The last year of the 1900s was quite special for the gaming community. It gave us titles that totally changed how we play games today.

Some of the titles that were released in '99 are more than just good. Even 27 years later, many are considered absolute classics.

They completely reshaped their genres and left a huge mark on the gaming industry. From Pokémon classics to shooter masterpieces, here are the top 10 best games from 1999!

10. Medal of Honor

EA and DreamWorks gave us the ultimate World War II console shooter. With an epic background score and amazing atmosphere, it paved the way for some of the modern greats. It was Call of Duty before COD ever existed.

9. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Capcom totally changed survival horror with this one. You play as Jill Valentine, who is pursued by Nemesis. It birthed arguably the most famous and persistent tyrant.

8. Final Fantasy VIII

Following up on potentially the best Final Fantasy game of all time, like FF7, was tough. But SquareSoft took some wild risks here.

They changed how magic worked with the crazy Junction system. The cinematic story, beautiful graphics, and amazing music make it super beloved. Plus, it gave us Triple Triad, honestly, the best mini-game ever made.

7. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike

This arcade fighter flew under the radar at first since everyone loved 3D games back then. But man, it aged perfectly.

The incredibly smooth animation and that genius parry system totally changed competitive play in fighting games forever. It's now seen as one of the best 2D fighters ever.

6. Silent Hill

They actually used the PS1's hardware limits to their advantage, making that iconic thick fog to hide the draw distance. It set a new high standard for emotionally engaging game design.

5. EverQuest

EverQuest, for over 2 decades now, has remained compelling as ever. It proved that many would pay a monthly subscription to live in the game. The modern MMORPGs owe a big thank you to this 1999 pioneer of the genre.

4. Unreal Tournament

This FPS-shooter ditched the slow stuff for pure, lightning-fast arena matches. Before games like Counter-Strike popularized this style of competitive shooters, Unreal Tournament made it its own.

3. Pokémon Gold and Silver

Game Freak took the biggest craze on the planet and made it even better. These Game Boy Color sequels added breeding, shiny Pokémon, and a real-time clock.

It was Gen 2 at its peak. Plus, letting you explore the entire original Kanto region after beating the game made it even better. A close contender for the best Pokémon game ever.

2. Age Of Empires II: The Age Of Kings

Ensemble Studios and Microsoft gave us the king of real-time strategy here. Taking things to the Middle Ages, they totally nailed the balance between base and army building. The gameplay is so well-balanced that it still has a vast competitive scene over two decades later.

1. System Shock 2

System Shock 2 blended a shooter with deep RPG elements across a spaceship. The challenge of outsmarting the rogue AI SHODAN became a cornerstone of the immersive sim genre.

How many 1999 titles have you played till now? Which one was your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Nisarga Aseem Barkule

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore