Best Games of the 2000s (2000–2010): Ranked by Metacritic

The best-reviewed game of 2000–2010 is Grand Theft Auto IV, which scored a Metacritic 98 in 2008. Just below it sits a cluster of 97s — Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Grand Theft Auto III, Metroid Prime and both Super Mario Galaxy games. The 2000s were arguably gaming’s greatest decade, the era that gave us open worlds, cinematic storytelling and online console play.

Below are the best games of the decade ranked by Metacritic score, with release year, platform and genre. Scores are the headline critic aggregate for each game’s lead platform; where several games tie, the more influential title is placed higher.

The best games of 2000–2010, ranked

Ranked by Metacritic score. Year is the original release; platform is the lead reviewed version.

Why 2007 stands out

The chart clusters tightly at the top because the 2000s were stacked with near-perfect games — and 2007 alone gave us Super Mario Galaxy, BioShock, The Orange Box (Half-Life 2, Portal and Team Fortress 2 in one box), Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4. Few years in any medium have matched that density of landmark releases, which is why it is so often called gaming’s greatest single year.

The decade’s defining games

Four titles that changed what games could be.

Many of these franchises still top the charts today — see how their modern entries fare on our best-selling video games of all time ranking. The GTA series in particular has only grown since; our GTA 5 money guide covers where the franchise went next.

Best game of the decade by genre

The standout 2000s release in each major genre.

The decade laid the foundations for almost everything modern gaming does. To see how today’s live titles compare, check our most played Steam games of 2026.

Best games of the 2000s FAQ