My Childhood in Games

My son was born a month ago, and it got me reminiscing on my childhood. These are games I associate with that blissful time in my life before I knew games cost money.

In release order, but not necessarily the order in which I played them. I was an original Xbox kid. I cut it off at 2008

(list will likely always be under construction)

206 Games

The Orange Box
The Orange Box
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
Halo 3: Limited Edition
Halo 3: Limited Edition
Twinsen's Little Big Adventure 2 Classic
Twinsen's Little Big Adventure 2 Classic
Jet Set Radio Future
Jet Set Radio Future
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Game of the Year Edition
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Game of the Year Edition
First game I ever bought with my own money. Baller choice too
Halo 2: Limited Collector's Edition
Halo 2: Limited Collector's Edition
My dad bought this at midnight and brought it home to me in bed. “Do you know what this is?”
I felt the cold metal box.
“Halo 2. Halo 2!”
And then I went and watched my dad play through Cairo Station. Close to the best night of my entire life
Doom 3: Limited - Collector's Edition
Doom 3: Limited - Collector's Edition
Birthday gift from my grandmother (she took me to GameStop and let me pick out whatever I wanted)
Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II
Christmas
Pokémon Emerald Version
Pokémon Emerald Version
One of the best birthday gifts I ever received was a Gameboy Advance SP and this game
Unreal Tournament 2004
Unreal Tournament 2004
Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid: Zero Mission
BioShock
BioShock
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Unreal Tournament
Unreal Tournament
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x
Christmas gift
Doom
Doom
Quake III Arena
Quake III Arena
Crash Bandicoot: Warped
Crash Bandicoot: Warped
Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii
Star Fox 64
Star Fox 64
Pokémon Crystal Version
Pokémon Crystal Version
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Tony Hawk's Underground
Tony Hawk's Underground
Halo 2: Multiplayer Map Pack
Halo 2: Multiplayer Map Pack
Dad brought this home from work with zero warning
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 2
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved
Greatest Christmas gift of all time. An Xbox and my favorite game ever
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart DS
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy
Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy
Recommended by my elementary school friend Matt
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Marble Blast Ultra
Marble Blast Ultra
Wii Sports
Wii Sports
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
PictoChat
PictoChat
Namco: Featuring Ms. Pac-Man
Namco: Featuring Ms. Pac-Man
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Birthday gift
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
Super Mario 64 DS
Super Mario 64 DS
Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 2
Super C
Super C
The Simpsons: Hit & Run
The Simpsons: Hit & Run
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Unreal Tournament 2003
Unreal Tournament 2003
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Crash Twinsanity
Crash Twinsanity
Pokémon Pearl Version
Pokémon Pearl Version
Rock Band
Rock Band
Castle Crashers
Castle Crashers
LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
birthday gift
Cartoon Cartoon Summer Resort
Cartoon Cartoon Summer Resort
New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 2
Got with the Xbox 360
Star Wars: Battlefront
Star Wars: Battlefront
Christmas
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
Peasant's Quest
Peasant's Quest
Ms. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Played it at Water & Ice in Mesa, AZ
Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition
Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition
Mirror's Edge
Mirror's Edge
MechAssault
MechAssault
Putt-Putt Travels Through Time
Putt-Putt Travels Through Time
Gears of War
Gears of War
Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
Birthday gift and my first videogame. Brutally hard for a kid imo but I loved it anyway
Pokémon Snap
Pokémon Snap
Fatman Adventures
Fatman Adventures
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
Only game my mom has ever beaten, to my knowledge. All NES games on this list were played via a horrendously bad plug-n-play bootleg from the LA garment district.
The Darkness
The Darkness
Fallout 3
Fallout 3
Namco Museum
Namco Museum
Birthday gift with Pac-Man World 2
Pac-Man World 2
Pac-Man World 2
Birthday gift
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros.
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
Tomb Raider: Legend
Tomb Raider: Legend
Tekken 6
Tekken 6
Test Drive Unlimited
Test Drive Unlimited
Tron 2.0
Tron 2.0
Gauntlet Dark Legacy
Gauntlet Dark Legacy
Co-op with cousins
Zuma Deluxe
Zuma Deluxe
Dance Dance Revolution Universe
Dance Dance Revolution Universe
Nintendogs Chihuahua & Friends
Nintendogs Chihuahua & Friends
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
Got with the Xbox 360
Voodoo Vince
Voodoo Vince
Dad brought this home from work without warning
Gun
Gun
Star Wars: Racer Arcade
Star Wars: Racer Arcade
Played at Gameworks in AZ
Stinkoman 20X6
Stinkoman 20X6
Dig Dug
Dig Dug
Played at Ned’s Krazy Sub in Mesa, AZ. Moving the joystick left was sticky.
Midway Arcade Treasures 2
Midway Arcade Treasures 2
Wanted this game so bad just so I could play MK2, MK3, and Rampage World Tour
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
N
N
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Konquest mode addict. Birthday gift
Stranglehold
Stranglehold
Sonic Advance 2
Sonic Advance 2
One time I accidentally unlocked everything with a random cheat code. Straight up miracle
Destroy All Humans!
Destroy All Humans!
Played this for about one afternoon until my mom made me take it back to Walmart for being too violent. ??? Still don’t get it.
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger

9 Comments

conman

11 months ago

Yea baby

DeemonAndGames

11 months ago

While I don't have much of a connection with most of these, seing the DS and flash games brings back so many memories... god do I sometimes miss those times...

Also I'm so sorry you grew up with Drake of the 99 Dragons, but you also played Metroid: Zero Mission, so I guess it evens out.

conman

11 months ago

Thank you for your sympathies. Game was super hard for no reason

Weatherby

11 months ago

Ohh, I should do one of these.

Grimbonzakura

11 months ago

Thank You for such an interesting list idea. Imma make my now

conman

11 months ago

Looking forward to seeing everyone’s lists!

BrightGalaxy

11 months ago

Great list and idea! I'll probably make a list for mine soon too.

roboSteven

11 months ago

The Magic School Bus games were awesome. Peak 90s childhood computer gaming.

I end up thinking about that one minigame where you control that one long fish near the thermal vents often.

conman

11 months ago

They were such a vibe for real
conman

9 Comments

Last updated: