When Xbox Series X and the PS5 came out, they both did so with multiple launch titles, including the hit Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Devil May Cry 5, and border areas, all of which had had great success on the previous gens of the consoles. However, sometimes a launch title is completely new and changes the future of the console.
Several launch titles have received otherworldly praise, a few even having major influence on later games. When it comes to games like this, these dozens have been best received by Metacritic.
12 Madden NFL 2001 – 91%
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The first madden game of the 21st century was a release title for the Playstation 2. Starring former Tennessee Titans walking Eddie George on the cover, Madden NFL 2001 had a plethora of customization options and historic NFL teams, as well as the introduction of Madden maps.
Being the first football game on the PS2, Madden NFL 2001 blew critics away with its stunning graphics at the time. The game’s presentation has been praised and the great gameplay has also received high marks, making this Madden one of the best in the series.
11 DOA2: Hardcore – 91%
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Another launch title for the Playstation 2 (albeit only in North America) is DOA2: Hardcorewhich is more or less a port of Dead or alive 2. The plot of the game remains intact, but the graphics have been vastly improved, with things like secret characters and new costumes.
Critics were charmed by this “hardcore” version of Dead or alive 2, mainly because of the graphics, character design, and eclectic cast of fighters. The sheer amount of extras thrown into a mix was a huge selling point.
10 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 – 91%
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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 was a launch title for the Gamecube in 2001, featuring Tony Hawk and a roster of twelve professional skaters. Players can skate all over the world or treat themselves to customization as they can create their own skater or build a skate park from scratch.
While not nearly as beloved as the PS2 version, the Gamecube version of Pro skater 3 still fared well with critics. High praise went to the soundtrack and new tricks to perform, as well as the control scheme that worked seamlessly on the Gamecube controller.
9 Castlevania: Circle of the Moon – 91%
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Released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon was yet another story in the legendary conflict between Count Dracula and the Belmont clan. In this 2-D side-scroller, Nathan Graves must fight his way through Dracula’s Castle to defeat the resurrected Count Dracula.
Circle of the Moon plays like any other Castlevania game, with the same pace and mechanics. Critics enjoyed the game’s card system, the DSS (Dual Set-up System), although some disagreed on how dark the game’s graphics were.
8 Flower – 91%
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Flower was originally released on the Playstation 3 in February 2009, before being ported to the Playstation 4 years later as a launch title. Created by the developers of flow, Flower is a serene game in which the player controls the wind to blow a petal through the air.
Flower completely won over critics with its simple yet relaxing nature, as it is a game intended to evoke positive emotions. With no dialogue or text and based solely on emotional cues, this game can truly give any player an enjoyable experience that has never been felt before.
7 Demon Souls – 92%
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Published by Sony early 2009 Demon Souls saw new life as a remake for the Playstation 5. While the game’s difficulty and arduous quest remain the same, everything else is amplified and built from the ground up.
The remake of Demon Souls sticks to the original, with the same dark and majestic fantasy land that 2009’s interaction was known for. Critics enjoyed how much better the game plays, thanks in part to the changes in quality of life. Even with these changes and improvements in graphics, the challenging nature of Demon Souls is still very clear.
6 SSX – 93%
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SSX burst into the scene on the Playstation 2, as the first of a few extreme sports games produced by EA Sports BIG. The game offers fast-paced gameplay, detailed tracks and the ability to knock out totally unrealistic snowboarding moves.
Winning multiple gaming awards months after release, SSX was one of the best-selling games in late 2000. Critics fell in love with this snowboarding title, praising its graphics, gameplay and soundtrack. Much praise went to the game’s track design, which some considered vibrant and cleverly designed.
5 Super Mario 64 – 94%
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Mark Mario’s first foray into 3D, Super Mario 64 is a timeless masterpiece that has become one of the most influential video games in gaming history.
Super Mario 64 was widely anticipated by game critics when it was first revealed, and it certainly lived up to the hype. The non-linear open-world gameplay has been heavily praised, and it’s this kind of gameplay that will inspire many 3D platformers in the future.
4 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – 95%
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Twilight Princess is one of the dark games in The Legend of Zelda series, as it follows Link in his quest to save the kingdom of Hyrule from the trap in Twilight. There’s a dark, brooding atmosphere to this game – not thanks to characters like Midna and the game’s villain, Zant.
Considered the best by some critics Zelda game ever, Twilight Princess earned props for its mature themes and dastardly puzzles. This title also has a “realistic” feel that critics say makes this game heavier than many other iterations of Zelda.
3 Halo: Battle Evolved – 97%
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Microsoft made a big statement when the Xbox hit the shelves in 2001, making Halo: Combat Evolved a launch title for the console. The first game of the Halo series lets players drive vehicles, snipe enemies and experiment with alien technology, all as Master Chief.
Halo: Combat Evolved is considered one of the best first-person shooter games ever made, and has continued to modernize and define the FPS genre. Critics have called this game the most comprehensive launch title out there, as its success helped put the Xbox on the map.
2 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 97%
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Like Super Mario 64, Breath of the Wild had gone through tons of hype when it was first revealed to the public. This launch title for the Switch not only lived up to the hype, but also had an impact on the open world games that came after.
Breath of the Wild has earned props from critics for straying from the usual Zelda formula, which embraces the concepts of exploration and experimentation. Aside from the massive open world gameplay, other high points of this game are the story and the breathtaking visuals.
1 Soul Calibur – 98%
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The Dreamcast didn’t do as well as SEGA hoped, but one of the launch titles has done extremely well. Ported to the Dreamcast for North America in 1999, soulcalibur is a weapons-based fighting game primarily centered around a legendary blade called the Soul Edge.
soulcalibur was praised for its visuals, with several critics calling it one of the best-looking fighting games out there. The characters are well designed and well animated, with a few details such as facial expressions and lighting effects adding to the game’s visuals.
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