Top 10 Best Video Games of 2002

In 2002, you could explore sprawling fantasy worlds, tear through neon-soaked city streets, or discover just how strange a crossover between Disney and Japanese role-playing games could become. You also watched consoles settle into their identities, with each system offering experiences that felt distinct rather than interchangeable. Sequels grew bolder, new franchises arrived with confidence, and familiar characters returned with fresh tricks.

You were not simply choosing what to play, but deciding where to spend dozens of precious after-school hours, late nights, and suspiciously unproductive weekends. Two decades later, the year still gives you plenty to argue about, celebrate, and replay.

The Top Ten

  1. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

  2. Kingdom Hearts

    Definitely number 1! This game shaped my childhood!

  3. Metroid Prime

    I can't believe Super Mario Sunshine is number 15 and this game is number 8. Sunshine should be 2, and this should be 1. This game had the best graphics of the year, and it had the best gameplay (Super Mario Sunshine is a close second for both, though). This game had the most bs boss battles in the series and is the series' overall best game. Get this higher, people, PLEASE!

    Boss game. Loved every minute of it.

  4. Super Mario Sunshine

  5. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

    I miss this game. It impacted open-world games so much!

  6. Ratchet & Clank

    Great game. The weakest of the series, but still enjoyable, and it left room for later games to improve upon it.

  7. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

  8. Battlefield 1942

  9. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance

  10. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Shantae

    The start of a smaller but beloved series of platformer games. I think these games were good, they tended have mechanics that were more unique to platformers.

  12. ?

    Resident Evil

    13. The Contenders

  13. Medal of Honor: Frontline

  14. Grand Theft Auto III

  15. TimeSplitters 2

    A game you can never get rid of.

  16. Pokémon Ruby

  17. Metroid Fusion

  18. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai

  19. RollerCoaster Tycoon 2

  20. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem

  21. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

  22. WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth

  23. Spider-Man

  24. Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven

  25. Mario Party 4

  26. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

    Warcraft III is one of the best RTS games. Great story, fine gameplay, and great Battle.net content with infinite maps and mods from players. DotA, Footman Frenzy, tower defenses of all kinds, and even more! This game deserves much more attention. Revolutionary. Thanks, Blizzard, for this masterpiece!

    Another top-notch real-time strategy game from Blizzard. It's sad to see the franchise become an average MMORPG 10 years later, and even calling it an RPG is shaky.

  27. Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World

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