5 Best Video Games Released In The Year 2000

Let’s start strong: Majora’s Mask didn’t just take a left turn from Ocarina of Time—it yeeted the whole formula into weird, spooky territory. And honestly? We’re glad it did.

You’ve got:

• A moon with a murder stare.
• A three-day time loop mechanic that stressed us out in a good way.
• Masks that completely transformed how Link played.

It was eerie, experimental, and emotionally heavy. Majora’s Mask taught us that saving the world wasn’t just about swinging a sword—it was about wearing many faces, literally and figuratively.

Diablo II

Click. Loot. Repeat. Sleep? Who needs it?

Blizzard dropped Diablo II and turned every PC gamer into a loot goblin overnight. It was dark, gritty, and oh-so-rewarding. Whether you were necro-spamming skeletons or teleporting around as a sorceress, every run felt like a power fantasy in progress.

It also introduced:

• Skill trees that actually mattered.
• Five addictively fun classes (and more with the Lord of Destruction expansion).
• Online multiplayer that devoured weekends (but only on LAN or Blizzard’s online services).

Diablo II didn’t just raise the bar for ARPGs—it buried it in a crypt with a boss fight guarding it.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2

If you didn’t spend an entire summer listening to “Guerrilla Radio” while nailing a 900 in a digital warehouse, did you even live?

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 was peak ‘00s energy:

• Killer soundtrack.
• Insane trick combos.
• Level editor that let you build your dream park (and fill it with way too many rails).

This wasn’t just a sports game—it was the skate culture gateway drug. And yeah, you were lying if you didn’t try to ollie off your own stairs after playing it.

Final Fantasy IX

After the futuristic vibes of FFVII and VIII, Final Fantasy IX felt like coming home. With its whimsical castles, lovable goofs (Vivi!), and fairy-tale aesthetic, Square Enix hit us in the feels with this one.

Why it still rules:

• Turn-based combat that made you think (but not too hard).
• Characters with good personality arcs.
• Gorgeous pre-rendered environments that still hold up stylistically.

It’s the underrated gem of the PS1 era. FFIX didn’t reinvent the franchise—it celebrated it.

The Sims

And now… the game that launched a thousand soap operas.

The Sims dropped in 2000 and gave us what we didn’t know we needed: a life simulator where we could build dream homes, create drama, and “accidentally” trap a Sim in a 1×1 room with no toilet.

Features included:

• Weirdly addictive furniture shopping.
• Watching your Sim do more chores than you ever would.
• Getting emotionally attached to virtual people you made five minutes ago (before leaving them in a doorless room).

It was chaotic, it was iconic, and it absolutely changed gaming.

Final Thoughts

The early 2000s didn’t just give us flip phones and pop-punk playlists—they handed us games that still live rent-free in our memories. These five weren’t just good for the time—they’re timeless. So, whether you’re firing up your N64 or revisiting them on modern platforms, just know: the year 2000 was stacked.

And if you’ve still got your original save files? You’re a legend.