Plenty of gamers who grew up in the 2000s still have fond memories of the video games they played as children. Many popular games released during the 2000s boast high entertainment value, leading to several franchise empires that still tower over the industry today. Gamers growing up at this time got to experience RuneScape, World of Warcraft, the first Halo game and other major releases at the height of their popularity when they first launched.
Although new players may not share the same experience when booting up 2000s-era games two decades later, the games from this decade evoke a special sense of nostalgia within their fandoms. Revisiting the most nostalgic 2000s video games reveals a world of forgotten fun. With an emphasis on communal gameplay experiences that are increasingly absent in modern online gaming spaces, many of the best games from 20+ years ago strike the ultimate nostalgic chord with players rediscovering them today.
Updated by Harley Whisenhunt on June 11, 2026: The landscape of video games is changing in new ways every day, and while this has led to plenty of beneficial breakthroughs and innovations, not every change has been positive. With ever-increasing price hikes and the decline of physical ownership options for modern game releases, many players are choosing to rediscover childhood favorites or try older games for the first time rather than engage with new titles. This list has been updated to reflect CBR’s updated publishing standards.
25
Nintendogs Is a Pet Lover’s Dream Come True
Nintendo’s smash hit Nintendogs allowed users to interact with virtual dogs in all manner of ways that weren’t previously accessible in other games. Once players picked out their perfect puppy, they got to lavish attention on them. The choices for bonding activities range from everyday care like walks and baths to competing in training trials against other dogs.
Nintendogs was released primarily on the Nintendo DS system, which Nintendo took full advantage of when designing the gameplay. The microphone could be used to call the dog or give it commands, and the touch screen enabled primary activities like petting, playing, and grooming, which really added to the sense of player interaction. Fans loved the calming and cute atmosphere that Nintendogs provided, and it’s a game series that would be right at home in the modern cozy gaming trend.
24
Dance Dance Revolution Got Gamers Moving
Even people who aren’t fans of rhythm games have likely heard of Dance Dance Revolution given its massive popularity in the 2000s. While not every title made its way out of Japan, DDR churned out back-to-back hits seemingly every year of that decade, each providing a stellar song list and the same classic gameplay. The games reached an audience even outside the usual video game sphere, as no prior gaming experience was required to get up and dance with friends.
DDR machines became a staple in the arcade scene, but many fans found enjoyment in releases for home consoles as well, with the franchise having a successful run on PlayStation and PlayStation 2. Though not as popular today, DDR‘s influence can be seen in almost every rhythm game that came after it, and most conventions are sure to bring along a DDR machine or two with them every year for people to show off their skills.
23
Poptropica Built a World Full of Island Adventures
Anyone who played Poptropica back in its heyday knows what a quality find it was in terms of online games of its era. On top of being a title where kids could customize their characters and interact with each other a la Club Penguin, it was also structured around a system of islands that each contained their own compelling storyline, meaning that kids could engage with the game in a number of ways.
Those who logged in to play for the stories were always in for a treat, as Poptropica was constantly adding new islands. Sometimes these islands would tie into a promotional deal, like the ones for Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Magic Tree House, and others would be wholly original stories centered around a particular theme. Those who played the game have their handful of favorites, but whether it was Shark Tooth Island or Spy Island, players were always in for a fun adventure.
22
Wii Sports Brought Friends and Family Together
The Wii was a revolutionary piece of gaming hardware, one that put motion controls into the hands of the masses. For a concept so new and unique to gamers, Nintendo had the foresight to design a game that could get people used to the mechanics in a fun way, and in doing so gave out a free copy of Wii Sports with every console. This move prompted a near-universal experience among players, as everyone with the system owned the game and thus had the chance to fall in love with it all at the same time.
Nintendo has always been known for its emphasis on family games, but Wii Sports truly felt like a title where the whole family could get involved more than most. The nature of the game prompted communal play sessions, with people banding together to form tennis teams or competing against each other in a game of bowling. At the very least, it certainly succeeded in getting people to try out motion controls, even if it did become a hazard to the TV whenever someone forgot to put on their wrist straps.
21
Webkinz Brought Stuffed Animals to Life in a Digital World
Online games for kids were rapidly gaining a following in the 2000s, but Webkinz took things to a whole different level with its multimedia aspects. In order to play the game, kids would first have to buy a real-life Webkinz stuffed animal of their choice, and then use the code that came with it to interact with their new friend in a virtual world.
There were plenty of things to do with a Webkinz online, such as designing a house, buying new items, and playing a variety of minigames. Beyond just the world of the game, however, owning Webkinz in the real world became a sort of status symbol depending on what kind somebody had or how many. Though there are a number of toys-to-life games that existed before and after Webkinz, this game had a massive surge in popularity during this era and had a huge grip on kids at the time.
20
Pikmin Never Lost Its 2000s Gaming Charm
Pikmin has continued to be one of Nintendo’s most delightful franchises. Pikmin wouldn’t be what it is today without the hard work of Captain Olimar and Louie. In this game, players are shrunk down to be smaller than a bug. Olimar travels to a strange planet to find resources for his people. Along the way, he encounters odd colorful creatures called Pikmin. Players would need to bring the right Pikmin for the right jobs.
Pikmin was lots of fun, yet also incredibly stressful. Players were on a timer, and as night began to fall, they would have to gather their Pikmin and run back to their ship before the nighttime creatures would come out. If players accidentally left any Pikmin behind for the night, they would have to listen to them get eaten and killed. It was undoubtedly a bit grim. That being said, Pikmin was and still is one of the most enjoyable and interesting exploration games of the 2000s.
19
RuneScape Is a Staple in 2000s Gaming
RuneScape was one of the biggest online games in the 2000s. In fact, it was so beloved that it is actually still active. Just in 2023, it reached around 50,000 active players. RuneScape was a heavy trend-setter for the grind mentality in online games. Every player found themselves at the marketplace, wishing that they could purchase the most coveted items so that they could show them off.
Hours and hours were put into standing in a cow pasture, collecting hides and hauling said hides to the market to sell for a quick buck. It was an absolutely massive game at its peak. There was PvP, but only in specific areas. Rest in peace to any poor players who wandered into those areas and were sorely punished for it. Altogether, RuneScape was the ultimate medieval life sim that offered plenty of gratification.
18
Shrek SuperSlam Was Chaotic Fun
In the 2000s, Shrek was widely popular. It also came out at a time in which there was a video game for just about every single children’s movie that hit theaters. The Shrek 2 game was tons of fun, offering co-op and tough rhythm game-style bosses (yes, this is about Puss in Boots), but Shrek shined with SuperSlam. SuperSlam was a game akin to Super Smash. With up to four players, gamers could choose their characters from the delightful cast of Shrek. There were battle royale-style fights, but also King of the Hill-style battles.
While there was nothing extremely revolutionary about Shrek SuperSlam, it had that very specific Shrek charm to it that is hard to put into words. The maps were colorful, pulling from scenes in the movies. The roster of characters was extensive, with 20 different characters that players could unlock. It had great movement and a very enchanting feel to it. Nothing was more entertaining than playing as Gingy while beating up one of the Dronkeys.
17
Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space Was So Unique
Blinx 2 was basically the perfect game for siblings back in the day. In a world of warring factions between the Tom-Tom Gang of pigs and the time-controlling cats, players would take on the role of both sides. When playing as the cats, players were equipped with vacuums. These vacuums allowed players to pause time, rewind time, or speed it up. In order to pull those moves off, players would have to sweep up the respective pieces scattered throughout the levels.
When playing as the pigs, the missions were much more stealth-based. They would avoid cameras and sneak around all while fabulous noir-style music played. Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space had such an engaging way to handle puzzles and levels. It required players to think through trial and error. It also featured a pretty great character creator, allowing each player to make their own unique pigs and cats.
16
Monsters, Inc. Scream Arena Was Mindless Entertainment
Yet another random video game to spawn from a popular movie was Monsters, Inc. Scream Arena. The premise of the game was to make children laugh and fill the “laugh meter.” The meter would rise as players hit each other. The idea was that the games of dodgeball were helping to power up the monster side of things. After the monsters moved away from scaring kids in the movie, they needed to find new ways to hit their quotas.
In all honesty, the game was pretty plain and didn’t offer anything super special, but it was still a lot of fun. It had the high-stakes of a shooter game while feeling closer to an arena-style fighter. Naturally, players got to choose to play as iconic characters from the movie. The maps were silly and fun, while scratching the itch of every child who was obsessed with Monsters Inc.