10 Great Gaming Years

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We’ve said it a million times (and have even said that we’ve said it a million times), but 2011 is easily shaping up to be one of the best years in recent memory for gamers, if not ever. At least, that’s what we say, because gamers are a fickle bunch and have such a short attention span. It’s true. We’re quick to forget about how good previous decades were to us, because all of it blends together into this big retro blur.

To help jog your memory a bit, GamesRadar has a list of the ten greatest years in gaming history, and I kind of love it. They basically start back in the 80’s and pick out ten excellent years where gamers got spoiled. It’s actually insane to look back and realize that Mario 64, Panzer Dragoon II, NiGHTS Into Dreams, Twisted Metal 2, Resident Evil, Quake and Civ II all came out in 1996. Likewise, 1998 saw Metal Gear Solid, Banjo-Kazooie, Ocarina of Time, Grim Fandango, Baldur’s Gate, Half-Life, Starcraft and Final Fantasy Tactics. Crazy, huh?

One thing to keep in mind is that this list was written several years back, and recently re-published. Still, it’s interesting to look at, and definitely tickled the nostalgic parts of my brain. So what do you guys think? What were some of your favorite years in gaming? Go!

Source – GamesRadar

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I write about samurai girls and space marines. Writer for Smooth Few Films. Rooster Teeth Freelancer. Author of Red vs. Blue, The Ultimate Fan Guide, out NOW!

2 thoughts on “10 Great Gaming Years”

  1. While I wasn’t into gaming much at the time, reading over the article 1998 is without a doubt the best year for me. My 2 favourite N64 games (LoZ:OoT and Banjo-Kazooie) both in the same year, plus the start of the Metal Gear Solid and Half-Life franchises which i can to love later… How can you go go wrong?

  2. I have a feeling this list was more fun to put together than read. That said, I’d say my top two on the list would be 1997 (they said it right…FF7) and 2005 (Shadow of the Colossus being the cream of the especially creamy crop…that sounds gross).

    I’d also add 2009 for consideration. Braid, Infamous, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Street Fighter IV, Brutal Legend, Uncharted 2, GTA: Chinatown Wars, Rock Band: The Beatles, Assassin’s Creed 2, and, of course, Demon’s Souls. As well as Dragon Age, which I wasn’t crazy about but I’m in a minority for that. That list doesn’t include any PC releases, either, which may either help or hinder my nomination, but I don’t really play PC games so maybe someone could elaborate.

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