Smash Bros. series . It also features characters from Nintendo video game franchises such as Mario , The Legend of Zelda , Star Fox , and Pokémon . The stages and gameplay modes reference or take designs from these franchises as well . Melee includes all playable characters from the first game , and also adds characters from franchises such as Fire Emblem , of which no games had been released outside Japan at the time . Melee 's gameplay system offers an unorthodox approach to the fighting game genre , with a counter that measures damage with increasing percentages , representing the knockback the character will experience , rather than a depleting health bar seen in most fighting games . It builds on the first game by adding new gameplay features and playable characters . Following the popularity of its multiplayer gameplay , Melee has been featured in many competitive gaming tournaments , and is one of the most popular competitive fighting games . It was first released in Japan in November 2001 , in North America in December 2001 , in Europe and Australia in May 2002 . Super Smash Bros. Melee received critical acclaim , as well as several awards and acknowledgements from various publications ; it is now considered one of the greatest video games ever made . It achieved strong sales upon its release , becoming the GameCube 's best-selling title with over seven million copies sold by 2008 . Super Smash Bros. Melee was followed by Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii in 2008 .
The Nintendo GameCube [ b ] [ c ] ( commonly abbreviated as GameCube ) is a home video game console released by Nintendo in Japan and North America in 2001 and in the PAL territories in 2002 . The sixth-generation console is the successor to the Nintendo 64 . It competed with Sony 's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft 's original Xbox . The GameCube is the first Nintendo console to use optical discs as its primary storage medium . The discs are in the miniDVD format and the system was not designed to play full-sized DVDs or audio CDs , unlike its competitors , and focused on gaming instead . The console supports limited online gaming for a small number of games via a GameCube broadband or modem adapter and can connect to a Game Boy Advance with a link cable , which allows players to access exclusive in-game features using the handheld as a second screen and controller . The GameCube uses composite video cables to display games on the television ; however , there are differences in the two GameCube models . The models produced before May 2004 also have the ability to use digital component AV cables and progressive scan and a second serial port . The nameplate on the top of the console with the words Nintendo GameCube can be removed . This model is known as DOL-001 . The previously mentioned features were removed in GameCube consoles produced between 2004-2007 ; the later model was known as DOL-101 . The newer model has updated firmware that disables Action Replay cheats and cheat codes ( a newer version was developed to circumvent this ) and the disc-reading laser was improved in many ways , though it is not as durable .
Conker 's Bad Fur Day is a platform game developed by Rare and released for the Nintendo 64 console in 2001 . As part of the Conker series , the game follows the story of Conker the Squirrel , a greedy , heavy-drinking red squirrel who must return home to his girlfriend . Most of the game requires the player to complete a linear sequence of challenges that involve jumping over obstacles , solving puzzles , and fighting enemies . A multiplayer mode where up to four players can compete against each other in seven different game types is also included . Designed for mature audiences , Conker 's Bad Fur Day features graphic violence , alcohol and tobacco use , profanity , vulgar humor , and pop culture references . Conker 's Bad Fur Day was developed over the course of four years . Although it was originally designed for a family audience , the game was retooled into its current form because previews were criticised for being both too cute and similar to Rare 's earlier platform games Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64 . Upon release , Conker 's Bad Fur Day was acclaimed by video game critics , who praised its visual appeal and smart , funny humour . The game sold well below expectations due to limited advertising and a release towards the end of the Nintendo 64 's life cycle , but has since earned a cult following . A remake , Conker : Live & Reloaded , was released for the Xbox in 2005 . In 2015 , the game was included as part of the Rare Replay compilation for Xbox One .
Rare Limited is a British video game developer and a studio of Xbox Game Studios based in Twycross , England . Rare is known for its platformers , which include the Donkey Kong , Banjo-Kazooie , and Conker series , although the studio does not adhere to specific genres and has developed first-person shooter , action-adventure , fighting , and racing games . The company was established in 1985 by brothers Tim and Chris Stamper , who also founded Ultimate Play the Game . During its early years , Rare was backed by an unlimited budget from Nintendo , primarily concentrated on Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES ) games . During this time the studio created successful games such as Wizards & Warriors , R.C . Pro-Am , and Battletoads . Rare became a prominent second-party developer for Nintendo , which came to own a large minority stake of the company . Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s , Rare received international recognition and critical acclaim for games such as the Donkey Kong Country trilogy , Killer Instinct , GoldenEye 007 , Banjo-Kazooie , Perfect Dark , and Conker 's Bad Fur Day . In 2002 , Microsoft acquired Rare , which retained the original brand , logo , and most intellectual properties . Rare has since focused on developing games exclusively for Microsoft 's video game consoles , including Grabbed by the Ghoulies , Kameo : Elements of Power , Perfect Dark Zero , and Viva Piñata . In 2007 , the Stampers left Rare to pursue other opportunities and , in 2010 , the company 's focus shifted to the Xbox Live Avatar and Kinect , releasing three Kinect Sports games . In 2015 , Rare developed Rare Replay , an Xbox One-exclusive compilation containing 30 of its games to celebrate its 30th anniversary .
The Nintendo 64 [ a ] ( officially abbreviated as N64 , hardware model number pre-term : NUS , stylized as NINTENDO64 ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo . Named for its 64-bit central processing unit , it was released in June 1996 in Japan , September 1996 in North America , and March 1997 in Europe and Australia . It was the last major home console to use the cartridge as its primary storage format until the Nintendo Switch in 2017 . The Nintendo 64 was discontinued in mid 2002 following the launch of its successor , the GameCube , in 2001 . Codenamed Project Reality , the Nintendo 64 design was mostly complete by mid-1995 , but its launch was delayed until 1996 , when Time named it Machine of the Year . It was launched with three games : Super Mario 64 , Pilotwings 64 ( worldwide ) and Saikyō Habu Shōgi ( exclusive to Japan ) . As part of the fifth generation of gaming , the system competed primarily with the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn . The suggested retail price at its United States launch was US $ 199.99 , and 32.93 million units were sold worldwide . In 2015 , IGN named it the ninth-greatest video game console of all time .
NHL 2002 is a video game released by EA Sports in 2001 . It is the predecessor to NHL 2003 . The game 's cover man is Pittsburgh Penguins superstar and owner Mario Lemieux , who had just made a comeback after being retired for three and a half years . It was the first installment of the NHL series to be released on Xbox .
Pro Evolution Soccer ( also known as World Soccer : Winning Eleven 5 in Japan and North America and often abbreviates as PES ) is the first installment of Konami 's Pro Evolution Soccer football video game series that was released in 2001 . World Soccer : Winning Eleven 5 Final Evolution was also released in Japan after the release of Pro Evolution Soccer in Europe . PES was succeeded by Pro Evolution Soccer 2 , which was released in 2002 .