The following is a list the best games, (according to metacritic) as far back as 1996. The best games of the previous 2 generation and the current one so far. The list excludes PC Games, Sports games and remakes or re-releases of games. 1996- 3 games Super Mario 64 (N64)- 94% Tomb Raider (PS)- 91% Resident Evil (PS)- 91% 1997- 4 games (1 95%+) Goldeneye 007 (N64)- 96% Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS)- 93% Wipeout XL (PS)- 93% Final Fantasy VII (PS)- 91% 1998- 7 games (3 95%+) Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)- 99% Tekken 3 (PS)- 96% Gran Turismo (PS)- 96% Metal Gear Solid (PS)- 94% Banjo Kazooie (N64)- 92% Crash Bandicoot 3 (PS)- 91% Einhander (PS)- 91% 1999- 8 games (1 95%+) Soul Calibur (DC)- 98% Gran Turismo 2 (PS)- 93% Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PS)- 93% Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (PS)- 92% Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (PS)- 91% Final Fantasy VIII (PS)- 90% Ape Escape (PS)- 90% Syphon Filter (PS)- 90% 2000- 13 games (3 95%+) Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (PS)- 98% ...

Are you going to continue with this list later or why does is stop after 2000?

Anyways, I'd say that we are currently in a period of great games that has not been seen since the years 97/98.

Great games are comig out all over the place. I'm glad I own every console.

Perfect Dark (N64)- 97% Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)- 95% Jet Grind Radio (DC)- 94% Chrono Cross (PS)- 94% Final Fantasy IX (PS)- 94% Skies of Arcadia (DC)- 93% Vagrant Story (PS)- 92% Dead or Alive 2 (multi)- 91% Spyro The Dragon (PS)- 91% Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 (DC)- 90% Grandia II (DC)- 90% Phantasy Star Online (DC)- 90% 2001- 16 games (4 95%+) Halo (Xbox)- 97% Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)- 97% Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2)- 96% Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec (PS2)- 95% Devil May Cry (PS2)- 94% Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox)- 94% Soul Calibur II (DC)- 93% Paper Mario (N64)- 93% Final Fantasy X (PS2)- 92% Super Smash Bros Melee (N64)- 92% Advance Wars (GBA)- 92% Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA)- 92% Klonoa 2 (PS2)- 91% Twisted Metal: Black (PS2)- 91% Jak and Daxter (PS2)- 90% Ico (PS2)- 90% 2002- 5 games (2 95%+) Metroid Prime (GC)- 97% Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2)- 95% Virtua Fighter 4 (PS2)- 94% Super Mario Sunshine (GC)- 92% Metroid Fusion (GBA)- 92% ...

Whats disturbing is i own pretty much all of the games listed up there, never realised id had/have spent so much money on games over the years.

2003- 7 games (1 95%+) Zelda: The Wind Waker (GC)- 96% Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (Multi)- 94% Burnout 3 (Multi)- 94% Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (Multi)- 92% Eternal Darkness (GC)- 92% Ratchet & Clank: Goin' Commando (PS2)- 90% Panzer Dragoon Orta (Xbox)- 90% 2004- 7 games (2 95%+) Halo 2 (Xbox)- 95% Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)- 95% Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2)- 94% Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (Xbox)- 93% Metroid Prime 2 (GC)- 92% Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)- 91% Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)- 91% 2005- 6 games (1 95%+) Resident Evil 4 (GC)- 96% God of War (PS2)- 94% Forza Motorsport (Xbox)- 92% Mario Kart DS (DS)- 91% Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)- 91% Guitar Hero (PS2)- 91% 2006- 6 games (1 95%+) Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)- 95% Gears of War (360)- 94% The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (360)- 94% Okami (PS2)- 93% Final Fantasy XII (PS2)- 92% Guitar Hero II (PS2)- 92% 2007- 8 games (4 95%+) Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)- 98% The Orange Box (360)- 96% ...

Bioshock (360)- 96% Halo 3 (360)- 94% God of War 2 (PS2)- 93% Forza Motorsport 2 (360)- 90% Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)- 90% So you can see 2007 looks to be the best year in gaming since 2001, but 2001 clearly wins out with 16 of the best games of all time, with some of the highest rated and best selling games ever: Halo, MGS 2, KotOR, GTA III, Devil May Cry, Gran Turismo 3, Soul Calibur II, Final Fantasy X. Sorry for the multiple posts, typing on a PS3.

Wow, 2000 and 2001 were great years for console-gaming. What happened that time? And Dreamcast had some big games it seems. It didn't helped Sega.

2000- DC launch
2001- PS2 and Xbox launches.

A lot of the really big games of then haven't gotten their next gen sequels yet: MGS, FF, GTA, GT, SC, SB and DMC.

A lot of those are coming in 08 and 09.

2001 was the biggest year of them all.