Video Games Turning 20 In 2026

2006 marked a turning point for the video game industry. The PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii were released, but the Xbox 360, launched the year before, was becoming increasingly popular. Sony’s new PlayStation 3 was expensive, which allowed the Xbox 360 to gain a strong foothold in the market.

In 2026, we’ll celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3, along with many other memorable games released that year. It’s rare for a console to launch with even one major hit, but 2006 was exceptional, largely because Nintendo revolutionized gaming with the Wii.

Oblivion Put The Elder Scrolls Series On The Map In 2006

Before Oblivion, the Elder Scrolls series was already popular among PC gamers. Games like Daggerfall featured incredibly large worlds, and Morrowind was praised for its immersive and realistic environment. However, the older games weren’t always enjoyable to play due to awkward combat and complicated quests that often needed a guide to complete.

In 2006, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion arrived, building on the expansive worlds of previous games. It featured exciting combat, a satisfying leveling system, and a crafting system that encouraged exploration. Plus, the game was packed with so many engaging side quests that players could easily spend countless hours lost in its world. It seems even Emperor Patrick Stewart would have trouble finding time to rule, with so many guilds needing leaders!

Final Fantasy 12 Marked A New Era For The Franchise

Final Fantasy 10 was the last traditional, turn-based Final Fantasy game for a long time. The next installment, Final Fantasy 11, was an online game with action-based battles, which wasn’t accessible to everyone due to hardware and internet requirements. Fans who preferred action gameplay had to wait for Final Fantasy 12, which revisited the world of Ivalice, previously seen in Final Fantasy Tactics.

Final Fantasy 12 featured a battle system similar to classic games like Baldur’s Gate, offering real-time action with the ability to pause and give commands. It introduced the Gambit system, letting players program AI behaviors for their characters, almost allowing the game to play on its own. If you’re interested in trying this fantastic Final Fantasy game, it’s best to skip the original PlayStation 2 version and play the HD Remaster. The Remaster includes a lot of extra content from the updated Japanese release – like new character classes – and has significantly improved graphics.

Okami Proved Capcom Could Leave Its Comfort Zone

Most video games feature a human character, making it easier for players to relate to the story. But Capcom showed that you don’t need a human hero to create a memorable game. Their title, Okami, stars Amaterasu, a wolf who quickly became a fan favorite and one of the company’s most popular characters.

Okami is an adventure game inspired by the classic Legend of Zelda series, but uniquely set in the world of Japanese mythology. The game is beautifully presented with a stunning, watercolor-like art style, and follows Amaterasu on her journey as she meets various gods and monsters. While fans are eager to replay as Amaterasu – and a re-release is planned – a specific release date hasn’t been announced yet, so the wait continues.

New Super Mario Bros. Marked A Return To 2D

Following the success of Super Mario 64, Nintendo continued to innovate with 3D Mario games, creating fantastic titles like Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel. Super Mario Sunshine was another notable entry. While fans still enjoyed the classic games, the new Nintendo DS offered a great opportunity to revisit the franchise’s origins, as its hardware wasn’t powerful enough to run a completely new 3D Mario adventure.

New Super Mario Bros. on the DS was a massive hit, becoming the best-selling game for the system. It even outsold popular titles like Nintendogs, Mario Kart DS, and various Pokémon games. However, one downside was its short length – most players could finish it in under ten hours, and series fans likely even faster. Luckily, later 2D Mario games fixed this problem and offered much more content.

Sonic 2006 Was A Low Point For The Franchise

This list isn’t just about great games; some are remembered for being remarkably bad. Sonic the Hedgehog (often referred to as Sonic ’06 by fans) is a prime example – it’s hard to forget just how flawed it was. While there have been many disappointing Sonic the Hedgehog games, Sonic ’06 is often considered the absolute worst.

Let’s talk about what went wrong with Sonic ’06. A good place to begin is with the frustrating controls and camera – they make the game incredibly difficult to play, and glitches only make it worse. For many fans, the biggest issue was the romantic storyline between Sonic and a human character, culminating in a kiss during a cutscene, which caused them to lose interest in the series until the recent films revived it.

Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Brought The Series Online

Since the very first Pokémon games, Red & Blue, players have wanted to connect and battle with others around the globe. While early attempts, like those on the Nintendo DS, weren’t perfect and could be tricky to set up with newer internet connections, they did offer a way to play Pokémon online.

Man, I loved the Sinnoh region! It wasn’t about battling online or anything, it was just a really great place with some seriously cool new Pokémon. But honestly, what really stood out was how challenging it was. A lot of us thought we were pretty good trainers, but we quickly learned our lesson when we faced the Elite Four – and especially Cynthia! She was unbelievably strong, and a lot of us were eating our words after that battle!

Elite Beat Agents Is An Unsung Nintendo Classic

When the Nintendo DS first came out, a lot of players thought its touchscreen was just a temporary novelty and wouldn’t be used for long. However, rhythm games really took advantage of the feature, and Elite Beat Agents was a particularly great example.

Elite Beat Agents features three secret agents who assist people facing difficulties. Players help by tapping the screen in time with well-known songs like Cher’s “Believe,” Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8r Boi,” and David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” The game was known for being difficult, and overly enthusiastic tapping could even damage the Nintendo DS screen – particularly during the intense final stage, which featured the notoriously challenging song “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”

Gears Of War Showed What The Xbox 360 Could Do

In 2006, the Xbox 360 was more affordable than the PlayStation 3, but it didn’t have as many must-have exclusive games. Halo was really the only major title carrying the Xbox brand. Luckily, Microsoft launched a new hit series that year with Gears of War. It was the best-looking game on consoles and really showed off the power of the Xbox 360.

In the world of Gears of War, humans are battling a relentless invasion by alien creatures resembling insects. The Gears, an elite group of super-soldiers, are humanity’s last hope to fight back in intense combat across the remnants of cities. The game was a huge hit when it first came out and quickly became one of Microsoft’s most important series.

Wii Sports Was The Beginning Of Nintendo’s Revival

For a period after the Super Nintendo, Nintendo struggled as the PlayStation consistently outsold both the Nintendo 64 and GameCube. This wasn’t because of a lack of great games – Nintendo was still making excellent titles – but rather because Sony was better at appealing to a wider audience.

Wii Sports was the game that made the Nintendo Wii so popular, captivating players with its innovative motion controls that brought a new dimension to video games. People still enjoy the simple, fun minigames today, as they cleverly recreate real-life activities right in your living room. This broad appeal has made Wii Sports Nintendo’s best-selling game ever, surpassing even the incredibly popular Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess Returned To Darker Stories

While now considered a beloved classic, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker initially received harsh criticism for its bright, cartoon-like graphics. Fans of the series, accustomed to the more serious atmosphere of games like Majora’s Mask and Ocarina of Time, had to wait until 2006 for another Zelda game that matched that tone.

In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, players explore Hyrule after the events of Majora’s Mask. A dark and mysterious world begins to take over, and Link must journey between dimensions, even transforming into a wolf to navigate the shadows. Though released early in the Wii’s lifespan, Twilight Princess is considered a fantastic closing chapter for a console that didn’t always get the recognition it deserved, delivering a memorable Legend of Zelda experience.

2026-05-25 20:44