10. Ratchet & Clank

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Insomniac Games

Platform: PS2

Insomniac's classic helped change the way that we look at the classic platforming genre by mixing in a ton of action with a deep weapons system. The fantastic art direction, stellar animation and intricate level design gave us an awesome playground to dive into, and it kick-started one of the best PlayStation franchises. More

9. Animal Crossing

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo EAD

Platform: GameCube

Nintendo's 'communication game' might look woolly and lovable but Animal Crossing is one of the most perversely addictive time-sinks ever made. Move into Animal Crossing's idyllic universe, meet the neighbors and you'll never escape. It's all about trading hard graft and menial labour - from fishing to apple picking - for a scant offering of miniscule materialistic pleasures and, assuming you're not instantly lobotomised by the experience, you'll quickly realise its absolute evidence of Nintendo's true evil. More

8. Virtua Fighter 4

Publisher: SEGA

Developer: SEGA-AM2

Platform: PS2

In 2002 it was Virtua Fighter 4 that ruled the brawling roost, and while SEGA has since bettered the formula with the all-conquering fifth installment, it was this game that refined the pugilism into an art form. Its battles were tense and brutal, and its fighting was more technical than anything that had come before. More

7. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment

Developer: Blizzard Entertainment

Platform: PC

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos may not have broken any conventions of the genre, but good luck finding a smarter, cleaner real-time strategy game in 2002, much less 2009. Like Diablo II, Warcraft III was built to be played online, but Reign of Chaos' strong single-player campaign (thanks in part to a great story) makes it one of the decade's best. More

6. Splinter Cell

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Platform: Xbox

Ubisoft Montreal offered up Splinter Cell and suddenly the Xbox had a game that could compete with, and in some ways, surpass the mighty Metal Gear Solid franchise. The stealth combat, making heavy use of dynamic lighting, ushered in a whole new wave of clones and wannabes while Sam Fisher watched from the top. More

5. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Silicon Knights

Platform: GameCube

Before Silicon Knights bolted for seemingly greener pastures at Microsoft, the development team produced an absolutely epic GameCube game that really screwed with the mind. The story spanned centuries and offered unique experiences in each time period that intersected each other. It was an intense and haunting experience, enhanced with creative insanity effects that made the player rethink his own reality. More

4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Developer: Rockstar North

Platform: PS2

One year after GTA III changed what we knew about the PS2 and invented the 3D sandbox, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City arrived with a bigger city, better soundtrack, more cars, and Ray Liotta voicing the main character. Yatchts, the horribly awesome color scheme of the '80s, and everything you loved about GTA was in one game, and it was good. Very good. More

3. Kingdom Hearts

Publisher: Square

Developer: Square

Platform: PS2

In a move that incited quite a few chuckles in the gaming community, Square Enix teamed up with Disney to create a brand new action RPG featuring both Final Fantasy and Disney characters. Kingdom Hearts quickly became a global sensation, as its excellent gameplay and nostalgia-inducing story hooked countless gamers around the world. More

2. Metroid Prime

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Retro Studios, Inc.

Platform: GameCube

Whether you call it a shooter or adventure game there's no denying Prime's place in the history of gaming. Retro Studios did what no gamer could have expected, merging the moody atmosphere, visuals, and sound design of one of Nintendo's top franchises with a first-person perspective. It was a gamble, and it paid off big time. More

1. Battlefield 1942

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: Digital Illusions CE (DICE)

Platform: PC

Judged purely by the amount of time we spent playing, there are few multiplayer games that were as popular among the IGN staff as DICE's intense online shooter. Combining land, sea and air combat with lots of vehicles and different infantry kits, Battlefield 1942 brought World War 2 to life in a way that no other game ever has. More