1999 is one of the most special years for video games specially if you enjoying multiplayer games online or locally with your best friends or family. Not only did that year have some of the best online multiplayer games but also we had fantastic console game releases which ended up as gaming all time classics. I am here to pick out the most favourable games of 1999 that still remain as some of the best alongside some new innovate gaming experiences that we ever got. So which of the ten best of the best games released in 1999 made the list? It is no easy task to list them but here they are.
Rules:
* Games that got European releases in 1999 will be counted
10: Medal of Honor
Platform: PlayStation
Developer: Electronic Arts
We all know one thing, PCs rule the First Person Shooter genre but the Nintendo 64 had a fair of solid titles like the hugely successful Goldeneye to Turok. But what about the PlayStation, sure it had a superb port of Doom and Exhumed/Powerslave but none of them stood tall against Goldeneye's gameplay until the infamous company that is EA released Medal of Honor. Containing the objective based gameplay that Goldeneye had Medal of Honor took players into World War II which at the time was refreshing for the genre, had an atmospheric soundtrack, unique AI that can react to Grenades being thrown at them, challenging level design and also had the best controls for the genre before Halo even existed and changed the way FPS controlled on consoles, using dual analog sticks for movement, aiming, and looking and using the R2 button for firing. Sure EA eventually continued the series onward and eventually turned it into a modern mess that destroyed it but we shall remember it's glory days back from when it started in World War II.
9: Super Smash Bros
Platform: Nintendo 64
Developer: Hal Laboratory
Super Smash Bros was a smashing good time with friends as each of the various Nintendo characters all get to duke it out in competitive 4 player matches. With characters like Mario, Link, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Kirby, Pikachu, Fox and so on it was an enjoyable fighting game like no other and eventually with each new Nintendo console and new franchises from Nintendo that would come out each would release a new Smash Bros game that would no doubt be better then the last one. What a way to start an excellent fighting series off.
8: Silent Hill
Platform: PlayStation
Developer: Konami
Resident Evil sure was a horrifying experience but however Konami's Silent Hill was more terrifying, low light and very dark hallways, very limited ammunition, monsters creeping around at every corner and broken glass freakout moments set in a completely deserted and foggy town. It is how you create survival horror game much like how Capcom made Resident Evil and how you completely give horror fans a frightful experience making it one of the scariest games for this list.
7: Crash Team Racing
Platform: PlayStation
Developer: Naughty Dog
Nintendo and Sony had been competing well between the battle of the PlayStation and the Nintendo 64 and they have been competing rather well. Crash Team Racing was a racing to jump in competition with Nintendo's Mario Kart franchise and for the original PlayStation it was a fantastic alternative. It has various power ups that are very similar to the power ups from Mario Kart but also keeps the Crash theme very well plus it has enjoyable races thanks to great track design and can be enjoyed with friends as well.
6: Tony Hawk's Skatebording
Platform: PlayStation
Developer: Neversoft
Necersoft started off the Tony Hawk franchise with the Skatebording game which the second game was hailed as one of the best Skatebording games of all time. The original game in the series has really good Skatebording gameplay where you can perform tricks and collecting objects found around each of the game's locations. The game featured numerous modes including a Career mode which allowed you to tackle different missions and improve your character's various abiltites. The game would go on to spawn many sequels including the amazing second Skatebording game until the contract deal between Activision and Tony Hawk expired and Robomodo released an unfinished buggy mess of a game that really killed the series off. Regardless though everyone who grew up with franchise will know the glory days of the series on the original PlayStation.
5: Pokemon Red & Blue
Platform: Gameboy
Developer: Gamefreak
Okay I know that in 1998 was the release of the game that started the Gotta Catch Em All craze but however 1999 was when European gamers like myself would finally get to start the first Pokemon journey. You as a Pokemon Trainer got to Catch different Pokemon in the wild and then train them up and then take on other Pokemon Trainers and then beat the Gym Leader and then fight the Elite Four and become a Pokemon Master. You can also trade Pokemon to friends with the link cable so that you can build your collection to fill up the Pokedex. Pokemon was one of the most innovative experiences on the Gameboy and one that would help to go on and sell millions world wide. Pikachu would become one of the biggest famous names in the industry next to Mario and would also later get to travel with the player in Pokemon Yellow.
4: Soul Calibur
Platform: Dreamcast
Developer: Namco
Namco has been firing up arcades with their fighting games Tekken and Soul Edge and eventually they released Soul Calibur for Arcades and eventually released for the short lived Dreamcast consoles. A weapons based fighting game where each of the different characters had their own weapon and combat style and the 8 way movement that required skill to master and the Dreamcast version had everything that the Arcade version had and also had improved graphics and new game modes to play with. It is still a fighting game that still has so many places in gamers hearts and is still often hailed as one of the best Dreamcast games of all time.
3: Quake III Arena
Platform: PC
Developer: ID Software
1999 has the best online FPS games clashing like titans and the second best of these is Quake III Arena following the awakening of the online Deathmatches that have been popular on PCs. Quake III Arena takes the series into the competitive arena shooter and it was quite an explosive gem. All of the various arenas are very detailed and the soundtrack was rocking good time. The weapons were excellent, impactful and the power ups can blow your enemies into piles of blood and guts. Even if you never want to the game online the offline bot matches where really challenging and also has gameplay elements that really put campers in their place forcing you to keep moving, strafing or use many different skills that can turn the tide against other players. It's still a strong contender for top FPS game that you can play online with other players or with bots but however in my opinion doesn't give you the same insanity and other ways to play in comparison to the next game which is...
2: Unreal Tournament
Platform: PC
Developer: Epic Games/Digital Extremes
Holy cow this is major gaming bless. After giving many PC gamers an impressive reel of the Unreal Engine with the original Unreal the developers popularized arena based FPS games with the masterpiece that is Unreal Tournament and where as Quake III Arena was a strong contender with plenty of depth to it Unreal Tournament has many different game modes like Capture the Flag, Domination, Assault and Classic Deathmatch. The weapons all had secondary fire and all of them like Flak Cannons, Rocket Launchers, Shock Rifles and Chain Guns and the way you use them makes a difference on how you use them. This is coming from a time where skill in an FPS game online or offline actually had meaning to them instead of the modern shooters where it amounts to who shot first, who has the most upgrades or what level a character was. It is still one of the most enjoyable competitive FPS games of all time and anyone can just easily jump right into a match online or off and also play around with mutators which change up the many aspects of the game as well as a map editor which allowed to make your own maps and play them with strangers or friends. This is what I term the name online multiplayer FPS unlike the ones we got today and it should be enjoyed by anyone especially all those modern gamers who spend 10 hours a day on their Call of Duty and Fortnites that can't hold a candle to the original Unreal Tournament's dominance.
Honourable Mentions
System Shock 2 (PC)
Resident Evil 3 Nemesis (PlayStation)
Age of Empires II (PC)
Gran Turismo 2 (PlayStation)
Rayman 2 The Great Escape (PlayStation)
Donkey Kong 64 (Nintendo 64)
Jet Force Gemini (Nintendo 64)
Ape Escape (PlayStation)
Worms Armageddon (PlayStation/PC/Dreamcast)
1: Metal Gear Solid
Platform: PlayStation
Developer: Konami
I am going to point out something, yes I know that this game came out in 1998 but Japanese and American gamers and we in the UK didn't get the game till 1999 and it was worth the wait. I don't think I need to say why this game is number one on this list, It was heavily praised for the outstanding storyline and cutscenes which still hold up today, brilliant stealth gameplay with different weapons you can use whenever you do end up getting spotted, various challenging obstacles and bosses and some of the best secrets that you can find if you explore hard enough. When it first came out it was named one of the best games on the PlayStation and also one of the best games of all time and it still holds up well and has always stood the test of time which is why it takes the spot for the best game of this list. I know you guys in Japan and US got it first but again 1999 was when we in Europe would finally get to play it and that time there would be a VR Special Missions release with many different challenges to take on and also you get to play as a Cyborg Ninja as well, what's not to love?
Do you agree with this list? What other games of 1999 where your all time favourite?
Written By Anthony Hayball (AQWBlaZer91)
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